How To Make Successful New Year's Resolutions

With New Years Day less than a week behind us, many of us have made some "resolutions" of some sort. These challenges we've placed on ourselves may be in the area of health, relationships, spirituality, finances, or skill-specific. Whatever your resolution may be, here are a few steps you can take to ensure that you succeed (or at least grow from failure).

1. Set realistic, specific, time-bound goals.

The easiest way to fail at goal-setting is to have a goal that is not well-thought through. You can't dream all day about the sweet taste of achieving your goal yet fail to dream about how you are going to actualize it. 

A goal needs to be realistic: "Run a four minute mile by June" might not be a very realistic goal for someone who wants to start running for the first time in a very long time. Instead of setting yourself up for failure, set a goal you know you can accomplish by putting in hard work. Yes, you should always aim high, and miracles do happen, but so do accidents. Also, unrealistic goals may cause feelings of depression that are associated with repeated failure, and may turn you off from trying to improve. Be sure to consult someone with prior success in the area in which you are aiming to improve. They may have some good insight that can help you set a realistic goal. (Or not, but it doesn't hurt to ask!)

A goal needs to be specific: "I want to become more spiritual" is too vague. If you cannot measure your goal, you may want to consider wording it in a more definite way. For example, instead of writing "I will read the Bible more", one can write "I will read a chapter a day for one year." If your goal is not specific, you will never be able to track your progress, and you will never attain the satisfaction of actually reaching your goal. There is always room for improvement in every area of life, so chasing an unspecific goal will lead to dissatisfaction. 

A goal needs to be time-bound: If you don't give yourself a deadline, you will not prioritize your goal. Be sure to give yourself a time limit on an assignment in order to avoid procrastinating and saving it for last. If you're making something a resolution, it's most likely because it's important to you, so prioritize it! 

2.  Find ways to encourage you to succeed.

A small treat? An outing? An hour of relaxation? These are all great rewards you can give yourself for taking big steps towards accomplishing your goal. Went for a run every day for a week? Get a professional massage! Ate healthy all week? You deserve a piece of cheesecake! Spent the whole week working hard and being productive? Go buy yourself something nice! While you should never over-indulge, a little picker-upper at the end of a productive week will only motivate you to do it all again the following week!

3. Change your perspective.

Sometimes we get so caught up in our situation that we fail to see how good we have it. When we get stuck in this "stress mode", we often give up or slack on our goals cause we feel life will always kick us back down again. Every morning remind yourself that you are blessed, no matter what situation you find yourself in because you had the pleasure of waking up. You have to walk to work? Great! At least you CAN walk! I don't mean to say that your life isn't hard, or that you should put on a fake front and pretend everything is okay, but there is power in perspective. Every day that you wake up is another opportunity to change your life for the better. If you are struggling with changing your perspective and find yourself constantly feeling down and out, I encourage you to pray for joy and peace that only Jesus can give you, or email me at alextemplefitness@gmail.com. 

4. Surround yourself with people who have success in the area of interest.

It's easy to give up on your goals when deep down inside you think they are impossible. By surrounding yourself with people who have done what you wish to do, you are subconsciously reminding yourself that what God can do in their life can be done in your life. King Solomon writes, "There is nothing new under the sun. What will be done has been done." While in the context of the text this may seem a little gloomy, when you apply it to goal-setting, it's actually encouraging to know that someone has done what you want to do! 

What if I want to do something no one has ever done?...

5. Surround yourself with positive people.

Just like with perspective, there is power in positivity. While many Christians criticize the positive-thinking approach, it's been proven that people who surround themselves with positive people tend to accomplish more! The Bible speaks clearly about surrounding yourself with the right crowd.Can you imagine being around someone who is always criticizing your actions and aspirations? (Some of you might be saying, "I don't have to imagine it... I live with someone like that.) I'm not saying that you should cut that Negative Nancy out of your life, but for every negative person in your life, be sure to have two positive people just as close relationally! Sometimes we need to hear that someone else believes in us in order to believe in ourselves. If you're a pessimist, don't worry, there's still hope! Begin surrounding yourself with positive people, and their positivity will begin to rub off on you! If you feel like you can't seem to find anyone who provides that positivity in your in life, you may also email me at the email address listed above. Find rest knowing that God believes in you so much, and has plans to prosper you and not harm you; plans to give you hope and a future. 

