And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
— 2 Timothy 2:2

The holiday season is a time when family and friends gather to celebrate — but it is also a time when some experience profound loneliness, heaviness, depression, and feelings of isolation. This is especially true if a loved one has died or if a person has suffered the loss of a relationship in the previous year. You may have experienced some of these emotions yourself this past holiday season.

If people have deficiencies in their relationships, the holiday season has a way of bringing them face to face with that deficit. Frequently that deficit becomes visible because they are with family and friends with whom they have had past personality conflicts, struggles, or disagreements. As a result, holidays can be times when old wounds are reopened, and emotions that a person thought were dealt with and dead start screaming again. Personalities collide. Feelings are hurt. People get rubbed the wrong way. Regretful words are spoken. And what should have been a wonderful time together degenerates into another hurtful event.

It is a statistical fact that the holiday season is among the most emotionally charged times of the year. This is one reason why we who are mature in the Lord must be a source of peace in potentially difficult situations, and we must keep a watchful eye on those who struggle with personal loss and loneliness. We also need to stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit, who frequently uses this time of year to confront us with the status of our relationships — and awaken us to our need to improve them.

So let me ask you — as you gathered with family and friends over the holidays, did the Holy Spirit make you aware of relationships that needed your attention and improvement? Did you experience loneliness or become conscious of your need to reach out to make new friends in order to fill a void in your life? Do you presently feel satisfied with the condition of your relationships, or are you aware of your need to put forth extra effort in order to take them to a higher level?

Relationships are like savings accounts; you have to put something into them if you expect to get something out of them. If all you do is take, eventually you will drain that relationship, like a bank account that gets drained and has nothing left in it. For your relationships to remain healthy and vibrant, you need to make many deposits into them. As you invest in the people in your life, they will grow. But if you put nothing into a relationship and keep expecting to take from that other person, you will eventually come to a point where that relationship will be drained and nothing will be left for you to draw upon. That’s when you’ll regret that you didn’t make better choices and invest more into that relationship to make it the long-lasting blessing God intended it to be in both your lives.

But you don’t have to live with that kind of regret. If you’ll make the proper investments into your relationships today, it will pay off tomorrow. Even if you’ve made mistakes in past relationships and you are facing the consequences of that now, there is no need to despair. The Holy Spirit is present to restore your soul and help you start making right investments into the people God has brought into your life. You can enjoy healthy, fulfilling relationships to the very end of your life. It’s never too late to start!

When Timothy was presiding as senior pastor of the church of Ephesus, he came face to face with a deficit in his own relationships. Those leaders he thought were his friends — those he assumed would be with him to the end — were the very ones who walked out and deserted him during the worst moments of persecution he and his church had ever faced. Timothy thought he would be able to lean on these coworkers in the Kingdom during difficult and challenging times, yet they abandoned him in his hour of need.

I can’t even begin to imagine the feelings of hurt, loneliness, and isolation Timothy must have felt at that time. He was, in fact, so hurt by this experience that he wrote to the apostle Paul and asked for spiritual help. Paul wrote back to the younger minister, and the letter Paul wrote to him became the book of Second Timothy in the New Testament.

In Second Timothy 2:2, Paul wrote to his young disciple and told him, “…The things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” The word “commit” in this verse is a powerful key to building strong and lasting relationships. It is the Greek word parathou, which is a compound of the words, para and thou, the latter being a form of the word tithemi. The word para means alongside and carries the idea of a close relationship. This word para emphatically pictures two or more people who stand side by side or are mentally, spiritually, or physically in close proximity to each other. The word thou, a form of the Greek word tithemi, means to place, to put, or to deposit. When the words para and tithemi are compounded into one word, the new word is parathou, which means to come closely alongside someone else in order to put, place, or deposit a part of oneself into that person.

Paul was telling Timothy that he couldn’t afford to sit in despair and loneliness over the loss and disappointment of close relationships. It was time for Timothy to start all over again and “commit” himself to a new group of people and friends. As difficult as it was for Timothy to do this, he had to push beyond his hurt, reach out to strengthen the relationships that remained, and choose new people to draw close to and build a future with. It wasn’t time for him to “tuck his tail and run.” It was time for him to parathou — to come closely alongside others in order to put, place, or deposit a part of himself into them.

So Paul instructed Timothy to commit himself to “faithful men.” Although it isn’t stated emphatically, it is implied that the group who disappointed Timothy were not faithful people. Perhaps they were talented, bright, and full of potential, but they lacked the most important quality in relationships: faithfulness. As Timothy got ready to start all over again, Paul counseled him, “This time, make sure you invest yourself into people who are faithful.” The good news was that all the unfaithful people were gone already. Only faithful people remained, making it easier for Timothy to select people he could depend on even in difficult times of challenge and pressure.

The same may be true in your life. If you have felt forsaken, abandoned, or disappointed by certain people you thought were trustworthy, at least you now know who is faithful, for they are the ones who are still standing alongside you. They may not shine as brilliantly as the others who have disappeared from your life, but at least you can easily identify the people who will stick with you through difficult times. Those who have faithfully stayed with you through all your difficulties are exactly the kind of people who are worthy of your personal investment into them.

You may be at a similar crossroads moment to Timothy’s. It may be time for you to shake off a spirit of despair that has tried to attach itself to you. If that describes your situation, you can decide today to stop wallowing in discouragement concerning things that are in the past and are unfixable. If you made a mistake, learn from it and let the Holy Spirit lead you into the wonderful life that lies directly ahead of you. As you reach out to build new and better relationships, any feelings of loneliness, heaviness, or depression will go.

