Happy New Year! 2013 truly flew by. I love the natural opportunity the new year brings my life. It helps me stop and focus upon what really matters. 2013 has been a blast! I love being a Dad, being a husband and serving God as a pastor. I have seen people come to Christ, be baptized and grow in their faith. God has done incredible things in 2013. I'm anticipating what He will do in this new year!
How many of you have thought of or are making new resolutions? Goals for the New Year?
A lot of us make goals for our physical lives, mainly. We might want to eat better, drink less caffeine, go to bed and wake up earlier, drink more water, and be nicer to family. All of these are great ways to reflect and look forward in life, but many times we are simply looking to fill the void with everything but what can truly fill our lives.
The truth is that everything minus Jesus equals nothing.
My goal this year is to become more like Jesus than I was in 2013. Nothing in this life will be more important than pursuing a relationship with Jesus.
At the heart of our goals, we should understand that external change happens through internal transformation. This is why I want to grow to know Christ more this year in these ways: - Focused prayer time talking and listening to God. - Reading His Word and asking God to change my mind, attitude and actions.
Paul understood the change that only God can bring and I resolve to focus my life on knowing Jesus more closely in 2014.
“I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.” Philippians 3:7-8.
“So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.” 1 Corinthians 9:26.
What about you? What are some goals you have for 2014?
