Ephesians 3:16-19 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

The apostle Paul wrote constantly to the Christians in the various churches he had established. The excerpt above is part of his prayer in a letter to the Christians at Ephesus. He was always intense in the emotions he expressed and this portion of his letter is no exception. It flows from his inner being and I get the sense that if he could make it true for each of them he would have done so.

For each of you who have been reading this blog, I want to pray the same prayer for you as we enter the New Year. You cannot be strong as you face life’s challenges unless you are renewed by the Spirit of God each day. The joy of the Lord is your strength and that joy is only imparted by the Holy Spirit. He gives strength to not just cope but to overcome. He gives joy in the midst of pain and loss. He gives peace which surpasses all understanding, keeping you grounded by your faith in Christ – you know whose you are and that you are who God says you are.

There are no words to express the magnitude of God’s love for you. You only know that he expressed it by shedding the blood of his Son for you. You are a treasure to God if you will be sensitive to his Spirit and walk in obedience as he leads you. Paul used breadth, length, height and depth to help us wrap our minds around such a gift. The closest I have come to contemplating it was while standing on the boardwalk and looking up at the expansive sky and out at the Atlantic Ocean. As I did a chorus from childhood played in my head: “Wide, wide as the ocean, deep, deep as the sea; high, high as the heavens above is his love for me.” Rejoice, and let God’s love overwhelm you!

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

A few years ago I entered what I called my “defining decade”. I will not say what decade of life I gave that name because for you, your defining decade is the one you are in right now. I named my decade that way because I felt God was asking me to do things that I felt neither able nor qualified to do. My major assignment at the time was to write a book. Seriously! Well, I did. Published in 2012, it is titled: “Listening to God will transform you”. No one was more surprised than I. I am now coming to the end of my second “assignment” which is this blog which has enough posts for one year so that it can be used as a daily devotional.

Recently I read about a man who made a list of 101 goals and had already accomplished more than half of them. Wow!  I have been goal-oriented but never so ambitious as to make a list for life. It was more a matter of “Check! Now let’s see, what’s next?”  Now as I get older, I find that God is not allowing me to become complacent but instead he is spurring me to attempt new things for his glory. God expects us to be high achievers, not according to the world’s measurement, but to faithfully pursue his assignments for us and to do so with excellence. The Bible is full of men and women who did amazing things as God enabled them.

What about you? Do you have a lifelong “to do” list or even a short list? It will help you focus and use time wisely. Let the Holy Spirit inspire you. This is especially important if you are still young. Your journey with God will be beyond anything you could ever imagine. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. (Psalm 37:4-6).

Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.

Sometimes it is good to look back briefly so you can cherish where you are and take delight in knowing that God will guard your steps in the future. Give thanks as the year closes and the New Year begins to unfold.  Choose a song, a chorus, a psalm – one that has become meaningful to you and make it your anthem for the days ahead. Let it be a hymn of praise to your God. The Lord inhabits the praises of his people so when everything else fails, sing to him.

One night not long ago I had a brief and unpleasant dream and came awake immediately. I started to pray in tongues dismissing the dream and rebuking Satan in the name of Jesus. All of a sudden the words of a song came to me: “Calvary covers it all, my past with its sin and stain; my guilt and despair Jesus took on him there, and Calvary covers it all.” I sang myself to sleep and did not wake up until 7:30 a.m.

Do not entertain any thoughts or dreams of darkness and foreboding. They may occur but there is no reason to lay out a welcome mat and serve tea! Dismiss them and sing to God. After all you serve a God who knows the end from the beginning. Ask him to undertake for the future.  “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides across the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” (Deuteronomy 33:26-27). [Feel free to research “Jeshurun” briefly it confers the meaning: the upright or the blessed.]

Revelation 19:11-13 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood and his name is the Word of God.

