Hi, welcome to 2017! Happy New Year to you and all that are yours!Excited as I am for the New Year? You should, because it's going to be your best year yet.And no, I'm not saying that just to make you feel good. Nah. I mean it and I believe it. It shall be your best year yet. You should believe it too regardless of what you see, or what the news reports say about 2017, or the projections of economic 'experts'. It shall be your best year yet!"...but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it" - Hebrews 4:2.
I woke a few days ago, and as I was thinking about the upcoming 2017, a scenario I have grown to know well greeted me. It is a scenario that plays out in many homes nearly every day, and I believe you can relate with it. If it did not play out in your own home while you were young, it surely did in a relative's, neighbour's or friend's home.What's this scenario?Picture this: It's a weekday (say a Tuesday), and daddy and the kids have to go to work and school early respectively. But before they (that is, daddy and the kids) wake up to start preparing for work and school, mummy is already up. She got up long before everyone at 4:30am to start preparing and putting things in place for the day - cooking, sweeping, cleaning and all. When daddy and the kids wake up at 6:00am, mummy has everything sorted - down to even daddy's shirt, suit, tie, jacket and shoe for the office, as well as the kids' school uniforms - it's all ready.How about breakfast, you ask? That's ready, too. It was the first thing mummy took care of as she got up. Daddy and the kids have little work to do to get ready for the office and school; all they have to do is have their brush, bath, get into their clothes, eat and they are ready to go! Easy, right?Well, in the same way that mummy gets up early to start the day, such that when the kids wake up, they have less to do as nearly everything is set; in the same way, God has "got up early" and gone ahead of you into the New Year! He has put all in place so you can have your best year yet. It's all sorted.So, don't be anxious about the New Year! Give no room to fear; do not dread what's to come in 2017! God's got it. Don't say: who knows what 2017 will be like? Instead say with conviction: 2017 will be my best year yet because my Father has already gone ahead to put people and things in place for me.I believe 2017 is another 365 days for us to win, win, win, win and win some more! We have nothing to dread in 2017. Remember, He has not given us the spirit of fear...but of power, love and sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). For me, I will be a year of open doors, plus the wisdom to handle them. What do you believe?Yes, there will be challenges on the way, there'll be hurdles. No doubt about that. As long as we're moving forward, we'll face challenges, that's nothing new! Joseph faced hurdles, the Israelites (God's called out ones) faced hurdles, even Jesus faced hurdles. But hey, they all overcame.We may not be immune to facing challenges, but we're immune to FAILING. We are immune to falling and remaining down because victory is ingrained in our DNA as God's children.Our confidence and assurance of a great New Year is based on the fact that He that is IN and WITH us owns the universe (Psalm 24:1) and controls the hearts of men (Proverbs 21:1).What we can do to get ourselves ready for the New Year?In preparation for the new year, here's what we could do.Go into your secret place, seek God to know His thoughts and plans for you this coming year. When you discover them, run with that in faith, stick to the plan He's shown you throughout the year no matter what you face along the way, and His grace will come through for you.So, relax, God's got this New Year figured out. You got nothing to fear.
I woke a few days ago, and as I was thinking about the upcoming 2017, a scenario I have grown to know well greeted me. It is a scenario that plays out in many homes nearly every day, and I believe you can relate with it. If it did not play out in your own home while you were young, it surely did in a relative's, neighbour's or friend's home.What's this scenario?Picture this: It's a weekday (say a Tuesday), and daddy and the kids have to go to work and school early respectively. But before they (that is, daddy and the kids) wake up to start preparing for work and school, mummy is already up. She got up long before everyone at 4:30am to start preparing and putting things in place for the day - cooking, sweeping, cleaning and all. When daddy and the kids wake up at 6:00am, mummy has everything sorted - down to even daddy's shirt, suit, tie, jacket and shoe for the office, as well as the kids' school uniforms - it's all ready.How about breakfast, you ask? That's ready, too. It was the first thing mummy took care of as she got up. Daddy and the kids have little work to do to get ready for the office and school; all they have to do is have their brush, bath, get into their clothes, eat and they are ready to go! Easy, right?Well, in the same way that mummy gets up early to start the day, such that when the kids wake up, they have less to do as nearly everything is set; in the same way, God has "got up early" and gone ahead of you into the New Year! He has put all in place so you can have your best year yet. It's all sorted.So, don't be anxious about the New Year! Give no room to fear; do not dread what's to come in 2017! God's got it. Don't say: who knows what 2017 will be like? Instead say with conviction: 2017 will be my best year yet because my Father has already gone ahead to put people and things in place for me.I believe 2017 is another 365 days for us to win, win, win, win and win some more! We have nothing to dread in 2017. Remember, He has not given us the spirit of fear...but of power, love and sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). For me, I will be a year of open doors, plus the wisdom to handle them. What do you believe?Yes, there will be challenges on the way, there'll be hurdles. No doubt about that. As long as we're moving forward, we'll face challenges, that's nothing new! Joseph faced hurdles, the Israelites (God's called out ones) faced hurdles, even Jesus faced hurdles. But hey, they all overcame.We may not be immune to facing challenges, but we're immune to FAILING. We are immune to falling and remaining down because victory is ingrained in our DNA as God's children.Our confidence and assurance of a great New Year is based on the fact that He that is IN and WITH us owns the universe (Psalm 24:1) and controls the hearts of men (Proverbs 21:1).What we can do to get ourselves ready for the New Year?In preparation for the new year, here's what we could do.Go into your secret place, seek God to know His thoughts and plans for you this coming year. When you discover them, run with that in faith, stick to the plan He's shown you throughout the year no matter what you face along the way, and His grace will come through for you.So, relax, God's got this New Year figured out. You got nothing to fear.
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