Making New Year’s Resolutions Really Count

It’s 10:47am on New Year’s Eve and I can already detect the distinctive taste of failure in the air. Now, while one may think that such a lingering stench here in Iowa is a leftover from the Hawkeye football season (a good assumption really), the reason I smell failure in the air today is that as I write hundreds of thousands of New Years resolutions are being made that are pretty much doomed to fail from the start. Many people will resolve today to lose weight, stop an addiction, be a better husband/wife, or resolve to read the whole of scripture in 2013. Awesome goals to be sure, but sadly most are likely to fail. According to the Wall Street Journal this morning a University study showed that 60% of resolutions tend to fail within six months by people’s own admission, and it’s likely a good portion of the “successful” 40% simply had too much pride to admit their failure. This New Year’s I’ve really tried to think about why we fail at our New Year’s resolutions, especially the ones that involve our faith. Experience tells me that a significant number of failed resolutions are spiritual ones: reading through the Bible in a year, praying daily, being more regular in worship attendance, serving in a bigger way, actually tithing, etc. Hopefully the following thoughts will help you a) decide to make a specific commitment to God this year and b) help you to live it out the whole year through.

1. Form habits, not “resolutions”:  Many people tend to view committing to regularly connect to God as they do diet plans. Most “diets” people go on are short term and focused on very rapid and dramtic results. While they do often tend to net people results they are almost always temporary, because once the diet ends they go back to the fatty foods, big portions, and other previous habits that made led them to needing to diet in the first place. Don’t make temporary resolutions with God. First, they will lead to failure down the road and second, I don’t think that’s what God wants or whats best for you.

2. Focus on the big picture: I think many normal resolutions fail because, frankly, people don’t really feel like its a big deal if they do fail. When we’re committing to creating and maintain spiritual habits (prayer life, scripture reading, committing to more actively serve, etc.) it should be a big deal. When you decide to form Godly habits you are committing to actively follow God and His commandments in a big way. Take the habit of daily scripture reading. Proverbs says this: be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.That’s no small potatoes! The big picture is you’re training yourself up to be a bigger, better, bolder disciple of Christ, that’s not something we should be willing to easily fail at.

3. Don’t tackle it alone: People I talk to who successfully develop spiritual habits like daily prayer and scripture reading more often then partner up with someone else. Often this is a family member, but it can also be a good friend. If you want to actually read the Bible daily this year then get someone else on board with you that can help encourage you and hold you accountable.

Taking Back Christmas: The final day: December 27th

In yesterday’s scripture Jesus taught us that “but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.” Today we want to challenge you to humble yourself to serve others in need. There are a lot of people that need to be served with the love of Christ, and obviously we can’t serve them all in one day. We have decided to focus today on a group Jesus often did, and that’s the poor. Today, and in the days that follow, we encourage you to humble yourself to be a servant to the poor in a tangible way. We’ve listed a variety of ways for you to serve below, but feel free to add your own. If you can’t fit in the time to serve today simply carve out time in the days that follow.

• Purchase some non-perishable food items and donate them to the Ecumenical Cupboard. The Cupboard is open from 10am-noon Monday, Wednesdays, and Friday, or you can call them at 676-4031 to set-up a drop-off time.
• Purchase some personal hygiene items from the store and donate them to the Ecumenical Cupboard.
• Contact Andy Baker to volunteer to help serve or cook for End of Month Meals some time in 2013. This ministry provides meals for those in need the last week of each month.

• Volunteer with one of the organizations in town that serves people in need. A number of organizations are listed below, but this is not meant to be an exhaustive list. It simply lists some organizations we know to need volunteers to meet various needs in Mahaska County. There are many other great organizations in town to volunteer with as well.

• Christian Opportunity Center (Oskaloosa: 641-673-9480, Pella: 641-628-1162). Serve individuals with various special needs. See specific volunteer opportunities at www.christianopportunity.org.
• Ecumenical Cupboard (641-676-4031). Currently especially need people with basic office skills, reception skills, and ability to help offload trucks.
• Central Reformed PALS Ministry: Always in need of people willing to drive others to appointments and nursing homes. Especially in need of women willing to be on call. Contact: Donna De Groot (641-295-1601) or Lynette Stream (641-676-1634)
• Habitat for Humanity of Mahaska County (641-295-5805): Habitat is always looking for people willing to assist with various building projects in our area, especially on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Check their local website for more info: www.mahaskahfh.org.
• United Way of Mahaska County (641) 673-6043: United Way has many opportunities to volunteer and help others. They can also point you towards many other organizations in our community that could use help serving others.

