Hello New Year: 3 Things That Really Matter
Hello New Year.
There’s a few things you need to know.
Resolutions? No, none. While I believe resolve and changes are honorable, not a fan of making and trying to keep them.
One word? No, not that either. Although many of my amazing friends choose a word each year, I never jump in.
But…
A Scripture? Yes, count me in! I know those who pick a Bible verse for every new year. And though I never participated, the Lord led me to a Scripture this year.
First, I soul-searched and reflected over the previous 12 months. Next, I took a long, hard look at ministry, spiritual growth, life visions and missions.
Then, I prayed over how I hoped my life looked this same time next year…with 12 calendar pages turned.
This process led me to Acts 17:28a; my verse for 2019. It contains 3 things that really matter.
In him we live and move and have our being.
(1.) Live in God.
In Acts 17, the Apostle Paul visits Athens. Teaching in the synagogue, he describes the city as full of idol worship. He “found an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’” (Verse 23)
Next, Paul proclaims the known God in verses 24-25.
- God made the world, heavens, and everything in it.
- He does not dwell in temples made by man.
- The Lord is not served by human hands as needing what we have to offer Him.
- God gives life, breath, and everything.
~ Live means to reside in, have one’s home in, set up residence, be settled in; be housed in, lodge in; inhabit, occupy.
Reflections on Living:
- Are we letting those in the community where we live, see our faith in a known God? How our life resides in the living God who gives us everything?
- Do we show others how we inhabit a spiritual life in the promise of heaven? Living in such a way others see the known God in us as His temple? His altar?
(2.) Move in God.
Here’s what Paul says about all mankind in verses 26-27.
- God determines our allotted periods/times in history, boundaries, and dwelling places.
- The Lord chose these appointed times for us to seek Him, make our way toward Him, and find Him. Because God is not far off, but near.
~ Move means to go in a specified direction or manner; change position; proceed, progress, advance. And change or cause to change from one state, opinion, sphere, or activity to another; shift one’s ground, change one’s tune, change one’s mind.
Reflections on Moving:
- Do we change addresses, jobs, churches, and so on, only after seeking God?
- Do we move forward in progress in our spiritual life? Are we advancing the gospel, helping move God’s kingdom to this earth and our life?
- What about moving toward God to really know Him?
- Are we “shifting ground” from this world’s opinions and philosophies to holy ground? The holy ground where the altar has an inscription, “To the known God of heaven.”
(3.) Being in God.
Paul closes the chapter with verses 29-34.
- We are God’s offspring.
- The Lord is a divine being and not like idols of gold or silver or stone by the imagination of man.
- God overlooked times of ignorance to idols, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent.
- He set a day to judge righteousness by the appointed man He raised from the dead—Jesus. When Paul mentions the resurrection, some mocked, others said, “we will hear you about this again” (verse 32). Still, others believed and joined Paul as a follower of Christ.
~ Being is the present participle of be. It means existence; the nature or essence of a person; soul, spirit, inner being, inner self.
Reflections on Being.
- Are we aware and remind ourselves how our mere existence is because of God? How He created each of us, body, soul and spirit; and we are wonderfully made?
- Do we really understand our complete essence, who we are, lies in God alone? How our inner self is defined by our Creator?
Whether in 2019 or any year, what really matters is this:
In God we live and move and have our being.
In God we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28 Share on XWhich of the 3 areas resonates the most with you?
All Scripture references, ESV.
Definitions courtesy of Google.
Another popular post on a New Year.
Featured/top photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash.
Second photo by Ray Hennessy on Unsplash.
Bottom/heart photo by Michael Fenton on Unsplash.
Sometimes I participate in these link-ups:
Debbie Kitterman/#Dare2Hear, Lori Schumaker/#momentsofhope, Jaime Wiebel/#SittingAmongFriends, Crystal Twadell/Fresh Market Friday, Kelly Balarie/Purposeful Faith, Patricia Holbrook/Soaring With Him, Meghan Weyerbacher/TeaandtheWord, Lyli Dunbar/#FaithOnFire & Crystal Storms/Heart Encouragement.
© 2019 by Karen Friday, All rights reserved
Amen, Karen. Goals and resolutions fade so incredibly quickly … but God’s Word lasts forever.
Without His leading, we’ll be going nowhere fast.
New year’s blessings to you, to yours …
So true, Linda. I’m so glad to have a focal verse for the year. Of course that won’t take away from daily devotions and studying God’s Word. I pray we live and move and have our being in God Almighty this year. Happy & Blessed New Year to you.
