Do you make New Year’s resolutions?
Do you keep your New Year’s resolutions?
Webster’s Dictionary defines a “resolution” as:
"A definite or earnest decision about something."
"A determination on a course of action about something."
We all make resolutions to do certain things, like quit some bad habits; lose weight, or other things.
What I find interesting is that resolutions are quickly forgotten or given up within a short period of time. I know, I have made New Year’s resolutions to do certain things, and for some one reason or another, never fulfilled them. We have all done that.
I came across 11 things I could do for the New Year some time ago, and instead of New Year’s resolutions, each and every New Year I put these into practice. In other words, I have plan for my life in the New Year that will affect my spiritual growth.
These are simple things to do, but they do require you to spend some time with the Lord and let Him help you to write it out and also to put it into practice. It will do you absolutely no good to sit down and write this plan for the New Year and then not work it. But if you work it, you will see some changes.
These 11 things are not complicated, but very simple and practical ways to help you grow spiritually.
So let’s begin to look at these 11 things you can do for the New Year one by one.
NUMBER ONE: HOW DO I PLAN TO GROW IN MY LOVE FOR GOD?
Really the number one answer to this question is going to be answered by how much time you spend with the Lord.
If you are married, have a girlfriend, or family, the way you grow in your love for them is to spend quality time with them. When you first met your wife or husband, you spent a lot time together. You got to know the person. The more you spent time with them and got to know them, the more your love for them grew.
Well it works the same way with growing in your love for the Lord. To get to know Him better you need to spend more quality time with Him in His Word and having quiet times with Him.
Your love will be reflected in your actions. Think about it. When you were dating your future spouse, you wanted to do special things to please that person. Bring her flowers, candy; take her to the best places on dates; do simple things like taking a walk on the beach; going on picnics. What I would do is to find out what she likes, what pleases her, and then center our time together on doing the things she likes to do, whether I like them or not. My goal is to please her. I have discovered that when you do the things that please her, she will want to do the things that please you. You then find your love for each other growing.
Do you know what pleases the Lord? Are you willing to do the things that please Him? We demonstrate our love and grow in our love for Him by doing those things that please Him. Keeping His commandment of loving each other would be the number one thing that really pleases Him. In the Epistles of Paul, John, and Peter there is a phrase that is repeated several times, “One Another.” Doing the “one another’s” to each other out of a heart of love makes our Lord smile and it also demonstrates your love for Him. You search the Epistles of Paul, John and Peter and find them and put them into practice in your life and see what happens.
We also need to remember that:
“We love because He first loved us.” (I John 4:19)
“The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:5)
“God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)
The second is like it; “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39)
“If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
“He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me, and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him.” (John 14:21)
Jesus answered and said to him, “if anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me and does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.” (John 14:23)
Do you love your spouse wholeheartedly, giving yourself completely and enthusiastically to him or her, or half heartedly, with no enthusiasm or desire to please that person out of heart of love?
Do you love the Lord wholeheartedly, giving yourself completely and enthusiastically to Him?
NUMBER TWO: WILL I BECOME MORE RECOGNIZABLE TO THE UNSAVED AS A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST?
When I was going to Bible School I worked a full time job with a construction company that specialized in building walls and erecting ceilings. When I got hired I had made a decision not to say anything about Jesus, but to let my life be a reflection of Jesus. Construction workers are not the most likeable people to work with. So I just did my job, showed up on time where I was supposed to be. The people I worked with begin to see that there was something different about me. Remember, I haven’t said a word about Jesus. I heard comments like, “Oh, don’t worry about Dan, he will be there on time. “You know, Dan doesn’t smoke, drink, or cuss.” “Dan is really a good worker.” It wasn’t long before they began to ask me questions, which opened the door for me to share Jesus. My light was shining and it was attracting them.
If you have ever left a light on at nighttime, have you ever noticed that it attracts a lot of bugs? We are to let our lights so shine that it will attract others to Jesus. You don’t have to say word; they will ask you and open the door to share Jesus with them. They will notice something different about you and will want to know what it is.
