So, If They Are So Right, Then Why Are They Left (Behind)?

INTRO: So, what about all the resolutions that are made? Have you made any? Kept any? Should we? Should we bother? Should we give up? I want to answer some of these today as we start a short series on resolutions.

Last week I looked at "So, What About Resolutions, Are They Right For Us?" I dealt with the right reasons for making resolutions. My main points were that they are right for us when we…

Look to the Lord for help

Look to the Lord to please Him

Look to the Lord for counsel

I know many may have already made resolutions or goals for the coming year and for those that have not you may be ready, feeling I want to make a good resolution. But, before we start making them, understand we not only need to make them, we need to keep them. Today, I want to look at resolutions and examine how do we keep them. After all most people treat them as if they are for breaking. But, if we are going to make them, we need to keep them too!

Share stats:

51% of Americans do not have New Year's resolutions

99% feel they can do more in their lives

The top 3 reasons for not achieving their goals or resolutions are:

Procrastinating 33%

Lack of discipline 24%

No game plan 19%

Also 10 % felt the biggest issue that prevents them from achieving their New Year's resolution or goals was "doing it alone."

99% felt they needed to improve in their lives.

So let's look at how we can keep our needed resolutions in our lives.

So, If They Are So Right, Then Why Are They Left (Behind)? Page 2

They will be left behind if we do not…

Rehearse them in our minds and hearts

I want to share with you something about an 18th century preacher…

Jonathan Edwards, the 18th-century revivalist, sat down at age 17 and penned 21 resolutions by which he would live his life. Throughout his lifetime he would add 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.

Christ calls us to commit to actively work at becoming conformed to His image. This coming year resolve to become a person committed to a godly transformation. If you faithfully do this, you will see your life begin to focus on the spiritual rather than on the passing, material world.

Jan Brown in Christianity Today.com

 

This helps us to remember them and forget them not - Phil 4:8; Psalms 143:5; James 1:23-25

Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Psa 143.5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.

James 1.23-2523For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

We can remember or rehearse when we…

Meditate on them - Hag 1:5

Hag 1:5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

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This helps us…

Make sure we do not forget- Gal 6:4;

Gal 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

And it helps us

Move instead of being slothful - Eccl 10:18

Eccl 10:18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

They will be left behind if we do not…

Realize their worth or value - Daniel 1:8; 12; 17-21

A good well-chosen resolution will…

Move us closer to the Lord

Keep us closer to the Lord

Keep us closer to the Lord

Point others to the Lord

Daniel 1:8; 8But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

Daniel 1:12; Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.

Daniel 1:17-21 17As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

18Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

19And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.

20And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

21And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

 

So, If They Are So Right, Then Why Are They Left (Behind)? Page 4

It is not enough to know their worth, if they will not be left behind we must…

Renew our commitment on a regular basis - Daniel 6:10;

Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

We must be…

Purposefully reaching for perfection

Prayerfully affirming our resolve

Proclaiming our obedience to the Lord

Portraying Him in our daily walk

And last, we need to be willing to…

Reach out for help

Others can help

Challenge us- iron sharpeneth iron - Prov 27:17

Prov 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

 

Support us - Two better than one - Eccl 4:9-10

Eccl 4:9-10 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

Encourage us - Psalms 119:63; Mal 3:16

Psalms 119:63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

Mal 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Fellowship with us- Acts 2.42

Acts 2.42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

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I will not tell you what to make as a resolution.

Just remember it needs to honor God, not ourselves.

It needs to seek His things not ours.

Christ said, "… seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt. 6:33

He also reminds us, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38This is the first and great commandment. 39And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Matt. 22:37

IF we make resolutions that are in line with these ideas, we will do well for the Lord!

As I close, I remind you…

Our Resolutions need to be kept.

Rehearse them in your hearts

Realize their worth and value them

Renew your commitment to keeping them

And…Reach out for help

Make good resolutions - and keep resolutions

Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 012305