Spiritual Resolutions

New Year's is a benchmark. It's a snapshot day where we take stock in our lives, determine whether we are where we want to be, then resolve (i.e. make resolutions) to get to where we want to be. In reality, we could do this any day of the year, but the day that we take the 2016 calendars down, and hang 2017 calendars seems just as good a day as any to take stock in our lives.

Interestingly enough, when most Americans evaluate their lives and resolve to change, they tend to focus on their bodies and health. According to Google, the top searches regarding resolutions revolve around wellness, whether that be losing weight, exercising more, or eating right. Other top-ranked resolution searches involve enjoying life more, visiting loved ones more, and making career advances.

These resolutions are all well and good. Being healthy, enjoying life, loving others and advancing careers are all really great things. If we are to be honest, we are horrible at keeping these resolutions, but still, they are all worthy goals.

However, if we only focus on these things at New Year's, we miss the chance to truly inspect ourselves to see if we are where God wants us. Yes, taking stock of our physical lives and resolving to change is one thing. We'd be remiss if we neglected to take stock of our Spiritual lives.

The Aposle Paul wrote about this in Philippians 3:13-14:

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

In Philippians 3, the Apostle Paul discussed how suffering not only identified him with Christ, but also helped him to understand the Lord more. Through suffering, he more fully understood the Lord's love and sacrifice. If suffering brought him closer to Christ, the Apostle Paul's attitude was, "Bring it!" His goal was to be as Christlike as possible, and he was willing to endure anything to get there.

So, in Philippians 3:13-14, the Apostle Paul discussed what it took grow Spiritually and to become more Christlike. It takes a willingness to forget those things which are behind, to reach forth to those things which are before, and to press toward the mark.

In setting New Year's resolutions, let's resolve to forget those things which are behind. Now, this doesn't mean to erase those things from memory. It simply means to let go of those things. Those things that are behind, the past, can be good or bad. The Lord wants us to let go of both.

God wants us to let go of the past hurts that we have endured, whether they came as the result of abuse, or unfortunate incidents. He wants us to trust Him to take vengeance on those who have hurt us. He wants us to have the faith to move on. Furthermore, the Lord wants us to trust that whatever hard times we have endured had a purpose, and that God's will worked through those times for our betterment.

God also wants us to let go of prior victories. Yes, there were good times in the past, but holding on to the good ole days may prevent us from enjoying future blessings. We need to be willing to move on from yesterday's revivals, baptisms, meetings, and building programs so that we can reach more people, thus sparking future revivals, baptisms, growth and building programs. This applies to us on a personal level as well.

As we release the things of the past, God wants us to reach forth to those things before us. Whether that is a new ministry He has called us to, or whether He has called us to repent from a sin in which we've become entangled. Reaching forth to those things that are before simply means moving forward in the way God has directed you.

For me, this means better time management, better attitude, and renewed commitment. For Grace Pointe, this means completing the new worship facility and going self-supporting.

For you, it may mean accepting the Lord as your Savior, or following God's call into ministry. It may mean kicking a bad habit, overcoming an addiction, or aligning your views with scripture. Whatever it is, God has already convicted you of it, and called you to make the change. Will you reach forth to what He has set before you?

As we do this, we will be pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

So, as you set your New Year's resolutions, will you take stock of your Spiritual life? What do you need to release? What do you need to reach toward? What is it that God wants you to do this year? Answer those questions, then set your resolutions accordingly.

Daily Devotional Time: Philippians 1

How do you feel about your brothers and sisters in Christ? Do you love them? Long to be with them? Or can you not get away from the church quickly enough on Sunday? The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 1:3-7

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

Every time Paul thought of the believers at Philippi, he thanked God. He also prayed for them every time, making requests for them, and being thankful for their fellowship in the Gospel.

