Yes, I know it is the first day of February and the subject
of resolutions should have already been covered in January! Yet I am choosing
to write about it today! Why? Because many individuals have already quit in
their pursuit of their resolutions! They have failed to last for one month! But
understand the year is not over! You can still accomplish great change in your
life in 2014!
When I think about the month of January I always seem to
connect this month with the writing of Jeremiah. Why Jeremiah? It is because of
the following verses:
Lamentations 3:21–23 (KJV 1900)
21This I recall to my mind, therefore have I
hope.
22It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not
consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23They are new every morning: great is thy
faithfulness.
The month of January always gives me hope! It's a new year
filled with new dreams, new opportunities and new victories!
How can I capture this year? The normal process is to make
resolutions. What is a resolution? A
course of action determined or decided upon. It is normal for many of us to
make not one resolution but several.
Here are some static's from the University of Scranton Journal of Clinical Psychology concerning
resolutions for 2014 for Americans:
|
Rank
|
Top 10 New Year's resolutions for 2014
|
|
1
|
Lose Weight
|
|
2
|
Getting Organized
|
|
3
|
Spend Less, Save More
|
|
4
|
Enjoy Life to the Fullest
|
|
5
|
Staying Fit and Healthy
|
|
6
|
Learn Something Exciting
|
|
7
|
Quit Smoking
|
|
8
|
Help Others in Their Dreams
|
|
9
|
Fall in Love
|
|
10
|
Spend More Time with Family
|
|
News Years Resolution Statistics
|
Data
|
|
Percent of Americans who usually make New
Year’s Resolutions
|
45%
|
|
Percent of Americans who infrequently make
New Year’s Resolutions
|
17%
|
|
Percent of Americans who absolutely never make
New Year’s Resolutions
|
38%
|
|
Percent of people who are
successful in achieving their resolution
|
8%
|
|
Percent who have infrequent success
|
49%
|
|
Percent who never succeed and fail on their resolution
each year
|
24%
|
|
People who explicitly make
resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who
don’t explicitly make resolutions
|
|
|
Type of Resolutions (Percent above 100%
because of multiple resolutions)
|
Data
|
|
Self Improvement or education related resolutions
|
47%
|
|
Weight related resolutions
|
38%
|
|
Money related resolutions
|
34%
|
|
Relationship related resolutions
|
31%
|
|
Age Success Rates
|
Data
|
|
Percent of people in their twenties who achieve their
resolution each year
|
39%
|
|
Percent of people over 50 who achieve their resolution
each year
|
14%
|
|
Length of Resolutions
|
Data
|
|
Resolution maintained through first week
|
75%
|
|
Past two weeks
|
71%
|
|
Past one month
|
64%
|
|
Past six months
|
46%
|
The results of making resolutions is pitiful! Only 8% of
individuals are successful in achieving their resolutions! Why is the
percentage so low?
Our first mistake is we make it too complex. We're going to
have the extreme makeover! We are going to lose 50 lbs and walk ten miles a
day! We are going to save $50,000, but we only make $30,000 a year!
We need to make it simple. What we need to do is to
concentrate on "One Word". That "One word" will be easier
to remember, simpler for us to focus on. It will be effortless for others that
will make us accountable to remember!
That's my goal for you today! Restart the Year with One Word!
As we turn to the Word of God we find the there were many
who used the concept of "One" for success while others were reprimanded
because they did not have the concept! David (Psalms 27:4) and Paul (Phil.
3:13-14) used it for success while the rich young ruler (Luke 18:22) and Martha
(were reprimanded for their struggle with "one".
What will the concept of "One Word" bring? The first
action it will bring is focus. This is what Paul speaks of to the Church at
Philippi.
Philippians 3:13-14
13Brethren, 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,
14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Not only will it bring focus but help us in the use of our
time and energy. By seeking God and examining ourselves for our "One
Word" we become better stewards! David gives us an example of this seeking:
Psalms 27:4
One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek
after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my
life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.
For Martha the lack of understanding of the concept
"one word" caused her to have wrong priorities according to Jesus!
Luke 10:41-42
41And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha,
Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that
good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Jesus continues to express the "one" concept with
the rich young ruler.
Luke 18:22
Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet
lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor,
and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
The rich young ruler had accomplished many things but there
was "one" thing that he lacked! He needed to allow that the location
of his treasure change from being here on earth and to the vaults of heaven!
God might need us to improve in one area of our lives and that area could make
a difference in the lives of many others that surround us!
How do we find the "One Word"? Here is a plan to
help us.
I. Prepare Your Heart: Look In
Take a little time to:
1. Unplug from the noise.
2. Ask a few essential questions.
Get away from the noise and distractions of life, and create
an environment to look inward, quiet your mind, and really listen to your
heart.
Then ask yourself these three questions, and write your
insights here:
1. What do I need?
2. What's in my way?
3. What needs to go?
II. Discover Your Word: Look Up
Now that your heart is ready, it’s time to plug in and
listen up.
Once you’ve prepared
your heart, you are ready to receive your word. God has a word that is meant for you.
Remember, God can use all means to communicate with us, and you never know
when, where, and how your word will be revealed to you.
Ask God to reveal
your word to you with this simple question: “What do you want to do in me and
through me?” Write down what comes to your heart. Listen and be open to the
word that God shares.
Once you discover
your word, write it down.
III. Live Your Word: Look Out
Once you discover the word that is meant for you, then it’s
time to live it out. Again, this is where the rubber meets the road.
Keep your One Word front and center. Write down three things
you will do to make sure you have regular reminders of your word.
Sharing your One Word with your family, friends and
coworkers. This helps ensures success. List three people in your inner circle
with whom you’ll share your word this week.
Nehemiah understood the magnitude of his "one
word" the "wall". He was doing a great work!
Nehemiah 6:3
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great
work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it,
and come down to you?
Understanding that
you are doing something great by living your word will empower you to stay
focused and keep away from distraction!
It's not too late for you! There are eleven months left!
Take the time to work and get your "world changing word"!
(The following are references for the article:
One Word reading plans @ https://www.bible.com/
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