“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:14-17 NKJV)
“Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:5 NKJV)
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10 NKJV)
The weeks following my “64/33” birthday celebration led me to a deeper understanding of just how critical it is to back up the faith filled words that I speak with the faith filled actions that I take. Without adding needed works to my faith the words become hollow and weak. Without the needed follow up, words fall to the ground and crumble under the pressures of life. With each passing week I began to feel the pressure of the obvious gap between the level of my desires and the level of my drive. Looking at the lack of positive forward motion made me begin to feel a bit foolish. No wonder James wrote…
…“O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?” (James 2:20 BSB)
With each passing day it became more and more obvious that if I wanted my bold confessions to come to pass something needed to change. Do you remember what I proclaimed at my 64/33 celebration? There were 2 faith confessions made…
…First, in response to the promise of freedom from the “natural” (normal) process of aging and death I purposely proclaimed this as the official last day of conforming to the world’s system of aging and death, and first day of being fully transformed by the renewing of my mind to the Kingdom of Heaven’s system of youth and life.
…Second, I declared that by August 25, 2025 I would be free like I have never been free before. This includes spiritual, physical, and material “fitness” beyond anything I have yet experienced.
Over 3 months had flown by. I was no closer to the fulfillment of these confessions than I was on the day that I made them. My daily routine was still hit or miss. I was already approaching the New Year and it was time to once again seek the Lord’s guidance as I began to set the vision for 2025.
In order to keep my life moving forward, each year I take the period of time between Thanksgiving and New Years to seek the Lord’s leading in giving a “theme” and setting supporting “goals” for the upcoming year. That is an exciting task when I have had success in following the current year’s theme and hitting its goals. However, it is a challenge when the current year has not fulfilled expectations. This year it was a challenge. The silver lining is that in either case it is an opportunity to forget the past, reboot, and start fresh into whatever comes next.
“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” (Philippians 3:13 NLT)
After prayerful deliberation I set the following Theme for 2025…
…”Moving from ‘strive’ to ‘thrive’ to ‘fully alive’ in 2025!”
Since 2020, while setting the New Year’s theme and goals I have also assigned “themes” to my birthdays. Birthday themes are based on the promise that I was given at the end of 2019 (return of 30 years). On my 60th birthday I began giving themes for my birthdays consisting of two numbers. The first number is the “chronological number” based on how many years I have been alive. The second number is the “promised number” based on the promise made to return the 30 years. So in 2020 I claimed my “60/30 Birthday Celebration.”
I celebrated my “61/31,” “62/32,” and “63/33,” with faith for the manifestation of this original promise. As I approached my 64th birthday that promise was expanded to address not only returning the lost years, but to adding years to my life by way of renewed youth, a quickened (enlivened) body, and abundant life. In response I adjusted the birthday theme to hold the “promised number” at “33” regardless of the “chronological number;” hence, my “64/33” celebration. The “33” is based on the age of Jesus when through the resurrection he ended all aging and death in his life. It represents the confessions that I made in response to the promise of renewed youth and abundant life.
Now it was time to begin planning for my “65/33” theme. This was also a challenge in light of the fact that I was behind on experiencing the hoped for results of the commitments made at my “64/33” celebration. I had definitely fallen down. I could wallow in discouragement and self-pity or I could get back up. I decided to get back up.
“The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.” (Proverbs 24:16 NLT)
Here is the theme for my birthday in 2025…
…”Fully alive at 65/33 Jubilee Birthday Celebration.”
Along with the “33” reflecting the promise of renewed youth and abundant life (longevity), the “Jubilee” represents the promise of 2025 being my year of Jubilee. It is set in expectation of this being the year in which breakthrough takes place.
There was a lot to look forward to moving into 2025. There was also a lot to overcome. It was time to remind myself to never let go of the promises…
…”For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.” (2 Corinthians 1:20 NKJV)
It was also time to remind myself that…
…For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (James 2:26 NKJV)
Look out 2025! Here I come!