A pastor was riding his bicycle when he saw a boy with a lawn mower for sale. “How much do you want for the mower?” he asked.
“I want just enough money to buy a bicycle.”
Then the pastor asked, “Why don’t we trade?”
The boy looked over the bike as the minister examined the lawn mower. The preacher pulled on the rope to get it started. He pulled and pulled, but it wouldn’t start.
He called the boy over and said, “I can’t get this lawn mower started.”
The boy said, “That’s because you have to cuss at it to get it going.”
The minister replied, “I’m a minister and I don’t cuss. It’s been so long since I’ve been saved that I don’t even remember how to cuss.”
The youngster responded, “You keep pulling on that rope and it’ll come back to you, I promise.”
That’s the trouble with bad habits and unhealthy practices. They keep coming back. We long for change but return to the same patterns.
God specializes in new beginnings and fresh starts. Isaiah 43:19 reads, “Behold, I will do a new thing . . .” What new thing does God want to do in your life this year?
God’s work is easier when we cooperate with Him. Here are seven ways to position yourself to receive God’s new thing:
First, eliminate excuses. Do you say things like, “I was going to start an exercise routine, but …” or “I’m trying to control my temper, but …” or “I’m going to read my Bible 15 minutes every morning, but …”
Quit giving the Lord excuses. Instead, take responsibility. Go to bed 15 minutes earlier so you can get up 15 minutes earlier. Get a handle on your temper. Start reading your Bible. Be proactive.
Our excuses indicate our lack of willingness to give God a chance to work. Are you giving God excuses?
Second, stop procrastinating. Sometimes we put off taking strategic steps that help us grow spiritually or…
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