HOW TO HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Hold fast (Heb 10:23; 1 Thes 5:21).
Assemble (Heb 10:25).
Press on (Phil 3:13-14).
Pray (1 Tim 2:1-2; 1 Thes 5:17).
Yield not to temptation (Jas 1:12-13; Rom 6:16).

Neglect not (Heb 2:3).
Examine yourself (2 Cor 13:5).
Walk worthy (Eph 4:1; 1 Thes 2:1-2).

Yield yourself to God (Rom 6:13).
Envy not (Gal 5:21, 26; Prov 14:30).
Abstain from all appearance of evil and fleshly lusts (1 Thes 5:22; 1 Pet 2:11).
Reject not God's Word (John 12:48; 2 Thes 1:7-9). - LP

Another Year
Another year is dawning, Dear Father, let it be, 
In working or in waiting, Another year with thee. 
Another year of progress, Another year of praise, 
Another year of proving, Thy presence all the days, 
Another year of mercies, Of faithfulness and grace, 
Another year of gladness, The glory of thy face. 
Another year of leaning Upon thy loving breast, 
Another year of trusting, Of quiet, happy rest. 
Another year of service, Of witness for thy love, 
Another year of training, For holier work above. 
Another year is dawning, Dear Father, let it be, 
On earth, or else in heaven Another year for thee!
Frances Ridley Havergal


It is so easy some times to push the work of God aside for our own desires and pleasures. It’s not a deliberate thing, it just happens. 

We must honestly look at our lives and ask if we are guilty of doing this in our own lives. What are the things that keep me from doing those things which I know God wants? Are those things really what’s important in life? 

One good test is to ask yourself, “How is this going to sound on Judgment Day?” Will this be a good excuse for not doing what God said to do? We do have emergencies which keep us from doing God’s will. Our children get ill. Water pipes burst. Automobiles break down. Family problems happen. But in spite of these emergencies we should return to doing the will of God.

How important are these thing compared to eternity? 

Matthew 16:24-27 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. [25] For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. [26] For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? [27] For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. 

As we begin this new year may we commit ourselves to serving God more than we did last year. Putting God first in our lives should always be the priority in our lives. - LP

Happy New Year! How about those new year’s resolutions? Are you going to do it this year? Are you ruined already and waiting to try again next time? It seems everyone makes resolutions for the new year whether they make a big fuss over it or not. And, it seems that everyone breaks them by the second week of the year. Maybe we set our goals too high, perhaps our confidence is too low, could be we make too many resolutions to keep, but whatever the reason the breaking of new year’s resolutions is as much of a tradition as the making of them.

Why not do it different this year? I mean let’s face it we haven’t exactly got a great success record with the current plan, and since we can’t fire ourselves or trade ourselves to another team, why not a new plan? Funny, I can’t think of a good reason to keep making the same mistakes over and over again either. 

A plan has to be simple to be truly effective and so my new plan is. Of course you don’t have to follow it, but you are certainly free to try it if you would like. So, here it is: ONLY ONE THING IS NEEDED. Now, most of us have long lists of hopes and dreams for the new year, and some of it is well outside the realm of reality. But, if we could just do one thing in 2013 (yes, just ONE thing), then about 330 days (We are already into February) seems like enough time to do it or at least to get a good start on it.

So, what is the 1 thing? Look at this short section of Luke 10:38-42 "Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. {39} And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. {40} But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. {41} And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: {42} But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Did you see it? I bet you did, but just to make sure I’ll repeat it. Martha was a lot like all of us. She had a dozen irons in the fire: a load of clothes in the wash, dinner cooking, a full-time job, a part-time job, a house to clean, guests to serve, etc. We don’t know what all here worries were, but we can be sure that the 21st century has not been the only one with busy people. Jesus said that she was “troubled about many things” translated to our time, she was ‘stressed out’. Jesus is concerned about this condition which among other things is not healthy. In verse 42 Jesus tells us that Mary has chosen something that will not be taken away from her, and that is the ‘one thing’ that is needed. All of the things that Martha was concerned about were temporary and unnecessary. 

What had Mary chosen? What does the scripture say? Verse 39 says that Mary “sat at Jesus’ feet” (she was spending time with him), and “heard his word” (she was listening to him). Now, Jesus said one thing was needful, so, let’s put this together into one thing. Mary was spending time listening to Jesus. Look at the contrast between these two sisters. Jesus, the Son of God, the Creator of the Universe was in their home and Martha was missing out. Mary knew the dishes could be washed after Jesus was gone. Maybe Martha thought that she could impress Jesus if she fixed an incredible meal, we don’t know what she was thinking. Whatever it was she was wrong. The only thing she really needed to be doing she was neglecting.

We seem to be determined to make everything more complicated than it should be. This year get back to the simple satisfying life of spending time listening to Jesus. If we would the noises in the world around us would grow dimmer, and the voice of the savior clearer. Since Jesus isn’t here on earth as he was, we can’t sit at his feet as Mary did and as Martha should have. We must hear his voice calling through the inspiration of the Bible. As a preacher of the Gospel, my task is to preach the Word of God, and I try to do that whenever I preach and even through articles like this one. I’m sure my voice is not as pleasant to listen to as Christ’s, but I invite you all to come and hear that though the voice is not the same the teaching is. 

May we all seek to put God first this year and to spend time listening to those things He has spoken to us through his son. Hebrews 1:1-4