Making and Keeping Resolutions

Today's program was previously aired, while the content is relevant some of the announcements may be dated for current ministry news and offers go to the Christian worldview.org making and keeping resolutions. That is a topic we discussed today, right here in the first live broadcast of the year on the Christian worldview radio program's mission is to sharpen the biblical worldview of Christians and to share the good news that all people can be reconciled to God in faith in Jesus Christ, I'm David we know if the program website is the Christian worldview.org welcome to the Christian worldview are so glad you joined us today as we discussed making and keeping resolutions now the top New Year's resolution for 2017, at least according to an online site is to quote lose weight and eat healthier, followed by these other resolutions was calm right behind self-improvement, better financial decisions. Quit smoking do more exciting things and to spend more time with family and friends, and there were several after that as well. I nearly 50% of Americans will make a New Year's resolution, but only 8% will actually achieve them. So why is there such a high failure rate and perhaps more fundamentally, our resolutions, even a good thing for a Christian to make his adjusted act of the will and the flesh, and if so if God does want us to make resolutions. What should a resolution. Resolutions focus on and how can we have a higher success rate. How can we achieve them.

So today on the Christian worldview were to discuss making and keeping resolutions and searching what the Bible says about resolutions and looking at the life of one of the great American preachers.

The Puritan Jonathan Edwards in the 70 resolutions he made as a teenager think you're going to find that pretty hard to believe that an 18 year in her 19-year-old make the kind resolutions. He did I've never heard about that. What he did. What kind of person he was.

Throughout his life. Before we begin that the topic that is want to spend just a second here thinking those of you who donated and supported the Christian worldview at the end of 2016. All throughout the year. Actually, as well.

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Lord willing, as we strive to think biblically and live accordingly. And so, thank you so much for that. Okay so I divided the program today into five questions about making and keeping resolutions.

Why is keeping resolutions so difficult. That's the first question and there's probably lots of answer to that but just wrote down three things why keeping them is so hard. I think the first one is because change just in general.

Change is hard, you know, we have habits. We have patterns of life that have been ingrained to us that we've lived for a long period of time so adding something to that are changing what we already do. That's really difficult because we all have this very specific patterns that we we live like number two. We all have varying degrees of discipline and willpower another and we all know there are aspects of a life we would like to change, but the discipline of the willpower to change is different between all of us and is often lacking to be able to change what we need to change and and I think people are far less a discipline today than they were 50 or hundred and 200 years ago as we are.

See what Jonathan Edwards you still awake at 4 AM every day and study 13 hours a day.

I just don't think you're very many people running around today who have that cut discipline or even half of that kind of discipline. I know I know I don't. So we all have varying degrees of discipline and also willpower some people have very strong willpower and what they set their mind to. They do it and some don't. Number three I think the reasons why reason why keeping resolutions is so difficult is because we may have unrealistic expectations about about a resolution.

In other words, you may have good intentions about changing something in your life or adding something to your your life but your schedule and your life circumstances may not allow allow you to do what you like to do so. For instance, if you set the common resolution to go to the gym was a three times a week for an hour. This year that might be easy for someone with a stronger will who has me a time in his schedule, but can be nearly impossible for someone who has five kids and a full-time job to add even that just three times a week for an hour a day to the schedule so we may, we don't want to set resolutions that are unrealistic for a for knowing ourselves to to be able to keep although I will say we always make time for what is important for us in life. Though mother were things there are a priority to us those the things we make time for so those are some of the reasons why think keeping resolutions is so difficult.

But let's get to the more fundamental point does does God even want us to make resolutions. I think I think the answer to that is I think it depends. You does God want us to resolve to double our income this year at her job so we can just buy a bigger house. I don't think so. Does God want us to lose weight, lose 30 or 50 pounds simply so we can have better self-image feel better about ourselves and if were single to get more dates. I don't think that's that's something the guy wants to resolve to do lease for that motivation. But does God want us to resolve to grow stronger in our faith and closer to him will absolutely so the root word of resolution is obviously to resolve which which goes to the. The will is an act of our wills in the mind the will, the emotion this is an active of doing. And God certainly wants wants us to engage our wills in the pursuit of of growth of growth in holiness or sanctification for his glory, not, not our own, is not just about self achievement so we can feel better about ourselves that were a better person. At the end of this year. No needs to have the right motivation link to it, for God's glory rather than our own. So as you read Scripture you see these these different examples of of of people in Scripture who resolved to do things and it might be expressed not in the word resolve might be expressed in to purpose or to trip to determine or decider to make up one's mind so look for those verbs in these the church is a couple passages here like the passage and Daniel were Daniel and Shadrach me shack and Abednego are taken out of Israel there there there in captivity in Babylon. And it says right in the first chapter of of of dancing. But as Daniel. He made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or with the wine which he drank another was when he was taken to Babylon different culture different religion he had his own religion.

