How are you doing?

II Corth. 5: 17

Do you know what “resolution” means?  Resolution comes from the word “resolve,” meaning "To make a new start, to try again, to have a new determination."  This is why many people, with good intentions, make resolutions each New Year.  Did you make any New Year’s resolutions for 2006?  How are you doing with them?

In thinking about resolutions and their meaning, Paul writes in our scripture, II Corth. 5:17, about what a new start is all about when one trusts Christ as Savior.  When we trust Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become a new creature, not an old creature that has determined to be better; we become totally new.  When we become a new creature, we truly have a new start.  Keeping this in mind and thinking about our new start, let’s see what we can derive from God’s Word about our new beginning. 

1.      A new faith (read Heb. 11:6).  

         A.  A faith centered in Jesus Christ. (Read Heb 12:2).

                   The Bible tells us that Jesus alone is the author and finisher
                   of our faith.  It is by faith that we enter into a personal
                   relationship with the Lord. (Read Eph.2:8-9).

                   Let’s resolve to grow deeper in our faith in Christ.

             B.  A faith that produces works (read James 2:18-20). 

         After a person is saved, works should follow because
         salvation and works go together.  In the Bible, a faith that
         doesn’t produce works is called a dead faith.  Let me
         illustrate: 

        A man was rowing a canoe across the lake one day.  On one
        of the oars was written the word “faith.”  On the other oar was
        written the word “works.”  As long as he pulled on both of the
        oars the canoe made progress and went toward the other side
        of the lake.  But when he got to the middle of the lake,
        suppose he stopped pulling the oar of faith and only pulled
        the oar of works.  You know what would happen, don't  you. 
        He would begin to go around in circles, and this is exactly
        what is   happening to a lot of people today.  We must learn to
        pull BOTH of the oars if we expect to get anywhere.

        Let’s resolve to be more active for the Lord this year.

       2.  A new assurance.  (Read John 10:27-29.)

            A.  Today it seems that people are unsure about a lot of things. 
                  This may be alright as far as earthly things go; but we had
                  better have assurance when it comes to the things that matter
                  most, like where will you spend eternity – heaven or hell?

 B.  Ask yourself this simple question:  What am I trusting in to
        take me to Heaven when I die?  The Word of God gives us the
        answer in no uncertain terms.  It must be our faith in Jesus
        Christ. (Read John 14:6, Acts 4:12, II Corth. 5:21, Acts 16:31.)

            C.  I really have grown to love this verse in an old hymn, Blessed
                 Assurance; “Blessed assurance Jesus is mine, Oh what a
                 foretaste of glory divine.”

           D. Let’s resolve to tell others about Jesus.

 3.       A new testimony (Read Psalm 119:171.)

      A.   Our lips giving testimony to our Lord.  

   Think about what the Lord has done in our lives.  We ought to
   be ready to praise the Lord at any time.

     B.    We should testify not only with our lips but also with our
             lives.  Our life  needs to reflect the fact that we are saved.

         C.    Let’s resolve to have our lives be a testimony to the love of
                 Christ.  

Why not add these to your resolutions for this year?  If you have already broken some of the resolutions that you made, get up, dust yourself off, try again, and praise God that He is a God of second chances! 

Aren’t you glad we serve a God who gives us a second chance?

If you do not have a faith centered in Jesus, you can click here on How to Be Saved to learn how to accept Christ as your Savior.

May the Lord bless you is my prayer.