“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus

Christ is in you? – Unless indeed you are disqualified.”

2 Corinthians 13:5

Some REAL Resolutions (2)

2 Corinthians 13:5

• With 2012 approaching it is a good time to examine.

• In our lessons today we want to notice some underlying issues that could hinder us from achieving our goals.

Seek First the Kingdom of God

•Matthew 6:33 - This is the key to everything

• It means that He is our priority

• It means it is the first thing to be addressed

Love God with all your heart

•Matthew 22:37-40• “Christian love” (agape)

• Demonstrated by keeping His commandments – 1 John 5:2-3, 2:3-5John 14:15

Renew your mind

•Romans 12:1-2• Renew – to reinvigorate, to

make like new again, only better.

•2 Cor. 4:16, Col. 3:10, Eph. 4:23

Renew your mind

• What does this have to do with resolutions?

• A KEY element! You have to make up your mind to you will serve God first and love Him

Renew your mind

• IF you find that you are struggling with putting God first, chances are you have NOT made up your mind toward Him

Learn Self-Control

• Needed when times of weakness and apathy begin to set in.

• Important to the success of anything we do.

• Failure is behind every sin we commit, and many problems in society

Learn Self-Control

• The Bible and self-control

•Acts 24:25 – before Felix

•2 Peter 1:6 – added to faith

•Gal. 5:23 – fruit of the Spirit

•2 Tim. 3:3 – lack of it

Learn Self-Control

• Involves self-discipline1 Cor. 9:24-27

• Let us resolve to master our bodies instead of letting our bodies master us.

Overcome the World

• Worldliness has always been a problem

• Affluence often leads to worldliness

•Luke 12:13-21, 18:24-25James 4:4

Overcome the World

•1 John 2:15-17• We need to think “other worldly”

Col. 3:1-2, Phil. 3:4-9, cf. Heb. 11:24-26 – Moses

• What will we give up for Him?

Be Content

• The challenge of prosperity is contentment (also a challenge of poverty)

•1 Tim. 6:6-8• Phil. 4:11• Prov. 30:8-9• Goes hand in hand with seeking

first His kingdom

Reach Forward

• Let us determine to NOT live in the past. Far too many live in medoicrity.

• Such things destroy and damage body and soul

• Christians need to move ahead

Reach Forward

• Christians need to move ahead

•Phil. 3:12-14, Heb. 12:1-2, Gal. 6:9

• Let us never give up. When we fall down – GET UP!

Increase my faith

• Faith is a key ingredient in the Christian life cf. 2 Pet. 1:5-7

• Lack of faith often a hindrance in spiritual growth and maturity

• 2 Cor. 10:15, Rom. 1:8, 1 Thess. 1:8-9

Increase my faith

• Luke 17:5, Mark 9:23-24

•Psalm 37:25• As the priority of the kingdom

increases, our faith will grow naturally

Care about others

•Matt. 22:37-40• The second greatest

commandment – love your neighbor as yourself

•Rom. 13:9, Gal. 5:14, Jas. 2:8, etc.

Care about others

• Other passagesPhil. 2:3-4, Gal. 6:10

• We NEED to care about others enough to share God’s kingdom – cf. Matt. 5:14-16

• Let’s resolve to care & share

Is God and His Kingdom first?

2 Corinthians 13:5