Lots of Christians hide their light and blend in with the rest of the world.
Is your light shining or is it hidden?
Our actions, speech, and attitudes are ways people can tell whether we are Christians or not.
How can you be more recognizable as a follower of Jesus in this New Year?
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
There are two ways in which we are identified as disciples of Jesus:
1. That we bear much fruit. (John 15:8)
2. That we love one another. (John 13:35)
3. Continuing in His Word. (John 8:31)
Are you bearing much fruit: do you love your brothers and sisters in the Lord?
NUMBER THREE: DO I HAVE A SPECIFIC PLAN FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH?
I read the following some time ago, but it still holds true today: IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN, YOU ARE PLANNING TO FAIL.
I have a specific time for my prayer, Bible reading and studying, fellowship, and quiet times.
In planning time for spiritual growth, you are going to have to prioritize your time.
What is most important to you? What sacrifices are you going to have to make?
What is important to you will determine what sacrifices you will make.
Spending time in the things of God. Bible reading; Bible study, prayer, fellowship with other believers are a priority with me. I don’t spend a lot of time watching television. I do watch the news and there are a couple of programs I like to watch, but they are not my priority. Normally my TV goes off at 7 PM after the news.
The television is not a priority in my life.
Seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness is my number one priority, and my time is planned around my seeking His righteousness. Everything else is secondary.
NUMBER FOUR: WILL I GIVE BACK TO GOD AS HE BLESSES ME?
We need to remember that all we have comes from God.
As we give back to Him, He increases what He blesses us with.
We need to remember that we are blessed to be a blessing. If we hoard our blessing, whether financial, material, or spiritual, it will dry up.
Do you know why the Dead Sea is dead? Because it has no outlet. It has become stagnate. This is what happens to us when we don’t share our blessings from the Lord and give back to Him all that He has blessed us with. We become stagnate spiritually and dry up.
I have learned that when I am preparing to teach I receive inspiration from the Holy Spirit, revelation, and understanding. The purpose is for me to share it with others. If I keep what has been revealed to me to myself, it will cease. The more I share, the more I receive. Yes, it’s nice to get understanding into what I will be sharing, but it was meant to be given to others for their benefit.
This applies to the other areas of our life also.
Jesus said in Luke 6:38: “Give and it shall be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over shall men give to you.”
This is the purpose of my blog, to share with others what I have learned so others can benefit what the Lord has shown me. Each time I sit down to write on a subject, I receive new insights and illustrations. You who are reading this blog also benefit.
You receive new insights and understanding, which increases your faith and spiritual growth and walk the Lord.
What has the Lord blessed you with?
Give back to Him who has blessed you to be a blessing, and the blessings will increase so you can be more and more a blessing to others.
NUMBER FIVE: TO WHOM SPECIFICALLY WILL I WITNESS TO IN THE COMING YEAR?
Make a list of the people you would like to see come to the Lord.
Focus on one or two for a specific time, and then go down your list. You might want to focus on two or three people per month, and that would work out to 24 to 36 people per year. Pray about it and seek the Lord for His wisdom and guidance on how to witness to them.
Find out what needs they have and be a blessing to them.
You may have not thought about this, but you witness to people every day without saying a word.
They are watching you and your actions and attitudes.
NUMBER SIX: WILL I HAVE THE COURAGE TO DROP FRIENDS WHO ARE DRAGGING ME DOWN SPIRITUALLY?
Do your friends encourage you or do they discourage you?
Do they build you up spiritually or drag you down spiritually.
I want to be around people who build me up spiritually, encourage me in my walk with the Lord and want to help me to succeed. This encourages me more to do the same for others.
I had a friend some time ago that every time he came around, my spirit sank. I really didn’t want to be around him. I don’t dislike him, but he drags me down spiritually.
NUMBER SEVEN: WHAT WILL I DO TO IMPROVE MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY FAMILY?
How is your relationship with your family?
Your spouse?
Your brothers and sisters?