For more tips on living a more abundant life, feel free to email me, or visit us at www.LifeChurchMiami.org and check out our podcasts. We'd love to help you in any way possible!

God bless,
Alexander Sosa

 

Sunday "Christians"

Who am I talking about?

That person who's a jerk at work, but attends a worship service once a week?
or...
That guy who cheats on his girlfriend, and has a Jesus-fish bumper sticker?
or...
That person who posts profane material on every social media platform known to man, but has "Christian" in their about me?

If this is you, you might be offended. But don't stop here, because even the most holy Christians are no better than you. Isaiah 64:6 says that "all of our righteous acts are like filthy rags" to God, because He is perfect. Even our good deeds come from a selfish place deep in our hearts.

You might be saying, "None of this describes me, but it sure does sound like so-and-so."

As Christians it's sad that when we read "Sunday Christians", the faces of certain people in our own lives flash before our eyes. We compare their lack of commitment to our own commitment, and it bothers us that they can bear the title "Christian" and not work as hard, or be as holy. It's almost as if we think we earned God's love, and believe that others should have to earn it to.

Reality Check: God's love comes from grace. Nothing you do can make him love you more or less. And He loves the Sunday Christian just as much as He loves you. 

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Reality Check #2: If there is a Sunday Christian in your life, thank God for the opportunity. The minute you stop judging their behaviors, lack of church attendance/commitment, and stop thinking negatively of them, is the same minute you begin to see them through the eyes of Jesus. We are called to love people to God, not judge them.

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1-2

I'm guilty of this: Getting upset when a loved one comes to church, gets saved, comes for awhile, and stops attending. You begin to think, "Don't they get it? Don't they know there is work to do!", and you secretly hold a grudge against them that gets more bitter as each Sunday passes without seeing them.

I finally realized that this strategy doesn't work. At all. And when you're too busy judging people, not only do you push them farther from Christ and make them doubt their own relationship with God, but you harden your heart and begin to praise yourself without even realizing it. Your relationship with God becomes distant, you pray less, and you work harder but see no progress. You get frustrated, and you blame God for not being more present in your life. You begin to want more of His stuff, and less of Him. It becomes more about personal gain, and less about Jesus.

Those who judge Christians who stumble, miss church, or live a life that doesn't represent Christ... They are the "Sunday Christians". And they're the reason lost and hurting people stay away from churches. After all, who would want to walk into a place full of people who don't like them?

I.N.D.E.P.E.N.D.E.N.T

The American Dream: Rely on nobody.

Everybody wants to be able to say, "I don't need anybody. I can take care of myself." I applaud the effort, but let's get real. 

Life would be miserable if the only person you saw everyday was YOU. 

I mean, isn't our inability to be by ourselves the driving force that puts businesses like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter in the spotlight? Our dependence on others is so evident, in that we go NUTS if we stay home for 12 hours straight without talking to someone. Just admit it, you need others. The sooner you come to grips with that, the sooner you'll be able to develop better relationships. And the sooner you'll stop letting us all know you're using the bathroom via social media.

I've spent the past two months speaking to high school students about the realities of poverty in our city, and was also given the opportunity to share some of my life experiences with them. One thing I realized as I spoke was that I am the person I am today because people chose to invest in me. People chose to care. People chose to give. I do what I do for others, not because I am a good person, but because others did for me. And now, it's as if this gracious giving behavior is part of my genetic code. I would be a liar if I said I am where I am today because I "worked hard" or "dreamed big".

The common misconception is that one can find pride in doing everything for themselves. I tend to think of the dad on a road trip who refuses to ask for directions. The wife begins to say "honey, why don't you ask someone for help?", and he cuts her off by saying, "I don't need anyones help! I can figure it out!". We live like this stubborn father when we refuse to ask for help, and get caught up in the pride of doing things ourselves.

I've heard people say, "the idea of a God is just a crutch for weak people who can't accept reality." 

