Sunday Writing by Jan Andersen.......1/1/17

The Staff
of
Women's Focus Ministries

would like to wish you 

all of God's blessings

for 2017

Prayers for you

gtp

Corinne

(Devotional Writers)

Jan...Sunday

Mary...Monday

Diane...Tuesday

Sandy...Wednesday

Brother Thomas
                   and Jody...ThursdayKelly...Friday

Carol...Saturday

(Monthly Writing)
Cathy F.

(Occasional Writers)
Lynda K
Kathy B.

Nancy S.

and others

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Today's Devotional

"DAY ONE - PRESS ON"

by

Jan Andersen

It is New Year's Day, day one of 2017.  What are your plans for the new year?  Do you have hopes, dreams, aspirations?  Or do you just hope to get through the year with as little trouble as possible?  We can turn to God for guidance.  The book of Philippians 3 is just one example of God's word providing direction for our lives.

Philippians 3:1  Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord!...

We are to rejoice in all circumstances, even in suffering, for it is then that we are pushed to rely on God instead of ourselves and that we grow and mature in our faith.  This past year may have held troubles for us, and this new year is likely to have its own share.  But God will provide a way through as we lean on him.  So we lean on God, the Father, and rejoice in the Lord.

Philippians 3:2 and following.  Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh...

We are warned to watch out for those who are evil and false teachers of the faith.  Some false teachers do so on purpose, deceitfully misleading others for their own gain.  Others do so without knowing they are leading people astray.  Since all humans are sinful, we must also watch out for these things within ourselves.  We need to share Christ with others lovingly and as accurately as we can, asking for the leading of the Holy Spirit.  So we lean on God, the Holy Spirit, to lead us.

Philippians 3:7-9  But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ...  I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith...

So even when we gain things on earth that are good, we must remember that all of that pales in comparison to the treasure of salvation through faith in Christ, Jesus.  For forgiveness and the promise of eternal life in heaven we rely not on our own "goodness" at following God's laws, but on faith in Christ.  So we lean on God, the Son, for salvation. 

Philippians 3:12-14  Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and staring toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

We know that we will never be perfect.  Jesus fulfilled that for us.  But we strive to do what God desires, and God supplies what we need.  When we feel we are slipping up, we are to turn back to God by the power of his Spirit and press on toward heaven, leaving behind our sinful past with his help to thank him and to be his witnesses.  This may be "day one" of 2017, but every day we wake up to a new "day one" of the rest of our lives, where we start fresh and forgiven.  May God make it a blessed day and year for all of us.

Dear Father in heaven, as we lean on you at all times, may we praise you in all circumstances, allowing your Spirit to guide us and give us power to be your faithful witnesses to the salvation that your Son won on the cross for us.  Remind us that every day is "day one" of the rest of our lives where we start anew.  Help us to press on toward the goal of everlasting glory to which you have called us heavenward.  In Jesus' name,  Amen. 

written by Jan Andersen  

Song: Day One,  by Matthew West