Good morning,
Welcome to the year 2025. What kind of year will it be? How can I thrive in 2025? All these questions will be answered in this week’s devotional.
How to Thrive in ‘25
Obedience: God’s Word
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN 2025?
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God.14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-14)
Solomon, the wisest man, gives us his wisdom. Basically, things will run on God’s schedule as they always have. It is not for us to know the times and seasons, but to trust God. Solomon summed up the Book of Ecclesiastes by saying in chapter 12:13, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: “Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
Next, How to Thrive in ‘25, by obeying God’s word.
GOD’S WORD
MAN LIVES BY THE WORDS OF GOD Deuteronomy 8:3-6
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
MAN MEDITATES ON THE WORDS OF GOD Joshua 1:8
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
MAN KEEPS THE WORDS OF GOD Psalm 119:2, 8
Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.
God gave us His Word, the Bible, as our instruction manual for life. It will only be useful if we open it, read it, study it, meditate on it, and obey what we read.
My challenge to you is to read through the whole Bible in 2025. Genesis to Revelation in one year.
MAN HIDES THE WORDS OF GOD IN HIS HEART Psalm 119:9-16
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
MAN SHOULD NEVER FORGET THE WORDS OF GOD Psalm 119:89-96
For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants. Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction. I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me. I am thine, save me: for I have sought thy precepts. The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I will consider thy testimonies. I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad.
MAN SHOULD ALWAYS BE READY TO PREACH THE WORDS OF GOD 2 Timothy 4:2
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
Obeying God’s Word takes action. Psalm 119:9-16 use action words to describe how the Psalmist interacted with God’s Word. Sought, hid, declared, rejoiced, meditated, respect and delight. After he had done all that, he was able to say, “I will not forget thy word.”
When we have understood the wonder of God’s Word, it should be our desire to share what we have learned with others.
MAN NEEDS TO STUDY SO HE CAN RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORDS OF GOD 2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
MAN HAS THE QUICK, POWERFUL WORDS OF GOD Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
MAN HAS THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD 2 Timothy 3:16-17
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Although reading God’s Word is essential, studying it is also vitally important. We must understand the historical, cultural, and people, in context. We must understand the message the writer was trying to convey. Today’s Scripture verses are powerful and tell us why we need God’s word and what it can do for us.
CONCLUSION:
To “Thrive in ‘25” we must read and obey God’s Word
CHALLENGE: TO READ FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION IN ONE YEAR
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
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