A Free Bible Reading Plan that Will Work for You

What better time of the year to begin reading through the Bible than at the beginning! Most of us have tried a reading program where we got bogged down in Leviticus and gave up. This reading program is simple and easy. You're not required to read every day. (Face it, we all skip days, don't we?) And even if you don't finish in a year, that's okay. God doesn't keep track of such things, and he will bless you for reading his Word.

If you'd like a copy, go to my FaceBook page and send me a message with your e-mail. And tell your friends!

Last year was a difficult year physically, financially, and emotionally. So I didn't write many blogs. This year I hope to be more faithful in blogging, both on this blog and my Perfect Word blog. Please subscribe to this blog and you'll get a notification when I do post.

Happy New Year to all!

Abiding in Christ

"Oh, that believers would stop looking at their old nature so much, and complaining of their weakness, as if God called them for what they were unsuited! How much better for them to believingly and joyfully accept the wondrous revelation of how God, in uniting them to Christ, has made Himself responsible for their spiritual growth and fruitfulness! Then all hesitancy and laziness would disappear, and under the influence of this mighty motive--faith in the faithfulness of Him who of whom they are in Christ--their whole nature would arise to accept and fulfill their glorious destiny!" (Andrew Murray, Abiding in Christ)

The Abiding Life Part 2

Some things I learned today on the Abiding Life videos.

1. Self-righteousness is a main contributor to living in defeat. This means that I'm trying to become righteous through my own efforts.
2. "I can't" opens the Abiding Door, while "I can" closes it. I have to admit I can do nothing in my own strength and have to depend on Jesus to do it through me.
3. Long-term victory over sin and the flesh comes as moment by moment I open the abiding door of my heart.
4. God allows failure and defeat in my life to bring me to an awareness of my need for abiding in Christ. (See 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.)

The Abiding Life

I mentioned this on FaceBook, but wanted to post it here too. I just started an online course called BeliefChangers Basics of the Abiding Life. I had already determined that I would focus this year on abiding in Christ. Then I came across this course. It's no coincidence, I'm sure. So far, I've watched three videos and each one has more information than the one before. It's changing my life. Go to my FaceBook page and find the link there.

Goals for the New Year

Have you made any New Year's resolutions? How are you doing at keeping them? Even if you don't believe in making resolutions, I'll bet you've got some goals in mind for the new year. They're probably for things like better health, losing weight, using your time better, making better financial decisions.

Do any of your goals include your spiritual life? This is the most important area of life for Christians. Yet we often drift along, doing what we think is expected of us, and rarely make goals in this area.

If you don't have any goals, may I suggest some? I've been memorizing Colossians 1:9-14. I realized that this passage in the NIV lists some great goals for the new year.

"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

These verses tell us how to "please him [God] in every way." Let me summarize them:
1. Bearing fruit
2. Growing in our knowledge of God
3. Allowing him to strengthen us in endurance and patience
4. Joyfully giving thanks

Will you join me in making these goals for 2011?

Think Miracles Don't Happen? Just Watch This!

This woman has been in a wheelchair for over 22 years.

Hearing God's Approval

I'm not one to trumpet my strong points. I find it much easier to share my shortcomings. I have a friend with the same outlook. She finds it hard to write her novels in the first person because she dislikes using "I" and "me," even if they aren't referring to herself.

A couple of days ago, I finished reading Wrestling Prayer by Eric and Leslie Ludy. They emphasized the need to become mighty warriors for God. In response, I wrote out a prayer in which I told God I didn't think I could become that. He told me that I had become a princess warrior. He reminded me of all the things I had been fighting for, such as my health and my children.

Then today I read an article by a pastor friend of mine about Jesus' compassion. He wrote, "Compassion is a stirring to act to meet the need of another." God said to me, "That's you, Linda. You have compassion."

Even now, I feel uncomfortable writing this. I fear disapproval for saying I heard God say positive things about me. But I'm living by the principle that I am to please God and not people. I hope my musing helps someone else feel God's approval.