New Year resolutions: Reference: Proverbs Chapter 3 - The Bible

ALMOST all New Year resolutions fall into threecategories. They deal with

3) Things that will help us to get along witheveryone. I call them - Longevity, Prosperity and Peace.

I have often said that we could find an answer inGod’s word for any question or situation of life if we would just look. So whatis there in God’s Word about New Year’s Resolutions? Well, they are not calledNew Year’s Resolutions but I don’t think you could do better.

Turn to Proverbs 3. Let’s call it ‘10 New Year’sResolutions’ from the wisest man that ever lived. Solomon starts the chapterwith a very matter of fact statement. ‘My son, do not forget my law, but letyour heart keep my commands for the length of days and long life and peace theywill add to you.’

Then he gives very specific details of 10 preceptsor principles that we should live by in order to have long life, prosperity andpeace. Some of these are rather simple, in fact all of them are simple to talkabout, but when it comes to putting them into practice it becomes moredifficult.

Resolution 1: Let love and faithfulness never leaveyou. (verses 3-4) Let these two qualities be the guiding lights in our lives -in everything we do. These must be foundational to all we do.

Resolution 2: Trust in the Lord with all yourheart. In all your ways acknowledge Him. Trusting is to have a firm belief inor having confidence in something or someone. To acknowledge is to admit to betrue or recognize the authority or claims of someone or something.

Resolution 3: ‘Do not be wise in your own eyes.Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh andstrength to your bones.’ (verses 7-8)

Resolution 4: ‘Honor the Lord with yourpossessions.’ (verse 9). If you do that, He will make sure your barns will befilled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.

Resolution 5: ‘Do not despise the chastening of theLord.’

Resolution 6: Be happy to search for and findwisdom. What is wisdom? It is information and know-how. You may have all theinformation in the world but you still need to know what to do and what not todo. That comes from the Lord.

Resolution 7: ‘Do not be afraid of sudden terror.’Simply put, do not be afraid.

Resolution 8: ‘Do not withhold good from those towhom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so.’ (verse 27)

Resolution 9: ‘Do not devise evil against yourneighbor.’ ‘Do not strive with a man without cause if he has done you no harm.’(verses 29-30)

Resolution 10: ‘Do not envy the oppressor andchoose none of his ways.’ (verse 31)

Verses 33 to 35 are simply statements of additionalpromises if we keep the above commands.

Let us resolve today to pay close attention andadherence to these principles and see what God will do in our lives.

God bless you!