Our life in Christ is filled with so many blessings and such promise: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises...
(II Pet 1:4). In fact, everything that we need for this journey we have already been given: According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue (II Pet1:3).  Since these exceeding great and precious promises and everything that pertains to life and godliness, are not only available, but have been given to us, we certainly want to experience and enjoy it all during our journey.  

Jesus came that we might have life and that more abundantly ( John 10:10). The rich abundant life and the precious promises are accessed according to II Peter 1:3 through the knowledge of Him. In order to experience all that the Lord has for us, we must get to know Him personally and intimately.  As matter of fact, the grace of God and His peace   starts to multiply in our lives the more we get to know Him: May grace (God's favor) and peace(which is perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in (the full, personal, precise and correct) knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord - IIPet1:2- Amplified).

We can get to know God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ fully, personally, correctly and precisely, by reading His Word, not merely out of habit or ritual, but with a real hunger to know Him.  We get to know Him by meditating upon His Word, thinking about a particular verse over and over again, allowing it to occupy the space in our minds. We get to know Him by studying His Word, digging deep, using our bible concordances to compare scriptures and using study resources.  We get to know Him intimately by worshipping Him, acknowledging and appreciating in His presence the things we have learned about His character and power.  We get to know Him by communicating with Him in prayer, talking to Him often.  We get to know Him intimately by practicing His presence, being aware of and acknowledging Him throughout the day.   

Let's make getting to know the Lord intimately our priority in 2016. Lord, help us to make getting to know You the one thing we desire and dwelling in Your presence the one thing that we seek . If we do so, we will begin to experience the rich abundant life that Jesus came to give us, the exceeding great and precious promises we have been given, grace and peace will increase in our lives and we will have everything we need for this journey.

getting to know Him together,
Diane

p.s. Practice hanging around Jesus this week. Imagine Him in the car with you as you drive, shopping with you, watching tv with you. Try to become aware and acknowledge His presence throughout the day by talking to Him often.

p.s.s if you enjoy seeing God's creation, visit my photography site by clicking the photos link at the top of this page or link below:

I am so blessed and privileged to be on this journey with you.  I look forward to what the Lord will teach us as we grow in grace together. Each year at this time we are normally excited about the new year and all the possibilities it brings. So i simply want to wish you a blessed, best new year and to let you know that I am praying Romans 15:13 for each one of us: Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

This scripture is filled with such promise and potential. It not only holds the secret to having hope that overflows and bubbles over to the point of being contagious; it also has  the key for being filled with joy and peace. Sounds like the kind of 2016 you want to have?  Well, here is the secret: no matter what is happening, or how we are feeling, or what we see, we must continue to Believe God! (And we know that all things work together for good to them who are the called according to His purpose - Rom 8:28)

Romans 15:13 lets us know that when we believe God, and trust Him to work everything out, God, Himself begins to pour joy and peace into our hearts. The Holy Ghost takes our faith and uses it to stir up the joy and peace that God the Father has poured in us. When you mix joy, peace and the Holy Ghost hope is produced.  Hope begins to bubble up in us, and not just a little hope, but abundant hope that overflows and is contagious!

So in 2016 let's believe God and allow Him to pour joy and peace into our daily lives, so that the Holy Ghost can stir them and we may abound in hope!

Happy Hope-filled New Year!

Diane