Happy New Year!

God will change your thinking and enlighten your understanding if you are desiring. Why? Because He is merciful. He will give you discernment of the things which are good and acceptable and complete in His will.

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Happy New Year! ​​ Resolutions abound. ​​ If you haven’t made a New Year’s resolution or need ideas, just open your phone or any social media and you’ll find several suggestions. ​​ I’m not​​ big on making a statement of fact that I will do something different or accomplish a specific task simply because I know there is a good chance I will fail. ​​ It’s easy to begin strong and then get distracted or lose heart, then the excuses begin. ​​ So, I personally choose to avoid this popular activity of the New Year. ​​ However, as I was considering this, I realized perhaps I just need to make a resolution that is within a different realm of thinking. ​​ God-centered. ​​ God’s will and desire. ​​ Success will then be at my fingertips! ​​ Because of Him.

Resolved! ​​​​ To know and follow God more fully in the coming year! ​​ This resolution is a winner because it’s what God wants for me and is within His will to accomplish. ​​ 

Jer 9:23-24 Thus says the LORD, "Let not a wise​​ man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;​​ 24​​ but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things, "declares the LORD.

To boast here means to shine, to celebrate, to praise! ​​ Shine​​ for God. ​​ Celebrate​​ God. ​​ Praise​​ God. ​​ For all to see! ​​​​ God has chosen to give you understanding and consideration of who He​​ is. ​​ He wants you to know Him!

Php 3:8-11 More than that,​​ I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ,​​ 9 ​​​​ and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from [the] Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which [comes] from God on the basis of faith,​​ 10​​ that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;​​ 11​​ in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Consider. ​​ All things in your life should be unimportant when compared to the superiority of knowing Jesus. ​​ What​​ floats your boat? ​​ Is it sitting at His feet trying to understand Him, the miraculous gift and power of His resurrection, being able to share in whatever hardships He allows for the sake of knowing and understanding Him more? ​​​​ Wow! ​​​​ This is the example we’ve been given. ​​ This is what God wants for His children! ​​ Our hearts should be breaking out into a chorus of Halleluiah’s right about now to be considered worthy of His fellowship. ​​ 

Halleluiah ​​​​ indeed!

Ro 12:1-2 I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, [which is] your spiritual service of worship.​​ 2​​ And do not be conformed to this world, but​​ be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

God will change your thinking and enlighten your understanding if you are desiring. ​​ Why? ​​​​ Because He is merciful. ​​ He will give you discernment of the things which are good and acceptable and complete​​ in His will. ​​ Amazing!

Joh 17:3 "And this is eternal life,​​ that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.

know <ginosko> allow, be aware of, feel, have knowledge, perceived,​​ be resolved, can speak, be sure, understand.

Resolved! ​​​​ In my direction and purpose determined to know my Lord and Savior, the only true God.​​ 

Jer 29:13​​ 'And you will seek Me and find [Me,] when you search for Me with all your heart.

Only​​ by His grace and mercy. ​​ Because​​ it is what He wants for me! ​​ He will see to completion my resolution to seek Him.

Pr 8:17 "I love those who love me; and​​ those who diligently seek me will find me.

It is a​​ Happy New Year! ​​ Amen. ​​​​ Halleluiah. ​​ Praise God!

Author: Sharyn Balogh

You know it's difficult to write about yourself. The most important fact I can disclose is that I'm saved by God's grace through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. My desire is to live a life honoring to God in response for the gift of salvation I've been given. This is so much easier said than done! I struggle daily with right choices, right words, right thoughts, and right actions. My best and only defense against sin is the power of God in me and for that I am inexpressibly thankful. I have three amazing grown-up children who have responded to God's call in their lives along with their spouses. One of the great joys of my life is knowing my children and their families strive to serve and follow God. My grandchildren are another wonderful joy in my life! My husband and I are blessed with four beautiful grandchildren to date with another expected very soon on September 12th. We also are thankful for the comforting knowledge that an additional three of our grandchildren, a set of twins at three months gestation and a little boy, Isaac, at four and a half months gestation, are in our Savior's presence. I have attended the same church since the day my eyes were opened to Truth over thirty years ago. How fortunate it is to have been led by God’s hand immediately to a church body that follows the Bible, no man-made doctrines, just the Word clear and strong. My husband is my best friend, my confidant, my encourager, and I still can't believe how blessed I am by his example of love and generosity towards everyone around him. He is God-fearing, compassionate, and kind and I have learned so much from him. I am a daughter to my almost 92 year-old mother, sister to three brothers, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, aunt, great-aunt, neighbor and friend. That means, whomever is reading this, we probably have something in common! I love every unique role I have been placed in. I'm frequently stretched and sometimes feel like silly putty that wants to bounce right back into my comfort zone. My greatest ambition is to be a follower of Jesus; a light that shines for Him at all times, in all circumstances. So, there it is, a bit about me. I guess I was able to write about myself after all! However, my existence cannot be defined without Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior. His love has permeated my life to His glory and my eternal thankfulness.