Pastor's Corner: Happy New Year Hi-Line!

As we close out last year with all of its blessings, trials and tribulations. The starting of a new year is a time when we make resolutions, things we would like to do more of, things we need to work on for our health, for our family. The Forbes top 5 this year are:

1 Improve fitness/health

2 Improve finances/financial health

3 Improve mental health/less stress

4 Lose weight/health

5 Improve diet/health

I think this is pretty close to the list year after year all of them but one is on my list also. We do all these things so we can live a life that is better for out physical and mental health, when we do one thing it improves the other things also. This is like a tune up for my car, new plugs improve milage, new oil improves my engines longevity and so on. My car needs maintenance and so does my body and mind.

All these have to do with health, but what about my spiritual health. How was my relationship with Jesus last year, was I growing in our relationship, am I closer too Jesus today than yesterday? This health checkup, I think is the one most needed by all of us. If my spiritual health is in decline it affects all the other aspects of my life. But when its right , I feel bullet proof, able to tackle any situation that I am confronted by, like hitting on all eight cylinders, full turbo. That's why we need to constantly work on our spiritual health.

We can't do this alone, the Forbes list focuses on what we can do, our spiritual health focuses on what Jesus Christ can do with us, if we let Him. We are given all the tools necessary to grow and mature as a Christian, we have His holy word to read, we have others to lead us and guide us, we have bible studies, men's groups, women's groups to help us grow and mature in our life as a Christian. But most of all we have the greatest helper that was given to us when we said yes to Jesus, the Holy Spirit. The indwelling of Holy Spirit is the greatest gift we have for following, maturing, and getting our spiritual health where it should be.

In Romans 12:1-2 Paul gives us a why:

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

This scripture takes care of most on the list, this is the spiritual tune up I need every day. When I do this daily, moving forward daily I get closer to God. I need to keep drawing closer to Him to keep from going backwards. James 4:8(a) says

"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." The more I seek, the more of a presence He is in my life. See, if we do our part, God is guaranteed to do His part.

This way we can mature in our relationship with Jesus, trusting more, obeying more, loving more. The closer we get to Jesus, His attributes become ours, the bible says we should be walking in the Spirit, leaning into the Holy Spirits strength within us taking us through times, obeying His direction so we don't crash but overcome.

In Matthew's Gospel one of the religious leaders asks Jesus a question about which is the greatest commandment, and Jesus answered "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." As we mature in our relationship to Jesus, not only do we draw closer to Him, by giving Him all of us the very core of who we are. When Jesus said the second is like the first "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." As we mature in Christ, we do it for others, it's all about others.

Living so the fruit of the Spirit is evident in our lives as the bible says in Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such thing is no law". We are all an example to others whether they are Christian or not, let us live like we are forgiven.

Being able to give an answer to others of the hope we have, the grace and mercy we have received, the love that has no bounds. To introduce Jesus to the seeking, the lost, the least and the left behind. We are the hands and feet of Jesus. The bible says He doesn't want anyone to perish. We are part of His plan just as the twelve disciples were. They made a difference in the Kingdom and so can we. That's huge!

We also should mature in Christ so that we can help others mature in Christ. Dr. Howard Hendricks as quoted by one of his students " You cannot impart what you do not possess". If we aren't making an effort seek God and grow in Christ, then we can't help others along their journey. The Lord wants all His disciples help in bringing up other disciples.

So, my New Years resolution is to spend more time getting to know Jesus, grow in my relationship with Him, so His nature becomes mine. Then tell the world about my sacrificial, wonderful, supernatural, loving God and what He has done for me and with me.

If you don't have a relationship with Jesus or have backed away, this New Year could be the year your life started to make sense, to find purpose and love for yourself and others. It can be done right now through a personal relationship with Him. But there is one problem, namely, our sin. God is a Holy God and cannot fellowship with any who are in their sins. But the good news is that if you turn from your sins, to repent, trust and believe that Christ's sacrificial death on the cross was for you, God will forgive all your sins and give you eternal life as a free gift. Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." As soon as we surrender our life to Jesus, make Him Lord and Savior, we begin or comeback to our relationship with God. Then the time we spend with Him will get our spiritual health in shape, maturing day by day, keeping Gods word in our heart, being transformed into the image of Jesus.

My friends, if you are not churching, find a bible believing church, and we have some great throughout the Hi-Line, show up on Sunday, being with others going through the same maturing journey.1

Let us change the world this New Year one person at a time, starting with us.

I hope you will join me on this journey.

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

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Pastor AJ

Set Free Christian Fellowship Havre