RESOLUTION

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word RESOLUTION? Making better choices than those from the year prior? Dieting, exercising, trading bad habits for good habits, etc.

A resolution is a decision or determination; firmness of purpose. 
Synonyms; resolve, perseverance, tenacity; strength, fortitude.

Many of us try changing our behaviors in hopes of changing our lives. But unfortunately, what happens in a lot of cases, is that those resolutions just become wishful thinking. We really DO want to change but the time and effort that go into making those changes lose the luster after the first few weeks.

Ephesians 4:22-24  You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Since we were created in the image of God, we have the power to resolve that we can live a life that reflects His nature.

So, make the resolution (or determination) that your life will reflect His love to everyone you know.

Philippians 4:13 I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.

Be blessed,
Dawn

Your are accepted

   Ephesians 1:3-6

(NIV) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love, He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.

(MSG) How blessed is God! And what a blessing He is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in Him. Long before He laid down earth’s foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by His love. Long, long ago He decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure He took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter the celebration of His lavish gift-giving by the hand of His beloved Son.

Feeling accepted is extremely empowering and liberating. Without fail, it will open the flow of joy in your life.  

God tells us that we are accepted as His children so we must choose to believe it and take Him at His word. He doesn't place conditions on us. He knows our faults, failures, attitudes, etc., but He still loves us and calls us His own.

For us to feel accepted by God, we must take our focus off things that have happened to us in the past.  Ask God to show you how to let go of the grip that you have on past hurts and disappointments. When we let go, it frees something inside us. It is then when we can begin to feel the acceptance from Him that has been there all along. 

This reminds me of The Prayer of Serenity which says, "God, grant me the serenity (peace) to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." 

1 Peter 2:9

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference He has made in you. 

From a nobody to somebody, from broken to beautiful, from rejected to accepted, from abandoned to belonging. You are His!


Be blessed,
Dawn