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 This sermon outline is donated by Pastor Jerry Thrower of Central Baptist Church located in Orange Park, Florida. You can hear audio sermons by him on SermonAudio.com. Be sure to listen!
By and large most New Year’s Resolutions wind up being tossed aside or forgotten shortly after the New Year begins.  For example, I heard a story of a couple that decided to join together in a diet for a whole year. About ten weeks in, someone knowing of their resolution asked the man, “How’s it going? How much have you two lost?” The man replied we’ve lost ten weeks!
It’s sad to say, but that is usually the way most resolutions end up. But it doesn’t have to be that way and we don’t have to wait until the New Year to make resolutions! In fact, when we fail we should put the failure behind us and move ahead more resolute than before! As Christians, the LORD wants us to live purposeful, meaningful, determined lives for Him! We can only make proper spiritual resolutions with the LORD’s help! And we can only keep those spiritual resolutions we make with the LORD’s help! I. A RESOLUTION CAN BE IN THE FORM OF A PURPOSEFUL CHOICE!
A. Example – Joshua’s Determining To Choose To Serve The LORD!
Joshua 24:1-15 Joshua 24:15 "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers
served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will
serve the LORD."
Every Christian family needs to resolve for their home that they will serve
the LORD.
B. Example – Daniel’s Purposing Not To Defile Himself. Daniel 1:8–"But 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.”
We too should be like Daniel in that we, with God’s help, purpose to live
lives that are undefiled before the LORD.
C. Example – Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-nego’s Firm Resolve Not To Bow To Nebuchadnezzar’s Idols, Even If It Meant Death. (Daniel 3:14-18)
1. We should be like them in that we resolve to put God first and worship Him only!
2. We should not bow to the world, the flesh or the Devil.
3. We should not look for the world’s acceptance.
4. We should not to be led by the popular opinions of men to agree with and/or do that which is wrong.
II. A RESOLUTION CAN BE IN THE FORM OF VOWING A VOW TO GOD!
A. Example – Jacob’s Vow.
Genesis 28:20-22; 35:1-7
Jacob vowed to tithe and to recognize the house of God. We should
follow his example and resolve to be faithful in the attendance at the
house of God and to give God the tithe.
B. Example – Hannah’s Vow.
1 Samuel 1:9-11; 27-28.
Every mother and father should prayerfully consider dedicating their
children to God. Parents should raise their children to be servants of
God used by God for His highest purposes!
Ecclesiastes 5:4-5–“When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay
it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
5Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow
and not pay.”
III. A RESOLUTION CAN BE IN THE FORM OF A DETERMINATION! (1 Corinthians 2:2)
The Apostle Paul was determined not to know anything but Jesus Christ and Him
crucified among the Corinthian Church.
(Cf. 1 Corinthians 1:17-25; Galatians 3:1; 6:14-15; Philippians 3:3-11)
IV. A RESOLUTION CAN BE IN THE FORM OF PRESSING FORWARD IN A RIGHT DIRECTION!
Example -Paul (Philippians 3:12-16)
Conclusion The Bible also records some failures in the lives of those who made some resolutions.
Peter, for instance, resolved, in Matthew 26:33–"...Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended."
He had good intentions, but he tried to carry out his resolution in the power of the flesh.
He failed, just as we all have failed at times. But Peter put that failure behind him and moved forward for His resurrected LORD and became a mighty tool in the book of Acts for His LORD! We too may fail, but we are to go on for God! God can and will forgive our failures. But He still calls us to service for Him!
As we enter 2010 let each of us make the personal resolutions that God would have us to make! Let every believer make a new start with the Lord! We fail Him in so many ways–by our neglect of Him and His Word, by our prayerlessness and lack of faith, by our coldness of heart, by our worldly mindedness, by failing to live in the power of His Holy Spirit.
But let’s put the past behind us and press forward as God gives us each new day!
Let’s trust God to give us a great year in 2010. Let’s honor Him with our lives and serve Him as we never have before.
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