[Gary Antion] Ten days ago, was January 1st, it's New Year's, as it's called. It's called that traditionally because of the idea that things change in that year. In fact, January was named after Janus, a Roman god, they believed had two faces, one looking forward and one looking backward. And the whole idea was you look back and then you can look forward. So, you have spawned from that. People try to make new commitments, new determinations, new resolutions. And in fact, they did. Even in England on New Year's day is when they swept the chimneys. They figured keep the chimneys clean. It'll be like keeping your life clean, maybe keeping your air clean. And they called it cleaning the slate. They are turning over a new leaf. You've heard that expression. And so that expression has come down to us in America where they keep New Year's day and the tradition has come while you make resolutions. I remember on New Year's Eve watching some of these fireworks and programs and so on, on set on that particular evening. And I remember them saying, one of the announcers saying to the other announcer, "So, what are you going to make? What is your New Year's resolution for this year?" And you know what he said? "I'm not going to make one because people don't keep them. I'm not going to make a resolution because people don't keep them."

In 2012 45% of Americans made at least one resolution. However, 80% will eventually break that resolution. One-third of them won't even last through the month of January. So, people can resolve. That is to determine. That's what the word means, to determine or to fix in your mind you're going to do this and then they give it up, and they quit. In fact, the young people are the ones who are more likely to keep theirs than the older folks. Over 50s give up even quicker than the younger folks do. Share with you a couple of quotes about, thinks about a New Year's Day. Here's one from F.M. Knowles. I have no idea who he was, but he made a quote. So, I'll give it to you. It's from the internet. “He who breaks a resolution is a weakling and he who makes one is a fool."

There's another one by Dave Beard. "Gives a sense that you make resolutions and don't keep them." Another one, "Many years ago I resolved never to bother with New Year's resolutions and I have stuck with that ever since." So, his resolution was to not make them. And a third one, this comes from Joey Adams. He said, "May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions." And, in general, they're not going to last very long. Are they? So, what is the resolution definition? A resolution is “a firm decision to do or not do something.” That comes from the internet. Here's another one from Webster's New World Dictionary that says this, "A fixed purpose or intention, a firm determination." There are five resolutions that we need to make and/or keep. I'm not talking about New Year's resolutions, not because there's New Year's, and not just for this year. There are five resolutions that we need to make as Christians for life. I want to share them with you. Five resolutions. Most of them carry with it a must or should or shall, you shall do this, and it will be about life. These we cannot just make as a trite thing. And by the way, I'll share with you what people make resolutions over.

Here are the top 10 New Year's resolutions, 2012: Lose weight, get organized, spend less, save more, enjoy life to the fullest, staying fit and healthy, learn something exciting, quit smoking, help others in their dreams, fall in love, and spend more time with the family. Some of them are noble, but they're certainly not life-threatening issues. Let me share with you some life issues that we must make as resolutions or determinations. So, let's take a look. Number one, first resolution we need to resolve, to be faithful, to love and to serve God. We need to make a resolution, "And I'm going to love and serve God for the rest of my life." Over in Hebrews. Sorry. Well, Hebrews 11:6 says, "He that comes to God must believe that He is." Let's take a look at John 6:63-68 because Jesus Christ's disciples had to make a resolution.

John 6:63-68, Jesus Christ said, "It's the Spirit that quickens; and the flesh profits nothing." He said, "the words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life.” And there'll be some of you that don't believe, there's some of you that don't follow through on this and won't. “But for Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who should betray Him." In verse 65 and He said, "Therefore I say to you that no man can come to Me except that were given to him by my Father." Verse 66, those words turned off a lot of disciples. Verse 66, “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him.” They gave up their resolution. In verse 67, “Jesus Christ said to the twelve, 'Will you also go away? Will you give up on your commitment? Will you give up on your determination to follow Me?’ Then Simon Peter answered and said, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? Where are we going to go? You have the words of eternal life.’”

