Your Attitude Shapes Your Resolve (Resolution)

Title: Your Attitude shapes Your Resolve

Scripture: Psalm 90:1-17

Psalm 90:1 A prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 3 You turn men back to dust, saying, "Return to dust, O sons of men." 4 For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. 5 You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning-- 6 though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered. 7 We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. 8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. 9 All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. 10 The length of our days is seventy years-- or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. 11 Who knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you. 12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. 13 Relent, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. 16 May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. 17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us-- yes, establish the work of our hands.

We find in this Psalm a prayer of Moses, the man of God. The man that God appointed to lead the Israelites out of the captivity of Egypt. The man that God used to lead the Israelites as they were forced to wander in the desert for forty years until the wicked generation had passed away.

Moses was the man that talked directly to God, and Moses was the man that heard God talking to Him. When we read about Moses, we can see that he knew where his power, his wisdom and his guidance came from. Moses knew that the proper attitude toward God would shape one’s determination or resolve to follow God’s commands. He knew that it was all about attitude.

When we look at the prayer of Moses, Psalm 90, we see he wrote it in three logical divisions.

Verses 1-6 The Sovereignty of God

Verses 7-11 The Inadequacy of Man

Verses 12-17 The Supplications of Man

This is a very logical and natural progression.

>Man sees the power of God and realizes God’s sovereignty,

>while at the same time realizing his own inadequacies,

> which drives him to his knees before God.

The realization and subsequent acknowledgement of the sovereignty of God is what compels one to become a Christian. The power of God which radiates through us is the very one that died for us, Jesus Christ. The Bible says in Hebrews 1:3, that “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” So it stands to reason that we see this logical progression in Moses’ prayer. But, that is not what is calling us to these verses for the New Year. No, we see five other points that make themselves known for our application, and they are:

Seek the Lord for Wisdom

Seek the Lord for Compassion

Seek the Lord for Unfailing love

Seek the Glory of the Lord

Seek the Lord for Favor

Seek the Lord for Direction

Now, before we get started we need to keep in our minds the title of today’s message, “Your Attitude shapes Your Resolve.” In other words, if you are, or have been determining in your mind to change something or to do something different in this coming year, you’d better have the right attitude before you begin.

Seek the Lord for Wisdom

In verse 12, Moses calls upon the Lord in a very interesting way. He says:

12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Reading a book, or watching a TV program, or even going to a college class will offer lots of information, interpretation, and maybe even some application, but true wisdom comes from the Holy Spirit of God. True wisdom is born of the Spirit and revealed through a right relationship and contact with the Holy Spirit.