By George Keralis

You may have become like many others living in this world. “New Year’s resolutions? Why bother? I make it one week if I’m lucky.” The “experts” tell us that we form habits after 21 days of consistently doing something. Hmmmm. They never interviewed me.

Before you give up making New Year’s resolutions, let me pass along some Scriptures about a very important New Year’s resolution that you may have considered and even tried once before. Here’s the Scripture. See if you know where I might be headed.

Blessed is the man 
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, 
  nor stands in the way of sinners, 
nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 
2but his delight is in the law of the Lord, 
and on his law he meditates day and night. 
3He is like a tree 
planted by streams of water 
  that yields its fruit in its season, 
and its leaf does not wither. 
In all that he does, he prospers.
4The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, 
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 
6for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, 
but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1 — ESV)

I have stored up your word in my heart, 
that I might not sin against you.  (Psalm 119:11 — ESV)

I delight to do your will, O my God; 
your law is within my heart.  (Psalm 40:8 — ESV)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing 
one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, 
with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  (Colossians 3:16 — ESV)

If you do not have a daily regular time to read the Scriptures, then make 2020 your year to read the Scripture daily and regularly. 

Before you dive in, devise a plan of attack.  Please, don’t use the “lucky dipping” method. Here’s how that works. You take a moment to say, “Lord, lead me to the right verse for today.” You flip your Bible open and find yourself at Matthew 27:5.  “And he (Judas) went out and hanged himself.” Oops! How does that apply? Next, Luke 10:37. “Go and do likewise.” You’re off to a bad start. Try again. John 13:37 — “What you are going to do, do quickly.” NO! NO! NO!

Bring a plan to your decision. “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” (Luke 14:28 — ESV)

You can start at the beginning and plow through the Old Testament. Good luck. You may make it through Exodus 20 with no difficulty. You may even trudge through the rest of Exodus. Your plow will probably get stuck in Leviticus. At that point, you might say, “Why did I try this.”

Here’s a plan. Move back and forth between the Old and New Testaments. Because the Old Testament is larger than the New Testament, you’ll finish the next year in the stretch with some of the the Old Testament Books. You may see this plan by clicking here for a pdf copy here.

If you want to investigate other options, feel free to see the material from Bible Gateway. Bible Gateway provides a variety of options.

If you find that you need help reading the Bible every day, then ask one of the leaders in your church to keep you accountable. If you miss a day, or even a week, just start from where you left off and keep going. Don’t quit.

Begin 2020 with a resolute heart ready to submit to the Lord of the universe. Read all about His intentions for your life and the impact He can make in your life. Read regularly. Read daily. Read with determination.

What ideas or concerns do you have as we prepare to go into a new year? Please drop us a line.

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens his friends — Solomon