Almost all people desire to improve their lives. Whether we’re seeking to feel better, to relate better, to produce better, or to live better, everyone desires to grow and improve. Therefore, we often use the new year to set our targets of improvement.

Do you ever wonder what goals Jesus might set for you, if he wrote your resolutions?

After teaching the Bible for over thirty years as a pastor and a seminary professor,  I humbly submit that the following resolutions would make Jesus’ list for us all. (1)

New Year’s Resolutions from Jesus:

Resolution 1: Stop worrying so much. God can and will take care of you. (Matt. 6:25-34)

Resolution 2: Seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness. God promises to take care of all of the rest of your needs. (Matt:6:33)

Resolution 3: Evaluate your own life, and stop judging others. We all are pretty blind, and only God sees the whole story clearly. (Matt. 7:1-5)

Resolution 4: Come to God more often, with trust. “For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matt. 7:7-11)

Resolution 5: Treat others as you would like to be treated. “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.” (Matt. 7:12)

Resolution 6: Stop following the crowd, but look instead for Jesus’ path to the narrow gate. (Matt. 7:13-14)

Resolution 7: Look back each day and evaluate the fruit your life is producing. Is it, in truth, good or bad fruit? (Matt. 7:15-20)

Resolution 8: Evaluate those who seek to lead you, and look for good or bad fruit. (Matt. 7:15-20)

Resolution 9: Stop trying to “do things” for God, but instead hunger to know him personally and deeply. (Matt. 7:21-23)

Resolution 10: Try to follow the teaching of Jesus. He promises we will find true peace and stability in all situations if we build our house on the Rock. (Matthew 7:24-27)

(1) These resolutions come directly from the conclusions Jesus offers in the most important sermon ever preached, the Sermon on the Mount (from Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7).  It is the longest and most quoted teaching of Jesus, and offers a clear primer on ethical living and growth from God’s perspective. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us how to relate better with God and others. These resolutions come from Jesus’ own words for growth in our spiritual lives.