I DON’T NEED A NEW YEARS RESOLUTION
I NEED A NEW ME
EZEKIEL 11:19-21
I NEED A NEW ME
Have you made your new years resolutions? If you did, have made a determination
to keep them? Have you made a plan to keep your new years resolutions?
It is a ritual that some of us go through with no realistic idea of what it will
take to put resolutions into action. Our determination is strong when we make
them, but lose their strength by the end of the month and not thought of by
the end of the second month.
What I have discovered, is I don’t need a new years resolution, I need a new me.
Unless I change the way I think and do things , nothing will change. I really
don’t have the strength to do a new me. I got to first change and rely on the
savior.
This evening, I would like to look at some scriptures where God has made a
resolution to do something new with us.
GOD’S PLAN FOR A NEW ME
Ezekiel 11:19-21
19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
God gave Israel the 10 commandments around 1500 BC. Israel made resolutions after
resolution to keep God’s commands but never did for any long length of time.
After 900 years of tolerance, God gave Ezekiel a new resolution.
Israel couldn’t keep the commandments, so God resolved to take action.
Notice God has plan. We cannot get out of our inactive state without God.
1) I will give them an undivided heart
Out of the heart flows the issues of life. You can’t have a heart focused on
God if it is divided between doing right and doing wrong.
Let’s go to church on Sunday and give God the praise, and Sunday afternoon
praise the the favorite team with more noise and excitement.
God didn’t say don’t watch sports? Don’t give your sports team credit for
being good. They are only good because of the resources God allowed them.
Are they really good? Jesus said there is no one good but the Lord.
The Israelite's praised God in the sanctuary, but Baal in their daily lives.
We are no different. It’s God on Sunday and the man on Monday.
We run to the man on Monday. But we might not show up for Sunday Services
and probable want show for Bible Study. We plan to go to work, but just
happen to show for Sunday Services if there is nothing more important
going on.
The reason we find it difficult to change is our focus is divided between doing
what need to be done and doing what make us feel good. It is easier to stay
the same and do nothing than to make a change.
We have to rely on God to strengthen us for change. It starts with an undivided
heart. It starts in prayer, create in us a clean heart and a right spirit. Psalm 51:10
2) I will put a new spirit in them
The old spirit we were born with, is corrupted with sin. We didn’t do it,
we were born in sin. The new spirit is the Holy Spirit that took residence in
us the moment we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We have to make
an effort to submit ourselves to the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit.
We have to have a desire for the Holy Spirit to take control of our thinking.
3) I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.
He is able to remove the adamant , or rebel spirit. He will replace that rebel spirit
with a spirit that is influenced by the Word. A spirit that is not impressed by the world,
but is impressed by the Word of God.
4) Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
Notice God did a work in us to get us prepared to be obedient.
God completes the first three steps to get us to step 4;
Undivided heart, new spirit, replace stony heart with heart of flesh.
Once there is a change of heart and change of spirit, then we are ready to follow
God’s commands. Our prayer, God do this work in me.
5) The encouragement: They will be my people and I will be their God.
It is important to know and be encouraged by the truth that God is our God and
we are His people.
God’s change in us is what it will take to keep any resolution.
It is not about us but the Jesus in us that powers us to
to make and keep a resolution.
An undivided heart focused on Jesus is the resolution I need.
I have to submit myself to be guided by the Holy Spirit to make any worthwhile
change in my life. Resolutions ought to be made to glorify God and draw others
to Christ.
GOD MAKE ME OVER
Ephesians 4:22-24
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
We have choices in this life. We make choices many times a day, What will I
ware? What will I eat? Where will I go? The list goes on and on.
The first and most important choice we should make is what kind of character will I develop and display?
Put on the character of Christ. The old man of the flesh is dead and the new
man in Christ is alive with the goodness of God lit up like a Christmas tree for
all to see. We must be mindful that what we say and what we do drives some to
Christ and encourages and up lifts others. The righteousness of Christ displayed
in us may be the only Church some will be see.
Not only that, but we can think ourselves into a mood makes us want to be
be better and look better for the glory of God.
PRACTICING THE NEW SELF
Colossians 3:9-10
9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator,
In this day and time the truth is a rare quality of life. A lie is more acceptable
and expected coming from our politicians and from out social media outlets.
We just celebrated the the birth of our Lord an Savior with the lie that lights
and trees and gifts to ourselves is the reason for the season. We feel good about
ourselves with a mention of Christ mixed in with the mystical jolly old saint nick.
We must be careful that our celebration is the reminder of the mercy and
grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who’s birth was the start of a
new way of living that glorifies the Father 365 days a year. Our life on this
earth was designed to proclaim the gospel Of Jesus Christ in words,
actions and deeds for all to see and rejoice.
THE NEW WAY OF LIVING
Hebrews 10:19-23
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
From this day forward my brothers and sisters, let us go forth with the knowledge
that we are the Church of Jesus Christ that was not built by human hands and cannot
be torn down by the corruption of this world. From this day forward let us
go forth with the knowledge and confidence that Jesus is our High Priest living in us, with us, and through us and has washed us clean with His blood.
We are ambassadors for Christ for all the world to see and be drawn to Him in the
hope and promise of eternal life. Our daily resolution ought to be to become
more like Jesus and to be drawn nearer to the Father.
COMPETENT MINISTERS
2 Corinthians 3:5-6
But our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Like the Apostle Paul proclaimed, I am determined to know nothing but Jesus Christ and
Him crucified. It is faith in Jesus plus nothing that gives us victory over life’s
trials and tribulations. My salvation is not of works so I cannot boast but lifting
up Jesus draws all men to Him.
Living in the spirit, we are confident ministers of Christ empowered and ordained
by the Word of God to proclaim His glory, power and control.
I DON’T NEED A NEW YEARS RESOLUTION, I
`NEED A NEW ME IN JESUS Christ.
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