A Fresh Start: Tomorrow Begins A New Day

"A Fresh Start: Tomorrow begins a new day."

2 Cor. 5:17; Phil 3:13b-14; Jeremiah 29:11; I John 1:9

Great Bend, Kansas

December 31, 2006

INTRODUCTION:

New Year’s Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. It’s a time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make and resolve to follow through on those changes. Did your New Year resolutions make our top ten list?

1) Spend More Time with Family & Friends

Recent polls conducted by General Nutrition Centers, Quicken, and others shows that more than 50% of Americans vow to appreciate loved ones and spend more time with family and friends this year.

2) Fit in Fitness

Regular exercise has been associated with more health benefits than anything else known to man. Studies show that it reduces the risk of some cancers, increases longevity, helps achieve and maintain weight loss, enhances mood, lowers blood pressure, and even improves arthritis. In short, exercise keeps you healthy and makes you look and feel better.

3) Tame the Bulge

Over 66 percent of adult Americans are considered overweight or obese by recent studies, so it is not surprising to find that weight loss is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions.

4) Quit Smoking

On average, smokers try about four times before they quit for good. Start enjoying the rest of your smoke-free life!

5) Enjoy Life More

Given the hectic, stressful lifestyles of millions of Americans, it is no wonder that "enjoying life more" has become a popular resolution in recent years. It’s an important step to a happier and healthier you!

6) Quit Drinking

While many people use the New Year as an incentive to finally stop drinking, most are not equipped to make such a drastic lifestyle change all at once.

7) Get Out of Debt

Was money a big source of stress in your life last year? Join the millions of Americans who have resolved to spend this year getting a handle on their finances. It’s a promise that will repay itself many times over in the year ahead.

8) Learn Something New

Have you vowed to make this year the year to learn something new?

9) Help Others

A popular, non-selfish New Year’s resolution, volunteerism can take many forms. Whether you choose to spend time helping out at your local library, mentoring a child, or building a house, there are many nonprofit volunteer organizations that could really use your help.

10) Get Organized

On just about every New Year resolution top ten list, organization can be a very reasonable goal. Whether you want your home organized, or your office organized enough that you can find the stapler when you need it.

POINT ONE: Housekeeping: It’s time to take an inventory of your spiritual life.

Is it not time for you to examine yourself? Is it not time to consider in how many important ways your life falls far short of what it ought to be, and what it very much could be, for the Lord’s sake and your own sake and for the sake of your family and the world around you? Is it not time to face the fact that nothing stands between you and far greater and more fruitful faithfulness to God than simply the exercise of your will and the commitment of your heart and the sacrifice of your time and effort? Surely God will bless those who hunger and thirst for more righteousness!

Try this on for size. These are twelve questions for the purpose of self-examination proposed by the famous Methodist missionary John Fletcher of Madeley. He called them "Self-examination Questions for Spiritual People." And he meant that we should ask ourselves these questions each and every day!

1. Did I awake spiritual, and was I watchful in keeping my mind from wandering this morning when I was rising?

2. Have I this day got nearer to God in times of prayer, or have I given way to a lazy, idle spirit?

3. Has my faith been weakened by unwatchfulness, or quickened by diligence this day?

4. Have I this day walked by faith and eyed God in all things?

5. Have I denied myself in all unkind words and thoughts? Have I delighted in seeing others preferred before me?

6. Have I made the most of my precious time, as far as I had light, strength, and opportunity?

7. Have I kept the issues of my heart in the means of grace, so as to profit by them?

8. What have I done this day for the souls and bodies of God’s dear saints?

9. Have I laid out anything to please myself when I might have saved the money for the cause of God?