Are you loyal to faithful to and do you love God? That should be a resolution, a determination, a fixed point in our mind that we will keep for the rest of our lives. John 4:24, go back a few pages. In the book of John 4:24, we read this, "God is Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him." We must worship God and we must do it “in spirit and in truth.” So there's a must. You're familiar with Luke 14:26 when you counsel for baptism? "No man who comes to Me…” If you come to Him, you got to love Him first.

If you're not willing to love Him first and put Him first, He's got to be tops on our priority list. Let's read it. Luke 14:26. This whole section, when young people or old people or anyone is a baptism candidate is counseling for baptism, we remind them of this. "If any man comes to Me," He said, "and does not hate [or love less by comparison] his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple." God has to be number one, top priority in our lives. Number one, God has to be. And if He isn't, then we have reneged on our resolution, our absolute conviction in God. Matthew 22:37 we've covered this at the Winter Family Weekend, but it doesn't hurt to repeat this beautiful scripture. Matthew 22:37, about the two great commandments.

“Jesus said to him,” the first great commandment, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." That is a resolution. That is something that we have to be convicted and determined to keep throughout our lives. In Psalms 57:7 we find the Psalmist talking about his conviction. Psalms 57:7, he says, "My heart is fixed.” Is your heart fixed? “O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise.” To God is the implication. “My heart is fixed.” Is your heart fixed? In Isaiah 26:3, I'll just refer you to it and I'm not going to turn there, talks about those who have their heart fixed and stayed on God will have peace in their lives, whose mind is stayed or fixed on God. So, we find this responsibility to love God, to stick with Him, to stay faithful.

1 John 5:2-3 talks about what love is. How do you love God? By following Him, by listening to Him, by obeying Him. 1 John 5:2-3, are you dedicated, consecrated, and faithful to your God as you love Him too, with all your heart, might, and soul? That's number one. Be faithful and love God. 1 John 5:2, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not grievous." And keeping His commandments does not earn salvation. Let me say that for people in the listening audience, perhaps on the internet. We do not believe law-keeping will save you. We do believe that God lays it down as a condition to say, "I want to be saved," but it does not save you. The grace of God is what saves us. So, resolution number one is be faithful to and love God.

Number two, the second one, be faithful to fulfill His commission to us. Be faithful to fulfill His commission to us. In a prophecy of Matthew 24, Jesus Christ said this, "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations, and then shall the end come." Who's going to preach that gospel but those who understand it? Who's going to preach that gospel but those who know what it's about? And that true gospel has been perverted and distorted as Paul wrote in the book of Galatians 1. And so who's going to preach it? God's Church has to preach it. You also find this mentioned again in Mark 13:10. Mark 13:10, we have to be faithful to fulfill His commission to us.

Mark 13:10, "And this gospel must first be published or preached among all nations." This gospel must go. Are we excited? Are we committed to, are we determined to do our best to see it go forth through our prayers, through our support, through our concern, through our asking God to open doors? What do we have this ION Network opened that I just read about that will give us more avenues, more places to go into with the gospel that people will listen and hear? Because, frankly, brethren we're dealing with a people these days who don't care about God much until they get into trouble. Of course, they're going to get into a lot of trouble. But we need to be out there sowing those seeds by our personal examples. How is your example to others at work on the job, as you shop, or wherever you go, whatever you do? What is your example? Is it an example of the gospel? Is it an example of what God's Kingdom is going to bring to us? So, you have to ask yourself, am I committed to that? Am I ready? Am I determined to continue to do the best I can to further His gospel?

Mark 16:15-16 tells us the extent. Mark 16, here's Christ's commission like He gave in Matthew 28 as a shorter version. Verse 15, after His resurrection, “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, every person.’" Well, that's a big responsibility. The gospel message is done by the Beyond Today and the Good News magazine and other magazines and other things that we put out, Vertical Thought are all good. Do they reach every person? How many people do you reach that don't get the Good News magazine? How many people do you reach that never hear a Beyond Today program? But do they see the gospel in you because you're determined to show them God's way of life and what way of life will be in the Kingdom of God? But the way you're learning now from the Scriptures because you're living the Kingdom of God, living the principles of the Kingdom of God, trying to with the Spirit of God, giving you the help now. Do they see the gospel from seeing you? That's our determination.

