NY resolution

One of my NY resolution is to read and study one passage of the Bible everyday. It is now the 3rd of Jan and I've only just started. It's like satan just keep trying to occupy my mind with all sorts of things to do so that I dont have anymore time to spend with God.
Today I am determined.

Although the past few days have been good, although I've enjoyed celebrating xmas and new year with my dearest friends and family, although I've been busy with the church, the youth and doing things for the house of God, .... nothing can replace the deeper sense of peace from having a solid relationship with Him.

In Psalm 42:1-2 David says:
1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God....

Our living bodies consist of flesh, soul, and spirit, and if our body is satisfied when we eat good food, our soul and spirit are satisfied when they connect with the Creator. It's hard to explain, it's like the connection between our spirit and God's while we communicate with Him releases some sort of hormone that makes us happy and peaceful. Perhaps similar to the effect of exercising regularly. This isnt exactly theologically correct by the way, it's just a simple way of explaining the effect of communing with God to the soul.

No wander when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, after fasting 40 days, the devil told him to turn stone into bread and Jesus replied "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:1-11)

The Bible is inspired by God (2 Tim 3:16) and it is full of promises for every area of our lives. Check out this beautiful website containing a promise for every single day of the year: '365 Promises'.

What's your situation? Are you in financial hardship? Sick? Sad? Lonely? In need of forgiveness? Angry? ... God has a promise for every single one of your need, nothing's too big or too small for Him who has given up His only Son for us.

Romans 8:32
"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"

For me... blogging is one way of spending time with Him. Some days I'm quite happy to publish my blog, and some days I keep them in my private blog. I am pushing myself to come to Him daily and spending time with Him, learning and writing about Him because I know that it's what He wants us to do: to get to know Him more and more so He can be involved in our everyday lives, and therefore glorifies Him. In trouble times we often find ourselves on bended knee, seeking Him for help or answers, but in good times, we often forget to come to Him in thanksgiving. From experience, I know that God will do everything He can to draw me back to Him if I happen to forget Him. This might not be a correct theology or theory, but I am scared that if I dont keep my relationship with Him during good times, He will allow trouble times and sufferring in order to make me come back to Him. I dunno about you, but I'd rather come to Him with thanksgiving than coming to Him out of desperation.

If you never experience the word of God becoming alive and relevant to your situation, let me challenge you... start reading the Bible daily and study a passage or a verse a day. When you are faced with a certain situation in your life and you're desperate for God's words, encouragement or guidance, then the verses you previously memorised will be brought to live in your mind by the Holy Spirit, and it will be your source of strength, wisdom and cncouragement. It's not easy, even I am still struggling with it, but hey,... everyone deserves a fresh start, and my fresh start is today.

Hopefully every single day of the year I can at the very least blog my verse of the day. If not... oh well... there's always tomorrow :p