Have you heard them yet? Scores of people talking about “New Year’s resolutions?” Have you tried making those kinds of promises to yourself, only to find that they usually never last beyond January 31st?

Shortly after becoming a Christian, I began making resolutions “before God” and declaring everything from losing weight and eating better, to reading more good books and turning off the television.

Dare I say it? They didn’t last long. What happens? How do our good intentions derail so easily? Should Christians even engage in the practice of making resolutions? We would probably all be surprised how many do not.

Obviously, resolutions are helpful and productive when they are accompanied by heartfelt “resolve.” This is perhaps the problem that confronts too many of us — we are simply not serious enough to change. We get caught up in the moment, making some declarations we don’t really mean, and are not willing to follow through to fulfillment. But we desire to change. We sense a need to change. Every January 1st brings another opportunity to effect change. So, what happens to the change?

For centuries, January 1st has marked more than the beginning of the Gregorian calendar year. This date holds an almost spiritual sense of completion (of the previous year) and expectation (of the coming year). There is a natural awareness of change at this time of year. Even those tradtional symbols of year end — the old man with the long beard, and the baby in diapers — spell newness and impending change. But how does this relate to the believer? Can we anticipate change just because of the new calendar year? Is God motivated by our calendar observances?

“For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6, NKJV). We take great comfort in knowing that the Ancient of Days never changes. The Alpha and the Omega has no beginning and no end. We rejoice in the revelation that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 12:8). Changelessness is part of the very nature of God. But change IS part of the nature of man. God has created us to change, and His revealed will for mankind changes, not because of a character flaw on His part, but because our nature requires and thrives on change.

Consider God’s revelation to Jeremiah (29:11):

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Imagine God thinking about our future! He desires us to have hope — a confident expectation of blessing and provision in the days ahead. Hope causes us to walk forward into our future with faith and anticipation, even though we don’t know every detail concerning our future.

Someone once said that if God showed us every detail of our lives, all at one time, we would sit down at that point and refuse to face another day! We were not created to contain omniscience (the quality of knowing everything) like God. So, He reveals our future to us in portions we can digest — like a loving parent feeding their child only the texture and amount of food that their child can sustain. God wisely only reveals what we can understand, perceive, and apply at that time.

Knowing this, I am intrigued by the scriptures that speak of God declaring and doing “new” things:

• “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them” (Isaiah 42:9).

• “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19).

• “Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure’ … indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it” (Isaiah 46:9-11).

Careful and thoughtful study of these scriptures show us that God is not intending to do something capricious or whimsical. He is deliberately leading each of us to specific moments of destiny with which He is already completely familiar!

Several years ago, I listened intently to a Christian teacher ministering from Habakkuk 2:1-4 concerning living by vision, and learning to establish God-centered goals for our lives. This teacher very passionately taught that we must first discern the vision of God for our lives by taking time to hear God’s voice in prayer. From that point, as Habakkuk records, we should “write the vision and make it plain…” so that “…he may run who reads it.” The teacher taught that God’s vision is His will for our lives, and that we should write on paper what we perceive His will and destiny for us to be. We must also be careful to note that:

“the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry (forever).”

From this place of perceiving God’s will, the Christian teacher suggested that we should all begin to establish God-centered goals from His perceived will as a means of ensuring accountability and productivity. I began then to see that setting goals wasn’t about what I wanted to do, but what I believed God could do through me!

We must understand that God is sovereignly in control of our today and our tomorrow! So then, He enables us by grace to point ourselves toward the target of His perceived will for our life. With His will in mind, we can make a measurable impact in His Kingdom and significantly change our world by making goals that agree with God. What about Providence, you ask? All the time that we pursue our goals, we remain mindful that He has ultimate say in our destiny. His destiny for us doesn’t change each day. But our destiny is a journey, and our perception may become clouded by sin, doubt or ungodly assumptions. These areas must be corrected — minor course changes along the journey.

