Jonathan Edwards penned these marvelous resolutions in his teens.

Again – in his teens.

Be humbled. Happy New Year.

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The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards (1722-1723)

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’s sake.

Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.

1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriad’s of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to 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 and how great soever.

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“This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:12

How far we have come from that first Christmas! Consider the contrast. Our Christmases are marked by lights, decorations,  malls, Santas, shoppers, parties, food, toys, trees, reindeers, elves and much, much more.

The birth of Jesus is cause for a global celebration, but the first Christmas focused on one solitary life – one little baby, born in a little-known town to a Bedouin teenage couple. He was then placed in a feed trough. The newborn’s cry split the air. It sounded just like the cry of any other baby. But through the tiny veins of this baby pumped the blood that would be spilled on Calvary’s cross. His soft little fist would be opened and penetrated by the spike of a Roman executioner. Those tiny feet, yet to touch the earth, would grow calloused through the miles and miles of carrying the never-heard message of God’s unfailing grace. Who could’ve known that this little baby had come to change the world? We know. You and I know exactly who this baby was and even still, who He is today. He is the Lord of all creation.

And He desires to be Lord of your life.

I love the sights, sounds, and colors of Christmas. But this Christmas I resolve not to get lost in the busyness that the season has become. Instead, through intentional, quiet moments with my Savior, I will hear His cry again. But this time, it will resound clearer than a baby’s cry, because now this Jesus lives in me. And if I listen, really listen, it will be my feet, my hands, and my lips that will spread the message of His unfailing grace.

This Christmas season, that will be my gift to the King.

For Discussion:
• What about you? What will be your gift to Jesus this Christmas?
• How will you change the rhythm of your life in order to hear from Him this season?

Dr. Jeff Warren, Senior Pastor, and his wife, Stacy, have three children, Whitney, Emily, and Travis.

Some years ago I had the brilliant idea to recreate the Christmas manger scene in a barn for a music video. We had some dairy farmers in our church who graciously offered their barn to us. We spent days preparing the barn for filming…moving cows, spreading hay, running power cables, hanging lights…everything needed to make the scene look authentic.

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All month we will be posting the devotional from the PCBC devotional entitled “A Christmas Masterpiece”. Feel free to check back here or see below to download your free copy.

It doesn’t take too many years of life for the focus of gifts at Christmas to wear thin. Whether you were the recipient of bigger and better Christmas gifts, or you come from a family that could not afford as much as your friends, the same thing happens.

The thrill of the gifts does not meet the expectation. I don’t know the exact year it happened for me, but I do remember what began to replace it.

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John 1:1-2 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.”

John’s Christmas story goes all the way back to the beginning and gives us a glimpse at God’s relationship WITH Jesus (the Word). Verse two restates something that John already communicated in verse one. Jesus was WITH God in the beginning. The close proximity of their divine relationship was important enough to tell us twice.

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