Today is my 52nd birthday! I am determined that I am never too old to change my ways. As I mentioned in a previous post ( https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2024/08/sweet-water-and-bitter.html ), God has been dealing with me on not being bitter toward others or circumstances who have or who will hurt me. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, I am claiming victory in Jesus' name that I will not let the coldness of the world cause me to displease the Lord. I will begin my day with prayer, thus placing God first and asking His Spirit to guide me throughout the day in all my thoughts and actions.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness... Matthew 6:33
As the day progresses, and this is inevitably bound to happen: I will not fight back when other people hurt my feelings, I will not let the sun go down on my anger (Ephesians 4:26) but learn to forgive and not hold grudges. I will say an extra prayer for those who feel the need to lie, lash out, or push me away (Luke 6:28). I will remind myself that those that cause the hurts have their own pains that run deep, and they need God's healing power and love to bring them peace and joy. I pledge to claim peace and joy in Jesus' Holy name! For as Nehemiah 8:10 reminds me, every "day is holy unto our Lord" and "the joy of the Lord is [my] "strength!" Also, as Philippians 4:7 says, "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep [my] hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Hallelujah!!
I will do my best to live by 1 Peter 3:8-11: Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing... let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
The absolute truth is, the more I try to please God, the more Satan will tempt me to do the wrong things, but James 4:7 says that if I FIRST "Submit" myself "therefore to God," and then "Resist the devil" he "will flee from" me! Praise God!!
I can ONLY change through the power of the Holy Spirit and cannot do it on my own. Therefore, I pledge to follow Jesus' words in John 15:4-5, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."
When I do make mistakes, I know that WHEN I "confess [my] sins," that Jesus "is faithful and just to forgive [my] sins, and to cleanse [me] from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9.
Therefore, as I turn another year older this September 11, 2024, I will keep God first and allow His Holy Spirit to guide me, love others more than my own ego, and not give in to Satan's lies as he tries to turn me against God and other people. I will do my best "by the mercies of God.. present [my body] a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is [my] reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of [my] mind, that [I] may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:1-2) Amen!!
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