Have you made your new year’s resolutions yet? Even if you have, allow me to guide you in them.

How about having these three goals for 2019? 1) Draw nearer to God. 2) Be consistent in exercising my faith. 3)Stir another’s love toward Jesus.

This doesn’t mean that you cannot have other resolutions besides these. For example, one of my resolutions is to go to bed by 10:30 each night. But whatever the resolutions, be sure that they are helping you achieve these ultimate goals. Some resolutions are more directly in line with those three goals (drawing near, persevering in faith, stirring another’s love) than others. For example, reading through the Bible is more beneficial than losing 10 lbs (1 Tim 4:8). However, both can be employed to achieve the ultimate goals.

Let’s take two common resolutions and apply these three questions: I. Reading through the Bible in 2019. 1) How can you draw near to God by reading through the Bible? Well, the Bible is about God and also how He speaks to His people, therefore, by reading and meditating, we are being drawn near to God. 2) Continued reading and meditation of the Bible will help us persevere in our faith to the end. You need the bread of life, which is the word of God to survive! 3) You can encourage your peers to read the Bible with you and keep each other accountable.

Let’s take another common resolution: II. Lose 10 lbs. 1) With a healthier body and a clearer mind, you can draw near to God with more energy. 2) Your physical health is mainly for you to be useful to God to the end, and therefore keep it in its proper place. 3) Healthier lifestyle will enable you to encourage others around you to live healthy and godly lives.

Would you make a resolution to draw nearer to God this year?

Would you be consistent in exercising your faith this year?

Would you also strive to stir another’s love toward Jesus this year?

Make some practical penultimate resolutions to achieve these ultimate resolutions.

PH