13 Challenges for 2023
Wingmen and Wives of Wingmen, a new year is upon us. 2022 is now history with all of its joys and sorrows, happiness and sadness. 2023 has arrived with great possibilities out in front of each of us. God wants you to seize the opportunities to grow spiritually, learn, grow, and attempt something that perhaps you have never done before. I am told that most resolutions only last until around January 15. These are not resolutions, but challenges that we at Wingman Nation encourage you to adopt. With God’s power you can do these in 2023:I. Read the Bible ThroughHow many of you own a Bible? Then you can do this! You need to invest in a good Study Bible like Life Application Bible, Ryrie Study Bible, MacArthur Study Bible. You can read the Bible through by committing 12 to 15 minutes a day, not too much time to give to God! You can get a One-Year Bible or use a variety of online resources. A newer website that I am aware of is: Biblein365.com. Commit this year to reading the Bible through!II. Fast once a weekJesus assumed we would fast. He said, “When you fast,” not “If you fast.” Choose one time a week whether it is one meal, two meals, or the day, go without food and focus on more intensely seeking God. This could be revolutionary for you. You will feel closer to God. You will have done something tangible to demonstrate your seriousness about seeking God and doing His will. Some of you have never tried this. You may be a little nervous about it. Start slow. I’m telling you that beyond your fasting there are breakthrough’s for you. You have to do it to experience it. You have to step into this Jordan River.III. Lead someone to faith in Christ Make it your priority that in 2023 you will share the gospel and lead a family member, friend, co-worker, neighbor to faith in Jesus Christ. Most Christians never, ever share their faith. Don’t be one of those Christians. Take a Billy Graham tract on your way out. Folks we have no excuse. If you are saved, you have a story of how Jesus saved you. Use it! You are THE EXPERT on your Testimony.IV. Improve Your People SkillsSpeak to people. Smile. Be an encourager. Compliment people. Be kinder than is necessary because everyone is going through something. Be radically grateful. Listen more. Focus on others. Be the favorite patient or customer.Put others first. Laugh at yourself and with others. Develop a good sense of humor. Refuse to be negative or complain. Find the good. Be on time. Be flexible. Hold your tongue. Don’t be checking your cell phone when talking with people. When I’m with someone and they’re checking their cell when we are carrying on a conversation, I feel disrespected. Just don’t do it.Be known as a Grace Giver. Make people glad to see you coming and sad to see you leave. Be married to the truth, yet be a Grace Giver. Go the extra mile to be a people person. I read once a book that summed it up, “It Takes So Little To Be Above Average.”V. Build a Relationship with Someone who is LostGet an unsaved person on your heart. Begin with your family. Is there anyone in your family who is lost? What about your son or daughter, mom or dad, brother or sister, or other family members? What about your circle of friends? Have you been guilty of talking with them about everything but how to be saved? If so, you are counting on their friendship only in this life and are unconcerned about eternity for them.Consider the people you work with. What about your neighbors? Start in your circle of influence. Be intentional and be sensitive to the timing of the Holy Spirit. Be on the lookout for divine appointments in your daily routine.VI. Trust God for Something ImpossibleI want you to think about something God-sized in your life, something that is humanly impossible, something that without God’s intervention will not happen. What is that something in your life? In each of our lives there are mountains of impossibilities, mountains of stubborn issues that won’t move.Write it down, identify it, and then trust God for it. If it could happen to a flooded Jordan River, God could move in your situation too.VII. Have a Date Night with your Spouse WeeklyStart dating your spouse again. You did it when you met, do it again. Make it sacred. Have fun. Look forward to it. Make it consistent. Make it matter. Make it a priority. Men you need to take the lead here. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just do something together with your spouse, away from the kids every week. Just the two of you. If you don’t invest in your marriage partner when the kids are at home, you will be strangers when they leave home.VIII. Repair a Broken or Strained RelationshipIs there a relationship that you need to repair? Is it a family member, a friend, or a co-worker? Do you need to apologize to someone? Do you need to make things right? Do you need to forgive someone? Do it! Life is too short to live in a broken relationship. Do all you can to make it right, even if the other person is unwilling. Surrender your right to hurt back those who have hurt you. God will honor you for taking the initiative.IX. Start Tithing, or if you are already Tithing, Give OfferingsIf you have never tithed, begin this year! It will transform your life and your finances (Malachi 3:8-11). God will personally see to it. He has attached a promise only to tithing that you will prove He is God. You won’t know it until you do it. If you already are tithing, consider giving more to God’s Kingdom. You simply cannot out-give God. I’ve never seen this fail, ever!X. Discover your Spiritual GiftDo you know what your spiritual gift is or gifts are? Every child of God, at spiritual birth, is given at least one spiritual gift, a Spirit-given ability to do something that will glorify God and expand the Kingdom of God. This year, find your spiritual gift and use it. You can go to Lifeway.com and enter the spiritual gifts survey in the search engine. There are many online surveys you could use.If you are a Christian you need to be serving and not sitting!XI. List your Ideal Weight and Start a Plan to Get there in 2023This is very sensitive, and I understand but I am in this process right now and have been for several months. There is nothing easy about it for sure! It’s hard work, but well worth it.Find your ideal weight and begin a plan to work toward reaching it. It may take you days, months, or even years, but begin now your journey. You can make this happen. Get healthy. Honor the Temple of the Holy Spirit. God wants to use your body.XII. Make Being in Church the Rule and Not the ExceptionBe in church on Sunday unless you absolutely cannot (Hebrews 10:23-25). We have gotten lax in this since the introduction of online services during the Pandemic. That is a wonderful exception but should not be the rule. You need to be with other believers. You need to be exposed to God’s Word. You need to sing and pray with other believers. There is no substitute for that.XIII. Ask Your Pastor to Start a Wingman Nation Chapter in Your ChurchEncourage him to go to WingmanNation.com and discover how to have a dynamic and sustainable men’s ministry in your church. We are here to help you do exactly that.