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If we are to move forward, to live with resolution we must look at what is hindering or impeding us from going forwards. 

Hebrews 12:1-4 says (NLT)

“ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us”.

The dictionary defines hindrances as:

1.An impeding or stopping, preventing or the like

2. The state of being hindered

3. A person or thing that hinders

So lets look at some of the things that might hinder us.

1. Unresolved past issues

Unresolved issues from our past can stop us from fully embracing our future. Unless we resolve these past issues and are committed to moving into our future, we will struggle to move forward.

What hurt and pain are we carrying that hinders our progress?

Forgiveness, and doing what we are able to do to live in peace with others, helps us to move forward in this process.

Forgiveness is not always easy, but we all need it and we  can all extend it to others.   The Bible says in Luke 11:4 “And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us”. The onus for forgiveness is always on us. We can ask ourselves :

Who do we need to forgive?

2. Procrastination 

I call this  the “I’ll do it tomorrow” and  ”it doesn’t really matter” attitude. If we know what we are to do and we don’t do it, we are not following through and we are missing God’s best for us. A good intention remains a good intention until it is acted upon.

Deut 23:21 says:

“When you make a vow to the Lord your God, be prompt in fulfilling whatever you promised him. For the Lord your God demands that you promptly fulfil all your promises to him, or you will be guilty of sin”.

God says that to not do what we know is right, is actually sin. When we know God is leading us and speaking to us, lets follow through.

What are we putting off today, that we know God is asking us to do? When are we going to do it?

3. Excuses 

These are the “reasons” for behaviour and circumstance we allow to stop us. There is a reason for everything.  We are good at giving excuses and reasons as to why something has or has not happened. We must understand the difference between a reason and an excuse. So often we excuse behaviour and justify with reasons. If we are to continue to live with resolution and to move into all God has for us we must carefully look at what we are allowing ourselves to get away with by making excuses. Excuses are a hindrance. 

Ephesians 5:3-9 says

“ Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true”.

It’s not ok to excuse our bad behaviour. Let’s get good at seeing the reasons but using them to change our behaviour not to perpetuate wrong behaviour.

What are we allowing ourselves to get away with?

What behaviours are we making excuses for?

What changes do we need to make?

4. Fear

Fear is the biggest stealer of our future. Fear if we allow it, becomes crippling and can stop us from stepping out. The Apostle Peter encouraged the people to look to God, to give their cares and worries and fears to him.

1 Peter 5:7 “cast your cares on him because he cares for you”.

The Apostle John, writing about God’s love, tells us that God’s perfect love casts out all fear. When we allow faith to rise up and let God’s love shine on us, and into our situations, his love casts out fear and allows us to move forward into God’s purpose for our lives.

How are we allowing fear to hinder us? What will we do about it?

Seek God and his love and fear will recede.

Let’s become people who live in God’s love and who throw off those things that hinder us from living fully according to God’s good purpose for us.

I love Caleb. He is just awesome. 20 years older than everyone else (except Joshua himself) and a powerhouse of faith and fire. There is no need to get wimpy in faith as you get older. Just get stronger and stronger giving a clear goal for every younger person following. It is no wonder the Faith Generation followed men like Caleb and Joshua. They were truly men of God.

The text today is Joshua 14:6-15. Caleb is taking hold of the promise of God for his inheritance. A promise he won through wholehearted dedication, speaking out and living by his convictions and drawing on the abiding strength of God. This is an example to follow and a life to emulate (probably without all the killing!!!). Don’t get caught up in fear and doubt. Give yourself wholeheartedly to God and gain the inheritance He has for you and your children.

Application:

1. What fears hold you back from pursuing God with all your heart?
2. What do you believe is God’s purpose for your life? Is His plan good? Does He want to bless you and what for?
3. Is there a step of faith you need to take to claim the inheritance God has for you?

Blessings – Ron

The generation that emerged from the failure of their parents and took the promised land are an amazing inspiration to a life of faith. At the time of crossing the Jordan river the under 40′s had cut their teeth on miraculous provision and the presence of God. The over 40′s had experienced the mighty miracles of the Exodus, they were the firstborn sons delivered by the passover. Faith for them was real every day. God taught them to live by faith and He does the same for us if our eyes are open to it.

