Happy New Year! What will you carry into 2014?

I have traveled many places including Jerusalem, Israel where I watched people carry the cross through the streets of Via DoloRosa. This picture was taken by me as I stood on the side of the road amazed by the act of carrying the cross.

Carrying the cross reminds me to ask, "What will I carry into 2014?" Will I carry health or illness, brokenness or restoration, bad relationships or freedom from them, financial troubles or financial soundness, fear or faith?

I do not want to carry anything that is not from God or will not be held up by Him in 2014.  He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.   He paid the price and carried everything that could burden me down and steal my life so I didn't have to.  Christ held his body on the cross so that I could have a new life.  When He died all old things including my sin went with Him and when He rose all things were restored and made new.

The scripture that my husband, Earnie sent me yesterday, was also blindly picked by me in a New Year's Eve service with friends, 2 Corinthians 5:17 reads, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."  I have reflected on this scripture a lot, because when God tells me something twice I have to pay attention to it.  I realized that for me it means that I cannot carry past hurts, pain, sins, and suffering into 2014.  That it must be a year of rest, newness and health for me and my family and I pray that it will be for you.

Therefore, let us make 2014 the best year every. May the Lord give you your heart's desire, wisdom and vision for 2014!

Happy New Year!
Pastor Patricia McNair,
Riverside Assembly - Methuen Women Ministries

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Turning Your Pain into Power

Image
  "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore,  for the former things have passed away (R evelation 21:4 ESV)." T he journey of life has many twists and turns. There are times when a turn leads us to a place of pain. But, we have the ability to used that pain to catapult ourselves to the place of power. The loss of my younger sister was very painful. She unexpectedly died. I was hurt, cried for days, and thought my chest would burst open from the pain of her departure to be with Jesus.  Not only was she my sister, but my friend. Someone you couldn't help but love! She was loving, kind, compassionate, and caring.  I don't know a sweeter person than my sister, Janice (or JanBaby as our family referred to her).  She started singing at the age of three. You could feel the power of her love deep in your soul, down to your "bones", when she lifted her voice, and breathed ...
Read more

God Doesn't Err and Trouble Doesn't Last Always

Image
Your life has many winding roads and complicated stops.   Jesus said, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world (John 16:33)." When you read the verse, your thought might be, "If Jesus has overcome the world, why does my world feels so broken?" In t he circle of life we have beginnings, endings, and everything in between.  The ebbs  and flows of life bring waters of both joy and pain. But, with God's guiding hands, it flows in a way that moves us upstream to a place of peace, blessings, rest and trust.  You may walk through the great darkness ravine, but you will get through it, because God's got you!    We are overcomers in mind, spirit and soul. Whatever you are going through, it too shall pass.  L ife may not be fair, but God is fair.  Psalm 56 , the psalmist declares to God, “ You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle...
Read more

The Reward of Persistent Prayer

Image
    [Jeremiah 29:12-13 (CJB)]: "When you call to me and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you seek me, you will find me, provided you seek from me wholeheartedly;" Dear Ladies, I write this blog with you and the many prayers that you have prayed in mind. Luke 18:2-5] "In a certain town, there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected other people. There was also in that town a widow who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me a judgment against the man who is trying to ruin me.' For a long time he refused; but after awhile, he said to himself, 'I don't fear God, and I don't respect other people; but because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see to it that she gets justice - otherwise, she'll keep coming and pestering me till she wears me out!"  God is not a cruel judge. When we persist in prayer, we are not pestering Him! Jesus told his disciple this parable, in order to impress on them that they   must always keep praying   a...
Read more