[12] Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
and marked off the heavens with a span,
enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure
and weighed the mountains in scales
and the hills in a balance?
[13] Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD,
or what man shows him his counsel?
[14] Whom did he consult,
and who made him understand?
Who taught him the path of justice,
and taught him knowledge,
and showed him the way of understanding?
(Isaiah 40:12-14 ESV)

Answer: No one.

He is great and worthy of praise.

He is amazing and in complete control.

Everything is His and in His hand.

Frequently, I find myself needing reminders like this.  Maybe you do too.

Christ is all,
Jason

Here’s what I’m reading in 2012 (aside from the Bible).  I’ll try to provide some sort of a review after I complete each book.

• Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley
• Crucial Conversations by Patterson
• Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp
• Sticky Church by Larry Osborne
• Sticky Teams by Larry Osborne
• A Book You’ll Actually Read on Church Leadership by Mark Driscoll (currently reading)
• Margin by Richard Swenson
• Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tullian Tchividjian
• Gospel Centered Hermeneutics by Goldsworthy
• Christian Atheist by Groeschel
• Not a Fan by Idleman
• Great by Choice by Jim Collins
• Steve Jobs
• Tapworthy by Josh Clark
• The Leader’s Checklist

Everyone sets goals for a new year.  I do it too.  Sometimes I accomplish them, sometimes I don’t, but I always start with the best intentions.  2012 is no different.  Here are a list of my goals this year.

• Lose 35 lbs.  Why 35?  I don’t know, it seemed like a good round number.  About 3 lbs a month for 12 months.  Really, I just want to be healthier and figure that working out more regularly and really watching what I eat will cause some weight loss.
• Publish a book.  My wife and I are working on a devotional that we’d like to publish.  Something simple, but something to help people walk well with Jesus.
• Read 15 Books.  We aren’t talking War and Peace here or Pillars of the Earth or anything.  I’ll publish this list tomorrow if you are interested in keeping up with my reading plan.
• Contribute 15% to my retirement account…(I hear you snoring out there).
• Start my doctorate.  This has been a goal for a while.  Still not sure I’ll be able to pull it off, but we shall see.
• Study the book of Isaiah.
• Increase my blog readership.  You can help by sharing this blog on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email, etc. I’d REALLY appreciate it.
• Develop an iPhone App to help people set goals (seriously, I’m working on this with a friend who’s developed some other cool apps at Boom Pow).

That’s my personal list among other family and church goals.  I have many goals this year and will set sub goals and share with my accountability partner these goals to help me hit my benchmarks and ultimately accomplish my goals for 2012.  I have many goals, but only ONE resolution

ONE Resolution: The Gospel on my lips

I have one thing that I am resolved to do in 2012.  There is one thing that I want to be known for this year.  It isn’t accomplishing my goals, it isn’t being a great husband, father, pastor, leader, or human.  The one thing that I want to be targeted on is having the Gospel on the tip of my lips.

I want the Good News of Jesus constantly flowing out of me.  I want it to be flowing out when talking to people who aren’t believers in Jesus.  I want it to be flowing out when speaking to believers in Jesus.  I want the Gospel constantly flowing out of me.  The Gospel is not just the thing that saves us.  The Gospel is also the thing that grows us.

This year I’m resolved to run every part of my life through the filter of the Gospel.  I want 2012 to be a year centered on the Gospel.  I mean if the world is ending (thanks Mayans for not finishing your calendar) then shouldn’t this year (and all years really) be spent on the ONE thing that really matters, the ONE thing that will change eternity for people?

I think so.

Christ is all,
Jason

Thanks for answering!

Christ is all,

Jason

Do you know what today is?  Monday, November 21, 2011.  It’s not my birthday (January 5th, if you were wondering).  It’s not your anniversary (most likely, but maybe you should check).  It’s not Christmas (December 25th).  Today is the Monday before Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season and that means…STRESS!!!  What’s stressful about the holidays (some of you are thinking, “What isn’t stressful”).

• Traveling – car rides, car sickness, car problems, airports, airplanes, air sickness, turbulence, lost luggage, etc.
• Traveling with kids – See Traveling and multiply by 10 for each child you have.
• Cleaning – pick up the house, vacuum, scrub, mop, dishes, etc.
• Cleaning with kids  - See Cleaning and multiply by 10 for each child you have.
• Cooking – what do people like? will they like this recipe? did I buy enough? did I buy too much? is someone allergic?
• Cooking with kids – See Cooking and multiply by 10 for each child.
• Decorating – fake tree or real? find stuff in storage? get the right boxes? outdoor lights or not? where do you hang the ornaments? which ones are prominently displayed (Michigan is at our house)? where does the garland go?
• Decorating with kids – See Decorating and multiply by 10 for each child.

Here’s some Scripture to consider: James 1.19-20

¹⁹ Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; ²⁰ for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

When faced with stress and even trials James wants his readers to know four things.

1. Be quick to hear.  God gave you two ears and one tongue.  Someone observed that the ears are out in the open and the tongue is walled in behind teeth and mouth.  When faced with stress, trials, big discussions, and the like we need to be listeners first.  We need to hear what’s going on first.  Occasionally, there are disagreements in families.  Occasionally, these things happen around the holidays.  Occasionally, we don’t always listen to what is going with our family and friends?  Occasionally, we make things worse by not listening completely.
2. Be slow to speak. When speaking about this thing.  Whatever it is be careful what you say and when you say it.  Formulate your thoughts well.  Pray.  Think about the Gospel and how it would have you speak into this situation.  Don’t respond with your rushed first feeling.  Speak carefully.
3. Be slow to anger. Everybody knows the guy who flies off the handle quickly.  They get crazy in no time.  If you don’t know that guy then maybe you are that guy (just a thought or maybe you don’t know any angry people).  We all can be like that when our sensibilities are offended.  Don’t let anger overtake you.  Be careful in your responses to others.  Anger isn’t wrong, but anger can lead you to sin.  Be careful.
4. Man’s anger doesn’t produce God’s righteousness.  When we are stressed and slow to hear, quick to speak, and quick to anger then we are forfeiting a chance to look more like Christ.  We are giving up our opportunity to showoff who God is.  God wants His people to look like Him.  So slow down.

So before stress overwhelms you during these holidays determine to know these things.  Determine in your heart to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.  Submit to God in these things and see what happens.  Maybe you could even memorize it…just a thought, don’t let it stress you out.

Christ is all,

Jason