Choose Christ and His Ways.

 Today in church we held The John Wesley Covenant Renewal Service. This service is an opportunity to make a new commitment to "choose Christ and His ways." There are so many challenges found within this covenant and I love that WFMC revisits the covenant each year as a way to begin the clean slate that is placed before us on January 1. I try to find at least one gem to carry with me through the year ahead. The thing that the Lord speaks most strongly to me during this season of my life. So, this blog is about what I believe is my challenge for 2012. 

 Here are the paragraphs that I'm keeping before me today: 

"And because You require, as the condition of our peace with You, that we should put away idols, we here and now from the bottom of our hears renounce them all. We firmly covenant with You not to allow ourselves to continue in any known sin. We will, instead, conscientiously use all means that we know You have prescribed for the death and utter destruction of everything that corrupts us."

 We humbly affirm before Your glorious Majesty that it is the firm resolution of our hearts to forsake all that is dear to us in this world, rather than to turn from You to the ways of sin. We will guard ourselves against all temptations, whether from prosperity or poverty, pleasure or pain, so that they may never draw our hearts away from You."

 Those are a couple loaded paragraphs and there is so much that challenges me. These words contain a tall order to fill; I have so many places in my life that need to be addressed. It would be easy to become overwhelmed! So, I want to start out simple. NOTE: This is not about making a "New Years Resolution"... those seem to be made to be broken. This is about Choosing Christ and His Ways.

1. I will spend regular time in intentional prayer, including time praying God's Word and listening for HIS guidance. I will set aside at least 1 hour each day to spend in these activities. 
2. I will make choices in my day to day living that recognize that my body is God's temple. I will honor His temple by treating it with the respect it deserves. This includes, but is not limited to: eating healthy foods in appropriate portions, being physically and mentally active so that I will honor God with my body and my mind. 
3. I will intentionally seek opportunities to be His hands, feet and voice. I will not take the credit for acts of service, but will humbly remember that I can do all things through Him and I am nothing without Him. 

I am giving you, the reader of this blog, permission to do the following: 

1. Ask me to pray for you. Ask me if I have remembered to pray for you. Ask me what the Lord has spoken to me today. If I can't give an answer, don't let it go. Speak the truth in Love and help me to be a better person. 
2. If you see me making unhealthy choices about my physical or mental well being, please challenge me! Call me on it. Again, speak the truth in love.. It's so true that sometimes the truth hurts, but don't let fear of hurting me keep you from doing what is right for me. You see, so often when we see our brother or sister in sin, we don't want to say anything for fear that we might offend. However, in the long run, if we let our brother or sister continue in sin we are doing a far greater damage than if we had taken a moment to give honest and loving correction.
3. If you know about opportunities where I can be of service, please invite me in! AND if you catch me in a prideful moment, please let me know. I most often catch myself in the "hidden" pride that says "do it yourself." I often neglect to let others come along side in the work that I'm doing. Failing to allow others to be involved in the work I'm lead to accomplish denies others of their own God appointed opportunities to serve. If it seems that the task before me becomes more about my accomplishment than God's ministry speak up! I NEED to know (even when I think I don't WANT to know.

This request to God is written in the covenant, and I ask you to be God's voice to me in answering this prayer: 

"I humbly beg You that if You see any flaw or falsehood in my resolve, reveal it to me and help me put it right."

May 2012 hold all God's biggest and best blessings for you. May you find Joy around every corner and find peace in your heart and in your home. May you be His humble servant all the days of your life, that those who do not yet know Him might meet Him through you and Choose Christ and His Ways for life.