Acts 28:17a is also my verse for 2019. I love how you broke it down into three parts and explained each one. And I appreciate how you asked questions to probe the heart. Thank you for both the encouragement and the challenge, Karen. Blessings to you in 2019!
Wow, Cathy. That’s amazing it’s your verse for this year too! I love the whole chapter of Acts 17 and how it really brings to light the full meaning and context of verse 28. I pray we shift ground from the world’s opinions to holy ground and thrive living and being in the Father. Appreciate you commenting. Happy & Blessed New Year!
Love this post. I resolved this year–as you’ll see in my post–but I often don’t. But to grasp a scripture for the year–fabulous! Will begin my quest for a yearlong passage pronto! God bless and Happy New Year!
Hey Nancy, I was so thrilled to sense the Lord leading me have a Scripture for the year. I hope after those 12 calendar pages are turned this time next year, I will look back to see the great impact it had on my life. Happy New Year!
Karen, I always choose a word for the year which I will be revealing very soon, but I really love your idea of being guided by a verse of scripture instead. Fortunately, my word does come from a memorable verse, so perhaps, I can do both!
Blessings in the New Year!
You could most certainly do both, Martha. I have friends who do a word, a Scripture, or both! And those who do both, most often the word and verse are together or connected in some way. Looking forward to your post. Happy New Year!
What a neat idea, Karen! I have a life verse that I have written on my white board in my office, but there has been another one that’s been standing out to me, I might adopt it for the year… You have definitly made me think…
That’s great, Heather! My life verse is 2 Chronicles 16:9, “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that he may strongly support those whose heart is completely his.” (NASB) It’s been my life verse since college.
But this is the first time ever to be led to a verse for the year. And I’m so excited about it. I encourage you to pray and seek the Lord about it and maybe you will have one too this year or another year.
“In him we live and move and have our being.” Acts 17:28a
Your messages always inspire and encourage me. Thank you so much. Happy New Year!
Thank you for your kind words, Melissa. Appreciate you! I pray we focus this year on the things that really matter. Blessed New Year to you!
You’re not the first person I’ve met who doesn’t do resolutions. I used to do them, then not keep them. So I just became a goal setter at any time of year. If there’s something I want to accomplish I figure out how long it’ll take me and set a goal. I don’t try to start new habits tomorrow. I start today.
As far as your verse goes, it’s a great one! Good job. I’m sure this will provide a year full of great reflection.
For me, focusing on living in God is the key. I want my life to be about Jesus and the faith I place in him. Happy New Year, Karen!
“I don’t try to start new habits tomorrow. I start today.” This is gold, Chip. Therein lies many of the problems with New Year’s resolutions. The idea of waiting for new beginnings at the start of a new year. It’s honorable, but the statistics show many wane in their efforts and keeping them.
I like focusing on living in Him too. Praying our living points others to a known God and advances His kingdom. Happy New Year!
I love your reference to the unknown god (Acts 17). I have never read that verse in the way you interpreted it – am I making the unknown god known? Yeah… great question that needs a real, heart felt answer.
I’m not into resolutions either, but I’ve liked what you’ve done in this blog post. It gives me food for thought.
Thank you, Lisa. It’s amazing how the city of Athens was so steeped in idols. And why, for goodness sakes, have an altar to an unknown god? Sad, really. I hope my life never becomes that kind of altar…when others can’t see or know who I worship and why. Happy New Year!
I love how you’ve broken this down in three parts for us to reflect on, Karen. Such great questions! They would make a great Bible study.
Thank you, Marva. I actually wrote a message on Acts 17 for a speaking event several years ago. And I used it during a mentoring session once as well. But never thought about a complete Bible study. I’ll certainly have to give that some thought and pray over it. And really appreciate you sharing the link over on the comments section of your recent post. 🙂 Happy New Year!
New Year’s resolutions never really work for me. But the one word has. Usually, the one word comes from scripture. Or in some way, it relates to a passage I have committed to memory. I love the passage you used in Acts. Its been a favorite of mine. The one point that stood out to me is Move in God. The part of scripture that says, “The Lord chose these appointed times for us to seek Him, make our way toward Him, and find Him. Because God is not far off, but near” gives me peace about where I live and the times God chose for me to live. He knew that this is where I would seek Him best. He chooses for each of us the perfect place and time to be known and used by Him. Love your blog!
