Have you had an opportunity to evaluate 2018? Consider the past twelve months. What was good? Who was good for you? What worked? What wasn’t so good? What didn’t work? Plans and goals that were left undone? As we enter into 2019, it’s important to remember that we are not defined by our past. In fact, the Bible reminds us that the old has gone and we are made new:
. . . he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come…2 Corinthians 5:17
God is at work in us—every one of us—whether we can see it or not (Philippians 2:13). He’s working to transform our character into the character of his son, Jesus. And he’ll continue working until the work is complete (Philippians 1:6). Our job is to join him.
Many times it seems that we invite Jesus to share our journey when in fact He gave His very life to save us from ourselves. Instead of Jesus going along with us, our job is to follow Him and work ourselves, in obedience, to increase the amount of goodness and light in our lives . . . and to decrease the opposite:
“. . . do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:14-16
Who among us doesn’t need more goodness, more light, more holiness? And when’s a better time to become intentional about increasing our holiness than at the beginning of a new year?
So how do we do that? What can we do to make Jesus Lord and give up our place as king on the throne?
Well, we must get intentional by looking at the choices we’ve been making—whom we’ve been spending time with, the practices we’ve been engaging in, the experiences we’ve been enjoying. We get intentional by taking time to reflect upon those choices . . . and upon the results. And we get intentional by deciding which relationships, which practices, which experiences we’d like more of, going forward, because they increase holiness—and which we’d like less of, because they don’t.
My prayer for Three Point for 2019 is that we become intentional Christ followers through prayer, Bible study and fellowship with believers. Will you join me on this journey as we commit to becoming what God has called us to be? I would love to hear your thoughts.