Taking Back Christmas: December 26th

Scripture: Mark 10:35-45

Commentary: There was a lot of discussion when we were formulating this project over when these twelve days would start and end. First we thought it would probably make the most sense to end on Christmas day. The more we thought about it the more we thought that we needed to stretch beyond Christmas day, and here’s why. Christmas was never meant to mark the end of anything, but rather to mark a radical new beginning. The first Christmas ushered in something totally new and wonderful to our world. Jesus came and shook the foundations of what life was all about. He boldly challenged us to be active servants of God, being devoted not only to prayer and scripture, but also to serving others in our world through the spreading of the gospel, the loving of others, and the meeting of needs with love. For one of the first times in human history people were being told not to focus on their own success in life, but to live a life that serves and benefits others as well.

As we enter our final two days we urge you to think about letting this Christmas be a new beginning for you. A time to hit the “re-start button,” to start living a out a life of servant-hood.

Prayer: Take time today to pray about the following

• Ask God to make you a better servant. To do that maybe you have to ask Him to help you take some things out of your life, give you courage and strength, or help you to trust Him more fully.

• Ask God to reveal people in your life and community that need to be served.

• Thank God for the people who have served you throughout your life (i.e. your parents, Sunday school teachers, friends, pastors, etc.)

• Pray for people in our community that need to be served: those who don’t know Jesus, the poor, the sick, the elderly, the abused, and more. Pray that God would raise up people, by His Spirit, to serve them.

Merry Christmas!!!

A very Merry Christmas to everyone today! Enjoy the presents, the food, and the family today. In the midst of it all please don’t forget to also give some time to the one who this day is really all about: our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Scriptures: Luke 2:1-20, Luke 23:26-49, and Luke 24:1-12

Commentary: The point of both our Advent sermon series and this 12 day challenge has been getting back to the true meaning of Christmas. On this, the day of Jesus’ birth, we want to encourage you to take the time to read three scriptures: Jesus’ birth, Jesus’ death, and Jesus’ resurrection. If you are having a meal and/or time of opening presents with your family today we really encourage you to open that time with a reading of these scriptures. Take the time on this busy day to hit the pause button and let scripture remind you of what Christmas is really all about.

Prayer: Take the time today to give God the glory, praise, and honor for the gift of Christ Jesus.

Taking Back Christmas: December 24th

As we celebrate Christmas Eve today we want to challenge you to consistently ask yourself the following question today: am I shining God’s light RIGHT NOW? If you find yourself having moments where your actions are not shining for God try to get yourself re-set and recharged so you can start shining again. It’s hard for us to give you a list of suggestions today, because shining your light for Christ is really a lifestyle thing. It’s about living out your faith and the teachings of the Bible in all that you do. When we do that people tend to see it, and God tends to do great things with it. If you’re a bullet point type person we have included some of the things the Bible says about shining your light.

• We shine our light when we do good works and others see it (Matt 4:16)

• When we show love to others we are shining Christ’s light. If our actions cause them to stumble then we are not shinning (1 John 2:10)

• We shine Christ’s light by living all aspects of our life according to scripture (1 John 2:4-6).

• We are able to shine Christ’s light when we are regularly confessing our sins (1 John 1:7-10).

• We shine Christ’s light when we follow God’s ways over the ways of the world (John 3:19-21).

• We shine Christ’s light by telling other’s about Him, so that they too may be saved (Acts 13:47).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taking Back Christmas: December 23rd

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12, Matthew 5:14-16, and 1 John 1:5-10

Commentary: I knew a man when I was growing up who basically LIVED to decorate for Christmas. He did elaborate wood cuttings that he brightly illuminated, set-up giant speakers to play music, and likely had the largest residential electrical bill in all of Iowa for the month of December. Then, they moved to an acreage outside of town. Disappointed in the lack of cars now driving by he seemingly borrowed a page from scripture: he erected a giant star high in the air that could be seen for miles. As the star led the Wise Men to Bethlehem, so his brightly lit faux star led people to his house (until the airport authorities made him turn it off when a plane nearly mistook it for the airport).

