The busy New Year for Christians is a time of planning and directing our life and intentions according to what we have discerned God’s plan is for us. We are to be thankful and always mindful of just how well He takes care of us and just how much we are to gladly ‘give-back’ first, before anything else is paid that which we received. Many have discerned either percentages or flat amounts and it really matters not to anyone except the one who comes to some sort of an agreement with God. Recently, we have been exposed to many various electronic ways and places we can divide up our money gifts. Our gifts of charity can be divided across a whole spectrum of substantial and well meaning groups and not just the corner church anymore. Again, this isn’t anyone else’s concern; it is between God and the person making the pledge. With one exception of that being that our churches need to sit down and figure out some sort of yearly budget and if they knew what you and I were going to contribute, it would be better and easier for them. That is the extent of any third party wants and wishes with regards to arrangement we need to make with God each and every New Year.

We need to be mindful that we Christians have one more matter, other than simple finances, that needs to be planned for during the New Year. The most important of all activities is our daily Christian prayer lives. We have been instructed to pray in every situation and at all times. If you examine everything else we do, nothing else we have or what we have need of is ever to the extent that prayer is. We were not instructed be at our work at all times and in every situation. We aren’t to instruct our children in all situations and at all times. No, the only matter that we are to do at all times and in every situation is, to pray. We need to remember this and the fact that when another asks us to pray for them, they don’t have in mind some brief fifteen-second mention as we nod off to sleep that night! Have you ever wondered why God who knows all things, would instruct us to pray for and about one-another? The answer leads to the reason to pray for another more than to simply inform God of their terrible situation!

We parents and adults also need to help our children understand and need to educate them in ‘all things’ about prayer. So we should never forget that yes, as a family unit, prayer applies however; it also applies to each and every one of us individually, including even our littlest little ones, for we are all on a ‘daily walk’ with God. So just as we remember that as we have need to have family prayers and devotions we also have great need of private prayer and devotion as well. Prayer is to be ongoing and active, not passive, personal and collective. We need to discern what it is that we think God wants us to do and to begin doing it. God never has had any difficulties stopping anyone mid-way through to a project’s deadline to show them another path or way to do things. Therefore just as we are active not passive, as well as have personal and collective prayer, we have need of a family prayer journal as well as a personal prayer journal.

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