Happy New Year

I have decided to make 3 resolutions this year and only 3 people will be able to tell me if I keep these resolutions; God, my beloved, and my doctor.
My first resolution is to love the Word of God better and have more confidence in its power at work.
My second resolution is to love my wife more and with more grace than I ever have. I always have plenty of room to grow in my marriage and union with her.
My third resolution is to love my body better. I want to exercise more and eat healthier this year than I did last year. I am not getting any older and can use all the help I can get in living healthier.

But now on to the good stuff of my blog, the Bible reading plan thoughts...

First Day of the Bible Reading Plan
Today is New Years Day. Today marks the first day of the new Year. Today gives a chance for new beginnings, new habits, and a chance to right last years wrongs. Today also marks the first day of the Bible reading plan. Today we are to read Genesis 1 and 2. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth". This is the firsts sentence in the Bible and one of the most important to know by heart. This first sentence of Genesis is only 7 words in Hebrew but it can teach us 7 important truths that should impact and change us for the new year and for life. Think about these 7 truths and ponder them all year as the Bible is read daily.

#1-God exists.
The first essential truth to understand so that we can please God, is knowing that He exists.

#2-God existed before there was a universe and He will exist even after this world passes away.

#3-God is the main character.
The Bible is about God, written by God, and tells us what we need to know concerning God. As we read the Bible this year remember that God, in three persons, is the main character and the point is for us to know Him as the main player.

#4-God as Creator did what no human could do.
The Hebrew word for "to create" is bara. This word implies the divine and has no human character, quality, or trait in the meaning. As Creator God is in control and we are the created.

#5-God is mysterious.
When, how, why, where, and what, are all the questions that this first verse should bring us about the existence of God. But knowing God is mysterious should give us joy and hope in that fact He is way beyond our understanding, yet He loves us all the same through this mystery.

#6-God is THE Creator of the heavens and the earth.
He does not just modify pre-existing matter but calls matter into being out of nothing.

#7-God is not dependent on the universe.
We depend on God for everything as the created and God is outside of our control. God is sovereign and beyond anything that we can imagine and we can depend on that, not the other way around.

Lets think about these 7 truths all year long as we read about God and begin to get a glimpse of Him from His Word. I pray these 7 truths change you for the better this New Year.