One of the words used most in scripture to describe what is expected of us as Christians is light. Like the original Bethlehem star we are exhorted to lead people towards Jesus in both word and deed. Sometimes it’s our words that God uses to lead people towards him, but oftentimes our actions speak even louder. As we head into Christmas, and you see lights all over town, remember that Christ is asking you to be the light leading people towards Him this Christmas.

Pray: Take time today to pray for the following

• Pray for all those who need Christ’s light to shine upon them this Christmas. Pray both generically and specifically for those you know that need Christ this season.
• Ask God to use you as His light not only this Christmas, but in the year ahead as well.
• Ask God to reveal to you ways you can shine for Him, and ask for the courage to do so.

 

 

 

 

 

Taking Back Christmas: December 22nd

Yesterday we read the story of Simeon and Anna, where we saw in detail that Christ came to save the world, regardless of whether it’s people deserved it. Today we want to encourage you to be a blessing to someone regardless of whether they deserve it. At Central Reformed Church we tend to call these “Random Acts of Kindness,” and its been a huge part of who we are as a church. We want to encourage you to do a couple of random acts of kindness today, blessing others regardless of who they are.

We’ve listed some ideas below, but PLEASE feel free to come up with your own. We’d love for you to do at least one or two, but feel free to do as many kind things for others as you wish. If your family currently lives at home perhaps you could undertake this as a family project.

• Write a note of encouragement to someone you know that is in mourning this Christmas.
• Challenge yourself to see how many strangers you can wish a Merry Christmas to today.
• Surprise a friend, neighbor, or family member by bringing them coffee and donuts this morning.
• If it snows, surprise your neighbor by doing their drive and sidewalk for them.
• This will likely be a high stress day for store cashiers. Take some time to encourage them and wish them a Merry Christmas.
• If you stop at a store on this busy day do one of the following
  • Park as far away as possible to save a choice spot for others.
  • Be on the lookout for someone who may need help loading their vehicle.
  • Go on “cart patrol”: find carts that are strewn all over the parking lot and return them to the cart corral.
  • Be super polite! Let people go ahead of your in line, let them pass in the aisles, and wish them a Merry Christmas. People will be rushed and stressed, so your calm and politeness will go a long way.
  • Think of people in your life who may have a need, and go and meet that need.
  • Call or visit a member of our church who is in the nursing home or unable to easily leave their house (unless you know them well please give them a call before stopping over).
  • Randomly pay for someone else’s meal/coffee at a restaurant
  • Bring a warm drink to the Salvation Army Bell Ringers (you may want to ask them if they have a preference before bringing it out to them

Taking Back Christmas: December 21st

UPDATE: I wanted to share a story today that really goes with what we are looking at the next two days. With the economy poor and Christmas approaching we’ve had a lot of people contacting the church for aid. Because we are not an aid organization we send most of them on to one of a number of organizations we work with. One person this week, however, really pulled on my heart. She had gone through a number of situations recently that frankly I wish no one ever had to go through. Despite working a job and doing her best she could not get her rent paid, and was close to getting evicted. I felt for her, but again, we’re not an aid organization, especially not at the sort of level she needed. We tried to get in touch with a couple of organizations in town, but either could not, or their funds were pretty dry (many organizations don’t get “refreshed” until the new year). The woman actually called back later in the day and said she only had a few hours until she got evicted. Again, I checked around, but just could not figure anything out on such short notice. As I reached for the phone to inform the woman I was very sorry a member of our church walked into my office and handed me an envelope. She had just come into a significant sum of money and felt God telling her to that someone in town needed it and that I would know who that was. She handed me an envelope and when I looked inside it was the EXACT amount the lady needed to stay in her place! God is good. It was great to explain that story to the woman in need, letting her know that God is looking out for her and was moving in the lives of Christians to help her out. It was one of the first times in her life she could feel the love of God, and I’m excited now to see what other plans God has for her.

I tell this story not as any sort of a brag, but to show what can happen when you open yourself up to being used by God. As we talk about serving others as part of taking back Christmas I encourage you to pray about how God can use you to really bless others, just as the coming of Christ has been a blessing to you. Remember, helping serving someone else can not only meet a physical need they have, but in the hands of God can have a far deeper (possibly even eternal) impact.

