{"id":302186,"date":"2010-12-30T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2010-12-30T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/three-gospel-resolutions-part-1\/"},"modified":"2010-12-30T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2010-12-30T17:00:00","slug":"three-gospel-resolutions-part-1","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/three-gospel-resolutions-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Gospel Resolutions, Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Each new year millions of people make resolutions, from the silly to the noble &#8230; and by the second week of the year, most of them are broken or forgotten.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":294104,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/web.familylifetoday.com\/fl2010-12-30.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:","filesize":"21.74M","filesize_raw":"22798372","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[2906,2822],"tags":[4929,4722,4159,5013],"podcast_series":[7779],"cwp_profile":[3142],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-302186","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-becoming-a-christian","category-growing-in-your-faith","tag-christian-life","tag-christianity","tag-gospel","tag-new-year","podcast_series-three-gospel-resolutions","cwp_profile-bob-lepine","series-familylife-today"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg?w=508","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/02\/image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/302186\/three-gospel-resolutions-part-1","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/302186\/three-gospel-resolutions-part-1","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303?mt=2&app=podcast","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-today","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"3Xr0VcwS0M\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/three-gospel-resolutions-part-1\/\">Three Gospel Resolutions, Part 1<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/three-gospel-resolutions-part-1\/embed\/#?secret=3Xr0VcwS0M\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;Three Gospel Resolutions, Part 1&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"3Xr0VcwS0M\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg",508,508,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"kfairris@familylife.com","author_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/author\/kfairrisfamilylife-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Each new year millions of people make resolutions, from the silly to the noble ... and by the second week of the year, most of them are broken or forgotten.","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylifetoday.com\/fl2010-12-30.pdf","transcript_content":"<strong>Bob: <\/strong>\u00a0I want you to imagine for a moment that you were sitting down at the table with Jesus and making plans for resolutions for the New Year.\u00a0\u00a0 What kind of counsel do you think He would give you?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThis is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> for Thursday, December 30<sup>th<\/sup>.\u00a0 Our host is the President of FamilyLife Dennis Rainey, and I\u2019m Bob Lepine.\u00a0 We are going to talk today about a new way to think about resolutions for the coming year.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWelcome to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>; thanks for joining us on the\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Do you like the speaker on today\u2019s broadcast, Bob?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 How am I supposed to answer that?\u00a0 How do you answer that question?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u00a0(laughter)\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 The reason is, folks, Bob Lepine is going to be giving a message that he gave about a year ago, a message about New Year\u2019s resolutions.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Do you make resolutions?\u00a0\u00a0 Do you do that every year?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 Kind of. Kind of.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 I made a resolution years ago never to make resolutions\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Resolutions.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t(laughter)\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 And I\u2019ve kept that.\u00a0 I\u2019ve stuck with that one. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 You are going to enjoy this message that Bob Lepine gives here in a few moments.\u00a0 We just wanted to step in here and remind you: We only have two days left to take full advantage of the matching gift that has been established here for <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 That would be today and tomorrow that we need to hear from you.\u00a0 Here is what has happened.\u00a0 We had some friends of the ministry back at the beginning of the month came to us and said, \u201cWe want to encourage <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> listeners to support the ministry.