Good Morning! We are at the beginning of a new year ahead of us once again. I used to make resolutions, not every year, but most years. I have instead implemented 'goals' for myself. Goals are easier to keep up with I think, because you know it's something you're working toward and you can take as much time as you need. You can even change your goals if you want to! If, at the end of the year you haven't quite made your goals, you can add them to the next year or choose new ones instead. There is no pressure with goals- you work them as you are able.
One resolution that I think many of us make is to spend more time reading the Word, then we might not keep up with that resolution because life gets in the way. We find ourselves, one more time, not fulfilling that particular resolution and it goes onto the pile of things we intended to do. It's very easy to get side tracked with life and new habits can take a while to become an actual habit. Normally, I do spend time in the Word each day, but several months ago, several things happened in my life in a row that threw me off my track. Honestly, I really had to take time to work through those things. While my focus was on those things I temporarily let my daily study time lapse. Guess what happened... THAT became the habit! It was hit and miss on study time in the Word. Before the end of 2019 arrived I knew that I needed to resurrect my old habit of reading the Word each day. So, I'm back on the daily read 😊. The Word just makes me feel good! I love the Word!
That brings me to the reason for my post this morning 😊. If you want to spend more time in the Word, make that a goal this year instead of a resolution. Work toward your goal. Make yourself a note or add it to your daily planner. You don't have to spend hours a day reading your bible if you don't have that much time in your day. Set aside five minutes, ten minutes, or more time each day if you can. Believe me, every little minute you spend in the Word reaps a bountiful harvest for you! If you miss a day or two, just keep working on your goal.
One of the things that I want to share with you is something that someone taught me a very long time ago that I wasn't putting into practice until a couple of months ago. I used to do it all the time and I really have no idea why I stopped doing it, but it really does make the Word come alive for you on a much more personal level. Who knows? You may absolutely fall in love with the Word and find that you can't wait to get into it each day!
What is it that you can do to make the Word very personal? I'm going to show you 😎. I've been in Ephesians for a while because that book is really speaking to my heart. Just so you know, if you are into a verse, chapter, or book in the Word that is speaking to you and ministering to you, you can stay there for as long as you want to. Actually, I encourage you to do so because that my friend, is the Holy Spirit. We don't have to rush through and read the entire bible in one year. We can camp in there!! Because I'm into Ephesians right now I'm going to use some verses from there. In chapter one 'it is written' 😁... "My name is Paul, and I was chosen by God to be an apostle of Jesus, the Messiah. (2) I'm writing this letter to all the devoted believers who have been made holy by being one with Jesus, the Anointed One. May God Himself, the heavenly Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, release grace over you and total well-being into your lives." The Passion Translation
Here's how you take that and make it personal to you:
"(1) My name is Barb and I was chosen by God to be an apostle of Jesus, the Messiah. I am a devoted believer who has been made holy by being one with Jesus, the Anointed One. May God Himself, the heavenly Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, release grace over me and total well-being into my life. (3) Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm has already been lavished upon me as a love gift from my wonderful heavenly Father, the Father of my Lord Jesus - all because He sees me wrapped into Christ. This is why I celebrate Him with all my heart! (4) And He chose me to be His very own, joining me to Himself even before He laid the foundation of the universe! Because of His great love, He ordained me, so that I would be seen as holy in His eyes with an unstained innocence. (5-6) For it was always in His perfect plan to adopt me as His delightful child, through my union with Jesus, the Anointed One, so that His tremendous love which cascades over me would glorify His grace - for the same love He has for His Beloved One Jesus, He has for me. And this unfolding plan brings Him great pleasure! (7) Since I am now joined to Christ I have been given the treasures of redemption by His blood - the total cancellation of my sins - all because of the cascading riches of his grace. This superabundant grace is already powerfully working in me, releasing within me all forms of wisdom and practical understanding."
And down in verse 11: "Through my union with Christ I too have been claimed by God as His own inheritance. Before I was even born He gave me my destiny, that I would fulfill the plan of God Who always accomplishes every purpose and plan of His heart." The Passion Translation
Wow! We just went from a general to 'all' of you to a very personal, this is about me, read! It really brings home the message that is being expressed in a deeper way. Not only have you made these verses really personal to you, you have also prayed for yourself and made awesome confessions over yourself at the same time! How cool is that?!
When I find verses like these that are working in my heart I will often write them down so I can refer to the 'personalized' version again and again. That's me though. You don't have to do that unless you want to 😉.
Try it and go on an adventure through the Word. God took the time to write to us and He wrote wonderful things about us and to us. Have a great day and remember...
It's all about the grace 💖