John 9:4, Jesus Christ felt urgency, absolute responsibility laid on his shoulders. John 9:4, "I must work the works of Him that sent Me…” "I must do it." There's a must. Are you resolved to do it? Are you determined? Are you fixed to carry that out, to make that commitment and carry it out or will you make the commitment then forget about it? "Oh, well, I like the gospel. I like the message that's going to be sent, but I don't have anything to do with it." Yes, you do. You have a lot to do with. You have prayers for God to open more doors. You have prayers for inspiration for the telecasters. You have prayers for the writers of the Good News magazine. You have prayers that your own personal example among those whom you meet who will never ever, ever, perhaps hear a program or read a magazine, but they will see the gospel from you.

John 9:4, "I must work the works of Him that sent Me while it is day; the night comes when no man can work." We got to do it while we can. There will come a time when you won't be able to. In 1 Corinthians 9:16, the apostle Paul echoed his Savior. 1 Corinthians 9:16, he said, "For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of." It's nothing great. “I didn't come up with it. It isn't my concoction. It isn't my idea.” “'Though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of.’ He said, ‘For me, necessity is laid upon me. I've got to do it. Yes, woe is to me if I preach not the gospel!’” 1 Corinthians 9:16, so are you resolved? Have you made a resolution in life, for life, to spread the gospel as a witness to this world?

Number three, next. Resolution we need to make is to be faithful to our spouse and family, a resolution to be faithful to our spouse and family. Do you know in 1 Timothy 5:8, it says, "If you provide not for your own… you’re worse than an infidel." You're worse than an unbeliever. Many stories talking specifically about taking care of your widow, maybe your widowed mother, widowed aunt, whatever, grandmother. But if He says take care of them, how much more does He mean take care of your personal family?

We have a responsibility, be it husband or wife. Each one has duties that he does and she does in the family. Be faithful to your spouse and family. Genesis 2:23-24 when man was first created and God made them male and female, mankind was created, composed of male and female, should call them humankind. Not mankind, but humankind were created. Genesis 2:23, and Adam said when God brought Eve to him, "This is now bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman [out of Man], for she was taken out of Man." Verse 24, "Therefore, shall a man leave his father and mother…” And if a man leaves, so should his wife “and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be one flesh." There's a commitment we make at marriage. There's a commitment we make with family to take care of them.

Are you resolved to look after your spouse and family? Malachi 2, this prophecy of the end time prophet, well, end time of the Old Testament for the end time. Many prophecies in the book of Malachi, but Malachi 2:14, he laments that people were not taking care of their families. Malachi 2:14, I won't read the whole context. You can read it there. Tears on the altar. God doesn't hear their prayers. “Why aren't you hearing my prayers?” And he said, "You want to know why? Here's why. Verse 14, “Yet you say ‘Why?’ Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion and the wife of your covenant.” “You made an agreement with her before Me to take her to be your wife and husband and your children.”

It goes on to talk about how can you have godly seed if you don't do it right. Family, He says, "How can you do this?" We dare not do that. Ephesians 5:23, the apostle Paul gives instructions there. He's mainly trying to talk about how Christ and the Church are, but he uses the institution of marriage to do it. Ephesians 5:23, "The husband," he says, "The husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body." God will always hold the man responsible for his family. His wife may have some messing up but he'll always hold the man responsible for how that family is going to work.

Now, she could certainly cheat on him and leave him and all of this. Yeah, God is going to say, "Maybe you didn't do enough to keep that from happening." In some cases, you couldn't do anything at all because I don't think God was guilty for Israel running around playing the harlot. But God will still hold the man responsible for the running of that family and what choices he makes thereafter. So, he says, he's “the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and the Savior of the body." Skipping ever to verse 24, "Therefore, as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything." What does the wife show by her working with her husband? She shows her children how to have a good marriage.

