Commitments

Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods!” Joshua 24:16

Promises are something that are easy to make, but more difficult to keep. Everyday people make many different promises in hundreds of different ways and then in a very short time break those promises.

Often promises are made in the hype and excitement of the moment, when everything is looking perfect with no difficulties. The more people involved, the easier they are to make. Then later, when difficulties arise, the promises are forgotten and broken out of convenience.

After conquering the land, Joshua reminds the Israelites of all that God had done and that he will still serve God. Then he challenges the people to serve God. The people promise to never forsake God and serve false gods.

In church settings or large group settings of groups of believers, it is common for challenges to serve God to be made. It is built up with excitement of choosing to serve God with one’s whole life and a push for commitment. Nearly everyone is quick to dedicate themselves to God.

Just like the Israelites, however, after leaving the church and meeting, people are back in the world and forget all about God. Focus is taken off of God and back on self, serving other gods of this world, pride, selfishness, alcohol, porn, money, and many other things.

The world will put pressure on the believer to forsake God and follow their false gods. Promises of pleasure and ease are made that will only bring about death and misery.

True believers will keep their focus upon God and remember their promises to serve Him alone. When temptation arises to cause them to forsake God, they will resist the devil and flee the temptation, rather than give in to it. They will not take their promise lightly.

Have you made a commitment to serve God and Him alone in your life? Do not allow the things and cares of this world distract you so that you forsake God and begin to serve the false, dead gods of this world.

Commit your whole life to God and seek His strength to fulfill that promise. God will give you everything you need to serve Him with all of your life. Trust in Him alone as you keep your promise to serve Him.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will commit your life to serving God alone; that God will give you strength to resist serving other false gods; and that God will fill you with His Holy Spirit to guide and direct your steps.

As the new year of 2017 begins, many people make some resolutions. Some, like myself, tend to refrain from making resolutions because they know they will not keep them very well. They want to start out the new year making some changes in their lives. Most often these resolutions are to make things better for their lives.

Some of these resolutions are for their own personal lives. They can be to start exercising more, read more, stop smoking, eat healthier, stop drinking, relax more often, go on a bigger vacation, save more money, finish school, and the list goes on with no end. These resolutions are usually to help a person be in a better position down the road.

Others will have resolutions that deal with other people more. Some of these can be cut back on working long hours, spend more time with family, visit relatives more, give more to those in need, volunteer more in the church or community, physically help those in need, and again, the list goes on endlessly.

While all of these resolutions can be good for a person to do, they are not the most important ones to be focused on. The first resolutions that a person should be making is ones that deal with their relationship with God. Paul had prayed that God would give the people a Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that they would know Him better.

No person can know God too much. No matter how much you know God, there is always more to know about Him. No matter how much you understand the things of God, there is more to understand. Strive to know God more and more.

The way to know God more is to read and study the Bible more. Make the resolution to spend more time in the Bible and to apply to your life. Spend more time in prayer so that you are in constant communication with God. Keep yourself heart’s ears open to what God has to tell you. These things will build your relationship with Him.

The next thing to make a resolution on is with becoming more like Jesus.

Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. 1 John 2:6

John says that if you have a belief in God, you must live like Jesus did. You must patter your life after that of Jesus. You must act, think, and speak like Jesus did

For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-8

Peter gives the practical side of what it means to think, act and speak like Jesus. All of these qualities that Peter listed are ones that describe Jesus. Jesus was the perfect man, the perfect example of what each person is expected to be like.

I am trusting that in your choosing to read my blog, you have a belief in Jesus to some degree or more. I am trusting that you have accepted the salvation that Jesus has offered you.

If this is true about you, then your goal in life must be to be like Jesus more and more.

While having resolutions to change something in your life is good, the primary resolutions should be to be to know God more and to be like Jesus more. As you focus on these two things, God will guide you in to what changes you need to make. In those changes you may see the need to exercise more, or eat healthier, or some other common resolution.

As you begin this new year that God is blessing you with, what is God telling you to focus on?

What can you start doing to know God more?

What can you start doing on a regular basis to be more like Jesus?

I pray that God will fill you with His Holy Spirit and guide you in the path He has for you this new year. I trust God will help you change what needs to be changed so that you may be more like Jesus.

God can and will give you the strength you need to be what He has called you to be–like Jesus.

May you have a very blessed and happy New Year in our Lord Jesus Christ!