Still, the only thing we think we have left to help us is our will-power, so we go through the same dance year after year.

• I resolve to diet and lose X pounds.
• I resolve to be a nicer person.
• I resolve to read more.
• I resolve to save money.
• I resolve to keep my resolutions this year.

I’ve even used a more scientific method in past years – the SMART method: Specific, Measurable, Accountable, Realistic, with a Timetable - and still I end up not being able to keep the resolutions, and I go back to the same behavior. . . or worse.

I have some disturbing new for you: resolutions are doomed to fail. Pure and simple. They cannot work. The Bible tells us we’re not going to be successful if we make resolutions and try to accomplish them by the sheer force of our willpower. Let me explain. Why do you make New Year’s resolutions? You make them because life isn’t quite working; it’s out of order, messy and your eyes are on the wrong things. You start in a place of disorder and dysfunction, and then by your own willpower and your own ingenuity try to fix your own shortcomings. Resolutions are filled with envy and selfish ambition, and with disorder and worldly endeavors. You have your focus wrong – so you’re doomed to fail.

The Bible shows us a better way – God’s way for making resolutions. God talks about two kinds of wisdom – one from Heaven and one from the devil. If we choose the wrong one, we’re doomed to fail, and if we choose the right one, God guarantees our success.

Look at James 3:13-18.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. (NIV)

We have two kinds of wisdom mentioned here, but – just what IS wisdom? How can there be a “wisdom” from the devil? Wisdom has a couple of meanings. The first is the one we usually use: “understanding of what is true, right or lasting.” But there is another definition: “sensibility” and “learning” and “erudition.” Erudition basically means “culture, intellect, and sophistication.” In other words – we have two kinds of “wisdom” that teach us and help us fit in the world around us; we can have wisdom that molds us to the world’s standards – or wisdom that molds us to the ways of God.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. . . this is Wisdom, version A

But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. . . this is Wisdom, version B

Both Wisdoms teach us and show us how to live - they fit us for living together.

Wisdom, version B. . . does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

Why do we have New Year’s resolutions? Because life isn’t working. It’s out of order.
It’s messy. It’s full of bad habits. It’s full of addictions, anger, mistrust, broken relationships, lies that continue to be perpetuated, mismanagement, hostility, laziness. . . and the list goes on. Our eyes are on the wrong things!

1 Corinthians 14:33 tells us that God is not a God of disorder, but of peace. When things are upside down and messed up and going haywire – God is not in that. God brings peace – not strife; He brings order – not disarray. Yet, we live our lives filled with bitter envy and selfish ambitions.

Bitter envy is about jealousy and coveting: “I want what they have.” Selfish ambition is about getting what you want for yourself or your family: “I’m going to get what I want - it’s all about me!” So – when things aren’t going the way we want – we take some time out at the end of the year to take stock of our life – and put in place some new course settings so we can improve our lives. We call them “New Year’s Resolutions.” The problem is that our resolutions are filled with envy and selfish ambitions! They’re filled with more disorder – and the Bible says, they’re filled with every evil practice. Why? Because they are all about us relying on ourselves and not on God!

We have our focus wrong! We’re focused on ourselves and our feelings and our actions and our relationships. . . it all starts with OUR LIST and requires OUR BEST EFFORTS. We’re doomed to fail! We know that because Jesus tells us that “apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Then there is Wisdom, version A – which comes from Heaven. It doesn’t come from the world; it doesn’t come from within us. We can’t research it or fabricate it. . . it’s from Heaven. . . . the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:17-18)

This is another list of the Fruit of the Spirit. They’re not gifts or talents God gives us to use, they’re evidence that show we’re fully connected to God, plugged in to His power and tuned in to receive from Him. We can’t fabricate or fake these – but we need to exhibit them. . . but how? You can’t resolve to be peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, full of good fruit, impartial, and sincere!

What should your resolutions be if you can’t resolve to be peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, full of good fruit, impartial, and sincere? Do you say: I will be wise with the wisdom from Heaven? Do you ask for that wisdom? What do you do?

Let’s find out from James 4:1-10.

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. (NIV)

What we learn from that passage is that since we have desires that battle within us, and because we either do not ask of God or we ask with the wrong motives out of our selfishness, our only New Year’s resolution should be this:

“From this time forth, I will submit to God!”

There are some things you can do, in fact, these are some things God requires of you:
• Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
• Come near to God and He will come near to you.
• Purify your heart.
• Repent – let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. (NLT) Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious – really serious. (Msg)

Do you know what “repentance” means? It’s a directional term. It means to turn around and go the other way. If you’re on the road to the sweetness and feel-good things of the world, you have to turn around and go towards the good things of Heaven. But, when you turn away from the good of the world, what is it you have to walk through on your way back to the good things of Heaven? You come face-to-face with the realization of just how far from God you really are, and you come face-to-face with the hurts you’ve caused your loving Heavenly Father. This change of direction is going to produce tears of sorrow and grief! You may be on the right road heading in the right direction, but you have to walk through sorrow and sadness. You’ve been away! You’re a prodigal child who has been lost and wandering under your own power for a long, long time. There’s going to be some time of horrible realization that you’ve been walking the wrong path – and that produces some grief and mourning!

Try it – you’ll see. Repentance – turning around and walking the right way when you’ve been going the wrong way for so long – will show you how far away you’ve gone. The road to where you are has been long and arduous and you didn’t even know it, but the road back is only a few steps! Still – Scripture says it will be with tears and mourning because you’ve been spending time away from being connected with the Father!

James 4:10 tells you: When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on Him, He will lift you up and give you honor. (NLT) You have to get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet. (Msg)

Some people use resolutions to help them get on track – others refuse to use them because they don’t work. I urge you to make ONE resolution this year, and renew it every year: “From this time forth, I will submit to God!”

Saving more money and having better spending habits is easier when you first submit to God. Mending broken relationships is easier when you first submit to God. Having more time for prayer or Bible study is easier when you first submit to God. Having more quality time with family is easier when you first submit to God. Jesus tells you in Matthew 6:33: “. . . seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Why do you make New Year’s resolutions? If you’re like most people, you make them because life isn’t quite working for you; your life is disordered and your eyes are on the wrong things. When you face the facts, you realize that resolutions are based on thoughts about “I want what they have” and “I want what I want.” In short, they’re filled with envy and selfish ambition; they have their inspiration in the disorder of life, and their start in worldly endeavors. You have your focus wrong – therefore, you’re doomed to fail.

“From this time forth, I will submit to God!”

• Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
• Come near to God and He will come near to you.
• Purify your heart.
• Repent – and let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and grief for being so far away. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy for the missed opportunities and the distance you’ve moved away from reliance on the Father. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. Get serious – really serious.

When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on Him, He will lift you up and give you honor! And when you’re lifted up and honored by Him – that feeling just can’t be beat.

May 2009 be a wonderfully fresh, God-inspired New Year!