New Year New Resolutions
Intro: 2022 is past and it is time for a new year new resolutions. It is also a time when you should look at what happened with last year’s resolutions. Were you successful in reaching all your goals? Did you lose that weight you wanted too? Do you now speak that foreign language you wanted to learn?
I hope that you were successful and reached all your goals, however, I also know that that may not have happened.
Last year I suggested that you do something different with New Year’s resolutions. I hope that you did.
My suggestion was that you would try to do something that was life-changing.
You need to look at the little changes you need to make in your life, but you should also not leave out the spiritual changes. What can you do to bring yourself closer to God?
True success depends on your relationship with your Lord Jesus. All resolutions you make should focus on that goal.
Last Year
I shared with you some of the changes that have happened in my life over the past two years. Some brought great sadness and some great joy, but in all of them, I could see God’s hand.
In 2022 I renewed my resolution to read through the Bible again and God showed me some truths that I had missed in years past. It amazes me how you can read Scripture that you have read so many times before and God shows you something completely new.
As Carol and I worked on adding more messages to IAmCalls.com, we were blessed to see our messages being read in many different countries. Every week we see people in China, Africa, and throughout Europe reading about Jesus.
Near the middle of the year, God showed us how we could also develop a Spanish site and reach another whole language group. The Spanish site escucharadios.com is new and has just started reaching a few people in South America.
Why look at last year?
You always need to look back as well as forward. A Christian, though saved by the grace of God, needs to learn from the past as well as look to the future.
The Bible says, 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
Scripture is clear that you are saved by grace and not by works, but works are important and are the way the Kingdom of God advances.
James says it this way, 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. James 2:18 NIV
To make good New Year’s resolutions you need to look at where you came from and plan for where you want to be next year. God will bless the efforts you make. He loves you and wants you to be your best.
What is God calling you to?
You may be a new believer or you may have been a Christian for as long as you remember. It does not really matter as you try to set resolutions for the coming year. All of us can see how much more we need to do.
So where do you start?
Before you make your first resolution for the coming year you should look at what I call a believer’s prime directive. It is what I call the great commission that Jesus gave to His disciples and thereby to us.
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:15-16 NIV
If you are a new believer in Jesus as your Savior, someone followed the Lord’s command and shared the good news of God’s love with you. Perhaps you have been a believer for as long as you can remember. You still came to Jesus the same way. Someone shared Him with you.
Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ needs to be first in your mind when you set down to make new New Year resolutions. It is the most important task that Jesus gives you. Win others!
So where should you start?
As a disciple of Jesus, there is only one place for you to start. Your first resolution should always be to commit to applying the first and greatest law in God’s Word.
What is this law?
When Jesus was asked this question He quoted from the Old Testament and said, 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. Mark 12:30 NKJV
You must always start with loving God. Loving God is a decision you make every day. You cannot be an effective disciple without loving and appreciating God. What He has done for you and is doing should be shared. Share His plan of salvation. You cannot develop a growing love for God without putting effort into it.
You need to work on this law every day and night and it should be one of your first resolutions, not just this year, but every year. Loving God is a decision you make. You will either love and serve Him or you will be His enemy and serve Satan.
There is no third choice when it comes to serving God. If you are His disciple you will serve Him. If you decide to follow your way you will find yourself defending the ways of Satan
Loving God takes a conscious effort. We tend to love ourselves and think of God once in a while. God requires first place. You cannot love God without working to make Him the center of your life every day.
Love Others
Your second resolution should be to love your neighbor. The Bible defines a neighbor as anyone. All are in need, whether physically or spiritually. Some simply need someone who will share God’s love with them. Jesus gave himself to everyone, not just those who were nice to Him. He gave Himself for those who would crucify Him.
Love needs to be an extension of your life. You need to work at loving every hour of every day. Loving those who love you is easy but what Jesus calls us to do is love those who may misuse us or even try to kill us as they did Him.
In the next verse after Jesus said, to love God we have the following. 31” And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31 NKJV
Some people we come in contact with are hard to even like and you may not want to love them. Remember however that God loved us and sent His Son to die for us when we were His enemies. Surely we can allow God’s love to flow through us to someone in need of God’s grace.
Life-Saving Word
15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV
The above Scripture changed my life. I was the typical “Christian” trying to gain everything I could in life. My mind was centered on material possessions and the wealth to go and do anything I wanted to do. I believed in God and had accepted Jesus as His Son who had died for me and was committed to doing good in His name. However, only when I did not have anything else to do.
I was active in the church teaching Sunday School, serving as Deacon, and even preaching God’s Word. To prepare I would study my Bible so I could teach the truth for the lesson, however, I did not devote the time in study to understand God’s plan for me.
It was reading through the Bible each year that changed me into a committed disciple. So I believe strongly that you should make this one of your new New Year resolutions. I am sure that it will do the same for you that it has for many others.
A resolution to read the entire Bible every year will change your life. Applying God’s Word will take you from being a “Christian” to being a Disciple. A Disciple follows what Jesus taught and uses the whole Bible to grow in understanding. It will change your life!
You can download a Free pdf. of my Bible Reading Calendar by clicking HERE.
Learn to pray.
Paul tells us, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ I Thessalonians 5:17-18 NKJV
Prayer opens the door to your heart so God can work through His Holy Spirit to change you. When you talk to God He starts changing your outlook on life. He takes the Scripture you have been reading daily and starts the process of growing you in righteousness.
God values both long and short prayers. It is not the length of your prayer that impresses God, it is that it is from the heart. Reading the Bible will teach you how to pray. You will learn to ask according to God’s will.
Remember God answers as He wills.
Do not be discouraged if God does not answer your prayers right away. I have waited years for God to answer some of my requests. Remember that God always answers, but He is the one in charge and He answers in His divine timing. He also may just say No.
God does sometimes answer very quickly. When I prayed one night for a wife and help-mate after my wife of 54 years passed away I did not expect a quick answer. However, God answered my prayer the next morning. When I opened my emails I had one from Carol in Virginia. She commented on an article I had published and said I need not respond.
God showed me that morning that she was to be my wife. He did not tell me how I was to convince her, but He did open her heart to His will for us. After a very short period and with 1600 miles between us He managed to open her heart to accept me as her husband. She had been single for some time after the passing of her husband and did not intend to remarry.
To pray often and sincerely should certainly be one of your New Year’s resolutions.
The final resolution I would suggest
You should not need a resolution for this one, but I did and do. As my life changed through reading God’s Word and praying I came to an understanding of one very important fact.
I needed to obey God.
Jesus says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15 NKJV
You may not need another resolution to remember to obey God, but you need to always keep in mind that God does expect obedience. Jesus is speaking directly to you when He says, “If you love me, keep My commandments.”
One of the special commands He gives to us as His disciples is “12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12 NKJV
Carol and I love you and want this coming year to be special for you.
Conclusion
There are many more scriptural resolutions you could and should make, but these are a starting place. If you follow just these it will change your life and make you a life changer for others.
Our prayer for you is that the peace of God be with you through this coming year! May He fill you with joy regardless of what the world throws at you.
I hope this helps you with your new New Year’s resolutions!