Resolutions for a New Year

Resolutions for a New Year

January 1, 2006

Introduction

This is the first Sunday of 2006. It is the time of year that businesses close their books, figure there profits, and make plans for a new year. As they do this, it is an opportunity to reflect on what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong, or could do better.

It is that time of year when many people think of making new years resolutions. New years resolutions have come to have a bad name. They are so often broken, that many give up on even trying.

Before we are going to make any resolutions, or make any changes, we must first of all decide that something needs to be different. If we are satisfied with who we are, what we have, and what we are doing, then nothing will change. Many times, we may be satisfied when we shouldn’t be.

In Rev 3:14-20, we find these words, "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: {15} "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. {16} "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. {17} "Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'; and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; {18} "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. {19} "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. {20} "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

This morning, as Christians, we need to take a look at ourselves to see where we need to make improvements – since none of us is perfect.

· What is your greatest asset?

· What are you worth to other people?

· How do others think of you?

· How will you be remembered?

· At what stage of life are you?

· Are you just a baby? Babies are cute, and they can bring a lot of joy, but they could not survive without the help and supplies that are furnished by loving caring parents.

· Babies that do not grow up are a heartbreak to parents.

· Are you the equivalent of an adolescent? – Still dependent on others to supply your needs?

· Are you a mature adult who provides for others in various ways?

Where are you in your walk with the Lord?

· What are your assets?

· What do others think of you?

· How do you impress them as you meet them from day to day?

Body

I. What does the Bible say about our spiritual assets?

A. Peter speaks of the assets of wives.

(1 Pet 3:3-4 NKJV) Do not let your adornment be merely outward; arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel; {4} rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

1. Do not let your adornment be merely outward

2. Do you have a “gentle and quiet spirit”, or are you the opposite?

3. A gentle spirit is something that is appreciated by all.

B. Do you have the asset of love?

(1 Corinthians 13:1-2 NKJV) "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. (2) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing."

C. How much do you have in your heavenly bank account?

1. Jesus spoke of having treasures in heaven.

(Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV) ""Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; (20) "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (21) "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

2. In Jesus parable of the farmer, He also spoke of our heavenly riches.

(Luke 12:16-21 NKJV) "Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. (17) "And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' (18) "So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. (19) 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."' (20) "But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' (21) "So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.""

3. How do you put money in your heavenly bank account?

a. How about by the way we spend our time?

b. How about the way I spend my money?

c. In both cases, the answer involves the same kinds of things.

Am I really involved in spiritual things?

Bible study

Church services and activities

Talking to others about the Lord.

Am I truly looking for ways to help others?

With there physical needs

With spiritual and emotional needs.

II. How do others perceive of you?

A. How do your children remember you?

B. What is your wife’s assessment of you (or your husband’s)?

C. What do those who work with you think about you?

D. What kind of impression do you make on those who deal with you at:

· Check our counters

· In traffic

· In restaurants

· Salespeople

· Service people, etc.

· Neighbors and friends

III. Are you growing in your Christian walk?

A. What about your attitudes toward others.

(Eph 4:29-32 NKJV) Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. {30} And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. {31} Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. {32} And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.(Eph 5:1-2 NKJV) Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. {2} And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

B. What about your relationship toward God?

1. Are we drawing near to God?

a. Are you a daily Bible reader?

b. Are you regular in your attendance of the worship services of the church.

c. Are we setting goals to improve this coming year?

2. Does your family know that God comes before other things?

· Sports activities & entertainment

· Family friends and guests

· Shopping trips for groceries, clothing, or whatever.

C. What about your relationship to the Church?

1. Are you involved in the local work of the church?

2. Are you involved in mission work?

(Mat 28:19-20 NKJV) "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, {20} "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

1. Are you looking for ways to take the gospel to those who are out of Christ and live around you?

2. Are you working to restore those who are unfaithful, but members of this congregation?

3. Are you doing anything to encourage our missionaries who are involved in the work.

D. What is your relationship to God and family

Conclusion

Jonathan Edwards's Commitment to Resolutions

Jonathan Edwards, the 18th-century revivalist, sat down at age 17 and penned 21 resolutions by which he would live his life. He added to this list until, by his death, he had 70 resolutions.

He put at the top of his list: "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these resolutions....

Remember to read over these resolutions once a week."

Edwards didn't casually make New Year's resolutions with an expectation of eventually breaking them. Each week he did a self-check. He regularly summed up how he was doing and sought God's help in the process.

· Who are you?

· What do you communicate?

· Who do others say that you are?

· Are you what you should be?

· Are there resolutions that you should make?

· Are you a Christian?

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