Jonathan Edwards was a preacher and theologian during the 1700s. He is considered one of America’s most important theologians and greatest intellectuals. He was a leading figure in the Great Awakening. When he was about 20 years old, he wrote down resolutions he made between God and himself and he committed to reading them every week for the rest of his life. Considering many of us make resolutions at the beginning of the new year, we wanted to share some of his with you and hope you are inspired, encouraged, and challenged. Happy New Year!
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.
4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.
6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
14. Resolved, never to do anything out of revenge.
16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.
20. Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance in eating and drinking.
24. Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.
25. Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.
28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.
30. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.
37. Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent, what sin I have committed, and wherein I have denied myself: also at the end of every week, month and year.
56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.
58. Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity.
67. Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.
70. Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak.

From the Pastors
January 4, 2015

How was your Christmas?  Did you enjoy (or at least successfully tolerate) getting together and catching up with your extended family members? Did you get the presents you hoped you’d get?    Or do you have a pile of presents that you need to return? I am no psychologist, but now that Christmas is past, I can predict that people will generally fall into three groups:
The first group of people are the ones who feel happy and blessed because they received what they really wanted for Christmas. Their joy, however, is likely to be short-lived, lasting until a newer, faster, slimmer version of the awesome gadget they are so much in love with comes out.
The second group of people are the ones who feel angry and taken advantage of because they went out of their way to treat others, yet they did not get as much in return. They realize they will be hit with a huge credit card bill next month, and they grow angrier and angrier every time they pass by the box of fruitcake no one wants to even try (no offense if the reader happens to have given a fruitcake as a gift!). 
The third group of people are the ones who suffer from what they call a “Post-Christmas syndrome.” These are the people who had such high hopes for Christmas, now that it’s over with all of the holiday hoopla gone, they experience a big let-down, even feelings of depression. These holiday blues may be due to a variety of factors.  Perhaps the holidays were not as festive or celebratory as expected, their plans fell through, or expectations simply were not met, whatever they might have expected. 
I can relate to the feelings of post-Christmas blues because I experienced it first-hand as a young girl growing up in Korea. I did not grow up in a Christian home. In fact my mother was a Buddhist and frequently visited a Buddhist temple.  As a result, I had no idea what the real meaning of Christmas was, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.  That understanding and appreciation for Christmas came much later after my family immigrated to the US and started attending church and I became a follower of Jesus Christ.
I still vividly remember feeling letdown on Christmas morning.  I cannot quite remember what kinds of presents each of us children received from our parents, but I am sure we received something. Back then no one received multiple gifts like kids do this day and age. I think we are spoiling our kids too much, but that’s for another column.  Honestly it wasn’t because I was disappointed with what I received from my parents, but a feeling of emptiness, a sense of “there must be something more than this”, was overwhelming even for a young girl.  I couldn’t understand why some people seemed genuinely so thankful and joyful around Christmas.  The happier people seemed at Christmas, the more miserable and left out I felt.   Now that I know and understand the true reason for celebrating Christmas, I wish some of my Christian school friends had shared the Gospel with me.  I would’ve not have suffered from post-Christmas blues then.
But praise God that I no longer suffer from a post-Christmas syndrome (well, except for clothes fitting a little too tight!)!  In fact, I do not have to suffer from any blues - pre, mid, or post-Christmas. In fact, with God Immanuel, the indwelling Christ, in my life, every day is Christmas.  And He is the one gift that I never want to return!

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
December 28, 2014