NEW COMMITMENTS FOR THE NEW YEAR 2015

COMMIT YOURSELF TO FORGET YOUR FAILURES
By: Bishop  Ken Obanor

2000yrs ago one of the first Christian leaders, Paul gave this advice “Forgetting what is behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:13-14.

That advice from God’s Word has stood the test of time. I don’t know of any more relevant and practical advice for us at the start of 2015.
For many of us our failures are painful memories. Maybe for you it is a memory of how you failed in a relationship. You made the wrong decisions, said and did the wrong things and the relationship ended.
Some of you who are parents probably know that you failed your children in some way, many of us are aware that we have failed our parents and it’s more than likely that many of us know that most of all we have failed ourselves . God does not want you to live your life imprisoned by your past.

COMMIT YOURSELF TO GIVE UP YOUR GRUDGES
I want you to listen to these words from the book of Colossians because in them you’ll hear the second challenge I believe God wants you to rise to if you want to make 2015 a significant turning point in your life .
“Bear with each other and forgive each other whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” Col 3:13 Did you catch that challenge?
God in those words is challenging you directly and personally to give up your grudges. That is what he means when he says forgive each other whatever grievances you may have against one another.
What’s a grudge? A grudge is a deep ongoing resentment that we cultivate in our hearts against someone else.
A grudge is an unforgiving spirit that leads to unforgiving attitudes and unforgiving actions
Harboring a grudge is about nursing a dislike for someone.
What you need to know is that grudges are dangerous because they are destructive.
Grudges destroy marriages.  Grudges break up families. Grudges ruin friendships.  Grudges split churches.
Let’s be honest enough to admit that one of the scandals of the Church is the grudges that Christians hold against one another.
Today if you know you are holding a grudge against someone then God has something to say to you. He says “give it up.”

COMMIT YOURSELF TO RESTORE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS
God in his word issues an invitation. It is the invitation to check whether our personal relationships are working properly. Here is how the Lord issues that challenge in “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

The important phrase there is, as far as it depends on you. God by using that phrase is personally challenging each one of us to do all we can to restore our relationships. The Lord wants you to do everything you can to restore any relationships that have gone wrong in your life.
Some relationships might have gone wrong in your life because of what other people have done and they might well not want that relationship restored. God recognizes that. That is why he starts by saying “If it’s possible”

But let’s be honest some of our relationships have gone wrong because of what we have done haven’t they?
When God’s word says here as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” it is saying if you have caused a rift in a relationship then you have a responsibility to do everything you can to restore it. That everything includes the one thing we all probably find most difficult, asking for forgiveness.
Am I the only person who finds it hardest to say “I am sorry” to the people I am closest too?
I wonder how many marriages represented here are not all they should be or could be simply because someone won’t say “I was wrong, I am sorry, will you forgive me”
I am certain that some of us who are married need to ask forgiveness for “ harsh words and cutting remarks” that have really wounded our partners over the years.
Maybe God is saying to some of you that this change of year is the right time to restore that relationships you ruined by going and sincerely saying that you are sorry for those angry words or those selfish and unthoughtful.

Restitution is asking forgiveness for harsh words, quick tongue, or cutting remarks. It is asking forgiveness from a brother you hurt, a mother you caused heartache to, or a former spouse which you maligned. Restitution is confessing and seeking forgiveness from an old business partner, neighbor, or roommate. It is admitting my past errors in relationships and humbly seeking forgiveness from the one I’ve hurt. And it’s harder to make personal restitution than property restitution.”
Make no mistake it will be hard to do but one of the most significant things that you can do to mark the New Year is not set off a firework but to admit your past errors in relationships and humbly seek forgiveness from the one you have hurt.
Will you rise to that challenge?

COMMIT YOURSELF TO TURN YOUR BACK ON YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS.

Christ died to set them free, the Holy Spirit has given them the power to be free.
Listen to these words from Rom 6 “Do not let sin control the way you live, do not give in to its lustful desires … we are no longer slaves to sin” Romans 6:2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer.

That is the last challenge that I believe if you will rise to meet will make this New Year truly significant for you. When God says “Do not let sin control the way you live, do not give in to its lustful desires He is issuing the challenge to turn your back on your transgressions.

Too many Christians attitude to their besetting sin. They won’t do anything about it and they learn to live with it.
I have to ask you is your spiritual life crippled because you have learned to live with a besetting sin?
Do you have a quick temper that you constantly give into?
Or a caustic tongue that loves to assassinate other people’s characters or wound their feelings?
Have you learned to live with that critical judgmental attitude you know is wrong?
Is there a sexual sin that you keep on giving in to?
Have you been going too far with your boyfriend or girlfriend?
Have you been secretly logging on to pornography sites on the Internet time and time again?
God here in his word challenges you to turn your back on that sin whatever it is. To stop letting it control the way you live. To stop giving in to it. He wants you to stop obeying your old master.
Let’s be clear about this: Jesus death broke the power of sin, the Holy Spirit can give us the power to resist sin and all of that means that you don’t have to go into this New Year still being defeated by the same old sin. You can have the victory over it. God says you are no longer a slave to sin so don’t live like one or act like one. If you will ask for God’s forgiveness for your sin and his power to resist that sin.

It all boils down to this: Will this New Year be just a calendar changing event for you or are you willing to rise to these challenges from God’s word and make these commitments and so make it a life changing event?
Are you willing to make these 4 commitments for 2015?
Will you commit yourself to forget your failures?
Will you commit yourself to give up your grudges?
Will you commit yourself to restore your relationships?
Will you commit yourself to turning your back on your transgressions?
This New Year will really be something to celebrate if you’ll make forgiveness the heart of what it’s all about for you.
Have the courage right here today
· To forgive yourself and “forget the past”
· To forgive others who have hurt you “and forgive whatever grievances you have”
· To ask for forgiveness from those you have hurt and “as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone”
· To ask for God’s forgiveness and “No longer be a slave to sin”

Remember, ONE WORD FROM GOD CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE