May the New Year bring you and yours love, peace, joy, hope, and friendships.
Make your first New Year’s resolution: Think About God more often each day. Do this through prayer, reading the bible, being active in your church, and reading your daily TAGlines. You will find this the first step in finding your path to love, peace, joy, hope and friendships.
You will let me hear gladness and joy; the bones you have crushed will rejoice.
Psalm 51:10
Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.
The glory of Heaven can come at any moment. Are you prepared?
But as it is written: “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him,”
1 Corinthians 2:9
God's plan for enlarging His kingdom is so simple - one person telling another about the Savior. Yet we're busy and full of excuses. The joy you'll have when you meet that person in heaven will far exceed any discomfort you felt in sharing the gospel.
Don’t be afraid to share your faith with others. Seek out the right opportunities and share the word of the Lord. Share this TAGline with someone to help get your conversation started.
Chapter 4 - Solemn Charge. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.
2 Timothy 4:1-2
The quieter you become the more you can hear.
Become quiet in this physical world where listening to others is a sign of respect and love. Become quiet in the spiritual world by taking time to pray and listen to what God wants you to hear. A win-win-win!
In green pastures he makes me lie down; to still waters he leads me;
Psalm 23:2
May you have the joy of Christmas which is hope; The spirit of Christmas which is peace; The heart of Christmas which is love.
May your Christmas Season be filled with the joy, peace and love. Merry Christmas from the TAG Team!
That the blessing of Abraham might be extended to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Galatians 3:14
I feel it's a responsibility for anyone who breaks through a certain ceiling... to send the elevator back down and give others a helpful lift.
Regardless of your stage in life, there are always opportunities to help others. Make it a priority to use your gifts to reach down and help others up. Let the Holy Spirit work through you to help those with less. If you were struggling wouldn’t you want someone to send the elevator back down for you?
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Luke 6:31
I thank God for protecting me from what I thought I wanted and blessing me with what I didn't know I needed.
Rely on the protection of God and let His blessings flow as He deems best for you. Pray for the wisdom to recognize the blessings of unanswered prayers.
Declare them guilty, God; make them fall by their own devices. Drive them out for their many sins; for they have rebelled against you.
Psalm 5:11
In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins... not through strength, but through persistence.
Be persistent in attaining your personal goals. Have faith that God will provide you the skills and the inspiration you need to stay the course.
Calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father,
1 Thessalonians 1:3
The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.
God has given you tremendous talents. Use them to improve the lives of those around you and your contribution to life will outlast you.
He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.
Luke 10:2
An eye for an eye makes the whole world go blind.
When we are hurt by someone, our natural, human reaction is to hurt that person in return. Instead, remember what Jesus taught us – love your enemies. This will allow you to begin to replace your hurt with healing.
To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic.
Luke 6:29
I can forgive, but I cannot forget is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a canceled note - torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one.
Make sure you clean the slate with those around you. Don't bring up the past in discussions with others, as this is a sign that it's not forgotten. The true test is to actually let it go, as God does for us.
[And] be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.
Ephesians 4:32
We are continually faced by great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.
The next time you are presented with what appears to be an insoluble problem, look for the hidden opportunity. With God on your side, you can overcome any obstacle.
Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you.
Luke 10:19
We think much more about the use of our money, which is renewable, than we do about the use of our time, which is irreplaceable.
The Bible repeatedly warns us about the dangers of loving money, and for good reason. Focusing our attention to the accumulation of earthly wealth, will reduce the amount of time we can spend serving the Lord. Make a commitment today to devote more time to Him.
Treasure in Heaven. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.
Matthew 6:19-20
Perserverance is courage stretched out over a long period of time.
It takes perserverance to live a life in God’s will, but the reward is sweet. Look to the Bible today and everyday of your life for His words of encouragement to help you perservere. God promises to be at your side throughout your long journey.
But Christ was faithful as a son placed over his house. We are his house, if [only] we hold fast to our confidence and pride in our hope.
Hebrews 3:6
Life is a coin. You can spend it any way you want, but you can only spend it once.
As you look at the coins in your pocket, remember you can only spend them once. Just like your purchases, make sure you spend your time well.
You have no idea what your life will be like tomorrow. You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears.