 

Scripture: Luke 2:25-38 and Ephesians 2:1-10

Commentary: The story of Simeon and Anna encountering the infant Jesus does not seem to get nearly the attention given to the Shepherds and the Wise Men. Yet, when we read their reaction to meeting Jesus we learn more about who He is and what He’s come to do.  Christ comes into the world to save us. Not because we have done anything to deserve it, because in fact we have done so much NOT to deserve it

In your life do you tend to do good things for people only when you think they deserve it? I’ll admit, I often have that tendency. If someone has treated me well I’m prone to go out of my way to treat them well. If they treated me poorly, or perhaps are someone I’ve never met or hardly know, I tend to be much less likely to serve them. Yet, that approach really does not model what Christ does in coming to earth does it? He does not come merely for those who patiently and righteously waited for him but, in Simeon’s words, he comes to be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”

Pray: Take time today to pray for the following

• Thank God for coming to earth to give you what you did not deserve: the gift of eternal life
• Take a moment to look at your life and explore whether or not you are being a blessing to ALL people in your life. Ask God to help you expand the list of those who you are blessing and serving.
• Ask God to give you the courage to serve and bless others, regardless of what they have, or have not, done for you.

Taking Back Christmas: December 20th

Yesterday we looked at how Christ came to earth not for his own benefit, but to be a blessing to others. We also looked at scripture that reminded us that God desires us to be a blessing to our family and our elders. Today we want to challenge you to do something to bless the lives of at least one family member and one elder figure in your life. We’ve listed some possibilities below, but feel free to create your own. Simply do something tangible that would bless your family and elders today.

 

Family

• Take on a role you never take on in your family. For example, in the Baker family I (Andy) hardly ever do the laundry. My wife takes that on not because she enjoys it, but simply because it has to be done. Find a role someone else in your family does simply because they must, and lovingly fill it for them today.
• Take time to intentionally give praise to others in your family. Make it specific (ex. “I’m so proud of how you are following Christ in your life” or “I’m so thankful that you do _________________ for me on a regular basis. That means a lot to me.”).
• Call or visit an extended family member you might not talk with on a daily basis and simply have a nice conversation with them.
• Take time to pray for both your immediate and extended families.
• If your family all still lives in at home, take the time to actually share a meal together today or tomorrow. Maybe it will have to be an early breakfast, or a later then normal dinner, but take the time to actually break bread together.

Elders

• Take time to write and send a card thanking an elder/senior who has had an impact in your life. It may be an old Sunday school teacher, a family friend, a coach, a neighbor, or any other elder who has had an impact on you.
• Write a note, call, or visit someone who is in a nursing home or not able to easily leave their home. If you need some ideas of who to write to there is a list in the church bulletin (which you can find online at www.centralosky.com). If you plan to visit someone please call ahead of time to make sure that will work well for them.
• Offer to do something for an elder in your life. Shovel their drive, bring them a meal, see if there is a project around the house you can do for them, etc.

Taking Back Christmas: December 19th

Scripture: Matthew 20:20-28 and 1 Timothy 5:1-8

Commentary: Let’s be honest. There are plenty of days its difficult enough to find time to adequately worry about our own lives, let alone worry about the lives of others. Yet, look at what happens on Christmas. The Christmas story is just not a cute story about a child being born in a barn, but it’s the re-telling of God coming to earth for all of us. The gift of Christmas is that our perfect God left a perfect heaven to save imperfect people (us!). Christmas represents the first step God takes on a sacrificial journey that will include rejection, crucifixion, and finally resurrection. Christmas at its very core is about God doing something incredible for the benefit of others. Shouldn’t we look at it likewise, seeing Christmas as a season to give to others as Christ gives to us?

Two groups that we would like to specifically encourage everyone to love and care for this Christmas are our elders/seniors and family members. There are certainly many groups of people that God urges us to show love to, we simply chose these two because nearly all of us have elders and family in our lives who we can serve. The scripture we read today makes it clear that God wants us to love and care for them as God loves and cares for us. This Christmas, lets take time to love and care for others as God so deeply cared for us by coming to earth to love and save us.

Pray: Take time today to pray for the following

• Thank God for being willing to sacrifice being in a perfect heaven to take on imperfect flesh to save you.
• Ask God to help you develop a similar sacrificial attitude this Christmas season, taking steps in your life to show love and care to others
• Spend time praying for everyone in your family. Include anyone you consider as family. Don’t just simply list their names, but take some time to truly pray for each one of them.
• Pray for some elders in your life. Perhaps they have gone through the death of a spouse, are suffering from an illness, are experiencing loneliness this time of year, etc.