Do you make new year’s resolutions each year? This year my wife CJ and I spent New Year’s Eve in a hotel in Alabama on our way to renting a condo in Florida for January. We watched the TV shows where they asked people about resolutions for 2018, and they said things like “lose weight & get in shape”, “be a better person”, “world peace”, and somewhat new this year, “don’t be judgmental”. These first 3 are typical ever year and are always good ideas, but the last one seemed a little naïve to me. After all, everybody is judgmental about certain areas of life, and we as Christian are called to be discerning and judge each other as brothers & sisters to help keep each other on track! I think what these people really mean is “I want to do anything I want in life, even if it’s destructive or decadent, but I don’t want you to criticize me and make me feel guilty or bad about it!”

So, what about Christians and resolutions? Well, it’s always good to want to be healthier, to do good things for others, and to work on better attitudes and discipline in your life. ( My wife recently reminded me that I’m not as patient as I was when I was younger. I don’t know where she gets that idea, but I will patiently wait for her to see the real truth!) Anyway, while there is nothing wrong with resolving to improve your life, I think we need to remember 2 major Biblical perspectives relating to these issues:

1) All the really good and healthy things we seek in life are already “baked in” to a new relationship with God through Jesus Christ!
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
– 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
From the point we decide to follow Jesus and surrender control of our life to him, God works in us through his Holy Spirit to slowly transform us, over our lifetime, to become more like Jesus in our thoughts and actions. God transforms our minds and helps us see things from his perspective daily, and this allows us to automatically change for the better and treat others more like Jesus would. Paul encourages us:
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will. – Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
This is a daily & ongoing process of mind renewal, empowered by Bible meditation & prayer, that will keep us on course and help us stay the course to be used by God each day! And as we seek first an intimate relationship with God, Jesus promises us that we will have all we ultimately need to be fulfilled in life!
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6:28-34 (NIV)

2) The best changes in our lives do not come from our human resolve and will-power (resolutions); they come from an intimate, powerful relationship with Jesus!
Jesus told us:
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. – John 15:1-4, 7-8 (NIV)
There is always a tension in the Christian life between what God, through his power, is doing in our lives to transform and direct us, and what he is calling us to do ourselves in obedience to him. Too often, we Christians “resolve” to improve ourselves and direct our lives, hoping God will bless our best efforts. This never works in the long run! Jesus longs for us to be intimately connected to him, and as he nourishes us through that connection, he enables us to be fruitful and do many good things in his name!
Notice that he often “prunes” us through the set-backs, hardships, and tragedies we face in life. It is usually through struggle that we grow stronger and more dependent on Jesus. No one can control the circumstances we will face in 2018! The truth is, all of us will have some difficulties, perhaps even tragedies, as well as joys and wonderful unexpected happenings. The only thing we Christians can truly control is our desire to stay close and connected to Jesus, letting him guide us through this year with his mercy, grace, and love.

We have a dear friend that began his year with the news that his brother was killed in a tragic accident on New Year’s Eve. We never see something like that happening, and nobody wants to experience that kind of agony and loss. But I know this: my friend is intimately connected to Jesus, and I know Jesus has the power and mercy to carry him through this tragedy and actually make him stronger in character and faith because of this ordeal. And knowing my friend, I have no doubt that this is what will happen.
Someone has said God is more concerned with our character that he is with our comfort. This year, resolve to make your relationship with Jesus your #1 goal. Trust him to be by your side through the joys and the difficulties you will face, and ask him to strengthen you in character and use you to do the great things he has planned for you in 2018. After all, Jesus’ plans and power and greater and more wonderful than anything you could resolve for yourself!

