God's Mighty Men The New Year is coming (2015) and it is that time of year when people start making resolutions or promises that they intend to keep to better themselves:
- I promise to lose 45 pounds
- I promise to exercise more
- I promise to do my daily studies
- I promise to spend more time with the family
The list goes on……
I have always struggled in making New Year’s resolutions because there is a very good chance that I will fail in keeping them. In Matthew Jesus talks about making Vows/Oaths and it states that you should be extremely careful in making them.
Matthew 5: 33 thru 37> Oaths: 33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one
So as you see – making an Oath is not recommended – but a simple yes or no should be our response in what we do in 2015.
I would like to expand on what I have done in the past – not so much as an Oath – but an Act of Obedience:
I read this scripture a few years back in my Quiet time (I do get some of these in – maybe not daily) and it challenged me in my Obedience to the Leaders of the Church.
1 Thessalonians 5: 12-13> 12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.
This scripture spoke to me because of some issues that I was having with the Leadership of the church at the time…. (We all have these moments in our life). So as an ACT of Obedience – I felt that I needed to fall under the Leadership of the church for a year… when the year was over then I would evaluate my relationship with the Leaders. We all need to do this all the time and not just for a short period of time of one year – and that is ” Obedience to what the Holy Spirit is prompting us to do”. Unity with Love is essential if Christ is going to be able to do His work through us. I learned allot that year..
So my challenge to you is: Do not make that New Year’s Resolution – but instead find an area that you are struggling with and Make an Act of Obedience to correct it…
Bobbyg