“…gives me peace about where I live and the times God chose for me to live. He knew that this is where I would seek Him best. He chooses for each of us the perfect place and time to be known and used by Him.” Yes, Marcie! I agree the Lord has us where He wants us and places us for an intentional purpose. Hallelujah!
That’s great you have a one word that often points to specific Scripture. Praying your year is blessed by a known God. 🙂
Hi Karen. I’m not into resolutions either, and I did a test to “discover” my word for 2019 just for fun because someone I know did it. I do like reflection and letting God speak to me at times through the year through His Word. What a great verse He led you to. I think living in God speaks the most to me because I still have some circles where I’m not as outspoken our obvious about my relationship with and service for God. Thank you for this encouragement and the diagnostic questions.
Hey Stephen,
There seems to be more and more of us in the no-resolutions club. 🙂 And most of us relate to needing to let the Lord permeate not only our entire being, but also every nook and cranny of our life…our living in Him and for Him. Happy and blessed New Year!
A few years ago I decided to stop making resolutions and focused more on finding a verse and word from God for my year. It has really made a difference
Choosing a word and verse seems to be the rising way to approach the new year for many believers, Yvonne. Glad you’ve found it so revolutionary and life-changing! Thanks for commenting!
Great insights on this verse. To live, move, and be “in God” is powerful. Thanks for sharing, Karen! I only use a One Word if God is pressing it in my spirit, but this year I am connecting an associated verse as the theme to go along with it. My word is freedom, and my verse is “you will know the truth and it will make you free.” I can’t wait to see what God has in store for this year while looking through the lens of this verse. Jesus walked the earth to bring freedom, and I want to see others being free in Him! Then we can all continue to live, move, and be in God. Have a great week!
Thank you, Kelly. I’m excited about the verse and what the Lord will show me through it.
Love your word and Scripture. I’ve always loved Galatians 5:1 also. It’s for freedom that Christ set us free. Francis Chan said that means freedom must be maintained. It’s up to us to live free and to not be yoked again to sin or shackled to anything but Jesus.
Great post! I love the idea of choosing a scripture verse for the year. I chose a short phrase and a name of God to concentrate on. “Recalibrate Life” is my phrase and Jehovah Jireh is the name of God. I want to look for God’s provision in my life and stop relying on self-sufficiency. I really like the scripture verse idea though, so I may add one to focus on. Thanks so much for sharing this! Digging deep into applying God’s Word is always so satisfying! Sweet blessings to you!
Hey Cheryl, I like your phrase and name of God plan. And it’s always good to know God more through His names and to stop relying on self-sufficiency. May we understand our complete essence, who we are, lies in God alone and how our inner self is defined by our Creator!
Oh Karen, I love this! I desire a year of living, moving and being in Him. Yes! And I encourage you in yours as well. Can’t wait to see how you’re joining Him in His work this year. As for one-words…I don’t typically dive into those either but somehow the word “believe” found me in late 2018. I’m going to ponder that one a bit. Would love your prayers that I’d have discernment with it. How can I pray for you this year? Blessing and thanks for a boost of encouragement as we run forward in 2019. #goJesus
Kristi, I like “believe.” For me, I think of how we often take it too lightly. God must have thought so too. Or else He wouldn’t have said “believe” so many times in the Bible or include accounts during Jesus ministry of people saying, “Help my unbelief.” So it can’t be a one time thing…we must grow in it! Praying for you. Prayer for me would include my book project and ministry this year as I live and move and have my being in Him. 🙂
“Are we shifting ground from the worlds opinions to Holy ground?” Oh how I LOVE that! (And tweeted). The world needs less opinions and more TRUTH!
And we certainly don’t need to give more thought to the world’s opinions either!
Great encouragement, Karen!
Happy New Year!
Thank you, Rachel. That really resonates with me since we are bombarded daily with a worldview and how culture wants to draw the boundary lines about marriage, sexuality, wisdom, morality, godliness and so many things. Oh, how I want to be intentional in “shifting ground” from this world’s opinions and philosophies to holy ground. The holy ground where the altar has an inscription, “To the known God of heaven.” Happy New Year!
“Being” comes most naturally to me (I have a contemplative nature) so “moving” has been my go-to challenge with God, especially the past few years. It has really brought some sweet rewards through our time together!
Thanks for sharing, Lisa. Glad to hear moving has brought those sweet rewards! Appreciate your sharing your thoughts.
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