JANUARY PROMISES (2)

continuing with

[source:365promises(dot)com]

Last week's blog covered January 1-4, 2020 and more.
Each of the following should be linked to 365 devotion promise. 

JANUARY PROMISES from 365promises  JANUARY 5 - PROMISE #5 I chose you to be adopted into My family before creation. Ephesians 1:4-5 JANUARY 6 - PROMISE #6 I delivered you from darkness into the kingdom of My beloved Son. Colossians 1:12-13 JANUARY 7 - PROMISE #7 I have given you eternal life because you have believed in Jesus Christ. John 3:16 JANUARY 8 - PROMISE #8 I sent the Spirit of My Son into your heart so you could call Me Father. Galatians 4:6 JANUARY 9 - PROMISE #9 Since you are in Christ, I have made you an heir of all My promises. Galatians 3:29 JANUARY 10 - PROMISE #10 I have given you a new heart and put My own Spirit in you. Ezekiel 36:26-27 JANUARY 11 - PROMISE #11 My plan for your future is filled with hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Also continuing with:

"Praying the Promises of God"

5.Be Weak to be Strong-Matthew 5:3 6.Step by Step-Proverbs 1:33 7.The Secret Place-Matthew 6:6 8.Kingdom First-Matthew 6:33 9.Sheltered from the Storm-Psalm 9:9 10.His Healing Touch-Matthew 8:2-3 11.Leaning on His Strength-Prov3:7-8 12.Get by Giving-Proverbs 3:9-10

"Bible Promises for Women"
still in Chapter 1 of  Daily Guidance

Galatians 5:25 "Thank You Father, for Your Spirit, my guide through each day. May I willingly follow, no matter when or where. Help me to obey quickly when You direct me to serve or forgive others. May I always be thankful and rejoice in the blessings You point out to me along the way."

Matthew 25:34 "... Lord, no matter what this day brings, help me get through it with Your loving guidance."

John 10:14 "Your Word says ---and I've heard it elsewhere --- that a flock of sheep knows its own shepherd's voice and won't respond to the voice of a different shepherd. It's true of my relationship with You, too, Lord. I know Your voice. I know when You're speaking to me heart, and I know when I'm being coaxed by "other voices" --- wrong desires, worldly values, anxiety, pride, and the like. Thanks for helping me see the difference. Coax me to follow the sound of Your voice alone today & always.

I'll be back to complete the rest of these with more ...instead I only wrote a portion...

James1:12 "To spend my life with God is a choice I freely make. To love God and let God love me is the light of my life - "...

"...The blessing that James promises feels to me like God's love: It shines on me every day, lights the darkness and illuminates my path."

Ephesians 6:13 "Lord, be my warrior, my guard and my guide. Let Your love be the armor that shields me from the slings and arrows of the day. Let Your compassion be the blanket that protects me... "

2 Samuel 2:6 "It's hard to be pleasant these road raging days. Everyone's too immersed in their own concerns to be mannerly or kind. Encourage me ... Nudge me ... May I, with Your guidance, be first to pass them on."

Daniel 12:3 "Let me do what lies clearly at hand, this very minute. Grant me the insight to see that too much planning for the future removes me from the present moment. ... may I use this next moment wisely."

I am so glad that I am completing some YouVersion (YV) plans on Promises too:

25 Powerful Promises from God

Promises of God

(27 days)

...but because I already completed one previously, I was reminded of another book I have in my Kindle for the full year:

NIV Once a Day Bible Promises

Here's a sample from this book:

"God Uses Problems to Shape You"(day 2YV or 10 bk) Tell the truth. When you run into problems, what is your first and most common response: complaining? crying? yelling? denial? pouting? rejoicing? Unless you’re highly unusual (or slightly dishonest) you probably didn’t answer “rejoicing.” Let’s face it—it isn’t normal to be joyful in the face of trials. But you can develop this trait. According to the promise above, trials are good for you. How so? In the same way that an excruciating exercise regimen is good for you. You sweat and strain through painful and unpleasant workouts. But over time, if you keep at it, you see big changes. You’re stronger and healthier. Viewing your troubles as a kind of “spiritual exercise program” enables you to rejoice (see 1 Peter 1:6–7). It enables you to see your suffering as something good in your life. God is using trials in your life to stretch you and strengthen your faith. Without these pressures, you’d be just another flabby, out-of-shape Chris­tian. God's Promise to Me: • I allow you to go through trials so that you might grow. My Prayer to God: God, You want me to trust You in the hard times. Rejoicing isn’t natural for me, so make it my supernatural response to difficulties and pressures in my life. Teach me to endure, Lord, so that my faith will grow and get stronger.

Standing on the Promises of God {ok, I'm really tryin' and really need to ...thus, my One Word}
I've heard and seen HARVEST as being a ONE WORD for many which I think is a great one for 2020 also!
So as I stand I will believe that God has a wonderful HARVEST in 2020 of all of HIS aMazing Promises!