The Apostle James taught us to make plans with the qualifier “if the Lord wills” (James 4:13-17). Surely we’ve heard that response from someone asked about their plans: “Well, Lord willing, and if the creek don’t rise!” We must understandably make sufficient room in our goals and objectives for God’s course changes and adjustments. But the sovereignty of God is no excuse for human inactivity, procrastination, or irresponsibility. God is much bigger and mightier than our missteps. Wouldn’t we all rather be pursuing a spiritual goal that might need adjustment, than to be doing nothing for the Kingdom out of fear that we might miss His will?

Will this year be full of spiritual milestones and accomplishments, or another year of “shoulda-coulda-woulda?” Someone once said that “Goals are the rudder of our lives, and God’s wisdom is the wind filling the sails.” I suggest that our year will be more fulfilling if we are able to recognize significant Kingdom exploits (Daniel 11:32) made by setting godly goals! If we will challenge our hearts to trust in what we perceive God’s will to be for our lives, and write down several motivating thoughts concerning His will, in January 2003 we will sense His peace and pleasure.

The box to the right is a suggested format for areas to set goals in our Christian life. I encourage you to print this portion, or copy to another document for your careful and prayerful consideration. We are not just spiritual or just physical beings. Our goals should encompass many areas of our life: spiritual, physical, mental, social relationships, and stewardship. Now, formulate one or two goal statements for each area and write them in the spaces provided.

Remember to make your goals S.M.A.R.T. — Specific (not just lose weight, but instead “lose 35 pounds”); Measurable (can you tangibly show you met the goal?); Attainable (“bring about world peace” is WAY too lofty!); Realistic (“never eat chocolate again” — gallant thought, but better to say limit it to one day a week!); and Timely (set a date — not too soon, and not too late — but time constraints are helpful to bring about change).

Ready to set a goal focus for this year? Make this faith declaration with me:

“In agreement with God’s Word that says God intends to give me ‘a future and a hope,’ I offer these goals and plans to Him as a gift from my heart. I challenge myself to see exploits done for His Kingdom through my life. I will ‘redeem the time’ during this next year. I fully understand that all goals are subject to change and to the perfect will of God. By His help these dreams of my heart shall become reality!”

When we drove up to the historic motel on Route 66, an old Chevy parked out front caught our eye. It had to be more than 65 years old, and though the paint was faded, worn-off, and rust-eaten, the car still exuded a certain charm and beauty. A couple of the tires were flat, and one window was permanently open. Yet, it had a stately dignity that spoke of a time when it ruled the road.

Once upon a time, this automobile was the lifeline for an entire family. Dad drove it to work; Mom took it shopping. Weekends were for family outings, and Sundays for going to Church. Each summer she took her family to a far-off destination, and special occasions saw her at family get-togethers. The kids learned to drive behind that huge steering wheel and longed for the day they might get a car of their own: something new, shiny, and fast, with the latest technology.

But the old Chevy had long ago been discarded. Removed to the junkyard, where it sat for a decade: unwanted, untended, and ignored. Just taking up space.

Sometimes we look at people that way. We have no time for the elderly, no interest in what they have to offer or what they’ve accomplished. They had their day in the sun; now it’s our turn. We look at people of different ethnicities similarly. We too easily disregard their importance, their feelings, their dreams and ambitions, and what they can contribute to the community or the church. We treat children as though they were worth less than adults, and teens as if they should be banished to a remote island.

The Bible, on the other hand, tells us to honor people, value them, and care for them. To look for the beauty and the charm that are still there in every human being. Romans 12:10, for example, says

“… in honor giving preference to one another; …” (NKJV)

James 1:27 reminds us that

“Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their affliction, …” (LEB)

In other words, we’re supposed to honor those in society who are helpless or in less fortunate circumstances.

The writer of Job 7:1-2 adds to this discussion by recognizing the dignity of the common person and by identifying with the hireling and the slave.

“Do not mortals have hard service on earth? Are not their days like those of hired laborers? Like a slave longing for the evening shadows, or a hired laborer waiting to be paid, …” (NIV)

In context, Job is saying there’s no difference between the rich and the poor, the master and the slave, when it comes to how hard life can be. There’s no difference in that we all want rest at the end of the day, we all want a better life for our family, we all have hopes and dreams, we all need love and friendship, and we all crave acceptance and respect.

