Seven (7) Action Plans to Take Into & Though the New Year

adapted from “Seven Scriptures to Help Guide Your New year,  https://www.amazingfacts.org/news-and-features/af-blog/article/id/21098/t/seven-scriptures-to-help-guide-your-new-year/fbclid/iwar1wps-3wxdgck8pxnwfnknesgdeuzf5dex-h016kkziunnqr-q6df02-1g

1. Determine to keep God at the center of your life and year.Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established.” This is certainly good advice as we enter into the New Year. Lamentations 3:22,23 says God’s mercies are “new every morning”. The start of a year is a good time to remember this and recommit our lives to God. (If you have not yet decided to follow Jesus, the New Year is an excellent time to make that decision—your life will never be the same!) 
2. Leave the past in the past, and look ahead to the future. Philippians 3:13,14 “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”. With these words first written to the believers at Philippi, the apostle Paul offers some great advice: Learn from it, but leave the past where it is. None of us can change what happened five years ago, 5 days ago, not even five minutes ago. Dwelling on things that cannot be changed won’t move you toward your goals and could negatively impact your progress.
3. Study the Scriptures to learn its life-lessons, laws, and most importantly the Savior. Joshua 1:8, records the words of the Israelite leader Joshua when he said, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”    What is “this Book of the Law”? It’s the Bible, of course, and as we’re reading here, there are plenty of insights into how to live today—and how to live for the world to come. Who doesn’t want a successful and properous life?   When speaking to the Jews, Jesus said in John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” The only Scripture’s of Jesus’ day was the Old Testament. It’s purpose, as well as the New Testament’s, is to reveal God, His love, and His plan of salvation. As you read Scripture, preferably daily, look for the truth it teaches about Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Father, and their love for you!
4. Keep learning and improving your skills, trade, expertise, and witness.Everyone’s is good at something, and we should strive to be the best at what God has equipped and called us to do to earn our living.Proverbs 22:29 offers this insight: “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.”   Ecclesiastes 9:10  says “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might”   Perhaps you’ve read stories about people whose work has been favored, preferred, and sought out by others. These people received satisfaction in creating items of quality and distinction, putting in their best efforts. We, as believers, aren’t working for an earthly monarch; we work to glorify God! Let’s remember that and seek ways to further develop our skills and talents for His glory in the New Year.
5. Make God your financial partner.God created the world and everything in it. He gives wisdom, strength, life itself. So wouldn’t it be wise to trust God with your finances? Putting God first by returning tithe to your local church is a good way to begin.  Malachi 3:10offers a great promise to those who follow this command: “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.”   We return tithe, but we are also called to give an offering, cheerfully from a grateful heart!  2 Corinthians 9:6-8  “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷ So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”
6. Deal with sin promptly.We are called to apologize to those we have wronged, to make things right, and seek their forgiveness: James 5:16 “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. While that person may, hopefully, forgive us for our trespass/wrong towards them, only God can forgive us of our sin. He provides a remedy for any and every believer that will calm a troubled conscience. In 1 John 1:9 we read, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The confession is made to God, of course, in private prayer. Sincere repentance will bring forgiveness and cleansing. God gives power/grace for overcoming). Continually ask God to keep you on the path He wants you to follow, and He will help you!
7. Watch, prepare, and live for Jesus’ soon return.Paul gave this counsel to Titus: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” Titus 2:11. Do you need a formula for success and happiness? There it is! Accept God’s offer of salvation in Jesus, practice self-denial and live like Christ – “soberly, righteously, and godly” – through the grace He will provide so that you may look for and be ready for “the blessed hope” of Jesus’ return.

As you study Bible prophecy and watch world events, you’ll see that the Second Coming of Christ is not far off. And while no one knows the day or hour, the signs tell us it’s near. Watch and be ready for Jesus’ return, dear friend, and live in that joyful expectation J