Daniel did and he did not want to be defiled by that that the Babylonian religion, so he made up his mind. He resolved you could say before he left he resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food with the wine which he drank, so there is one obvious resolution Scripture also you see it in first Corinthians 2 were Paul writes to the Corinthians.

Listen to within the. The idea of resolution.

Here he says when I came to you brother and I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.

For I determined I resolved to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified so not again here, an act of the will none the motion that II feel like I'm going to know nothing among you if that's okay with you know I I determined a purpose.

I resolved another quick example and in Philippians 3.

We've all heard this passage repulses, I press on, so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus brother and I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet but one thing I do here.

Here's the resolution forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus summing this battle passages full of an act of the will by by Paul and he is going to resolve to press on. One thing I do, and he said his mind on doing something.

I put the press on for the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. So so the answer to this question is does God even want us to make resolutions I think is absolutely yes any resolution pursuit for God's glory and accomplished in his strength is not only good, but I think it's actually called for.

We should be resolving to do things for God's glory and accomplished in his strength.

Scripture is just chock full of commands and imperatives for our growth. There is an imperative is is a direct command. Do this don't do that and that's really what a resolution is working to do something and hopefully your that that that something that hopefully that something should be for God's glory and accomplished in his strength. So now just a little interlude story about Jonathan Edwards I mentioned earlier, if you don't know who Jonathan Edwards as he lived during the first half of the 1700s. He was born in 1703 and died in 1758.

So he was only 55 years old when he died didn't live a long life compared to the standards today. He was a Puritan and he was a key figure in the great awakening in America, there is a time of revival in this country that went from basically again in the early 1700s between 1734 for about 15 years to about 1750s before the Revolutionary war declaration of independence and all that and there was a big revival here, George Whitfield, the great preacher was a great evangelist and and Jonathan Edwards as part of that and he became one of the most important pastors in American history.

You probably have heard of the sermon sinners in the hands of an angry God won't. Jonathan Edwards is one who wrote you gave that sermon he he was the, the author of several books, probably the one that's most well known by him. Today is the freedom of the will is a really well-known book by Hamby wrote many others. The, the end for which God created the world very very astute deep strong thinker, Jonathan Edwards.

He became the president of what is now Princeton College before it was called Princeton and he was actually the grandfather of the third president of the United States Army's ever so jazz averages a towering figure in the history of this country in in several different ways but most specifically with the standpoint of his his pastoring and his speaking is preaching now.

Before he became all this, the Jonathan Edwards that we we know about when he was 18 between the ages of 18 and 19 so, but over that year when he was in his late teens he made 70 resolutions over the course of that year in here just starting out, being a young pastor at that particular time in his life, and you can read the 70 resolutions online.

We have them linked right now@thechristianworldview.org is going to the preview for today's program and you can read his 70 resolutions that he made for himself when he was just 18 or 19 years old and he starts out by saying this important preface to the 70 resolutions running. I'm just gonna read a few of them find out all of them but the preface is key from what we've been talking about already. For why we resolve to do things he said in the preface being sensible that I am unable to do anything out 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 and he said, remember to read over these resolutions once a week. In other words he's saying just we've been saying today resolutions must be made for Christ's glory in pursuit in hit his strength, not just for personal discovery or personal improvement for the sake of improvement for Christ's glory in his strength will get to Jonathan Edwards 70 resolutions release some of them F this first break in the day right here in the Christian world.

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Okay Vectra topic which is making and keeping resolutions were talking about Jonathan Edwards, the great Puritan towering figure in early American history part of the great awakening, president of Princeton College.

What would become Princeton College, author of many books, freedom of the will, and so forth.

