It's that time of Year again!

Can you remember the New Years Resolution you made last year?  If, what was it?

Read 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 1 Timothy 4:8

What do these verses tell you about the importance of being physically fit?

What do these verses tell you about the importance of being spiritually fit?

  

It's that time of year again!  January is quickly approaching and this is the month that we typically make these bold and ambious goals to either diet, exercise, start something new, etc. These are very good things to do and I strongly encourage you to do this. For me, the problem isn’t coming up with a goal or task to do. Rather, it is actually getting out of my routine and actually doing it. For instance, Anne keeps encouraging me to exercise and Rick Huber wants to help me come up with a healthy eating plan. It’s not that I don’t want to do them, it is just getting myself out of the same daily routine I am comfortable and familiar with.

Working out and exercising are good goals to go after as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 that we are to honor God with our bodies. However, in 1 Timothy 4:8, Paul also writes that although taking care of ourselves is good, spiritual nurishment is of even greater importance. “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”

What holds you back from setting goals and accomplishing them this year? And, what kinds of goals are you striving for? My encouragement for you, as we begin this new year, is to really look at setting goals that push us closer to Christ.

Maybe it is having a family Bible Passage of the week that your family can read on their own and then meet up to discuss at the end of the week. Maybe it is to take notes during your pastors or youth pastor's messages and apply 1 thing from it that week.

Whatever your goal may be, I hope and pray that take some time and really process how you and your family can benefit this year with some Christ-centered goals.

Application:

Write down 1 goal you can do this year that will push you closer to Christ.  Then, share your goal with someone else so they can be praying for you and encouraging you in your goal.

Christmas, Linus and Communicating

What is your favorite part of Christmas?  Why?

I love Christmas!  It is my favorite holiday of the year.  I love decorating the day after Thanksgiving (although this year, my 12 ft. wreath hanging fall put a damper on this year's decorating), listening to Christmas music and watching all the Christmas specials.

This past Sunday, I had the pleasure of listening to Katie Von Kahle share with our middle school students about the meaning of Christmas.  She did a great job and in it, she showed a great clip from Charlie Brown's Christmas involving Linus.  Check it out.

Read Luke 2:1-20

What does this passage mean to you? What is the importance of Christ being born?

What did the Angels say would happen with Christ being born?

What is the latest thing you have upgraded? For instance, did you upgrade your cell phone, video game console or computer recently?  Why did you upgrade?

It might be a stretch to say that God upgraded his means of communicating to us by sending his son, Jesus, to come down here on earth, live among us and die for us.  God brought the savior to us!  When Christ came to earth, it signaled to us that God deeply cares about us and will stop at nothing to get across his message of love, forgiveness and redemption.

God upgraded from having Prophets speak the truth to his people, to sending his son, one and only son, to live among us.  Christ spoke for God as he is God (John 1:1-2).  What a huge decision God made to reach out to us. 

Because God changed his approach to reaching us, sometimes we need to change the approach we have at hearing and being challenged by Christ.

Application:

So, this week, how can you upgrade your relationship with Christ?  What can you do that will push you closer to him this week?  **Try to avoid the common - "I will read the Bible more" or "I will pray more".  Those are very good, but are not specific enough.  Instead of saying, "I will read the Bible more", maybe put down, "I will read through Philippians and write down 1 application that I will do this week based on what I read"**

Write it down and share it with someone else so they can be encouraging you.  Or, if you are bold enough, post it under the comments section and I and others that read it will be praying for you.