In a few days another year will be behind us. At midnight, December 31 we will cross the threshold into a new year and a new decade. Will your new year really be new?

For a new year to be truly new, something more than the changing of numbers on a calendar must happen. If something doesn’t change in us, the year to come will be much the same as the one that will soon pass.

As you get ready for a new year, what kind of things need to change in you for the new year to really be new?

Here is a short checklist of things that have to change if our new year is going to be truly new:

• Ways of thinking about life and others.

All too often we develop thought patterns and processes about life and others that torment us and bring unnecessary pain to our relationships. When our minds are poisoned with “stinking thinking,” we will never be happy. A healthy mind makes a peaceful and happy life.

… we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. — 2 Corinthians 10:5

As you go into a new year, go after the thoughts that are unhealthy or ungodly.

• Attitudes.

What attitudes characterize your life? Are there any attitudes that keep you from enjoying God’s best and being your best for God? What attitude-baggage do you need to leave behind if your new year is really going to be new?

Maybe its an attitude of ungratefulness? Perhaps you are ruled by a spirit of competition, jealousy or resentment? It could a cynical or critical attitude? It could be a destructive attitude of unsettledness or double-mindedness that keeps you from giving your all where God has placed you.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus … — Philippians 2:5

Make a decision to leave ugly, negative, unproductive attitudes behind as you head into the new year.

• Words.

Did you know that your words can make a huge difference in the joy and usefulness of your life? What we say, to ourselves (self-talk) and to others, actually impacts our destiny.

When our conversations are filled with cutting, destructive words or doubt-filled, hopeless words we are sowing the wrong kind of seed, and are sure to reap the wrong kind of harvest.

The tongue has the power of life and death … — Proverbs 18:21

Decide to change the way you talk to yourself and to others this next year. You will be amazed at the difference it makes.

• Friends and influences.

What kind of friends and influences do you have in your life? Are they helping you love God and people more? Are they helping you stay committed to God’s assignments in your life? Do they reinforce you in your commitment to live faithfully for God? Are they truly a positive influence in your life?

One of the toughest but most important changes we can make in life is to disconnect from negative, destructive people and influences.

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” — 1 Corinthinans 15:33

Do you need to make any relationship changes for your new year to really be new?

• Habits.

A habit is a way of thinking. living, acting, doing that is a regular, usual, predictable and settled part of your life. Habits can be good or bad; healthy or unhealthy.

To be the best for God and to experience the best of God, we need to cooperate with Him by developing habits that draw us closer to Him.

Healthy and holy habits include regularly setting aside time for prayer and the study of God’s Word and church participation. It involves growing as a giver. It involves cultivating habits of serving others. It involves things like our diet, rest and physical exercise choices.

Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. — 1 Timothy 4:8

As you head into a new year think about the habits God wants you to change.

This new year can truly be new if you decide to adjust some key areas in our lives. And the good news is, God is ready to help you!

Pastor Dale

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Occasionally we encounter someone who seems to have one goal in life — to irritate and agitate others.  For some, this bad behavior is intentional.  They know how to “push people’s emotional buttons,” and take great pleasure in doing so.  For others, the behavior is unintentional.  They are ignorant of their own personality problems or are immature in their relationship skills.  Either way, we still have to deal with them.

How can we effectively handle people like this?  What should be our response to folks who attack, nitpick, brood, pout, demean and dump their ugly emotions on others?

Here are a few suggestions that might help:

• Disconnect yourself from other people’s moods, meanness and bad manners.  Don’t let others draw you into their emotional misery and madness.

• Refuse to react or retaliate when verbal barbs come your way.  Emotionally step out of the way and let the poison darts pass by you.  Remember, it takes two to fight.  The best way to stop a fight is to refuse to fight.  When they see that you are not interested in engaging in their “theater of war,” they will most likely move on to someone else who will.

• Understand that hurt people hurt people.  Generally, difficult people behave as they do because of the brokenness and pain inside of them.  Understanding this will help you keep the right perspective and perhaps feel a bit more compassion and love for them.

• Choose your responses purposefully.  If someone is being unkind, respond with kindness.  If they are demonstrating impatience, respond with patience.  If they are acting out in anger, choose to respond in quietness, calmness and peace.  Don’t let another person’s behavior or attitudes dictate yours.

• Know when to walk away.  Sometimes the best thing we can do in the presence of volatile people is to appropriately remove ourselves from the situation.  It might mean going to another room in the house or taking a walk outside.

• Above all, keep a spirit of love and choose to forgive.  Don’t let anger or resentment build in you!

The Bible gives us some guidelines in dealing with difficult people:

“A gentle answer quiets anger, but a harsh one stirs it up.”  –  Proverbs 15:1 (TEV)

“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”  –  Luke 6:27, 28

And by the way, if you are a difficult person, here are some suggestions for you: admit it to yourself and to God and seek His forgiveness, apologize to the people your attitudes and actions have impacted, and ask God to help you to be the person He wants you to be!

Pastor Dale

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One of the words that ubiquitously appears at Christmas is “peace.“ You see it on lots of  Christmas cards and decorations.  It’s a theme of many of our favorite Christmas carols.  The reason it’s such a popular word during this season is because it’s a key part of the Christmas story.

When God announced the birth of Jesus the Messiah to the Bethlehem shepherds, angels sang out this familiar chorus:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

The coming of Jesus to the world opened the pathway to real peace.  In fact, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah spoke of the coming Messiah as the “Prince of Peace.” When we put our faith in Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord, the possibilities of peace open up to us like never before.

