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Church & Ministries

Monday, May 28, 2012

Put Christ First in the New Year

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By Billy Graham , Christian Post Guest Columnist
January 2, 2010|11:57 pm

Q: I used to make a list of New Year's resolutions every year, but I'm not going to bother this year. I've never been able to keep them, so I've always ended up frustrated and feeling guilty. Why bother when they don't do any good? - D.W.

A: You're probably right; if your resolutions don't do any good or you've never managed to keep them, there's little point in drawing up a new list.

But I hope you won't give up so easily! After all, we usually make resolutions like this because we want our lives to be different - and that can be a good thing, if the changes we want are positive. The alternative is to stay the way we are and decide we'll never change - and that isn't good.

But there's a deeper issue involved here - a spiritual issue. Yes, we want our lives to be different - but so does God! He doesn't want you to be the same person a year from now that you are today. He wants to change you from within, taking away the things that aren't right and filling you with things that are right - things like love and compassion for others, and patience and peace. The Apostle Paul said, "Not that I have... already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me" (Philippians 3:12).

Make sure of your commitment to Jesus Christ at the beginning of this new year. Then ask Him to help you grow closer to Him in the coming months - and to show you how to do that. Don't be satisfied to be the same person you've always been, but put Christ first in this coming year and learn to walk with Him every day.

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Affectionately known as the "World's Preacher" for more than 60 years, the Rev. Billy Graham is one of the most influential and respected spiritual leaders of the 20th century. He has been a friend and spiritual advisor to ten American presidents and has preached the Gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history - nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories - through various meetings. Hundreds of millions more have been reached through television, video, film, and webcasts. Send your queries to "My Answer," c/o Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201; call 1-(877) 2-GRAHAM, or visit the Web site for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: www.billygraham.org.
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