4 Goals for the New Year

I’m not much of a “New Years Resolution” person, mostly because when I see something I need to change, I don’t wait until the new year – I start procrastinating now.

But picking a time of the year to stop and evaluate yourself helps you grow, and that can only be a good thing. ’Tis the season, so here are some things we should all reach for in the next year.

I think many of America’s problems today, including those of the American church, originate in misplaced priorities. All of the wrong things are important to us. To that end, here are some ideas for changing our focus, our attitudes, and our priorities.

Look Up
Read a good book about God. I’m convinced a great many of our problems come from an improper view of God. When we have a clearer picture of God, everything else comes into focus as well.

Pick up a good book about God you haven’t read or haven’t read in a long time. Some ideas: Knowing God, the Holiness of God, Your God is Too Small, the Existence and Attributes of God, Tozer on the Almighty God (has daily devotional format), or a good systematic theology.

A tip: If it makes Oprah’s list, pass.

Look Around
There is so much need around us, both in the US and around the world, but it’s easy to miss it in our day-to-day slog from work to church to the grocery store to bed. Stop and take a look around you; see the pain in the lives of other human beings. It’s hard to narrow it down, but pick something and learn about it – e.g., the modern slave trade, Darfur, AIDS patients, the homeless.

Now do something.

Look Away
There is so much filth in our culture that we can become numb to it, and that is part of the problem – we let it go or even encourage it. Christians, by and large, watch the same things non-Christians watch. Try to resensitize yourself to that. If there is a TV show or movie you watch (or want to) that you wouldn’t want your kids or grandkids to watch, abstain yourself.

Watch something else or, better yet, use the time to read a book, play a game with your kids, or go for a walk.

Step Back
Much of the above problems are rooted in the simple fact that, though we don’t think much of God or neighbor, we think about ourselves quite a bit.

Step out of the light. Volunteer to do something that no one will notice – help clean up the church after the youth group meets or keep the nursery. Does your church send cards or other material to visitors? Stuff envelopes. Do the low profile jobs no one wants to do.

Better still, try to do something where no one will even know – eg, mow for a neighbor who’s in the hospital. You’ll want to tell someone you did it. Don’t.

The idea is to beat up your pride. Then kick it while it’s down.

The saying goes you can only change the world one person at a time. Well, I think I need to start with me. How about you?

Blogging from a Deer Stand

I don’t know why I’d ever go deer hunting when sitting still is so hard for me. Nothing makes you need to fidget like being told to sit still. Nothing makes you want to touch something like the words “wet paint.” No dress can make a woman look as good as the words “thou shalt not.”

Human nature is rebellious; we want to do what we’re not supposed to do. This is true even for believers. We may have been crucified with Christ, but the flesh isn’t quite dead yet.

Some psychologists today think that will power is like a muscle. Unfortunately that means it can get tired. It appears we can use up our will power, so putting too much effort into self-control in one area may make it hard to do so in another one. This suggests we should consider carefully what is actually worth struggling with ourselves over – much like you have to learn to pick your battles with your spouse or children.

The good side of will power being like a muscle is that it can grow stronger. Yes, they say it’s possible to overexert your will power, but if you stretch yourself carefully, you may find your ability to govern yourself growing.

And we don’t simply have to grit our teeth and fight temptation. On some occasions, we’re told, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7), but other times we’re told to flee (1Cor 6:18, 10:14, 1Tim 6:11, 2Tim 2:22). In either case, we’re promised God will not let us be tempted more than we can bear, but “when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1Cor 10:13).

Of course, I don’t think believers are left solely at the mercy of their own will power. The same divine power that raised Christ from the dead is devoted to transforming us into His image (Eph 1:19, Rom 8:28-29). Still, God rarely drags us kicking and screaming into that image, but if we’re willing, if we call out to Him, He will rescue us.

“…Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

2 Minutes of Quality Television

In case you haven't watched this yet this year, or even if you have:




(link to YouTube)

Chrismas Links 2

The Virginial Conception -- Miracle on Nazareth Street
Prof. Ben Witherington III on the virgin birth of Christ

The Bible Doesn't Count
Stand to Reason on National Geographic on Herod and the slaughter of the innocents

Compassion Art
For the season of giving, a music project dedicated totally to charity.

Things You Don’t Say To Your Wife
Not necessarily Christmas, but cute. And true. (video)

The Peasant Prince

The Advent of Jesus Christ: Son of Mary

The Hebrew prophets spent quite a bit of time prophesying about the Messiah, but even still no one expected things to unfold the way they did.

The seed of Eve, the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham, the heir of David’s throne, God incarnate born to a simple peasant girl. The Light to the Gentiles was born as far from gentiles as one could possibly get. The King was born, not in a palace, but in a stable, laid in a manger rather than a golden crib.

But even this lowly birth revealed the identity of the Messiah. The incarnation of God was announced by angels. The Lamb was attended by shepherds. The Light to the Gentiles was worshipped by gentiles who brought treasures fit for the King. And the prince of this world struck at the Seed of Eve, but the blow could not land because the Serpent’s fate was already sealed.

In this season we celebrate more than the birth of a baby. We celebrate the promise of victory assured. The birth of this heavenly child was an incredible moment, a gift of inestimable value, and an incomprehensible sacrifice, but all of it would be for nothing if that was the end of the story. This baby was born so that the Lamb could be slain, for only this could destroy the Serpent’s work. And it is not a heavenly baby but a risen Lord who will reign forever over a bride made up of every tribe, tongue, and nation to the glory of God.