God’s peace is a two-dimensional experience.  It is something that happens inside of us.  It is also something that should go beyond us.  It is something that should be extended through us to others.

Real peace begins within.  The coming of Jesus to our world provided us a way to shed the burden of guilt and shame.  Though His death and resurrection, we can now know that our sins are forgiven.  We can have peace with God.

As followers of Jesus, we can trust Him with every part of our lives.  He provides for our needs, helps us with our problems, and cares about our cares.  Knowing this gives us an inner peace that goes beyond natural understanding.

This wonderful peace of Jesus also places some requirements on us.  For God’s peace to be sustained in us, it must be demonstrated through us to others.  We must be willing to let go of offenses, release resentment, refuse jealousy and put an end to division and strife in our relationships .  The coming of Jesus calls us to live in the peace of God and to choose to be at peace with others.

Do you need some peace within?  Jesus offers it to you!

Do you need to make peace with others?  Jesus gives you the power to make peace!

Don’t forget the “in’s” and “out’s” of God’s peace!

Pastor Dale

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“Stuck” is a word people sometimes use to describe how they feel about life.  It might refer to some emotion they cannot seem to shake, some relationship hurdle they cannot seem to get past, or some part of their spiritual life where growth and change seem impossible.  Maybe you can identify with this “stuck” feeling.  It appears that all your efforts in some area of your life have gotten you nowhere.

There are many stories in the Bible about people who were stuck in tough, frustrating, dangerous and discouraging places.  They found themselves in situations they could not control or change.  These stories of real people in real dilemmas contain help for us.  Let’s take a brief look at two examples.

The first one is found in Acts 12:1-17.  King Herod decided to persecute Christians in Jerusalem.  He arrested and executed the Apostle James, and then went after Peter.  Peter was put in prison.  Herod’s plan was to kill him as well.  Peter was guarded by up to sixteen soldiers at a time.  It was definitely maximum security incarceration.  Peter was stuck.  There was no way out of his situation.  Without a miracle, his fate was sealed.

But a miracle was about to happen.  The Bible tells us about a force at work that Herod never counted on!

“So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.”  –  Acts 12:5

While Peter was stuck in prison, people were praying for him.  And through these prayers, God got Peter out!  Acts 12:6-10 describes the miraculous deliverance.

Another great story is found in Acts 16:16-26.  The Apostle Paul and his helper, Silas, found themselves in jail as well.  Their ministry to a young girl in Philippi, who was tormented and controlled by a demon spirit, had been rewarded with antagonism and attack.  After being falsely accused by the citizens and convicted by the Philippian officials, they were ruthlessly and severely beaten and thrown into the inner dungeon of the local jail.  They were stuck in stocks and chains, with no way out, without God’s intervention.

The Bible tells us how they handled their circumstances:

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God … Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.  At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.”  –  Acts 16:25, 26

Paul and Silas were miraculously freed!  They too were unstuck from a terrible predicament.

What is the common denominator in both of these stories?  Prayer!

In Peter’s case, it was the prayers of other people that brought God’s power to bear on his situation.  In Paul and Silas’ situation, it was their own prayers that made a difference.  In both instances, prayer not only got these men through, it got them out — it was their key to getting unstuck.

Whatever you are facing today, don’t give up on prayer.  It brings God’s power to bear on your challenges, problems and concerns.  In answer to your prayers and the prayers of other, God’s power will give you the traction you need to get unstuck.  Through prayer, you can break free and move forward in God’s purpose for your life!

Pastor Dale

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Recently I had a particular task that I needed someone to take care of for me. It was an important assignment, so I had to be selective in who I asked to handle the responsibility. In a matter of seconds I knew who I could count on to help. I knew that this gentleman would not only do what needed to be done, I knew that he would do it joyfully, conscientiously and with excellence. I knew I could trust him with the assignment.

The reason I had such confidence in this person was because I saw a wonderful characteristic in him. Over several years of knowing this man, I observed a character quality that set him apart from many others. He was trustworthy. He was faithful. He took assignments seriously and owned them appropriately. He stayed relationally connected in the process of fulfilling his assigned duties. And when he made mistakes, he was receptive and responsive to feedback, input and correction. He was not only a “doer,” he was a “grower.” He didn’t just “do” what he was asked, he, and the people around him, grew too.

What quality does this man possess? The Bible refers to it as trustworthiness or faithfulness. Some translations use the word “reliable” to describe such a person.

This kind of person is someone that can be leaned on for help, support and strength. They can be counted on to do what they say they are going to do, and to do it well. They are pillars that stay put and bear loads. They often do their greatest work behind the scenes, in ways the majority of people never see or appreciate.

Reliability, faithfulness and trustworthiness are high on God’s list of desirable character traits!

Let’s take a quick look at what the Bible says about the qualities of trustworthiness, faithfulness and reliability:

• God is trustworthy, faithful and reliable.

The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. — Psalm 145:13

• Trustworthiness, faithfulness and reliability are required of spiritual leaders.

But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. — Exodus 18:21

• Trustworthiness, faithfulness and reliability are proven in small, practical assignments — if these qualities are not seen in the little areas of life and responsibilities they will certainly be absent in the big areas.

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.  So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?  And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? — Luke 16:10-12

• Trustworthiness, faithfulness and reliability qualify us for greater service in God’s Kingdom.

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. — 2 Timothy 2:2

Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. — 1 Corinthians 4:2

• Trustworthiness, faithfulness and reliability lead to a life of promotion, productivity, value and joy.

The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ — Matthew 25:20, 21

How trustworthy, faithful and reliable are you? Make a decision to give the development of these qualities top billing in your life!

Pastor Dale

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