Friday, December 29, 2017

Making the New Year Your Best Yet

Hey, Gabriel Girls!

 Happy New Year! If you're like me, you want to make 2018 your best year yet. So, how can we do that?

 Well, here are a few thoughts followed by some ideas for action:
1--Time is a gift from God. How we use the time He gives us on this earth will affect how we live in eternity. It has been said that our life on earth is a preparation for our life in eternity. Did you know that before you were even born, God had written down what He wanted you to do each day of your life? 

 Check out this cool Scripture verse: "You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed" (Psalm 139: 16). WOW! Talk about planning ahead! 
ACTION QUESTIONS: 

  • Am I doing what God planned for me to do each day? 
  • Do I know what God planned for me to do each day?
  • If not, how can I find out?
2--Obedience to God's Word will lead me into God's will for my life. God's ways are opposite our ways. We may think we have to know the next step before we take it. God says, "Obey My Word, and I will show you the next step to take."  

In order to obey God's Word, we have to know it. We have to read it and study it. As we read and study God's Word, we then need to obey it by applying it to our lives. Make it your goal in 2018 to study and obey God's Word. As you do, you will begin to see God's purpose for your life unfolding.

ACTION QUESTIONS:
  • Am I reading and studying God's Word every day? If not, why not?
  • Am I obeying God's Word? If not, why not?
  • Am I beginning to discern God's purpose for my life?
3--My relationship with Jesus Christ must take first place above all of my other relationships. God created us for relationship with Him. When our relationship with God is right, then all of our other relationships will be right. 

Jesus Christ is the only way for us to have a relationship with God the Father. So, all relationship with God must start with Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14: 6).

ACTION QUESTIONS:
  • Have you established a relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ? If not, you can do so now. Click here if you need help.
  • If you do have a relationship with God through Jesus, is that relationship top priority in your life? If not, why not?
  • What can you do to improve your relationship with God?
Set aside some time to think about this post and to answer the questions. If you do, you will be starting the new year on the right foot. 

And that's a good way to start!
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Copyright 2017 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be published or printed in any form whatsoever without the written permission of Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. You may contact her at drmaryann@maryanndiorio.com to request permission.


If you enjoyed this blog, please forward it to your family and friends. Spread the Word of God and be a blessing to others! Thanks! 
To Become a Gabriel Girl, you need to qualify as follows:
  • You need to be born again. This means that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and the Lord of your life. If you don't know how to do this, click here.
  • You need to have a desire to tell others about Jesus wherever you go and whenever you can.
  • You need to commit to following Jesus by reading the Bible and praying every day and by obeying Jesus' command to love Him and to love your neighbor.
    ____________________________________________________
You can find me on the following Social Media Venues:
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Sunday, December 17, 2017

Walking the Walk with Jesus by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio

Hey, Gabriel Girls!

 How's your walk with Jesus going? Are you keeping in stride with Him? Have you gotten off track? Or have you gotten lost by going your own way?

 Knowing where we stand with Jesus is something we need to be aware of constantly. It's like taking a test to see if we are on track with our schoolwork. The results of the test will tell us if we understand the material and if we are where we need to be in our learning journey.
Photo by Alexsandr Ledogorov. Source: Freelyphotos.com.

 Well, how can we take a test regarding our walk with Christ? What questions should we ask ourselves? What kind of results should we look for to indicate that we're still following Him?

 Here are a few questions to ask yourself. Rank yourself according to the scale below, and place your rank on the lines provided. When you've finished answering the questions, check your answers against the Score Key that follows the questions.

 RANKING SCALE
5 - Your answer is YES.
4 - Your answer is OFTEN.
3 - Your answer is SOMETIMES.
2-  Your answer is RARELY.
1 - Your answer is NO.
  • Do I spend time with the Lord every day, reading His Word, memorizing and meditating on His Word, talking with Him in prayer, and just hanging out with Him?_____
  • Do I regularly gather with fellow believers for fellowship and fun?_____
  • Do I attend church services regularly?_____
  • Am I part of a small Bible study group?_____
  • Do I have a mature spiritual mentor (a woman for a gal and a man for a guy) who can advise me and hold me accountable to God's Word?_____ 
  • Do I serve in some capacity in my local church?_____ 
  • Do I tell others about Jesus?_____

SCORE KEY:
---A score of 30-35 means you are on track in your walk with Jesus.
---A score of 25-30 means you are doing well but have room for improvement.
---A score of 20-25 means you are getting off track and need to re-evaluate your priorities.
---A score of 15-20 means you have gone your own way and should get help in getting back on track.
---A score of 1-15 means you are in danger of losing your way. Talk with your pastor or a mature Christian who will help you find your way back.

 One disclaimer: Perhaps you are a new Christ-Follower and have just started your walk with Jesus. If so, it will take you some time to incorporate the above spiritual disciplines into your life. But you can start right away to spend time with the Lord every day, reading His Word and talking with Him. Ask God to lead you to a good church that teaches the Bible without compromise. As you begin attending church, you will find other believers who will help you to grow in Christ.

 If you need help with any of this, please write to me at drmaryann@maryanndiorio.com. I will be happy to help you in any way I can.

 Now it's your turn: Place your comments or questions in the Comment Box below. Thanks! 

Please tell your family and teen friends about this blog and please pass this post on to them. Thank you!
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Copyright 2000-2017 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be published or printed in any form whatsoever without the written permission of Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. You may contact her at drmaryann@maryanndiorio.com to request permission.
If you enjoyed this blog, please forward it to your family and friends. Spread the Word of God and be a blessing to others! Thanks! 
To Become a Gabriel Girl, you need to qualify as follows:
  • You need to be born again. This means that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and the Lord of your life. If you don't know how to do this, click here.
  • You need to have a desire to tell others about Jesus wherever you go and whenever you can.
  • You need to commit to following Jesus by reading the Bible and praying every day and by obeying Jesus' command to love Him and to love your neighbor.
    ____________________________________________________
You can find me on the following Social Media Venues:

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