\u201d\u00a0 So, they put up a little more than two million dollars as a matching gift fund.\u00a0 They said, \u201cFor every dollar that you receive, you can take a dollar out of the fund.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOur listeners heard about that and started responding.\u00a0 It was great.\u00a0 Then, we had some other families come along and say, \u201cWe want to add to the matching fund.\u00a0 We want to see it grow.\u201d\u00a0 So, in fact, it has now gone up over three million dollars.\u00a0 We are near the end of the month.\u00a0 We haven\u2019t hit three million dollars yet.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 That is right.\u00a0 That is the challenge to this thing, Bob.\u00a0 It is the largest matching gift we\u2019ve ever had in the thirty-four year history of FamilyLife.\u00a0 So, we are coming to you as a listener saying, \u201cCould you help us take full advantage of more than three million dollars that has been established to come along side <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> to keep us on this radio station, to keep us producing resources for you and your family, your marriage and do that with a generous gift here today or tomorrow?\u201d\u00a0 It has to be by midnight tomorrow night.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 Honestly, it is going to be tough to do.\u00a0 It would be a shame not to be able to take full advantage of these matching funds that have been made available.\u00a0 We are just asking folks if you would do whatever it is you can do\u2014if that is a ten dollar donation, a fifty dollar donation, a hundred, five hundred.\u00a0 I mean, some folks can make a thousand or a couple thousand dollar donation that would be wonderful.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe need to hear from you today either online or by phone.\u00a0 Call 1-800-FL-TODAY or make a donation online at FamilyLifeToday.com.\u00a0 Those funds will unlock some of the matching funds for us.\u00a0 We will be able to draw out of that matching fund.\u00a0 We hope to take as much advantage as we can of those funds.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 We knew when this fund was established it was going to stretch our giving audience; yet, that was what was really in the minds of those who help establish the matching challenge.\u00a0 They said, \u201cYou know what?\u00a0 Let\u2019s see if we can\u2019t see a record amount of giving here for <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> to really put some wind beneath their wings as they move into the New Year.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFolks, I\u2019m asking you, \u201cCan you help us?\u201d\u00a0 We sure would appreciate it.\u00a0 For those of you who can\u2019t give, would you pray?\u00a0 Pray that God will grant us favor in battle and that He will raise up those to take full advantage of more than three million dollars here at year end.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 1-800-FL-TODAY, the number to call or go online at FamilyLifeToday.com.\u00a0 We just want to say thanks in advance for whatever you are able to do.\u00a0 We appreciate your support of this ministry.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Now we need to listen to a message that given by a guy that Bob really likes.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Yes.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t(laughter)\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 In fact, his message was really a treat.\u00a0 It was actually given to all of those couples who speak at our Weekend to Remember\u00ae marriage getaways, our speaker team.\u00a0 It was given a little less than a year ago, early January.\u00a0 I think you are going to benefit from this as you find out about how to make not New Year\u2019s resolutions but Gospel resolutions.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 By this time of the year if you\u2019ve made any New Year\u2019s resolutions, you\u2019ve probably reneged on at least one of them, right?\u00a0 We start out with good intentions in a New Year, but I don\u2019t know how long it takes for you before those good intentions start to fade.\u00a0 Maybe it is because our resolutions are wrongly set.\u00a0 That is what I want to talk to you about this morning.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tJonathan Edwards when he was nineteen years old wrote out a list of seventy resolutions.\u00a0 If you were to read them, you would be struck by how shallow your spiritual life is compared to the depth of this nineteen year old young man.\u00a0 Who in his resolutions, he purposed that he would read these seventy daily for the rest of his life.\u00a0 Now, that would be a resolution I would break right off the top of the bat.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI not only can\u2019t read my resolutions every day but to have seventy of them would just kind of load me up.\u00a0 I\u2019m a simple guy; so, I\u2019m going to suggest to you this morning what I think are three resolutions that need to be our daily resolutions.\u00a0 Not just in the new year but probably for the rest of our lives, three new life resolutions.