From The Pastor's Desk - January 2017

Every year people make resolutions: to lose weight, to spend more time with their children, or to do better at work or school, to save money or to read the Bible or go to church.

Every year people a few people succeed, but many fail to keep their resolutions. 

In Matthew 26 Jesus tells his disciples to “Keep watching and praying that you don’t fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Our spirit makes resolutions, but they don’t last, because our emotions, our thoughts and our feelings are weak. So we fail. Even people who call themselves Christians often fail – because they try to succeed alone.

It is so much easier to keep a resolution when we have someone to help us keep it. We exercise more when we have a partner. We eat better when someone reminds us we should. But even then, when they get tired, or fail themselves, we fail. But Christians have access to a partner that never fails and never leaves us. Jesus said in John 14, “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever-the Spirit of truth.”

This is what makes Christianity different than other philosophies or religions. It is based on a power within us that helps us to be what we aspire to be. Paul tells us in I Thessalonians, “For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction.”

January is a time of new beginnings. We put our past failures behind us and look with hope to a new year. God wants us to live into the future and not get stuck in the past. But we can’t do it alone. Make it your first resolution to turn everything over to God in prayer. Spend time with God in the Holy Spirit, and God will give you the power to do amazing things in your life.

Pastor Tom