HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012

Pastor Todd Christopherson
Mid American Stock Car Series
December 31, 2011

Do you have any New Year’s resolutions? I am not one to set them. I used to but most times they would only last a short time and I would fall back into the habit or action I was trying to stop. That was where the problem was that I was trying to stop something on my own. Now I set goals which are slightly different then a resolution. In setting goals they are realistic, attainable, timed, and measureable. It is said that goals should be SMART.

S – Specific. If we set a goal like, “I am going to lose weight.” That is way too general as that could mean one pound or hundred. We want to have very tangible, real goals.

M – Meaningful. We don’t want it to be frivolous, without real significance. We want something that is going to help us in the short and long run.

A – Attainable. This is very important. If we say, “I am going to save $10,000”, when we know that is not possible without a miracle of God, than we will just frustrate ourselves. We also don’t want to set it too low as in saying, “I am going to save $12 this year” when we know that is insignificant.

R – Relevant. There should be some importance and also agreement if you are married. It should be good for not only you but also for the family.

T – Trackable. It is vital that the goal and actions to obtain the goal are measured. I am one that likes to chart things and track them to see where we were and where we are going.

As I think about setting goals, I think about God and what He thinks about plans. Let’s look together. Ephesians 4:22-24 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Jeremiah 29:11-13 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Proverbs 20:18 Make plans by seeking advice; Hebrews 11:40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect; Romans 1:13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you; Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

God has plans and makes them for us to carry out. He prepares us for those works also. Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

To me the real key to goals and change is bathing them in prayer, walking in trust, faith in the Lord and a godly accountable person, one who is kind and gentle, yet firm, and who will help us if we get stuck. So instead of a New Year’s resolution find what God would like to have changed in your life and step out SMART. Often another key to real life changing change is saying, “No!” to a sin as in Titus 2:12.

Dear Lord, I know I need change, change to be more like you, to put off sin, put it to death. Lord Show me my sin and help me to deal with the sin the way you want, plowed up (Hosea 10:12). Lord I step out in faith and trust in You only and completely. Lord if I need to be broken, break me, I know I need to be searched, search me, I know I need to be molded mold me. I recognize You are good and great and worthy of much praise. AMEN!

See you at the track soon and have a great day in the SONshine,

Todd

Feel free to contact me at:
torch_for_jesus@yahoo.com, 608-630-7301 or 512 Chippewa Court, DeForest, WI 53532