I wish for all of you in 2018 this prayer from Paul to the Ephesian church:
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
– Ephesians 3:14-21 (NIV)

How do you feel during the Christmas season? We Christians certainly know that the story of Jesus’ birth is what Christmas is “all about”, but do we actually live and act that way during the weeks leading up to Christmas? Just take a few minutes to think about your life last week, and what you have planned the next 2 weeks.
Are your thoughts and actions flowing from a sense of gratitude, joy and excitement about the amazing story of Jesus’ birth? Do you marvel that God loved us so much that he came down to earth as a tiny baby in obscure Bethlehem? Do you remember when we sing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”, that this means “God with us”, and that not only did Jesus walk among us as God before his death and resurrection, but now God lives within his followers as the Holy Spirit? Do you share the good news of this season that God in his amazing grace (unmerited favor) sent Jesus to die for us and rescue us from the deadly bondage of sin, exchanging his life for ours so that we can be forgiven and actually live brand new lives before God, empowered by His Spirit?
OR, do you (like me), often find yourself filled with stress and anxiety over Christmas preparations and all you have to do to “get ready”? After all, there’s shopping, office parties, school pageants, church services galore, decorations to be hung, cards to be sent (and maybe your “family Christmas letter” sharing with the rest of the world how utterly amazing your kids are?), Facebook memes to share, food preparation & cookies to make, figuring out who is going where in the family, and whether you really want to see them that much?

Does it seem odd to you as we celebrate what GOD HAS DONE in the most simple, beautiful, world-altering event in human history, that we get sidetracked, exhausted, stressed and even angry with all the stuff that WE THINK WE HAVE TO DO to make this all somehow more significant and special?

As a retired Pastor, I must confess that most Christmas seasons I found myself preoccupied with getting the church services & presentations in order and done well so as to please those in church and make an attractive presentation to visitors. After all, we want to make great presentations of the Christmas story so that those who haven’t heard it will respond and believe! That’s all good to a point, and there is much fun and fellowship in doing Christmas preparations in the right spirit. However, I recall too many times when even church events became times of stress and even anger: parents arguing with other parents or teachers about the Sunday school pageant and why their child didn’t get to do this or that, why the adult “prima donna” members get to come home at Christmas and do a solo on Christmas Eve, while faithful choir members are ignored, why only certain people are designated to decorate the Christmas tree & it must be done their way, and on and on and on… And we pastors are often guilty of poor attitudes as well! Often on Christmas Eve we would have a late candlelight service at 11PM, but there was so much time between that and the earlier service that we would go home, relax, eat cookies, have our family Christmas Eve devotions, watch a little TV, and then return to church. I admit I did not want to go back out in the cold at night to “do another service”, even though it was usually enjoyable once we got there! And, I felt somewhat guilty in feeling great relief at getting Christmas “done” at church!

So, what are we supposed to do about it?

1) Chill out, relax a little, and try to enjoy the real story as though you were hearing it for the first time!
Remember, the original event starred God Himself, and no church or school presentation can ever come close. I recall a powerful dramatic presentation of the Christmas story at Northridge church in Novi area, and they actually had people flying like angels on wires! But in the REAL story, the powerful angel Gabriel, who stood in the very presence of God, spoke to Zacharias, Joseph, Elizabeth, and the shepherds, and then the heavens opened up before the shepherds and they saw a glorious display of heavenly beings singing praise to God! The shepherds were filled with fear, but the message of the angels was what we ALL need to hear: “Do not be afraid, for I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you this day on the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!” (Which presentation would you rather see in person?)

2) In the midst of events, preparations, & busyness, remember to focus on people and relationships, and especially a new relationship with Jesus!
I’m sure Jesus may enjoy our church pageants, decorations, & cookies, but I think he might say something like this to us: “Hey look, I didn’t come just so you could have an annual party with great decorations & great food. I came for so much more that that! I came to save you from sin and free you from its devastation in your life. I came to love you and offer to establish a personal relationship with you as a real friend and Savior, and actually live within you every day through my Spirit and share every aspect of your life. I came that you may have real, abundant life in my presence that will last not only in this life, but forever in my Kingdom!”

3) See Christmas not as an annual event, but as a catalyst to inspire you throughout the next year to live a life filled with God’s peace, joy, and power!
Those of us who have accepted the gift of salvation should live with a certain inner peace and joy, no matter what the outward circumstances. Jesus said,
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)
How much better of an influence could you and I be in this next year if we tried to let Jesus lead our lives each day, having our souls rested, whole, and healthy? What if we lived with a gentle and humble confidence that emanated from God’s grace and overwhelming love for us? What if people saw in us not stress, anxiety, and exhaustion, but peace, joy, and a humble attitude toward others, even those who are difficult to love?

