|
Resolutions
by Michael Isaacks Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands. Isaiah 43:19 (The Message) That is the Word the Lord has given me for 2007. Now, Im not saying that is a prophetic word for 2007. I tried that a few years ago and the year turned out to be the exact opposite of the word I said was for that year. But here we are at the beginning of a brand new year, 2007, and that is the verse the Lord spoke to me for this year. Each new year begins with new resolutions we have good intentions of keeping but usually fail in doing so by January 25 or so. We resolve to lose weight, quit smoking, I could go on but you get the picture. I thought for this year, I would look in the Word of God and find some resolutions that would not be so difficult to keep. I will share my resolutions for 2007, and perhaps you may want to adopt them as your own. All Scripture is taken from The Message except where indicated. : RESOLUTIONS FOR 2007: Communicate with God more (Pray) . Psalms 5:3 Every morning you'll hear me at it again. Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar and watch for fire to descend. 2. Bless and Praise God more. Psalms 34:1 I bless GOD every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise. Psalms 63:4 I bless you every time I take a breath; My arms wave like banners of praise to you. Psalms 113:1 Hallelujah! You who serve GOD, praise GOD! Just to speak his name is praise! Psalms 113:2 Just to remember GOD is a blessing-- now and tomorrow and always. Psalms 113:3 From east to west, from dawn to dusk, keep lifting all your praises to GOD! Psalms 135:1 Hallelujah! Praise the name of GOD, praise the works of GOD. Psalms 145:1 David's praise. I lift you high in praise, my God, O my King! and I'll bless your name into eternity. Psalms 145:2 I'll bless you every day, and keep it up from now to eternity. Psalms 145:3 GOD is magnificent; he can never be praised enough. There are no boundaries to his greatness. Psalms 147:1 Hallelujah! It's a good thing to sing praise to our God; praise is beautiful, praise is fitting. 3. Worship God more. Psalms 34:9 Worship GOD if you want the best; worship opens doors to all his goodness. 4. Watch what I say. (I personally dont have a problem with profanity and I work hard to be truthful in all circumstances, but we all sin. [Romans 3:23]) Psalms 34:13 Guard your tongue from profanity, and no more lying through your teeth. 5. Purpose to sin less. Psalms 34:14 Turn your back on sin; do something good. Embrace peace--don't let it get away! 6. Sing to God more. Psalms 47:6 Sing songs to God, sing out! Sing to our King, sing praise! Psalms 47:7 He's Lord over earth, so sing your best songs to God. Psalms 105:1 Hallelujah! Thank GOD! Pray to him by name! Tell everyone you meet what he has done! Psalms 105:2 Sing him songs, belt out hymns, translate his wonders into music! Psalms 105:3 Honor his holy name with Hallelujahs, you who seek GOD. Live a happy life! Psalms 146:1 Hallelujah! O my soul, praise GOD! Psalms 146:2 All my life long I'll praise GOD, singing songs to my God as long as I live. 7. Renew my Spirit in God. Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalms 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. (KJV) 8. Return to the joy of when I first received Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Psalms 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. (KJV) 9. Thank God more. Psalms 54:6 I'm ready now to worship, so ready. I thank you, GOD--you're so good. Psalms 56:12 God, you did everything you promised, and I'm thanking you with all my heart. Psalms 111:1 Hallelujah! I give thanks to GOD with everything I've got-- Wherever good people gather, and in the congregation. Psalms 136:1 Thank GOD! He deserves your thanks. His love never quits. Psalms 136:4 Thank the miracle-working God, His love never quits. 10. Trust God more. Psalms 56:4a I'm proud to praise God; fearless now, I trust in God. Psalms 56:11 Fearless now, I trust in God; what can mere mortals do to me? 11. Depend on God more. Psalms 63:8 I hold on to you for dear life, and you hold me steady as a post. 12. Take a closer look at what God has created. Psalms 66:5 Take a good look at God's wonders-- they'll take your breath away. Psalms 111:2 GOD's works are so great, worth A lifetime of study--endless enjoyment! Psalms 111:3 Splendor and beauty mark his craft; His generosity never gives out. 13. Enjoy God. Psalms 67:5 God! Let people thank and enjoy you. Let all people thank and enjoy you. 14. Honor God. Ok, you know where Im going with this, but before I do: Psalms 67:7 You mark us with blessing, O God. Earth's four corners--honor him! Proverbs 3:9 Honor GOD with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Did you notice that, contrary to what the prosperity preachers preach, this verse is NOT LIMITED TO JUST MONEY! Just thought Id throw that in! 15. Talk about what God has done. Psalms 75:1 An Asaph psalm. We thank you, God, we thank you-- your Name is our favorite word; your mighty works are all we talk about. 16. Listen to God more. Psalms 95:1 Come, let's shout praises to GOD, raise the roof for the Rock who saved us! Psalms 95:2 Let's march into his presence singing praises, lifting the rafters with our hymns! Psalms 95:3 And why? Because GOD is the best, High King over all the gods. Psalms 95:4 In one hand he holds deep caves and caverns, in the other hand grasps the high mountains. Psalms 95:5 He made Ocean--he owns it! His hands sculpted Earth! Psalms 95:6 So come, let us worship: bow before him, on your knees before GOD, who made us! Psalms 95:7 Oh yes, he's our God, and we're the people he pastures, the flock he feeds. Drop everything and listen, listen as he speaks: 17. Cry out to God more. Psalms 142:1 I cry out loudly to GOD, loudly I plead with GOD for mercy. Psalms 142:2 I spill out all my complaints before him, and spell out my troubles in detail: 18. Ok, heres the last one. You knew it was coming! Stay in church. Psalms 150:1 Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy house of worship, praise him under the open skies; Psalms 122:1 ... When they said, "Let's go to the house of GOD," my heart leaped for joy. Hebrews 10:24 Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, Hebrews 10:25 not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24 We should keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things. Hebrews 10:25 Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord's coming is getting closer. (CEV) Wow! you say. Thats a lot. And you are right, it is. But you dont have to do all things in one day, one week, or even one month. You have all year to work on it! I believe that if you and I will work on the resolutions I have made for myself and offered to share with you, we will have a blessed and joyful 2007. Perhaps not all of these resolutions appeal to you. Maybe none of them do. Whatever resolutions you decide to make for 2007, do it with Gods involvement. Ask Him to help you to keep the resolutions you make to Him this year. Ask Him to help you make resolutions that are actually possible for you to do. Think and pray about the resolutions you will make this year before you make them. Because, after all, as Solomon said in Ecclesiastes chapter 5: Ecclesiastes 5:2 Don't shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think. Don't be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear. God's in charge, not you--the less you speak, the better. Ecclesiastes 5:3 Over-work makes for restless sleep. Over-talk shows you up as a fool. Ecclesiastes 5:4 When you tell God you'll do something, do it--now. God takes no pleasure in foolish gabble. Vow it, then do it. Ecclesiastes 5:5 Far better not to vow in the first place than to vow and not pay up. Ecclesiastes 5:6 Don't let your mouth make a total sinner of you. When called to account, you won't get by with "Sorry, I didn't mean it." Why risk provoking God to angry retaliation? Now, take all, some or none of these resolutions I have shared and go forth and have a blessed and joyous 2007! Michael Isaacks, age 45, husband to Pam and father to Faith age 16. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |