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Writer's pictureWestern Hills Fellowship

Moving Forward in Life

 We are in the middle of January and we hope that you have started this year off on a good foot! At the Zephaniah Movement we have used this year to take off running full speed with God in our work for Him.



The Lord has given us a bible studies series titled, “Moving Forward” to drive us to the next level in our walk in with Him. Our Elder Shaniqua started the month off with her study focusing on Moving Forward in Life. We decided to share her words here in the newsletter because we feel that in our hearts this is a great beginning section for those wanting to draw closer to God.


Defining Our Relationship with God

What is your relationship with God? This is the year we clearly define our relationship with God. There is no way we can move forward in life with God if we don’t clearly define our relationship with God. To move forward in our christian walk, we need to know who and what to follow. Without defining our relationship with God we could end up being tricked by satan and having wool over eyes. An unclear, undefined relationship with God leaves us susceptible to the tricks of the enemy. When we know who we follow, we can clearly know His rules. Some of us mistake His mercy and grace in the situations we find ourselves in with His acceptance of it. God does not accept the sin we participate in. He is gracious enough to give us grace and mercy to give us an opportunity to come to Him. Our relationship with God is not to be treated like a situationship. We can’t have a relationship with God only when the situation fits us. We may be unclear of the defining lines of our relationship with Him but God has clearly laid out His relationship with us. He has clearly made a distinction between Himself and sin. We must choose today to move forward in life the right way, God’s way. Here’s a few scriptures to help you get an understanding of where God stands with you. 

  • 1 John 5:1-3

  • Isaiah 66:2

  • Isaiah 59:1-2

  • Revelations 3:16


Abide in Him

Abide means to accept and act in accordance with a rule, decision or recommendation. In this Christian walk with God we are to accept and obey God. Accepting and obeying when it comes to God goes hand and hand. Acceptance speaks on the faith we have in God. “Lord I accept your will for my life because I am your servant.” Obeying speaks on the works we do through our acceptance of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Through this measure, as Christians, we get the privilege to abide in the Lord’s will for us. He has everything planned out. We just need to abide in His way. Our hearts in which we do things must also align with God. We must do it with a right heart and spirit. Here’s a few scriptures to help you understand abiding in God.

  • John 15:4

  • 2 John 1:9


Forgive and be forgiven

Not only do we need to forgive others but we also have to forgive ourselves and allow people the room to forgive us for our past mistakes. Sometimes we burden ourselves with unforgiveness and that has the capability to slow us down or even get us stuck on our christian walk. How can you move forward if you’re unwilling to unweight load yourself of past hurts? An unwillingness to forgive can weigh us down, clouds our judgement, and gets us in our feelings. We can’t move forward with such a heavy load on our backs. Who are we not to forgive when we were so graciously forgiven by God? We have caused a bigger grievance to God in our sin than someone else may have caused us. We must allow others the opportunity to forgive us because it speaks on us as christians being humble. It speaks to us accepting that we made a mistake and there is a wrong that must be corrected. We can’t even move forward in God until we repent for the sins we dwelled in. To move forward in life with God we must forgive others and most importantly be forgiven by God. Here’s a few scriptures to help you understand forgiveness.

  • 1 John 1:9

  • Daniel 9:9


Remember the Mission

When words fail you, when emotions threaten to overwhelm you, when the enemy wants to drag you back, you must keep at the forefront of your mind one thing; there is still a work that must be done. Despite our feelings, what’s going on in our personal life, despite any distraction there is still a work that must be done here in the kingdom of God. There is so much we have to prepare for when it comes to the work we must do on earth. The enemy would love to knock us off our square and distract us with trivial things to keep us blinded. John 15:16 does well to sum up the mission at hand. He established His relationship with us, He called us to a work that we do always and we must do it through Him. Whatever you do in this new year, keep a thought of, it must be done through and with God.


Let us leave you with a prayer:

Heavenly Father, We thank You For the reader and their willingness to see Your works. I thank You for this new year to start a new journey with You. We ask that you bless the reader and all of their endeavors. We ask that whatever they do that they keep You at the forefront of it all and that their spirits abide in You. Keep giving us insight on how to move forward in You. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray. Amen.



























                                         

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