Eternal Resolutions

Top Ten “New Year’s Resolutions”

1. Spend More Time with Family & Friends2. Fit in Fitness3. Tame the Bulge4. Quit Smoking5. Enjoy Life More6. Quit Drinking7. Get Out of Debt8. Learn Something New9. Help Others10. Get Organized

Spiritual Resolutions

• Paul’s challenge to us Be “fervent (boiling) in Spirit!” (Rom 12:11)

• What Do We Hear Instead?– “I don’t pray like I should”– “I don’t read the Word as much as I should”– “I’ve been kind of dry spiritually”– “I haven’t shared the Gospel with anyone”

• What About Spiritual Resolutions?– “To know Christ more”– “Read the entire Bible this year”– “Devote myself to prayer and Bible study daily”– “Witness to one person a week”

First Key to Being “Fervent”

• Remember, Repent, Redo!

– Deut 6:12 then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

– Rev 2:4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.

Second Key to Being “Fervent”• Know the “In Christ” Realities!

– 2 Cor 5:17 (New creation “in Christ”)

– Eph 1:3 (Blessed with every spiritual blessing “in Christ”)

– 2 Cor 5:21 (The righteousness of God “in Him”)

– Col 2:10 (Full “in Him”)

– Heb 9:12 (Perfected “in Him”)

– Php 4:13 (Can do all things “through Christ”)

– Rom 8:1 (No condemnation “in Christ”)

– Rom 8:37 (More than conquerors “through Him”)

– Jn 15:7 (Every prayer answered “In Him”)

Third Key to Being “Fervent”• Be a DOER of the Word! (Jas 2:22-25)

– New Creation• “Put on the new man” (Eph 4:24)

– The righteousness of God

• “Awake to righteousness and sin not” (1 Cor 15:34)

– No condemnation

• “Judge yourselves” (1 Cor 11:27-32)

– More than conquerors

• “Take up the whole armor of God” (Eph 6:13)

– Every prayer answered • “Ask in faith” (Jas 1:6)

Jonathan Edward’s4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul

or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.

 

7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.  

10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell. 

16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.

24. Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then, both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.

41. Resolved, to ask myself, at the end of every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly, in any respect, have done better.

7 Spiritual Objectives (Gideons)1. People of the Book

Read (Psalm 1), Study (2 Tim 2:15), Memorize (Dt 11:18)

2. People of Prayer 1 Sam 12:23, Eph 6:18, Php 4:6

3. People of Faith (We all have faith – Rom 12:3) Heb 11:6, Mk 11:22-24, 1 Jn 5:4

4. People of a Separated Walk (all things pertaining to godliness 2 Pet 1:3) 2 Cor 6:14-18, Ro 16:17-18, 2 Chr 29:1-5

5. People Who Witness Acts 1:8, Prov 11:30, 2 Cor 4:13

6. People of Compassion (The Spirit has shed Gods love in our heart Rom 5:5) Mat 9:36, Psa 86:15, 1 Pet 3:8

7. People Who Give 2 Cor 8:24, Lk 6:38, 1 Chr 29:11-14, 2 Cor 9:7