The BEST New Year's Resolution

And that is what some of you were.

But you were washed, you were sanctified,

you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ

and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 6:11

            How many of us have already messed up our New Year’s resolutions?  How many didn't even make resolutions thinking we would simply fail?  Perhaps we could focus on what truly needs resolved and then rely on the power of Almighty God to make it happen.

            There is much that goes into changing our nature to create a new heart and a new mind and yet each year we set out to do it alone. Eventually, we must surrender to our weaknesses.  Our good intentions are not enough! We are not unique.  We are only human.

            God offers us another way.  Through His grace and faithfulness, we can dwell in HIS holiness.  We are able to cast aside who we think we are and instead, identify with HIM. He graciously provides supernatural power through HIS HOLY SPIRIT enabling us to think and behave in WWJD ways.

            How does God make such change happen?  First, we are washed of our sins which is mighty important because who doesn’t want a clean slate?  We are not our past.  We are made new!

            We are sanctified which is God’s way of growing us up into being more like Him.  We are justified which means we are considered righteous because of our relationship with God enabling us to reflect HIS righteousness.

            We no longer need to wake up with our same old self.  We can replace our thoughts and rules with God’s truths. With our spiritual growth we can make real changes in the upcoming year.  This year's resolution need only be to let God work in us.

            Give God full access to your soul.  Open your heart to Him.  Do more with Him and for Him.  The Holy Spirit dwells in you to bring forth love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  With God enabling such deep spiritual rebirth, you are truly made new for this new year.

What Will Be Your Next Step?

“Therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”

 

This comes from today’s reading, Romans 5:1-11.

 

What a great privilege it is to be justified, that is, to be right before God. To know that because of Jesus’ death our sins no longer count in God’s eyes. To know that we will spend eternity in heaven. What a blessing it is indeed.

 

Take a second and recall how you came to be justified.

 

Typical of the time, for me it was at my baptism. My parents had me baptized a few weeks after my birth, and my parents also ensured I attended Confirmation classes 12 years later.

 

God justified me through the church my parents attended at the time.

 

The percentage of the population attending church is down compared to a half century ago when I was baptized. Some have opined that with the breakdown of the American family comes a reduction in church attendance. Others have said that there are too many competing activities and many times these activities win out over church attendance.

 

Whatever the reason, the church still has the job of proclaiming the Gospel and finding God’s souls.

 

And since fewer people are coming to church, the church must go where the people are!

 

In the past, we thought of mission as being overseas. Many would give money to fund a missionary’s work in a foreign land. Mission was done by paid professionals. But now, the mission field is also here at home, in our community.

 

The church consists of people, mostly justified people. It is up to these people, including you and I, to find God’s souls. 

 

As justified souls, we know Jesus. We need to go with Jesus and share the Good News in our neighborhoods.

 

You are justified.

 

What will be your next step?