Shows her children the proper position of a wife. Not that she's one that's a doormat, that the husband walks all over. I don't mean that. I don't mean that she's so submissive that she has no mind of her own. She says, "tell me what to do and I just do it. I'm just a robot here." No. But that she does show her children that she respects and honors and loves her husband. In Titus 2:4 it does says it's okay for her to love her husband too. The only place in the Bible that I found that tells a wife it's okay to love your husband. Ephesians says, "Husbands love your wives." No other place. Our early ceremony that we used to do on marriage, nothing in there about the wife having to love her husband. When we were married, I always tell my wife, "You don't have to love me. You just have to submit. You never promised to love me." United Church of God ceremonies, they love, promise to love too. I helped create them. Create that ceremony. I made sure that was in there. And I found the scripture Titus 2:4 for the elderly women were to “teach the younger women to love their husbands, love their children.” It is in there. The only place, Titus 2:4.

But God does tell man he better love his wife. Both of them should love. So He says, "Husbands, love your wives." Notice he doesn't say, "Husband, love your wives." Not talking multiple marriages here. Talking about husbands is talking to husbands in general. Love your wives in general. Okay? You want to make it singular you'd say husband love your wife even as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for it. In verse 28, "So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies; he that loves his wife, loves himself." And most people, regardless, still whether they have some self-hatred, they still know how to take care of themselves in general. They have a distorted view of that. They need some counseling. But overall, most people know how to take care of themselves. Take care of your wife too. Take care of your wife too.

So, love is there. Love needs to be there. Faithfulness needs to be there. Proverbs 22:6, I'll just give you that. I will quote it, I won't read it. I'll quote it to you. It says, "Train up a child the way he should go; discipline and bring them up so that when they're old, they won't depart from it." The responsibility of a dad, a mom to train their children. Ephesians 6 while we're here, let's look at verse one. Ephesians 6:1, about family. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Now, how many children make some resolutions? "I want to listen to my parents more. I want to follow my dad and mom. I want to listen to them. I want to get their advice." And even when you get older, while they don't rule your life anymore, you've started a new family, it's still good to get their advice. They've known you all your life. Who knows you better?

Say, "Dad, what do you think ought to do here?" "Mom, what do you think ought to do here?" Get their advice. Look to them, listen to them, ask for it. Seek it. Ephesians, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise.” Are you faithful to your parents? “That it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth.” In verse 4, “Fathers, don't provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up, nurture them, bring them up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord.” Love your children. I could give you the example of the prodigal son. You remember when his dad had an inheritance for both the children, then one son said, "I want my inheritance now. Give me my inheritance so I can go out and do something with it. I don't want to wait till you die. I'm going to go live life, do my own thing. I'll invest it or whatever." He invested it all right in riotous living, spent it all, lost it all, ended up having to help clean the pigpen and started to even eat the food of the pigs, which is pretty awful because he was so hungry. And then he said to himself, "What am I doing here? I'll just go back to my dad. I know the way my dad is. I'll go back to my dad and I'll just volunteer to be a servant. I'll just put hay for the horses, clean out the barn. I'll help the cows. I'll do whatever he wants me to do. I'm not worthy to be called his son for what I've done." And when he came back, you read this example of how God would welcome his children.

The father meets him, saw him coming. He had compassion on him before he ever heard what his speech was of repentance, and he hugged him and kissed him. And he said to his servant, "bring me a robe and get the nice ring for him and let's have a party. My son's come back." That's the kind of love and attention and we need to be giving to our children too. One thing I tried to do in our family, I didn't do it perfectly, I tried to say, "yes" to my children as much as I can, only say, "no" when is not good for them. I tried to say, "yes." Not that they have to fight through, "no" every time. "Can we go do that?" "No." And then they have to argue. "Okay, now you can do it."

