“The church
is not a museum for saints but a hospital for sinners”
The Good
News means we can stop lying to ourselves. The sweet sound of amazing grace saves us from the necessity
of self-deception. It keeps us
from denying that though Christ was victorious, the battle with lust, greed and
pride still rages within us.
Manning
How's that going for you?
Well, if you're not struggling you will, especially if your focus and heart for 2014 is spiritual in nature.
Jonathan Edwards is well known for may writings but there's one list that stands above the rest. He created a list of 70, yes 70 resolutions. His heart and passion to live for the glory of God was greater than I can imagine which came out in this list.
Edward's desire to keep this list wasn't out of human effort or ego but out of a humble Christ dependent desire to live for God. His statement at the beginning of the resolutions makes this clear.
Being sensible that I am unable to do any thing without God’s help, I do
humbly 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.
You can find all 70 resolutions here.
Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards
But as you would might imagine, like us, he struggled to keep his resolutions. (well, there were 70)
It seemed yesterday, the day before, and Saturday, that I should always
retain the same resolutions to the same height. But alas! how soon do I
decay! O how weak, how infirm, how unable to do anything of myself! What
a poor inconsistent being! What a miserable wretch, without the
assistance of the Spirit of God! While I stand, I am ready to think that
I stand by my own strength, and upon my own legs; and I am ready to
triumph over my spiritual enemies, as if it were I myself that caused
them to flee: — when alas! I am but a poor infant, upheld by Jesus
Christ; who holds me up, and gives me liberty to smile to see my enemies
flee, when he drives them before me. And so I laugh, as though I myself
did it, when it is only Jesus Christ leads me along, and fights himself
against my enemies. And now the Lord has a little left me, how weak do I
find myself! O let it teach me to depend less on myself, to be more
humble, and to give more of the praise of my ability to Jesus Christ!
(January 15, 1722)
"What a poor inconsistent being!"
I'm super thankful for God's grace freely given. You?
Now, maybe I can start over...