There's so much truth in that statement, laced with lots of bull. Let's take a moment to find the gold in that pile of dung.

Step 1.) "The idea of a God is just a crutch for weak people who can't accept reality."

Step 2.) "God is just a crutch for weak people who can't accept reality."

Step 3.) "God is a crutch for weak people who can't accept reality."

The Gold: "God is a crutch for weak people who can't."

We find the truth behind our need and God's gift in His Word:

1.) We can't: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

2.) God did: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

Who Made You King?

Have you ever come across that person who's just too cool for school (or anything else for that matter)? Too cool to laugh at a joke, or even worse; be the center of one. Too cool to admit they are wrong, or walk away from an argument? How does being around that type of person make you feel?

Well, this isn't a counseling session, but I will say that too many Christians have this mindset. "Hey! I'm a Christian! Don't use that language around me!" or, "Hey! You shouldn't do that! That's a sin!" Now, I know what's going to come from this: "Alex, the bible tells us to rebuke people when they sin. How are people going to know what they are doing is wrong, and that God wants them to do something else, if we don't tell them?" I urge you to read on, as I address that issue AFTER the one I intended to tackle before you got ahead of yourself.

Borat got excited when he sat in his chair, and started saying "King in the Castle!" (I know what you're thinking; "Alex! You watched Borat! Gasp!" Let it go.) As Christians, we are told that we have gained sonship with God, and that we now have an inheritance in Heaven. We are, in essence, princes and princesses of a heavenly royalty. Without spiritual maturity, we can act like Borat, and get overly excited about this new chair we've gained ownership of. While there is much to boast about, the time to boast has not come because our work isn't complete. Just as princes and princesses are trained to not embarrass the family name, we have much training to do in order to bear the name "Mr. John Doe-Son of God."

While we are not to even consider watering down the Gospel or developing our own theology, we do have to be sensitive to individuals in order to effectively present the truth of God. Does your approach offend people and get them all hot and bothered, and leave them that way without any reconciliation? Do people not feel comfortable opening up to you about their struggles because they know that you are automatically going to tell them they are living in sin and should do things the way you say they should? Do you find yourself prying into peoples lives, instead of them coming to you? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might want to reconsider your approach. Here are some pointers:

1.) God is King. He is Judge. He knows all things.

You don't know what someone is really going through. (Unless you watch them 24 hours a day. If that's the case, you might want to turn yourself in to the police on grounds of stalking.) You also don't know where they come from. Some people deal with certain struggles that are tied in with tragedies and experiences they went through as a child. We can easily assume that a drug addict is a deadbeat who got caught up in that lifestyle, and totally overlook the fact that they may have been sexually abused and drugs seem to be the only thing they can escape from this reality with. They need to know that God want's them to cast their burden on Him, not that He wants to send them to hell for their addiction.

2.) God calls us to be peacemakers. Not warmongers.

Blessed are the peacemakers, the Word of God says. If Christ came to bring peace between the Jews, Gentiles, and God, and we are to be a reflection of Christ, then shouldn't we put away our verbal weapons and promote a message of peace? If you constantly have a feeling to point out other peoples flaws, I urge you to read Jesus' words in which he asked YOU to pull the plank out of your eye before discussing the speck in your neighbors eye. When you realize how wretched you really are, and how much you need Christ daily, you'll begin to have a heart for the lost (and the found, because we all know we struggle as well.)

3.) You don't have to compromise Scripture to promote peace and share the Gospel.

Too many people falsely argue that if you don't point out someone's sin you are robbing them of the opportunity to learn God's truth. To that I say "Good is bad when it stops you from the best." Yes, one or two might be saved by a crazy looking man screaming "fire and brimstone" threats on the beach. This method has proven to be minimally effective compared to building relationships, reaching into people's hearts with your influence, and conducting proper discipleship based on God's Word. Once you've earned your position in this person's life, then you have the privilege of correcting them. After all, Jesus shouted at the religious Pharisees, and spoke out of love to the lost. What does this teach us?

I leave you with this verse:

John 13:34-35  "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Fact vs. Fiction

Fact: I love coffee.
Fiction: I am a water buffalo.

