Today is the first day of a new year and a new decade. This is a time when many people make resolutions to do things differently in the coming year. Some people resolve to get healthier or develop better habits. We see the new year as a new beginning, a chance to start over. But, many of us will soon fall back into our old patterns of living. Change is hard. So, each year we once again make New Year’s resolutions in a never-ending cycle.
Here are Time Magazine’s Top Ten Resolutions:
Lose Weight and Get Fit
Quit Smoking
Learn Something New
Eat Healthier and Diet
Get Out of Debt and Save Money
Spend More Time with Family
Travel to New Places
Be Less Stressed
Volunteer
Drink Less
http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,2040218,00.html
Christian Ideas
These are good things to do or change in our lives. But, most are broken within the first quarter of the new year. Our ideas are lofty but lack measurable results or detailed plans to succeed. We dream and hope for a better year with a better us.
What if we could resolve to become more Christ-like for the New Year. Not only would we become a better person, but we could also make the world around us a better place by our example. When we seek Christ first in all we do, our lives will fall into place. Psalm 51:10-11 is a great place to begin as we seek God with a pure heart.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Psalm 51:10-11
Christian New Year’s Resolutions
Here is my list for setting Christian resolutions for 2020 and the Biblical references to help us all grow more Christ-like.
- Read the Bible. Psalm 119:11, “I have treasured Your Word in my heart so that I may not sin against You.” Many people set a goal to read the entire Bible in a year. If you set this goal, there are many great plans available to help you track your progress and succeed. But we must be realistic and set an attainable goal like reading several verses each day or even just one verse a day. The idea is to develop a new habit of seeking God in His word.
- Attend Church. Hebrews 10:25, “not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Spending time with fellow Christians helps strengthen our faith. We are blessed to have so many options when it comes to attending church. Find the one that feels right for you and is Bibically sound.
- Pray daily. Ephesians 6:18, ”And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Spend time in prayer each day, even if only for a few minutes. Try to start and end your day with a prayer of thankfulness for all God has given us. Reciting the Lord’s prayer is also an excellent place to begin to get into the habit of praying.
- Love others. Mark 12:31, “The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these.” Love conquers so many problems in our world and in our daily lives. When we love others, we find true peace in our hearts.
- Help others. Proverbs 19:17, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” Imagine our world if everyone helped their neighbors in need.
Additional Verses
Here are a few more verses to guide you in preparing your New Year resolutions:
Colossians 3:14-15, “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
Ephesians 6:18, “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,”
Luke 6:31, “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.”
James 5:13-16, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
Luke 6:27, “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,”
Luke 6:27-28, “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”
Blessings,
Yvonne M Morgan, #Blogger, #Speaker, #Writer
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
100% of the proceeds from sales of my book, Turning Mountains Into Molehills, go to help the orphans at Orphan Relief Effort, Inc
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Focusing on God in the new year will help us in every way. Happy New Year! 🙂
Happy New Year Melissa. Thanks and God bless.
You and I picked a very similar topic to write about on this day! Thanks for sharing these passages and the focus on Christian resolutions. The Lord bless you and keep you and cause his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, both now in the new year and the new decades, and forevermore, Yvonne.
I guess God wants the world to hear His message. What a honor to share the same message. God bless you dear Melinda and grant you a blessed 2020.
The best way to start the New Year is by focusing on God! Thank you for this reminder!
Amen. Happy New Year Julie and God bless
Yvonne, awesome thoughts. I agree — setting a goal to be like Jesus is the best resolution we can make.
Amen Jessica. Happy New Year
Happy New Year. Beautiful post about what is important!
Thanks and Happy New Year
Yvonne, while I never make resolutions (especially like the popular ones), I do always “resolve” to know Christ more and grow on my walk with Him. So your tips are spot on. Thank you and Happy New Year!
Thanks so much Karen. I hope you have a blessed new year. God bless.
I love the contrast between the Christian and secular resolutions.
Thanks Nancy. It is important for us to focus on the Christian aspect for our lives. Happy New Year and God bless
Happy New Year Sister Great advice, looks like we all are on the same page as far as focusing on God this year! Love the Post as always!!
Happy New Year dear brother. God will provide for us as we focus on Him. Thanks and God bless.