Resolutions (some follow-through)

I’m posting this because I thought it might be helpful to people. I posted earlier about how I was doing this and I suggested others do the same. Edwards wrote funny ’cause he lived a long(ish) time ago and was a genius. I thought it might be helpful to see a list from a modern-average-joe, like me. If it doesn’t, feel free to ignore this.

Jonathan Edwards wrote a list of resolutions: some of them were impossible to keep. Then he entreated God to help him keep them. God seemed to really bless his life a lot, so here’s my attempt…

Resolutions

I cannot do anything except by God’s grace. He owes me nothing. Pleading the blood of Christ, I beg that He would enable me to keep these resolutions, as long as they agree with His will and glorify His Name.

(10/17/09)

1. Resolved: To love the LORD my God with all my heart, soul, and strength.
2. Resolved: Every morning, to ask God what that (#1) means and how to do it.
3. Resolved: To only think high thoughts of God
4. Resolved: To review this list every week and ask what God thinks
5. Resolved: To constantly look for things that stir my affections for Christ.
6. Resolved: Should anyone tell me that I’ve done a good job on something, I will immediately turn it around to God, to Whom belongs all glory.
7. Resolved: To remember often how short my life is.
8. Resolved: To remember often how long eternal life is.
9. (10/18/09) · Resolved: To keep my sense of humor in check and be serious when the topic calls for it.
10. Resolved: To constantly look for ways to stir the affections of others for Christ.
11. Resolved: To gain Christ.
12. Resolved: To pray without ceasing.
13. Resolved: Not to waste people’s time with empty words.
14. Resolved: Not to take Scripture out of context, and use my horribly incomplete understanding to speak on things about which I know nothing.
15. Resolved: To think often of the Reward.
16. Resolved: Not to rest at night until God has shown me something of Himself—something wonderful.
17. Resolved: To pray before giving anyone advice on anything important.

Two things before I end this post… One: This list is incomplete. I’ll be adding to it more later, most likely.

Two: If it looks impossible, that’s because it is… which is why the first paragraph is the most critical, I think, to remember… that God’s the only one who can empower, and should He do so it is to His glory.

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (ESV)