Fact: Cinnamon rolls contain cinnamon.
Fiction: The Dolphins beat the Titans this past Sunday.

Fact: Water is wet.
Fiction: Gas prices are the lowest they have ever been.

Fact: Following Jesus is hard.
Fiction: Jesus called us to follow him on a pink magical pony.

This past Sunday, I found myself repeating the same sentence over and over again:

"Jesus called us to carry a cross, not a blankie."

This whole idea came up last week as I discussed scripture with a member of a very prosperity-gospel based church in Miami. The young lady kept on saying that God intends for us to be financially rich, free from sickness, and full of pride. This was her interpretation of Christ giving us an "abundant life" (John 10:10). Not only was it God's intention, according to her, but that if this wasn't the status of the life you've lived, then you have been out of God's will and must be living in sin. I can't help but notice how this whole faulty interpretation of Scripture might make Christians fall away from the faith, and make the unchurched world see Christians as money-hungry judgmental hypocrites.

My reasoning comes directly from the author of most of the New Testament: Paul of Tarsus. His writing in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 might as well be a direct letter to prosperity-gospel driven churches. Because of the intensity of his writing, I can't even summon up the audacity to paraphrase this, nor deprive you from the opportunity of reading it for yourself. If this was a blog about me, I would take up the entire page with my own writing, but today's post will be made up mostly of this Scripture. Enjoy.

11 I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! ² I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present youas a pure virgin to him. ³ But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. ⁴ For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

⁵ I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”^[a]6 I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge.We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. ⁷ Was it a sinfor me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? ⁸ I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. ⁹ And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. ¹⁰ As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. ¹¹ Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

¹² And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. ¹³ For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.¹⁴ And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

Paul Boasts About His Sufferings

¹⁶ I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. ¹⁷ In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool. ¹⁸ Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast. ¹⁹ You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! ²⁰ In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. ²¹ To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. ²² Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.²³ Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. ²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. ²⁷ I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. ²⁹ Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.³¹ The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying. ³² In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me. ³³ But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.

I think Paul has made it very clear. God doesn't display his greatness through riches, perfect health, and pridefulness, but through the glory He displays in the faces of the humble, poor, and weak. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3)

God bless you; in an abundance, in all the ways HE sees fit.

Career vs. Job

What is the difference between a job and a career? According to Merriam-Webster's dictionary, the two can be defined as follows:

Job: a small miscellaneous piece of work undertaken on order at a stated rate.

Career: a profession for which one trains and which is undertaken as a permanent calling.

Anyone old enough to be in the workforce should be able to point out some of the contrasting details between these two terms. We are going to look at three specific differences between jobs and careers, and how these apply in a larger sense to our lives on earth: Size, Duration, and Pay.

Size: By size, I mean the magnitude of work at hand. While jobs and careers both include minute, trivial, boring paperwork and tasks, this tends to be the only work involved in a job. Yes, a regular job may have the occasional professional lunch meeting, or celebrity visit, but more often than not a "job" is just something you do to get by. A job ends at 5:00 o'clock.

A career, on the other hand, involves building up. The boring tasks and paperwork are done because the individual sees themselves rising to the next level in their work, and not simply to make it to 5:00 o'clock so they can clock out. A career-minded individual's day does not end when their fingers touch the time clock, but instead carries on with them on the drive home, and in the way they present themselves to the world. A career-minded individual understands the importance of keeping a good image for the company they represent, whether in uniform or not. The work they have in front of them they deem as important; as future-shaping. This is probably because it is.

Duration: We see from the definitions above that a job is simply a "piece of work" while a career is undertaken as a "permanent calling". A job focuses on the activities at hand, while a career focuses on the purpose of completing those activities. While a dishwasher might feel that the purpose of washing the dishes is to provide clean dishes for customers and pleasing his manager, the owner of the company knows that without dishes, the restaurant cannot sell food. A career-minded individual understands the importance of the small tasks and applies them to the overall goal of the company. 

