Resolutions for This New Year

As most of you know by now, I do not put much stock in New Year’s resolutions. I do, however firmly believe in setting goals and taking steps to reach those goals. If you never set a goal to achieve anything you can guarantee success, you will succeed in achieving nothing! One of my goals this year is to encourage you to dedicate the time necessary to accomplish a few things.

I suggest that you reflect on 2008 and ask yourself some questions.

In the past year...

1. Did your relationship with the Lord improve?
Remember that a close relationship depends upon good communication. Were you faithful in your prayer and bible reading during 2008? If the only time you pray or read God’s Word is at church on Sunday, you are in BIG trouble spiritually.

2. Did your relationship with your church family improve?
Remember scripture is very clear about the fact that we are known as His followers by the love that we have for each other (John 13:35). Have you made an effort to get to know the new people that have joined our church family?

3. Did your relationship with the unsaved improve?
As people of God we have a HUGE responsibility to share the gospel with those that don’t have a relationship with Him. Matthew tells us that we are the light of the world. Our job as that light is to point people to Jesus. In order to do that we MUST develop relationships with non-Christian people and introduce Jesus in to those relationships. Are your family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors going to Heaven? Shame on us if we don’t know!

Paul wrote in Philippians 3, “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” The reality is we cannot go back and change the past. We must focus on what is ahead and dedicate ourselves to following Him fully.

With this attitude of pressing on, let me suggest the following goals for 2009...

For the year ahead...

1. Decide to improve your relationship with the Lord.
Commit to a daily Bible reading and prayer schedule. Spend QUALITY time with Him every single day.

2. Decide to improve your relationship with your church family.
Take advantage of fellowship opportunities. Make a prayer list and pray for your church family’s needs. Commit yourself to getting to know someone new.

3. Decide to improve your relationship with the unsaved.
Commit yourself to building a meaningful relationship with someone who is not saved and introduce Jesus into that relationship. Remember that it all starts with prayer.

These goals may sound simple; but if you implement them in your life they will go a long way in producing the kind of lifestyle that is pleasing to Him as well as improving our relationships with the Lord, our church family, and those who are not saved. Time is a precious commodity given to us that needs to be carefully used. My goal and prayer is that next year when you ask yourself these three questions you’ll be able to answer with a resounding YES!