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Someone once said..."I made 6 resolutions last year and I kept them all Year long. They are in an envelope on the top of my file cabinet." A boy told his father, "Dad, if three frogs were sitting on a limb that hung over a pool, and one frog decided to jump off into the pool, how many frogs would be left on the limb?" The dad replied, "Two." "No," the son replied. "There's three frogs and one decides to jump, how many are left?" The dad said, "Oh, I get it, if one decides to jump, the others would too. So there are none left." The boy said, "No dad, the answer is three. The frog only DECIDED to jump." Does that sound like last year's resolution? Great inspiration and great resolutions, but often times we only decide, and months later we are still on the same limb of do-nothing.
Ecclesiastes 5
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.
Certain vows we should all make:
1. Vow to obey God
2. Vow to forget your failures
3. Vow to give up your grudges
4. Vow to be grateful to the Lord
It is always interesting to hear what people are making resolutions about as the new year begins. Ann Landers has made some good suggestions in her column. She writes, "Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories. . . . Free yourself of envy. . . . Resolve to stop magnifying small problems and shooting from the lip. . . . Lighten up. When you feel like blowing your top, ask yourself, ‘Will it matter in a week from today?' Be optimistic. . . . Read something uplifting. Deep-six the trash. . . . Walk tall, and smile more. . . . Don't be afraid to say, ‘I love you.'"Some other resolutions I read are a little less serious.
• "I have resolved not to do drugs anymore, because I get the same effect just standing up really fast."
• "I have resolved to live in my own little world, because at least they know me here."
• "I have resolved to stay married, because it is so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life."
• "I have resolved to not make any resolutions, because nobody is perfect. I'm a nobody, therefore I'm perfect."
Some more vows we ought to consider are these:
I. VOW TO OBEY GOD THE WAY ABRAHAM DID.
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.God came to Abraham one day. Abraham didn't know where he was going, he just knew God said go.
Why obey God?
1. Wicked men obey God out of fear, good men out of love.2. Love should be the main reason for our obedience.
3. Jesus' mother gave good advice in John 2:4 - she said whatsoever he sayeth unto you, do it.
What are your priorities in life? And what are your priorities for any given day? What's your first order of business besides getting out of bed and cleaning up your body? Coffee? Breakfast? Read the paper? TV news? Or pray and read scripture or a devotional book?
Here was the priority of Jesus for morning time.
Mark 1:35 "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."
If Jesus needed to pray the first thing in the morning, what about us?
Whatever you do in life, PLEASE DO THIS:
1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
Matthew 6:33 "Seek first the kingdom of God..." If you always seek first in life to glorify and honor God you won't go very wrong in life.
II. VOW TO FORGET YOUR FAILURES
2000 years ago one the first Christian leaders, Paul gave this advice "Forgetting what is behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14That advice from God's Word has stood the test of time. I don't know of any more relevant and practical advice for us at the start of 2010
III. VOW TO GIVE UP YOUR GRUDGES
I want you to listen to these words from the book of Colossians because in them you'll hear the second challenge I believe God wants you to rise to if you want to make 2010 a significant turning point in your life ."Bear with each other and forgive each other whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you" Colossians 3:13
God in those words is challenging you directly and personally to give up your grudges. That is what he means when he says forgive each other whatever grievances you may have against one another.
What's a grudge? A grudge is a deep ongoing resentment that we cultivate in our hearts against someone else.
A grudge is an unforgiving spirit that leads to unforgiving attitudes and unforgiving actions.
Now I know you know what I am talking about.
Harbouring a grudge is about nursing a dislike for someone.
What you need to know is that grudges are dangerous because they are destructive.
• Grudges destroy marriages.
• Grudges break up families.
• Grudges ruin friendships.
• Grudges split churches.
IV. VOW TO BE GRATEFULL TO THE LORD
WAYS TO DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE1. REMEMBER THAT EVERYTHING WE HAVE IS FROM GOD.
Acknowledge that everything we have is God's and not ours. Psalm 24:1 says, "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it." When we do this, it reminds us that it is a privilege that God has loaned us everything we have.
1 Corinthians 4:7 says, "What do you have that you did not receive from God? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?"
The story is told of a poor man who was given a loaf of bread. He thanked the baker, but the baker said, "Don't thank me. Thank the miller who made the flour." So he thanked the miller, but the miller said, "Don't thank me. Thank the farmer who planted the wheat." So he thanked the farmer. But the farmer said, "Don't thank me. Thank the Lord. He gave the sunshine & rain & fertility to the soil, & that's why you have bread to eat."
2. AVOID COMPLAINING.
Dr. Dale Robbins writes, "I used to think people complained because they had a lot of problems. But I have come to realize that they have problems because they complain.
Complaining doesn't change anything or make situations better. It amplifies frustration, spreads discontent and discord, and can invoke an invitation for the devil to cause havoc with our lives." Complaining makes us miserable.
Psalm 77:3 - says, "I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed." Complaining is the archenemy of thanksgiving. The two cannot co-exist in the same heart. And so I challenge you to try to quit complaining for a whole month. Just try it. When you feel tempted to complain, instead of filing your complaint, file a praise. It will change your life.
Philippians 2:13 says, "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe."
3. DEVELOP THE DAILY DISCIPLINE OF GIVING THANKS.
In order to be thankful people we need to start to give thanks everyday. We need to discipline ourselves to find something each day that we should be thankful for and express our thanks to God.
Perhaps create a journal or a file on our computers where we list the things God has done for us. Call it a praise file. Thanksgiving must become a daily habit.
Let's remember certain vows we should all make:
1. Vow to obey God
2. Vow to forget your failures
3. Vow to give up your grudges
4. Vow to be grateful to the Lord
