Tag: New Years Resolution

New Year, New You!

New Year, New You!

How many of you waited till January 1st to start that new diet? Get back to the gym? Starting reading more? Or take that class at the community college to finally get your degree? i am not here to write a blog about how terrible you are for not starting sooner! Nor am i here to write about how most New Year’s resolutions fail within the first month and almost 90% won’t make the changes stick. Actually, i am here to write about being new! i am writing about making resolutions and then seeing them through to the end, and not being afraid to tweak them as needed because making changes or corrections to a resolution isn’t a failure at all but an avenue to success.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to improve yourself, make life changes, seek to develop your mind, heart, relationships, or anything for that matter. There is also, absolutely, nothing wrong with choosing a day to do it and the beginning of a new year seems like a reasonable starting point. In Joshua we read this:

“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the river or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (italics and bold print added)

Here is where i would challenge your New Year’s Resolution, every day is a new day in the Lord. And every day is exactly one year from that same day, for example, June 10th, 2019 will be exactly one year from June 10th, 2018. So every day is new and has the potential for you to be new too.

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV

Do not dwell on the former, even the failings of yesterday! The mercies of the Lord are new every morning, therefore, renew your compassion for yourself and others in the same manner!

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul. Therefore I will hope in Him.” Lamentations 3:22-24 ESV

Take hold of the newness you have in Christ!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Take hold of the victory you have in Christ!

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57 ESV

Finally, a reminder, no matter your past, remember these words of Paul to the Philippians.

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because, Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.” Philippians 3:12-16 ESV (italics and bold print added for emphasis)

You are loved,

cj

Jude (Part 1)

Jude (Part 1)

Let me start here: if you have not read Jude (an introduction), stop now and go read it . . . it will make more sense that way. However, as a reminder to those who did read it let me refresh your memory. Jude is one of four brothers of Jesus and at some point led the Church in Jerusalem. He came to faith after Jesus’ resurrection. This same Jude then pens this letter and it is powerful! As a call to repentance, as a reminder of judgment, and as a warning to stay alert as we contend for the faith.

He doesn’t waste time with small talk, antidotes, or gibber, he is very matter-of-fact. In the verses, we will look at this week, we will see his heart, and his understanding as the brother of Jesus and leader of the Church. Let’s look at verse 5, “Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.” Here is an interesting point, there are a couple manuscripts out there as well as a few versions of the Bible that use “Jesus” in place of “the Lord”. Could these early manuscripts be more accurate to Jude’s point? i think so. Jude had come to an understanding of who Jesus was and was not ashamed of it.

We love grace, i love grace. We preach grace, i preach grace, and it is glorious! However, we mustn’t lose sight of Jesus. Jesus, actively a part of the Old Testament, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, saves us by His cross. He leads us free from the chains of sin, out of bondage and into freedom. As the Israelites out of Egypt and still, subsequently (lit. the second time) He destroys those who did not believe. Folks, there is judgment. There is a hell and it has been preached since the formation of the Church. Do not be led astray. We must continue to contend for the faith in a world that would pervert the grace of God, even some in the Church.

5 Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that [e]the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, [f]subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after [g]strange flesh, are exhibited as an [h]example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. (NASB)

5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved[c] a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire,[d] serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. (ESV)

Pray with me for insight, for understanding, for fresh revelation into God’s Word. Let the Spirit of God speak to our hearts through these words written by Jude inspired by the Spirit. May we grow in wisdom and faith, as we seek to walk humbly with Jesus, contending for the faith. Until next week . . .

you are loved,

cj

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

The shortest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 117, it is just two verses. Yet these two verses are immensely profound in their simplicity. You want to boil things down to the minimum and just look at the core of human existence? Then here you go:

“Praise the Lord, all you nations! Worship Him, all you peoples! Because God’s faithful love towards us is strong, the Lord’s faithfulness lasts forever! Praise the Lord!”

It doesn’t get much simpler than this, Praise the Lord. Worship Him. Because, He is faithful. His love is strong towards us and He is forever faithful. Thus, we should, Praise the Lord! No matter what you are facing, no matter what difficulties or trials befall you, Praise the Lord! In the good and in the bad, Praise the Lord! In the sun and in the rain, Praise the Lord! In life and in death, Praise the Lord! In sickness and in health, Praise the Lord! In the hardest of times and in the best of times, Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord,

you are loved,

cj

Making the right New Year Resolution

Making the right New Year Resolution

Its that time of year again, time to make and break those New Year Resolutions. Did you know that you have less of a shot at actually keeping your “new year resolution” than you do of getting in a car wreck? But lets not talk about that…Here are the top 10 New Year Resolutions year after year:

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

i find most of these interrelated. For example, if you lose weight you will naturally be more fit and healthy 1 and 5 respectively. Enjoying Life to the Fullest would probably encompass the whole of this list really. So what is the best New Year Resolution? Or a better question might be is it a good idea to even make a New Year Resolution? i personally don’t see a problem with making a resolution to change or improve your life. But i do think that if we are going to be successful we need to look at the reason and the focus of our resolution.

Psalm 51:10-11New Living Translation (NLT)

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit[a] from me.

 

Philippians 3:12-15New Living Translation (NLT)

12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it,[a] but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Philippians 4:13New Living Translation (NLT)

13 For I can do everything through Christ,[a] who gives me strength.
If you are on the edge, deciding whether to make a resolution this year or not or if you have already made a list, may i make one suggestion? That you make Jesus, your New Year Resolution. Make Him the focus of 2016 and everything else will fall into place. One last verse that really is all the resolution you need for the coming year…

Matthew 6:33New Living Translation (NLT)

33 Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

You are Loved,

cj