## New Year: 1994

## Joshua 24:15

A. RESOLUTION TIME AGAIN

B. RESOLUTIONS ARE LIMITED

1. Doing better cannot save us

2. Works do not commend us to God

C. THE VALUE OF RESOLUTIONS

1. It is good to set goals for ourselves

2. Resolutions of Bible characters

3. Let's examine some Bible resolutions

I. Joshua's Resolution (Josh. 24:15)

A. His choice was to serve God

1. God never forces someone to serve Him.

2. God desires that we serve Him out of love.

3. It is up to each of us to make that choice.

B. What will be your choice in 1994?

1. Will you serve God or serve Satan?

2. There is no middle ground in the serving of God.

3. Will He be your choice?

II. David's Resolution (Ps. 116:1-2)

A. His choice was to pray.

1. He gives his reasoning behind the choice.

2. Because God hears and answers prayers.

B. He also chose to praise God at all times. (Ps. 34:1)

1. There is an excellent example for us to follow in 1994 .

2. We need to continue in prayer because prayer is important to our relationship with God.

3. We need to determine to praise Him because:

a. You cannot complain and praise

b. You cannot criticize and praise

c. You cannot gossip and praise

C. David's resolutions concerning God's Word. (Ps. 119:15-16)

1. "I will meditate in thy precepts"

a. The importance of meditating on God's Word.

b. "For as he thinketh in his heart so is he" (Prov. 23:7)

c. Taking God's Word into our minds on a regular basis.

2. "I will delight myself in thy statues"

a. Not to be drudgery, but daily delight.

b. Like a love letter from the Lord.

3. "I will not forget thy word"

a. This calls for memorization.

b. Memorization of the Bible is not just for children.

c. Why not begin to memorize verses each week this year?

4. The value of a resolve to read the Bible through this year.

a. Four chapters daily gets us through the Bible in a year.

b. Reading three chapters on weekdays and five on Sunday will also help us cover the whole Bible.

III. Daniel's Resolution (Dan. 1:4)

A. He decided to remain separated

1. He refused to defile himself with the meat and drink.

2. Though others around him were thinking nothing of it - Daniel refused.

3. "Right is still right even if no one else is doing it and wrong is still wrong even if everyone else is doing it."

4. Daniel took a stand for the Lord when would have been easier not to.

B. He purposed in his heart.

1. His decision was not just a whim, but a personal conviction.

2. We need some heart-felt convictions in our lives.

3. We must purpose to live our lives holy before God.

4. Holy lives are not a result of just chance they are purposed.

IV. The Prodigal Son's Resolution. (Lk. 15:14)

A. He was on the bottom.

1. He had a fine home that he left behind

2. He never left to find fame and fortune; he left to spend all he had.

3. When he finally reached the bottom he saw life in the proper perspective for the first time.

B. He made his resolution

1. To return to the Father.

2. To confess his sin.

3. To become a humble servant.

Conclusion: What does 1994 mean to us? Is it just another year or will it be the year we will resolve to put God first in our life? To serve Him like Joshua; to pray and praise like David; to keep yourself holy like Daniel; to return to the Father as the prodigal son. The choice is ours.