While he made these 70 resolutions we have linked on the Christian world you.org you can read them because they're just just amazing to read. As I mentioned before the break that he prefaced it, the, the making of the road resolutions, but just a short couple sentences saying that you being sensible that I'm 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 and he says and remember to read these resolutions once a week so he was reading the 70 resolutions once a week so you could divide in the article we have linked on the Christian review.org there the that input and one through 70, put them according to categories in the categories of the 70 year have to do with the resolutions have to do with one's life purpose. Good works at time management relationships suffering character spiritual life. The Scriptures prayer Lord's day righteousness, the killing or mortification of sin and communion with God. You can see that most of them have very strong spiritual center to them and some is gonna read about 10 of the resolutions for you to get a little taste of of what this 18-year-old resolve to do any start starts each one by saying resolved okay so number four is resolved never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body less or more. But what tends to the glory of God. Mother was ever everything I do in life is gonna be for God's glory.

Number five resolved never to lose one moment of time and improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.

So there's one that you might even here today I want to be more diligent. I want to use my time better. Number nine resolved to think much on all occasions of my own dying and of the common circumstances which attend death snorts you want to go through life having his mind that he was in a live forever that he had life was brief that he didn't know the time of his death and that he was gonna think about this to has an impetus to help him live his life for the glory of God in the time that God gave him younger 53 years. Again, number 10 resolved when I feel this is an interesting one resolved when I feel pain to think of the pains of martyrdom and of hell. In other words, when he was feeling either physical or other kinds of pain he want to think about those who have gone before and been martyred for their faith what they have gone through. It is nothing compared to what they've gone to, or know to think about how painful hell burning in the lake of fire for eternity would be to have them have a better understanding and a and a more relative understanding of the pain that he's feeling now compared to martyrdom or help powerful one. Number 13 resolved to be endeavoring to find out for objects of charity and liberality. In other words, his faith wasn't just going to be an intellectual. You know have a live fiber accumulated a lot of knowledge of a very smart person. I think you I think he went to Yale when he was like 14 years old that that's how smart he was and it wasn't just an accumulation of knowledge it was to be faith plus good works. In other words, he is, his faith is for, as evidenced by good works is the purpose of it not saved by faith plus works but good works, give evidence to saving faith as it says in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10 and so that was meant to be lived out not just intellectual, not just in its relation of dollars for myself, but to be told to seek out endeavoring to find objects of charity. Liberality number 14 and Jonathan Edwards 770 resolutions resolved never to do anything out of revenge mother was to be forgiven of those who offend us, not be bitter toward people. But never do anything to hurt someone else out of revenge for hurting us, skipping out a number 20 resolved to maintain the strictest temperance in eating and drinking, and I think that's interesting now that is the first resolution of most people today that Kim are exactly what it was but to I read earlier in the program. It was about eating and drinking, lose weight and eat healthier, was that the first one first resolution for Americans will Jonathan Edwards had that as well to maintain the strictest temperance in eating and drinking that he was not let food and drink control you.

You control it is false, as foods for the body. The buys were for food, but he wasn't to be taken over by, it wasn't to be dictated to by his appetites. Number 23 Jonathan Edwards resolved frequently to take some deliberate action which seems most unlikely to be done for the glory of God in trace it back to the original intention designs and ends of it and if I find it not to be for God's glory to reputed is a breach of the fourth resolution which is to do everything for the glory of God. In other words you he wanted to examine his motivations for why he's doing things to look at the intentions the designs. What is my purpose. What is my ends my meet my ends for doing this and if you found it not to be for God's glory to reputed is a breach of this that the fourth resolution. You may which was to do everything for the glory of God. So he he wasn't as concerned again with accumulating intellectual knowledge.

