A Pastor’s Thoughts On A New Year 

I have heard people talk about their New Year’s resolutions all my life. To eat healthier, to live more simply, to let go of the past and move forward instead of looking backward, read the Bible more, or 24 books this year. Some of these seemingly simple things are often hard to follow through with, and once we break a new habit, we tend to give up. I’ve found that it is easier to work toward a lifetime habit rather than short-term improvements.

Forced by sickness to miss the first service of the year, I am watching remotely; I think about where we have come from and where I want to go. Now more than ever, I want to go to heaven and take someone with me.

  • To accomplish the second, I must be better at the first desire. I desire to be someone so in love with God that others see him through me, not just through my words or actions, but by the love, I return to him in all that I do. Some things reflect my love for Him.
  • I want to be better at Reading His word – Not for a prize or accomplishment, but to know Him better.
  • I want to be more active in prayer – Pray without ceasing, His word says.
  • I want to be more loving to people and less judgmental of their weaknesses – Jesus loved even His enemies. He did correct misbehavior to save people. You can’t love someone who is drowning without actively trying to keep them.
  • I want to be in worship with people who want to know the Lord – The value of the church is the people who gather to worship. The weakness of the church is the people who gather to worship. Don’t we all have a weakness?
    • Jesus never failed to gather to worship every week, although, at times, he was worshipping with people plotting to kill him. He continued teaching and preaching during the week. I teach my kids not by words but by attending church the value of a day given to God every week. Nothing is more valuable to your week than a day to worship the King of Kings and spend time with your family. Being at church allows you to learn to forgive and to receive forgiveness. You know how to get along with people of all shapes and sizes, wealth and poverty, intelligent and not so intelligent.
  • I want to reach the lost and hurting – I want people to want to come here to worship God.
    • All of these are heartbeats of God, and not just my own desires. These goals lead me to a heart of peace, love, joy, long-suffering, gentleness, meakness, faith, or the fruit of the Spirit. They also allow the gifts of the Spirit to flourish in us. Those gifts are for Christ’s body, not my benefit. In other words, we allow God to follow us to help others.
    • We enable the 5-fold ministry to operate among us, the preachers, teachers, Prophets, Evangelists, and teachers. These help build the church and strengthen and deepen all of our faith.

These are lifetime goals. They are God’s goals for our life. In other words, we align with God’s plan for our lives, we live in His blessing, with His anointing in our lives. That is His goal for us!

Adults
Adults