Daily Bible Study

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New Life Psalm 65:9 You visit the earth, and water it; You greatly enrich it with the river of God, which is full of water; You prepare them corn, when You so provided for it. 10 You water the ridges thereof abundantly; You settle the furrows thereof; You make it soft with showers; You bless the springing thereof. 11 You crown the year with Your goodness; and your paths drop abundance. 12 They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness; and the little hills rejoice on every side. 13 The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing. Today begins another new year. What will it look like? What do you expect? Everyone wants better than the year before. They want better health, better finances, maybe a better job. Whatever the request, people want to do away with the old and look forward to the new. David in his prayer showed how God abundantly provided for His people. God crowned the year with His Goodness and provided everything they needed. As Christians, you became new when you accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord. You put off the old and put on the new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (KJV) Have you given up your former ways and committed yourself to God to become the new person God would have you become? What does a new life in Jesus look like? Your new life isn’t without challenges. Because you accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, Satan became your mortal enemy. He will do everything he can to keep you bound in your old lifestyle. He will tempt you with your past likes and fantasies. If he cannot get at you that way, he will come against you with your family and friends, bringing trouble and the threat of death. You need to stand against Satan. His modus operandi is to steal, kill, and destroy. What was Jesus’ warning to His disciples regarding Satan? John 10:10 The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Everyone wants the abundant life, but many don’t want to do what is necessary to achieve it. If you want to be a new person in Jesus Christ this year you need to: 1. Pray. Prayer changes things. It destroys Satan’s plans. He cannot stand against prayer. He must flee. When you spend time in prayer, you destroy Satan’s plans against you. 2. Bible Study. Another way to become new in Jesus Christ is to spend time in His Word. You cannot know His heart if you don’t spend time with Him. When you determine to spend your day with Jesus, focusing on what He wants for you, He will guide you and take you to new heights in your walk with Him. It all starts today. Don’t wait. Don’t give yourself an excuse that you can start tomorrow. Tomorrow has no guarantees. James showed people assumed they would have time to do what they wanted. James 4:13 Go to now, ye who say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. 15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. Set your expectations to God’s expectations and you will prosper. 3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers. You prosper when you pay attention to the things of God, not the things of this world. Your soul prospers when you spend time in prayer and Bible study. This year, don’t trim the body and bring leanness to your soul by doing things your way. Instead, fatten up your soul with God’s Word and you will find your life in balance. Let’s pray: Father, I give myself to You and Your will this year. I do not want my soul lean and famished but fat with the knowledge You give me. Help me listen to You when You speak. Guide me each day as I spend time with You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 1 January 2022 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay.