Morning Cup of J(esus)
Fueling the Day and the Year!
A New Year's Poem for Christians
Vision for 2023
Instead of making a New Year’s resolution
Consider committing to a Biblical solution.
Your promises are easily broken
Empty words, though earnestly spoken
But God’s Word transforms the soul
By His Holy Spirit making you whole
As you spend time alone with Him
He will change you from within.
–Amy Fairchild
Happy New Year to all of you! What a blessing to be writing and speaking praise to the Lord in this new year. It’s a great time to re-evaluate our priorities to be sure that they measure up to God’s Word. On a daily basis, we can easily be conformed to this world without even realizing it. If we know Christ, we are not our own but are His. Let’s look at a few passages that can make our vision for 2023 much clearer.
I wrote this post to be read throughout the week as you have a chance. You may decide to read a part each morning with coffee as you meditate on your personal vision for 2023.
A Vision for Yourself
If you are like me, some days you are just a hot mess. Our human nature kicks into overdrive, and we are battling our fleshly thoughts and attitudes on a daily basis. A strong reminder to be in God’s Word daily is a “cure” for our earthly-minded attitudes and actions. We renew our minds by being in the Scriptures with a prayerful spirit.
Colossians 3:1-2
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 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, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 12:1-2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
We should
- seek those things that are above where Christ is, not things on the earth.
- press on, that we may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of us.
- forget those things which are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead.
- press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
- consider ourselves crucified with Christ and present our bodies a sacrifice-holy, and acceptable to God.
- not be conformed to this world.
- be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
- prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
- live our lives as Christ’s and not our own.
- live by faith in the Son of God remembering that He gave Himself for us.
- walk in the Spirit so that we can exhibit the fruit of the Spirit on a daily basis.
- glorify God in our bodies and our spirits.
A Vision for Your Home and Family
The Scripture provides us with a proper foundation for our homes and families. Good homes are built and nurtured by mature and unselfish parents who seek God’s glory. There is no magic formula for good family relationships, but we must be the “adults,” and the spiritually minded ones in every situation. Sometimes we must be willing to be wronged and to be inconvenienced. We must love our families with a I Corinthians 13 type of love.
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Hebrews 3:4
For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.
Joshua 24:15
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Proverbs 14:1
The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.
Proverbs 24:3-4
Through wisdom, a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
4 By knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.
A Vision for Your Finances
When it comes to our finances, we should consider a few points and look at these passages for clarity.
- All that we have ultimately belongs to the Lord.
- Although money is necessary in our world, the love of money is the root cause of many problems and sins. Keep it in perspective.
- Christians have an obligation to use their money wisely and prayerfully.
- Christians should also be willing to give to the need of others and to support their local church as well as other ministries God lays on their heart to support.
- Christians should carefully provide for the present and future needs of their own families.
- Money can easily “fly away” if we are not careful.
- Wealth ultimately comes from hard work and disciplined use of money.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked.
Proverbs 11:28
He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage.
Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.
But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
A Vision for Your Church
The vision for your church in 2023 would usually be handled by your local church leadership and body of believers; however, here are a few verses that you may consider when looking at your part in your church family. Also, in this world that we live in, we have become used to online church, but many are longing to be back with fellow believers. We shouldn’t take assembling together for granted.
Be faithful. If you have a well-trained pastor who is in the Word and presenting strong Bible teaching, you should make every effort to be there to hear God’s Word. Your presence is also needed to be a blessing to others. You shouldn’t just think about what you are getting out of church, but how you can minister to others. When you are not there, you rob others of the blessing.
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
1 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore, I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.
A Vision for Those Around You
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
The Great Commission
14 Later He (Christ) appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
I Corinthians 13– Remember to love with a I Corinthians 13 kind of love. Every time you read this passage it should convict you and remind you of the kind of love Christ expects of us. His love is very selfless and forgiving. It is the kind of love that is happy for the good success of others.