The apostle Paul summarizes in Philippians 2:3, where he simply says we are to

“… value others above yourselves …” (NIV)

The woman who owned the roadside hotel told us that a lot of her customers expressed an interest in old cars and the way life used to be on Route 66. So, she called a friend who had a junkyard and asked if there was an old car she could buy. Her friend gave her the Chevy and brought it to her motel, where it has attracted attention and sparked conversation among people from all over the country.

When was the last time you were at a place in your life where you just weren’t sure of anything? Your work? Your ministry? Your calling by God? Your sanity? God’s love? The love of others? Your faith? Oh, yes, we have all been there. In all of our lives, there are times when we are weak, exhausted, under stress, or physically ill and these are times when Satan takes advantage of us and tries to convince us that God’s love cannot be real.

Recently, the Holy Spirit reminded me of verses in Psalm 62 where King David seems to have been in a place not unlike the one I described above. He opens this psalm by saying,

“Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” Psalm 62:1-2 (NIV)

In verse 11, David summarizes the entire Psalm in this way,

“God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you; unfailing love, O Lord, is yours…” Psalm 62:11-12 (NLT)

Because David was an Israelite, he would have known the Scriptures from the time he was a small child. David had learned that God declared His strength over and over throughout history.  He would have known of the history that the Israelite nation had with God and the mighty miracles He had performed on their behalf. God had shown his strength on behalf of David time and again in battle during his reign as king of Israel. David certainly remembered the first time that God’s strength had come to his aid very publically and Goliath fell with only a single stone thrown from David’s slingshot. David knew, without question, that God was strong from both reading about and experiencing that strength.

When God spoke that He was strong, David heard that message, but he also heard that the Lord was loving. I believe that David heard this message with his heart. No matter the state of David’s life, God’s love never departed from him. Yes, David sinned greatly. Yes, David experienced doubt. Yes, David’s family was a complete mess. But God’s love for David never changed.

We are not so different from David. It matters not where we are – physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually — God’s love never changes. His heart is always full of love for us. Christ didn’t die for us IF we would behave. He died for us in spite of our behavior, in spite of our doubt and our sin. It is amazing to realize that Christ called Judas Iscariot to be one of his chosen 12 disciples, knowing that Judas would betray Him. Yet, Jesus never treated Judas differently than any of the other 11 men He called to be disciples.

Sometimes we get to a place in our life where we must be reminded that God loves us. There are times when we absolutely must know this above all else! It is the only thing that can bring us through what life hands us OR what we get ourselves into.

David goes on to remind us in Psalm 63:3-5 that God’s love is all that will satisfy us:

“Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.” (NIV)

This is your reminder, beloved, that God’s love never quits, it never gives up on you, it satisfies completely, and it is available to you in an endless supply. He reveals it in His Word, in His creation, through others who love you, and especially in the salvation that is offered only through Jesus. Drink it in, my friend. There is an abundant supply!

“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39 NASB)

In 1993, the Buffalo Bills played the Houston Oilers in the wildcard game of the American Football Conference playoffs. Minutes into the third quarter, the Bills were down 35 to 3. Slowly the seats cleared in Rich Stadium, Buffalo, New York, as disappointed Bills fans had given up and were heading home. Next, the unlikeliest of events occurred. In less than a quarter of gameplay, the Bills scored four straight touchdowns. In what remains the greatest comeback in NFL history, the Bills ended up winning in overtime, 41 to 38. Hearing of the Bills mounting comeback over the radio, hundreds of fans who had earlier left the game decided to return, climbing the stadium fences in time to see the closing minutes.

The Bills never gave up. A chief reason, for what has gone down in football legend as “The Comeback,” was the play of backup quarterback Frank Reich who threw for four touchdowns. Although a lesser-known fact, Reich also holds the record for the greatest comeback in college football. In 1984, he overcame a 31-point deficit in a win for the Maryland Terrapins.

Growing up a Bills fan, I’ll never forget “The Comeback.” Today, it’s not only football fans who are inspired by this iconic 1993 game. Hailed by some as the “comeback king” of football, Frank Reich is a dedicated believer and motivational speaker. He uses the legacy of his giant sports comebacks as keynotes in his speeches, giving God credit for his victories.

