Here's to a BRILLIANT New Year!

The New Year is traditionally a time of reflection where we examine where we are, where we are going and what we would want life to be like in the near future. We think about change and we make a wish list of resolutions that usually fails to make it beyond January.

I think it fails because we make the wrong sort of list for the wrong motives. We usually make a list of what we most want to change about our situations or ourselves. Most of the items on that list are negatives.

"I'm not going to be a doormat for people this year. I'm going to lose all this weight. I'm going to stop being angry. I hate the fact that I'm so impatient. I really need to stop being so anxious. Why am I so pessimistic?! I need to change that?"

Our motive is improvement, increase, upgrade. We want something better and more of it. Our difficulty is that when we focus on a negative we become drawn into its cycle. We become obsessed by what we are not. We fall back into the pit from which we are trying to escape.

We cannot change a negative by being involved with the negativity. Our lives can never be distinguished by the absence of something. When we focus on a negative we make a feature of an identity that is in itself debilitating. It is easier for us to repeat a defeat, step into denial, and disagree with our own potential.

A negative in photographic terms is an image from which positive prints can be made. Therefor in terms of personal change we must have a process by which our negative image goes through a series of steps in order that our vision of ourselves can be upgraded positively.

Firstly, make a list of the negative things you would like to change about yourself.

Secondly, convert each item on that list into a positive.

For example:

"I'm not going to be a doormat for people"
becomes: I'm going to have a bigger sense of my own worth and value.
"I'm going to lose all this weight"
becomes: I'm going to enjoy getting fit and getting healthy.
"I'm going to stop being angry"
becomes: I am going to practice being more loving.
"I hate the fact that I'm so impatient"
becomes: I'm going to make better use of my own time; smile more and be kind.
"I really need to stop being so anxious"
becomes: I am going to enjoy being more trusting, carefree and happy.
"Why am I so pessimistic?"
becomes: I am going to live a life that attracts joy and laughter to me.

You get the picture. Convert the negative into a positive and then deal with who you want to be; not who you are not. (The CD Turning Passivity Into Prophecy deals with this at www.BrilliantBookHouse.com)

Thirdly, please remember that the old you is actually dead. As we convert the negative list into a positive one we move our focus from your old nature to your new nature in Christ. Read Romans 6:2-14. This is a template for walking in newness. If we are going to be successful, happy and powerful then this passage is the basis for all of our story and journey in Christ. In Him we are already dead to the old (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) which has passed away and everything is new. Be alive to your new self in God and crucially do not allow people to resurrect the old you. Take joyful possession of your new self in Jesus and have fun establishing that reality.

Fourthly, don't try to become the new person. Accept that in Christ you are already there! You do not become a new person by changing your behavior. You accept the person you already are in Christ and behave accordingly. Abiding is the key new testament desire and delight. Stay, dwell and remain in Christ. Do not allow yourself to be moved away from His reality within your heart. As you focus on Him, it is His peace, love, joy and calm wisdom that will surface in every situation.

Lastly, enjoy the journey! Remember that you do not live in your circumstances. You live in Christ. Stay there! Focus from there. Practice life from there. See from His perspective. That is the nature of Abiding! Let joy walk with you this year. The joy of the Lord shall be your strength, courage, firmness, health, stamina, energy, power and intentionality.

Have a Brilliant new year!

Graham

Letter From Jesus!

"I no longer call you servants...I call you friends!"
John 15:15

I Am so excited to spend this life with you! Thank you for accepting My invitation. I hope you will enjoy this lifetime of love and romance that I have created just for you. You are the one I dream of, my heart is overflowing with love for you. When you look at Me, I can barely restrain Myself! You ravish Me with a single one of your glances!

“The King greatly desires your beauty, He is your Lord, the One you adore!” (Ps 45:11) Please join me every day in this celebration of our love! Look into My eyes and you will see just what you mean to Me!

“The mandrakes send out their fragrance, and at our door is pleasant fruit, both new and old, that I have prepared for you, my lover.” (Song of Songs 7:13)

Oh, my beautiful one, will you come to my table? I have prepared a feast for you, designed to delight your senses! Your perfume has
captivated me, love is in the air! Taste and see how sweet my love is for you, let me woo you daily!

“He leads me into a banquet room and looks at me with love.” (Song of Songs 2:4)

Darling, you are My guest of honor! Sharing a love feast with you is the desire of my heart. Seeing your shining eyes smiling at me across the table makes my heart beat faster! You are the Princess-Bride I always dreamed of, no one but you will do for Me! Your beautiful feet are perfect, you are the very one I've been searching for. I love you with all My heart. I AM Your Knight in Shining Armor!

"...as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So your God rejoices over you." (Isa. 62:5)

I cherish you, Beloved, I have written your name on My hand. I can't take My eyes off you, even while you sleep. Your beauty enraptures Me! All day long I dream of ways to show you how great My love for you truly is, and all night long I sing love songs and lullabies over you while I guard your sleep. When you smile at Me, I am undone! I long for you to know the depths of My passion for you, my Sister, my Bride!

How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Ps 119:103)

How wonderful you are, My Love! Before the world was created, My love for you overflowed like a fountain, like a spring that could not be contained! My thoughts dance like light on the water as I plan our future together. You are the delight of My Spirit, You are the apple of My Father's eye! My family is your family. I Am eagerly waiting for the day when you dance with Me before My Father's throne! You are my Joy, and I love you beyond forever.

“I have entered my garden, my treasure, My bride! I gather myrrh with My spices and eat honeycomb with My honey. I drink wine with My milk. Oh, lover and beloved, eat and drink! Yes, drink deeply of your love! Your love delights Me, my treasure, My bride. Your love is better than wine, your perfume more fragrant than spices.” (Song of Songs 5:1, 4:10)

My radiant one, my precious Bride, thank you for saying Yes to me. Thank you for loving me with abandon, for not holding your love back from Me. Thank you for taking My name as your own, and giving me every part of yourself. My vows to you are stronger than death, and I promise you, nothing will ever come between us! You are everything to Me. Come away with me now to the secret place, to the garden I have created for us. Come and rest in my arms, lean on me and let me carry you away. Draw close to Me and you will find that I Am closer to you than your breath. Stay with Me awhile, dream with me among the lilies.

I Am your husband, the Lover of your soul! ~ Jesus

This amazing letter was penned by Lisa-Anne Wooldridge, OpenHeaven@gmail.com

Letter From Papa!

"I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more."
Hebrews 8:10-12

My child, you are my absolute joy! You are everything I ever wanted! At times I miss your company when you wander, but I am never angry with you. My son, Jesus, took all of that away forever for you.

It's time that we go places together that I have planned for a very long time. It's time to set your sights in the direction of My Kingdom alone. You are great beyond measure and I have been building you up to believe this. I am making you believe this because of where we are going together. I have given you great favor and I have massively blessed your life. I HAVE loved you with an everlasting love and I WILL maintain my love for you to the end--although in reality there is no end!

You and I are on a journey, climbing mountains, forging streams, flying above the clouds, even hiking deep ravines and valleys--but it's a great adventure and I will never leave your side. You are my beloved child and I love you! Always have--always will!

Get to know me even more. I'm still far better than what you've experienced thus far and even what you've spoken to others about me. But find out why. Go deeper still! This is a brand new phase of your journey with me. Trust me! Enjoy me! I have such plans for you--plans to touch the world through you--plans to release the oppressed--Plans to draw you in deeper and to have you sit longer in my refreshing, restoring Presence as I share my secrets with you about myself and my Kingdom.

I love to share my secrets with the one I love! That's you, ya know!