This week, if you have become aware of a relationship that needs attention or if you have come face to face with mistakes you have made in past relationships, determine to learn from the experience and then get over it as quickly as possible so you can move forward in life. As you allow the Holy Spirit to help you, He will show you how to make solid investments into your new relationships. He’ll also guide you in making fresh deposits into the lives of those who have been close to you for many years.

So I encourage you to let this be your commitment: “I will do all I know to do to keep the relationships God has brought into my life healthy and long-lasting — starting today!”

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Lord, I realize that I’ve made some mistakes in my relationships in the past. I know I got too busy at times and quit making deposits into the people I loved and needed. I expected them to perform for me, but I didn’t put enough good back into them, and now I’m experiencing the consequences both of my actions and my inaction. Please forgive me for not showing appreciation to the people who are so precious to me. I repent for misplacing my priorities. I ask You to please help me restore the relationships that are restorable and to strengthen the relationships that remain in my life right now. Help me make solid investments into the people who are close to me so I can be a real blessing to them and so these relationships will stay strong and close till the very end of my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


Today I shake off the spirit of despair that has tried to attach itself to me. I refuse to wallow in discouragement about things that are over and unfixable. I have repented and received forgiveness for my mistakes, so I will learn from them and let the Holy Spirit lead me into the wonderful future that lies directly ahead of me. Feelings of loneliness and isolation are lying emotions that must go in Jesus’ name! The Lord surrounds me with people who stick with me through times of difficulty. These faithful people are worthy of my time, attention, and personal investments. Therefore, I forget the past and its pain, and by faith in God I allow myself to build new relationships and to trust again.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. How has your first week of the new year been so far? As you gathered with family and friends, has the Holy Spirit made you aware of relationships that need your attention and improvement?
  2. Have you experienced loneliness and become conscious of your need to reach out to and make new friends to fill the void that currently exists in your life? Have you felt satisfied with the condition of your relationships, or are you aware of your need to put forth extra effort in order to take your relationships to a higher level?
  3. What do you need to do to make your relationships stronger? What is the Holy Spirit saying to your heart about the deposits you need to make into your present and even your future relationships so that those relationships will remain vibrant and long-lasting?

If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
— Luke 16:11

Was getting your finances in shape one of your New Year’s resolutions? Do you wish you had more money available to give to the Gospel? Do you long to be free of the credit-card debt that has a hold on your life? Do you allow debt to keep you from being obedient to God in the area of tithes and offerings?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, I want you to know you shouldn’t feel alone, because most of the world, including the Christian community, longs for more financial freedom and less debt.

The fact is, most of the world is in financial debt. Nations are in debt; families are in debt; churches are in debt. But you don’t have to fall into this pattern of slavery and bondage. You can be financially free if you really want freedom in this area. You just have to realize that to get free and stay free will require a firm commitment on your part to make some tough decisions regarding your spending habits.

Many people declare they want to be financially free. But when it’s time to say no to something they really want to buy and to wait until later when they can pay cash for it, their flesh cries out to have it now!

But that is when the true level of your commitment becomes evident. At that time, you must decide: Will you stick with your commitment to exercise discipline and self-control and thereby stay debt-free or avoid incurring new debt? Or will you succumb to the flesh and make that purchase using your credit card, thereby adding to your debt load? It may be difficult to stick with your commitment to do what it takes to become free of debt. But if you’ll exercise discipline and self-control in these types of decisions, afterward you’ll be happy you did when you’re on a solid foundation in your finances! And you’ll never stop thanking God for helping you do what you committed to do until you reached your goal — financial freedom for life!

For most people, credit is easy to get; all they need to do is apply for a credit card. It’s also easy to use! But it isn’t so easy to get free from the debt that builds up from using it. It’s all so convenient and so deceiving as the message is hurled at people, “Why delay purchasing what you want now when you can charge it, enjoy it, and pay for it later?” But the reality is that debt is a destroyer if not properly managed, as is evidenced by the nearly two million credit-card holders who declare bankruptcy each year in the United States. And one of the largest contributors to these bankruptcies is last-minute, emotional spending on credit cards.

So — do you really wish you had more available money to give to the Gospel or to meet the needs of others? Do you long to be free from the load of debt that has a hold on your life? Are you burdened by the struggle to pay your tithe?

If your answer is yes, it’s time to ask God for specific wisdom regarding what needs to be adjusted in your life. For instance, do you owe too much money to creditors because you didn’t exercise discipline and wait to make certain purchases? Do you carry a balance on your credit card and pay a large amount of monthly interest to your creditors?

If you were free of credit debt, you would have more money to give to the Gospel and to meet the needs of others. And if you weren’t paying so much interest to your creditors, it would be much easier for you to obey God with your tithes and offerings — which would remove any guilt you carry in your soul from feeling like you’re robbing Him and His Kingdom.

You probably don’t have a real picture of how much you’re paying in interest each month, so it would be good for you to take a look at your monthly bills, add up how much you’re paying in interest, and see how much money you’re throwing away each month on those interest payments. This situation of compounded interest is so serious in the United States that the total amount of finance charges paid annually is astronomical! At the time I am writing this book, consumer debt is completely out of control! European debt is growing at a similar pace. This means there are very few people in this world who are financially free.

But just because the rest of the world has fallen into this trap and so many people live like this doesn’t mean you have to remain trapped in the prison of debt. The truth is, how you handle your finances is a very spiritual issue. According to Luke 16:11, your finances — how you manage and respect them — is a test God uses to assess whether or not you are ready for higher levels of blessing, prosperity, responsibility, and authority. Jesus clearly taught that God watches how you manage your money and that this helps Him determine if you are ready for promotion. This is precisely what Jesus meant in Luke 16:11 when He said, “If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?”