God has used the story of Reich’s come from behind wins on the playing field to inspire others to have faith and not lose heart (2 Corinthians 4:16). Reich’s life and message taps into a profound truth lying at the heart of the Christian faith—with God on our side, we’re never out of the game.

Even though sometimes it seems we’re slipping or losing ground, with Jesus, defeat is never the end of the story. Despite our disappointments in life—be it a bad half of play in a sporting game or a missed opportunity in our home life, church, or the workplace—we needn’t lose hope. In fact, we have every reason to press forward and mount our own comeback when it seems everything is at a loss. When we glance at the scoreboard of life and think the game is over—it isn’t. The tomb is empty. He has risen. The only one defeated in this game is death. The eyes of faith always look ahead to a comeback win, as the love of Jesus overcomes every deficit.

Picture for a moment the scene of ocean waves continually rolling onto a long sandy beach. The Lord recently revealed to me that His mercy is exactly like those waves, constant and never ceasing.

Lamentations 3:22-23 says,

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” (NLT) 

Without the mercy of God, we’d be finished. For God in His anger can be as fierce as a hurricane and then in His mercy become like a peaceful ocean wave.

God loves us so much and is saddened when we intentionally do things contrary to His will. The pain isn’t surface level with God, but cuts deep within.

Do you remember how crushed you felt the last time a loved one hurt you? If you are like me, you were highly disappointed at their neglect for your feelings. We’ve all been there before. Then, while you might have been angry with the person who wronged you, you were also willing to forgive them because of their heartfelt apology.

Now, by placing God in the same scenario, perhaps we can gain a better understanding of the Father’s heart. Yes, God desires to demonstrate His mercy in our lives. His mercy gives us another chance even after we’ve blown it.

The awesome thing about God is to know what He says in 1 John 1:9,

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (NLT)  

I personally enjoy being at the coast and relaxing to the sound of waves crashing upon the seashore. Whenever I return from spending time there, I am always refreshed and renewed. The ocean can be a treacherous place, but it also shares similar characteristics with its Creator. Everything on earth carries evidence of God’s character and handiwork; however, to me, the ocean is one of the greatest representatives in all of creation. As with God, the ocean is a source of life, strength, and tranquility.

Ocean waves, in particular, are truly amazing. Each time a wave washes up on the beach it carries away a portion of sand from one place to another. As a result, the waves, sand, and beach will always change. God deals with our sin in the same way the ocean deals with sand. He washes over us with His waves of mercy and takes away our sins.

Audio Adrenaline illustrates this clearly in a segment of their song, Ocean Floor: The lyrics speak of the songwriter’s sins, how they haunt him and are ugly. Then it makes the analogy of these sins being washed away by large ocean waves (God’s forgiveness) and they are as gone as the ocean floor is when wiped away by the churning surf.

Every day, God wants us to truly experience His mercy and do what 1 Chronicles 16:34 tells us,

Have you ever felt as though the burdens you encounter and the cares of the world have drawn the very life out of you? Well, I have good news for you! God wants you to “come out from the tomb.”

He wants to raise you from the dead and give you new hope and strength to endure the difficulties of life.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30 (NIV)

We entomb ourselves with the sins of the world, allowing our lives to be wrapped in the shroud of despair. Because we have forsaken the “joy of the Lord,” we no longer have the strength to fight!

“This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10b (NIV)

“The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give!” Psalm 21:1 (NIV)

As we continue in this state, we begin to grieve for who we once were in Him. We long for the sweet communion that once bloomed in our hearts. The merriment of that relationship is lost and the door to the tomb begins to close. Our worship no longer smells sweet but is a disappointing odor to God and those around us.

Our God is very capable of raising the dead and bringing complete restoration in our lives just as He raised Lazarus from the dead. He had to come out from the tomb.

Sometimes God allows us to be placed in the tomb to serve as a testimony to others when He brings us out.

“Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word.” John 12:17 (NIV)

This is relative to my situation when suddenly I was thrust into the role of a single parent. I allowed the sins of worry, unbelief, and doubt to take control. There was no joy in my life and depression allowed me to die. It was impossible to help anyone else because there wasn’t enough strength to help myself. Now the door to my tomb was closed.

