Checklist for a victorious year 2011 By Dr. Jerry B Pena, Apostolic Bishop
1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart not your lip. Maintain your relationship with God by seeking Him through: Obedience in His Word – Matthew 4:4 (NIV) 4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Prayer – Matthew 26:41 (NIV) 41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Colossians 4:2 (NIV) 2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Worship in the spirit – John 4:23-24 (NIV) 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
2. Do well to others especially to the household of believers - Love your neighbor as yourself. Hebrews 13:16 (NIV) 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Galatians 6:9-10 (NIV) 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
3. Maintain your open heaven - Bring you tithes and offering to God's storehouse and sow your seed. Malachi 3:10-12 (NIV) 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.
Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty. Galatians 6:7 (NIV) 7
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
4. Don't neglect the fellowship and your spiritual feeding time. Hebrews 10:22-27 (NIV) 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
5. Be faithful and serve the Lord according to your God given gifts. Romans 12:6-8 (NIV) 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
6. Do not be proud but be humble. 1Peter 5:5-6 (NKJV) …Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV) 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!
7. Rejoice in the Lord always and be thankful. Psalm 100:4-5 (NKJV) Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations. 4
Hebrews 12:28-29 (NIV) Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our "God is a consuming fire." 28
This is our checklist for a victorious year‌ Amen & Amen.