God has been gracious to us his creatures. He has not left us in the dark. The Book of Revelation was written to give all believers a solid foundation for their faith. It is the vault that contains the revelation of Jesus Christ and your faith is the key. That is why in Chapter 1 verse 2, John is allowed a glimpse into things future and eternal and proceeds to share with us what he saw – that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. No wonder then that in verse 3 the promise is given: “Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.” There is no other “encyclopedia” for living life as a child of God except the word of God because his word is the measurement of all things.

The final chapters of the Book of Revelation close out time as we know it. The redeemed are united with their Savior and Lord, and rejoice: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.” He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Chapter 19) Satan and everyone who has opposed God are judged and consigned to the lake of fire. (Chapter 20). After this cleansing God creates a new place – the New Jerusalem, the Holy City; and new order: “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Chapter 21:3-4). Then there is the Tree of Life flowing from the throne of God – “No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face and his name will be on their foreheads.” (Chapter 22:3-4).

Finally, a perfect place and a perfect life! John’s vision comes to an end and he is reminded that the event that ushers in the end of time is the return of Christ – “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Chapter 22:12-13).

Blessed be the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come. Blessed be the Lord God Almighty who reigns for evermore!

1 John 3:2 Dear Friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he (Christ) appears, we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

The world has nothing of permanence to offer us. There is a lot of glitter and excess but it all fades away and disintegrates, and even while life lasts the trappings can become irrelevant. I have observed that the very ill loses interest in everything. That is why those who are wise seek after God. Knowing him gives purpose and joy to the living and brings hope to the dying.

Jesus said he came to give life, abundant life. (See John 10:10). He said those who believe in him would have eternal life. (John 3:16). He defined eternal life for us in John 17:3 “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Your entire life, now and in eternity depends on your relationship to God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Where do you stand?

If you truly know someone, you believe them and you trust them. That is the kind of relationship God wants with us. God is the Alpha and Omega – he has the last word about everything. Since He declared his love for you and me in giving his Son’s life, we come face to face with: “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11). Find the humility to bow now and accept that everything God has said in his Word is true. Life is about eternity!

1 Chronicles 13:14 The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his household and everything he had.

This 13^th Chapter of Chronicles speaks loudly about the importance of doing things according to God’s order and timing and that good intentions are not enough. David was convinced that it was time to bring back the ark of God from Judah to Jerusalem, so he asked for advice from his officers and commanders and subsequently sent word throughout Israel for everyone to gather and join the procession. He had a new ox cart built which would be guided by Uzzah and Ahio. Amidst much pageantry, praise and music, the ox stumbled and Uzzah reached out to steady the ark. The result was that the Lord struck him dead on the spot.  This made David angry at God at first and then afraid because he was confused and asked: “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?” (Verse 12).

Until David could recall and strictly comply with God’s orders for the transport of the ark from place to place, he decided to deposit the ark in the home of a man called Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months. A curious thing happened: the Lord blessed his household and everything he had. Why is this remarkable? The ark represents the presence of God! Have you made room in your home and family life for God’s presence?  The Holy Spirit affirms:

“It is no small thing that I should bless a man’s house when I am present and honored. Thus I make a difference between those who are mine and those who are not. Verily I am the source for those who obey me and do my will. It is an over-riding principle for me that my people should not suffer lack. So as long as they honor me, I will honor them.”

Acts 5: 29-31: Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead – whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.”

This is part of the defense that Peter and the other apostles voiced to the Sanhedrin –the full assembly of the elders of Israel. The apostles had been jailed for simply preaching the gospel and healing many, but were miraculously delivered from jail in the night. They were found in the temple courts the next morning teaching the people. They were now called upon to defend their beliefs.

