Committing the New Year to Him: Claiming Ephesians for My Life

Lately, I have been thinking about setting goals for the New Year. I usually do not make New Year's resolutions because I am not normally committed enough to follow through. However, a few years ago I heard a sermon challenging Christians to commit the year to God by making a covenant with Him. This covenant involves setting goals in every area of your life. Then follow through with prayer and faithful obedience to Gods call and conviction. When I heard that sermon I though now that's a commitment I can make, setting personal goals is one thing, but committing them to God is an entirely different thing. It adds accountability! One day I will have to answer to God regarding my faithfulness to these goals. After all weather I fail or succeed reflects on Him and my desire is to glorify Him in all I do.

I can say because of this revised outlook on resolutions I made way more progress toward my goals than ever before. However, I still did not give it my all because life was super busy. But this year thanks to some serious spiritual renewal I am determined to take it to the next level. I'm ready for some serious transformation. My life has just not been reflecting God in the way I know he desires of me. Though I have never stopped following Him I am continually convicted that he wants more from me.

As you have hopefully read in past blogs I have been going through a really trying time lately, stuck in a pit. Now, after months of God braking and melting me I can honestly say I know I need to make some serious changes and I am ready. So, more determined than ever; I have been prayerfully seeking Gods guidance regarding my goals. Having an idea of all the things I need to and want to work on God brought me to Ephesians.

See my ultimate goal this year is becoming a woman of proof.

My second goal is keep my priorities in line:
1. God
2. Josh (my husband)
3. Jeremiah and Cherish (my kids)
4. My ministry (women's ministry and extended family)

My third goal is to dive into prayer.
I want to not only claim the power of prayer for myself but also for priorities 2-4.

As I read trough Ephesians I discovered it is full of prayers and promises that line right up with those goals.

Goal 1: Becoming a woman of proof.

Ephesians 4:2-3
"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love, make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

4:29
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

4:31
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."

4:32
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you."

5:15-17
"Be very careful, then how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord's will is."

6:10
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power."

All of these verses contain characteristics and actions that God has been convicting me to work on: humility, gentleness, patience, kindness, compassion, unity with believers, biting my tongue, controlling my anger and claiming joy, along with making the most of my time (i.e. priorities) and claiming Gods power.

Goal 2: Keeping my priorities in order:
1. God
Claiming Ephesians 1:17 as a prayer for myself
"...the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better."

This of course will also require spending more time with God. Though Ephesians does not exactly cover this I will learn from their mistakes as referred to in Revelations 2:1-4. I will not abandon my first love but rather I will seek Him daily to ensure He remains first.

2. Josh
In order to do this I will follow Ephesians 5:22 and 5:33

"Wives submit to the Lord as to the Lord."

"The wife must respect her husband"

And 6:7
"serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men."

3. My kids
In order to do this I feel most inclined to teach my kids Ephesians 6:1-3

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother'- Which is the first commandment with a promise- 'that it may go well with you and that enjoy long life on earth.'"

And of course I will work on 6:7 with my kids to.
"serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men."

4. My ministry

6:7 again
"serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men."

Goal 3: Dive into prayer.

More specifically I will be praying Ephesians 1:17-19a for myself, my husband, my kids and all our extended family and friends.
Oh and of course the women I minister to on here and in person.

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe."

Praying 6:4 over Josh
"Fathers do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."

And finally claiming 6:18
"And pray in the Spirit, on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests, with this in mind be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."



I am so excited to start this journey!

Of course the fact that one of my favorite verses is in Ephesians only adds to my excitement; 3:20:
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."

I can't wait to see what God is going to do. My hope is that you will prayerfully consider joining me on this journey of claiming Ephesians in 2010. I challenge you to read through Ephesians some time soon. Maybe you need to claim them as your own in 2010!

My intent is to read through the book once a month this year each time praying about what areas I need to focus on and how to go about doing that. This of course will be in addition to my daily quiet time and will hopefully give me some direction about what to focus on in my quiet time.


I hope you will join me on this journey!
MEL