RESOLUTION #20

I RESOLVE to stay close to God and clean before God.

You never drift toward Christlikeness or Godliness.  It takes intentional, vigilant effort.  Without the help of God even that is impossible.  Better said then, I desire (again--praying that God would give me right desires and affections) to be close to God that I would know Him and thus know His will.  Know Him that I would be able to serve and please Him.  Being clean is the prerequisite for closeness.  His expectation is that we be "holy" and "perfect" as He is "holy" and "perfect."  Our sin, which separates us from God, must be dealt with...once and for all on the cross by Christ and then regularly by us through repentance.

John Owen wrote:  "...always be killing sin or it will be killing you."  Regarding our effort toward sin he points out:  "It must be our constant daily duty to mortify it."  Owen advises:  "Do not let your heart be happy with your present condition, even for a moment."  He presses:  "As long as your conscience is able to justify your failure, your soul will never vigorously attempt the mortification of sin."

Tough words...challenging words, but not impossible as the result of the reconciling blood of Christ.

Remember, again in the words of Owen, as you look ahead to 2010:  "Spiritual negligence itself is really a choice."  So how will you press toward being "holy" in 2010?  How will you press toward being "perfect" in 2010?  Determine the course of your trajectory today!