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Power Verses…… Jesus said, "A NEW commandment I give you that you
love one another; as I have loved you,
that you also love one another. By this
will all men know that you are My
disciples, if you have love for one
another." (John 13:34, 35) |
The beginning of a New Year in the
western world is traditionally known for
a number of things:
a commitment to dieting.....
sales in high street retail stores.....
joining a gym.....
lists of resolutions.
Sadly, despite being full of good
intentions some of the resolutions on
our list have, even in the second week
of January, ‘fallen by the wayside’.
Nonetheless everybody likes lists. On a
well organized diary there will always
be that space set aside on each page
entitled ‘things to do’. On the wall of
most family kitchens there will be space
for shopping lists and reminders of
‘things to do’. My wife wouldn’t leave
the house en route to the supermarket
without her extensive list! Everybody
likes lists.
The Bible certainly has its share of
lists. Moses brought one down from the
mountain, and even today, it is still
enshrined within the framework of
society’s ethical code.
The New Testament has its share of
lists, Jesus, in Matthew’s Gospel gave
us the ‘Beatitudes’, and in John’s
Gospel, His seven ‘I Am’s’, while Paul
gave us a list of seven virtues to
meditate on in his letter to the church
at Philippi.
At the start of this New Year allow me
to give you a list that I have called
“Navigational Tools for Successful
Living.” They contain
more than good ideas, personal
preferences, and honest opinions. They
are God-given, time-tested truths that
define the way we should navigate our
lives. Observe them and you will enjoy
secure passage. Ignore them and you will
crash against the ragged rocks of
reality.
The wise ship’s captain, and airline
pilot, guides the direction of his ship
or aircraft according to the signal he
receives from his navigational tools. In
life, a wise person does the same.
Here then, are life's ‘navigational
tools’ to look for and the signals to
heed if you want a secure passage
through life:
· Love
God more than you fear hell.
(Because
both God and hell are a reality.)
· Make
major decisions in a cemetery:
(Many of us do, but we soon forget.)
· When
no one is watching, live as if someone
is.
· Succeed
at home first.
(The family home is the foundation for a
fulfilled life.)
· Don't
spend tomorrow's money today.
(these words speak volumes in the light
of today's financial climate.)
· Pray
twice as much as you fret.
(The perfect solution for those wishing
to de-stress and re-evaluate their
lives.)
· Listen
twice as much as you speak.
(That is why we were given two ears but
only one mouth.)
· Only
harbour a grudge when God does.
· Never
outgrow your love for the beauty of a
sunrise or the magnificence of a sunset.
(Everything in between will
be so much easier to handle.)
·
It is wiser to err on the side of
generosity than on the side of meanness.
(The generous giver will always feel
fulfilled.)
· God
has forgiven you; you'd be wise to do
the same.
(An act of forgiveness is a burden
lifted.)
· When
you can't trace God's plan, you can
trust his promises.
(Did you know, you are unique, and God
has a plan for your life?)
· Don't
feel guilty because of God's goodness.
· The
book of life is lived in chapters, so
know your page number.
(Yesterday’s history, tomorrow’s a
mystery, today’s a gift.)
· Never
let the important fall victim to the
trivial.
· Live
your Faith.
(This will underpin everything else you
do.)
To sum it all up:
Approach life like a voyage on an ocean
liner. Enjoy the view. Explore the
vessel. Make friends with the captain.
And you will arrive fulfilled when you
reach your destination.
Do
you feel convicted to know more about
becoming a Christian?
Click here.