Because of this large view, a career-minded person is more accurately able to gauge growth over time because they are willing to invest time. One cannot notice grass grow by watching it for one day, but rather by watching it for several weeks. In the same way, a career-minded individual watches his career grow from decade to decade, making the necessary changes to stay growing, but keeping the overall goal in mind. On the other hand, the job-focused worker goes from yard to yard, seeking the highest grass. While they might feel like they have found the easy route to large gains, they are clueless as to what to do when the landscaper comes and cuts away their profit. It is because of this reason that people with "jobs" are at a bigger loss than people with careers when companies close.

Pay: The aforementioned definition of a job ended with "at a stated rate". Plain and simple, a job pays you for what you do on a daily basis at a fixed rate which may fluctuate, but rarely by much. In contrast, a career takes in mind everything you have done in the past, and your income is a result of how hard you work. Because you choose how much you want to invest into your career, you yourself determine how much you will make. You are aware of decisions you can make that may harm or help your income, and you take these into consideration daily as you make life choices.

So what does any of this have to do with a blog titled "Where is Jesus?"

Many people fail to realize that our lives as Christ-followers fall under the same category. We are called to a career of living for Christ, not a job! By distinguishing between "jobs" and "careers" based on these three attributes, we can see very clearly the difference between someone who is actually following Jesus and someone who is just "working a part-time" by attending church. God has called us to a large size mission, for a lifetime duration, with an incredible salary and retirement. For those who believe in the Word of God, check it out for yourself:

Size: 

"Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Duration: 

"Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me 
all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever." (Psalm 23:6)

Pay: 

"Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people, because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ." (Colossians 3:23-24)

Knowing this, we should begin to treat our relationship with Christ and our calling from God as a career rather than a job. In no way am I implying that salvation is works-based, but instead that salary is.

God bless,
Alex

Open Heart Surgery

This week I opened up the door for you readers to ask a question, and received some awesome responses. While I would like to answer all of them, for now I only have time for one. One young lady asked,

"If I'm saved by grace and forgiven for all sin (past present and future), why do I have to change my lifestyle? Friends? Surroundings? Walk?"

I feel like this is one of those issues that pushes people away from the idea of walking into a church, engaging in a spiritual conversation, and more importantly just reading the Bible. Nobody likes the feeling of somebody trying to change them, no matter how powerful, smart, or well-intentioned the person is. We all have that person in our lives...

That family member who always has something negative to say about us:
"Pero mija, que gorda estas!"

That friend who always wants to change the way we do something:
"You're such bad shooter! Just pass ME the ball!"

That math teacher that has it out for you:
"Sorry, but you need to show your work the way I taught you to solve the formula." 

The more people try to change us, the more we try to avoid them. Christians need to understand this better than anyone else, because it seems like they are always trying to change people. This question, coming from a Christian, shows the misconception clearly. We forget that it is GOD who changes people, and feel like we have to change our lives ourselves.

When I came to Christ, nobody gave me a rule book of things I was supposed to do, or not do. Nobody sat down with me and gave me a "new believer orientation" with a basic layout of things that were forbidden. Nobody showed me a bunch of scripture verses that looked down upon drinking, drugs, sleeping around, or cursing. And if someone who claims to be a Christian is giving you any of these, make distance. Quickly. You don't want to associate with someone like that just yet.

So how did my views, practices, morals, and interests change? God performed surgery; Open Heart Surgery. During the first two years of my walk with Christ, I still enjoyed the nightlife, partying at all the craziest clubs, and throwing house parties. When I got baptized, these interests didn't just "go away". It wasn't until my relationship with God grew that I lost interest in these things.

We forget that our relationship with God is just like any relationship with people. The more you get to know someone, the more you learn about them. And if you truly fall in love with them, you will do the things they like because you love them. Not because you have to. Not because they'll punish you if you don't, but because you just want to make them happy for making you happy. In the same way, while we are given complete grace for our sins by Christ dying on the cross, an obedience to the ways of God has nothing to do with obeying laws, and everything to do with showing God we love Him and put Him first.

And to run with this a little bit further, it is these very changes He makes in our lives that make the quality of life so much better! He doesn't just make up these things to have us perform for Him... My life has just been drastically less chaotic, less stressful, and less complicated since I left the "trap" and began listening to God. It's not that life becomes easy when we follow Christ, but that we now know what we are living for. A life completely devoted to Jesus Christ heads in one direction: Heaven.