Committed

In this podcast episode, the speaker encourages listeners to start the new year by committing themselves to God. They emphasize the importance of dedicating time and effort to building a relationship with God, rather than just making resolutions that may not last. The speaker shares personal experiences and scripture verses to support their message. They remind listeners that God wants to know them and have a meaningful relationship with them. The speaker also offers prayers for listeners and expresses hope for their growth and blessings in the new year. Hey there, it's Anna with God's Podcast. In today's podcast, we are starting off the new year. In 2025, I want to say Happy New Year. 2025 is going to be the year. And let us start this new year with prayer. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Father, I come before you through your Son, Jesus Christ. And I lift up this person on the other side listening. I ask you, Father, to continue to bless them, continue to give them wisdom, continue to be with them and guide them and give them all that they need. Father, we just want to say thank you. And we want to say we love you and we glorify you because without you, none of this would be possible. But through you, all things are possible. And we pray all of this in Jesus name. Amen. How many of you are ready for this new year? 2025. I keep telling myself this is going to be the year. This is the year that all things are going to be different, renewed in Christ. I have so many plans for this year. Do you have so many plans for this year? Are you making new year's resolutions? Are you setting goals, making vision boards, trying new things, going to new places? Listen, we all go through this every year. We all think we are going to accomplish what we set out only to find ourselves not following through a couple months into the new year. But this year, this year is going to be different, brothers and sisters, because we are going to be committed. We are going to commit ourselves to our Father. Listen, there is nothing wrong with setting goals, trying new things, or any of the other items on your list. But how about this year, we change it up and focus on committing ourselves to God, our Lord and Savior, the maker of heaven and earth, the God who shows up for us each and every day with unconditional love. Listen, I'm asking you to join me this year and not focus so much on the items or the list that you made, but focus on one major life-changing item. I am asking you to join me this year to commit in growing your relationship with God. Once you do this, the other goals are easier to achieve, as I have found out, becoming closer and closer to God. Committing to God lays down the foundation to succeed in all other areas of your life. It is the foundation to building a beautiful, fulfilling life, everything around God, and as God has planned for you. Just like his Bible verse says, and I say this so often, Jeremiah 29 11, for he has plans to prosper you and not to harm you. What does commitment mean? Honestly, it is the state or the quality of being dedicated to a cause or activity. So I'm asking you, friend, to dedicate yourself to God, our Savior. This walk, like I've said before, will not be easy in any way. And I have to repeat this and emphasize it because just like anything in life, if you want to truly succeed in, you have to work at it. You want to be good at something? You can fill in the blank. I want to do this and become this and do this in my job. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blank, blank, blank, blank, blank. Fill it in. You have to practice. You have to study. You have to work at it. You have to give it your all. You have to make a plan. You have to set time aside to make it happen. Listen, brothers and sisters in Christ, this is truly the same when it comes to building upon your relationship with God, our Savior. You can't think just because you want it, you don't have to put in the work to get it. It's not going to be handed to you. Listen, you can't just call upon God in your convenience when you need him and think he will answer you over and over and not give him your heart or your time. Think about if you had a friend and you called upon that friend only when you needed something. Is that truly a friendship? I would think that that is a one-sided friendship and that is not what any person or any type of person would want to call a friendship. So think about that when it comes to God. If you're not giving him your time, you're not giving him your heart, you're not giving him your life, what type of relationship is it? I know the Bible says all you need to do is believe in Jesus and that he died for our sins and that he was resurrected and yes, that is true brothers and sisters. Just like in any relationship, it cannot be one-sided though. God wants to know you. He wants to know your heart. He wants a relationship with you and it reminds me in Matthew as well as in Luke, when the day comes and you go before God, will he know you? Because in Luke 13 verses 22 through 30 it says, then Jesus went through the towns and villages teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, Lord are only a few people going to be saved? He said to them, making every effort to enter through the narrow door because many I tell you will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, sir open the door for us. But he will answer, I don't know who you are or where you come from. Then you will say, we ate and drank with you and you taught us in the streets. But he will reply, I don't know you or where you came from. Away from me, all you evil doers. This is just one example in the Bible where Jesus is telling and talking in parables regarding the narrow road it takes to get to God and that you need to know who he is in order to get there. Because he may say to you, just like you said in those verses, get away from me for I do not know you or where you come from. And there are so many other verses that reply to what I'm talking about and I will list them below. But brothers and sisters, I am asking you in this new year and as it just begun, make a commitment to God and get to know him more intimately. Make time for him, sit with him daily and learn something new about him every day. Whether it is in the morning before you begin your day and you have quiet time to spend with him. Maybe it's on your lunch break or before you go to bed. God doesn't mind what time it is. All he cares about is your making the time and you're spending it with him. He wants you to get to know him. God is so loving, so caring, so intentional and he can be so funny at times, can be so precise. God is everything you need in every moment, in every season and in all you have to do is make time to get to know him and you will be amazed at who God is. So brothers and sisters, start the new year not making resolutions that will fail in a couple months. Make a commitment to God and follow through each and every day. Not to check a box or say you did it, but to truly change your life, your heart, your soul, your mind and your actions. As you grow in knowing God, you too will begin to grow. You too will begin to change and become more like Jesus. You got this. 2025 is going to be your year, your year of growth, your year of abundance, your year of blessings, your year of love and so much more. I am rooting you on and cheering for you and so is God. God is everything we have ever wanted and searched for. I cannot wait for your journey to begin and your relationship to flourish in him. Brothers and sisters, I'm encouraging you this year to seek the Lord, to continue to keep praying and to commit yourself to him. I hope you enjoyed today's episode. I hope you share it with someone else because we all need God and we all need to see his light. We all need to hear from him and if we can just touch one person and bring them back home to God our Savior, we would be doing great things for God's kingdom. So until next time, keep bibling, keep spreading God's word and commit yourself to God this year. 2025 is going to be your year. Until next time, have a wonderful day, a wonderful week and happy new year. Let us pray in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Father, I come to you through your Son, Jesus Christ and I just want to say thank you. Thank you for bringing this person today to listen to your word and to hear that this year they can commit themselves to you, Father. Father, I lift them up to you and I ask you to continue to bless them. I ask you to continue to guide them. I ask you to search their hearts, Father, and be with them and help them commit themselves to you and show them your love, show them your grace, your mercy and your forgiveness, Father, and make them new in you. I pray all of this in Jesus' name. Amen.