ONE WORD among MANY - JANUARY PROMISES (1) 1-4

[source:365promises(dot)com]

*when I looked at how long this list of January Promises appears, 
I decided to break it down and post each week rather than the full month

JANUARY PROMISES from 365promises  JANUARY 1 - PROMISE #1  I am the Lord your God and I never change. Malachi 3:6 JANUARY 2 - PROMISE #2 I am full of mercy and grace and I overflow with love. Psalm 103:8 JANUARY 3 - PROMISE #3 The intentions of My heart will remain steadfast forever. Psalm 33:11 JANUARY 4 - PROMISE #4 I created you in My own image with My special blessing. Genesis 1:27-28

*I will be checking if these change for 2020-they look the same so far butIt really doesn't matter, they are still God's Promises
<>
So far, I have 2 other books besides 365 website that I will be using for 2020 and a few pdfs. I shared one of these books here previously on my blog (perhaps only in a book review).

The One Year 

Praying the Promises of God

Bible Promises for Women

I received the Bible Promises for Women as a gift from a dear precious sister in Christ and friend. It is simply beautiful from cover to cover! However, you hopefully will see or notice some as I am able to share from this in 2020.

Before I even begin to share from my books that highlight

the Bible Verses of God's Promises,

for many years but especially

2020

I believe that I need to claim these first two Bible Promises:

Acts 16:31

(Bible Hub)

NIV "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." NLT “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” TPT “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and all your family.” The Voice-Paul and Silas: Just believe—believe in the ultimate King, Jesus, and not only will you be rescued, but your whole household will as well." Acts 16:31

Joshua 24:15(Bible Hub)
{only the last part of the verse}

"...But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." NIV

FOR MY HOUSEHOLDFOR MY FAMILY(those who live here, have lived here, or somehow are related)
These are classic verses for salvation, so I'm sure that they will show up again in the readings of these books and others.

In The One Year Praying the Promises of God (book on the left), the Promises come in the devotionals & end with a prayer and it's considered to be a companion book to The One Year Bible so the readings move chronologically throughout the year as in yearly reading plans that include a reading from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms, or Proverbs. So each day shares a reading from one of those parts of the Bible, not all 4 as many plans do. 

January 1 - January 4 (only)

1. Fruitfulness - Psalm 1:2-3 2. Faithful & True - Matthew 2:15 3. Walking with God Genesis 5:23-24 4. Calling Toward - Genesis 12:1

With the book on the right, Bible Promises for Women, the Promises are divided into categories (16). Starting with:

Daily Guidance
... then it seems that each scripture verse has eithera prayer or a meditation (devotion) like the following:

1 Timothy 2:1-2 "Life is full of trade-offs, Lord, and I need to make one."...

Proverbs 4:23 "God, we live in a fast-moving time. There are so many distractions."...

1 Samuel 16:7 "When teetering here on the "cutting edge" of technology, cyberspace, and everything in between, O God, it is reassuring to know that from the beginning of time, You guide, direct, and hear our voices as we continue to ask for guidance. Our scenery changes but You are eternal."

Numbers 14:20-21 "Lord, the best way I know to say thank You for Your wonderful guidance is to try to be the kind of person You have taught me to be. Please continue to lift me up every day as I strive to be my best self."

I came to write a blog today, thinking I would do a Promise a Day, but I don't think I could keep this up for the full year and have not yet decided how. For now, at least, once a week, most likely on Sunday evening, but i won't PROMISE. I'm not as good as God about keeping my promises. Perhaps this is why, it's my Word for 2020.

I also wanted to do an initial post of my new One Word for 2020. I hesitated only because I began thinking I was receiving other words like faith ... when I decided on Promise, there were other 'p' words that surfaced like my passion, pray(er)(ing), purpose, praise, principles, Presence, ... Then I read about a Life Word and reread about One Word, thinking I needed a confirmation when I found out (I think) that I was not really understanding this One Word concept. As I was rereading it seemed that what you should be looking at is picking One Word of a needed change you need to make. (???) In reality, I need all kinds of changes so this is so you have a single focus. I do need that, that's for sure. In all the previous years, I have never done this, this way. 

“My One Word” is an experiment designed to move you beyond this cycle. The challenge is simple: lose the long list of changes you want to make this year and instead pick ONE WORD. This process provides clarity by taking all your big plans for life change and narrowing them down into a single focus. Just one word that centers on your character and creates a vision for your future. So, we invite you to join us and pick one word for the next twelve months. LEARN HOW! "

Course, I was not one to do resolutions either.

Yet, 2020 is special, it's not just the beginning of a new year but a new decade. So I certainly want to get this right. I pray that focusing on God's Promises will remind me of His steadfast love. I will consider the Promise of His Presence in everything from the mundane to the miraculous. Looking at my blog title of aMazing Grace, I am reminded that added to this Grace is my list of M's: Mazes, Messes, Miracles... and the best is Miracles! However, I've had to get through those "mazes" and "messes" to discover that all along, I've been surrounded by His aMazing Grace and His Presence ... As I search His Promises in His Word, I will find hope to strengthen my heart. I pray that you also will as I share this year and in your One Word. 

