A Secret for this New Year!

A new year is here! As I look back on the year just past, I must ask myself a question. Am I more faithful to the Lord now than I was a year ago? Has my love for the Lord and His church deepened, or have I allowed Satan to cause me to become careless?

After so many years of ministry with my husband and in watching my own personal journey toward holiness and Heaven, I am reminded once again of Bible truth.

Lamentations 3:22-23 "It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."

In looking back over 2008, I see God's mercy to me. Every day He gives me another chance to grow in Him. I have never been one to make new year's resolutions, but I do like to set reachable goals for every day, for every week and for the year.

The year ahead will no doubt bring its burden of cares, sorrow, disappointments and unpleasant circumstances, but God's Word and its promises are always right! I need to just trust them and I will have the promise of a happier new year. Just trusting in Isaiah 26:3 alone can contribute to my own happiness in this new year! "Thou wilt (that's a promise) keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."

Remember: Everything that carries with it a tendency to depress, can be cast upon the Lord, "for he careth for you"! I Peter 5:7 If you have trusted the Lord for salvation, forgiveness of sin and everlasting life...surely He can be trusted for daily living in this life. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31

We need to set our minds on God's promises and precepts. Do you really want to be happy in 2009? Set your mind on His Truth! Not a wandering mind or a confused mind but a mind totally resolved to think on proper things, Biblical things, Philippians 4:8 things!

Every one of us have the choice of living here with a confused and frustrated mind or one that chooses to think on Philippians 4:8. Since our Heavenly Father, our Master, our reward, inheritance and our best interest, are all in Heaven, then it should seem comparatively easy to set our minds on heavenly things. Paul was as "heavenly minded" while making tents as he was in writing epistles or preaching. He could write about food, raiment, shelter and books as well as the unsearchable riches of Christ! In everything we do, the direction of our life should be toward the heavenly.

Is this how you live? It will be if you want to be happy?

There will be a lot of roads open to us in this new year, but if our heart and mind is set on heavenly things and we are led by the Spirit of God, God's will shall be done on a straight road in the land of uprightness. You will be happy! God's Word promised it!

The secret to a happy new year, is in believing and simply trusting God's already revealed-promises and then obeying them. As Psalm 143:10 reminds us...."Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness."

The secret is out! Want to be happy? If you're not.....now you will know why.

One ship goes east, another west - by the self same winds that blow. 'Tis the set of the sail and not the gale, that determines the way they go. As we voyage along through life; 'Tis the set of the soul that determines the goal, and not the calm or the strife.

Ladies, lets make the choice everyday to say, "Thy will" not "my will". Praying that you will enjoy true happiness this year. Happy New Year!