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My Two Cents
by Rev Chuck Behrens
January, 2017
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Past Articles |
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The health clubs and the
spas, do they love January! And beyond probably. Business skyrockets when
December bulges turn to January workouts. The infamous New Year's
resolution: A resolution according to the dictionary is "A firm decision
to do or not to do something." Unfortunately, research shows that about
88% of our resolutions won't happen.
It's not that we aren't sincere; we want to
improve. We want to be healthier. We want to spend more time with the
family, get out of debt, do better in school, clean out the junk in our
house, maybe in us. So why do our great intentions so often end up in
failed commitments?
Well over some thirty-six plus years of ministry has put me in the middle
of a lot of folks' desire to change, their efforts to change. And from
their experience - and then honestly from too much of my own - I've seen
four reasons that we fail in commitments that we really do want to keep.
Number one, we're not specific. Goals have to be more than just general
intentions. "I'm going to be a better husband." "I'm going to get in
shape." "I want to make more of a difference." Well, those are great
ideas, but they're not likely to succeed. How about, "I'm going to give my
wife all of my attention at least once a day." "I'm not going to eat after
6 o'clock and I'll spend 20 minutes on the treadmill each day." "I'm going
to volunteer at the shelter." See, those are specific and measurable
enough to give a person a decent shot at really changing.
Here's the second reason I think we fail. We're not accountable. A
resolution between me, myself and I is just too easy to forget. But when
you announce to several key people the commitment you've made, you've put
yourself on the line to do it. It's like the Bible says in Ecclesiastes
4:9-10, "Two are better than one ... if one falls down, his friend can
help him up."
Here's a third reason that our resolutions fail. We give up too soon. You
know, babies learn to walk by a process that I call "step...boom!" They
fall down, but they don't stay down. They get up! Next time it's "step,
step, step...boom!" Until one day they're rocketing across the room.
Sadly, when we fall down in our effort to do better, don't we often just
stay down? But one day's failure is just one day's failure. One day - keep
it that way. Get up and keep walking!
And the final reason - maybe the most important of all - why we don't
improve like we want to improve is we've got a power shortage. Especially
when it comes to the changes that really matter, like breaking the cycle
that's hurting the people I love, conquering that dark part of me that's
brought me down again and again, moving beyond the pain of my past,
attacking that fatal flaw that has cost me so much.
Every new year has the same last name - "A.D." 2017. A.D. - "Anno Domini"
- the year of our Lord measured by how many years it is since Jesus Christ
came. Well, my whole life has been "B.C./A.D." There was the me I couldn't
change before Christ took the wheel of my life. And then the changed life
that He's made possible since I gave me to Him.
I thought I could only trust me to drive, but I drove into too many
ditches. I ran over too many people. I crashed too often. I couldn't get
me to the man I want to be, I need to be, that the people I love need me
to be. That's like one of the men who wrote the Bible. He said in our word
for today from the Word of God taken from the New Living Translation in
Romans 7, beginning in verse 18: "I want to do what is right, but I can't.
I want to do what is good, but I don't ... Who will free me from this life
that is dominated by sin and death?"
I know that feeling, but I've found the power to change where that same
Bible-writer found it. He says. "Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ
our Lord." See, it took the Man who died for my sin to give me the power
to beat my sin. For 2,000 years this Jesus has changed people in ways they
could never change themselves.
You might be ready for the Life-Changer who says in His Word, "When anyone
is in Christ he is a new creation. The old is gone and the new life has
begun." Maybe we’re all just B.C. instead of A.D. people; but this is for
sure, we have a brand new year to year to determine that one day at a time
ahead. We often do that best in Community. Jesus knew that then and He
helps to show us that NOW and in this New Year.
Join us as we attempt to make the best year for North Royalton Christian
Church and for each of us. It can be a time we go from B.C to A.D with the
Life-Changer. You won’t just have a new year, you’ll have a new you!
See you in Church,
Rev. Chuck
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