Pay attention, because it is very important for you to understand what Jesus was telling us in this verse. In the Greek New Testament, the word “faithful” used in this verse is the word pistoi, which paints a picture of someone who is known to be faithful, responsible, conscientious, and trustworthy — in contrast to a person who is impetuous, thoughtless, rash, irresponsible, and therefore not trustworthy. This verse could be interpreted to mean: “If you are impetuous, thoughtless, rash, irresponsible, and untrustworthy with unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?”

The word “unrighteous” is from the Greek word adikia, which in this verse is used to convey the idea of something unspiritual, common, worldly, or something that belongs to the realm of human beings. The word “mammon” is the word mamonas, a very old Greek word that denotes money or wealth. When these words “unrighteous mammon” are used together as they are in this verse, it means common, worldly money. It refers to money with all of its buying power in this earthly sphere. In this verse it means, “If you are impetuous, thoughtless, rash, irresponsible, and untrustworthy with money and all of its buying power in this earthly realm, who will commit to your trust the TRUE riches?”

When Jesus refers to “true riches,” the word “true” is the Greek word alethinos, which means true, real, bona fide, genuine, indisputable, or authentic. You see, money seems so powerful in this earthly realm with all of its buying power, but it’s nothing compared to the power of God! Heavenly power and heavenly riches far surpass the power and authority of money. For those who have proven themselves faithful and reliable, God will upgrade the level of spiritual power and authority that operates through them. But according to Jesus’ words in Luke 16:11, before God upgrades this level of spiritual power and authority in a person’s life, first He watches to see how the person manages money. That’s the big test!

If you aren’t faithful, responsible, and trustworthy with money, which is the lowest form of power in this earthly realm, why would God promote you into greater levels of spiritual power, responsibility, and authority?

Your money — how you handle it, how you manage it, and what you do with it — is far more important than you’ve ever realized. It’s good that you want to get your finances in shape this year and get out of debt, but you need to know that what you do with your money is a big test. God is watching to see how you are managing it, and what you are doing with it. If He finds you faithful with money, He will know you can be trusted with real spiritual riches that are unequaled in power.

So determine to listen to the Spirit of God, use common sense, exercise self-control, and plan your purchases in advance. As you do, you will begin to live a life that becomes freer and freer of debt — until the day arrives when you are out from under that burden completely! It will take determination to do it, but if you really want to become debt-free and remain free, there is a way for you to achieve it!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Lord, I am so thankful that You have spoken to my heart today about my finances. The Holy Spirit has been speaking to my heart about getting my finances into better shape, and I now see how crucial it is that I pass this very important test. I want You to trust me with promotion to higher levels of responsibility, authority, and spiritual power. Therefore, I ask You to help me prove myself trustworthy by demonstrating my readiness for promotion by the way I handle my finances. Thank You for granting me divine wisdom, strategies, and strength to help me stay the course until I am finally debt-free!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I confess that I listen to the Spirit of God. I have the mind of Christ, and I walk in divine wisdom concerning finances in my life. I will exercise self-control, and I am disciplined in all things. I plan my purchases in advance and practice restraint so I can live a debt-free life. I am determined to remain free with the Holy Spirit’s help. I make the decision to get my finances in order. Therefore, I diligently manage my money, and I spend it with prudence. As a result, I pass this test that is so important in the eyes of God.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Do you know how much money you are spending on interest every month? Have you ever taken a look at all your credit cards, lines of credit, and other forms of debt to see how much money you are “throwing away” each month that could be used in other ways if you were not in debt?
  2. Do you pay your tithe on your income? Are you able to support other ministries as the Holy Spirit leads you, or does your debt burden keep you from being the blessing you really want to be?
  3. What specific steps come to mind that you could start taking today to get on the path that leads to financial freedom? Write those steps down, and then continue to add to the list as God gives you wisdom. Trust Him to help you develop a “getting out of debt” plan that works as you focus on reaching this all-important goal this year. Then determine to stick to the plan!

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
— Hebrews 12:11

In yesterday’s Sparkling Gem, I encouraged you to be faithful to your commitment to lose weight this year. Today I want to take it one step further and exhort you to stick with your commitment to start exercising!

If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to begin an exercise program, I want to ask you:

It is day four of this new year. If you’re still on track with your commitment to regularly exercise, well done! If you’re already faltering in that commitment after just four days, you need help getting started and maintaining that heartfelt commitment to the Lord.

You may tell yourself, Well, I’ll start tomorrow. But the world is filled with people who put things off again and again! Are you going to let that be your story this year as well? Are you going to take your place among world-class procrastinators who never do what they promise about getting in shape and who therefore deteriorate physically year by year because they won’t take care of themselves? Remember, you need to stay strong physically not just for your own sake, but to be able to finish your spiritual race strong for Him!

So let me ask you: If you haven’t done anything yet to prove that you’re really serious about starting an exercise program, what are you going to do now to get back on track with your original commitment?

Many years ago, Denise and I decided we would start exercising regularly. Instead of purchasing Christmas gifts for one another as we normally did each year, we decided to put our money together to buy a computerized treadmill that could read blood pressure, heartbeat, and even tell us how many calories we were burning as we huffed and puffed each morning during our exercise regimen. But we felt that a treadmill was not enough, so we also purchased a stationary bicycle to be a part of our exercise equipment. The treadmill and bicycle were top-notch and cost a lot of money. Denise also wanted to work on her circulation, so we added a mini-trampoline to our collection of home equipment so she could jump up and down every morning to increase her blood circulation.

At first, we were faithful — walking, bicycling, and jumping every morning. But after a while, it got more and more difficult to get on that treadmill, bicycle, and mini-trampoline. Soon I found myself using only the treadmill — and for fewer and fewer minutes each day. It wasn’t long until all that equipment became silent pieces of unused machinery in our Moscow apartment.

