Tuesday, January 11, 2011

New Year’s Resolved?

ListenDaily – 11 January 2011: New Year’s Resolved?


Scripture: Psalm 119:105, 1 Peter 3:12, Matthew 28:19


Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105


For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer…1 Peter 3:12


Therefore go and make disciples of all nations… Matthew 28:19

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Christmas 2010 has come and gone; likewise New Year’s Eve 2010 and New Year’s Day 2011, and life is returning to normal.


How about our New Year’s resolutions? Did you make any? How are you doing with them?


Certainly there are all sorts of good physically-related resolutions, like eating less and exercising more. But as Paul wrote to Timothy, “Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Tim. 4:8)


I asked the congregation at Wyoming UMC, where I am the associate pastor, to consider “resolving” in three areas of their spiritual lives, and use the three verses above as reference points. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” How much time do you spend in and with God’s Word? Will you try to spend a little more? It is OK to commit to some reading program, but even if you don’t you can take a step closer. Do you read only in church on Sunday mornings? Try reading a little each day. Do you read a verse a day? How about moving up to a chapter? The point here is not “how much”, but “how close”. God reveals Himself through the Scriptures; let us look to see more of Him!


The second verse reads “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer…” The great Jehovah God, the Creator and King of the universe, pays attention to you. Won’t you take a little more time to talk to and listen to Him?


The final verse says “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” How are you doing when it comes to telling someone, anyone, about Jesus? What can you do to more closely follow this command?


For the next few days we will look at these resolutions. Ready?

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