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New Years Resolution Message 02
New Years Resolution Message 02
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Scripture: Philippians 3:13
Denomination: Baptist
Summary: Everyone makes them though few keep them. Here are some we need to keep.
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By show of hands, how many of you made at least one New Year’s resolution?
How many of you made no resolutions because you still have not kept last year’s... or the year
before.... or before... or before.
It reminds me of the man who, when asked what he got his wife for Christmas replied,
"Nothing. She still has not used what I got her last year." Well, what did you get here last
Well, I certainly hope that none of us has need of one of those this year. However, I do think
that we need resolutions.
In fact, Today, I want to share with you some resolutions that I hope you will make... AND
KEEP!!!
These are not mine, not from me they are from some people that you might want to
listen to.
Without further delay.... let’s get started.
1. LIKE PAUL in Phil. 3:13.... Resolve to forget those things which are behind and press
forward.
*** In the lower part of South Carolina is a very poisonous snake called the coral snake. It’s
venom is very potent and very deadly. However, those people who live in that area rarely die
from the bite because they know a secret.... "shake it off’. You see, while the venom is very
deadly, the coral snake has no fangs with which to inject it like a rattler. Instead, it has to bite it’s
victim and hang on while working it’s jaws back and forth like a scissor in order to penetrate the
skin. If the would-be victim is knowledgeable, they will simply shake the snake off before he can
inject the poison. So.... the greatest danger is not being bitten.... but allowing the snake to hang
on.
That is how it is with sin.... often the greatest danger of sin is not the immediate
consequences.... but the long term effects of allowing the sin to "hang on."
We all sin from time to time. We all make mistakes some times
I do not wish to diminish the severity of sin. But I do want to let you know that the greatest
damage caused by sin is done by unconfessed, unrepented and guilt causing sin.
Guilt is like shackles that keep you in prison, that keep you from experiencing joy, happiness,
peace, LIFE ABUNDANT!!!
*** A mailman got a new route. On the first porch he came to he was confronted by a ferocious-
looking German Shepherd poised to jump. The mailman approached the mail
box and the dog sprang straight up, 5 feet, and landed in the same place, the mailman
was relieved to see the dog keep his distance. He asked the owner, who came to the door,
"Why did he jump straight up like that?" The reply was, "Oh, we took his chain off yesterday, but
he has not realized it yet.(3)
It was good for the mailman.... but bad for us.... our chains still hold us captive.
2. LIKE DAVID in Psalm 121:1.... lift up our eyes to the hills from which cometh our help.
The greatest sin that we often commit against our selves, our families, and our God is to look in
the wrong direction.
How many of you know what prestidigitation is? Some of you are probably thinking "I don’t know
what it is but it sounds like something you would not do in public."
He loves to get us to look in the wrong direction... especially when we are in need or in trouble.
Satan wants us to look .... TO STUFF.... money, power, friends, savings, alliance, knowledge,
science, self, cunning, etc.
Because he knows that those things are not the real source of help. He knows those things will
all fail us.
And he knows that if we were to look in the right direction,.. TO GOD... we would find true help
and would be victorious over him and his snares.
The truth is that most of the times when we failed and stumbled last year... we were looking in
the wrong direction
Let’s resolve that this year, when I am in need.... I WILL LOOK UNTO GOD FROM WHENCE
MY HELP COMETH.
3. LIKE ENOCH in Genesis 5:24.... Walk in daily fellowship with our heavenly father
Daily obedience
Daily confession
Daily service
Christianity is not a religion, not a system, not a belief... it is an active, growing, living, daily
relationship with a person.... with God Himself.
4. LIKE MOSES in Hebrews 11:25.... Choose to suffer rather than to enjoy the
Moses was living "in the lap of luxury." He had servants to do his bidding and meet his every
desire.
Into that life, God came and called Moses to a task... a task that if done, would cause him
to lose all of those luxuries.... and in fact.... to suffer rejection by those he called family
Moses had to make a decision... the luxuries or the Lord... opulence or obedience., substance
or suffering.
Moses took the long-term view He understood that he could suffer for a while and enjoy the
fruits eternally OR he could enjoy the fruits for a while and suffer eternally.
Unfortunately.... Most Christians cannot see life from that vantage-point.... they have bought into
Satan’s lies that you can have it all.... you can enjoy the fruits of this world and still have the
fruits of eternity
I am not saying that Christianity is a choice between possessions and poverty or riches and
righteousness.
Moses decided that God was first and whatever riches he could enjoy while maintaining his
righteousness was fine... but any riches that would cause him to compromise his righteousness
would be forsaken.
The danger is not what you have but what has you...
*** Ernest Hemmingway used to give things away at the first of the year. He said that he did it to
prove that he owned them. He said that if he wasn’t able to give them away, he did’t own them.
BUT if you are ever faced with the decision between having versus righteousness YOU
Moses was willing to suffer the loss of any thing rather than experience the loss of his intimacy
with God.
ARE YOU????????????????
5. LIKE GIDEON in Judges 6&7... Advance, even when my friends are few
Usually, when we are faced with a decision on doing something or going somewhere, we make
the decision based on the crowd.
To be righteous will call for you to make the same decision that Moses made
choose to suffer rejection of men for a while rather than the rejection of God for eternity.
I’m not going to split hairs with you over Cain’s question, "Who is my brother?" Your brother
may be your literal brother... or sister, or child, or parent
Your brother may be your next door neighbor your co-worker your room-mate your best friend
You may need to invite them to church, or a bible study, or singing service
Why are New Year’s resolutions important? Especially since we all seem to break most of
them?