As I lay there in my state of lonely depression, God ministered to my heart that He was there. He promised that He would never leave nor forsake me. Immediately, strength came back into my soul.

The stone to my tomb rolled back as He whispered Romans 8:28 in my heart:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (NIV)

God used my situation as a witness to encourage others by giving them hope to live. We must focus our attention on Him, so we, like Lazarus, will be able to hear His voice when He calls: “Come out from the tomb.”

No matter what your affliction or bondage is, God is able to raise you from the dead spiritually. When we place our faith and trust in Him, as we lie silently beneath the cares of life, He will do for us just as He did with Jesus. He will raise us from the dead, roll away the stone and say, “Come out from the tomb” and live.

While attending a Ministering Spiritual Gifts Conference, I heard a teaching by Apostle John Burkholder of Buffalo, NY, who taught on Luke 6:38:

“Give and it will be given to you a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

He says he regularly prays Luke 6:38 over his personal offerings. One day, as he prayed this verse, God told him he was praying it wrong. Apostle John asked, “How?” The Lord stated it was not enough to pray for his offering to blessed, but he needed to pray for those who were to bless him, that they would be blessed to be able to give. Then the Lord took it to another level, not only was he to pray for blessings for those who were to bless to him, but also pray for those who were to bless the givers, so that they could bless him.

This is a third level blessing, going beyond simple addition into multiplication of blessings. God is a God of multiplication. We see this at creation; God commanded every living thing to be fruitful and multiply (not add).

This is true in blessings as well as praying for others to be blessed. If we pray in the matter stated above, our blessings will be multiplied as well. So as you give your tithes and offerings, pray for those who are to give to you to be blessed, then for those who are to bless them to receive a blessing.

I prayed over my offering that afternoon and on Sunday at church. My wife has had some physical issues keeping her from working for more than two years. (God has been faithful in His provision for us). We and her doctors agreed that she should apply for disability. So, she filled out all the paperwork and submitted it. Her claim was promptly rejected. She appealed and was scheduled for an appeals hearing on the next Tuesday.

At the hearing, I was told I could say nothing, so I just sat there and prayed quietly in the Spirit. The judge said it appeared my wife qualified for disability and we would be notified in seven to 10 days of his decision. We were excited and praised God.

Three days later, our attorney called with the news that the judge’s decision had already been given and he ruled in our favor! She stated it would be at least two months before we received any back payments (two years’ worth) and then we’d receive monthly checks. We again rejoiced.

Then, one week later, the lawyer called saying she did not understand it, but the check was already processed and mailed. We were stunned. We received a check for two years’ worth of back payments. Praise the Lord! A manmade timetable of over 70 days was reduced to 10 days! We tithed on what we received and I again prayed over it and am waiting to see what God does.

I want to encourage you, when you give your tithes and offerings, pray for God’s blessing. Then go beyond that and pray for others to be blessed so they can bless you. Finally, take it to the third level of blessing, pray for those to be blessed that are to bless those who are to bless you. Then, watch and see what God will do.

CBN.com — One of our besetting sins is our judgment of one another. This despite the fact that our Master, Jesus Christ, has commanded us not to be judgmental.

So often our ideas about others are based on totally false assumptions or erroneous presentations by others about the person or persons in question. We often go through life thinking conclusions that have little or no basis in reality.

Case in point: I recently met a person whom I have heard vilified by many professing followers of Christ. Well, the person I met – and the person I had heard about turned out to be two completely different persons.

This individual was kind, soft-spoken, brilliant, and a follower of Christ. Wow, were my sources ever wrong! Therefore my perceptions were mistaken. How sad it would have been to have lived my whole life believing the false reports.

Remember, Israel had to stay in the wilderness for forty years after believing false reports from ten of the twelve spies sent into the Promised Land. It is somehow in our nature more acceptable to believe bad reports than good ones.

Scripture commands us in Philippians 4:8 to do this:

“Fill your minds, on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious, the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.”

Outward appearances are a poor criteria upon which to make conclusions about anyone. And other testimonies can be false as well. Judge not that ye be not judged! These are strong words and a powerful commandment from our Lord, one that He expects to be followed. Oh, and one thing more: bearing a false witness about someone else is also a sin.