|
|
|
New Year Brings Great Opportunity for Spiritual Improvement By Dr. David L. Chancey
I heard about a man who weighed over 300 pounds. He went to his pastor and said, "Man, I have to do something. I can't lose this weight. I try every January 1 to lose weight and I just can't get it off. I can't get a date. I can't even get a woman to look at me." The pastor said, "I can help you. I want you to get ready by 8 a.m. tomorrow morning, wear your sweats, put on your running shoes, be ready." The man asked, "what are you going to do?" The pastor replied, "Just be ready." At 8 a.m. the next morning the doorbell rang. He opened the door and there stood the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She said, "The pastor said, 'if you can catch me, you can keep me,'" and she took off running. And so did he. Every day for about six months this happened. Finally, the man had lost about 150 pounds. He looked great, felt great, and got up one morning and said, "this is the day. This is it. I'm going to catch that woman." Eight a.m. came, and the doorbell rang just like clockwork. He opened the door and there stood the biggest woman he had ever seen in his life. She said, "the pastor said, 'if I could catch you, I could keep you." And they took off running. At the beginning of a new year, we give a lot of attention to self-improvement. We go on diets, cut back on sweets, and begin rigorous exercise programs. As important as those decisions are, God also wants us to get in shape spiritually. The beginning of the new year is a good time to take stock of where we are in our spiritual lives. And it's a good time to make commitments that will assist with progress spiritual progress. How do you measure spiritual progress? Ask yourself these questions: Do I have a growing hunger to know God? Do I have an increasing desire to know God's Word? Do I have a greater intolerance for the sin in my life? Do I have a decreasing desire for worldliness? Do I feel love for those who have wronged me? Do I find it easier to forgive those who have wronged me? Do I have an increasing desire to obey God? Do I have a growing faith? Do I care about the spiritual condition of other people? Do I build people up or tear people down with criticism? Do I spend more time in prayer? Am I interested in learning and practicing new spiritual disciplines? Let me encourage you to make four decisions that will help with spiritual improvement. First, seek to put God first in all things. Putting God first is a deliberate everyday decision. Start this new year by deciding now that you are going to live for God and give him first place in your life. Keep your focus on Him. Second, commit to read God's Word daily. God's Word, the Bible, feeds our spiritual lives and nourishes our soul. A first grader received her new Bible from her Sunday School teacher. She was so proud of that Bible as she walked into the sanctuary. She sat down and place it on the pew between her and an older gentleman. The man noticed the shiny new Bible and asked, "May I see it?" Little Cindy replied, "You can look at it, but don't open it. You might let God out!" That's the purpose of daily Bible reading. We want to let Him into our everyday lives. Third, give greater attention to prayer. A young pastor asked a wise, retired pastor, "what really builds a church?" The response? "The Word of God and prayer." Prayer is like oxygen that invigorates the body. Prayer propels the power of God into our lives. The person who neglects the power of God and prayer is like the man in Jesus' parable who builds his life on sand instead of a strong foundation. When the winds blow, and the rain falls and the flood waters rise, he is on shaky ground instead of solid ground. Fourth, attend church regularly. Hebrews 10:25 says, "forsake not the assembling of yourselves together as is the practice of some." We need to be in worship and Bible study every Sunday, not just when it's convenient. Is there an area of spiritual neglect in your life that must be addressed if you are to make progress this year? (Dr. David L. Chancey is pastor, McDonough Road Baptist Church, Fayetteville. The church family meets at 352 McDonough Road and invites you to join them this Sunday for Bible study at 9:45 a.m.
|
||