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tMost resolutions that we make are either a pledge for some kind of self discipline or they are a pledge for some kind of moral improvement.\u00a0 Now, I\u2019m not against self discipline, and I\u2019m not against moral improvement.\u00a0 In fact, self discipline:\u00a0 we are to discipline ourselves, Paul tells Timothy, for the purpose of godliness.\u00a0 1Timothy 4:7 \u201cDiscipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe word for discipline there is gymnadzo.\u00a0 It means go to the gym.\u00a0 It means that you are to be in the spiritual gym on a regular basis\u2014on a daily basis\u2014for the purpose of godliness.\u00a0 If you want to be more like God, you have got to go to the spiritual gym.\u00a0 So, I\u2019m not against moral improvement, and I\u2019m not against discipline.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIn fact, there are some things that are right about that.\u00a0 It is God\u2019s will for each of us to be more and more conformed into the image of Christ.\u00a0 Moral improvement and self discipline are a part of how that happens.\u00a0 It is the desire of every person who really loves Jesus to want to know him more and to look more like him.\u00a0 So, it is the right motivation to want that to happen.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHebrews 12 says that there is a peaceable fruit that accompanies righteousness.\u00a0 We long for peaceable fruit in our lives, don\u2019t we?\u00a0 I mean, we long for our lives to be full of peaceable fruit.\u00a0 Hebrews 12 says that accompanies righteousness.\u00a0 So, if you want peaceable fruit, the pursuit of righteousness is the pursuit of peaceable fruit.\u00a0 So, there is no problem with moral improvement.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI\u2019m a little concerned because I see some people today, especially young people, who tend to equate the desire for righteousness or moral improvement with legalism.\u00a0 They look at the desire for holiness; and they go, \u201cMan, look, I\u2019m free in Christ, okay?\u00a0 I have freedom in Christ; so, don\u2019t trip me up with all that legalistic stuff.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWell, here is what we need to know: Freedom in Christ is not freedom from holiness.\u00a0 God did not set you free so you don\u2019t have to be holy.\u00a0 That is not what freedom in Christ is about.\u00a0 Freedom in Christ is freedom from slavery to sin.\u00a0 Freedom to obey Christ, which you didn\u2019t have before you came to faith.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, a person says, \u201cMan, I\u2019m free in Christ.\u201d\u00a0 Isn\u2019t it great you are no longer a slave to sin?\u00a0 You are now a slave to righteousness.\u00a0 That is what your freedom in Christ is all about.\u00a0 Hallelujah!\u00a0 Galatians 5:13 is a key verse.\u00a0 It says, \u201cYou were called to freedom, but do not use your freedom to gratify the flesh.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThere are\u2014and I\u2019m picking on young people.\u00a0 I guess there are grownups who are like this too, but I just see a lot of young people today \u201cI\u2019m free in Christ.\u201d\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 You are free in Christ.\u00a0 Do not use your freedom to gratify the flesh; you are free in Christ to love and serve Him and others.\u00a0 That is what you are free in Christ for.\u00a0 Then, it goes on to say, \u201cWalk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, I believe that for many the impulse behind moral improvement and self discipline is reflecting the way we were created to live\u2014to live righteously before God, holy, righteous lives that honor Him, give evidence of His transforming grace in our lives.\u00a0 I think that is a good impulse, but I want to suggest to you this morning that I think many people\u2014many of us\u2014pursue moral improvement in a way that is not founded on the centrality of the Gospel and the reality of the Cross of Christ.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHere is what I mean by that.\u00a0 For some, the approach to moral improvement falls right into the middle of the Galatian problem.\u00a0 You remember when Paul challenged the church of Galatia or in the regions of Galatia.\u00a0 You remember this?\u00a0 All of the New Testament letters begin with a commendation: Paul saying, \u201cI thank God always in my remembrance of you\u201d except the Galatians letter.\u00a0 He doesn\u2019t thank his God always in remembrance of them.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Because they\u2019ve lost the Gospel.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSaid, \u201cI don\u2019t have time to thank God.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got to get to the urgent issue.\u00a0 You foolish Galatians, I don\u2019t care if an angel comes in here preaching another Gospel; you don\u2019t buy it.\u00a0 He is an anathema.\u201d\u00a0 He gets to Galatians 3, and Paul says, \u201cYou foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you?\u201d\u00a0 Then he says, \u201cHaving begun in the Spirit, why are you now trying to perfect in the flesh?