It's a New Year, 2015!

Well, 2015 has arrived! Many people will be reflecting on the past and anticipating the future. What will 2015 hold? How will things turn out in the world? How are you processing things personally? Donald Whitney has a great post about reflection and anticipation with some great questions to consider as you look forward to 2015. You can check it out here.

It's also a time to think about and put down some concrete goals you want to meet this year and some concrete habits you want to establish in your life. I've been doing that over the last few days as well. I took a legal pad and made three columns at the top: personal, ministry, and family. Those are the categories under which I've spent some time praying about what kind of goals God would have me pursue in 2015. Under each category, I've written 4 to 5 goals and/or habits that I want to cultivate this coming year.

There are several resources that I've used to help me in the process. Check out Michael Hyatt. He has a great blog about using Evernote to help keep track of your progress in reaching your goals. You can also check out Donald Whitney as well.

I shared with our church family this past Sunday about "Running Strong, Finishing Well, and Making our Days Count for Eternity" from 2 Timothy 4:6-8. In Paul's epitaph, he exemplified three commitments that we must make if we are going to run strong, finish well, and make our days count for eternity.

We must:

1. Make the necessary sacrifices for running strong
• Romans 12:1-2
• Hebrews 12:1-3
2. Strive to meet the conditions for running strong
• Fight the good fight
• Finish the race
• Keep the faith
3. Look forward to the rewards for running strong
• Crown of righteousness

Paul is not referring to "earning" one's salvation. It is one's salvation in Christ that enables and empowers you to in fact run strong according to the grace of God that is at work in you (Philippians 2:12-13) through the Holy Spirit. Our commitment to these three strategies are the spirit-filled response to the gospel.

Now, let's run strong, finish well, make the days count for eternity, together! Godspeed!

Blogscoop on October 2, 2014

The Meaning of Love - Very good video.

Healthy Structure - Good article on how churches should have healthy structures that support the "vine" work. If you haven't read it yet, read "The Trellis and The Vine" by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne. Get it here.

Habits of Daily Discipleship - This is pretty good for some personal discipleship ideas.

10 Dangerous Paradigms of Church

6 ways to make you life have a greater impact - Some good encouragement in this article

22 Problems with Multi-site churches - Excellent article. He makes some good points.

How to Get Things Done - I'm looking forward to this whole series.

3 Things to Remember When you Read the Bible

Making Gay Okay - Interesting read

Spiritual Gifts - a simple look at spiritual gifts

9 Things to Know about Pregnancy Centers

Blogscoop on September 19, 2014

6 Strangleholds that could have a death grip on your ministry

Reaching and Retaining Millennials

Pastoral Responsibility to Rebuke False Teachers

5 Questions for a Good Bible Study - These are some good basic questions when reading your bible. Also, another good resource is a book by Howard Hendricks entitled Living by the Book.

A Real Man - Guys, let's pay attention to these truths so that God's glory will be displayed in our manhood.

Blogscoop on September 9, 2014

The Church and Violence Against Women - Russell Moore is a gifted writer. Great article!

9 Things to Know About Intimate Partner Violence - Continuing with the above theme, Here are some shocking stats about IPV.

Insufficient Help, part 1 - I thought this was an interesting article from John MacArthur. It is definitely something to think about.

Personal Bible Study - A call for all believers (Colossians 2:6-8)

Worship Wars - Interesting thoughts from Dr. Rainer on the issue of the worship wars.

Oprah Edited - Kudos for trying to turn terrible theology into better theology.

Christlike Headship in the Home - While each of these may not fix your exact context in marriage, guys, we can all learn something from each of these. So, pay attention!

The abomination of desolation - Looking for something to whet your appetite of the end times, here you go.

The Real Reason you feel overwhelmed - This is an interesting article, especially when you break it down like that in the pie chart. Now, what will we learn from it and put into practice.

Blogscoop on September 5, 2014

The Secret Pain of Pastors - I realize that we pastors can be "whiners" sometimes (I mean, hey, we only work two hours a week), but the "secret pains" that many pastors feel at times is real.

The Marriage Bed for the Exhausted Wife - Married guys, pay attention to this article. Yes, that means read it!

6 Reasons People are Leaving Churches in America - Some good food for thought

How to pray without praying - Somewhat tongue-in-cheek here, but something to think about

Is it sinful for un-married couples to make out? - Agree or disagree, he has a valid point. Not to mention, the pursuit of holiness that Jesus calls all Christians to.

The Osteen Predicament

5 Things To Not Do in Your Marriage