Category: New Year Resolutions

12/31/2024

Resolutions for Good Peeps

It is time again for New Year Resolutions. Promises to eat less, exercise more, live on a budget, and be a better person.

Side point: Why is it that in a year, we don't move on to PHASE II of this year's resolutions and become a nutritionist, cross-fit athlete, financial advisor, and/or the next Billy Graham? Instead, we unabashedly repeat our past failed resolutions. - askin' for a friend -

Of course, resolutions are mostly 'tweaks' in the lives of mostly good folk. Every day people who could lose a pound or two, watch less TV, or tweet less... but never hear anyone say they resolve to be involved in fewer felonies. And it is safe to say Hitler, Stalin, and Hannibal Lector were not typical New Year Resolution kinda guys.

There is 'not a smidge' of curbing evil in their resolutions as evil continues to do evil while good folk like you and me tweak our lives with resolutions. But then a serious question.

Why would good folk need a Savior?

Sure, dictators, serial killers, bank robbers, and IRS agents NEED A SAVIOR. After all, they are REAL major-league sinners. But most of us are just run-of-the-mill New Year's Resolutions kinda sinners? I mean, should I go to Hell because I need a 'tweak'... or because I tweet?

Truth is, I am a sinner, and sorry to inform the rest of you, but you are sinners too. There is no doubt we all need a savior. We are the reason Jesus Christ died on the cross, a sinner's death in our place.

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23

I still contend I am not a bad person, and most of what everyone sees of me supports this, BUT you don't know my quiet selfish thoughts played out in subtle selfish ways. You don't see the anger I sometimes feel, or the little white lies I may convince myself are true. You do not know my desires, bitterness, or the pity parties I sometimes throw for myself when I am down. You don't know the wasted moments that have accumulated in my life... you don't know... but I know, and God certainly knows.

So again, I am not such a bad person.. but I certainly am a sinner; it's just that my sins don't make the evening news... AND I certainly need a savior.

So, how about you? I am sure most of you are pretty GOOD PEEPS, too. You are probably just a couple of Resolutions (tweaks) from being GREAT PEEPS. You may not even admit to as many private attitudes and actions of sins as I do, but I will go out on a limb here and say with confidence that you, too, need a savior.

Let me close with a parable Jesus taught about the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and treated others with contempt: 10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed[a] thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 18:9-14

I thank God for this good life, and this New Year filled with opportunities. I resolve this year to lose a few pounds, be more productive, exercise, and repent with the prayer of the tax collector: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!"

May God bless all of you GOOD PEEPS this New Year. I pray for God's best in your lives as you serve Him.

I pray His church seeks His will like never before and that 2021 is a year of resolutions, repentance, and a revival (the 3 Rs?) that is long overdue.

Jeff

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1/6/2023

2 Comments

My 2023 Resolutions

I watched a sermon recently by Tele-evangelist Buzz Light Year. It was an uplifting message where the sky is the limit. His exact words were TO INFINITY & BEYOND and though he did not reference scripture I was challenged to not hold back in either my pursuit or zest for life.
<insert puzzled expression here>

Now that I think about it I was actually watching the movie Toy Story with the grandkids, but it was still a powerful message of family, and friendship all while accepting my place in this expansive Universe.
<insert 2nd puzzled expression here>

So anyways, here is my belated list of resolutions.

2023 New Year Resolutions

Read my Bible every day
Pray daily (the Lord's prayer).. thy will be done
Love God & Care for others
Serve God as He leads
Trust in God
Take that dumb LOG OUT OF MY EYE (daily?)
...

234. Play nice on social media (cut down on snarky comments
235. Lose 3 more pounds to bring my total weight loss to 50 lbs. since July
...
437. Say something nice about the Minnesota Vikings (ARGH!)
...

and so on, and so forth.

I wish each of you a (belated) Happy New Year blessed and used by God in ways beyond your dreams. May you pursue and love him with all your heart and serve and care for others in need all to the Glory of God.

Happy New Year Blessings!

Jeff

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1/2/2023

3 Comments

Doing the Beginagains again

A while back our pastor gave a sermon on getting to know God by reading our Bibles regularly and systematically. During this very good sermon, our pastor joked that the most read books of the Bible are Genesis and Matthew because our inspired intentions in January to read through our Bibles fade once we are through Genesis and Matthew. (Leviticus has killed many a Bible study )... then the next year we are back in Genesis and Matthew. I call this bible study plan... The BEGINAGAINS.

I must be honest and say I have followed the BEGINAGAIN plan many times and not until 2003 did I completely read my Bible from cover to cover AND I CARTOONED THRU IT TOO! Please note, neither Billy Graham nor the Pope could say they cartooned through the Bible. Then in 2018 lightning struck again as I read through my Bible from Genesis through Revelations. And... I believe every year since 2018 I have read through my Bible. YEAH ME!

Now here I am starting out 2023 in the BEGINAGAINS using an audio Bible to get past those tedious Dos and Don'ts highlighted in Leviticus.

For many, reading through the Bible from beginning to end is not appealing, and I understand that. My wife is one of those good folks. I was also instructed in a men's group that simply reading the Bible through is not a proper Bible study. I DISAGREE... for me reading through my Bible in order gives me a context and flow of stories and cultures that I may otherwise miss. This is NOT the only right way to read my Bible but it is a way that works for me.

No matter if you use this tried and true(?) BEGINAGAINS Bible study, or topical study, or another method the important message is to be in God's word. DAILY!

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Oh, we all will have questions and will not understand many stories and teachings in God's Word, but this does not mean they are not true.

To name a few we have the Creation Story, Noah and his Ark floating on a universal flood, parting of the Red Sea, Elijah riding a chariot of Fire, Jonah in the belly of the Whale, the Virgin Birth of Jesus, the feeding of 5,000 on fish and chips leftovers, the raising of the dead, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the end time prophecies.

All these subjects and many more challenge our reasoning while we scratch our collective heads, and even question what we believe. But I have found honest questions are different than doubting God or His Word, and reading my Bible gives me answers to where I build my faith and love in God.

SO WHERE SHOULD I PLACE MY FAITH?
Of course in the end we are each challenged regarding where we will place our faith. Will it be science alone, a progressive secular worldview, Christianity, or another of the world's religions? I choose to place my faith in the God of my Bible and this is where I place my hope.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

May God bless each of you in your spiritual journey, and I pray that we all prioritize reading (and obeying) God's word while being wise in where we place our faith and hope.

New Year's Blessings

Jeff (BEGINAGAIN) Larson

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Resolutions for Good Peeps

My 2023 Resolutions

Doing the Beginagains again

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