One day I was sitting in my easy chair, thinking about how I needed to exercise, when I looked over at the treadmill and realized it had become a platform for boxes! Clothes on hangers were now hanging from the handlebars we used to hold on to so tightly as we briskly walked! I turned to the exercise bike just behind the comfortable chair where I was sitting. The seat we once sat on while we exercised was now piled high with stacks of study books. The mini-trampoline that Denise previously jumped on each morning to get her blood circulating was sitting upright on its side against the wall, collecting dust.

As I looked at it all from my big comfortable chair where I was sitting, I remembered how noble our intentions were when we spent the money to purchase all that equipment. But Denise and I had fallen into the same trap so many people fall into when they start exercising. The biggest part of our commitment was spending money to buy the equipment, but we had not been committed enough to consistently get on the equipment and exercise. Our good intentions were not enough. The only way we would ever take control of our flesh and submit it to this discipline of exercise was if we were committed and determined to do it, regardless of the cost.

I pondered all the exercise equipment Denise and I had purchased and how much I despised exercise, despite the fact that I so wanted to be in better physical shape. Then the Holy Spirit brought Hebrews 12:11,12 to my mind, and I began to feel very uncomfortable because it brought such conviction to my heart! The passage says, “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyful, but grievous; nevertheless it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore, lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees.”

Although this passage is actually talking about the chastening of the Lord, the fact remains that the principle is applicable to the subject of exercise or any form of discipline. The word “chastening” in verse 11 is actually the Greek word paideia, which is taken from the Greek word pais, the word for a child. However, when it becomes the word paideia, it refers to child-rearing; child discipline; or the process of transforming an undisciplined child into a disciplined child. Eventually it became a word that referred to all forms of discipline. Therefore, it could refer to budgetary discipline, mental discipline, spiritual discipline, or physical discipline, such as exercise. Therefore, the verse actually could be translated, “Now no discipline for the present seemeth joyful.…”

Notice this verse says no discipline for the “present” seems joyful. The word “present” in Greek is the word paron, which literally means at this very moment. Let’s talk about this word before we proceed any further in the study of this verse.

Isn’t it true that when you’re trying to teach a child discipline, this is often the moment when wills collide and that innocent-looking little child can put up the fight of a lifetime! Isn’t it amazing to see how strongly a child can resist your instructions! At that moment, the conflict between parent and child may seem unending, but the truth is, it is fleeting and temporary. As tough as it can be to win the battle of wills and teach a child who’s in authority, it is necessary for the parent to endure that moment in order to establish who’s in charge and teach that child the need to obey and submit to parental authority.

However, this enduring of unpleasant moments isn’t only true of dealing with children; it can be applied to any area of flesh where discipline is needed. For instance, flesh despises and resists financial discipline because it has to say no to things it wants to purchase. Flesh hates dietary discipline because it has to push away the plate when it wants to overeat. And flesh loathes the physical discipline of exercise because it doesn’t want to be subjected to the “hardness” of such rigorous activity. It abhors the inconvenience of getting out of bed early, walking down the hallway to the exercise equipment, and feeling forced to do something physical. Flesh doesn’t want anyone forcing discipline on it. It’s like a child who must be taught to obey!

So as you begin the exercise program you pledged to do as a part of your New Year’s resolutions, know in advance that when it’s time to start exercising, your flesh will probably rant, rave, scream, resist, and recall everything you could be doing at that moment instead of exercising. It will try to escape by reminding you of other things that you need to do, people you need to call, other places you need to be, things you need to fix, and so on. The pain of discipline isn’t attractive to the flesh, so it may look for a way out of that momentary discomfort.

This is exactly why Hebrews 12:11 goes on to say, “…No chastening for the present seemeth joyous.…” The word “seemeth” is the Greek word dokeo, and in this verse, it could be translated as feels. The word “joyful” is the Greek word chara, and it means enjoyable, pleasant, or joyful in this context. Thus, the verse could be translated, “No discipline feels pleasant or enjoyable at the moment it is happening.…”

This verse goes on to say that, far from enjoyable, discipline at first feels “grievous.” In Greek, the word “grievous” is lupe, which depicts something painful, sorrowful, or something that is filled with anguish, torment, or agony. What a description of what I felt every time I walked to my own treadmill! My flesh did everything it could to resist it — and at times, forcing myself to get on that machine was pure agony! However, if I wanted to get in shape, I had to speak to my flesh and tell it to obey, whether it wanted to or not!

I have a suggestion for those moments when you fantasize about physical development and weight loss that requires no effort — or on those mornings when your flesh tries to escape exercise. It would be good for you to have a photograph placed in a visible place, such as on your refrigerator or the mirror you use each morning, that reminds you of what you’d like to look like as a result of dieting and exercising. It may be painful to get through the process of achieving that goal or vision, but the fruit of experiencing your desired outcome is worth it all!

That’s why the remainder of the verse says, “…Nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peace- able fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” The fruit of discipline and exercise is available to anyone who is willing to pay the price to obtain it. If you and I will be willing to endure the momentary pain, anguish, agony, and inconvenience of regularly exercising, it will pay off big time when you begin to look sharper and actually feel physically stronger.

Hebrews 12:11 could be interpreted:

“No discipline feels pleasant or enjoyable at the time it is happening. But later on, it produces long-awaited righteous fruit in the lives of those who are willing to undergo the discipline required to attain it.”

So when it’s time for you to head to the gym or get on your home exercise equipment, expect your flesh to put up a fight and look for an escape. But just determine beforehand that you’re going to steadfastly subdue and conquer that fleshly “pull” to give up on your commitment. You have to let the flesh know that it is your servant and you are the boss!

There is a price to pay for any success. You must decide how far you are willing to go to win the victory in the physical realm. What price are you willing to pay to look better and finish your race strong?

