So, have you made a resolution for 09?
Not me. At least not in the typical sense.
I gave up on resolutions a while ago because I usually break them within the first week of the new year. But this time around, I’m making a very different kind of resolution. You might not even really call this a resoluton because it runs in the opposite direction–it’s not a promise to be strong or more effective, but to be weak.
I love what the apostle Paul writes in 1 Cor 12:7-10. I love how honest he is and how freely he admits his weakness. I love most how Paul sees his weakness as an invitation to know the sufficiency and power of Jesus Christ. So Paul actually resolves to be weak, to delight in weakness, to boast in weakness. “For when I am weak” Paul says, “then I am strong.”
So I’ll follow Paul’s lead for the year 2009. I’ll be weak. That’s something I can’t screw up. And even if I do, it will only add to my weakness. Fantastic.
May you, in your weakness, delight in the sufficiency and power of Jesus in this upcoming year
God bless!
Dihan
So
January 4, 2009 at 5:01 pm |
Pastor Dihan,
Every since a friend of mine introduced me to your church, I’ve been downloading and listening to the sermons from your fellow pastors and you. I noticed in the last few weeks, messages have not been posted on the church site and the podcasts have stopped.
I’ve been receiving a lot of grace from the messages and was wondering when they will be available again.
May you continue to do God’s work in the New Year and God Bless.
January 10, 2009 at 1:48 pm |
Our apologies Clifford. January is kind of a strange month because we have guest speakers all throughout. We’re a little behind so please bear with us. YOu should see them posted soon.
Blessings.
P.Dihan
January 12, 2009 at 4:58 pm |
Jon Walker from Saddleback Church wrote in a personal blog that something along the same lines as you, Dihan. He also focused on a passage in 1 Corinthians in which Paul writes, “This year I resolve to know nothing but Christ and Him cruficied.” walker continues by stating that “Paul’s message is radically simple: Salvation is in CHrist alone. It’s not Christ plus good behavior. It’s not Christ plus the number of Bible verses you memorize. It’s not Christ plus your tithe or the church you attend. It’s not Christ plus wisdom from the latest Christian seminar. It’s simply Christ plus nothing. Christ and Christ alone.”
So what’s the moral of the story?
I’m guessing that NY’s resolutions often fail because unless we have all this optimism that we are going to meet “unrealistic expectations.” It’s not that we shouldn’t try to meet those expectations, but we fall short of them because Christ is not at the center. In fact, when times get tough, it’s almost a guarantee that we will give up those goals because if we don’t have a solid foundation of faith that will carry us through the storm. I made a “resolution” myself about a year ago in which I allowed God to steer my life as I pressed the gas pedal.
Ever since I rededicated myself to Christ about two years ago, God has made it clear to me that this is my season of humility and integrity. I know that He is preparing me for something tremendous in the near future. In my heart, I knew that God was going to allow opportunities in my life to open up to shape my heart to live a life of integrity that I desperately wanted. All throughout the past two years, God has presented me with opportunities small and large in which my integrity was tested. Whether it’s something I stole and had to return or stating the truth about my past history to investigators (applying for a federal job), God was shaping my heart to prepare me for His purpose for me. It’s almost as if He was the one setting the agenda and telling me what my “resolutions” needed to be. From this one area of my life God is working on, He’s opened up more opportunities to work on other areas in my life, such as loving and serving others.
Did all this come easy to me at first? Not exactly, but I followed God by taking small acts or steps of faith. I vividly remember the timeline. First, I committed to a Solid Foundations course by 8-weeks end, I dedicated my life to Christ. From there, I faithfully began to tithe. Thirdly, I began to evangelize to one co-worker. Lastly, I served the church as an usher. There were more smaller steps in between but I realized that by taking these steps, God was ultimately scaling me up the mountain of faith. In every instance in the Bible, every major/minor prophet or apostle had to make a choice to dedicate their lives and they all took steps. A lot of them were hard-headed and stubborn like myself, but when they came around and took that first step…God blessed them tremendously in the end.
I love Paul’s example, Dihan, because his life was filled with so much faith. I don’t think any of us will have to endure hardships anything near Paul went through, but his life is a testament to living a life of complete and total abandon to God’s will. I remember in one of your sermons you talked about how Peter being in prison various times were opportunities that God was presenting him to prepare him to be the “rock” in which God would build the church upon. In other words, I need to be prepared to go through some hardships to prepare me for whatever goals God has in store.
God will steer your car in the right direction only if you start the car and press the gas pedal first. That’s what the Holy Spirit allowed me to realize through my faith journey.