The center of what they believed was Jesus Christ so it was necessary for them to give the Sanhedrin an explanation in a nutshell of why they were doing what they did. God has the final authority. The first two chapters of the Book of Luke give us a full and orderly account of the coming of Christ into the world. He was the promised Savior whose coming was announced by the angel Gabriel who identified himself as one who “stands in the presence of God”. The Holy Spirit moved on Mary to break into song when she heard she would be the mother of the Christ child and her cousin Elizabeth was filled with praise. The shepherds rejoiced in the fields when angel hosts appeared to share the good news with them. So much joy by men and angels on the night of Jesus’ birth! Have you found your joy in Christ? When I read these two chapters of Luke the Holy Spirit said:

“Jesus the Son of God came from eternity past through the ages and the generations to perform his Father’s business. Ordained of God to be the Prince of all mankind and interpret God to man. He came to reveal God’s will in such a way that believers through the ages should know with certainty that the very God of the universe is present every day and totally involved in the affairs of men, the events affecting life on the planet, and is ever in charge of all that proceeds in time and eternity. I am the Eternal God knowing the end from the beginning.”

Matthew 1:23 “The virgin shall be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” which means, “God with us.”

This revelation was given to Joseph when he was in turmoil about his future. He had been engaged to be married to Mary. The next thing he knew is that she was telling him that she was pregnant. He knew for sure that he could not be the father of the child but he loved Mary. He felt betrayed and confused about what to do.

In Matthew 1:19-20 we are told that Joseph was a righteous man and did not want to expose Mary to public disgrace so he contemplated a quiet divorce.  But God’s plans will not be thwarted, so an angel was sent to Joseph in a dream to tell him not to be afraid to go ahead and marry Mary because what she had told him was true – the child in her womb was conceived by the Holy Spirit. The prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 was being fulfilled: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.” What amazing joy Joseph must have felt when he came to grips with the idea that he was part of something divine!

None of us will be privileged to be parents of Jesus but we can all look at our lives in a new way. Our lives, with all the uncertainties and challenges, are a gift from God. The wonderful thing is that if we will become aware of his presence and listen to his voice, we too can hear him say “Do not be afraid.” God is with us.

Galatians 5:16-17 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.

In writing to the church in Galatia, Paul declared that they had been called to freedom in Christ Jesus and that they should not allow themselves to be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Specifically he was referring to the legally required practice of circumcision and decried the fact that they were trying to be justified by it rather than by faith in the grace which Christ’s death provides. He urged them that their new found freedom should not be used to indulge their sinful nature but rather should be expressed in love and service to one another.

The entire law for their new life was summed up in “Love your neighbor as yourself.” How was this going to be possible? It could only be lived by the indwelling Spirit of God. When you listen to the Spirit of God it becomes possible to live in freedom meaning that you spend less time trying to avoid doing wrong and instead follow his lead to do the things which please God.

The Spirit of God will lead you to shun mediocrity and rise to God-centered challenges. Trying to fulfill the low expectations set for you by your environment or peers can be very limiting. Instead ask God to show you what he wants you to be doing with the life he has given you. I am slowly finding out that “Love your neighbor as yourself” is not just a concept it actually takes being in a position to help them physically and financially if they need it. How are you going to do that if you are bogged down with your own burdens? If God has set you free, live the life he has called you to.

Judges 13:2-3 A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was sterile and remained childless. The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son.”

I am intrigued by the way this account of this couple is presented. The man’s place of origin, name, and position are identified in a positive way. His wife however is nameless and barren. What is even more interesting is that the angel of the Lord confirms her situation. This could lead to dismay and an inferiority complex, couldn’t it?

Let us dig a little deeper. You may consider yourself nameless or insignificant but God knows where to find you. He also knows all about you – even the deep things that make you feel “less than” those around you. The difference is he does not see those things as a source of condemnation but rather as things he can use to create change in you and your circumstances.

Your purpose in this world is not to impress others, it is simply to listen to the voice of God and do what he tells you to do. This woman did and became the mother of Samson who was used mightily by God to defend his people. So, wives and mothers do not discount your place in the kingdom of God because it is you who nurture the Manoahs and Samsons of this world. And to the men I say with Peter: “Husbands, in the same way, be considerate of your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing hinders your prayers. (1 Peter 3:7). There is no limit to what God can do with a couple that is submissive to his will.