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

 

Father, I made a commitment to begin an exercise program. It is my will to keep this promise that I made both to myself and to You. I have been convicted for a long time that I need to take better care of myself, to get into good physical shape, and to honor this body that is the temple of the Holy Spirit. I thank You for the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit who will help me take charge of my flesh in order to carry out this commitment. I receive Your grace and mercies that are new every morning to help me to exercise control over my flesh. I yield to Your quickening power that will help me maintain this position of victory. Thank You for strengthening me to remain steadfast in this area of my life, each day from this day forward.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I confess that I am in charge of my flesh and my flesh is not in charge of me. It has ruled and dominated me long enough! So starting today, with God’s help, I am taking charge and submitting my fleshly desires to the sanctifying power of the Spirit of God. My body is His temple, and I will treat it with respect. I will care for it; I will discipline and exercise it. I will do everything I can to make sure it looks good, feels strong, and is equipped to live a long and healthy life. God has a lot for me to do in this world! Therefore, I will get my body in shape so I can run this race and have a long and blessed life with a physical body that is free from the adverse effects of physical inactivity and lack of discipline.

 

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to start exercising this year, how are you doing so far? Are you on track with your exercise program, or are you already losing ground in this commitment you made to yourself and to the Lord?
  2. What are you going to do to change your present course of action? What is your exercise program? Exactly what kind of plan have you developed to get moving toward your goal? Can you articulate what you want to achieve and the specific goals you’ve set for yourself, as well as the plan to attain them?
  3. If you have struggled in the past with self-discipline in this area of your life, is there someone who can exercise with you or at least check in with you every day so you can be held accountable in your new exercise regimen? Who can you bring into the process to help you stay on track in this way?

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
— Romans 6:12

Since this is a week when you’re thinking about New Year’s resolutions, I want to go ahead and hit hard on the subject of losing those extra pounds you might think about all the time!

Have you stood in front of the mirror and lamented about the double chin that has appeared under your face in the past few years? Perhaps you spend time each morning despairing over the roll around your waist that bulges over your belt. Instead of enjoying your clothes as you once did, you may find yourself turning this way and that way as you look in the mirror to see if the bulge shows through your clothes. Or you may be one who has shifted to wearing dark colors because you’re trying to hide your real size. How many times have you asked your spouse or someone else whether you look too fat in the outfit you’re wearing?

It is amazing how long human beings will tolerate something before they finally decide to take action. I can personally vouch for what I am writing because I struggled with my weight for many years. Day after day, I’d look in the mirror, feel disgusted with myself, and then ask Denise how I looked — expecting her to confirm how terrible I felt about my appearance. When I got out of bed in the mornings, I’d run to the bathroom to step on the scales to see if I was bigger or smaller than the day before.

This fixation on weight completely controlled me. I felt trapped. Instead of exercising restraint, I felt hopeless to overcome. So when it was time to eat, I’d eat anything I wanted, which resulted in gaining more weight and feeling even more down in the dumps about my physical appearance. The truth is, I was in a prison in this area of my weight, like so many others are in today, and I didn’t know how to get out.

Instead of accepting responsibility for my condition, I’d blame my weight gain on pastors who wanted to take me out to eat and enjoy a time of fellowship after evening church services. Night after night, I would find myself eating in restaurants late in the evening. But instead of exercising self-control, I’d order hamburgers with extra mayonnaise, French fries with “tons” of ketchup, and a large-size Coke, topped off with a dessert — and then I’d head to my hotel to go to bed. Then before I fell asleep, I’d mentally beat myself up for eating so badly and would swear before God that I was going to start doing better and losing weight the next day.

But time after time and year after year, I kept struggling with my weight. It was up and down, up and down! And when people would see me for the first time in a few years, I’d think they were looking me over to see if I was bigger or smaller than the last time they had seen me. It was a tormenting thought that deeply bothered me.

I was totally disgusted with myself regarding this area of my life. I was exhausted with fretting about how my clothes fit or what others thought of my size. But at long last, I came to a place where I decided enough was enough!

The big change in me started one day as I was looking in the mirror and thinking about how terrible I looked and how food had been ruling my life. Suddenly the Holy Spirit quickened Romans 6:12 to my heart: “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”

It was like a bolt of divine revelation shot through me — and in that split second, I knew that my allowing food to control me and to lord itself over my life was a sin. Until that day, I had called it a personal problem, a hang-up, and a struggle. But in that moment, I saw it as God saw it. It was much more than a personal hang-up — it was sin calling the shots in my life. The day I recognized this truth was a landmark day in my spiritual walk, for I realized God was calling me to repent and to change. He didn’t want me to feel badly about myself — but, most importantly, He didn’t want anything ruling my life other than the Lord Jesus Christ. That day I repented — and when I did, those wrong eating habits immediately began to lose lordship over my life.

I’m so thankful the Holy Spirit reminded me of Romans 6:12, where it says, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof,” the word “reign” is the Greek word basileuo, which is the very old Greek word for a king or one who rules supreme. It is the picture of a mighty ruler who makes all the decisions, calls all the shots, and controls and completely governs his subjects. This verse described my situation well, for I was definitely being ruled by food. Even though I loved Jesus with all my heart, it was simply a fact that He was not Lord over my eating habits!

But in Romans 6:12, God tells us, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body.…” Notice it says, “Let not.…” The Greek tense used for “Let not” is an authoritative prohibition ordering us to put an end to something immediately. A correct interpretive translation could read, “I want you to stop this and stop it right now!”

When I understood that God was saying, “Stop it and stop it right now,” I knew I had the power to change my behavior. God wouldn’t tell me to stop something if I didn’t have the power to stop it. Therefore, He was making me responsible to do something about food ruling as a king in my life. It was time for me to quit complaining, moaning, fretting, and condemning myself about how I looked and to finally take action.