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI think many make these resolutions for moral improvement for self discipline and what they try to do is they try to perfect in the flesh what was begun in the Spirit.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to talk about what I think that means and why I think that is a problem here.\u00a0 Some New Year\u2019s resolutions are a pitiful attempt to be perfected in the flesh.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI\u2019m going to resolve; I\u2019m going to try harder; I\u2019m going to do better; I\u2019m going to clean up my act; I\u2019m going to use my strength; I\u2019m going to do the best I can to live a better life.\u00a0 That is a Galatian problem.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIf Paul was here this morning and we were saying that he would say, \u201cYou foolish people who has bewitched you?\u201d\u00a0 The kind of pursuit of moral improvement\u2014one of the other reasons this is a problem, this kind of pursuit of moral improvement is because it evidences a confident in the flesh.\u00a0 If it succeeds\u2014if you say I\u2019m going to my best to improve morally and you do, guess what that leads to?\u00a0 Pride.\u00a0 I can do that.\u00a0 I can do other things.\u00a0 If you try and fail, what does that lead to?\u00a0 Condemnation.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, when you try for moral improvement whether you succeed or whether you fail, you are lead to sin.\u00a0 So, to pull yourself by your own boot straps as it were and try to improve yourself spiritually can lead to corrupted spiritual fruit.\u00a0 Catch this: if you think to yourself\u2014this is a subtle thought that is in the back of our minds\u2014there is a subtle thought that says, \u201cIf I can become a better person, God will become more pleased with me.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou need to understand that that is a denial of the Cross of Christ.\u00a0 That is a false Gospel because what you are thinking when you think that is that somehow God is pleased with you on the basis of your performance not the finished work of Christ, not the righteousness of Christ.\u00a0 If you are thinking even subtly that your performance merits the favor of God that is a dangerous, heretical, damnable lie.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, instead of making New Year\u2019s resolutions for moral improvement or self discipline, I want to suggest three new life resolutions that we need to make and keep.\u00a0 I believe these resolutions need to mark our lives as I said not just in the New Year but throughout our lives.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFirst of all, we need to daily, consciously reaffirm the Lordship of Christ over our lives.\u00a0 That is resolution number one.\u00a0 Daily, consciously reaffirm the Lordship of Christ over your life.\u00a0 Declare it.\u00a0 Secondly, we need to daily, consciously repent.\u00a0 Thirdly, we need to daily, consciously re-believe the Gospel.\u00a0 Reaffirm the Lordship of Christ, repent, and re-believe the Gospel as a daily discipline, consciously doing that.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI believe that if we want not just this year but the rest of our lives to have real change and real moral improvement, these resolutions are the key.\u00a0 Now I\u2019m going to unpack these for you.\u00a0 This is nothing new for you.\u00a0 You\u2019ve heard this before.\u00a0 I think these resolutions may sound simple and self evident; but to live them out as a daily, conscious focus in our lives is, I believe, transformational for every one of us.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThat first resolution to reaffirm the Lordship of Christ over our lives is really a reaffirmation that He rules, He reigns, and He has the right to call the shots.\u00a0 It is a daily acknowledgement that He is God and you are not.\u00a0 It is a daily reaffirmation that first of all is built on the fact that there is a God and He is our Creator.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou understand the principle: what you create is yours.\u00a0 If we were here arguing intellectual property law this morning, we would argue the fact that what is your created work, you own.\u00a0 No one else can own it.\u00a0 You control it.\u00a0 You decide what it can and how it can and can\u2019t be used, what happens to it.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWell, God is our Creator, we are His intellectual property.\u00a0 He owns us.\u00a0 It is His decision how His intellectual property gets used.\u00a0 He has made us for Himself.\u00a0 We are His.\u00a0 We are not our own.\u00a0 We have been bought with a price.\u00a0 Life is for Him, it is about Him.\u00a0 He designed it.\u00a0 He rules over it.\u00a0 Our existence belongs to Him.\u00a0 He gives us life.\u00a0 He gives us breath so that we can enjoy, we can do what He created us to do which is to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, when you repent and believe the Gospel for the first time when you get saved or you are born again or you become a Christian, give your life to Christ whatever expression you want to use for it, what happens in that moment is that your life is repurposed.