December 29, 2002 •  Pastor Randy Smith

“May I have the blessings of many a guided stroke to my touch as I venture into the world of massage. May those I encounter enjoy their massage. May I learn to stay forever young at heart.” — Renee Hankins, Trotwood, Ohio

“A single resolution, one word: FLOSS!” — Susan Roberts, DeKalb, Illinois

“I resolve to get every last one of my Christmas cards mailed by Valentine's Day!” — Jackie from Minneapolis

Conor Walsh, living in Ireland said: “This year I am going to make a big effort towards improving my basketball skills. Firstly I would like to improve my 3-point shot through lots of hard practice. I would like to improve all other parts of my game as much as possible. I would also like to cut down on the amount of chocolate I eat. I have a very sweet tooth and I definitely eat too much rubbish.”

JoJo2 from San Diego California said: “My New Year’s Resolutions so far:
1. I will put the cap on the toothpaste after using it.
2. I will turn off the TV before I fall asleep on the couch.
3. I will try not to sing out loud when listening to my portable CD.
4. I will try not to get upset when the toilet seat is left up ”

Can you guess the top New Year’s Resolutions for Americans? According to recent statistics they are (listed in order): Exercise, diet, save money; be a better person, follow dreams, find love, advance career and better spouse. Over 1/3 of Americans make resolutions (approx. 100 million people), and less than 1/3 of those will keep their resolutions through the end of the year. Statistics say the majority of Americans fail to keep their resolutions through February.

These failed attempts have led some skeptics to say, "Let's face it: the truth about traditional New Year’s resolutions is that they don't really work. The secret reason why this happens is that most resolutions are essentially fancy-sounding ‘shoulds.’ But, good intentions alone rarely result in lasting change. Good intentions by themselves are signals that we're trying to be further along in motivation, readiness or willingness levels than we really are. Making a New Years resolution based on good intentions alone is therefore a sure way to feel inadequate, guilty, shameful, hopeless, or stupid."

Yet some are more optimistic. Psychologists tell us that strategic planning, realistic goals, accountability, positive thinking and personal rewards will assist in upholding our resolutions. Spiritualists provide their own advice on maintaining New Year’s Resolutions. Here is what one of them said. "How about your spirit? Has it been neglected? Is it drying up? How can you replenish it? Simply acknowledging it by appreciating the beauty of a sunset may be enough. Why not get out into nature more often. Take long, slow walks. Find a labyrinth and walk it. Read inspiring literature and sacred texts. Talk meaningfully to another person. Go to a church or synagogue. Seek your spirit and it will find you, and you will be enriched."

Her advice gets more specific. "Breathe deeply as you proceed, listening carefully for any words, images, sensations or emotions that come up as you meditate on your body. Be sure to give your body thanks for the blessings of movement, your senses, the life and energy it gives you...Then take a moment to meditate on your emotional center - feel it in your body. You can visualize this area of your Self as the color orange if it helps, just look into the color and let yourself feel what is there, let your mind focus on the color, then ask the same questions you asked your body, breathing deeply and listening for any words, images or sensations that come to you."

By the way, if you were wondering, pink and green represents the heart center and deep blue and purple represent the mind!

In this cesspool of information, where does the Christian find him or herself? I ask you this morning: Are resolutions wrong? Should Christians make resolutions at New Year’s? What resolutions should be made? Is there any help available in keeping our resolutions?

Allow me to answer these questions in a few introductory remarks:

One

If resolutions reflect a desire for personal betterment, how could anybody say they are wrong? Restoration, change and growth are all terms synonymous with the Christian life. Romans 12:2 says: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, (why?) that you may prove what the will of God is." We all want to know God’s will. Well this is God’s will, allowing the Spirit to conform your mind to His "world-view" resulting in a Christlike change of conduct. If I can clothe this method with the Christian terminology, we call this process, repentance.

As His children, we are to commanded to be in the continual practice of shedding off the old self and putting on the new as we are conformed daily into the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). Therefore it is sin for the Christian to say, "I’m happy where I am at." Rather, God is pleased when his children want to grow. Growth confirms the reality that we are the children of God. Apart from bearing the fruit of spiritual growth, we experience no assurance of our salvation.

