The Main Thing

Happy New Year! 

I am so grateful that, by the grace of God, we were all blessed to see a brand new year.  There were many who started out with us in 2011, but didn't make it to see the dawning of 2012.  The Lord could have cut us off, yet He was merciful towards us, and has preserved our lives.  I don't know about you, but I don't take that lightly.

The fact that you and I are still here, despite the enemy's attempts to consume us, means that God has a plan for our lives that has yet to be fulfilled.  There's more He wants us to do, more He wants us to have, and more He wants us to be.  With this new year, I resolve to simply grow more and more in Christ, each and every day the Lord allows me to see, so that His spirit may dwell richly in me and continue to lead me along the purposed path He has laid before me.  My desire isn't fueled by riches or recognition, but rather by the love I have for the One who loves me so much that He gave up His life for mine. 

I have not adopted any slogans or it's-your-season cliches, because for me it's not about that...that stuff just feeds the emotions and shifts the focus from what's really important.  Sure, it's great to experience abundant life and be overtaken by the tangible blessings of the Lord; however, that's not the main thing.  For the lovers of Christ, HE should be the main thing...not His hand, but His heart. 

For me, I'm keeping the main thing the main thing.  You see, when we honor and seek the Lord above all else our lives are richer than the richest riches.  Wealth in the love, knowledge, and wisdom of the Lord is far more valuable than anything we could ever possess.  I'm excited about that...no thing excites my emotions more than that.

My prayer for us all for 2012 is that we get back to the basics. 

Get back to the basics of sincere prayer.

Get back to the basics of seeking the Lord.

Get back to the basics of honoring Him above all else.

Get back to the basics of loving the Lord wholeheartedly, and desiring more of Him.

Get back to the basics of presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice unto Him.

Get back to the basics of standing flat-footed for holiness and righteousness.

Get back to the basics of pleasing the Lord, rather than man.

It's time that we return our hearts to our first love, Jesus Christ.  He wants to be the love, and Lord, of our lives.  He does not want to come second, third, or fourth on our list, but He wants to be first.  And He wants to be first in our lives, not because of what we can gain from Him, but because of what we can give to Him...our gifts, talents, and service.  He wants to be glorified in each of our lives.

I pray that in this new year, the body of Christ will lift up the Lord like never before - in our hearts, in our homes, in our churches, in our communities.  I pray that we all nurture a heart that longs for more and more of the Lord, and that we will bring glory to His name so that the world around us will know that He is Lord.

Above all else, for 2012 I pray that you develop a deeper love, a deeper longing, a deeper relationship with the Lord.  He is the source of all things.

"But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness..." ~Matthew 6:33a~


~Love & Prayers~

*Check out my latest article in EEW Magazine about continuously maturing in Christ in the New Year.