He wasn't just concerned with doing good works out early to make himself look good. He was going straight down to the intentions as motivations inside of his heart keep my this is an 18 or 19-year-old Jonathan Edwards making these particular resolutions just three more number 28 resolved to study the Scriptures so steadily constantly infrequently is that I may find them plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same thing and that this is obviously a very critical one. Surprise it was number 29 master there and in particular was number 28 the this study. The good growing the deepening of of the knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures so as to understand the mind of God so that we can understand what he wants us to do and so we can abate, obey him more readily. This is I think a very very key one. Number 29 resolved. This one's on prayer never to count that a prayer nor to let that pass is a prayer nor that as a petition of a prayer which is so made that I cannot hope that God will answer it, nor that is a confession when it which I cannot hope God will accept another words he didn't want to pray anything that he didn't truly believe that God would want to answer in the affirmative, so he is playing probably praying everything according to God's will is very deeply thinking about what he was praying not just pray for this. Pray for that. I want this. I want that. He never want to pray for something that he didn't truly expect and know that will be honoring to God and God would God will fulfill number 37 of Jonathan Edwards. 70 resolutions record go through all 70 again resolved in this one. This II finished with this and because this is kind of an interesting one that he would ask himself at the end of the day resolved to inquire every night as I am going to bed where he and I have been negligent. What sin I have committed, and wherein I I have denied myself also at the end of every week, month and year so the end of every day.

At the end of every week within a very month at the end of every year he would ask himself, whereby the negligent what sin have I committed and where have I not denied myself in order to to try to be self examining courses is very biblical to talk to the young Communion is a time to re-examine ourselves to see if there's any unconfessed sin in our life to confess and repent of it, test yourself, examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith. The Bible says there is this process of self-examination we we look honestly with try to look at our our self with God's eyes and see how he sees us and Jonathan Edwards resolved to do this every single at the end of every single day. So this is just amazing resolutions. I encourage you to read them their length again on our website the Christian review.org is your thinking about potentially making some of your own resolutions here at the beginning of the year. Maybe analyzing the resolutions you made see whether there for the for God's glory and are going to be accomplished in his strength to get to do that in a moment next segment but to analyze. This might give you some good ideas for your own resolutions for this year okay rent take a break, but the next segment and opened the phone lines and hear the questions with this example of Jonathan Edwards and the examples of Scripture.

What kind of resolutions do you think God would have us make as we as we kick off 2017. And what's the best way to keep resolutions once we make them. What happens if we can't keep them then what we do all those questions are for you today here in the Christian review our toll-free studio number is 187-765-5755 what should a resolutions be how can we keep him 1-877-655-6755 do you shop online@amazon.com itself. You can support the Christian world through Amazon smile program, which donates half a percent of the purchase price of eligible product to the charitable organization of your choice. All you have to do is go to smile.amazon.com and designate overcome her foundation as your charity of choice to overcome her foundation is the official name of the nonprofit organization that directs the Christian worldview is you don't pay more for your purchases. Rather, Amazon directly half a percent of your eligible purchases to the Christian world. What a great opportunity to benefit this ministry. Again, smile.amazon.com and designate overcome her foundation is your charity of choice.

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If you have found a good way to do that you, how do we how do we have enough discipline and how do we keep the resolutions that we make at the beginning of year that will be helpful.

I think for people to to sheer if you've been successful at doing them.

Our toll-free studio number is 1-877-655-6755 is 1-877-655-6755 Bob you get you up on the call screening board and I will get to some of your calls today here in the program.

So let me try to answer that third question. While some of you consider whether you like to call and tell us what's the best way to keep resolutions once we keep them what kind of resolution as you think I would have us make well I think I think if you look at Scripture. It just full of imperatives. As we talked about and complete commands that are God's will for us. They all have one intent all the commands of God in the imperative Scripture have one intent that we glorify worship and serve God through becoming conformed to Jesus Christ.

That is really the purpose of the Christian life with the purpose for everyone. Those who read in a brawl intended God created us to be in relationship with him to know him. He's our creator. He has authority over us. We are accountable to him, whether we realize it or want to realize it or not, were were designed to be in relationship and to to know him and serve him and worship him that that's the purpose of life and so when when we do that she wants is ultimately to become more like the perfect one, his son Jesus Christ. It says that very clearly in Romans chapter 8 verse 29 for those whom God foreknew.

Another words, believers. He also predestined to become conformed to the image of his son Jesus Christ that that is the purpose if you're Christian that is your purpose to become more like Jesus Christ know that you're in a right relationship with God because he repented and believed in the gospel which is who Jesus Christ is the son of God and what he did for you on the cross.

He took your sins.

And he pay the penalty for any credit you with his righteousness as the gospel.

Once he repented and believed in that you become converted, you've gone from an unbeliever to a believer you been regenerated now. What's the goal we already know God.

So now the goal is to become more like his son that you'll never get there in this life.

