“Setting Goals- a Year of Belief”  1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 11:36

³¹ So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.(1 Corinthians 10:31)

³⁶ For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.  (Rom. 11:36)

Westminster Shorter Catechism: What is the Chief End of Man?  A. Man's Chief End is to Glorify God and to Enjoy Him forever

     Louise was taking a New Year’s Eve nap getting ready to stay up late in order to watch the ball drop.  When she woke up, she told her boyfriend, Tom, “I just had a dream that you gave me a diamond ring for the New Year.  What do you think that means?”  “Aha!” Said Tom.  “You’ll find out at midnight.”
At midnight, when the new year rang in, Tom gave his girlfriend a package.  Excitedly she opened it up and found a book inside called, “The Meaning of Dreams.” 
      What is your greatest dream?  What would be your greatest hope for a New Year’s resolution?  George Barna in a survey of Christians found that the chief goal for most American Christians is to be physically healthy, happy and feel good about yourself.  This has become so ingrained that many of us are saying, “What’s wrong about being happy and feeling good about yourself?”  Maybe if I said someone lied to your face in order to get what they want and still felt good- that would change your perspective.  Maybe if I said someone murdered another person who had hurt them and because they hated them so much they were happy about it and felt good about themselves that might help you to see feeling good is not the best goal.   
     For many feeling good is more important than being good.  We need a better goal, a better purpose, a better reason for living- and God has provided it for us.  He designed us- not just to be comfortable- or feel good (which can be a subtle form of selfishness), but to live beyond ourselves and our feelings. God has designed us to glorify Him and to enjoy Him forever.
     Some of you, just by being here, are keeping your New Year’s resolution and are getting off to a great start for 2012.  Some, alas, have made short resolutions about church attendance.  I am a firm believer in resolutions because I see them work, but even more importantly I see them in scripture.  For  example, Moses resolved to get out of Egypt, then he resolved to get the people into the promised land.  Joshua was given a resolution plan by God to enter into the promised land and divide up the land accordingly.  He resolved- as for me and my house- we WILL serve the Lord. David and Solomon resolved to build the Temple. The prophets resolved to prophecy.  After the exile, the people resolved to come back to the promised land and rebuild the Temple.  John the Baptist resolved to preach the word of repentance no matter what.  Jesus resolved to heal the sick to preach good news to the poor and release for the captives.  He set his face like flint toward Jerusalem resolving to die as a sacrifice for us.  Later Peter resolved to preach and Paul resolved to go- even to come on over to a place to help them. 
    Their resolutions were not simply based on determination and human will, but on a calling from God to do more than keep the status quo in their lives.  They escaped the prison of selfishness of the world by focusing on faith.  Their resolutions were made with God’s strength. 
     I have read for the last several years of so many who refuse to set goals because they always break them.  They are missing a great gift from God. 
     But in order to set goals, we must know the ultimate goal- what we are really to be about- what gives us meaning and hope. 
    Once there was a man who was walking on the Appalachian Trail.  He was simply putting one foot in front of the other- rarely looking up.  Someone asked him,  “Where are you going?”  He said “I don’t know.”  “Well do you have a map?”  “No,” he said, “but I want to keep moving.”  A lot of people are anxious and in a hurry but they have no idea of where they are going or why they are going there. 
    In our passage in 1 Corinthians it says: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”  Our overarching purpose and mission in life- is not simply to be saved.  This is a mistake.   If our overarching purpose is just to get to heaven, then once we’ve made it, then what do we do?  Rather, we are called to honor God- to please Him- to live for Him with our lives.
    To “Glorify God” is similar to the word “to reflect God.”  I said on Christmas Eve that Jesus is the light of the world- and he said, “We are the light of the world.”  But our lights are not self-made.  They are a reflection from His light- as our candles on Christmas Eve were lit from the Christ candle.  As the light of the moon is not self-generated, but comes from the sun, so we are called to reflect the light of Christ to others.  When people look at how we are living- they should be able to see something that inspires them to do better.  You know, you can really seek to fit in with other people’s expectations.  If they are wallowing in the mud like a pig- you can go jump in the mud pit too just to fit in. 
     What I am saying is that you can purposefully try to dim your light so it will not seem so bright to those who love the dark- of you can shine your light- pointing to a way out for those who walk in darkness.  They may not appreciate it at first, but the closer you are to Christ, the more they will be drawn to follow you.  So… resolve to reflect- to glorify Christ in your words, your deeds, and even your thoughts.
     How might you do that- Today is a good day to think about such things- in very practical ways.  Billy Graham wrote a book called “Nearing Home” that I read yesterday.  His prescription for what we should do to leave a legacy of faith and to prepare ourselves for nearing home is exactly what I am saying.
1) Resolve- to want to serve and honor Christ above anyone or anything else.  Do not let drugs, alcohol, riches, pornography, sin, or anything control you.  See the first step is to believe and trust and follow Christ- in the end those are one step.
2) Resolve to Listen to God- Where do we listen to God?  For Protestants the clear answer has been in scripture.   The Spirit will not contradict scripture, but uses scripture to guide us as a lamp to our feet.  So get some kind of a reading plan.  There are lots of them, but if you don’t have a reading plan there is the One Year Bible plan.   In his book, Graham talked about his wife, Ruth, falling, and going into a coma- with temporary brain damage.  She said what she missed most was that she had forgotten all the passages of scripture she had memorized earlier.  On the other hand, there have been many who have told me how meaningful recalling scripture verses were when they were in the hospital or at a time of crisis. 
3) Resolve to pray- Calvin suggested praying five times a day- when you wake up, when you go to sleep, and at each meal.  Prayer is not just asking for things- but it is ACTS.  Pray specifically and daily.
4) Resolve to fellowship- Christianity is about love and being with others.  Allow yourself the joy of being around others for His glory.  Look for opportunities- there are many. Seek Christian fellowship because in a world where there is a lot of temptation we need it.  If all your friends do not go to church- find some friends who do and will go with you.
5) Resolve to share God’s love- this is missions- this is witness.  It is living your faith out- but it is also not being ashamed of your faith.  Just like physical exercise is necessary or your muscles shrink, so serving God by loving neighbor is necessary.
6) Resolve to Heed- there is a difference between hearing in the word and heeding.  Hearing is the first step- but heeding is where the rubber meets the road.  It is applying al you see and do.
The final step is enjoying Him. Some see God as a killjoy.  God takes away my drugs.  God takes away my love for comfort.  God takes away my joy.  But that is an illusion- if we find our joy in drugs, selfish comfort and worldly happiness we will never be satisfied and may end up harming ourselves.   God wants to give us the only joy that will last forever and ever amen.  The joy in the Lord- you will find can be your strength. 
     The last part of this answer is forever.  This goal or purpose in life does not fade away.   The goal in heaven is the same on earth- for we are the same soul in both places.  The best resolutions see, are the ones that make a lasting mark and a lasting difference.  Better than stopping smoking, modifying drinking, losing weight- which are all means to make this life better, is a resolve to please God.   Ironically, the main purpose is not just to have peace within- but to have peace with God- which leads to ultimate peace within.  The main purpose is not to be saved- but to do something with our salvation.  For too many- we just want religious insurance- just enough to be legal and stay out of jail.  But God wants more for us- He calls us to more. 
G. K. Chesterton said , The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective. Unless a man be born again, he shall by no means enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
   Communion is a way to renew our resolve- to come forward and remember the past- what Christ has done for us- and remember his presence that goes with us into the future.  Communion is certainly a part of how we may glorify and enjoy Him forever.