Restart

Take a Fresh Start With God | Caleb Suko

How are you beginning this New Year? Have you made a list of resolutions? Have you written down goals you’d like to accomplish? Have you made decisions to change something in your life? One survey showed that the top 3 resolutions for 2020 were: eat healthier, exercise more, and lose weight. It’s not surprising that people want to change their bodies in which they must live their lives.

These can be good changes, nevertheless, we also know that most who make those resolutions will also break them before the month of January is over. Could the problem be that we are not taking a Biblical approach to the New Year? Instead of focusing on what God tells us is important we have put all our focus on outward appearance and physical health, both of which will eventually be taken from us no matter how much we exercise or how disciplined we are with our diet?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to say that all efforts to improve health are wrong, I’m just saying we’ve got our focus off and we’re starting from the wrong end. There’s a sneaky little thought that often runs deep within our hearts. It tells us that if we could only control certain habits, if we could only improve our looks, if we could only reach our goal weight, if we could only get those six-pack abs then we would finally be happy with ourselves. While sculpted arms and well-balanced diets are certainly no sin, our attitude and expectation about these areas of self-improvement can be sinful.

Jesus helps us to see this issue clearly when he tells the Pharisees:

Mat 23:25–26

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

Notice that Jesus isn’t condemning the Pharisees for cleaning the outside of the cup. Rather Jesus is showing them that they got their priorities backwards. The Pharisees emphasized those aspects of the Law which could easily be seen by others and yet ignored those more important aspects that could not be easily observed by others.

Unfortunately, many Christians follow the Pharisees' footprints when it comes to New Year’s resolutions and their fitness. Their first thought is about hitting that right number on the scale or getting into a smaller size of clothes, their focus is on the outside of the cup.

So how can we approach the New Year with a Biblical attitude? I want to show you from the Bible 6 things you can do to restart your New Year with God and make sure 2021 is a blessed year.

In order to do this, I want to look with you at a speech made by the prophet Samuel just before his death. Samuel was a very good prophet who served as the prophet/judge of the Israelites before they received a king. Samuel was an honest, caring, and godly man, yet the people demanded a king so they could be like the rest of the nations around them. This was not pleasing to God because God himself was their king. Nevertheless, God agreed to their request and gave them a king.

In 1 Samuel 12, we find Samuel’s final address to the people and instruction to them. The people were entering a new era in their nation and Samuel wanted to make sure they were following after God. As we look at Samuel’s speech here we can find principles that will help us to go into this new year with a fresh perspective and focus on God.

I. Don’t fear your past

1 Samuel 12:20

20 “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

Samuel didn’t want the Israelites to take fear caused by guilt into the next era of their nation. We often drag our fear from our past failures and sins into our future. We do this even though we don’t need to. God wants us to leave our past sins in the past. The only way we can do this is by completely giving them over to him. This means confessing those sins and coming to God in an attitude of repentance. It means believing that Jesus can and will forgive those sins and that he has the power to cleanse us from them.

Don’t drag the guilt, shame, or frustrations of your past mistakes into the new year. Is there something you need to confess to God, to another? Do it today and start the new year with a clean heart.

1 John 1:9

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

II. Don’t be distracted by empty things

1 Samuel 12:21

21 Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless.

Sometimes idols are outright idols. They boldly demand worship and take the place that only God should occupy. Sometimes idols are much smaller and much more deceptive. They can take the form of a thousand distractions. Little things that we seek because we assume that they will bring us satisfaction.

1. Food
2. Entertainment
3. A relationship
4. Clothing
5. Gadgets
6. Games
7. Anything that turns our attention away from God and doesn’t allow us to focus on him.

Often our New Year’s resolutions can reveal to us some of these little idols. Our resolutions are either a pursuit of idols or the recognition of certain idols and an attempt to break their hold on us. Both of these are dangerous although, the first is far more dangerous. It is also dangerous to fight against idols if we are doing it only through means of resolutions and self-discipline.

We must realize that resolutions in and of themselves have no power to deliver us from idols. The most they can do is get rid of one idol and welcome in another idol.

III. Reset your motivation

1 Samuel 12:22

22 For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own.

Many self-help coaches talk about the importance of motivation. They tell you that you must ask yourself, “why do I want this?”

• Why do I want six-pack abs?
• Why do I want to read 20 books this year?
• Why do I want to get rid of a bad habit?
• Why do I want to do these things?

The greater the motivation the more likely I will be successful in achieving my goal. If my main motivation is centered on me, then it’s likely my goal will not be met. If my main motivation is focused on others, then it’s more likely that my goal will be met. However, if your main motivation is far beyond self, far beyond others, and so great that it has eternal value and worth, then I think it’s much more likely that you will be willing to suffer much in order to meet those goals.

Changing our motivation also changes our goals!

The greatest motivation we can have is God’s glory!

1 Corinthians 10:31

31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

When we change our main motivation to God’s glory, it will also change the types of goals we set before ourselves.

IV. Relearn God’s ways

1 Samuel 12:23

23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.

I love the example of Samuel here, he says “far be it from me” it was unthinkable for Samuel not to pray for the people God had put under his spiritual care. He goes so far as to say that it would be a sin. I want to tell you that I pray for each of you and I will continue to pray for you. I pray for you because I know that you need God’s power, direction, comfort, care in your lives. I can’t give you all these things. And I know I speak for Stefan and I speak for Saj when I say that we will do our best to teach you what is good and right this year. Let’s make a commitment to learn the ways for the Lord this year together!

Psalm 25:4–5

4 Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

What are you doing to learn God’s ways in 2021?

• Bible reading plan?
• Bible memorization?
• Bible study?

V. Realign your heart for service

1 Samuel 12:24

24 But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart…

This a theme that we see throughout Scripture. God calls us to fear him, to serve him, and to do it faithfully with all our hearts. That is easier said than done. I want to suggest to you that faithful service starts with a heart that is full of faith and dedicated to God. Where is your heart now?

Too many people serve in their own strength and for their own reasons. They serve in the church to get ahead, to get on God’s good side, or to impress others. God has no place for this kind of service. God looks at our hearts, he wants a heart with a servant’s attitude. He wants a heart that humbly finds joy and fulfillment in service to God.

He wants us to have the heart of Jesus.

Philippians 2:5–7

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

VI. Remember what God has done in your life

1 Samuel 12:24

… consider what great things he has done for you.

Before Samuel gave the people instructions on how they should live their life he presented them with all God had done in the past for the people of Israel. He showed them how God had led them, delivered them, and provided for their every need.

1 Samuel 12:7

7 Now then, stand here, because I am going to confront you with evidence before the LORD as to all the righteous acts performed by the LORD for you and your ancestors.

Notice how strongly Samuel words this. He says that he’s going to confront them. When we really take time to see what God has done in our lives we have no reason for complaints against God or against the conditions of our life. We realize that God is good, kind, and caring.

Have you taken the time to remember what God has done in your life over the past year! Our family sat down for a New Year’s meal and we each recalled some of the highlights of 2020. It was amazing as we thought about how many good things had happened despite the difficulties of last year.

Why is it important to remember all God has done in your life in the past?

1. It gives proper perspective
2. It helps you have a thankful spirit
3. It leads you to worship and praise God
4. It makes you realize the true reason for all successes and good things in your life
5. It keeps you humble

Conclusion:

As we think about our plans and goals for 2021 let’s make sure that God is at the center.

Resolve to give God the mistakes of your past

Resolve to not be distracted by empty and useless things

Resolve to make God’s glory your greatest motivation

Resolve to study God’s Word deeply this year

Resolve to serve God with your whole heart