Of course, because you still have the flesh still have a a sinful nature within us a body of sin, Scripture, Scripture calls about, but there is a pursuit of righteousness or sanctification. Now that God calls us to do and we can we can make huge strides in this with with the resources that God gives us. So as we think about what resolutions to make.

We can us ask ourselves think a simple question. What does God in his word. Tell us to do whatever he tells us to do. We should resolve to do those things. So you may want to put them in in categories I wrote down just a few. This is just my own list and there's lots of different categories you go beyond this list, but I wrote down your physical, spiritual, relational, charitable in lifestyle those general categories for making and keeping resolutions of physical is one that people often start out with us. I thought a star that went to because now that's the most important.

It's not budget because that's at the top of most Americans, New Year's resolutions, so physical you may want think about exercising more regularly this year, eating more moderately of Jonathan Edwards talked about getting more rest of the bottle. If the body is the temple of God and and should be careful we should take care of it.

First Timothy 48 says discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.

This is interesting for bodily discipline or physical discipline is only a little profit but godliness is profitable for all things since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come, and you can look at this verse a couple different ways. You know that bodily discipline is only a little profit was doesn't matter must all focus on know what that what it says it says the most important is your spiritual growth. The pursuit of godliness. Okay, but bodily discipline or exercise are taking care of your physical body. It's of little profit, but does have some profit. So it is worth paying some attention to. And so whatever you want to think about trying to be healthier this year from a physical standpoint I think is a good thing we should take care of the physical bodies God gave us spiritual category is the most important categories we think about resolutions and this might be again might be pulling some the things that Jonathan Edwards suggested in his resolutions reading the word daily.

I think it is a key one. If you're not in the habit or pattern or or of doing that. I think I'll be a great thing to resolve to to resolve to read the word of God daily even just for five minutes maybe is just one chapter a day of Scripture and this is something in my own life. All the speak from a personal standpoint that when I came to saving faith when I was 24 years old. True saving for the group in a Christian home but it wasn't. It was a Professional that.net not a true possess in possession of saving faith. Jesus Christ may have. I may perceived him as my Savior, but he certainly was in the Lord of my life and what change my life is when I came to repentance and faith in him when I was 24 realize how sinful I was. I couldn't change myself repented of my sin. Put my faith in who Jesus Christ is the son of God and what he did for me on the cross in my life changed 180� and one of the things that was a key resolution in my my my life at that time I realized how much I needed to be washed in to be renewed and transformed by reading the truth of God's word on a daily basis. That was something that has been subbing as save me from myself so many times because we naturally tend away to our own human reason, even after a day or two. It's like why do you need to eat every day. I think I think God designed us to eat every day because it was to be an example of how much we needed spiritual food every day as well and why we need eat three times a day. What a guy design is that way. I think it's just it's isn't an example illustration of the same thing we need to do when it comes to our spiritual food. Spiritual intake of reading the word praying doing spiritual things, taking in relating knowing God on a daily basis. We need that spiritual nourishment every single day.

So if you are believer and you're not doing that.

There's no way you can you can grow stronger in your faith without taking in the word of God on a daily basis and you can also take in the word of God. By the way by hearing the word preached in the radio there's podcast there's many ways to hear sound biblical preaching, so you can take it in that way, but I don't think is any better way. There may be no is equal equally important way to take it in yourself as well to read the word of God daily. Maybe want to read to the Bible this year is not actually very hard to do is really about four chapters a day or maybe don't read through the year. Maybe read through in two years. There's lots of online reading plans that you can do this and artistry through the New Testament this year. Read one chapter a day to the New Testament and getting that overview of understanding a broader understanding of Scripture is that that's that's that's really I think important and very helpful in your life as well so you don't think you can make it through the whole thing just take a little lesson read as much as you cancel him. Another thing I want is memorize and meditate in the passage of Scripture memorization becomes low more difficult as you get older you watch younger kids that can is memorize anything or other brains are sponges, but memorizing and meditating. I mean by that. Not some Eastern meditation or you center yourself on yourself, but you meditate means you just think about ruminate in on a passage of God's word and what it means and how you supply it and that that's would be a good thing to resolve to do this year. Maybe have a more disciplined prayer life and living is easy to pray 30 seconds before dinner and move on.

