Living Full in the New Year

You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not admit them? "From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you. Isaiah 48:6 (NIV)

Life is about constant patterns of change and if we are not careful we can miss the changes that God desires for us to make. You see for the six thousand years of recorded history, as humans have entered this world, received parental instruction, classroom instruction, and gathered the experience of life; many have set for themselves ambitious and lofty dreams. Some have determined to simply maintain – you know, just get by. Others have determined to follow God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength and others to live being self-absorbed. What is the difference? It is all about choice and determination. Faith or doubt - love or hate - self-centered or God-centered. We face these choices each day.
A major challenge faced by us all is that we must learn to experience the changing of life’s cycles without being changed by them; people who leave us, pass away, fall into infirmity, broken promises, dreams that for whatever reason were not realized in 2005. We must make a constant and conscious effort to improve ourselves in the face of changing circumstances. We all face storms – but the key is in not letting the storm on the outside become a storm on the inside. The boat sinks, if the outside storm becomes an inside storm. In our lives it is a matter of our heart. It is our attitude that is essential for living full in the New Year.
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)That is why I believe in the power and value of attitude. We must guard our heart and keep a good attitude. By our attitude, we decide to read God's word, or not to read. By our attitude, we decide to try or give up. By our attitude, we blame ourselves for our failure, or we blame others. Our faith attitude determines whether we tell the truth or lie, act or procrastinate, advance and grow or recede, and by our own attitude we and we alone actually decide whether to succeed or fail.God made each one of us unique but placed inside of us the ability to make right choices, to treat others well and to select our own achievement and advancement or our own destruction.God who knows everything and has so arranged life that He gives you free choice. You get to choose the type of person you will become and the type of servant you will be and the role you will play in the community we call Lompoc Foursquare Church. You get to choose the words you speak to others and the tone in which you will speak them. God gave you life – it is His gift to you and what you make of your life is your gift back to God. There is so much you can accomplish in 2006 as you think right, make right priorities, organize your life and time and make the most of opportunities given to you and keep your heart open to the power and Spirit of God. Opportunities of relationship, recreation, career advancement and to share your life and light with others abound. Think of all the things you have yet to do with all that God has given you and the relationships you have yet to build. Marvel each day at the people you will get to help and the grace you will be allowed to share. Don't let the doubters and criticizers keep you from moving forward. You go ahead and make the most of life. You go for it and enjoy the journey. For you have been given the capacity within your heart and mind and spirit to do great things in 2006. And it is all depending upon your own choice. Know for certain that God is there to assist you too. Make room for Him and His will. Attitude determines choice, and choice determines results. All that we are, and all that we can become has indeed been left up to us. Each day you have the opportunity to make the world a bit better – you can do it. Go ahead and we will be cheering you on.
Let's allow God to make 2006 our best year ever - through us.