2012 resolutions message january 8, 2012

New Year resolutions

2006: I will read 20 books



2009: I will finish The Pelican Brief

2010: I will read some newspaper articles

2011: I will read at least one article

2012: I will finish the comics section

New Year Resolutions Typical Track Record

Jonathan Edwards(1703-1758)

First Great Awakening

Resolutions

“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, so far as they

are agreeable to his will, for

Christ’s sake.” “Remember to read over these

Resolutions once a week.”

“Aim at nothing and you will hit it every time!”

Psalm 90:5-6

You sweep men away in the

sleep of death; they are like the

new grass of the morning—

though in the morning it springs

up new, by evening it is dry and

withered.

James 4:14

What is your life? For you are a

mist that appears for a little

time and then vanishes.

Ephesians 5:15-16

Look carefully then how you walk,

not as unwise but as wise, making

the best use of the time,

because the days are evil.

Sunday Mornings January 15 – February 5

Studies on the Person and Plan of God from the Book of The Revelation

Sundays at GraceFebruary 5 – March 13

Ephesians 5:15-16

Look carefully then how you

walk, not as unwise but as

wise, making the best use

of the time, because the days

are evil.

Analyze – ―look carefully‖

Prioritize – ―making the best

use of the time‖

Lay hold of

our time!

24 hours

1,440 minutes

86,400 seconds

Ten Questions to Ask at the Start

of a New Year or on Your Birthday

My resolutions for 2012

(To be read twice each week)

1. I resolve to seek God in all of life, realizing that only in Him will I find fullness of joy!

Psalm 16:2

I say to the LORD, ―You are my

Lord; I have no good apart from

you.‖

Psalm 16:8

I have set the LORD always

before me; because he is at

my right hand, I shall not

be shaken.

Psalm 16:11

You make known to me the path of

life; in your presence there

is fullness of joy; at your right hand

are pleasures forevermore.


(Goal for Resolution #1)

Five days each week as part of my personal worship (as I begin my day), I will be using one of two tools:



1. I resolve to seek God in all of life, realizing that only in Him will I find the fullness of joy!



2. I resolve to immerse myself in Scripture, knowing that the Word of God is the only reliable foundation for life.

Matthew 7:24-25

Everyone then who hears these

words of mine and does them will

be like a wise man who built his

house on the rock. And the rain

fell, and the floods came, and the

winds blew and beat on that

house, but it did not fall, because

it had been founded on the rock.

Psalm 1:1-2

Blessed is the man who walks

not in the counsel of the wicked,

nor stands in the way of sinners,

nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but

his delight is in the law of the

LORD, and on his law he

meditates day and night.

Psalm 1:3

He is like a tree planted

by streams of water that yields

its fruit in its season, and

its leaf does not wither. In all

that he does, he prospers.


(Goal for Resolution #2)

Use daily M’Cheyne’s Bible reading plan

Robert Murray

M'Cheyne

(1813 –1843) was

a minister in the Church

of Scotland for just a

few brief years before

he died at the age of 29

during an epidemic of

typhus.



2. I resolve to immerse myself in Scripture, knowing that the Word of God is the only reliable foundation for life.



3. I resolve to pray better and to pray more.

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray without ceasing.


(Goals for Resolution #3)

Use daily a prayer journal that features a daily reading by Andrew Murray

Andrew Murray

(1828 –1917) was a

South African writer,

teacher,and Christian

pastor. He was also the

son of a Scottish

missionary.



Read thru E.M. Bounds collection of books (8) on prayer; 3 chapters each week

Edward McKendree

Bounds

(1835-1913) was a

lawyer, army chaplain,

and pastor in the

Methodist Episcopal

Church, South. He spent

the last seventeen years

of writing (primarily on

the topic of prayer).

PrayerMate



3. I resolve to pray better and to pray more.



4. I resolve to better shepherd my children and grandchildren in their own personal faith journeys.



5. I resolve to better love my wife, seeking to imitate the example of Christ’s love for his bride, the Church.

Ephesians 5:25

Husbands, love your wives, as

Christ loved the churchand gave himself up for her.



5. I resolve to better love my wife, seeking to imitate the example of Christ’s love for his bride, the Church.



6. I resolve to be more intentional in sharing my faith.

2 Corinthians 5:20

Therefore, we are

ambassadors for Christ, God

making his appeal through us.



Be more “gospel-centered” in my prayers … always praying for the lost!

Be intentional in using the “3:16 Numbers of Hope” tract.



6. I resolve to be more intentional in sharing my faith.



7. I resolve to renew my commitment as a member of the elder team to shepherd our church family with integrity of heart and skillful hands. I resolve to engage in those things that will move me in that direction.

Psalm 78:72

And David shepherded them

with integrity of heart; with

skillful hands he led them.



7. I resolve to renew my commitment as a member of the elder team to shepherd our church family with integrity of heart and skillful hands. I resolve to engage in those things that will move me in that direction.



8. I resolve to better care for my body, knowing that as a follower of Christ my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Do you not know that your

bodies are temples of the

Holy Spirit, who is in you,

whom you have received from

God? You are not your own; you

were bought at a price. Therefore

honor God with your bodies.



9. I resolve to do my utmost to keep the above resolutions all by God’s grace and for His glory!


(I have shared these with you . . .)

Certainly NOT to say, “Look, I’ve arrived!”

1. To encourage you to do the same.

2. To ask you to pray for me.

Spiritual

2012 resolutions message january 8, 2012