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"RESOLUTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR"
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. As a New Year begins
I am reminded of the fact that we are one year
 closer to...
 a. The day of our death
or the day the Lord returns
 b. That day when we shall stand before the Lord in judgment 
  - 2 Co 5:10
 c. That day when He will either say...
 1) "Come
you blessed of My Father
inherit the kingdom prepared
 for you from the foundation of the world" - Mt 25:34
 2) "Depart from Me
you cursed
into the everlasting fire
 prepared for the devil and his angels" - Mt 25:41
 
2. Since we are one year closer to that day when our final destiny will
 be forever determined
let me use this opportunity...
 a. To provoke your thinking as to how you have used this past year
 b. To suggest some resolutions for the coming year
 
[My goal is to encourage us to make better use of the time we have 
left
and to prepare us for the day of reckoning that awaits us. Let's
begin
then
by asking...]
 
I. IN THE PAST YEAR
 
 A. HAS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND CHRIST IMPROVED?
 1. Have we drawn nearer to God? - cf. Ja 4:8
 2. Bearing in mind that a close relationship depends upon good
 communication...
 a. Have we been faithful in listening to God through His Word?
 1) Another year has gone by; did we read through the Bible
 this year?
 2) If not
and especially if we never have
can we honestly
 say that we are taking our relationship with God 
  seriously?
 b. Have we been steadfast in talking to God through prayer?
 1) Any effective communication requires a two-way street
 2) Therefore fervent Bible study should be joined with
 fervent prayer
  3) Has our degree of prayerfulness increased or decreased
 this year?
 
 B. HAS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH BRETHREN IMPROVED?
 1. Has our love for one another increased this year? - cf. 1 Th
 4:9-10
 2. Are we any closer to one another than we were a year ago?
 a. E.g.
have we been in the homes of brethren?
 b. E.g.
have any of them been in our homes?
 3. Do we even know who our brethren are?
 a. Each year brings new members into the family of God
 b. Have we made the effort to know them? Even by name?
 
 C. HAS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THOSE IN THE WORLD IMPROVED?
 1. As people of God
we have an important responsibility toward
 those in the world - cf. Mt 5:13-16
 a. To be a positive influence ("You are the salt of the
 earth")
 b. To demonstrate a better way ("You are the light of the 
 world")
 2. Have we made progress this year in developing meaningful 
 relationships with people in the world?
 a. So the light of Christ can be seen in our lives
 b. So the gospel of Christ can be communicated to them
 3. Or are we like most "neighbors" in this day and age...
 a. Living next to each other
but not really knowing each 
 other?
 b. Having forgotten the lost art of "Southern hospitality"?
 
[The questions I am raising can be summarized in this way: "Another
year has gone by; have we made good use of the time the Lord has given
us
or have we wasted it?"
 
It is likely that all of us in some degree have not made good use of
the past year. But at this point
let's apply the words of Paul:
 
 "Brethren
I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one 
 thing I do
forgetting those things which are behind and reaching
 forward to those things which are ahead
I press toward the goal
 for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
 (Ph 3:13-14)
 
With this attitude of pressing forward
let me suggest the following
resolutions...]
 
II. FOR THE YEAR AHEAD
 
 A. RESOLVE TO DRAW NEARER TO GOD AND CHRIST...
 1. By having a daily reading program of God's living and abiding
 Word - He 4:12
 a. Read the Old Testament this year - cf. Ro 15:4; 1 Co 10:11;
 2 Ti 3:14-17
 b. Read the New Testament also - Ja 1:21; 1 Pe 2:2
 2. By being diligent in prayer - He 4:14-16
 a. Let's be a thankful people - cf. Co 4:2; 1 Th 5:17-18
  b. Perhaps Daniel's custom of praying three times daily would
 be worthy of emulation - Dan 6:10
 
 B. RESOLVE TO BECOME CLOSER TO THE BRETHREN...
 1. By making it a point to learn every one's name - cf. 3 Jn 14
 a. Get a directory
 b. Each week
connect a couple of names and faces until you
 learn them all
 2. By having a different person or family in your home each month
 - cf. 1 Pe 4:9
 a. It doesn't have to be a fancy dinner
 b. Just a simple visit to become better acquainted
 3. Or by visiting a different person or family each month
 a. It might not always be convenient to have people in your
 home
 b. But you can arrange to visit them in their home (if you are
 alone
take someone with you)
 
 C. RESOLVE TO GET TO KNOW NON-CHRISTIANS BETTER...
 1. By having one new neighbor or co-worker in your home each
 month - cf. Ga 6:10
 2. Or by visiting one new neighbor or co-worker each month
 a. It doesn't have to be a fancy meal or formal visit
 b. It is amazing how far simple hospitality and neighborly 
 kindness can go...
 1) To build meaningful relationships
 2) In which opportunities can be created to share the 
 gospel
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. These resolutions may sound simplistic; but if implemented
they go
 a long way...
 a. To producing the kind of lifestyle that is becoming of Christians
 b. To increasing closer relationships with God
our brethren
and
 the lost
 1) That will bless our lives
 2) And be a blessing to the church and our community
 c. To create a clearer conscience next year at this time
 
2. Time is a precious commodity
given to us by God...
 a. That is truly like a vapor - cf. Ja 4:13-15
 b. That needs to be carefully redeemed - cf. Ep 5:15-16
 -- I hope that these suggestions for resolutions for a new year will
 help you in making better use of it!
 
If you are not a Christian
or a child of God who has strayed from the
Lord
you need to make the best use of the time you have NOW...
 
 "We then
as workers together with Him also plead with you not
 to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: `In an 
 acceptable time I have heard you
And in the day of salvation
 I have helped you.' Behold
now is the accepted time; behold

 now is the day of salvation."
 (2 Co 6:1-2)

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