Hi I am Sandi Phillips, the pastor here at Wesley Chapel. Thank you for joining us on our website! We are much more fun in church, though, so feel free to worship with us at any time. I know that my family and I feel very blessed to be a part of the congregation here at Wesley Chapel, and I hope that you will check it out for yourself. In the meanwhile, I like to say that life is all about perspective--so I thought I would share mine from time to time. Please feel free to email or call to discuss.
Welcome to the new year! What a joy it is to be given more time to spend to the glory of the Lord. I wonder, what will we do with the time we are given? Traditionally, this is the time of year when many of us will come up with resolutions to address that very question. For those that do, we will have the greatest intentions to follow through—but alas, resolutions are far easier to make than to keep. Others will argue that there is no point in making them, exactly for the reason above. For these folks, resolutions are easier to ignore than to make.
The truth of the matter is, however, some resolutions might be good for all of us—and for God’s kingdom at hand. Part of the key, I suspect, is making resolutions that are both reasonable and possible. This CAN be done, and will allow us to better ourselves, through the power of the Spirit in our lives Of course, these resolutions must be in accord with God’s will in order for the Spirit to guide us. With that in mind, here are some suggestions that might be useful for us:
Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)
Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humble entreat Him, by His grace, to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ's sake. [I will] remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.
Resolved, That I will do whatsoever I think to be most to the glory of God, and my own good, profit, and pleasure, in the whole of my duration; without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved, to do whatever I think to be my duty, and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general.
Resolved, Never to lose one moment of time, but to improve it in the most profitable way I possibly can.
Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
Resolved, Never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.
Resolved, Never to do anything out of revenge.
Resolved, Never to speak evil of any one, so that it shall tend to his dishonour, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.
Resolved, To study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly, and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive,
myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.
Resolved, Never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession which I cannot hope God will accept.
Resolved, To ask myself, at the end of every day, week, month, and year, wherein I could possibly, in any respect, have done better.
Resolved, Never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.
Resolved, After afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them; what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.
Resolved, Always to do that which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it. Let there be something of benevolence in all that I speak.
Jonathan Edwards, The Works of
Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 1.
The challenge? Can we, as a church, take these resolutions to heart? Can we decide to commit to them together, and to use them to show God’s kingdom to the people around us? In fact, let’s start right now! I’ll even go first: I resolve these things, and I ask you to hold me
accountable for keeping them. Will you do that? And, will you take these resolutions on yourself as well? It’s the least that we can do, after all that God has done for us. Imagine: we can make 2012 the year of our Lord in a whole new way….. God’s kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven….
Hopeful in God for the new year,
Pastor Sandi Phillips
