RESOLUTIONS
Many people have trouble sticking to their resolutions, and there is a simple scientific explanation for this. In 1987, a team of psychologists conducted a study in which they monitored the New
Year’s resolutions of 275 people. After one week, the psychologists found that 92 percent of the people were keeping their resolutions; after two weeks, we have no idea what happened, because the psychologists had quit monitoring.
"We just lost our motivation," they reported. "Also, we found ourselves eating Twinkies by the case." And so a little humorous direction for your resolutions. One:
BE REALISTIC.
Many people give up because they "set their sights too high." In making a New Year’s resolution, pick a goal that you can reasonably expect to attain, as we see in these examples:
Unrealistic Goal: "I will learn to speak Chinese."
Realistic Goal: "I will order some Chinese food."
Unrealistic Goal: I will lose fifty pounds in a month.
Realistic Goal: I will lose one pound in the next twelve months.
Unrealisitic goal: I will join a fitness gym, gain 30 pounds of muscle and run a marathon.
Realistic goal: I will look at a picture of a gym or give 100% and drive by a gym and think about what it would be like to be in great shape.
Unrealistic Goal: "I will read fifty good books."
Realistic Goal: "I will examine the outsides of some good books, then go over to the part of the bookstore where they sell pastries."
Purpose: The purpose of this message is that you might understand, the power of resolve, what it takes to make resolutions, stick with them and make one that will change your life for all of eternity.
Resolution defined: The state or quality of being resolute. A course of action determined or decided upon. Resolute means firmness or determination.
Examples of different individuals being resolute.
KING DAVID WAS RESOLVED.
Psa 17:1 A prayer of David. Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer-- it does not rise from deceitful lips. May my vindication come from you; may your eyes see what is right. Though you probe my heart and examine me at night, though you test me, you will find nothing; I have resolved that my mouth will not sin. As for the deeds of men-- by the word of your lips I have kept myself from the ways of the violent. My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped. I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.
Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal enemies who surround me. They close up their callous hearts, and their mouths speak with arrogance. They have tracked me down, they now surround me, with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground. They are like a lion hungry for prey, like a great lion crouching in cover. Rise up, O LORD, confront them, bring them down; rescue me from the wicked by your sword. O LORD, by your hand save me from such men, from men of this world whose reward is in this life. You still the hunger of those you cherish; their sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children. And I--in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.
There was a time in David’s life that he had resolved, he had a firmness, a determination that his mouth would not sin. He mentions that his prayer is not deceitful. So David had made a resolution that his mouth would not be deceitful, no cursing, definitely no blaspheming of Gods name. How did he do that? My steps have held to your path. What does this mean?
Psa 119:1 Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.
They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways. You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me. How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
A firm, determination, commitment to God and His word is the way to leading a life of purity. Seeking God with all your heart is what the psalmist says. When we stray from the word of God is when things go really bad.
DANIEL THE PROPHET WAS RESOLVED
Dan 1:1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god. Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility-- young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service. Among these were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.
The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.
Daniel considered the food that the king was serving a defilement. What was it about the Kings food? In those days, the food served in the king’s court was no doubt offered to idols, had the blood still in it, and consisted of all kinds of unclean flesh forbidden for Jews to eat. The book of Levitticus is very clear with what made Jews unclean and therefore unfit for worship of their God.
For Daniel and his three friends this was about their worship of Jehovah God and that made the difference and they were not going to let anything get in the way of worshipping God even if it meant death itself. They were at a crossroads and they decided to go against the flow.
There are many things that defile us. Defile meaning to make filthy or dirty. To corrupt. To violate the chastity of.
Gal 5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Sins that dirty the soul, that corrupt our souls are immoral relationships, pornography, hating people. They don’t add to our lives they take away. God tells us in other scriptures to put away filthy language from your lips. It’s amazing at how many call themselves Christians and have such filthy language rolling off their lips.
JESUS WAS RESOLVED
The best example of someone who was resolved and saw it through despite the unbelievable obstacles was Jesus. His goal? Was to go and die on a Cross. Why? To save mankind from their sins. To save mankind from the very things that would destroy their lives but he had some obstacles to overcome.
Luke 13:31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, "Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you." He replied, "Go tell that fox, ’I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day--for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Why was Jesus willing to face such brutality? What motivated Him? Simply, love. He just loves us and He loved us to death.
How did Jesus reach his goal? He says “I must keep going. Despite the difficulty he kept going. He didn’t allow his feelings to distract him. He had learned to manage his feelings and not let his feelings manage him. This comes from a conscious decision when you know you don’t feel like doing it you manage that feeling, direct it so that you stick to your goal. You don’t say ah what the heck, or I don’t care. Jesus had a plan and he executed that plan. He stuck to it no matter what.
If you’re going to reach you’re goal you to must have a plan. Here’s a plan that will help you to get right with God.
PRACTICALS
Be open – Express your spiritual needs. Maybe your not confident of where your eternal destiny is going to be. Spend time with your friend who invited you and ask to study the scriptures.
Be Studious – Study the scriptures. We have bible studies that are designed for the express purpose of helping anyone that is serious get right with God.
Be focused - No steam or gas ever drives anything until it is confined. No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until it is tunneled. No life ever grows until it is focused, dedicated, disciplined. Harry Emerson Fosdick
Be resolved – Remember the words of Jesus “I will reach my goal.” May God help you to be like Him and may God help us all to make spiritual resolutions that will help us draw near to Him.
