I Am Resolved.....

[Scarlett O.]

I AM RESOLVED….

Tomorrow’s “that day” again.

Ever wonder why goals, resolutions, promises and more are so blasted hard to keep? You know we wake up on January 1 realizing there is no difference in that day than the day before and we blow all of our resolutions by mid-January? Why can’t we keep them?

• Maybe they aren’t realistic. No, you aren’t going to lose 50 pounds in one month. No, you aren't going to become a Bible scholar by reading the first chapter of Genesis.
• Maybe we treat resolutions like a wish-list instead of true resolve.
• Maybe we just don’t want to do the work.
• Maybe we do want to do the work, but we rely on our power to do so when that’s the LAST moment we need to do so. Even in our strengths, we need to rely on God totally – so why do we resolve to do things under our own power when we are at our weakest?
• Maybe we want to good things for bad reasons. Do we want to eat better and exercise more to glorify God or glorify ourselves? Do we want to read the Bible more because we want to be nearer to God or because it just sounds like what Christian ought to be doing?

Ultimately, it’s our own fault. We build everything up so between Christmas and New Year’s - desiring perfection on the FIRST day of January and everyday beyond. Folks, that just ain’t going to happen. Resolutions should take place daily, weekly, and monthly. And yes, sometimes hourly. God’s mercies are new every morning and we should resolve each day to live that one day for his glory in all that we do. Perfection is unattainable…..but the devil likes to torment us and when we do foul things up – he whispers, “See there! I told you that you were pathetic. Just quit!!” And sometimes we do just that.

Resolve takes time and practice and prayer and patience – not just a mindset switch at 12:00 New Year’s Eve.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT RESOLUTIONS?

Here’s just a little…..

1. Lamentations 3:40 – “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.”
2. 1 Timothy 6:11 - “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness”
3. Philippians 3:12-15 – “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.”
4. 2 Timothy 2:15 – “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth”
5. Acts 20:32 – “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
6. Proverbs 15:22, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."

HOW SHOULD WE APPROACH THIS NEW YEAR’S DAY OR ANY OTHER TIME OF RESOLVE?

• Meditate on Philippians 4:13 and 3:7-9. Also meditate on James 1:5, Colossians 3:17, and Psalm 37:5-6 and 51:10-11.
• Don’t give up. The resolve is a journey, not an end goal. When all we focus on is the illusive end result and not the plan, the work, the sacrifice, or God – then each day is a failure and we pine only for the end goal.

WHAT’S THE ULTIMATE WAY TO SUCCESS IN RESOLUTIONS? SERIOUSLY.

1. Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing, you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
2. If we don’t do this – we are perfect indeed – perfectly useless.
3. There are no shortcuts to this. None. So…how DO we renew the mind and transform ourselves?
4. Do you take a bath or shower every day? We are cleansed from sin by the blood of Christ, but we are SANCTIFIED by the washing of the Word. So says Ephesians 25:25-27. Are you getting “washed by the Word” every day? The reason that so many Christians are losing so many battles is that they are not being washed by the Word of God daily.

Perhaps we should resolve to soak in the scriptures DAILY for a while before we tackle any other resolutions.

Bad habits are just the symptom of something much deeper and much stronger that has us in bondage.

Our minds MUST be transformed and we MUST be washed by the Word of God before symptoms begin to disappear.

Compiled by Scarlett O. - sources: Billy Graham Evangelical Association; GotQuestions; Rick Warren; Chuck Bentley; John Piper; Gateway Church Devotions; Fred Bittner; Randy Alcorn

 

[Iconoclast]

The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

 

[Alcott]

If anyone waits until January 1 to start doing something one should already be doing, that one is probably not at all serious about it.

 

[Scarlett O.]

If anyone waits until January 1 to start doing something one should already be doing, that one is probably not at all serious about it.

Or else falls for the trap that something mystical happens on midnight of December 31 that makes one's resolve strengthened.

