Articles
Happy New Year!
Perhaps by now most Christmas decorations have been taken down and put away for
another year. We are trying faithfully to follow the diet plan put into effect after eating way too
much for the past couple of weeks (wouldn’t want to disappoint all the wonderful cooks!). Bowl
games and parades are just about complete and we are beginning to get back to a little normalcy
in our lives.
But before we return completely to our “old” way of life, take a few moments to reflect
on our relationship with the Lord (you know, 2 Corinthians 13:5). From a personal point of view,
our study of Not a Fan has challenged me to re-look at my life with Christ to see if I have
satisfied myself with being just a fan, instead of being a true follower of Jesus in all things. So,
as we get into the new year, let us all take a few moments to consider what changes we could
make in our lives so as to be better lights in the world for the Lord. Let me share just a few
possibilities that will help us to grow to be more like Jesus:
1) Read the Bible every day. Let’s make sure that we are making life decisions accord- ing to
the standards placed before us in God’s Word. There can be no greater foundation in our lives
than that which is found in the Bible. (Matthew 7:24-25; 2 Timothy 1:13; 2 Timothy 3:15-17)
2) Pray every day. Find a time each day to pray to the Father. The strength we need each day to
withstand Satan can only be found through God. And let’s not forget about thanking Him for the
many blessings we receive daily. Make a prayer list you can use as reference each day to keep
track of your requests and God’s answers. You will be amazed at the effectiveness of prayer.
(Psalm 121; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Hebrews 4:16)
3) Be present every time the saints meet. Make it a habit to attend every time the saints gather
for Bible study, worship, or fellowship. Develop a close relationship with your brothers and
sisters in Christ. Spending time together is a sure way of encouraging each other in the daily
challenge of letting our lights shine for Christ. We are in this together, with the hopes of
spending eternity together. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
These resolutions alone are not the answer to living our lives completely for the Lord, but
they are a beginning. If we can make these three resolutions a part of our daily lives, just
imagine what our life in Christ could be in 2016! P. Mowrer