Instead of listening to the commands of my flesh to overeat and to eat the wrong types of food, it was time for my flesh to listen to me! It was up to me to make a firm, heartfelt decision to repent from this wrong lordship in my life and allow Jesus to step back on the throne of my life to rule my flesh in the area of food. As I did my part, the Holy Spirit would rise up inside me, and His grace would enable me to make sure this sin never ruled me or called the shots in my life again!

How about you? Does this discussion sound personally familiar to you? If it does, I’m wondering if you are weary of feeling badly about yourself or being constantly fixated on your weight. If so, it’s time to ask yourself, Am I ready to put an end to the way food has ruled me physically and emotionally?

“Yes, that’s me! I’m ready for a real change!” If that’s your answer, today Jesus wants to assume His position over your appetite and physique. He wants to be Lord in this area of your life. If you’ll confess that you’ve allowed this sin to rule your flesh — and then genuinely repent of it — I assure you that the Holy Spirit will help you carry out that decision. And as Jesus takes control, it won’t be long until your body will begin to return to its God-ordained size and you’ll begin to feel good about yourself again. It makes such a huge difference in our lives when we allow Jesus to rule our mortal flesh!

I shared my personal experience with you today because I know many people are making New Year’s resolutions at this time of year about losing weight. Jesus can give you the same victory He has given to so many others. All it takes is a decision to turn from what you have been doing and let Jesus be Lord in this area of your life. You may have to follow a diet or learn to eat the right kinds of foods, but it all starts with a decision.

Just determine today that you are going to willingly obey, step by step, whatever Jesus asks you to do to get your appetite and your physical condition back under His control. If you’ll make that heartfelt, sincere, and firm decision today, the Holy Spirit will empower you to eat right and to take the right steps on the road to a healthier lifestyle in your walk with God!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Father, today I repent for allowing food to control so much of my life. It really has affected me in so many ways — in my thinking, my self-image, my appearance, and even my self-respect. I have lived in condemnation for too long, and I’m ready for a real change in my life. Forgive me for tolerating gluttony and calling it everything else except sin. Today I confess that I have permitted sin to rule in my mortal flesh, and I ask You to forgive me and cleanse me from this unrighteousness. Holy Spirit, I am depending on You to help me walk free of this wrong habit and make Jesus the Lord of my appetite.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I boldly declare that Jesus is the Lord of my life and that nothing else may rule over me! My appetite for food does not lord itself over me any longer. Overeating is sin and a tool that Satan wants to use to hurt my health, my self-image, and my self-respect. I have lived in this mental prison long enough, and I refuse to live there any longer. From this day forward, I am giving Jesus the throne in every part of my life — and that includes my physical appetite and my eating habits!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Has it been a struggle for you to maintain a healthy weight over the years? What has been the main cause of weight gain in your life? How does being overweight affect your life and your self-image?
  2. Have you made New Year’s resolutions in the past to exercise control over your eating habits and to lose weight? Did you follow through on your past commitment? If not, why didn’t you? Is it possible that your appetite has been giving the ultimate orders in your life?
  3. Have you ever taken time to let the Holy Spirit show you that overeating is not just a personal hang-up or a health risk, but rather sin ruling in your mortal flesh? Have you ever seen it the way that God sees it? Don’t you think it would be wise to let the Holy Spirit open your eyes to help you see that your desire for food — more than Jesus — is ruling this area of your life? If you’ll let the Holy Spirit speak to your heart and if you’ll truly repent of letting your flesh rule in this area, Jesus will take His place on the throne of your appetite and set you free from this prison you’ve been incarcerated in and held captive by for so long!

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.
— Philippians 3:13

Today is the second day of the new year. If you are like many other believers, you have mentally made a list of things you’d like to change or accomplish in your life and in your walk with God this year. We often call them “New Year’s resolutions” — but for us as Christians, that list should actually consist of Spirit-led commitments before the Lord concerning areas of our lives we need to focus on to further our own personal growth in the months ahead.

So if you haven’t actually taken time to write down the goals God has put on your heart, it would be good for you to do that today. Writing down your vision on paper often helps you nail down what you really want to do. Keep that paper as a reminder to help you stay on track and to gauge your progress throughout the year.

As I have talked to people over the years, I have found that New Year’s resolutions can often be summarized into the following categories. Of course, people make countless resolutions at the beginning of a new year, but the most common commitments they make are to:

 

These are noble and admirable resolutions. However, for you to reach any of these goals will require a fierce determination on your part to be a finisher and not just a starter! The truth is, most people have made some of these same commitments in the past and didn’t achieve them. However, as we saw in yesterday’s Sparkling Gem, if you have already repented for past failures, you are not to live in the regret of what you didn’t do yesterday. Now it’s time to focus on the future. With the help of the Holy Spirit, this year you can gain victories you’ve never gained before! But to reach these goals, you must be very determined and committed.

This is why the apostle Paul continued to tell us in Philippians 3:13 that we must persistently be “…reaching forth unto those things which are before.” This statement is packed with divine insight, so let’s take a few minutes on this second day of the new year to examine the words in this verse and see how they will help us achieve our goals in the months to come.

When Paul wrote that we must be “reaching forth” to the things before us, he used the Greek word epekteino — an old word that was used to picture runners in a foot race. It is a triple com- pound of the words epi, ek, and teino. The word epi means upon; the word ek means out; and the word teino means to stretch out or to strain forward.