 

[agedman]

I am resolved too.

I just don't remember what I was supposed to solve in order to resolve.

 

[HankD]

ICON. Johnathan Edwards was born October 7,1703 that made him a mere 19 amazing years old when he made these resolutions.

sadly he died in 1758, a mere 55.

but IMO he ran the race and won the crown.

"And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead"

HankD

 

[HankD]

If anyone waits until January 1 to start doing something one should already be doing, that one is probably not at all serious about it.

I BEG your PARDON!!

HankD

 

[Adonia]

I just don't make these resolutions, never have.

 

[Alcott]

I BEG your PARDON!!

HankD

Okay, you got it. What am I pardoning you for?

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I resolve not to consern myself with anymore absurdities in life and consentrate rather on my own responsibilities only

 

[thatbrian]

I AM RESOLVED….

Tomorrow’s “that day” again.

Ever wonder why goals, resolutions, promises and more are so blasted hard to keep? You know we wake up on January 1 realizing there is no difference in that day than the day before and we blow all of our resolutions by mid-January? Why can’t we keep them?

• Maybe they aren’t realistic. No, you aren’t going to lose 50 pounds in one month. No, you aren't going to become a Bible scholar by reading the first chapter of Genesis.
• Maybe we treat resolutions like a wish-list instead of true resolve.
• Maybe we just don’t want to do the work.
• Maybe we do want to do the work, but we rely on our power to do so when that’s the LAST moment we need to do so. Even in our strengths, we need to rely on God totally – so why do we resolve to do things under our own power when we are at our weakest?
• Maybe we want to good things for bad reasons. Do we want to eat better and exercise more to glorify God or glorify ourselves? Do we want to read the Bible more because we want to be nearer to God or because it just sounds like what Christian ought to be doing?

Ultimately, it’s our own fault. We build everything up so between Christmas and New Year’s - desiring perfection on the FIRST day of January and everyday beyond. Folks, that just ain’t going to happen. Resolutions should take place daily, weekly, and monthly. And yes, sometimes hourly. God’s mercies are new every morning and we should resolve each day to live that one day for his glory in all that we do. Perfection is unattainable…..but the devil likes to torment us and when we do foul things up – he whispers, “See there! I told you that you were pathetic. Just quit!!” And sometimes we do just that.

Resolve takes time and practice and prayer and patience – not just a mindset switch at 12:00 New Year’s Eve.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT RESOLUTIONS?

Here’s just a little…..

1. Lamentations 3:40 – “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.”
2. 1 Timothy 6:11 - “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness”
3. Philippians 3:12-15 – “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.”
4. 2 Timothy 2:15 – “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth”
5. Acts 20:32 – “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
6. Proverbs 15:22, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."

HOW SHOULD WE APPROACH THIS NEW YEAR’S DAY OR ANY OTHER TIME OF RESOLVE?

• Meditate on Philippians 4:13 and 3:7-9. Also meditate on James 1:5, Colossians 3:17, and Psalm 37:5-6 and 51:10-11.
• Don’t give up. The resolve is a journey, not an end goal. When all we focus on is the illusive end result and not the plan, the work, the sacrifice, or God – then each day is a failure and we pine only for the end goal.

WHAT’S THE ULTIMATE WAY TO SUCCESS IN RESOLUTIONS? SERIOUSLY.

1. Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing, you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
2. If we don’t do this – we are perfect indeed – perfectly useless.
3. There are no shortcuts to this. None. So…how DO we renew the mind and transform ourselves?
4. Do you take a bath or shower every day? We are cleansed from sin by the blood of Christ, but we are SANCTIFIED by the washing of the Word. So says Ephesians 25:25-27. Are you getting “washed by the Word” every day? The reason that so many Christians are losing so many battles is that they are not being washed by the Word of God daily.

Perhaps we should resolve to soak in the scriptures DAILY for a while before we tackle any other resolutions.