But you see in Scripture. Examples of not only of Christ and praying all night, but you'd Daniel praying three times a day having a prayer list and so forth. This is something I'd I definitely would like to improve on is having a more disciplined prayer life. Perhaps it's taking in a a message a sermon one time a week outside church and I wouldn't go to church and that's my sermon for the week and I will my doing the rest the legal about listening to a message sometime during the week just at home. There is another way to take in the word of God here preached.

So you supplement what your you're getting on Sunday and this this is no age we live in is so easy to do that. Another category you may want think about resolving to do this, you has to do with real relationships know in your marriage fulfilling the commands in Ephesians 52 to love and respect spouses are the love and respect each other.

Husbands, love their wives wife's a respect your husbands, how, what, how could you do that better or with regard to parenting. How can we raise our children better in the discipline and instruction of the Lord of the other concrete things we need to do in that regard. Maybe it's having a personal time a devotions each day with your family, reading the Bible, maybe a chapter the Bible. After dinner with your family. Maybe singing a hymn before they go off to school, reading a short devotional.

Things like that that will nurture spiritual growth in you and your family will take a break will come back with talk of a couple more categories and then talk about what's the best way to keep resolutions once we make them. This is David Wheaton living the Christian world. The mission of the Christian world is to sharpen the biblical worldview of Christians and to share the good news that all people can be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ for when Christians have a stronger faith. And when unbelievers come to saving thing lives and families and churches, even communities are change for the glory of God. The Christian world you as a listener supported ministry. You can help us in our mission to impact hearts and minds by making a donation of any amount or becoming a monthly partner. All donations are tax-deductible. You can give online@thechristianworldyou.org or calling us toll-free 1888 646-2233. When you give like to thank you by sending you a current resource. Monthly partners can choose to receive resources throughout the year, one 888 646-2233 or go to the Christian world you.org. Thank you for your support. There's an abundance of Christian resources available in bookstores and online.

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Today's broadcast of the Christian world was previously here. Okay final segment of the day here in the Christian review radio program as we talk about making and keeping resolutions rushing at talk more about resolutions in a way next week on the program as we talk about the recent UN resolution against Israel that US was behind apparently and I will negative that is for the state of Israel. We talking next week about that topic. The UN resolution, but this week were talking about just regular New Year's resolutions and and will are they good, and if so which one should we make and if you missed a lot of the program.

I encourage you to get the podcast or to spirit click and played on our website later today. Usually it's up on a website here about Jonathan Edwards and their 70 resolutions he made as a teenager and you can also read those on our website. The Christian really. You.org within the break we are talking about categories resolutions to make yet at the beginning of the year here were some some good category categories. We talk about physical things. Discipline your body and so for spiritual things are the most important taking in the word regular basis. We talked about relational category of focusing on if you're married, your marriage, or if you have children, raising children, things like that are so key, or is another category.

Two more before we get onto was the best way to keep them charitable. This is this is something that I think we've heard a little bit on the program last year in that was about from net from I was from Rosario Butterfield of member that program. She talked about how the hospitality of a pastor in Syracuse, New York led her to saving faith in Christ. Now Christians are called to be charitable, so you may want to invite people in your home. Both believers and unbelievers this year just to have conversations to interact with people you with the purpose of sharing the good news with them not to be the first time. It doesn't have to be awkward to them just this. So some seeds and see what God does and yet I think there's there's there's benefit in doing that Christian hospitality are helping the less fortunate and seizing America to drive in our our garages and push the button and have it come down and then you move out of the life and not see your help anyone else use far less fortunate. So having a charitable Category to a Rosalie resolutions might be something to consider as well and then how about the simple lifestyle category. This might be watching the last television very easy to come home, watch whatever's on television, even if it's Tina Fox news and watched endlessly the same stories talked about by different gas for two or three hours every night. The other programs on television to stick out your brain go and so forth. And I think a little bit of TV watching is not a bad thing, but Mona read more this year, as so many good books are things that will stimulate you mentally and spiritually that it might be good to get away from some of the scream time that we all think fight against another lifestyle resolution might be to to take a day off from your cell phone or for or from the Internet is something I've been thinking about doing because these these phones are ubiquitous are always in your hand and so easy be tied in and to be seeing the most recent tax that comes into the latest Facebook post.

