Yesterday I wrote about starting over. I wrote about how you can decide to make changes any day in your life and that you don't have to wait for Jan 1st.
Deciding to make the change is sometimes the easy part. Sticking to that change and breaking old habits can be the hard part. Whenever I try to make changes in my life, I often revert to my old tendencies. Often times I end up in despair and give up.
Paul wrote about this in Romans 7:13 - 24. He describes our struggle against the flesh when he says, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." He goes on to say, "For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out."
Trying to get our act together on our own is very frustrating and even impossible. We need to realize two things. 1) God does not require us to "get it together" before we come to him. We simply come to Him just as we are. 2) We can't do it on our own. We need God's help and with His help all things are possible.
The Holy Spirit is ready and waiting to help you make changes in your life. You don't have to go it alone. You need to choose to act on God's promises to help you. Then you need to prepare for battle. Arm yourself with the Word of God, prayer, and a godly friend who can encourage you through your tough times.
Remember that each day you stay on track, you are one step closer to breaking old habits and making new ones.
Galatians 5:16 "live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature."
Matthew 19:26 "with God all things are possible."
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
Resolutions
I'm back! What was suppose to be two wonderful weeks off, turned into two weeks of illness. Hopefully I'm going to shake this thing soon. Here's what I've been thinking about lately…
I've always been one to make New Years Resolutions. Nothing too earth shattering but I like to take the time to examine what I'm doing with my life, where I'm headed and what I need to change in order to get to the desired destination.
I think it is a good thing to examine your life and see how you are doing. I think God is pleased when we think through our resolutions but He desires us to do this on a daily basis not a yearly basis. What is so special about waiting until Jan 1st to decide to make changes? If there's something in your life that isn't right, God is waiting and wanting you to make it right.
Use the beginning of this new year to make some new starts. Perhaps you want to start a prayer journal, a daily quiet time, a fast, regular church attendance, etc ........... God is all about new beginnings and second chances. All we have to do is decide to start now.
How do we get started? Just do it. Make each day a goal of its' own. You can't look to the finish line. Did I have a quiet time every day this year? But instead make it, did I have my quiet time today. Did I do the right thing today? Did I reach out to someone who needed it today?
So resolve this year, to make each day a new starting point. If you blew it yesterday, just tell God you blew it, and start again. Life is about what you do with today. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. Live in the moment and walk with Jesus every moment. He loves you and is waiting to help you through each and every moment of every day.
You don't need to wait until Jan 1st to make changes in your life. You can make them each and every day. Make your decision. Trust God and then go for it!
1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! "
I've always been one to make New Years Resolutions. Nothing too earth shattering but I like to take the time to examine what I'm doing with my life, where I'm headed and what I need to change in order to get to the desired destination.
I think it is a good thing to examine your life and see how you are doing. I think God is pleased when we think through our resolutions but He desires us to do this on a daily basis not a yearly basis. What is so special about waiting until Jan 1st to decide to make changes? If there's something in your life that isn't right, God is waiting and wanting you to make it right.
Use the beginning of this new year to make some new starts. Perhaps you want to start a prayer journal, a daily quiet time, a fast, regular church attendance, etc ........... God is all about new beginnings and second chances. All we have to do is decide to start now.
How do we get started? Just do it. Make each day a goal of its' own. You can't look to the finish line. Did I have a quiet time every day this year? But instead make it, did I have my quiet time today. Did I do the right thing today? Did I reach out to someone who needed it today?
So resolve this year, to make each day a new starting point. If you blew it yesterday, just tell God you blew it, and start again. Life is about what you do with today. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. Live in the moment and walk with Jesus every moment. He loves you and is waiting to help you through each and every moment of every day.
You don't need to wait until Jan 1st to make changes in your life. You can make them each and every day. Make your decision. Trust God and then go for it!
1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! "
Friday, December 21, 2007
Keep Moving
Albert Einstein once said "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving. "
The Christian life is much the same. You can't get lulled into a period of doing nothing. You must keep moving in your faith.
Colossians 2:6 "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."
In order to continue to live in Him, we have to continue to get to know Him. We can't do that in a vacuum. Every Christian needs time in the word, in prayer, and in fellowship with other Christians.
I have two challenges for you (and myself) this Christmas.
1. Reread the Christmas story and read it slowly. Think about it; meditate on it. Perhaps read it from a different translation so that it forces you to slow down and think your way through it. Really think through who Jesus is and what He means to you.
2. If you want to receive a blessing this Christmas, then seek to be a blessing in someone else's life. It amazes me how God blesses me when I reach out to others.
Have a restful, Christ-filled holiday and I'll be back in January.
The Christian life is much the same. You can't get lulled into a period of doing nothing. You must keep moving in your faith.
Colossians 2:6 "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."
In order to continue to live in Him, we have to continue to get to know Him. We can't do that in a vacuum. Every Christian needs time in the word, in prayer, and in fellowship with other Christians.
I have two challenges for you (and myself) this Christmas.
1. Reread the Christmas story and read it slowly. Think about it; meditate on it. Perhaps read it from a different translation so that it forces you to slow down and think your way through it. Really think through who Jesus is and what He means to you.
2. If you want to receive a blessing this Christmas, then seek to be a blessing in someone else's life. It amazes me how God blesses me when I reach out to others.
Have a restful, Christ-filled holiday and I'll be back in January.
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