\u00a0 Your life is taken from the wrong purpose that you have assigned to it, and it is repurposed to what the original Manufacturer\u2019s design for it was.\u00a0 That is what happens when a person passes from the Kingdom of Darkness to the Kingdom of Light.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe calibration\u2014well, it is like this.\u00a0 You take your car in to get the wheels realigned, right?\u00a0 What has happened over time as you drive your car is that wheels have started to move so that they are not pointed in the right direction.\u00a0 The realignment puts it on that machine and calibrates it so that they are now pointed in the direction it was designed to point in.\u00a0 So, that the tires will last longer.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhen we come to faith in Christ, there is a\u2014Dennis has said for years\u2014a spiritual wheel alignment that takes place in your life that recalibrates your life to what the original purpose for it was.\u00a0 What I am suggesting to you is that recalibration is not a once for all recalibration; but that daily acknowledging, re-acknowledging, reaffirming the right of God to rule over your life is the recalibration of your life to His purposes.\u00a0 It is a reaffirmation that He is in control and you are not, He is God, His purposes rule and reign and yours don\u2019t.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhen you are reaffirming the Lordship of Christ over your life every day, you are acknowledging that there is a natural drift in your life away from His purposes and plan.\u00a0 That is the natural drift of your life every day.\u00a0 It is the flesh.\u00a0 We need to re-acknowledge His right to rule and reign and to hold sway over our lives.\u00a0 It presupposes that we agree that the Manufacturer knows best how our lives ought to be calibrated.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, resolution number one: re-acknowledge the Lordship of Christ, His Kingship, His ownership over your life.\u00a0 Now we say that, and we all confess Jesus is Lord.\u00a0 Functionally, is that how we live?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI was watching the Cowboys and the Eagles\u2014was watching the game.\u00a0 It occurred to me as you watch professional football games.\u00a0 It is really interesting.\u00a0 Before every play is run, there is a gathering of a group of multimillionaires on both sides of the ball.\u00a0 Have you ever thought about this?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThese multimillionaires on both sides of the ball get together and through the helmet of one of the multimillionaires instructions are sent from somebody who is paid much less than him on what he\u2019s supposed to do next.\u00a0 Then, he tells everybody else what they are going to do.\u00a0 Then, they get up, and they run the play.\u00a0 When the play is over, they all huddle up and say \u201cWhat\u2019s next?\u201d\u00a0 The low paying guy tells them what\u2019s next; and then, they all go out and do it.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFrom time to time, the quarterback will come up and he has been given permission by the coach to audible and make a change in the play.\u00a0 For the most part, seventy plays a game the millionaires are being told by the lesser paid guys what to do, and they are running the plays.\u00a0 How often do we huddle up?\u00a0 How often do we in our lives stop and say, \u201cOkay, Lord, what is the play?\u00a0 What do I do?\u00a0 What do you want?\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThis is not the case of the millionaire asking the lesser paid guy.\u00a0 This is the place of the creation asking the Creator, \u201cLord, what\u2019s next?\u201d\u00a0 Huddle up.\u00a0 Do you huddle up in the Word, in prayer with others who love Him to find out?\u00a0 Then, how often do you get to the end of the line and say \u201cI\u2019m calling the play\u201d instead of running what God\u2019s told you to run?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThere is a little song we used to teach our children when they were little and having a grandbaby brings some of these things back to life, right?\u00a0 Mary Ann used to teach them to sing \u201cGood Morning, God.\u00a0 This is your day.\u00a0 I am your child.\u00a0 Show me your way.\u201d\u00a0 You don\u2019t have to be two to sing that or four or seven.\u00a0 We ought to all sing that every day:\u00a0 \u201cGood Morning, God.\u00a0 This is your day.\u00a0 I am your child.\u00a0 What is the play?\u00a0 What do I do?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Well, we\u2019ve been listening to a message given by co-host of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> Bob Lepine.\u00a0 You know, it really is a timely message, Bob, of challenging people here as they start a new year to surrender afresh to the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Maker, the Master, the Creator of the Universe, Jesus Christ.\u00a0 As you just said in that little song that Mary Ann used to sing to your kids, \u201cShow me the way Lord\u201d and let me get on with the play.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 It is really an issue of lordship.\u00a0 Who is in control?\u00a0 Who is in charge?