Learn to say, "yes," to them as much as you can. Never to things that are bad for them, but it sets a positive tone. And tell them you love them, and let them love you. Because if they see love in the family, guess what they'll do? They'll love. If the don't see love in the family, they'll have a hard time loving. Be faithful to your spouse and family. So, those are the scriptures I'd like to share with you and give to you. And of course, the prodigal son example is one great one that you can all read. That's in Luke 15:20-22.

Let's go to point number four. Point number four, resolution number four. We need to resolve to be faithful to the brethren. We heard about all of us being outsiders or “outside the gaters.” Are you faithful and loyal to your brethren because the day is going to come when people are not. Matthew 24, are we on the same team or not? If we're not on same team. Mr. Rangel, talked about, you know, being on a baseball team, wouldn't it be awful? But just because somebody didn't like him, he hits a home run. He wins the game and his teammates boo him when he comes across the plate? They're for it. They didn't hit the home run. He did. He pitched a no-hitter. They didn't. Are they for him? Sure, they are. Are we for each other? Do we cheer each other on? Do we joy at each other's successes? Do we complement each other when they do a good job? Do we lift them up when they didn't do such a good job? They’re your brethren. Matthew 24:10-12, "Then," Talking about the end time, “His disciples said, ‘What will be the sign of Your coming out of the end of the world?’" The end time, the age? What will be some of the characteristics there? He said, "Then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another." What will it take to offend you?

I remember Dr. Dorothy, he's deceased now. But Dr. Dorothy was one of our ministers in the early days when we only had about 35 or 40 in Pasadena, California. I remember a sermon he gave at the Feast about what's your sticking point? What is the button they can push that finally disintegrates you? Do you have one? "Well, if you push that button, I'll be greatly offended." "If you push this one, it'll bother me," “But if you push that one, that'll greatly offend me," I say, get rid of your buttons. Quit having buttons because you will be hurt sometimes by mistake, sometimes by the mood of someone else.

But do you, "Oh, they did that? I’m out of here, out of here!” “Somebody said that to me. Somebody did that to me. I'm out of here!” Did God do it to you or did imperfect human beings do it to you? What will it take to offend you? And when you get offended, what will you do? Strike back. "I'll get back at them. I'll tell everyone they're bad people. I'll make allegations toward them at work and get them fired." What will you do? He says, "Many shall be offended, and betray one another, and shall hate one another." Can you imagine people that had the love of God towards you now hate you? Verse 12, "And because iniquity [sin] shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."

"I don't want to love people because they might think something wrong. I don't want to be nice to people because they might get too close to me. I don't want to do that." How is your love toward God's people? Do you love the brethren? Are you faithful to them? Do you care about them? Remember the example of the Good Samaritans. We could turn there. Luke 10. I have more time than I thought. So, we can turn there. Luke 10. I had a lot more scriptures. I tried to take out some scriptures, tried to keep it… By 4:00 I should finish. But it's supposed to be a great sermon if you finish a half an hour early and if you go over that it's only a good sermon. And if you get right at a time, it's just a sermon. Okay? So, I'm trying to finish on time for you, for me too.

Luke 10:27 I can always give more scriptures, but I try to, when I prepare it, I have more scriptures in it's it. "Oh boy. I don't want to leave that one out. Such a good one. Oh, I hate to leave that one out." So I have more than I need. So, I could pick and choose. Luke 10:27. Was that what I want? I'm in 11. No wonder I can't find it. Luke 10:27-37. “And he answered, he said, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, your might…’ He said, ‘You have answered right.’" Verse 29, “But he, willing to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’"

Jesus said, "You should love God. Love your neighbor." He said, "Who is my neighbor?" So, who's your brother? “Jesus answering. He said to him: ‘A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, fell among the thieves, which stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, departed, leaving him half dead.’" There is a half-dead man lying there. In verse 31, “And by chance a…” half-dead naked man, by the way. “And by chance there came down a certain priest that way. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.” Did you see on television, a guy dropped dead in the doorway of this 5 & 10 Cents store or whatever you call 7-Eleven or whatever you call them now, this convenience store, fell dead. You know what people did? They stepped over him. Came in, bought their stuff, stepped over him on the way out.