I wish you all a blessed and merry Christmas! I really hope you have great pageants, food, decorations, and even gifts. But I also pray for so much more than that! I pray for you a heart and soul that has been touched, forgiven, healed, loved and empowered by God so that you can truly live the abundant life that God has for you in this next year. I hope your words and actions will be so joyful and loving that others will say, “WOW! What got into you?” And you humbly will be able to say “JESUS!”

Does it seem to you that our culture is dominated by people whose hearts are hardened by bitterness, fear, hatred, and divisiveness? It sure does to me! We divide into political or social camps and condemn anyone who disagrees with us by labeling them and demeaning their character! Our news sources (on all sides) today seem obsessed with “gotcha” stories about the other side, and looking for stories that actually ruin people’s lives and reputations! And we Christians sometimes find ourselves gleefully agreeing with “our” side of the divide.

I would humbly suggest that our problem today (as in every generation) is not the divisive issues, but rather our hardened hearts! I know, many of us say “That’s not me!”, but are we really sure about that? In the Bible, our mind deals with the intellectual understandings, but the heart is the core of our emotions, will, and gut feelings that drive us to think and act on what we truly believe is right. Even when we know better intellectually, our hardened, bitter, fearful hearts can cause us to say and do things in visceral ways that are very destructive to ourselves and others!

Do you remember the Old Testament story of Moses trying to lead the Hebrew people out of Egypt to freedom? The Egyptian Pharaoh refused to let them go, even after 10 horrible plagues from God that destroyed his nation! Each time, it says “but Pharaoh’s heart was hardened”. Did you realize those 10 plagues related to 10 different false gods that the Egyptians worshiped and put their trust in? It was as though God was saying, “Pharaoh, you will let my people go, and if you will stop following false, man-made gods and worship me, I will bless your nation as well”. But his pride, anger, and bitterness prevented him from hearing God, even when it lead to total destruction of his nation and death of all the first-born in Egypt!

Fast forward to today. Some think if we just educate people on how to act better, that will solve the problem. Others want to pass more laws, outlawing sin and evil actions! But that has never worked, because education & laws alone cannot change our hearts! The Bible makes it clear that our hearts are infected by sin, and we can’t change that even with our best efforts. We need a spiritual heart transplant, and that’s what Jesus came to offer us! In the Old Testament, the people just couldn’t live by the 10 Commandments due to their sinful hearts, and God promised them he would give them a new covenant (agreement) with the power of God’s Spirit to change us!
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. -Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NKJV)
Jesus recognized that our sinful thoughts & actions come from our hearts:
20 What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ 21 For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’ Mark 7:20-23 (NIV)

So, what’s the answer?
1) The biblical answer is to put your trust in Jesus!
Now, trusting in Jesus is more than just an intellectual assent! It is giving your whole being, heart, mind, soul, and strength, to God’s control and leading! Paul explains it like this:
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. – Romans 10:8-10 (ESV)
Jesus expressed the same idea when asked what the greatest commandment was:
28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:28-31 (NIV)
Once you have trusted Jesus with your whole being, the Bible says we are instantly forgiven of our sins, and the Holy Spirit will dwell within us and help overcome the power of sin in our hearts, freeing us to live as new creations in Jesus! This is a “once and for all” moment, and now you belong to God!

2) Guard your heart from sin and bitterness that leads to a hardening of your heart and mind!
Because we still live in this world that is tarnished and broken by sin, we will struggle in our hearts with temptation and evil! But now we have God’s Spirit within us to strengthen us, and when we do give in to temptation (and we all do!), God will forgive us and cleanse our hearts and minds! When King David had sinned terribly (adultery and murder), he knew enough to cry out to God and said:
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. – Psalm 51:10-12 (ESV)

We need to be wise enough to know that our hearts can harden quickly and easily, especially if we focus on the division and bitterness in our culture! The antidote for that is guard your heart from evil thoughts, and focus instead on the good that God brings to life each day! Paul said:
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me–put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. -Philippians 4:4-9 (NIV)

I pray that you would guard your heart so that it would remain tender and gentle, always willing to forgive others, and seeking God’s grace and peace. I also pray that God would give you the wisdom to speak and act as Jesus would, and that all together, we Christians, seeking pure hearts, would be used by God to bring reconciliation and hope to a dark and fearful world!

