2009: A Year of Discipline

One of the things I admire about the old masters of theology, Spurgeon, Baxter, and so forth, is their great personal resolve. These men strived to discipline every faucet of their being under the authority of the Father. Jonathan Edwards for example, one of the most resolved men in history, put forth 70 resolutions. He took almost a full year to carefully consider the areas of his heart and soul that needed to be rendered to God. In the end, his main goal was not to find satisfaction in himself, but in the glory of Christ. Consider his first resolution, “Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.”

It is with this same passion that I desire to make the year 2009 a year of discipline. Discipline has been my biggest foe. It has kept from even getting a glimpse of some of my biggest aspirations. For example, all through high school I dreamed of making it to the state championship in wrestling. I had many obstacles to overcome. Some of them were out of my control. However, I never put myself in an opportunity to obtain the goal. I cannot say with absolute certainty that I left everything on the mat. A lack of discipline ate my dream piece by piece. Every time I chose to sit on the couch and watch T.V. instead of train, I told discipline to get lost. Every time I cut corners in practice or put menial treasures as priority over the dream, discipline began to wither like the pedal of a beautiful rose separated from its stem. That is what a lack of discipline does to our dreams. It creates a gulf between our vision and us. Moreover, if you let yourself go too far, the dream is so far away it may be unreachable; like my state championship.

Stephen Nichols, a professor at Lancaster Bible College in Lancaster Pennsylvania, wrote an article in TableTalk magazine on the resolutions of Jonathan Edwards. He commented on something I found peculiar. He wrote that at age nineteen, Edwards was the potential Jonathan Edwards. He goes on to say that, Aristotle had the idea that there was a difference between what is and what can be. “What is” is the actual being of something. What can be has the potential to be something. One is greater and one is less. Jonathan Edwards, at age nineteen, showed tremendous potential to be great. He had a natural gift in learning, especially in critical thinking and writing. He graduated from Yale and found himself in the pastorate at age eighteen. At age nineteen, Edwards was the “what can be” that Aristotle spoke of. What would drive him to accomplish works like “The Freedom of the Will” or “Religious Affections?” What would give him the ability to lead one of the greatest events in America’s history; The Great Awakening? Aside from the sovereign grace of God, I would argue his resolve. He was a resolute man, determined, much like Paul, to magnify Christ in his body, whether by life or death (Philippians 1:20). Moreover, this is not something he took for granted or did by mere will power.

The prelude to Edwards 70 resolutions is marked with humility. He simply states, “Being sensible that I am unable to do anything 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 sake.” Edwards understood that he could only serve in the strength in which God provided (1 Peter 4:11). He could only keep up the stamina of his resolve through Christ who strengthens him (Philippians 4:19). It is with this same humility I embark to conquer discipline.

I have set forth ten resolutions to accomplish this year. I am praying that, like Edwards, these resolutions will become ingrained in my life. I ask that if Christ is your King that you would pray for me to holdfast. I will do the same for you. Anytime you need prayer, just leave a comment on the blog and I will pray for you there and then when I read it. Thanks ahead of time. Be good and God bless.

10 Resolutions (in no particular order)

1. Resolved: to discipline my health to God’s glory.

2. Resolved: to discipline my prayer in length, width, height, and depth.

3. Resolved: to discipline my study of God’s word to enlighten my soul.

4. Resolved: to discipline my reading in worthy endeavors.

5. Resolved: to discipline my pastoring in meeting the spiritual needs of my church.

6. Resolved: to discipline my service to my community.

7. Resolved: to discipline my finances to stewardship that glorifies God with every penny.

8. Resolved: to discipline my writing to encourage and to edify the world through Christ.

9. Resolved: to discipline the spiritual rearing of my children in personal and corporate worship.

10. Resolved: to discipline my love for my wife in not only in word, but also in deed.

These resolutions seem broad on the surface, and to some degree, they are. I have specific goals to reach for some of them. For others, I am still praying and seeking wisdom. Please pray that I will, with humility and dependency, seek God’s favor in these resolutions. Thank you
[All notes referring to Jonathon Edwards was taken from an article in TableTalk magazine (Resolved to Press on toward the Goal: January 2009) “The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards” written by Stephen Nichols.]