The New You!

ìWhat's up?" "Oh, nothing. What's up with you?î ìNot much; same old, same old.î Ever had that conversation? I'll bet you have. Me too. But what a shame! That's no life. And real life is what it's all about...the abundant life that is.

Now I'm not living in another world. I understand completely how life works. We rock into our routines; and routines are fine. Some routines can be a blessing. But for too many routines become ruts. We have our rituals; up at the same time every day, shower, breakfast the same, work, home, chores, homework, news, TV, bed, and the next day just like it. Day in and day out, over and over. But routines and rituals don't have to characterize life; in fact that spells boredom, not abundance if that's all that happens. Jesus wanted us to have life and have it to the full.

For the Christian, every day is an opportunity for something new and different. As we began the New Year, I determined that for myself, some things were going to change and I encouraged every one of you to jump aboard the ìNew Youî train and take an exciting new ride. If we want more and better we'd better get busy making something happen. It certainly won't happen if we succumb to the comfortable, the reliable, and the normal...the same. Someone has said the true definition of insanity is to keep on doing the same thing and expecting different results.

Now for many of you, it won't be a wholesale makeover. It might just be stepping it up a notch or becoming an encourager for someone else; a cheerleader and example. For others, though, a real new beginning could be in order. What are you doing to make something great happen in your life? Some of us ask God to bless our lives. I wonder if God ever wants to shout back, ìGive me something to work with!î God can't bless something that doesn't exist. We pray from time to time that God would help the church with its outreach and God says, ìWhat outreach?î

Jesus said to the lifelong cripple, ìTake up your mat and walkî and new energy coursed through the man's body. But if the man didn't physically attempt to stand, to lift and to walk, he would still be lying in the same spot. Jesus provided the guidance, the encouragement and even the strength to perform, but the success still fell on the crippled man's effort. God energizes effort but he can't do much with that which doesn't exist. He can take a little boy's sack lunch and feed five thousand men...but he has to have the sack lunch to do it with. That's where the faith comes in. The faith is in giving ourselves to God and saying, ìIt's not much, but here it is.î Give to God what you have, begin to do what little you can do, seek God's blessing and watch Him take over the system. The results can be amazing.

It's when we won't do our part that we find ourselves in a rut. Remember a rut is only a shallow grave with the ends kicked out. But determining to make it a New You for the New Year can bring excitement and promise back into the picture.

The Challenge was simple...really simplistic. It isn't a cure-all, just a place to begin. Read a good inspirational book; spend 20 minutes each day in Bible reading and prayer and come to every service for eight weeks. Some have said they already do all of those things, and I'll assure you they are the ones with the most interesting and fulfilling lives. I'll also assure you they engage in much more than these easy things and that God has blessed their efforts. He'll bless yours too.

God spoke through Paul these words: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! Those can either be ancient words in an old book or they can be the call to the best year in you life. What's up with you