Welcome to 2008!  I can't believe it's 2008 already, but I seem to say that every year.  Time flies and we should not waste a moment of it. 

We should not waste moments saying we are saved in Christ, but living like the world.  We should not waste moments with little thought to growing in our relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  We cannot waste moments relegating Christ to "when I can get to Him" -- after work, after shopping, after working out, after going to the movies, after picking the lint out of our navels, after our idol of the moment -- failing to make Him our FIRST priority ("Thou shalt have no/none other gods before me." Ex. 20:3, Deut 5:7). 

We should not waste moments with our Bibles laid upon the shelf -- only to be opened at church on Sunday... if then ("Study to shew thyself approved unto God... rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim 2:15). 

We should not waste moments praying only when it's convenient, failing to seek Him constantly ("Pray without ceasing" 1 Thess 5:17, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness..." Matt 6:33").  

We cannot afford to waste moments watching the world's TV, listening to the world's music, looking just like the world, but under a cloak of false salvation ("Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you," 2 Cor 6:17).  We cannot waste moments continuing to do what we did when we were in the world, while trying to make it seem holy ("... know ye not that friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James 4:4).

We cannot afford to waste a moment living our lives separate from the one true & Holy God.  We are all born sinners ("For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Rom. 3:23).  Sin separates us from God and for that sin, the scriptures say we deserve death and to be cast into the lake of fire ("For the wages of sin is death..." Rom 6:23a; "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life [book containing the names of true believers in Christ] was cast into the lake of fire" Rev 20:15).  However, God is so loving and merciful that He sent the ultimate gift, His son to take our punishment for us (John 3:16; "But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."  Rom 6:23b).  What must we do to receive this wonderful gift and be saved?  The scriptures say it better than I can:

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."  Romans 10:9-11

As this scripture points out twice, salvation is a heart issue -- and nothing can be faked before God.  We are not saved by our good works, emotional experiences, or our outward appearances.  We are saved by God's grace through faith ("For by faith are ye saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9).

I do not make new year's resolutions.  I believe that any change worth making is that brought about by the Lord and should result in my immediate obedience.  After all, we do not tell our children to do something and allow them to tell us, "Mommy, I'll do that tomorrow, or on January 1st."  It is my hope that we will all endeavor to make the changes commanded in scripture.  I challenge us all:

- Examine our walks with Christ -- Is my walk genuine?  Am I bearing fruit (John 15:1-2)?  Am I Christian in name only?

- Make Him our FIRST priority ("Thou shalt have no/none other gods before me." Ex. 20:3, Deut 5:7). 

- Have regular personal Bible study time ("Study to shew thyself approved unto God... rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim 2:15)

- Have constant communication with God ("Pray without ceasing" 1 Thess 5:17)

- Seek the Lord to bring forth inward change, pursue holiness ("But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness..." Matt 6:33", "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Eph 4:24)

- Purge our hearts, thoughts, bodies, homes, conversation etc. of things of the world ("Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you," 2 Cor 6:17; ".. let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Cor 7:1)

- Turn away from our love of worldy, secular things ("... know ye not that friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James 4:4)

- If, after self-examination, you have been led to question your prior profession of faith OR do not have a saving relationship with Christ, please humble yourself and seek the Lord for a regeneration of your heart though a saving faith ("That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."  Romans 10:9-11)

I accept the challenge, do you?

In Christ, Talya