FIRST RESOLUTION

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Here we are the 1^st week of January. Time to set some goals, some expectations and craft some plans right?

Is it really time for those pesky resolutions again? Guess so...

I will be honest. I don’t fare too well in the resolutions department. But this year I am again striding into the process confidently.

Drop a pound or 40, be a better communicator, be a better Pastor, papa, and hubby, plan more effectively, manage my money in a more Godly fashion are all on the radar.

And they all are good goals for sure.

Yet the other night, Beth and I were watching Andy Stanley speaking at his father Charles’ church in honor of his 80^th birthday. Following the service they had a little segment of Charles and Andy at the kitchen table talking about goals and plans.

And as the conversation continued two very important nuggets of truth were shared.

One was Charles’ mantra. “Obey GOD and leave all the consequences to Him.”

New year? Obey GOD.

New project? Obey GOD.

New plan for the family? Obey GOD.

In all that we do…obey GOD. That is the FIRST and only “real” resolution; every January, in fact EVERY DAY!

Obey GOD and seek His will for the day for you. It does pay dividends and offers real promise when we do!

Deuteronomy 28:1-6

If you listen obediently to the Voice of GOD, your God, and heartily obey all his commandments that I command you today, GOD, your God, will place you on high, high above all the nations of the world. All these blessings will come down on you and spread out beyond you because you have responded to the Voice of GOD, your God: GOD’s blessing inside the city, GOD’s blessing in the country; GOD’s blessing on your children, the crops of your land, the young of your livestock, the calves of your herds, the lambs of your flocks. GOD’s blessing on your basket and bread bowl; GOD’s blessing in your coming in, GOD’s blessing in your going out.

The other little nugget that stuck with me was Charles’ unwavering commitment to praying for “what GOD had next”. He didn’t discount the exercise and the validity of setting goals and making plans. Yet He encourages us to pray for “what’s next”,to fully trust GOD with those plans and those goals and to listen for GOD’s direction and guidance.

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding.

Proverbs 16:1

Mortals make elaborate plans, but GOD has the last word.

So why not join me in taking a little page from Charles’ 80 years of following GOD as we embark upon 2013.

Simple put and simply shared obeying God is always the right and first resolution for every day.

Blessing, guidance and direction are sure to follow.

I love you all.

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney