The New is Drawing Near!

Wow, can you ever imagine that 2011 is coming to a close, and the cheer of 2012 is drawing near? In less than a week, we shall bid farewell to 2011, and welcome 2012!

So, how should we welcome 2012?

1) Welcome the year 2012 with GREAT Expectation!

Put some faith in your future 2012. Increase your expectation in your future. Raise your hope in 2012! Only people that raise up high biblical expectation will be able to see God's promises being fulfilled in their lives.

And indeed if you think you're a genius at something, what you achieve is very much according to your expectations; if you think you're no good, you're not going to get anywhere
~ Diana Wynne Jones (British Writer) ~



Based on history the expectations are simply the highest, it kind of could become a burden for you or it could be something that you are really proud of, you know so I take the second one. ~ Jurgen Klinsmann (German Footballer & Manager) ~

However, some people are scared of raising high expectation for themselves. "They higher the hope, the higher the disappointment", they say. Oh, how many great potential and talents has been wasted and forgotten by believing in that great deception!

Let's be aware that God has promised us great future, and we are to just take a small baby step for us to explore our hidden potential. You can surprise even yourself if you allow you to!
Stop robbing yourself of your great future! Venture out by faith!

You just need to flip the wings that God has given to you, and God will supply the air to keep you flying!

"’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’" ~ Jeremiah 29:11 ~

2) Welcome the year 2012 with WIDER Perspective & Vision

There's a famous Malay proverb that says, "Seperti katak di bawah tempurung", which literally translated as "Like frog underneath coconut shell". It means that our world is so small, that it never goes beyond the size of a coconut shell! Since that poor frog is under the coconut shell, and all of us know that the coconut shell is not transparent (most probably that frog doesn't know this), whatever that frog is able to see, that's its world. The world is defined by what we see.

A person can grow only as much as his horizon allows.

~ John Powell ~

Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find the right road. ~ Dag Hammarskjold ~

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Expand your horizon.
Enlarge your vision.
Elaborate your perception.
Extend your perspective.
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How far you see, is how far you can go. Don't be that poor frog, only living under the coconut shell. Be an eagle instead, soaring high in the sky to see the far horizon.

When you start to see the far horizon, you start to see new things. You start to see the bigger picture. You start to understand new truths.

How we can we enlarge our perspective then?

Perhaps you can try the following:

a) Start to looks beyond yourself. Involve other people in your lives.
b) Listen to others. Listen actively. Hear the emotion. Hear the good side of the intention.
c) Be open to changes (within God's boundaries of course). Explore new ways of doing things (though some has been working perfectly fine for now).
d) Use your senses in a creative ways. Go beyond your normal routines. Try some new food. Hear some new music. Watch a so called boring movie? Or perhaps learn a new language. Use some new roads.
e) Find ways to surprise yourself. Create new opportunities for yourself. Open some new doors. It may lead you to another world altogether!
f) Take some risk. Take a step of faith. Take courage. Be a conqueror.

A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown.
~ Denis Waitley ~


Where there is no vision, there is no hope. ~ George Washington Carver (American scientist, educator, inventor) ~


Let 2012 be a year that you can stand on higher ground.
Be a frog that stand on the coconut shell (katak di atas tempurung).

3) Welcome the year 2012 with the Presence of the Holy Spirit

Zechariah 4:6 (NIV)
So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.

Zechariah 4:6 (NLT)
Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Let depend on the Holy Spirit to help us fulfill what God want us to fulfill.
When you depend on the Holy Spirit - you can work without much sweat. You are in relax mode. Stress cannot overwhelm you, but you can even use stress for your advantage.

Naturally, things can be done effortlessly. Naturally, success just flow to your life. When we depend on the Holy Spirit, we are merely saying, "God, I trust in You".
God takes pleasure in those who trust Him (Psalm 147:11). Oh, what could happen when God is pleased with you? Surely God will open up more door of blessings to your life! Because God is delighted in you, God is drawn to you more. His presence will be ever stronger in your life.

How to depend on the Holy Spirit then?

a) Focus on the Holy Spirit's ability, not on our own disability
b) Pray in the Spirit - it's the easiet thing to do! You don't even have to use your mind to do it! You just need to pray. Just pray it!
c) Listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Listen and obey. Listen and follow. One step at a time.


As a conclusion, let us raise up a greater expectation and see with a wider vision for 2012. And let us partner with the Holy Spirit to achieve greater heights in Him. Forget about the former things that could hold us back, and let's look forward for the great future that God has in store for us in 2012.

Finally, I hope and pray that 2012 will be another year of new venture and breakthrough for all of us!