New Years Resolutions

I do not make many resolutions every year, just to fail at keeping them within the first week. There is the problem. I resolve too many resolutions. So, should I resist resolving resolutions??

No. Resolution is the modern word for a healthy biblical principle: repentance. Repentance demands a introspective assessment, finding needed modifications, and changing.

Make resolutions. Make a long list. Rank them from 'must's to 'should's. With scissors, cut, leaving only the first two.

Why just two? Success. When the list is long, attention to each is diminished. We forget many. After forgetting repeatedly, we find ourselves UNsuccessful. We feel we are complete failures. We quit all efforts to change anything. How much success is experienced???

Picking TWO important changes allows us to focus and experience SUCCESS. Years ago I tried to be habitual at seat belt use. I was inconsistent. I ask the assistant police chief what to do. He said, "Every time you think of it, buckle it. If you need to pull over to buckle up, then stop, buckle, and go again. Just do it EVERY time you remember for one month." I thought, "This is plausible." I tried it. It worked. I always buckle now, without thinking. I was SUCCESSFUL. 

You want success in changing. So take your two high rank changes and RESOLVE to do them EVERY TIME YOU THINK OF THEM until the end of January. Enjoy your success.

What should I correct or improve?
The Bible lists of evil habits to replace. Where do you find such lists? Many listed below came from Colsians 3:5-17. Others are in Eph 4:27-28. While lists of sins are abundant, often there are no replacements suggested for the void. Please survey this list of possibilities and select NO MORE THAN TWO.

1. Give God your guarentee. Commit to Him. Jer. 31:31.
2. Love as Jesus loved His disciples. John 13:34.
3. For the family, fiercely fight fornication (all sex outside of marriage). Col. 3:5.
4. Unloose ALL uncleanness. Col. 3:5.
5. Leave lust in the dust. Pulverize passions. Col. 3:5.
6. Eradicate evil desires. Col. 3:5.
7. Crush covetousness (def. avarice; greediness). Col. 3:5.
8. Ambush anger and wallop wrath. Col. 3:8.
9. Ignore any desire to injure, or other ill-will. Col. 3:8.
10. Shed slander or other methods of injuring someone with words (blasphemy). Col. 3:8.
11. Lose filthy language and obscenities. Col. 3:8.
12. Lick all lies, especially 'white' ones, and all forms of deception with truth. Col. 3:8; Eph. 4:25.
13. Multiply tender mercy, pity, and compassion. Col. 3:12; Micah 6:8.
14. Culture kindness and mete out moral goodness. Col. 3:12.
15. Help humility and modesty. Micah 6:8; Col. 3:12. 
16. Make meekness mature and grow your gentle spirit. Col. 3:12.
17. Let longsuffering be limitless. Patiently endure and do not avenge. Col. 3:12-13; Rom. 12:19-21.
18. Faithfully forgive. Practice pardon. Col. 3:13.
19. Love as God loves. Col. 3:14.
20. Think thankful. Be mindful of favors received. Col. 3:15.
21. Do EVERYTHING in God's name. Be certain God wants His name attached to your actions. If He would not, stop. Col. 3:17.
22. Deal a deadly blow to the Devil's hopes for a home. Resist reserving a place for him in your heart. Eph 4:27.
23. Stop stealing. Work so you can generously give to the needy. Eph. 4:28.
24. Raze rotten speech. Say nothing harmful. Replace it. Stimulating others to improve. Eph. 4:29.

My prayer for you is to be SUCCESSFUL at living Jesus' way starting 1-1-11. God bless.