Two

We need to grow! But where is our source of power to promote such growth? Fortunately we do not need to depend on labyrinths, or color schemes or even our own inner strength. Paul rebuked the Galatians for this mind-set. "Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort" (Gal. 3:3 NIV)? It would be foolish and wrong to depend on human effort!

As Christians, we are told to depend on something more powerful, something that will effect change, something that will glorify God. That something, or should I say that Someone is the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in Acts 1:8, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you." At the moment of salvation, God baptizes us with His Holy Spirit. Every Christian therefore has the indwelling Holy Spirit taking up residence in his or her life. The Holy Spirit is God, the third person of the Trinity. Therefore, our source of power is none other that God Almighty Himself dwelling within us! Due to God’s grace, believers have not only the desire but also the ability to see guaranteed everlasting change.

Three

This brings me to my third introductory comment. We as Christians can know what really matters in life. Our resolutions do not need to be whimsical such as putting the cap back on the toothpaste. Out resolutions can be eternally driven, based on directives from the Word of God. God has graciously given us the Bible (a playbook, a compass that points us in the right direction) that outlines the expected behavior from his children.

Think of it in terms of the Triune God: God the Father has already given you your resolutions in His Word! God the Holy Spirit tells you specifically what needs to be applied! And God the Son has provided you a perfect role model to look at along the way!

Four

So resolutions are good. The power to change comes from the Holy Spirit. The directives come from the Bible. And finally, resolutions for Christians should not be a yearly event. That’s how the world thinks! Our resolutions should be a daily ongoing process in which we seek to grow in godliness.

It reminds me of the time I spoke with a man regarding his time in the Word. He said he planned to start a Bible reading program at the beginning of the New Year. Unfortunately our conversation occurred in mid-February!

Don’t run with the pagans! We don’t have to wait until the New Year to change! We don’t have to wait for the crystal ball to fall at Times Square to say, "OK, now it’s time to change!" Change is a daily event for the Christian! So don’t think of change in terms of New Year’s resolutions, but rather think of change in terms of new day’s resolutions!

So with all this in mind, this morning I would like to present you one specific biblical resolution to live by. Obviously there are many possible resolutions we could choose from, but this resolution has been particularly on my heart for The Grace Tabernacle. And remember, I am not proposing this resolution because we are approaching January 1, but I am proposing it because today is a new day in your journey with God!

The Bible hero Joshua was a faithful and courageous warrior for the Lord. The book of Joshua outlines the remarkable ways the Lord used this man for His glory. However by chapter 24, Joshua knew that he was approaching the end of his life. He knew that the leadership received from Moses, must now be passed on to the Judges. He knew Canaan was conquered, but settlement in the Promised Land was far from being accomplished. But most of all, Joshua knew that the Lord was responsible for Israel’s success and any future success was based upon her obedience to God. So in his final sermon, Joshua renews Israel’s allegiance to the covenant as the foundation for honoring God and continued prosperity in the Promised Land.

Near the middle of the sermon (vs. 15) Joshua profoundly said, "And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." These 12 words will be the essence of today’s message.

Since true worship must develop from the heart, it cannot be forced upon individuals. It must be a personal choice. Joshua essentially set this choice before the people. "Serve the futile idols or serve the true and living God." He knew that worship of the Lord could not be combined with idolatry; it must be an exclusive service to our jealous Creator.

This reminds me of Martin Luther’s comment regarding a divided heart. "Sin boldly, if you’re going to choose sin and not Christ, do it whole hog, all the way, be hot or cold but not lukewarm." Or how about the words of his soul mate, Elijah, "If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal is god, follow him (1 Ki. 18:21)."

Too many of those who claim to follow God are half-hearted in their commitment. But Joshua clearly announced his decision in verse 15 to follow the Lord with a steadfast obedience with all of his heart! "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Jos. 24:15).

Notice in this saying that Joshua first began with himself. "As for me…(I) will serve the Lord." Joshua took personal responsibility for his spiritual life. Joshua was willing to set the example for his family. He knew that leading his wife and instructing his children was hypocritical and often ineffective unless he modeled the appropriate behavior himself. He knew that it’s impossible to have a home that serves the Lord if he were to be lackadaisical in his spiritual commitment.