James 4:14
You can give without loving, but you can not love without giving.
Giving doesn't have to be a gift. Show those you love just how much you love them by giving them a part of you (your time, your patience, your compassion, your encouragement, your understanding, ...)
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
John 3:16
When Mother Teresa received her Nobel Prize, she was asked, "What can we do to promote world peace?" She replied, "Go home and love your family."
World Peace starts at home. Take a few minutes tonight listening to your family. Tell them how much you love them and show them how much you care. These seeds of love will eventually grow far beyond your backyard.
Do not let love and fidelity forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.
Proverbs 3:3
Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.
Don’t procrastinate over things – the longer they stay on your “to do” list the longer they are deterrents to your peace of mind and happiness. Ask God’s help to face these tasks and get on with the joy of life.
I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.
Philippians 4:13
The distinction between a manager and a leader is as broad as the distance between control and inspiration.
As you lead others at work, at home and elsewhere make sure you are encouraging and inspiring them to discover their blessings. If you need guidance Think About God and visualize what He would do to lead His flock.
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.
1 Peter 2:21
Constant dripping hollows out a stone.
Never underestimate the power of persistence. Ask God to continue to inspire you to seek your goals. You are accruing rewards you are not even aware of during your journey.
Calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father,
1 Thessalonians 1:3
An angry person is seldom reasonable; a reasonable person is seldom angry.
Never respond in anger. Ask God for the patience to hold your tongue in times of anger and the strength to reason through the issues before speaking.
III. Exhortations and Warnings - Doers of the Word. Know this, my dear brothers: everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, for the wrath of a man does not accomplish the righteousness of God.
James 1:19-20
The happiest people don't have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
Focus on an attitude of gratitude for the blessings God has given you.He has given you more than enough.
For what is our hope or joy or crown to boast of in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming if not you yourselves? For you are our glory and joy.
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20
Take life for gratitude, not for granted.
As you gather with family and friends tomorrow, make sure you take nothing for granted. Remember to thank God often for your many blessings.
But when you have eaten and are satisfied, you must bless the LORD, your God, for the good land he has given you. Be careful not to forget the LORD, your God, by failing to keep his commandments and ordinances and statutes which I enjoin on you today:
Deuteronomy 8:10-11
Characteristics that we often associate with children are honesty, trust, dependence, joy, curiosity and thankfulness.
Be a child of God: Be honest with God in prayer. Trust God to guide your decisions each day. Depend on God as your source of comfort when you are troubled. Be joyful that Christ has died for your sins. Be curious about your faith and increase your study o
Saying on Children and the Kingdom. People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them, and when the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. Jesus, however, called the children to himself and said, “Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.”
Luke 18:15-17
Love doesn't make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.
Given the complexities of our daily lives, it is easy to keep our head spinning and lose sight of what really matters. Ask God to slow things down for you today so you can enjoy the ride.
Whoever pursues justice and kindness will find life and honor.
Proverbs 21:21
If you are like most people, you may have asked yourself, "If I knew my life would end in a week, would I change my priorities?" The answer is usually Yes.
Review your week. If you have not spent enough time on what your priorities SHOULD be, make a commitment to do so next week. Be certain to make more time for God.
But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.
Matthew 6:33
People may not remember what you said or what you did, but they will always remember how you made them feel.
Make an effort to say a kind word, a compliment, or praise for everyone you encounter today. You’ve just made the world a better place.
Love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor.
Romans 12:10
Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.
Two of God’s many blessings include reasoning and persistence. Use these powerful blessings today to overcome today’s obstacles. At the end of the day thank God for these and all your blessings.
I will lead the blind on a way they do not know; by paths they do not know I will guide them. I will turn darkness into light before them, and make crooked ways straight. These are my promises: I made them, I will not forsake them.
Isaiah 42:16
Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to die tonight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do so with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.
Try this for one day and then reflect on how you feel. Commit to this for one week and then reflect on how it changed your outlook. Commit to it for one month and you will never look back to the way you are today.
We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.
Romans 6:4
Life is like a ten-speed bike. Most of us have gears we never use.
God's plan for us is filled with uphills, downhills, curves and even construction sites, but never dead-ends. Ask God to give you the will to develop all your talents to serve Him more fully.
Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.
John 12:26