The first month of a new year is always notable for one thing: New Year’s Resolutions. While they are incredibly easy to make, they are notoriously hard to keep, whether your goal is to lose weight, quit smoking, or start a new hobby. For Dr. John Binkley, one element of his New Year’s Resolution lists is ever-present: cementing a better relationship with God.
Dr. Binkley has written in the past on how to pursue and maintain a fellowship with God, and explained why this is key to fulfilling His plans for you, be they in business, in life, or in spirit. Dr. Binkley was blessed to enjoy success in all three of these areas during 2017.
His company, Generational Equity, had a standout year, from being named Investment Banking Firm of the Year by The M&A Advisor, to having the pleasure of sponsoring several charity events. Dr. Binkley’s son Ryan was pivotal in this development, highlighting the strength of family ties in Generational Equity’s progress.
Finally, Dr. Binkley was honored to continue his work with numerous faith-based organizations. Whether it was participating in missions across the globe, or speaking at Ryan’s Create Church, he continuously strengthened his relationship with God. But, that doesn’t earn you a year off – it is an ongoing process. So, how can you have a better relationship with God in 2018?
Connecting to God
One prominent faith-based organization Dr. John Binkley works with is Here’s Life Africa. In his role on the Board of Directors, he was delighted with its productivity in 2017, including the launch of their first Grace Works Conference in October. In their efforts to continue this in 2018, Here’s Life Africa has shared advice on how to better connect with God this year.
Firstly, Here’s Life Africa President Andy Blakeslee encourages you to think of faith as a tire. As you drive on your journey with God, your spiritual tires may start to deflate. Andy knows a lot about this, as Here’s Life Africa’s ministry teams endure nearly 100 literal flat tires a month travelling across the continent.
But, they have become skilled in repairing these, in the same way you can be skilled in inflating your spiritual tires. For Dr. Binkley, keeping these fully filled is key in discovering God’s perfect plan for you in 2018.
Furthermore, Here’s Life Africa have provided these 10 discipleship questions to ask yourself during the year, to help you maintain devotion to God:
- What is your Bible reading plan for 2018?
- Which specific steps will you take to love your family better?
- What lost person(s) will you pray for?
- Who will you disciple in 2018?
- What sin(s) do you need God’s help to overcome?
- How will you improve your prayer life?
- When will you fast?
- What mission(s)/project(s) will you support?
- How much will you give churches/missions financially?
- Will you recommit to following God despite sacrifice/cost?
Dr. John Binkley would like to highlight two of these in particular: Bible reading plans and prayer schedules. There are specific actions you can take to improve both in 2018, thus strengthening your relationship with God.
Research conducted by LifeWay discovered that just 20% of Americans polled have read all of the Bible at least once. If you would like to improve your reading habits, try:
- Committing to read a chapter a day so you don’t overwhelm yourself immediately
- Using a Daily Walk Bible for support, using the New Living Translation for easier understanding
- Taking advantage of helpful devotional tools, like Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling
With regards to prayer guidance, perhaps consider make a list of everyone in your life, and jot down what prayer requests to make for each of them? Tim Keller’s Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God is a useful tool to support your journey.
This is just a glimpse into ways you can have God’s presence in your life during 2018. There are many approaches to consider, from asking Him to focus on a word or trait in your prayers, to prioritizing thankfulness every day. If you’d like to learn more about finding your place in God’s vision, Dr. John Binkley’s Character is King offers a valuable guide.
Your Relationship with God in 2018
Dr. John Binkley hopes you are focusing on your relationship with God in your New Year’s Resolutions for 2018. He is already looking forward to future travels with Here’s Life Africa and other faith-based organizations, alongside his efforts to continue Generational Equity’s growth and other personal endeavors.
Whatever your goals are in 2018, Dr. Binkley wishes you nothing but the best in accomplishing them. Connecting to God will certainly help you in those aims, as through Him you will have the motivation and wisdom to discover His vision for you.
If you’d like to learn more about the work done by Here’s Life Africa, visit their website. In addition, check out Dr. John Binkley’s YouTube channel for several sermons conducted at Create Church in Richardson, Texas.
