The End of Another Year

“Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. Isaiah 46:4

2012 is quickly coming to a close and what a year it has been. Today is the last Freedom Fighter of the year. If you have been following the Daily Bible Reading plan, you have finished reading through the Bible! Congratulations.

2013 is right around the corner and I am really excited about all that lies before us as we begin a new year.

Last week I sat down and mapped out my goals for 2013. If you have done so, it’s not too late to do it. It was hard to narrow my goals down to six – but I did it. And they are posted right above my desk at home and on my desk at work. They are posted on my computer, my electronic devices and posted in the front of my paper Day-Timer.

I shared with you last week that I also chose a word for 2013. Did you do so? I only heard from four brothers. Their words? Joy. Encouragement. Train. Prayer.

Our Keswick theme for 2013 is “Joy in the Journey – Walking in the Promises of God.” One of my challenges to you is to make your personal time with God a consistent, non-negotiable part of your day. Some people think that a challenge like this is too legalistic and sets one up for failure. Really?

Well I have watched too many brothers go down the tubes because they have chosen to neglect spending time with God each day. Too many of my “grace-junkie” friends think about their spiritual life like I used to do “weight-watchers.”  Figure out all the ways you can cheat and still lose weight? Guess what – it doesn’t work.

I am not saying that if you don’t spend time with God each day you will burn in hell. You won’t lose your salvation. And He won’t love you any less if you skip a day.

But I can tell you this – the more you spend time with Him the more you will fall in love with Him and the more you are in love with Him the more time you will want to spend time with Him. And the more you spend time in His presence you will find yourself growing and maturing into the man He wants you to be!

Here is the link for our 2013 Bible Reading Plan. It is not as challenging as last years. It will move you around the Bible rather than spending long times in one book. It will be a goal worth making for this new year.

Will you join me? If so, will you do me a favor and drop me a note and tell me you are going to join me? I won’t hound you, but I want to encourage you along the way to keep at it. I look forward to hearing from you.

Running the race with joy,

Dr. Bill Welte
President/CEO America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: Malachi 1-4; Proverbs 31; Revelation 22

Quote of the day:  The cry of this world for meaning and hope and life, was met one morning far away in the cry of a tiny babe. And with that cry, time stopped and started again. And it was new. Anonymous

Bible Memory: James 5:19-20

Prayer Quotes:  Never make the blunder of trying to forecast the way God is going to answer your prayer.