"...God's Promises are not platitudes; they are Powerful statements of who He is and what He does."

2 Peter 1:4

{Bible Hub, is linked, which, by the way, shows many versions at once}

The Bible is full of God's Promises.

In fact, from what I've been reading, there's between 

3,000 to 30,000{kinda exaggerated, I think}

So now to focus ... and I'll settle for what a YV plan says:

"7,487 promises in the Bible"

and starts me out with

25 Powerful Promises

which certainly is more than a

year's worth

and

those listed in my books

plus the

365 Promises

by Barry Adams

{which you can also follow by going to their site daily}

If you have One Word, please share in the comments or if you have any clarification or confirmation for me, please let me know. Thank you and

A Blessed and Happy New Year

2020

Ending 2019 EMBRACED ...

yet still
EMBRACING
and
finding there is still so much to
EMBRACE
It truly is an endless list when you spend a full year with One Word
all that GOD opens up and lays before you revealing in your life so much that you can focus on and really learn to EMBRACE
You discover so much more with God as you're EMBRACED and EMBRACING anew

"...A Time to Embrace and a time to Refrain from Embracing..."

Ecclesiastes 3:5
however this was not my focus of "embrace"
As you glance through even just this past month of December, you will notice that I found much "to embrace" during Advent, that had nothing to do with the meaning in the Ecclesiastes verse - I took time to EMBRACE Advent in a new way where weekly there was a theme of EMBRACING Hope, Peace, Joy, Love, leading up to Christmas Day, EMBRACING JESUS - perhaps, at this point, you might want to look back at my blog post where I defined "EMBRACE" and without specifically planning this, I ended up precisely where I wrote ... the "Ultimate Embrace" being that which is with Jesus! 
This is where my One Word has led me to...the arms of Jesus, and realizing it will not end at the strike of midnight of 2019 but continue on into this new decade of 2020 and moreso, on to eternity and God will continue to show me so much more I can EMBRACE in every season, in this earthly life and concepts that I have "EMBRACED" this past year like Gratitude, Silence, Worship, Being Transformed, Being Called, Hurts & Heartache, Trust, His Fullness, Spiritual Discernment, Contentment, and many more without any blog post, were encountered afresh, with a new sense of awe and wonder, because I leaned into EMBRACING HIM - JESUS - in every one of them and how much that drew us closer in our relationship, in His Word and other places I was reading, He was and is more present, as I was, and more aware of His EMBRACE throughout this journey this past year. 
I found out how really aMazing it is to EMBRACE Grace through Jesus and with Jesus, as His EMBRACE allowed me to hold on completely and grasp old things in a new way, depending on His clasp in His arms to see me through, many a night and many days, with fondness and a much greater scope - becoming a cause now which I gladly was ready to face and take up, knowing that Jesus is with me (us) every step of the way, even if or when we fall or fail, He so there and ready to EMBRACE me (us) - how much more can One Word do? To come to a place of EMBRACING the surrender of every part of every thing to and with Him. Finding there is so much to EMBRACE; and the value of EMBRACING and being EMBRACED cannot be any greater than when Jesus is the One, who EMBRACES me and who I EMBRACE ever so dearly, ever so nearly, ever so clearly ... an EMBRACE that is lasting! 
Hold on - there is much more of a Heavenly Embrace coming! I can't wait! and how I want to be sure my earthly embraces are not wasted. That every soul still matters, every prayer still counts, every promise is true, every one of us need Jesus! 
[We certainly should be trying to be more like Him, transformed to being what He desires and plans, and enough of the ways of this world, how we sadly are speaking, writing (derrogatory comments to other children of God, believers), acting in such a manner toward one another ... not reflecting His image at all as His Church]. 
So for 2020, I will continue to EMBRACE God's Promises and keep Praying for more of Jesus, and more accepting Jesus & His Way, His Truth and His Light in the darkness around this world. 
BE EMBRACED and know how much Jesus loves you
...but sadly we are not finished we are not ready
HE is not finished with us His Church

RISE UP
Come to Jesus

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8

and then ACT this way HIS WAY
EMBRACE others
There is still so much more to this One Word
{this was only the beginning} I was aMazed at how often this One Word showed up  this past year when I was not looking for it.
"...Everything changes when we understand and fully *EMBRACE God's aMazing design for growing us and giving us fruitful, meaningful abundant life." (from Beth Moore, about her new book to be published Feb.4, 2020) * my emphasis, not hers, hers might be "flourish"
I will go into
2020
EMBRACING
more of God's
aMazing Grace
while
I
EMBRACE
GOD'S PROMISES

2020
In 2019, Jesus EMBRACED me so now I will better EMBRACE all His Word says as Promises so that I EMBRACE Jesus more fully and PRAY His Promises for me & others in need of HIS EMBRACE

Amen