From the video of the store itself, they just let them lie there. I think he ended up dying. He had a heart attack. Nobody stopped to help him. So, it's not so unforeseen that this man, this priest just say, "Oh there’s… it looks like as a person over there injured, well, I don't want to touch him. He might be a Gentile. I'll just go this other way." “And likewise a Levite…” So, a priest was of the higher class of Levi, “Likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, he came, and he looked on him.” So he did a little more. He goes, "Oh, he's injured. Oh, well, somebody will come." They didn't have cell phones and they couldn't call 911. “So, he looked on him and he passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion on him."

Love is doing something about it. Love your brethren? What do you do about it? How do you show it? “And so he went to him, he bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine,” wine helps to cleanse, oil helps it mollify. “And he set him on his own beast, and he brought him to an inn.” So he had to do the walking. “Now, after he was riding before and he took care of him, took care of him. We take care of our brother. Here's a Samaritan, a hated Samaritan taking care of one of probably a Jew, taking care of him. Do you take care of others? "On the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence…” two pennies. Back then would buy something, "and gave them to the host." Now it doesn't even get you a stick of chewing gum, right? Pack or 5, 25 cents.

You have to pay a nickel, get a stick of gum. All right. So, 2 cents wouldn't even get him to stick of chewing gum. "Gave them to the host and to him, ‘Take care of him,’ he said, "and whatever you spend more… you need to spend more than these two pennies…’” back then two pennies were more than they were today, "and when I come I will repay you." Verse 36, “‘Which now of these three, do you think was neighbor to him that fell among the thieves?’ And he said, ‘He that showed mercy on him.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’" Are you faithful to your brethren? Do you care about them?

John 13:34-35, one of the great signs that he gives that God's people are God's people. John 13:34 says, "A new commandment I give to you that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another." In verse 35, "By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another." And if you have love for them, you certainly are going to be loyal to them. 1 John 3:14, we talked in the first resolution, the responsibility to love God, to be faithful to Him. And if you are loving and faithful to Him, you'll automatically want to do it to those in whom is some of God's character and Spirit. 1 John 3:14, “We know that we have passed” or are passing as this is a life and death issue, “from death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loves not his brother abides in death.” This is a resolution we need to make for life. Love our brethren. Be faithful to them. Help them, serve them.

Ephesians 4, sorry not Ephesian 4. 1 John 4:19, "We love Him because He first loved us." Verse 20, "If a man say, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother [or does not love his brother], he's a liar; for he that loves his brother whom he has seen, how can he love not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?" If you don't love your brother in whom is some of God's Spirit, some of God's character, some of God's characteristics, how can you love God who has all the characteristics and you haven't seen Him? Final scriptures. 1 Corinthians 16:15, we need to make a resolution because just like the house of Stephanas did in the church area of Corinth, 1 Corinthians 16:15. And boy, I remember, I remember when this man was threatening my life and my life with my family. I remember the deacons in the Church, you know what they said to me? "We will come and stand guard at your house for you." I said, "I won't' let you." They were very calm. "I don't want them to kill you." They said, "We will come and stand guard at your house. We'll rotate. We'll take turns. We'll stay up all night. Stay there with you." I said, "no." But, boy, did that mean the world to me? That those men were willing to sacrifice themselves for me.

Do we love God's people? 1 Corinthians 16:15, "I beseech you, brethren— that you know the house of Stephanas,” do you recognize them? “That it is the firstfruits of Achaia,” it's what's among the first people converted in that area, “and that they have addicted themselves” or they have determined, “they've made a fixed determination to the ministry of the saints.” These people were absolutely addicted to serving God's people. "That you submit yourself to such, and to everyone that helps with us and labors." Are you committed to, are you determined to serve God's people? Be faithful to them, love them, care for them. Is that your resolution? It ought to be a resolution for life.

