Those pesky resolutions.

The only resolution you need to make this year comes with an ironclad promise of fulfillment is James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.

I can absolutely guarantee you that when you get serious about your faith, God will meet you. Even before the words come out of your mouth.

How can I make such a claim, you ask? Because I’ve done it so many times. One of the conversations that I have with God when I have gone through a period of being apathetic about time with the Lord is this: “Lord, I give you just the slightest moment, and you pour your presence on me in a bucketful.”

You CANNOT outgive God, you just can’t. We give a speck, and he gives equivalent to the sands of the seashore. It humbles me every time.

I ask myself why I get complacent when I KNOW that time spent with God is the most valuable thing I can do. The word familiarity comes to me. It’s no different than when we do it with friends or family—especially those we trust to always be there. And those are the very ones that we should give the most honor to in our lives BECAUSE they are trustworthy.

As I began to make a list of things I have been putting off doing for an hour a day, time with God was No. 1, but it made me sad. I shouldn’t even have to put Him on a list that limits Him to one hour of my time.

I talk to God all day. I include Him even in my dishwashing time. Or when I’m going down the hallway to take my trash or go get my mail. I’m aware of His presence every minute of my day, so I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about that sweet, door-closed, undistracted, one-on-one time with Him. Just like we do when someone comes to see us and we give them our undivided attention. If anyone deserves such attention, it is God.

What usually happens when I do this is I find myself being more productive in those other areas on my list. It's amazing. One minute, I had no desire to go back to writing on a book I started months ago, or teach myself to play the piano, or walk down the hallway and back twice a day, and other things I want to do.

The Holy Spirit in me fills me with new strength and the WILL to do these other things. I can sit here and tell you about this experience, but when you decide to do it yourself, that's when you’ll truly understand. The only thing you have to do is be sure that you are a Christian. That sometime in your life you dealt with believing that Jesus is the son of God and that He paid your sin debt on the cross, and asked Him into your life.

Many people think that just because they believe in God that they are saved. That’s no more true than going to church every Sunday saves you. The question you have to answer is, do you have a real close relationship with God? You’ll know if you do without my even asking.

The saddest verses in the Bible to me are Matthew 7: 20-24 

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

People take these verses to mean that God doesn’t know that you exist. He knows every person on the earth. What Jesus is saying is that you never had a relationship with Him. I know a lot of people. Some by occasional conversations, and some just in passing enough to say, “Hi, how are you?” But I don’t really KNOW these people. But the people I feel that I know are those I spend time with—intimate, close times of sharing.

As 2025 closes and the calendar rolls over to January 1^st, we always have another chance to stop putting off the things we put on our lists. I threw my list away. I only bowed my head and asked the Lord to forgive my apathy towards Him because of familiarity. Then whatever other things he wants me to spend my time on, He’ll make known to me and give me the desire and the strength to do them.

So, my dear reader, if you want your life to be different and wonder if there is really a promise that you can depend on other than yourself, I guarantee you that there is.

God.

I wish that you would take the next few minutes and do the first thing to change your life this year.

I bless you.