Don't Look Back

Today is the first day of a brand-new year. 2021 is finally over and 2022 has arrived. So, what are we going to do with it? What is going to be different about this year, compared to the last one?

Lots of people make New Year's resolutions. They have goals they'd like to reach or things they'd like to see happen. Most od our New Year's resolutions will end in failure. We tried but, better luck next year.
Most of our resolution goals will fail because we couldn't make a change in our lifestyle, or we couldn't maintain the change. We revert back to what once was.

2021 was a year filled with regrettable, forgettable things. Let's turn the page....no, let's close the old book and open a new book.

We need to ask ourselves two questions. Go get a piece of paper and a pencil.

Question #1 - WHAT are the things we would like to change? Make a list.
Question #2 - WHY do we want to change them?

Example: What: I want to lose weight. Why: I want to be healthier.

Now, keep asking the 'WHY' question.

Q - WHY do you want to be healthier?
A - Umm, so I won't die?

Q - WHY don't you want to die?
A - Gee, I think it's because I'd rather live.

Q - WHY do you want to live?
A - Well, it sure beats dying!

Well, then make the change! And stick with it. The key is this: Never look back.

When two angels came to get Lot and his family before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the gave this instruction:

"As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!” - Genesis 19:17

Don't look back. That's where most of our resolutions and lifestyle changes fail. We look back. We remember how comfortable our old lifestyle was. We remember how good those Christmas cookies were. We look back.

"But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt." - Genesis 19:26

Lot's wife looked back at her old life, and she died right on the spot.

Life is a series of decisions. Ask yourself questions before you make your choices. Make sure they are the right choices, not in YOUR eyes, but in God's eyes.

If God's name does not appear in the answers to our life questions, we need to ask ourselves one more question.

"Why not?"

A New Resolution

New Year's Eve promises always sound hopeful and optimistic but in reality most New Year's resolutions fail and we are left feeling unsatisfied with ourselves year after year after year. We are always so well-intentioned. So why do we end up disappointing ourselves each and every time we make these resolutions? The answer is quite simple.

The reason we fail to keep our New Year's resolutions is easy to see. Look at the resolutions pictured above. With the exception of one of the resolutions, maybe two, all of them are about "self." The biggest opponent we face in completing our New Year's resolution goals will be ourselves and our own selfish desires.

Did you know that there is one New Year's resolution that will leave us satisfied EVERY year? There is. Any ideas what it could be? A clue can be found in 2 Peter 1:3. Look!

"³ His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." - 1 Peter 1:3

God has already given us everything we need!

Hey, wait a minute. If God has given us everything we need, why do we want so much other stuff beyond what we already have? Verse 4.

"⁴ Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." - 2 Peter 1:4

That brings us to what should be our first and best New Year's resolution - to know God more. When we get to know God and His promises we begin to shift our focus away from ourselves and towards God. And THAT will ALWAYS lead us away from many of the things we usually make resolutions about.

Do you desire God? I mean REALLY desire Him? Why don't you try something different this year, whether you already know Him or not. Make a New Year's resolution this year to know Him more. You will NOT be disappointed if you do. If we can do just that one thing we will be well on our way to having a better year on 2017.

Do You Desire God? - Paul Washer

[Special thanks to Pastor Dave Goyke - Calvary Chapel - Waupaca, WI, for providing the "push" to write this story through the message he delivered yesterday.]

Resolution Revolution

Happy New Year!!!

Did you make any New Year's resolutions this year? I did. I resolved to spend more time in God's Word - The Bible - than I do on Facebook. I spend WAY to much time scrolling down through the news feed and not enough time reading through "the scrolls" of God's living word.

But that's just me. What about you? Are you resolving anything to improve in your life . . . Exercise more perhaps? Get more organized? Or maybe it's something you want to do away with? Smoking cigarettes? Over-eating?

While I was out for my morning walk New Year's Day morning, I was thinking about my "Facebook Fast" resolution and thought I might offer a few verses to encourage others in their resolutions as they scroll through their Facebook feeds. Here they are!

1. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" - Matthew 7:12. This should be the Golden Rule of Facebook! Too many times I have seen people trash others and then whine and complain when others do it to them. Galatians 6:7 reminds us that "whatever one sows, he also shall reap."
2. "Be slow to speak" - James 1:19. Too often we react to the things that others post on Facebook.
3. "Be quick to listen" - James 1:19. Many times Facebook reveals hurting people to us. We are called to have compassion and mercy. Send a private message to those who are going through struggles.
4. "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up" - Ephesians 4:29. What a different world Facebook would be is we all followed this advice. This also would include the use of OMG or any variation of the phrase. Unless you are praying, this is a sin
5. "Love one another, as I have loved you." - John 13:34. If we all just practiced this command from Jesus our Facebook  news feed would be a much better place to live. Our world too!

I think we need kind of a resolution revolution if you will. Cutting out bad stuff is a good thing but what if we also resolved to increase the GOOD things we do, the God-honoring things. More charity, more giving, more compassion, We could become more honoring God with our words and our actions. Then this new year truly would be a blessing to others AND to God.

May 2016 be an amazing year in your life - one in which you draw closer to God, one where you are conformed more closely to the image of His Son, and may His peace, which surpasses all understanding, envelope you. As you draw nearer to God enjoy the peace you will find there and enjoy His many blessings which are sure to come your way.

"Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered." - Proverbs 11:25

Are You Ready For A New Beginning?

This is the last day of the year. A time when we traditionally make New Year's resolutions. It is a very optimistic time. A time when we look forward with hope to a new year . . . a chance to do better, a chance to start fresh, a chance to begin again.

So what kinds of resolutions do we usually make? Here is a top ten list of last year's New Year's resolutions:

1. Lose Weight
2. Getting Organized
3. Spend Less, Save More
4. Enjoy Life to the Fullest
5. Staying Fit and Healthy
6. Learn Something Exciting
7. Quit Smoking
8. Help Others in Their Dreams
9. Fall in Love
10. Spend More Time with Family

Is there anything on that list from 2014 that is on YOUR New Year's resolution list for this year? Are you desiring to lose weight perhaps? Or maybe you are resolving to fall in love with someone who won't hurt you when you trust them with your heart? Or maybe it's spending more time with your family than you did last year.

What if I told you that there was ONE resolution you could make this year that could help you accomplish all ten of the resolutions listed above. Would you be interested? Heck yeah!!

Try this one:

"I resolve in 2015 to give my life to Christ. I have tried everything I can think of to make my life work out how I want it but things never work out." Let me tell you how a life with Jesus at the center of it can help you accomplish ALL TEN New Year's resolutions listed above.

1. Lose Weight -The Bible advises against gluttony (overeating). Proverbs 23:20-21
2. Getting Organized - Get rid of the excess in your life. Make things more simple. Mark 10:21
3. Spend Less, Save More - Do you buy only what you need or everything you want? 1 Timothy 6:10
4. Enjoy Life to the Fullest - There is nothing wrong with having fun. Enjoy life! Ecclesiastes 8:15
5. Staying Fit and Healthy - Exercise is good for your body. Do it! Isaiah 40:29-31
6. Learn Something Exciting - Read the Bible. There are tons of exciting lessons waiting to be learned. Proverbs 1:5
7. Quit Smoking - You only have one body in this life. Take care of it! 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
8. Help Others in Their Dreams - Placing others first brings joy to God. Hebrews 13:16
9. Fall in Love - Nothing can separate us from God's love. Romans 8:37-39
10. Spend More Time with Family - There is nothing like a loving family and that is what you get when you place your hope and faith in Jesus. Romans 8:16-17

You and I are born sinners. We find it very easy to eat too much. Most of us live cluttered lives. We tend to spend our money foolishly. We think we can enjoy life by partying and drinking. We are fools. There is so much more in Christ!

I'm not writing this to tell you that Jesus can help you fulfill all your New Year's resolutions. I am writing this to say that by placing your faith in Jesus, by giving Him control of your life, there will be no need for New Year's resolutions.Your desire will be to please Him and the rest will take care of itself.

Jesus died for our sins. God demands a blood sacrifice, a perfectly spotless lamb, to atone for our sins. Jesus did that for us. Repay Jesus today by offering YOUR life for the one HE gave . . . for you. Give up the life you had in 2014 and grab a hold of the one He offers you for 2015.

It seems like each year we long to start over. Why not give control of your life to Jesus and let Him make your choices as you follow Him in 2015. New Year's resolutions are man-made things. We are humans often failing in OUR selfish desires. Let our New Year's resolution be this:

I resolve to please God and live my life for Him.

Have a Happy, Healthy and Blessed New Year!