When these three words are compounded into one word as they are in Philippians 3:13, where Paul urged us to be “reaching forth” to the things before us, it portrays the mental image of a runner who is running with all his might toward the finish line before him. As he approaches the goal in front of him, he reaches out (ek) toward the goal before him. Straining with every ounce of his being (teino), he stretches out and presses toward the finish line. At long last, he leans forward to lay hold upon (epi) the goal — the finish line. If the runner is to reach that goal and receive the cherished prize, he must give his very best effort to the race. He can reach the finish line and win the prize, but it will not happen without a firm commitment to be the best — nor will it occur unless he possesses a willingness to push harder than any of the other runners. This prize will go only to those who are the most determined and who have pushed the hardest!

This lets us know that if we are to accomplish our Holy Spirit-inspired goals and win the prize, we’re going to have to focus on those goals — and on God and His Word — as we commit to giving 100 percent of our efforts to achieving the desired result. Therefore:

These goals are noble, but such aspirations are not attained accidentally. Success doesn’t come without sustained commitment. If you are going to do better this year than you did last year, you must make a decision that by God’s grace, you’re going to maintain your commitment until you reach the finish line and you can say, “I achieved my goal through Christ who strengthened me!” A haphazard, “take-it-easy-and-don’t-be-too-hard-on-yourself ” approach will not cause any significant changes to take place in your life. If you are really committed to fulfilling these objectives, you must ask the Holy Spirit for His help and then start reaching forward toward these goals with every ounce of your heart, mind, soul, body, and strength.

This is precisely why I encourage you to write down your goals! When a runner runs, he keeps his eye focused on the finish line before him. That finish line is always in his sight and gives him direction as he runs. As longs as he keeps his gaze fixed on the goal before him, he runs in a straight line. But even the best runner with the best intentions will wander off course if he has no visible goal to keep him on track.

Similarly, you need clearly stated goals. So I must ask you: Can you articulate your goals? Have you written them down for this year? Today is your golden moment to begin “reaching forth” to the wonderful possibilities that God has in store for you! If you’ll determine to focus on Him and on His plan for your new year, the Holy Spirit will empower you to make it all the way to the finish line as a winner!

The second part of Philippians 3:13 could be interpreted:

“You need to keep your eyes on the goal before you — straining with every ounce of your being to reach that goal, even if your success demands that you push harder than you’ve ever pushed before. This prize will go only to those who push the hardest. So give it your best shot!”

This new year is your gift from God to achieve those dreams and longings you’ve put off again and again. Now is the time for you to commit yourself to the race and start running forward with the power of the Spirit to lay hold of the goals you and God have set for your life this year!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Father, I am so grateful that You have gifted me with this new year and this new opportunity. I thank You for a fresh start to be more fruitful and to accomplish more for Your glory this year than I did last year. Help me set goals that are realistic and attainable so I can reach them by the power of the Holy Spirit assisting me. I ask You to strengthen me with might in my inner man to apply the determination and commitment to reach these goals. I praise You for the supernatural ability at my disposal according to the power that is already at work in me through Christ. I look to You to empower me as I press forward toward the finish line before me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I confess that I can do all things through Christ who empowers me! I finish what I start, and I accomplish whatever I set my heart to do. I do not set goals based merely on my desire, but I listen to the direction of the Holy Spirit as He guides me in setting goals for this year. He knows me better than I know myself, and He knows what I should achieve this year and where I should apply my efforts. I run my race this year with commitment, determination, and diligence. At the end of this year, I will say with a satisfied heart: “With God’s help, I have achieved each goal I set out to accomplish!”

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. What goals have you set for this year? Do you know your goals so well that you could articulate them to someone else if that person asked you what they are? As an experiment, why don’t you sit down with someone you trust and see how well you can articulate what is on your heart to achieve before the year’s end?
  2. Have you written your goals down where you can read them, review them, and gauge how well you are doing in achieving them? If you know your goals, write them down and put them in a visible place — such as on your refrigerator or on the mirror you use every morning — so you can be reminded of the commitments you have made for this year.
  3. I assure you that you’ll do better at achieving your goals if you make them a part of your daily prayer. How can you help yourself remember to do that? Perhaps you could write down those goals and place them on your refrigerator or on a mirror you use each morning. It might also be good for you to write them on a piece of paper that you keep in your Bible or prayer journal so your goals are easily accessible for you to pray over each day.

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.
— Philippians 3:13

On this first day of the year, family and friends are gathered together around the world to celebrate the New Year holiday. Millions of people are thinking and even talking about changes they need to make in their lives as they get started in a brand-new year. Unfortunately, this is also a day when people experience deep regret for what they didn’t accomplish in the previous year, such as commitments they made to themselves that they didn’t keep, promises they made to others that they left unfulfilled, or goals they set that they didn’t attain. Some are disappointed in themselves for a lack of spiritual progress.

I have a suggestion for you: Rather than live in regret about what you didn’t do last year, make this a day to spend some quality time with the Lord and repent for not doing what you should have done. Then make the decision to stop wallowing in regret about something that’s in the past and that you can’t do anything about now. It’s time for you to shake off that negative focus of what you didn’t do right last year and to start thanking God that today offers a new opportunity to do better! Think about it — this new year presents you with a golden opportunity to make some serious changes in your life!

That’s why I love to meditate on Philippians 3:13 every year on January 1. The apostle Paul gave us sound advice for leaving the past behind and focusing on the future before us! He said, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.”

Today I want you to focus on the part of this verse that says, “…forgetting those things which are behind….” The word “forgetting” is taken from the Greek word epilanthano, which is a compound of the words epi and lanthano. When these two words are compounded into one word, as they are in this verse, it forms the Greek word epilanthano, which the King James Version translates as “forgetting” in Philippians 3:13. However, the first part of this Greek compound word is epi, which in this context denotes a turning, as in turning from one thing to focus on something else. The second part of this compound word is the word lanthano, which comes from a root that describes something that is finished, done with, or obsolete.

