New Year—New You!

2017 looms dead ahead! As you prepare to step over the threshold separating the old and the new, I would encourage you to consider the words of Oswald Chambers from his book, My Utmost for His Highest: “Leave the broken, irreversible past in God’s hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.”

Regardless of what 2016 may have been to you, whether good or bad, a clean slate is staring you in the face. Learn from the goods, the bads, the rights, and the wrongs of 2016 and then move on. Hand it off to God and step into your new year—your new you!

Don’t allow the hardships, the problems, the negativities, the brokenness, the lies and the deceits of the past follow you into the new year for with them only comes corruption to your soul and to your clean slate.

Jesus tells us: “Look! I am making everything new” (Revelation 21:5 HCSB). While this Scripture refers to the final newness that will one day come at the end of time, Jesus desires to make your 2017 a new experience full of new experiences for you to step into—to become a part of.

The Psalmist declares a word of promise you can hang onto as you move across into your next year: “The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever” (Psalm 121:8).

As you prepare for this big move, I would encourage you to prayerfully consider your present relationship with Christ. You desire a new you, a new future, new experiences; you desire to leave the past in the past; you desire to walk into the newness of the new year—consider this important word from Paul: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Being absolutely, totally “in Christ” is the key to your newness!

As you look to the future, understand that, although our nation is about to undergo some radical changes, these changes, whether good or bad, right or wrong, have no real bearing on the child of God who is living for the kingdom of God.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we should be much less concerned with who is in the White House and much more concerned with Who is on the throne in our hearts and lives. People of power come and go but the kingdom of God lives on forever and ever.

Our concern, as children of God’s kingdom, must advance beyond the ever-changing politics of humanity and rest upon the plan of God. It is His plans that will ultimately be played out in their entirety when everything else has come to an end.

This New Year should initiate a time of reflection into your own life “in Christ” and how you can become more enabled to advance the kingdom of God. Our mission is straightforward to “GO!” and to make disciples. The plan for the church is to turn the world upside-down with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Impacting our world for Jesus is truly what real life is all about.

A new you for the New Year is God’s ambitious desire for all His children. What 2017 becomes for you is what you determine to make out of it. I challenge you to take up the torch of the kingdom of God and advance forward—determined to make a difference in the world God has placed you in!

May your 2017 be a year marked by great progress both within yourself as well as others and advancement for the kingdom of God!

God bless you!

Scripture Reading: “I raise my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep. The Lord protects you; the Lord is a shelter right by your side. The sun will not strike you by day, or the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all harm; He will protect your life. The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever.” (Psalm 121 HCSB)

Personal Prayer: Father in heaven, I rejoice for all You have given me. I praise You for life, for health, for family, for a place in Your kingdom! I pray that my New Year will be filled with opportunities to share the love of Jesus to our lost world. I pray You would enable me to recognize these opportunities and give me the courage, strength and wisdom to step into them and make a difference for Your sake. I pray You would carry out great things through me in this New Year. I pray You would bring new life to Your church accompanied by a desire to carry out Your mission, to fulfill Your purpose. Help us to lay aside our wants and desires and to look to You and what You would have for us to be doing. I love You and praise You…in Jesus’ name…AMEN!