Year ending reviews, forecasts for the new year, new year´s resolutions, turning over a new leaf are just some of the catch phrases that are being tossed around this time of year. We are told that knowing where you have come from and where you are hoping to go is important if you are to be successful in the coming year. I suggest to you that there is something that is just as important if you are to be truly successful in what matters most for your longterm benefit.

You need to know what you believe and why you believe it. What you believe provides the foundation on which your lifestyle is centered. Your beliefs give direction to your passions and motivations.

Whether you believe in God, or do not believe in God; who you believe God to be if you believe God exists; how you are to relate to God, if you are to relate to him/her/it, will have an impact on how you live your life on a daily basis and how you relate to those around you, both within and outside of your family.

If you choose to believe in the trustworthiness and reliability of the Bible as a source for the truth about God and His plan for relat ionship with Himself and others, then it is important that you know what you believe and why. Far too often those who claim to be followers of Jesus become confused and fearful when someone claiming to be an expert makes claims that contradict what the Bible says.

Sometimes people who are looking for an excuse to avoid their God given responsibilities will latch on to these claims and use them as an excuse to do what they want, when they want so they can avoid feeling guilty for their actions.

God welcomes honest, sincere searching for truth. We are not called to blind, unsubstantiated faith that never questions or investigates the foundations of our faith or the Word of God. When we choose the journey of knowing what we believe and why we believe it God will reveal the truth to us.

Knowing the Ten Commandments or the teachings of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount are not enough to successfully meet God´s requirements for eternal life. Taking the time to understand what God´s Word is saying and applying those truths to how we live our lives today is what is important. When we do that, then we are more than blindly rule keeping. The Apostle Peter admonished the followers of Jesus, "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15) (NIV)

Recently, I watched a Dr. Phil program where one of the people on the program aggressively and in a judgmental manner proclaimed the tenets of the Christian faith. There was no connection in this person ´s life between knowing the truth of God´s Word and applying it to her own life.

If God´s truth does not transform and change our life in some way, then it has no real value. In knowing the "why" behind the "what" of our beliefs we will be drawn into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that is current and relevant to the world of 2008.

This relationship will bring meaning and motivation to the what and why of your faith.