When these two words are joined together, they form the word epilanthano, which portrays the idea of something you should turn away from and forget. When used in a passive sense, it pictures something to be put aside, deliberately ignored, purposefully disregarded, and completely forgotten. It denotes something that may have really been true in the past, but is no longer applicable. If you were to paraphrase this word in today’s language, you could say: “Stop thinking about it! Put it out of your mind. Put it behind you, wipe it out, and erase it from your memory. Get it out of your system; quit paying attention to it; get your eyes off of it; be oblivious to it; and forget about it!”

But wait — what was Paul telling you and me to forget about? He said we must forget “those things which are behind.” Pay close attention to this, because what you are about to read is really powerful! The word “behind” is the Greek word opiso, which categorically describes something so obsolete that it should be permanently relegated to the back or to the past, abandoned, or left behind. This is something in your past that should be left in the past. It is behind you, and you are never to turn around to look at and focus on it again. In other words, the Greek word opiso means, “Leave it behind and never revisit it!”

It is very interesting that this word opiso is the same word used in Matthew 16:23 when Peter tried to interfere with the plan of God. After listening to Peter protest His impending death, Jesus spoke up with great authority and said, “…Get thee behind me, Satan….” Of course, Peter was not Satan, but the devil was speaking through Peter, as he has done with people so often throughout history — and still does today. But rather than listen to those words, Jesus spoke with firmness and rebuked the devil-inspired insinuations and ideas that were being spoken through Peter’s lips.

When Jesus said, “Get thee behind me,” the word “behind” is this same Greek word opiso that Paul used in Philippians 3:13 when he told us to forget the past. This means when you are hassled, harassed, or tormented about past failures, it may not be just your memories speaking to you — it could be Satan trying to harass you! This is especially true if you have already sought forgiveness and this mental onslaught continues. The devil could be trying to drag you back into regret over past things that are done with, over, and not changeable.

In such moments, you must do as Jesus did when He rebuked the devil. You must speak with bold authority in Jesus’ name! Speak to those thoughts like they are enemies sent from the devil to drag you down into depression and defeat. Don’t listen to them! If you do, the devil will hound you relentlessly with thoughts of failure — and little by little, you’ll find yourself becoming trapped in the memories of past disappointments. Don’t let that happen! It’s time for you to speak out loud and remind the devil that those failures and negative memories are in the past. They are under the blood of Jesus and therefore no longer applicable! Resist those thoughts of failure just like you would resist the devil. Command them to get behind you and to stay away forever in Jesus’ name!

Make the decision today that you’re finished with fixing your mind on things that are in the past — things that you have repented about, that have been erased by the blood of Jesus, and that you can’t do anything about now. You have the power right now to turn away from yesterday and start focusing on what is in front of you. Yesterday is a done deal! The clock cannot be turned back. Living in regret will only keep you from moving forward into the future.

Today is the first day of a new year — a brand-new start and a new opportunity for you to repent for past failures. This is your opportunity to say goodbye to the past and hello to the future. This is your golden moment to begin reaching forth to the wonderful possibilities that lie before you!

An interpretive translation of Philippians 3:13 could read:

“It’s time for you to turn loose of the past! You need to put it aside, deliberately ignoring and purposefully disregarding what happened yesterday. The past is old and obsolete, so why fixate on it any longer? Stop turning around to reflect on the past. You need to get it out of your system, put it behind you forever, and purposefully forget about it…”

If you’ve repented for past failures, it’s time for you to turn them loose and let them go! Since Jesus has forgiven you, you should quit looking backward. That’s right — you can put the past behind you and never revisit it again!

If you need to repent for past failures, then repent. But after you sincerely repent, it’s time for you to quit fixating on what you failed to do last year. Thank God for repentance and cleansing. Now it’s time for you to start thanking God that He has given you a new year filled with new opportunities to do better than you’ve done in the past 12 months! He has given you the gift of a new year, so reach forward to achieve those dreams and longings that you’ve put off again and again. Throw open your arms of faith, and embrace the rich future Jesus has waiting for you as you follow Him step by step in the days ahead!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Father, I repent for not doing what I should have done last year, and I receive Your forgiveness. I thank You for this new year and for the new opportunity it presents for me to make serious changes in my life. You are the God who makes all things new. I yield to Your power at work in me as I deliberately choose to do Your will and to walk in Your ways with diligent obedience. Holy Spirit, I ask for and receive Your help to fulfill the will of God for my life. My past is not a prophecy of my future! Today I make the decision to put aside memories of past failures, and by faith I reach out to the future You have planned for me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I confess that I am not a failure and that my past is not a prophecy of my future! Even though I have not done as well as I should have in the past, God’s Spirit in me will enable me to do better from this point forward. I am willing to make whatever changes I must make. I will alter my lifestyle. I will fix things in my life that are messed up. I will do whatever is required to move forward into the fabulous future God has waiting for me! From this moment on, I will run this race with my eyes fixed on the goal before me. I am committed, determined, and willing to pay any price to obtain full and complete victory in my life!

 

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. As you begin this new year, have you taken time yet to make a list of the things you would like to accomplish in the next 12 months? If not, I recommend that you take some time to pray and seek the Lord regarding what He wants you to achieve in your life this year. Afterward, write down those goals, and keep the list in a place where you can read and regularly pray over it.
  2. If you failed to accomplish important tasks or goals due to a lack of commitment last year, have you taken time to repent before the Lord? It’s important for you to do this so you can “clean the slate” and start this new year with a right heart before God. Why not take the time today to get honest before the Lord and ask Him to forgive you for any past failures?
  3. Are there any changes you need to make — such as toxic relationships or environments you need to remove from your life — so you can fulfill what God has given you as goals for this new year? What are those changes?