Enlarge My Heart - New Year's Day Sermon

Thinking about a New Year's resolution? Think on this...

    I will run in the way of your commandments
        when you enlarge my heart!
(Psalm 119:32 ESV)

Just Pick One....Or Two...

New Years is always a time for resolutions and though I think resolutions are for the most part a waste of time, there is some profit in thinking about where I, or should I say we, can improve in holiness. So, I find myself returning to the resolutions of Jonathan Edwards and picking one or two where I find myself lacking or where I've grossly missed the opportunity to cultivate holiness. Hence, here are my two picks:

9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

28. 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.

30. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.

41. Resolved, to ask myself at the end of every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly in any respect have done better.

OK, that was four. But I see more of God's grace every day and try to see less of self which results in more resolutions I need to embrace. Edwards was a better man than I which seems to have given him the ability to have 70 resolutions. For me, let me take on a few and apply my focus there.

May the Lord be with us in MMXI and may we seek him with all our hearts.

Edwards Resolutions Part 2

This is part 2 of my post on Jonathan Edward’s Resolutions so, as it coincides with the New Year, let’s have at it. Edwards next five are:

6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.
9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.
10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.

As I find myself aging I find more things going wrong and I’m ever more conscience of my mortality. And, like many of us, I have a few re-occurring problems which haunt me from time to time. So, I find number 10 jumping off the page at me. God has truly blessed me in this area even when I don’t think so. I often try to remind myself of some of the theologians that have gone before us and their health issues which were legion compared to my own (our own?). Richard Baxter, if I’m not mistaken, had a nagging stomach problem and we’ve all heard or read the stories of John Calvin and his kidney stones. I thank the Lord everyday that we live in a time where pain management is at its best but we all still have our aches and pains and there is some pain that still cannot be circumvented. At these times, let’s remember Edward’s resolution.

A Resolution on the Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

The resolutions of Jonathan Edwards can be quite overwhelming. Seventy prescriptions is quite a bit to try to keep up with and or emulate in our own lives. My thought is to look at 5 per week (or month or....) and pick one to make a resolution in our own lives. So, let's begin. Here is the first five:

1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God's glory, 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 myriad's 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 to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and how great soever.
2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new invention and contrivance to promote the aforementioned things.
3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.
4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.
5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.

Lately, and rightfully so I think, I've been giving thought to making the most of every moment. Even during times of relaxation and rest I endeavor to make use of that time in the most profitable manner.

Read all of the resolutions here.