Application:

Q.: What was the first miracle you experienced?
How has God worked in your life to build faith?
Is Jesus the same today as in the exodus and the gospels?
What inhibits or challenges your trust in Him?
What change in attitude or behaviour would you like to make this week to release more faith?

What do you think of when you here the word “resolution”. The word actually has many different meanings depending on the context of its use. When we make a resolution, we generally mean we are resolving to do something. To make a change in how we live, the friends we have, the behaviours we manifest. In this sense we are resolving on a plan of action.

What is God asking you to move forward on?

1.Make a decision to do what God has called us to do, to be different to the world, to work on the things that we want to change.

What decision are you making? What beahviour do you want to change?

We need to make a decision, a determination that we are going to do something. But that is only the first step.

2.If we are to carry out the resolution, then we need to act. This may seem simple, but often our resolution stops at the decision phase and never progresses because we do not act.

What actions do we need to take?  What steps, what plan do we have that we need to begin to act on?

And having begun, what strategies do we have that will help us to continue, regardless of the obstacles that will come and try to stop the plan from taking shape.

The first day of the rest of our life is today. It is a perfect opportunity to determine to make a change, to put into practise those things we know God is calling us to do. Let’s put aside the negative “what ifs” and replace them with the “positive possibilities” that God has in store for us when we step out into his puprose.

3. Lastly, we need to remain accountable to others. This helps us to stay on track, and it makes it much easier for us to follow through on the action for the long term.

Who are we accountable to?

So:

1. Make a decision

2. Act on the decision

3. Stay accountable

It’s a pain to have to reboot but everything just works better when you do – tech wise that is. We are not much different. God tells us to renew our minds, let go of the past and move strongly into His plan for our future. That’s my plan for 2012.

Heb.12 tells us to chuck off the weight that pulls us down; run the race hard and keep our focus on Jesus who is the only true source of life and strength. What hang ups are you carrying that need to go? What sin needs to be dealt with so you can freely engage the purpose of God? Don’t let another day go by without taking positive action to free yourself for his glory.

Applications:

1. What do you think are the most common “weights” that limit people from being their best?
What about you – what is holding you back?

2. How could you be more focused on Jesus? How could you make that source more real in your life?

3. What is on your heart for this year in your service of God?

David was a man after God’s own heart. He wrote manyof the psalms and though he made mistakes, his desire was to live for God. In Psam 18 we read his victory song, written after God saved him from Saul. It’s a great psalm highlighting God’s majesty and his might, his faithfulness and his protection.

David understood that it is God who enables him and God who makes the way for him. In verses 32, 33 he says it is God who makes him strong, it is God who goes before him and it is God who guides his path. David understood that his hope and his victory were in his God.

This is true for us too. As we embark upon all that God has for us in 2012, let’s remember that it is God who leads us and guides us. It is God who makes our paths straight. He is going before us and leading us into his future for us. Like David we can say that he is our guide and our protector, He is the one who strengthens us and enables us to face everything that is ahead of us. We do not need to worry, or to fear, but like David, we can put our confidence in God, knowing he is faithful and that he is the one who brings the victory.

Jesus said we were to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation (Mk.16:15). He specifically said to his disciples – Jerusalem; all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the Earth (Acts 1:8). This is a command to Go and to go to everyone. No one is to be missed out. Especially not those we are uncomfortable with or who are hard to get to. I couldn’t imagine a real follower of Jesus deciding they didn’t have to love people or serve or forgive. In the same way none of us can opt out of going.

We are called to represent Jesus to our friends and family, to those we don’t normally connect with in our community (including those we don’t like) and to the people of the world. The methodology remains the same – Jesus said to demonstrate the love of God through good deeds that would cause people to glorify our Heavenly Father (Mt.5:16). He also told us that people would know we were His followers if we loved each other (Jn.13:34-35). So, do good deeds, love God’s people and take your influence throughout the world beginning with your own home.