And number five. Finally the last one. We need to be faithful to our calling. Faithful to our calling. God has called each one of us. I don't know how He did it. How you first came in contact, what it took to bring you into His Church, what it took to make you awakened to His truth, that it was important to make you learn and listen to what God's Scriptures had to say to you and where they meant something and where you are motivated to follow them and where you wanted to change your life from the way you were going. I mean, you talk about the greatest miracle that could ever occur is changing a person's mind and heart. And I still remember the guy up in Peterborough whose wife wanted it to be converted and she came and I counsel with both of them. He was a little bit antagonistic to start with, but she was pretty much ready. She was wanting to be baptized. And the next week after he prayed about it, thought about it, he came and he said, "I want to be baptized, too."

So, I counseled with him, had a little bit of doubt there. This was a really quick turn-around. Well, this is like '60s that he was baptized. He's still in the Church, still trying to walk and follow God's ways through many ups and downs in his own life. And he's still hanging in there. So, God can work miracles with people. He has with you, your calling. Are you faithful to your calling? Do you still remember standing in that baptism pool, that baptistry, that running water stream, that stream that was mostly muddy? Do you remember standing in there and do you remember what you thought of before you were put under? Do you remember thinking, "This is it. Goodbye old self." As a new person. "And I got to walk with God the rest of my life. It's not some game I'm playing. It's not for, okay, I just slipped. So I made a mistake. This is for my life."

Are you committed to that calling? Are you determined to follow God for the rest of your life? Matthew 24:13, again, going back to how things will be at the end time. Jesus Christ had to say this after he said, people will betray one another after he said love will be hard to do at a time when there's lots of sin around that. Verse 13, he said, "But he that endures to the end the same shall be saved." You can't do it. You can't just endure it through January. You can't just endure for a few months. You can't just endure for six months. I think they said something like 46% of those who made their commitment and at least the one year ended up keeping it till the end of the year, but a whole lot more lot lost it. Will you keep your commitment? Will you keep your commitment to endure it to the end, to endure it with hope? Hupomone doesn't mean just hanging on. It means looking forward with hope. How are you doing with your calling? Acts 14:22, will there be difficult times? You bet. Will it be easy road? No. God never promised us a rose garden. In fact, He says, "I beg your pardon. I never promised you a rose garden. Not now." But there is a rose garden waiting for you. But all rose gardens have what? Thorns. Unless God in the Kingdom makes them without thorns.

Every rose garden has thorns, but it's good to look beyond the thorns to the beautiful rose. In Acts 14:22, Luke writing says this, talking about the Scriptures and what Paul was doing, he said, "confirming the souls of the disciples," giving them some encouragement, encouraging them along the way, "confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith.” Hold onto that which is true, and that “We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Many trials, much tribulation. Many trials, go through. We have to go through in life because as Mr. Rangel pointed out, you know, there are difficulties. There are difficulties that'll face each one of us. Each one of us has a different road to hope and as we do it, we know what we go through. But God will be with you to help you. He says, "I want to assure you, you can make it. Have you resolved to be faithful to your calling?"

Revelation 2:26, can't just be changing, “Now, I've changed a lot here lately.” No. Revelation 2:26, “He that overcomes," there used to be a day when we all checked ourselves. Not just at Passover time, but all through the year. "How am I doing?" "Let's see, boy, I need to work on this." How we took notes anytime we were at speech club or speech. "Well, I need to change on that. This is a good thing for me to work on. I put notes on. I'll just really try to work on this, study about it, pray about it. I'm going to work on myself. I want to be better today than I was yesterday. I want to be more like Christ and less like me every day." Overcoming, changing it means. Revelation 2:26, "He that overcomes,” notice “and keeps My works to the end,” can't be just till the end of January. Can't be for three months. It isn't the resolution you make January 1st and give it up January 31st. Are you resolved to overcome to the end? "To him, I will give power over the nations." So, this is a resolution we have to make for life.