Your children?
All the members or your immediate family and extended family?
Go back to NUMBER ONE and put the same principles into practice with your immediate family. That’s a good starting point in growing in your love for the Lord.
Spend quality time with them.
This past Christmas I enjoyed giving my brother and his wife, my brother-in-law, and my two sisters really nice gifts.
Remember the birthday of your family members.
Send an encouraging email or card.
We always look for the big things to do, but really it’s the little things that mean a lot.
NUMBER EIGHT: HOW CAN I SERVE CHRIST IN MY CHURCH?
You don’t have to do something big to serve the Lord in your church.
Help your pastor out.
Little things mean a lot. Look around your church and pay attention to little things that need to be done and just do them.
Do the things that others don’t want to do.
By serving others you are serving the Lord.
NUMBER NINE: ARE IMAGES FROM THE MEDIA, TELEVISION, MOVIES, THE INTERNET, MAGAZINES, FILLING MY MIND? WHAT IS HARMING MY RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS?
We are bombarded every day with images from the television, movies, the Internet, magazines and newspapers, and video and computer games.
Not all the images we see are godly.
The images we hold before our eyes does affect our minds. Your eyes are the gateway to the mind.
Viewing pornography constantly will affect our minds.
Viewing violence constantly will affect our minds.
You mind is like a DVD recorder. I will record what you watch and replay itself over and over. It’s like your mind is the movie screen playing whatever it has recorded, either godly or ungodly.
You have the choice on what it plays.
I like what David wrote in Psalm 101:3:
I will set no worthless thing before my eyes;
I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not fasten its grip on me.
Whatever thing you set before your eyes will fasten its grip on you.
NUMBER TEN: WHAT WILL I DO TO CONTROL MY SPEECH AND MY BODY IN THE COMING YEAR?
James 3:2-12
“For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. [3] Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they may obey us, we direct their entire body as well. [4] Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder, wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. [5] So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! [6] And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.
For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by the human race. [8] But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. [9] With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; [10] from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. [11] Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? [12] Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Neither can salt water produce fresh.” Col. 4:6
Colossians 4:6
“Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person.”
Do we bless God and curse others?
Is our speech seasoned with salt or bitter herbs?
I find myself sometimes just wanting to tell someone off and tell them exactly what I think about them, but I am learning to overlook things and bless them instead of cursing them.
Driving is a tremendous test of controlling your tongue. Again, this is an area where self-control with the help of the Holy Spirit comes in. I do have to repent a lot of times, but I have found that if you take a minute to think before you engage your mouth, it will go a long way in controlling your speech. I remember driving on the interstate one day and started cursing a driver who cut in front of me. The lord had been dealing with me about this, and I asked Him one day, “Well, what do you want me to do?” His reply was to bless them. How do I do that? He gave me a Numbers 6:24-26 to pray every time I felt like cursing a driver or someone who irritated me. I admit that the first few times I said it, and I told the lord I didn’t mean it, but I discovered that the more I prayed that passage of Scripture when I got irritated while driving or when someone else irritated me, the more it became a part of me and instead of a cursing coming out of my mouth, a blessing came out. It takes doing it when you don’t want to do it, and when it becomes a habit, it will control your speech.
I have to learned to recognize when I am about to fly off the handle, sometimes I miss it, but it’s an area I am still working on with the Lord’s help.
NUMBER ELEVEN: WHAT SPECIFIC AREAS IN MY LIFE NEED TO CHANGE WITH THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?
Notice this said with the help of the Holy Spirit. Real change comes when you submit to Him and are obedient to Him.
Can you name some very specific areas of your life that you would like to see changed this year?
Sit down with the Lord and ask Him to show you areas in your life that need to be changed, and then seek Him on how to go about changing them.
Remember that you need the help of the Holy Spirit to make these changes, but you have to surrender to Him first.
I pray that all of you have a wonderful, blessed, and prosperous New Year.
I pray that your spiritual walk with the Lord grows by leaps and bounds and you become more and more like Him.