Application:

1. What have you found most difficult or challenging in Jesus command to go to all the world?
How does that look for you? What has He called you to here and around the world?

2. How are you going in representing Jesus?
What would you like to change or add to your witness?

Blessings!

In reading through the first chapter of 1 Peter I was struck by a couple of verses. In verse 12 of chapter 1, we read how the prophets were given a message, not for themselves, but for others, for those who were still to come. This message was the good news of salvation that would come through Jesus. I began to consider how often we think that God does things just for us, and we forget that the work that God is doing in us is also for others.  

We have good news. Just like the prophets in the Old Testament, the good news we have, is not just for us, its for others, for those around us and for those who come after us. Peter goes on to say (verses 13-15) that for this reason, we are to think clearly and to exercise self control as we look forward to the future.

Our behaviour affects those around us and the way we live out our faith is seen by others. Peter says we are to live as God’s obedient children, to live a holy life before God and before others.

I challenge us to ask ourselves: What does my life say about God and about my saviour? Am I living with God’s purpose and with others in mind, or just for myself?

What do others see of my faith? How do others view  God based on how I live?

If we are honest with God and with ourselves, we would probably find lots of room for improvement. Don’t be discouraged. Just make a decision before God to live differently, to live his way and to live in obedience to him. Ask other’s to help you stay accountable and take responsibility yourself for how you behave.

Let God transform your thinking, fill your life with God’s word, and think about all that is good and right and lovely. Then you will live as God calls you to. 

Jesus comes to His conclusion (Mat.7:13-27); a call to decision. There are two paths in life – a broad way to destruction and a narrow path to life. The narrow entry is Jesus Himself and the narrow path is one of obedience to Him. Simply praying a prayer for forgiveness is enough to enter the narrow gate but the narrow road is traveled in obedience to God.

The characteristics of a life of faith are relationship and obedience. The narrow way is walked by those who have a genuine relationship with God and make decisions each day to live His way and for His honour. James describes it as a faith that is lived out in works and says that that kind of faith is the only one that saves (Jms.2:14-17).

Application:

1. What changes has God brought about in you since He saved you?
What kid of good fruit is evidence of a good tree?

2. How are you going with obedience?
What areas of life do you struggle to submit to God’s way?

Remember: Jesus message began with blessings and His intent for you is to live your absolute best!

There are a number of women who came and went in the life of Jesus. Some of them we read very little about, others there is more. Elizabeth and Anna were women who appear right at the beginning of Jesus’ life.

We know from Luke 1 that Elizabeth was a godly woman, and the mother of John the Baptist. We know she was considered past child bearing and that John was a great delight and answer to prayer. Anna was also old, and had been widowed a long time. She lived in the Temple and was a prophetess.

What do we learn from these women?

1. They had a desire for God. 

Anna had placed herself in the Temple (Luke 2) and worshipped God there. Elizabeth lived a godly life; her situation was different but she placed her herself to be used by God.

God speaks when we place ourselves in a position to hear. Anna was positioned in the Temple in a position that enabled her to hear from God and to act.

How are we placed? Are we  in a place where we can hear God? How have we prepared ourselves to hear from God and respond to him?

 Hebrews 10:19-20 tells us we can boldly enter into God’s presence because of the blood of Jesus. He has made a way and we can enter right into his presence. We can position ourselves to hear.

2. They had an expectant attitude

Both these women had an expectant attitude. Elizabeth was not only expecting her own baby, but she was also expectant about the Messiah. When Mary, expecting Jesus, visited Elizabeth we read that her baby leapt within her, and she said:

“What an honour this is that the mother of my Lord should come”.

She was expecting so much more than a physical baby. She was looking to and expecting the saviour of the world, and recognised him when Mary came.

I love the expectant attitude that Anna had, she was expecting to hear from God and she was expecting the Messiah, her saviour.

What attitude do we have? Are we living expectantly. Are we expecting amazing things to happen?

 We have a God who makes the impossible possible. An expectant attitude is a faith attitude. It says that even when it seems impossible, God is able to make it possible.