Are you just shopping or whatever you do on your phone or your computer all the time just getting away from it for a day a week. I know some is when forced to do that. I was think that was kind of nice. And I might be something want to consider doing okay last couple points to last questions for the show today, so we've gone over why is keeping resolutions with difficult does God even want us to make resolutions and answers yes. Question three is what kind resolutions you think I would make. We just went over that the various categories and then question number four is what's the best way to keep resolutions once we make and that this is this is an important one because it's good to have intentions make them but how do we follow through. Number one. Be realistic in setting resolutions. In other words, if I resolve to run 5 miles a day five times per week 5 mile 5 miles five times per week. I have no chance of doing that I no interest in doing that.

So why make a resolution do something is completely unrealistic for me but if I resolve something more realistic to say I like to go for a one hour brisk walk with the dogs five times a week will that I'm able to do because I have an interest in doing it. That's much more realistic for me. I'm not going out know where my knees and hips have been spent to me times running my life as it is already so it's that that's much more doable. So be realistic in the exit. The resolutions you set even with regards to what we talked about Bible reading. You know if I'll tell you about in the second. I had even back off. Something I was intending to do this, you're already begun to realize was unrealistic. Number two.

Write your resolutions down and see how they can fit into your schedule. Actually, for the first month or to put them in your schedule so that you can actually see whether you're going to be able to to keep the rat record habits. Don't you know don't form on their own. There have to be added into your your schedule and number three. The best way to keep them is to pursue them. This is the important one pursue them in the light of Philippians 212 and 13, where Paul writes work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God. He was at work in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. And this seems to be a contradiction as you read this verse work out your own salvation with fear and troubling okay you gotta do it. But the next verse says, for it is God who works in you both to give you the will and to work for his good pleasure soaked. So which is it like there's this tension there you work out and God is at work in you. I think what what is being said here is that yes were to like Jonathan ever said in his preface were to rely on God's strength to pray that we be able to keep resolutions therefore are for his glory, but were also called to do something to wait will not be able to resolve using that word. How these things work out in the in the mind of God.

This is probably above how we can understand what is God do what is we do, what would we do what we don't only need to focus too much on that sort of like how we saved by God's grace by God's unmerited favor through faith but were also called to repent and believe that that's the unanswerable question our human finite mind, you cannot answer that the same thing with with keeping resolutions. How do we work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, and how is that God is working in us. It's both their parallel tracks like a train track. They're both going the same direction are both true God is at work in us and we are to work as well so those three things and think of the keys to trying to keep your resolutions this year. Be realistic and setting them. Write them down, get them into your schedule and pursue them the light of Philippians 212 and 13, knowing that God is at work in you, but your call to work as well, knowing that he will give you the will to be able to fulfill what he wants to do in your life. And finally, what happens if we can't keep her resolutions how to keep from getting bogged down realize there is that there's a benefit and growth, even in the striving you're gonna be further along to set a resolution and don't achieve it.

If you going to set it in the first place. You know I mean is this to you if you don't use.

If you should aim for nothing your shirt sure to hit you not to go anywhere.

So even even setting resolutions. The striving for you to be moving partially in the right direction.

Even if you don't get all the way there and the second thing is you can't keep it. Don't abandon it, just dial it back a little bit I'll give you an example. I am purpose to read the whole Bible this year, along with all the study notes I got into it. Realize you know what can be way too much reading for me to do this is unrealistic so I did dial it back a sale In the New Testament into all the notes in the New Testament is to be realistic and is dial back rather than abandon.

I hope some of this was helpful today as you think about making and keeping resolutions in 2017 because we do live in a changing and challenging world, but there is one thing we can always trust in and count on Jesus Christ and his word. They are the same yesterday today and forever will talk you next weekend. Everyone we hope to these broadcast turned your heart toward God's word and his son to order a CD copy of today's program or sign up for our free weekly email or to find out how you can be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ go to our website the Christian world dawdle. Call us toll-free at one Tripoli 646-2233. The Christian worldview was a weekly one-hour radio program that is furnished by the overcoming foundation is supporting what listeners and sponsors request one of our current resources with your donation of any amount go to the Christian worldview dawdle or call us toll-free at one Tripoli 646-2230 3.20 set Box 01, Excelsior, MN 55331 that's Box 401, Excelsior, MN 55331. Thanks for listening to the Christian. Until next time think biblically and live according