As brothers and sisters in Christ, we have a common experience. We were lost, dying and going to Hell for our sins, until an evangelist, preacher, friend, family member or neighbor shared the Gospel with us. Upon hearing how Christ died for our sins, taking our punishment, and rose again to give us eternal life, we repented of our sins and trusted Him for salvation. That saving experience liberated us from the shame of sin and guilt, and gave us a whole new lease on life.

At that time, God began a perfect work in us... redeeming us from the sin that entraps us, and teaching us how to overcome the wiles of the devil. Through His word, the Lord has built our faith, and helped us to live our lives for Him. The longer we live under His grace, the more we grow to be like Him. Paul wrote that God will continue this work until the day that we are reunited with Christ.

As Christians, we all share this common experience. It unites us as believers. It makes for some very good fellowship time.

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, it is a pleasure to fellowship with you, and an honor pray for you every day. I hope you enjoy the fellowship as well. May God bless you, wherever you are.

Daily Devotional Time: Philippians 4

My daily time with God, today, involved a 1-mile prayer walk at Riverside Park, and reading Philippians 4, where three verses caught my attention...

Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

I have worked myself silly, and worried myself sick making sure that I was able to provide a certain lifestyle for my family. Through the course of things, problems arise, bills come in, bank balances run low, and things break. When those things happen, it can be easy to become disgruntled, stressed out, and wonder why things always happen to us. (To quote Rabbit from Winnie the Pooh, "Oh why does it always have to be me?!!!")

When problems arise, it's important to look at the big picture. In Matthew 6, The Lord made two promises, (1) to feed me and (2) to clothe me. Anything beyond that is gravy.

Not only has God kept His promises of feeding me, and clothing me, but He has also thrown in a good variety of food, a nice home, and a beautiful family to boot. Did I mention that God has blessed me with an awesome way to make a living... serving as the missionary pastor of Grace Pointe Missionary Baptist Church, and as news director for KOXE 101.3 in Brownwood, Texas. On my worst day, I should be praising God for the blessings in my life. Whatsoever state I am in, therewith I should be content.

What if the bottom falls out? What if I lose one of my jobs, can no longer pay my mortgage, lose my home and struggle financially? This passage tells me that God has given me the power to endure hard times, and I should praise Him anyway.

Paul said in verse 12 that he is instructed to abound and to be abased. To both be full and to be hungry. The lesson I took from this today is that God wants us to be thankful for what He has done for us. In all things, we are to be full, or content. However, at the same time, we are to be hungry... that is, we are to be motivated to continue to work for the Lord. We work when we are hungry, and we shape up when we want God's favor. These verses tell me that we should stay in that state of mind, ready to work and serve the Lord. Though God has made us full, we should continue to work as if we are hungry.

Then verse 13 concludes the thought... that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. This verse, taken in context, means that we can endure all things. We can enjoy the good times, endure the bad times, and stick it through until the end.

God is great, all the time, and He has blessed us beyond all measure. Let's continue to praise Him and serve Him as He provides opportunity.

Pressing toward the mark (Philippians 13)

Philippians 3:13-14

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

What is the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus?

In the context of Philippians, I believe it is a close, intimate knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

In verse 8, Paul was counting all of his accomplishments and sufferings as loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ.

In verse 10, Paul said, "That I may know Him."

Or how about verse 12, "That I may apprehend that for which I was also apprehended." (The word apprehend means to take eagerly, seize, possess or comprehend.)

So Paul wanted to know Christ closely, and that was the thing for which he pressed (pursued.)

So, if we are to follow Paul's example of pressing toward the mark, how do we do that? We do it the way he did.

Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.

Paul listed his "qualifications" in verses 4-6. He then counted them as loss in verse 7. He was not content to rest on his past achievements, or his pedigree.

To press toward the mark means never becoming complacent or content.

He also reached forth to those things which are before. In light of his desire for knowledge, we can assume the way Paul did this was to try to learn as much of Christ as he could. This can only come from a study of scripture and practicing what the scripture teaches us.

Don't be content, learn more, do more, press on toward the mark of the high calling of Christ. Amen.