A Christian’s New Year’s Resolution基督徒的新年立志
Author: Bro Sunny Leong
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
There’s always something exciting about welcoming in a new year and the fresh start it brings.
The practise of making New Year’s resolutions is very common. E.g. get fit, lose weight, etc. Many Christians make New Year’s resolutions to pray more, read the Bible every day, memorize verses of Scripture, etc... These are fantastic goals.
But these New Year’s resolutions fail just as often as the non-spiritual resolutions because there is no power in a New Year’s resolution. There is no difference between December 31 and January 1. Nothing magical occurs at midnight on December 31.
This year, our church has introduced the 2021 – 2023 Bible Reading Plan and a daily devotional plan based on Oswald Chambers’ “My Utmost for His Highest”. The goal is to develop a deeper relationship with God through building up a daily habit of bible reading, understanding the biblical truth, application, prayer and reflection.
How can we make sure that the bible reading and devotional plans will not fail like a New Year’s resolution?
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. - Joshua 1:8
Resolving to start or stop doing a certain activity has no value unless there is the proper motivation for starting or stopping that activity.
Choosing to do the will of God is always the right choice and, of course, has God’s endorsement. God’s favour and blessings should be incentive enough for us to pursue Godly goals. God’s Word is filled with what is right and good. Therefore, a Christian’s first priority should be making time or more time to read and study the Word of God. This may necessitate getting up an hour earlier, or maybe less TV time. One will always make time for whatever or whoever is loved.
Find an accountability partner who will help you and encourage you; Last but not least, don’t become discouraged with occasional failures; instead, allow them to motivate you further!
Let us go through the bible reading and devotional plans together, encouraging one another as we grow closer to God and make this year better than the last!
文/梁思乐弟兄
“这律法书不可离开你的口，要昼夜默诵，好使你谨守遵行书中所记的一切；这样，你的道路就必顺利，你必一路亨通。”
迎接新的一年和全新的开始总是令人兴奋不已。
制定要变得健康、减肥等等的新年立志是非常普遍的。许多基督徒制定更多祷告、每天阅读圣经、背诵经文等等的新年立志。这些都是很棒的目标。
往往这些新年立志也和非属灵的新年立志一样失败，因为新年立志没有特殊能力。12月31日和1月1日之间没有区别。在12月31日午夜也没有神奇的事情发生。
今年，教会推出了2021-2023年的读经计划以及采用章伯斯的《竭诚献上》为每日灵修的课本。目的是要藉此让弟兄姐妹养成每天阅读圣经、了解圣经真理、运用，祷告和反思的习惯，以达成与上帝建立更深的关系。
我们如何确保每日阅读圣经和灵修计划不会像新年立志那样，以失败告终呢？
这律法书不可离开你的口，要昼夜默诵，好使你谨守遵行书中所记的一切；这样，你的道路就必顺利，你必一路亨通。- 约书亚记1：8
除非有适当的动机，不然决定开始或停止执行某项活动是没有任何意义的。
选择遵行上帝的旨意永远是个正确的选择，也一定得到上帝的认可。上帝的恩惠和祝福应该足以激励我们追求那神圣的目标。上帝的话语充满了正义和美善。因此，基督徒的首要任务应该是花更多的时间来阅读和学习上帝的话。这可能需要提早一个小时起床，或者更少时间观看电视节目。一个人总是会为所爱的事务或人付出时间。
找一个能够彼此提醒与鼓励的伙伴；也不要因遇到失败而灰心，相反的，让可能的失败成为你继续往前走的一种鼓励！
让我们一起参与读经与灵修的计划，彼此鼓励，好让我们能够更亲近上帝，让今年比去年更好！