Second, Joshua affirms that not only he, but also his household are consecrated to the Lord. "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." In other words, even if all the thousands whom he addressed in the sermon ignored the plea, Joshua’s house would remain devoted to Jehovah. Joshua would not let the majority of opinion determine his morality. He would not buckle under the persecution. He would not take the easy way out. He would not seek to be popular in the eyes of the world. Joshua had a willingness to be separate and immovable in his devotion to the Lord.

Joshua knew that a God-honoring nation must begin with God-honoring homes. And God-honoring homes must begin with God-honoring parents. The church is no different. Revival in the church always begins with revival in the homes.

The people responded to Joshua in verse 24, "We will serve the Lord our God and we will obey His voice" (Jos. 24:24). Yet biblical history tells us how miserably they failed. For example, Judges 2:10 states, "And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel." We know that it was a dark period for Israel during the time of the Judges. Israel failed to train the new generation in the ways of the Lord. Individual households did not serve God.

This is so unlike the household that raised the great prince of preachers, C.H. Spurgeon. In one of his books he said, "I was cradled in the home of piety, nurtured with the tenderest care, taught the gospel from my youth up, with the holiest example of my parents, the best possible checks all around to prevent me from running into sin."

Or take the great missionary John Paton ("the Apostle to the New Hebrides"). In his biography he says that he and his 10 siblings were led to love the church because the religion of the home was so alluring. According to Paton, "All of us came to think the church the dearest spot on earth, and the Lord’s Day the brightest day of the week." Paton recalls seeing his father and the example of godliness that he set.

He could never remember a daily family devotional that his father missed. He could only recall two times his father had missed church (Black Plague and the time he was lost in a blizzard). He could vividly remember listening to his father as the sound carried out of the closet where his father daily retreated to pray out loud with his Lord. Of his father Paton said, "He walked with God; why may not I?"

Both Spurgeon and Paton credit much of their spiritual success to the homes that reared them. They were nurtured in homes where Jesus Christ was preeminent, and people were bent on honoring Him with all of their heart.

Bishop Charles L. Slattery tells the following story he heard in a little church in France: "A new pastor had come to the village, and called at a certain cottage. When the husband came home from his work the wife said, ‘The new pastor called today.’ ‘What did he say,’ asked the man. ‘Oh,’ she answered, ‘he asked, ‘Does Christ live here?’ and I didn’t know what to say.’ The man’s face flushed. ‘Why didn’t you tell him that we were respectable people?’ he said. ‘Well,’ she answered, ‘I might have said only that: only that isn’t what he asked me.’ ‘Then why,’ continued the husband, ‘didn’t you tell him that we say our prayers and read our Bible?’ The wife replied, ‘But he didn’t ask me that.’ The man grew more vexed. ‘Why,’ he continued, ‘didn’t you say that we are always at church?’ ‘He didn’t ask that either,’ said the wife. ‘He asked only, ‘Does Christ live here?’’"

Our personal goal as a family is to create more than just a home for Christians. Our goal is to create a home for Christ. Therefore we have a sign in our dining room that says, "Christ is the head of this house, the unseen Guest at every meal, the silent Listener to every conversation." It is our policy, as much as we still need to grow, to honor the Lord in our home regardless of how offensive it may appear to others. It’s not that we desire to offend others, rather it’s that we desire to be steadfast in our obedience to the Lord, which, as predicted in the Bible, is often offensive.

My question for you: Do you have such a policy? Do you have a specific plan? Someone once said that if you aim at nothing you will hit it every time! Is your family a sand dune or a skyscraper? In other words, is your family shaped by influence or by purpose? Is honoring the Lord a number one priority in your home? Does Jesus Christ live in your house?

You may want to have a home like Joshua, but are uncertain as to how to practically build such a household. Therefore allow me to give you some concrete examples of a home that honors the Lord.

