About the Podcast

Pastor Brian and Savannah discuss the appropriateness and motivations behind New Year's resolutions for Christians, emphasizing spiritual growth and alignment with God's will.

Key Takeaways

• (00:00) Pastor Brian believes making New Year's resolutions is acceptable if they are made for the right reasons, such as honoring God and maintaining health, rather than self-glorification.
• (01:05) The key verse for the episode is 2 Corinthians 13:5, which encourages self-examination to ensure one is in the faith and to test one's relationship with Christ.
• (02:11) Pastor Brian emphasizes the importance of reflecting on personal growth in faith over the past year, acknowledging human imperfection while encouraging continual sanctification.
• (06:10) Resolutions should focus on spiritual growth, such as committing to pray more, read the Bible, or attend church regularly, and should come from a sincere desire to deepen one's relationship with God.
• (07:13) Christians should seek God's wisdom in determining which resolutions to pursue, recognizing that some goals may take longer than a year to achieve.
• (08:01) Spiritual growth is a continuous process, and some resolutions may remain the same year after year as believers strive to refine themselves.
• (08:35) Memorizing scripture is an example of a long-term resolution that serves to strengthen one's faith and resist temptation, reinforcing the idea that spiritual goals are ongoing.
• (08:47) The speaker reflects on their scripture memorization from the previous year, questioning the motivation behind it and emphasizing the importance of hiding God's word in their heart to resist temptation.
• (10:23) Resolutions should align with God's will and avoid leading to temptation, using the example of weight loss goals.
• (12:42) Spiritual goals should be viewed as daily commitments rather than annual resolutions, emphasizing the importance of living in the present.
• (14:26) Accountability within the church community is important, as it can help individuals stay on track with their spiritual goals.
• (15:20) The need to rely on God for strength and support, especially during challenging times, and the importance of repentance is emphasized.
• (17:40) The primary goal for the upcoming year should be to deepen one's relationship with God rather than merely setting resolutions.
• (17:48) Actionable steps to achieve spiritual growth include increasing prayer and Bible reading, and having accountability partners to help maintain these commitments.
• (20:27) Societal messages often promote independence, but true strength comes from reliance on Jesus and His sacrifice.
• (22:00) God often places people in our lives to provide encouragement and support, reinforcing the idea of community in faith.
• (23:15) When achieving spiritual goals, humility is emphasized over pride, acknowledging that any success is due to God's help.
• (24:40) Self-examination regarding motivations behind actions and resolutions is necessary, as misaligned goals may lead to failure.
• (26:03) Psalm 37 is quoted to emphasize trust in the Lord and the importance of delighting in Him to receive the desires of one's heart, reinforcing the idea of building a relationship with God.
• (27:15) While God promises to fulfill the desires of our hearts, it may not happen immediately. Commitment to the Lord and trust in His timing are necessary.
• (29:06) For the upcoming year, setting a primary goal of growing closer to God is suggested, with specific resolutions such as praying more, reading the Bible, and engaging with the church community.
• (34:27) Salvation comes through repentance and faith in Christ alone, and listeners are encouraged to seek a personal relationship with Jesus.
• (30:10) The speaker concludes with a prayer, thanking God for blessings and asking for guidance in growing closer to Him in the coming year.

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