Article: Beyond New Year's Resolutions

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Poll

Which of these phrases from David's psalms mirror your feelings? (Select two)

• Why do you ignore my cries for help?
• Bring them to their knees
• Forgive my many, many sins
• Do not abandon me, Lord.
• Make them tremble in fear
• Declare me innocent
• Feel my pain and see my trouble
• Give them the punishment they so richly deserve
• Make me willing to obey you
• Don't let the wicked push me around
• Why have you forsaken me?
• Arrange for an evil person to turn on him
• Don't let me lust for evil things
• Keep me out of the traps they have set for me
• Let his position be given to someone else
• Grant me purity of heart
• Pull me out of the mud; don't let me sink any deeper!
• Let them be caught in their own traps
• Teach me your ways
• Send me a sign of your favor
• May creditors seize his entire estate
• Don't let those who trust in you stumble because of me
• Give me back my joy again
• Make their weapons useless in their hands

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Home > Men > Connect with God > Accept His rule/obey

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Men of Integrity, Nov/Dec 1999

Commitment to Christ
Friday, December 24

Beyond New Year's Resolutions

Key Bible Verse: And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ (Philippians 1:9-10). Bonus Reading: Mark 8:34-35

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's 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 be come 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 ChristianityToday.com Connection

Personal Challenge:

Like Edwards, write out what you resolve.

Thought to Apply: I have this day been before God and have given myself—all that I have and am—to God; so that I am in no respect my own. I have given myself clean away.

— JONATHAN EDWARDS (PURITAN PREACHER AND THEOLOGIAN, 18TH CENTURY)

Credits: Adapted from— Friday: ChristianityToday.com Connection (1/8/99)

Copyright © 1999 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity. For reprint information call 630-260-6200 or e-mail mail@menofintegrity.net.
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November/December 1999, Vol. 2, No. 6, December 24, 1999

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