It's coming! 1/1/11

I like the way God designed time. We have new beginnings regularly. Every morning, we have the beginning of a new day. Every Sunday, we have the beginning of a new week. We are getting ready to celebrate another new beginning, the beginning of a new year. And new beginnings allow us to adjust our ways into greater harmony with God and the people around us.

If you abbreviate the numbers of the year that is before us, the beginning of this year is 1/1/11. That's got a real ring to it. And so may I encourage all my friends to take on four new life advancements, one for each number one in our new year. Take some time and think and pray about four adjustments you can make to your life that will enrich your life and the lives of others.

Now these advancements might be something you want to give up. I want to give up about 25 pounds this year. I want to believe that my desire is not vain but for simple reasons of health and strength. If your advancement is something to give up, tell as many people as you possibly can. Take out an add in the news paper if you can afford it and announce what you're giving up. This will add some accountability to what you want to accomplish.

There are "givin' up goals" and then there are "goin' up goals". Goin' up goals are things like reading a few more books this year, setting up a date night with your spouse, spending some quality time with your kids, learning a new skill or giving Jesus more time in devotion. For those kinds of advancements, the goin' up kind, pick out a few very close and trusted friends and invite them to ask you periodically through the year how you are doing with that goal.

May I suggest a "goin' up goal". Go to www.gatewaybible.com and sign up for a daily reading of the Bible. This simple system will allow you to read your Bible in one year. I am surprised by how many Christians have never read the Bible from cover to cover. It is a wonderful experience. Once you go to their website and sign up, Gateway Bible will send you free of charge an email with the reading of the day. You can select from a number of different approaches but typically, you will read from the Old Testament, the Psalms and the New Testament. If you are married, my wife and I have found it is a wonderful way to start the day together. The reading will take about 30 minutes and by December 31, 2011, you will have the blessing and satisfaction of having read your Bible from cover to cover.

I am praying God's great love to fall each and every day on your life as you seek to advance your life and the lives of others into a closer and closer relationship with the Author of life.