I heard about a man who weighed

over 300 pounds. He went to his pastor and said, "Man, I have to

do something. I can't lose this weight. I try every January 1 to lose

weight and I just can't get it off. I can't get a date. I can't even get

a woman to look at me."

The pastor said, "I can

help you. I want you to get ready by 8 a.m. tomorrow morning, wear your

sweats, put on your running shoes, be ready." The man asked, "what

are you going to do?"

The pastor replied, "Just

be ready."

At 8 a.m. the next morning

the doorbell rang. He opened the door and there stood the most beautiful

woman he had ever seen. She said, "The pastor said, 'if you can catch

me, you can keep me,'" and she took off running. And so did he.

Every day for about six months

this happened. Finally, the man had lost about 150 pounds. He looked great,

felt great, and got up one morning and said, "this is the day. This

is it. I'm going to catch that woman."

Eight a.m. came, and the doorbell

rang just like clockwork. He opened the door and there stood the biggest

woman he had ever seen in his life. She said, "the pastor said, 'if

I could catch you, I could keep you." And they took off running.

At the beginning of a new

year, we give a lot of attention to self-improvement. We go on diets,

cut back on sweets, and begin rigorous exercise programs. As important

as those decisions are, God also wants us to get in shape spiritually.

The beginning of the new year is a good time to take stock of where we

are in our spiritual lives. And it's a good time to make commitments that

will assist with progress spiritual progress.

How do you measure spiritual

progress? Ask yourself these questions:

Do I have a growing hunger

to know God? Do I have an increasing desire to know God's Word? Do I have

a greater intolerance for the sin in my life?

Do I have a decreasing desire

for worldliness? Do I feel love for those who have wronged me? Do I find

it easier to forgive those who have wronged me? Do I have an increasing

desire to obey God?

Do I have a growing faith?

Do I care about the spiritual condition of other people? Do I build people

up or tear people down with criticism? Do I spend more time in prayer?

Am I interested in learning and practicing new spiritual disciplines?

Let me encourage you to make

four decisions that will help with spiritual improvement.

First, seek to put God first

in all things. Putting God first is a deliberate everyday decision. Start

this new year by deciding now that you are going to live for God and give

him first place in your life. Keep your focus on Him.

Second, commit to read God's

Word daily. God's Word, the Bible, feeds our spiritual lives and nourishes

our soul. A first grader received her new Bible from her Sunday School

teacher. She was so proud of that Bible as she walked into the sanctuary.

She sat down and place it on the pew between her and an older gentleman.

The man noticed the shiny new Bible and asked, "May I see it?"

Little Cindy replied, "You

can look at it, but don't open it. You might let God out!" That's

the purpose of daily Bible reading. We want to let Him into our everyday

lives.

Third, give greater attention

to prayer. A young pastor asked a wise, retired pastor, "what really

builds a church?" The response? "The Word of God and prayer."

Prayer is like oxygen that invigorates the body. Prayer propels the power

of God into our lives. The person who neglects the power of God and prayer

is like the man in Jesus' parable who builds his life on sand instead

of a strong foundation. When the winds blow, and the rain falls and the

flood waters rise, he is on shaky ground instead of solid ground.

Fourth, attend church regularly.

Hebrews 10:25 says, "forsake not the assembling of yourselves together

as is the practice of some." We need to be in worship and Bible study

every Sunday, not just when it's convenient.

Is there an area of spiritual

neglect in your life that must be addressed if you are to make progress

this year?

(Dr. David L. Chancey is pastor,

McDonough Road Baptist Church, Fayetteville. The church family meets at

352 McDonough Road and invites you to join them this Sunday for Bible

study at 9:45 a.m.

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