\u00a0 Who is calling the shots in your life?\u00a0 Honestly, we have to daily wean ourselves away from the impulses of our own flesh from the impulses of the culture around us that is trying to pull us in its direction\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 No doubt about that.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 From the temptation and lies of the enemy who wants us to be disconnected from God.\u00a0 So, we have to be purposeful, intentional about going to God and saying, \u201cI am your slave.\u00a0 I\u2019m here to do your work.\u00a0 What is it you\u2019d have me do today?\u201d\u00a0 That is not just a thing you do at the beginning of a new year, and then it lasts you all year long.\u00a0 It is a daily, moment by moment surrendering of self to do the will of God in your life.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong>\u00a0 Bob, you will remember an interview you and I did shortly before Dr. Bill Bright\u2019s death.\u00a0 It is one of our favorites that we have ever done here on <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>.\u00a0 This really is a part of his life message. Being a bond slave of Jesus Christ, moment by moment walking with Him in total, absolute surrender saying, \u201cNot my will but Your will.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI think as you move into a New Year reaffirming the Lordship of Jesus Christ is probably the best resolution you can possibly make as we move into a new year filled with new opportunities.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong>\u00a0 If any of our listeners have not read CJ Mahaney\u2019s book\u2014it is just a little book\u2014<em>The Cross Centered Life<\/em>, they ought to make a New Year\u2019s resolution to read that book because it will turn your focus to where, I think, where our focus ought to be as we head into the New Year.\u00a0 Of course, we have got the book at our FamilyLife Today Resource Center; so, you can find out more about the book online.\u00a0 FamilyLifeToday.com is the website.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCome to our website and find out how you can have a copy of CJ\u2019s book sent to you.\u00a0 Let me also mention the message you\u2019ve heard today is available as an MP3 download on <em>FamilyLifeToday<\/em> as are all of our daily programs.\u00a0 If you want to go back and search topically and find programs we\u2019ve done on subjects that may be of particular interest to you, look through the website FamilyLifeToday.com.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe audio files are available for free download.\u00a0 You can sign up to receive <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> as a podcast.\u00a0 If you have an iPhone, you can download the iPhone App for <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> from the App Store on your iPhone.\u00a0 That way <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is always available at the push of a button.\u00a0 Goes back for a couple of weeks; so, if you missed a program, you can find a recent program and listen to it as well.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tQuickly, let me remind our listeners of what you shared at the beginning of today\u2019s program, Dennis.\u00a0 Today, tomorrow the last two days you can make a year-end donation to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> and help us take advantage of the now more than three million dollar matching gift fund that has been established.\u00a0 We are down to the wire.\u00a0 Frankly, we need to hear from as many listeners as possible today and tomorrow.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tLet me ask you to do whatever you can do if it is a five or a ten or a twenty dollar donation that would be a help.\u00a0 So, go online at FamilyLifeToday.com or call us at 1-800-FL-Today and make a donation over the phone.\u00a0 If you can\u2019t make a donation, pray for us that we will be able to take full advantage of these matching gift funds, that we don\u2019t lose out on the funds that have been set aside for this matching gift.\u00a0 Let me just say thanks in advance for whatever you are able to do in support of this ministry.\u00a0 We appreciate your partnership with us.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe want to invite you to be back with us tomorrow when we are going to hear part two the message on three Gospel centered resolutions for the New Year.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI want to thank our engineer today, Keith Lynch, and our entire broadcast production team.\u00a0 On behalf of our host, Dennis Rainey, I'm Bob Lepine.\u00a0 We will see you back tomorrow for another edition of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHelp for today.\u00a0 Hope for tomorrow.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts. However, there is a cost to produce them for our website. If you've benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider <a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/donate\">donating today<\/a> to help defray the costs?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t2010 Copyright \u00a9 FamilyLife. 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