Resolved

It is a custom for many Americans to make resolutions on, or about. January I of every year. They may resolve to lose weight, to be a better employee, to be a better husband (or wife), to be more understanding of their children, or many other things that people resolve to do. Making resolutions is good, and it would behoove us to be among those who do such things, especially in one specific area that is: our lives as God's children. The apostle Paul said: "this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:13-14). Basically, Paul is saying that he is resolved to do everything possible to be pleasing to the Lord so that he might reach heaven. All of us ought to do as he did, and that is to reach forward to those things which are before us, always pressing on toward the prize of the high calling of God.

Now, I realize that this is not the first of January, but I believe that the resolution that I would urge all to make is applicable at any time of the year. Sometimes we sing a song which begins with the words "I Am Resolved." There are some things that we should resolve to do, and we ought to begin right now. May I suggest that we all resolve to study the Word of God more earnestly, with more diligence, that we might truly be the people that the Lord wants.

There was a time when members of the church of Christ were able to always give an answer to every man that asked a reason of the hope that was in them, as Peter states that we must, in 1 Peter 3:15. However. in this day and time, it seems that most people are prone to let their preacher answer all their questions, as well as telling them what they need to know, and how to go about doing what God wants. Far too often, it seems that we, ourselves, have reached the point where we have so many things with which to occupy our minds - - there is television, movies (video and theater), video arcades, the Internet, and many other things. Now, we all know that the Lord demands that we know His Will, and we understand that the only way that we can do that is to study, to apply ourselves to the gaining of the knowledge of His Will. Paul tells us to "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim 2:15). We are to "be diligent" in this study. We are to study with a view to eternity, because: if we don't know God's Will, we can not be approved of Him. And unless we are approved of Him, we will not be allowed to enter into heaven. Doesn't it make sense that we make every effort possible to know God's Will?

Did you know that each and every day, we are presenting ourselves to the Lord? And just because we believe that God is, and that Jesus is the Son of God, does NOT mean that the Lord will approve of everything that we do. Paul says that "it is required in stewards, that a man must be found faithful " (1 Cor 4:2). Faithful - in every respect, in every aspect of Christianity. This means, as the song suggests, that we want to be workers for the Lord; workers who will work, workers who will pray, workers who will do everything humanly possible to obey each and every command of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.

Finally, we must show the world that we are not ashamed of who we are. We must be able, and ready, to answer all the questions that might be asked of us by our neighbors, by our friends, by our families, and yes, by those whom we don't even know! Let us resolve to know God's Word. Let us resolve to show, by our lives, that we are not ashamed of the Lord. Being ashamed of being a Christian means that one is ashamed of Christ. We all need to give earnest consideration to the words of Jesus, in Mark 8:38, where He states:

"whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of'Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

One thing is sure, none of us wants the Lord to be ashamed of us in the day of judgment. Therefore, let us all resolve to do as the apostle Paul. Let us all "reach forth unto those things which are before us," so that we might attain the "prize of the high calling of God."