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Topic: Christian Perspectives on a New Year
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Christian Perspectives on a New Year
Jerry Falwell
Thursday, Jan. 1, 2004
What’s your new year’s resolution? It’s a question most of us hear for a few weeks following the passage of another year.
While we often make futile pledges to alter a personal flaw, it’s often done with little resolve and possibly a comprehension that we really don’t intend to change when it’s all said and done.
But a new year is a perfect time to scrutinize our lives and to determine what needs to be amended and addressed in regard to our personal conduct. For Christians, such reflection should be done on a continuing basis to ensure that we are daily living lives that are pleasing to Christ. Still, an annual overview of this commitment is wise.
With that said, I thought I would make some propositions for how we can better live out our faith in the coming new year.
A Challenge to Pastors
As 2004 dawns, I believe every evangelical pastor in America should make a commitment to ensure that the adult members of his congregation are registered and informed voters.
Proverbs 14:34 tells us: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”
It’s the responsibility of Christians to ensure that righteousness remains a priority for the nation. With America in a seemingly out-of-control moral breakdown, the key to a return to biblical values is for Christians to elect leaders who reflect the Judeo-Christian values of our Forefathers.
In the coming crucial political year, I urge pastors to boldly inform their constituencies on the candidates who best reflect the values we hold dear. We must then hold our public leaders accountable and ensure that their campaign commitments carry on when they are elected to office.
A Challenge to Fathers
With the divorce rate in America remaining out of control, I believe it is more important than ever for men to become leaders in their homes. A key to gaining control of many of our nation’s moral/social dilemmas is the development of godly fathers.
I urge every Christian dad to renew his commitment to his wife and children in the coming new year. Live a life of personal sacrifice to ensure that your children are priority number-one in your life.
There is no sure-fire way to secure the future of our children. But by serving as the godly role models in the home, fathers can make an affirmative impact on their children’s lives and have a lifelong influence on their futures.
A Challenge to Believers
During the coming year, I am urging Christians to make a vow to glorify God through Bible reading and prayer.
Many families in my Thomas Road Baptist Church are reading the Bible in its entirety this year. This takes a minimal commitment, but by taking the time to read the Bible each day, we can guarantee that we spend time applying God’s Word to our lives.
Furthermore, I encourage Christians this year to commit to what is commonly referred to as “quiet time.” This daily time of personal devotion helps develop our Christian growth and prayer life. I also suggest that you make a prayer list of items that are of greatest concern to you so that you can recurrently take your concerns to the throne of God.
Live Outside the Lines
This year, consider doing something in terms of personal ministry that you’ve never before done. Here are a few examples: teach a Sunday school class, serve on a short-term missions trip, personally commit to financially supporting a missionary family, mentor a fatherless child, start a Bible study in your home, care for a home-bound individual, coach a church sports team.
There are countless ways to serve others. I fervently encourage believers to live out their faith by utilizing their gifts and talents in new ways.
It is imperative that we become better stewards of our time, talent and treasure in order to impact the culture for the cause of Christ. It is impossible to imagine the impact we could have on our nation if every Christian were to make a commitment to living out his/her faith in a new way in 2004.
We live in painfully uncertain times. And in such times, people’s hearts are hungry for truth and perspective. May we commit to being reliable and responsible ambassadors of Christ in the new year as we seek to find new ways to present the Gospel to our fellow man.
http://newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/1/1/13041.shtml
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