HI friends… It’s been a minute since I shared scripture and my thoughts with you and for that I am sorry to be MIA. However, I’ve been walking through some of my own struggles and growth over the last few months and God has been faithful to continue using me and loving me even so.
Also, I can’t believe it is the last day of 2023, but it is and so we go forward with eagerness for what God is going to do for us and through us in 2024.
I have some new ventures that I am excited to step into but also some 2023 ventures that are not over for me. As always, it’s a balance of priorities and a desire to have God’s vision and purpose forefront in my heart and will. Some days this seems easier to do than others.. but I strive to put God first and allow His spirit to guide me.
I know without a doubt when I put God’s Word at the beginning of my day, His voice pierces my heart and I feel lighter and more joyful no matter what is going on around me.
Speaking of 1st… I know many people find making Resolution(s) for the new year helpful.. and honestly, I never have. But maybe it’s because I don’t resonate with this word?? So… I looked up synonyms for the word RESOLUTION (noun as in determination, strong will) and below is what I found:
Synonyms/ Strongest matches
Strong matches
If you are like me, some of the other words resonated with me much deeper. For instance, decision, boldness, constancy (click on this one to be further encouraged), courage, earnestness, energy, guts, heart, immovability, purposefulness, sincerity, spirit, spunk, tenacity… goodness, almost all of them brought a sense of excitement to me that the word ‘resolution’ does not.
Do any of them bring that extra something for you? Would love to hear if so!!
With that said, I have decided to aim for boldness, constancy and courage from the beginning of 2024 all the way to the end sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, providing my thoughts through scripture with earnestness, energy, purposefulness with sincerity and tenacity. The intent of my heart is to encourage others in faith and pluck others from the fire of the enemy of our souls!
It will take guts and spunk to keep the dedication to this goal, but I can do all things through Christ Jesus who gives me strength! (Phil 4:13) 😁
As I was reading from 1 Timothy 6 today... God directed me to share this letter below from Paul to Timothy.
I believe it is important for us to not only read his letters and try to understand the context for the letter to Timothy back then but also to apply his words to Timothy to our lives-for today.
This is where the Holy Spirit guides you as you read.. make sure you have invited the Holy Spirit to speak to you.. and guide YOU while you read, undistracted as possible.
Regarding False Teachers and True Contentment….
Teach and urge these things.
3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound[b] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness,
4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.
He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions,
5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain,
7 for we brought nothing into the world, and[c] we cannot take anything out of the world. (So important to remember this simple statement)
8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. (Can we even sympathize with this statement? I know I can’t.. even more why I need to be thankful each and every moment I have more than clothes and food)
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
(Mind you it says “those that desire to be rich” - not necessarily those that ARE rich, it’s always about our hearts!!)
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
(And here Paul says, “for the LOVE of money is a root…” it’s not money.. it’s the LOVE and CRAVING of that is so detrimental. Which reminds me to share another teaching on the demonic spirit ‘mammon’ that connects itself to money’. Here is the verse if you want to check it out.. Matt. 6:24 KJ21 “No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.)
Fight the Good Fight of Faith
11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (You must fight for it friends!! Stand firm, be courageous, be brave, stand for Jesus and we all know this life is not going to get easier… time to take ACTION NOW!)
13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before[d] Pontius Pilate made the good confession,
14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, (He is coming friends- People get ready!! Jesus is coming (check this song out, one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES!)
15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. (I don’t know if you realize that the NWO group are seeking to become immortal… another topic altogether, but important for you to hear- keep in mind this verse- WHO ALONE HAS IMMORTALITY)
17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. (Love this.. God provides richly for us everything to ENJOY)
18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. (generosity is key friends… and ready to share- never hesitate to be generous and share the Word, be ready to give an account for what you profess and confess for He is faithful to save and will confess YOU to God at the time appointed us to meet Him!)
20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” 21 for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. (for us that have invited Jesus in our lives, we inherit a deposit of the Holy Spirit in our heart, the guarantee that we have eternal life and will be with Jesus, where He is for eternity!!!!! We are to GUARD this deposit!! It’s part of our spiritual birth certificate!!!
2 Corinthians 1:22 NIV- set his seal of ownership on us and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. /
and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything, he has promised us. NLT.
I’ll end this message just like Paul ended his letter to Timothy… Grace be with you.[e]
Thanks for reading and sharing.. I pray as always, my words are from HIM and not my own. I learn just as you learn, and I feel encouraged by these words above. I pray you do too!
Happy New Year friends here’s to a new year full of God’s Blessings and fruit in our lives!!
Joshua 1:9- Be strong and courageous!