2 Peter 1:10. Peter gives what I call the eternal life insurance plan. How you could work on yourself and if you are, you will be guaranteed a part in God's Kingdom. In 2 Peter 1:10, this is the summation of it. He says this, "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence." Say, are we dedicated to? Are we determined to keep on growing until the very end. "Wherefore brethren, the rather, give diligence to make your calling and election sure." You've been called, make it sure. Make it certain for if you do these things and you could read these things, verses 5-7. If you do these things, these ladder of virtues, if you do these things, you'll never fall. And you know what those things are about? Not on what somebody else should be working on. "Oh, yeah. I need to be more loving. I need to be more patient. I need to tell the truth.” They're about you, drawing you closer to the love of God. So, that ladder of virtues is all about. And if you're working on you, you don't have time to accuse your brother. You don't have time to put your brother down because you're working on you. And he says, "if you do these things, you'll never fall." Make your election and calling sure by resolving to and keeping that resolution to be faithful to your colleague. Number five got another scripture I want to give you. It's Ephesians. Not number… this is number five but I want to give you a number five scripture that I have here listed. Number five, scripture under this point is Ephesians 4:12-13.

See, if I'm faithful to my calling, I'm becoming more like Christ and less like me. Verse 12 says, "For the perfecting of the saints…” He gave the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers. "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." We're being taught every Sabbath to try to build us up. Verse 13, "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God." So, are you growing in unity? Are you growing in the knowledge of God, the Son of God, and are you trying to become a complete person to a perfect man or a complete person to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ? That's being dedicated to our calling. I am trying to become more like Jesus Christ in character every day.

No, you're not going to be His personality. You don't even know His personality. You don't know what He liked and disliked. Do you? What was His favorite food? I don't know, maybe fish. He went fishing. What was His favorite sport? Fishing and wrestling. Jacob wrestled with Him the Old Testament and fishing in the New Testament. But really, you don't really know if that was favorite. You know He did those. But how many other things you know. What was His favorite color? Did He wear red, white, green? What would He wore? Purple? What would He wear? Do you know? You don't know. You don't know where His favorite eating place was. You don't know what His favorite dessert was. You don't know a lot of things about Jesus Christ. One thing you do know about Him is His character, what He stood for, what He taught. And that's what you'd have to become like. Become like Him. So, He says “to the measure and the stature and the fullness of Christ.”

I want to share with you. Romans 8 is my last scripture. Romans 8:38, the apostle Paul's question was, "Who's going to separate us from the love of Christ?" What will cause you to deny your calling? What will cause you to turn away? Will it be a sin? Will it be someone else? "Well, they offended me. Oh, good. Get the millstone ready for them." When you get out, you're not going to be in the Kingdom either. If you walk away from God, they might go deeper in the lake of fire. You're going to get burned up too. It's going to be, "Oh, he offended me and I'm out of here and they're going to get a millstone." Well, you're not going to be there either. Well, what will it take to offend you? What will it take to cause you to leave? What will it take to cause you to turn your back on the teachings of the truth? I'm not talking about organization, I'm talking about truth. What will it take to cause you to turn away? Romans 8, he said, "Who's going to separate me?" And he goes on to talk about, will this, will sword, will threats, will this, height, will depth? He goes on to say in verse 38, "For I am persuaded, I have made a resolution,” Paul said “that neither death, nor life,” threatening of death, anything in life, “angels, or principalities, powers, or things present, or things to come.” Anybody takes me up on a high precipice and offers to throw me off or takes me down and wants to put me in a dungeon. Neither one is going to cause me to leave “nor any other creature, nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. "I have determined," he said, "I have resolved."

So, those are five resolutions that perhaps maybe you've already made. But I ask and urge you to keep them, not because of New Year's Day, but because of life. Others may make resolutions and then abandoned them. We need to be sure, to be faithful to these five resolutions, to be faithful to and love God, to be faithful to fulfill His commission to us, to be faithful to our brethren, to be faithful to our families, that one should have been before brethren, and to be faithful to our calling. Let's keep these resolutions not till the end of January, but for life.