Resolutions leave me cold.  I set the usual New Year’s goals for many year and struggled with them until I discovered why they didn’t work-I was leaving God out!   Life is not a self-help strategy and the Bible is not a self help program.  
Our challenge together is to remember God first and build on the foundation of Jesus Christ given to us as a gift.  

My first goal for a blessed new day and new year flows from the promise of the new birth. I write it down at charge conference (a Methodist thing ), look at it first thing in the morning, and pray for strength to do this one thing constantly, ” to be and become a stronger disciple of Jesus Christ.”  Simple to say but harder to do. 

Rather than a resolution I am going to form my health, educational, vocational, financial and relational goals around the spiritual.  All of these life improvements will flow from the spiritual.  

Be Careful here… God doesn’t owe me anything. This isn’t a punch list to get God to deliver the goods but the framework of a good life, one that is bigger than my bank account or car. It may flesh out differently for you but here are my three foundations for 2016

First, I will love God’s word and not just read it.  This is primarily from Bible study but is much more than just a brain thing.  

Second, I will deepen my life of prayer beyond just spending more time in prayer. 

Finally, I will develop my skills for ministering beyond mere doing and more of a flowing from God’s Holy Spirit.  

Please join me!   Use these goals to craft your own!  I need the company and encouragement and we can all grow together in God’s super abundant Grace! 

  
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