To truly move "Forward" in 2012, there will be at least seven areas where you must make intentional and disciplined decisions; and then live out those decisions in your everyday life. Those areas are:
- Spiritual Growth (If the ultimate goal of the SUCCESSFUL Christian Life is to become more like Jesus, what specific things must be your priorities to you AND how will you move those priorities from the possible to the actual during 2012?)
- Family (You don't just "wake up" one day to a successful marriage, but you can "wake up" one day to an unfulfilling/broken/dead marriage. And feel free to substitute any "family relationship" in the place of "marriage" in the previous sentence. Are you happy with the way your family dynamics are playing out now? If so, what must you do to keep them moving in the right direction this year? If not, what must begin (and/or stop) to start moving them in the right direction in 2012?
- Career (You may not have realized it 'til now, but God actually created you to work and that He expects the best in our efforts because when we work 'cause we're working for Him! Now that begs the question... Are you fulfilling God's calling in the work--whether you're a doctor, lawyer, teacher, stay-at-home mom, accountant, engineer, pilot, preacher, or any other career for that matter--that you're doing right now? Is your career about you or about Him? Is your chosen career path really not fulfilling because it's not about Him? Would you be willing to change careers in 2012 to obey the heart of God? What kind of progress in your work could you make in the upcoming year if your career was truly about Him?)
- Finances (Good intentions are never a valid substitute for positive action... Are you happy with where your financial income and spending are right now? Have you mastered the "art of the negative cash flow?" Is your attitude toward your possessions keeping you in bondage to them? Did you realize that God's plan for your finances is bigger, better, and more fulfilling than yours in 2012 and beyond? Are you willing to trust Him--and His plan--and obey?
- Health (Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit! Why should you resign yourself to treat it as a sewer? What are you taking into your body--swallowing, drinking, viewing, injecting, listening, etc--that must stop for you to move forward? What must you do--not just to maintain--to bring the temple to where it should be in 2012?)
- Thinking (Some of us actually take pride in the fact that we haven't actually read anything meaningful since high school... REALLY???? God never intended any of us to be intellectually "flabby," especially when we're commanded to meditate on his Word day and night! But remember, God's Word isn't the limit of what you're to read; it's the filter, but it's not the limit. So listen, read, discuss, stretch that brain, and grow! What will you do to grease up the intellectual gears and get 'em turning in 2012?)
- Friendships (Just because some of us are a little more outgoing than others, does not mean that we're meant to live completely on our own. That means either beginning or ramping up your efforts to open up and meet other people in a way that you never have before. It means seeking out relationships with people who can make you stronger. AND for all of us in those two areas, it's not an "either/or" proposition; it's "both/and." What are you willing to do to build and strengthen relationships outside your immediate family in 2012?
Serious about these things...? Then we'll see you for "Forward" this Sunday morning (9:30 and 11 AM) at Gateway Community Church!!!
