I HAVE SELECTED AS A THEME FOR 2012 "Pressing On" from Philippians 3:14: "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

1. For each month of this year, read an entire book of the Bible. Here are the 12 Bible books for reading and meditation:

• January: The Book of Philippians

• February: Psalms 1-50

• March: The Gospel of Mark

• April: The Book of James

• May: The Prophecy of Isaiah

• June: Psalms 51-100

• July: The Book of Genesis

• August: The Gospel of John

• September: The Book of Romans

• October: Psalms 101-150

• November: The Book of Acts

• December: The Prophecy of Micah

As you read, please use a Bible you don't mind writing in. Underline all those passages that really "hit you between the eyes". Take time to repeat the underlined passages, so they become fixed in your memory. Remember: "Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee" (Psalm 119)

2. For each month of this year, pray for a person you know who needs salvation or who needs to get back into the church. Seize opportunities to engage with that person, invite them to church, correspond with them, and pray for them. You cannot fail at this!! The Holy Spirit wins and convicts - we are just called to "testify" and "witness."

To implement that theme I would challenge each Journey Church member to take on "The Challenge of 12" as your "spiritual resolution" for this New Year. Are you up to it?

3. Each month of this year we will focus on a Fruit of the Spirit – BUT THERE ARE ONLY 9 OF THOSE!! – So . . . we will add three more, "faith, hope, and love" (from 1 Corinthians 13). Each month we will try diligently to emulate the fruits and apply them to our everyday lives. That means we begin the year with "love" and end the year with "love." It is the greatest of all, right?

a. January: Love

b. February: Joy

c. March: Peace

d. April: Patience

e. May: Kindness

f. June: Goodness

g. July: Faithfulness (lifestyle, integrity, consistency)

h. August: Gentleness

i. September: Self-control

j. October: Faith (knowledge, risk-taking, knowing why and what you believe)

k. November: Hope

l. December: Love

4. I want to enlist prayer warriors to devote 12 hours each month to pray for revival in our church, in our community, and in our nation. This is approximately 20 minutes a day for prayer and meditation. Would you volunteer for this prayer challenge?

5. Would each one of us pray that God would lead 12 persons to Christ this year as a result of our church’s ministry and that we would baptize 12 people by December 31.

6. Pray, work, share, invite, promote, in such a way that our average attendance would increase by at least 12 on Sunday mornings in 2012 - from 45 (2011) to 57.

7. Parking lot challenge - to pave our parking lot will require $12,000. Let us pray for this amount to be raised for this purpose. Let us seek out those who might contribute to this fund.

There - that's 7 challenges for 2012 - another perfect number. Each challenge has to do with the number 12 in 2012. If we truly learn how to "press on" in the faith this year, I believe these challenges will not only be met, but that God will abundantly bless far beyond what we can even ask or consider. What do you think? Ω