Keeping New Years Resolutions

Each new year brings with it new challenges, troubles and concerns, as well as new opportunities, new relationships, etc. One perennial activity is making New Years resolutions, promising to get rid of some behavior, habit, issue and so on, in an attempt to make life better.
People resolve to give up smoking, drinking, credit cards and a myriad of other issues, in order to become a healthier or happier person. People sometimes make resolutions that are designed to make changes in another person. Such resolutions are obviously doomed from the outset, since most of us have a terrible time changing ourselves, much less having dominion over the thoughts and actions of others
There are many approaches to New Year resolutions. One site suggests that people either not make resolutions, or only make resolutions that are easily kept, so as to avoid harming our self-esteem if we fail.
Another site suggests that you deliberately make resolutions that you cannot possibly keep, opining that the value is in the struggle-not in whether or not you succeed. That may sound profound and ’deep’, but I have not seen evidence that struggle, itself, builds more character and self-esteem than conquering bad or unproductive areas of one’s life. Another websites suggests a daily steps to as reminder of your New Years resolution, like a 12-step program. .
Basically, a resolution is a promise to rid one’s self of some habit or characteristic that keeps one from being a better person, and a new year seems like the logical time to make such life changes. Resolutions should be made with a goal of doing the right thing by replacing bad habits with right-living. If the bad behavior is not replaced with good behavior, it is a recipe for failure.
For instance, if I resolve not to be greedy anymore, I am more likely to succeed it I replace the greed with empathy and assistance to the less fortunate. This takes the focus off of me and places it on helping others, which is the opposite of greed.
Our human nature makes it nearly impossible to follow through on resolutions because we all face daily temptation. The Bible tells us we cannot save ourselves from sin or temptation. If we succeed in overcoming a bad habit, another will replace it, or is already there, waiting to come to the fore.
So, how can we succeed in overcoming a bad habit or sin issue in our lives? Alone, we cannot. God, in His infinite wisdom, knew our plight, and that, on our own, we cannot remove one bad habit or sin, or do enough good to pay for one sin. He sent His Son to pay the price for our sin.
We can remove the grip of sin in our lives only when we realize it has already been dealt with and paid for. All we have to do is to accept the free gift from Him who paid for our sins with His body and blood. The Bible also says we have to ‘put to death the old sinful man’ on a daily basis. We can do this if we daily confess our sins and acknowledge that we cannot overcome them alone, but we must lean on Him, and trust the He can deliver us from the bondage of sin and bad habits. Philippians 4 says, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. Resolve to trust in Christ alone, and He will help you to succeed in getting rid of bad habits and becoming a better person.

Atheists seeking to deny Jesus Fail again

After numerous failed attempts to take Christ out of Christmas, atheists have launched a new attack on the celebration of Christ‘s birth-a placard in state capitols with a declaration of non-faith and non-belief in God. This is intended to refute the message of Christmas. In Washington state, such a placard was placed in the state capitol with the blessings(?) of the Governor. Many people protested loudly.
This attempt dampen the celebration of Christmas is led by The Freedom From Religion Foundation (Madison, Wisconsin). The placards declare this to be a season of Winter Solstice, and that, "…There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."
The foundation's co-president, Dan Barker, believes atheism deserves a place alongside the overtly religious Nativity scene. "Our members want equal time," Barker said. "Not to muscle, not to coerce, but just to have a place at the table.". However, his next statement seems to directly contradict the first, According to Barker, “…Christians basically stole this season from us human beings by using the hate speech of the nativity scene, which damns all of us to hell if we don't bow down before that little baby who became the dictator. What a horrible insult to what it means to be a human being!”
For some time, Washington state did not allow any religious symbolism on its capitol grounds, except a Christmas tree, or, as it is called, a “Children’s Holiday tree”. A Jewish group complained, and was allowed to place a Menorah in the Capitol, which prompted a Christian, Ron Wesselius to request that a nativity be allowed. He was denied, but sued, on the basis that a national holiday celebrates Christ’s birth. He won, and a Nativity scene was installed in 2007 and again in 2008.
Dan Barker was then allowed to place the placard alongside the Nativity scene in the state capitol. Wesselius was asked whether the placement of the atheist display next to the Nativity scene bothered him. He replied, "I think the Nativity scene will speak for itself.".
The atheist sign is two-sided, with their message of denial of God on the front, and "Keep State/Church Separate" on the back. But, since the U.S. Constitution does not mention such a separation or freedom from religion, but clearly protects freedom of religion in its First Amendment, this premise also fails miserably .
Conversely, Wesselius’ point that the nativity speaks for itself is most profound and true. Indeed, the quiet scene depicting the birth of a child who came to save us from our sins speaks volumes in it’s quiet, unassuming way. Yet, it angers those who hate God to the point that they believe that placing a contradictory statement next to the manger can somehow decrease the effectiveness of the Christmas story and destroy its truth. Such attempts to destroy what God has ordained are futile. None of us, (atheists included) had any hand in our creation, and our existence in human form equates to the blink of an eye, yet they defiantly shake their fists at the creator of the Universe, believing that their silly declaration can somehow silence and or diminish the power of God.
Of course, the Bible says it best, in Psalms 53, “…The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.” God can use even their failed efforts for good. Tourists standing before the two displays will clearly see which one reflects ‘hate speech‘ and which on reflects truth and unconditional, underserved love!