First, permit me a few caveats:

1. This list is far from exhaustive! Many other topics could be included as well.
2. This list is not a checklist, but rather a catalyst for spiritual growth. All of us, to different degrees, need to mature in each of these areas.
3. All of these issues are biblical, but personal family convictions and points of application may differ.
4. A desire for godliness is not legalistic! A pursuit of godliness is commanded (1 Tim. 4:8; 6:11; 2 Pet. 1:6; 3:11). Legalism is condemned. Don’t condemn what the Lord has commanded!
5. Always remember that you are a laborer and the Lord is the Builder. "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it" (Psm. 127:1). Seek Him for wisdom and strength.
6. Our primary pursuit should be God and not the disciplines on this list. These disciplines will be the natural overflow of a heart bent on seeking the Lord.
7. The ultimate goal in all of this is God’s glory (1 Cor. 10:31)!

Bible Reading and Prayer (Col 4:2; 2 Tim. 3:15)

• Is the Bible the uncompromising standard for all activities in the home?
• Are family members individually devoted to personal Bible reading and prayer on a daily basis?
• Is the family devoted to corporate Bible reading and prayer on a daily basis?
• Are the times of family worship consistent, interesting, creative, applicable, meaningful and organized?
• Does spontaneous prayer and biblical instruction permeate the day?

Entertainment (Jas. 4:4; Phil. 4:8)

• Where have lines been drawn on the issues of language, violence and nudity pertaining to entertainment (TV, movies, magazines, books, internet, etc.)?
• What convictions do you refuse to compromise? How far are you willing to go?
• Are you being entertained by anything that put Christ on the cross?
• How is your family separated from the world and set-apart to God…in the world, but not of it?
• Do you have a biblical world-view that enables you to discern the philosophical deception of this age?

Language (Rom. 14:19; Eph. 4:29)

• Are any sins of the tongue permitted in your home (e.g. profanity, slander, gossip, course jesting, etc.)?
• Does your home foster healthy communication in a spirit of encouragement, edification, honesty and openness?
• Is Scripture often quoted throughout the day? Are praise songs often sung?

Attitude (1 Pet. 2:12; Phil. 2:14)

• Is your home categorized by the "fruit of the Spirit" (e.g. love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control)?
• How do you deal with members who are walking in the flesh, for example, those given over to anger or complaining or laziness or selfishness?
• Are parents modeling a Christlike attitude?

Finances (Mal. 3:8; 1 Tim. 6:10)

• Do you realize that all of your money is the Lord’s? Can you give Him an account of your spending with a clear conscience?
• How do your treasures reflect your spending and how does your spending reflect your faith?
• Are you storing up for yourselves treasures in heaven? What does your heavenly portfolio look like?
• What have you purposed to give the local church? How have you arrived at that figure/percentage?

Witness (2 Tim. 4:5; Phil. 2:15)

• Does your family personally and corporately seek to win the lost for Christ?
• What are your strategies/methods to accomplish this mandate?

Hospitality (1 Pet. 4:9; Heb. 13:2)

• Is your home a haven where you minister to other Christians, unbelievers and even strangers?
• Do you conscientiously seek to meet and befriend different individuals in the church?
• Do you make an extra effort to minister to the needy (widows, orphans, etc.)?

Relationships (Eph. 5:22-6:4; Col. 3:14)

• Is the husband committed to loving, servant-like, example-driven leadership?
• Is the wife committed to submitting and respecting her husband?
• Are the children committed to obeying their parents?
• Are the children being disciplined? How?
• Are the children being instructed for the primary purpose of godliness? How?

Church (Ac. 2:42; Heb. 10:25)

• Is your family, including the children, committed to serving the church body?
• Is your family committed to church attendance?
• What constitutes an "acceptable" church absence?

Happy the home when God is there,

And love fills every breast:

When one their wish, one their prayer,

And one their heavenly rest.

Happy the home where Jesus’ name

Is sweet to every ear;

Where children early lisp His fame

And parents hold Him dear.

Happy the home where prayer is heard,

And praise is wont to rise;

Where parents love the sacred Word,

And live but for the skies.

Lord, let us in our homes agree,

This blessed home to gain;

Unite our hearts in love to Thee,

And love to all will reign.

(Author unknown)

Joshua said, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." God lays that same choice before you and your household today. It’s impossible to stay neutral. Who have you served in 2002? Who will you serve tomorrow? How have you purposed in your heart? What specific goals have you established? Have you made it your new day’s resolution to recognize Jesus Christ as Lord of your home?