Well .. those are all wonderful and helpful resolutions to make. Now here's the bad news: research shows that while 52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals.

Well .. that's not very encouraging news when it comes to making New Years Resolutions. What's interesting is that it was found that men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in goal setting (a system where small measurable goals are being set; such as, a pound a week, instead of saying "lose weight") while women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends.

When it comes to making New Years Resolutions … there is a resolution that I want to encourage you to make with me today, where small measurable goals can be set, where the goals are made public AND that comes with support from your friends.

You say, "Pastor, now that sounds like a reasonable resolution to make for this year. What is it?" Well .. I'm glad you asked. The 2012 New Years Resolution that I'm asking you to make with me today is for us to stay healthy all year long! And I'm not talking about physical health .. though that should be a priority this year. I'm talking about spiritual health. I'm talking about church health!

That's it! That we resolve to maintain a healthy fellowship all year long! Now here's why that's important: everything we're going to do this year hinges on the health of our fellowship. When our fellowship is healthy .. we can accomplish everything and anything God has for us. If our fellowship is unhealthy .. we cannot accomplish what God has for us to accomplish this year.

I resolve to do my part in our staying healthy all year long. So .. how do we stay healthy throughout 2012 so that God can accomplish great and mighty things in us and through us?

Well … that's what we find the apostle Paul talking about in 2 Corinthians 7 as he shows us today:

2 Corinthians 7:1-9 (MSG)

1 With promises like this to pull us on, dear friends, let's make a clean break with everything that defiles or distracts us, both within and without. Let's make our entire lives fit and holy temples for the worship of God.

More Passionate, More Responsible

2-4 Trust us. We've never hurt a soul, never exploited or taken advantage of anyone. Don't think I'm finding fault with you. I told you earlier that I'm with you all the way, no matter what. I have, in fact, the greatest confidence in you. If only you knew how proud I am of you! I am overwhelmed with joy despite all our troubles.

5-7 When we arrived in Macedonia province, we couldn't settle down. The fights in the church and the fears in our hearts kept us on pins and needles. We couldn't relax because we didn't know how it would turn out. Then the God who lifts up the downcast lifted our heads and our hearts with the arrival of Titus. We were glad just to see him, but the true reassurance came in what he told us about you: how much you cared, how much you grieved, how concerned you were for me. I went from worry to tranquility in no time!

8-9 I know I distressed you greatly with my letter. Although I felt awful at the time, I don't feel at all bad now that I see how it turned out. The letter upset you, but only for a while. Now I'm glad—not that you were upset, but that you were jarred into turning things around. You let the distress bring you to God, not drive you from him. The result was all gain, no loss.

See Also:

Malankara World New Year Supplement