I just finished painting our front porch, which has had a dark wood stain for about 20 years. The special paint for this is supposed to be 6 times thicker than other paint, and is supposed to cover in one coat and change your deck in one day! Well, it has taken almost 2 weeks! It required 2 coats, and with just over 100 spindles to paint (and all 4 sides of each spindle), it has been many hours. It is done now, and looks much lighter and quite nice. The color is called “beach”, and makes you think you are sitting on the shoreline of Lake Michigan. (well, not really) The truth is, even though it looks clean and nice, it is still 20 year old deck boards, showing the gouges and occasional warping that comes with 20 year old boards. And in another 10 years or so, even after paint touch-ups, the boards will need to be torn up and replaced with something new.

I think my porch is somewhat of a metaphor for our lives and our world! We baby-boomers know our bodies are slowly wearing down like those deck boards, and even with diet, exercise, and other “touch up” schemes, eventually they will cease to function and decay into dust like those boards. Our bodies, our culture, and even the natural world are contaminated by sin, and we long for something better and lasting! All people want good families, good relationships with others without fear and prejudice, healthy lives, an end to war and injustice and all the other “isms” that plague our world. But as hard as we try to do good and make things right, we always seem to fall short! Today it’s popular to call out extreme groups on the right or left, but that often makes it easy to overlook our own sinful thoughts (and we all have them!). The apostle Paul understand the futility of trying to “do good” all the time when we are under the curse of sin:
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.- Romans 7:14-20 (NIV)

The Bible says God desires shalom for us, which is much more than just peace. It is the “webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight.” Shalom is the way things are supposed to be, the way God created them to be in the Garden of Eden. But, we can never get there on just our own best efforts. That’s like a temporary paint job over decaying boards. Our sin is a violation on shalom. God doesn’t hate sin because he wants to punish us; he hates sin because it disrupts the beautiful plans he has for his people!

It is into this mess that Jesus came to us, preaching the Kingdom of God! His Kingdom is not a self-improvement course, but a total reversal of all that is wrong with this world, and a way to return to the shalom that God wishes for us all! Jesus died to offer us forgiveness for our sins, and the power to reverse it’s effects. His resurrection is a victory over the power of sin, and a beginning of the restoration process to the life and world that we always wanted! It is no longer just a slight improvement to our world, but a new creation, a new Kingdom in which we are also made new. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!- 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) In Revelation 21, the Bible teaches that the Kingdom of God is not an immaterial paradise “out there”, but that when Jesus returns he will build a new earth, cleansing, renewing and perfecting what has been broken by sin!
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”- Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)

So, how are we to live as “Kingdom Christians”?
I will do future blogs in more detail on “Kingdom living”, but here are some basics:
1) Start by joining the Kingdom! (and inviting others to join as well!)
Jesus offers this forgiveness and new life to all, as a gift, but we must willingly trust him with our lives! The Kingdom involves a new, intimate relationship with God, allowing him to lead and control your life. It’s NOT God making your life better so you can run it the way you want.( that’s the definition of sin!) if you don’t want God’s presence in your life, then you won’t want to be in his Kingdom, either, because it will be all-God all the time! Jesus warned that many, possibly the majority of people, won’t accept his offer.
2) Allow God’s Spirit to change your mind, which will lead to new attitudes and actions.
God transforms us from the inside out! When you begin to think like Jesus thinks, you will begin to love others and see the world as he sees it.
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will. -Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
3) Get involved in your daily world by being “salt and light”, bringing hope and reconciliation to a broken and dying world!
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.-Ephesians 2:14-18 (NIV)
Christians are to bring grace, hope, reconciliation, and love into a violent and divided culture. Are you joining in language that divides or alienates others, or are you speaking in ways that bring healing and reconciliation? Are your actions patient, forgiving, and caring toward others, even those who are hard to love?
The world will not ultimately be changed through government, politics, or education alone. It has already been redeemed through Jesus, and he is beginning the great reversal through his Kingdom followers. Are you part of the team? Why not join today?