Bad habits are just the symptom of something much deeper and much stronger that has us in bondage.

Our minds MUST be transformed and we MUST be washed by the Word of God before symptoms begin to disappear.

Compiled by Scarlett O. - sources: Billy Graham Evangelical Association; GotQuestions; Rick Warren; Chuck Bentley; John Piper; Gateway Church Devotions; Fred Bittner; Randy Alcorn

The true father of Christianity, Abraham, didn't read a Bible every day. In fact, he didn't read one at all.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

The true father of Christianity, Abraham, didn't read a Bible every day. In fact, he didn't read one at all.

The true father of Christianity, it’s author is the Trinity and Abraham but a precursor ( one of many).

 

[Rippon]

I resolve not to consern myself with anymore absurdities in life and consentrate rather on my own responsibilities only

It's concern and concentrate.

You and Y-1 are like two peas in a pod. ;-)

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

It's concern and concentrate.

You and Y-1 are like two peas in a pod. ;-)

Then why didn’t spell checker pick that up? No bother, I don’t concern myself wit it

 

[thatbrian]

Bad habits are just the symptom of something much deeper and much stronger that has us in bondage.

If men could free themselves from bondage by following "Ten Simple Steps to. . ." then Christ could have spared Himself a cross.

 

[Jerome]

The true father of Christianity, Abraham

The true father of Christianity, it’s author is the Trinity

Amen, Bro. EWF:

Coloss. 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence.

"our Lord Jesus Christ, who brought life and immortality to light....He is the Father of all Christians, the Father of Christianity" —Charles Spurgeon

 

[thatbrian]

Amen, Bro. EWF:

Coloss. 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence.

"our Lord Jesus Christ, who brought life and immortality to light....He is the Father of all Christians, the Father of Christianity" —Charles Spurgeon

You seem to find yourself in disagreement with scripture.

For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (Romans 4:16 NASB


“Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. (Genesis 17:4–7 ESV)

 

[Scarlett O.]

The true father of Christianity, Abraham, didn't read a Bible every day. In fact, he didn't read one at all.

That's because God spoke with him directly - sometimes live and in person - and Abraham was obedient.

God doesn't come knocking on our door today accompanied by two angels. God doesn't ask us to gather various animals, split them in two pieces and make a covenant with him.

What he does ask of us is to treat his Word as holy and God-breathed. The same breath that came out of God's mouth to Abraham when he came in the flesh to see him is the same "breath" that is on the pages of the Bible today.

We SHOULD read it everyday. And if we have to resolve to - then do it.

It's a lamp unto our feet. It sanctifies us by washing us. It hides in our heart so that we won't sin. It corrects and teaches. And those meditate on it day and night are very "fruitful" and whose "leaves do not wither."

 

[thatbrian]

That's because God spoke with him directly - sometimes live and in person - and Abraham was obedient.

God doesn't come knocking on our door today accompanied by two angels. God doesn't ask us to gather various animals, split them in two pieces and make a covenant with him.

What he does ask of us is to treat his Word as holy and God-breathed. The same breath that came out of God's mouth to Abraham when he came in the flesh to see him is the same "breath" that is on the pages of the Bible today.

We SHOULD read it everyday. And if we have to resolve to - then do it.

It's a lamp unto our feet. It sanctifies us by washing us. It hides in our heart so that we won't sin. It corrects and teaches. And those meditate on it day and night are very "fruitful" and whose "leaves do not wither."

"We SHOULD read it everyday"

You're making an assertion without backing, and you are binding the consciences of men with something that scripture does not command. Please stop.

It is good to read and study God's Word, but not all Christians even own a Bible. Are you aware of that? You have imposed a law of your own creation upon all Christian's everywhere. Who has given you the authority to do so?

 

[Alcott]

I resolve not to consern myself with anymore absurdities in life ...

Well, you read and post on this site. What others?