Usually by this time in January I have already quit my New Year's Resolution. So, I did not make one this year on January 1st.for that reason. I set my goals on 01/15/2015. I'm going to make my goals this year. I can't do it alone though. I will need God and you to help me. My goals in the past have always been about my success in my business, my income, taking a vacation to a certain place or buying something I have always wanted. Not this time. My goals this time are to take me out of them and put God, my family and you in them. As you read what I write this year, I hope you begin to realize what these goals are. Stay with me and ask others to join you in reading my blog and my books.
You Kentucky basketball fans, do you remember when WPSD TV used to replay the games on Wednesday night at 10:30? I would want to know the score before I watched it. I didn't want to sit up that late to see them get beat. I hated to see them get beat. One night my brother Randy told dad that Kentucky had a big comeback and won the game. Dad sat up late watching and as they got further behind, he was anticipating a big comeback. It never happened. They lost by several points. We still laugh about it.
Knowing you are going to win in the end relieves all the stress and worry of anything we do. This life is not fair. Many good people have chronic diseases, financial hardships, premature loss of loved ones, and those that do evil "seem" to prosper and most everyone agrees that our government is messed up. We live in a country where the minority enjoys a majority voice. At one time I read that 78% of people in this country were Christians. Doesn't that word mean followers of Christ and Christ means the anointed one, which means the consecrated one. (to set apart as holy; devote to religious use...) (Webster's New World Dictionary). Being a Christian then would be defined as being set apart and following the anointed One, which is Jesus.
Following Jesus means living the life he commands us to live. Many think that wearing the Christian name is all they have to do. Sad to say this, and I am not their judge, I have been to funerals of people who lived like the world, never attended a worship services, drank all the time and used God's name in vain and the preacher said they were in heaven because they loved the Lord. A sad way to show it. Jesus said, If you love Me keep my commandments. (John 14:15,NKJV)
To me, the most frightening verses in the Bible are in Matthew 7:21-23. Jesus says: Not everyone who says to Me , 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name? And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' I can't say I am a Christian and still live as the world lives.
One of my goals last year was to remove all doubt and to trust in God and His word to lead my life. I am saved by the grace of God. (No Doubts) I cannot work my way to heaven.(No Doubts) All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (No Doubts) God loves us. (No Doubts) I do what God commands me to do, not out of fear but out of love for Him and what His Son has saved me from. Jesus said the greatest command was to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matt.22:37) You and I can't honestly do that, unless we have no doubt who God is and that He loves us so much He wants us back in a relationship with Him.
Satan's biggest tool to get you away from God is to get you to doubt Him and His word. Satan does his best to cheat us out of an eternal life with God.(Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the traditions of men, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8, NKJV) Satan wants to cheat us out of the promises God has given to us. Have you been deceived already by doubts placed in your mind by Satan? Let's see if Satan is working on you. (I have already asked myself some of these questions.) Do you think your life is so messed up that God can't forgive you? Do you believe we and everything were formed by evolution? Do you believe there is not a hell? Do you believe you can live like the world and be alright with God? (1 John 2:15-17) Do you believe everyone goes to heaven, but just on a different path? (Matthew 7:21) Do you love the Lord? Did you go to worship last Sunday and worship Him in truth and spirit?
Like I said earlier, I have already questioned myself on many things I have done and also on the doubts I had. With God's help and His word I have eliminated any doubt about God and His love for me and you.
Don't let Satan cheat you with from an eternal life with God by placing doubt in your heart. In my book:The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop A Giant Slaying Heart, in chapter 4, David's Shield against Doubt, I show how David never doubted that God was there to help him. He faced Goliath, never doubting he would defeat this giant that defied the armies of the living God.
Removing doubt about God and what He can do for you is a good goal to have this year. One of the rewards, among many, will be that you will have a peace that does pass all understanding.(Phil. 4:7;Col. 3:15) Don't let Satan deceive you any more. (1 Cor. 6:9) Remember God loves us and Satan wants us to doubt it! (John 3:16-17)
Do you need a faith that will help you conquer the giants in your life? Please take a look at how David developed such a giant slaying heart and also a man after God's own heart. Go to www.amazon.com to review and purchase the book, The Heart Behind the Stone: Develop A Giant Slaying Heart.
Any comments on today's post can be sent to: rhepler52@yahoo.com or rhepler52@gmail.com.
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I hope you have a great 2015!
Rick
