Resolve

I love a fresh start.  A new year and new hope in newly made resolutions. But resolve takes more effort and courage than lightly made decisions at the midnight hour or a clean page on the calendar.

According to dictionary.com resolve means; "to come to a definite or earnest decision about; determine (to do something)

Three specific times (and there are others) we are reminded of great resolve in the bible.

The prophet Daniel, as a teenager, had to decide if he would follow the ways of the world or stand firm in his faith in the God of Israel. As a captured prisoner of war, his conflict was to eat and drink in ways that went against the tenets of his faith. Daniel wanted to believe God would protect him if he honored God.  So it is written, "But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way." Daniel 1:8

In another part of the bible, God is speaking through the prophet Malachi as a strong warning to the Priests of that time who were leading His people away from the truth. God spoke, "If you do not listen, and if you do not resolve to honor my name,” says the LORD Almighty, “I will send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me." Malachi 2:2

And later we see the Apostle Paul speaking to believers in Jesus 2000 years ago.  He is pleading with them to not become divided over doctrine. Though Paul was highly intelligent, highly educated, and very capable of 'winning' any religious debate, he believed in the power of God to persuade his listeners to understand the truth of Jesus. He came and preached a simple message and reminded them, "When I came to you brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." 1Corinthians 2:2

So this year, I want to resolve to follow Jesus the Messiah. To walk in His ways as He leads. And to trust that He who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion.

"As the time approached for him to be taken up to Heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem." Luke 9:51

Hopeful Future

A new year turns!  Thanking God for every promise He has given us to have hope, to ponder anew his mercy, and to look forward. May your year be blessed abundantly with peace from Heaven, joy everlasting, and enduring love.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

 

1 Peter 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...

 

Revelation 21:5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

Continuous conversion...

 

. . . unless you change and become as little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 18:3

 (My Utmost for His Highest - Oswald Chambers for December 28)

These words of our Lord refer to our initial conversion, but we should continue to turn to God as children, being continuously converted every day of our lives. If we trust in our own abilities, instead of God’s, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible. When God through His sovereignty brings us into new situations, we should immediately make sure that our natural life submits to the spiritual, obeying the orders of the Spirit of God. Just because we have responded properly in the past is no guarantee that we will do so again. The response of the natural to the spiritual should be continuous conversion, but this is where we so often refuse to be obedient. No matter what our situation is, the Spirit of God remains unchanged and His salvation unaltered. But we must “put on the new man . . .” (Ephesians 4:24). God holds us accountable every time we refuse to convert ourselves, and He sees our refusal as willful disobedience. Our natural life must not rule— God must rule in us.

To refuse to be continuously converted puts a stumbling block in the growth of our spiritual life. There are areas of self-will in our lives where our pride pours contempt on the throne of God and says, “I won’t submit.” We deify our independence and self-will and call them by the wrong name. What God sees as stubborn weakness, we call strength. There are whole areas of our lives that have not yet been brought into submission, and this can only be done by this continuous conversion. Slowly but surely we can claim the whole territory for the Spirit of God.

A message for us...

The apostle Paul wrote,

"God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son."

Happy birthday, Jesus.

Hebrews 1:1-2

Humility

Humility...God comes to earth as a baby.

"All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet Isaiah, 'The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel - which means, God with us.'"

 "I want to stand by the manger long enough for all my foolish pride to die, all my vainglory to vanish, and any estimate of values to become adjusted to the humility that is God." Anna J. Lindgren

Matthew 1:23 Isaiah 7:14

Plans

"There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord." Proverbs 21:30

Offended?

"A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense." Proverbs 19:11

How do I respond when offended?  Some days, not so good.  Even if I don't verbally respond, my thoughts can run rampant.  This guidance reminds me that overlooking the offense is glorious!! It might not appear glorious to those around me.  In fact, it might look non-confrontational or weak.  But, the wisdom that brings this kind of patience is glory to God. 

Jesus our Messiah hung from a tree and looked down on Roman soldiers who pierced him and religious leaders who mocked him and said, "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do."  He exhibited such patience for all humanity.