Bible Encouragement for the New Year
How was everyone’s Christmas? Did you get nice gifts and enjoy time with family and friends? I truly hope it was a wonderful Christmas for you this year.
I would like to start off this morning by sharing a couple of stories about gifts and giving:
The Father and His Son’s Friend
The Single Mother and Her Children
A New Year
We’ve reached the end of the last month. The last day is today, and now, we say goodbye to this year and welcome in another. Now is the time most of us remember this past year. More often than not, we remember the tough times, forgetting the good, and hoping for better things in the new year.
We hone-in on the mistakes we made, and we do our best to come up with plans that we don’t repeat the same mistakes, stay away from those that hurt us and try and find the good in what is to come… our “resolutions.”
I would like to take a few moments this morning and give you some helpful verses from the Bible that might make your decisions easier going into the new year with understanding that God still has our back.
You’re Not Done Yet
For some of us, our struggles may have seemed horrendous. Life and society in this world may have beaten you down so badly you may have honestly, at times, felt like it would just be easier to give up. You may have felt as though life was “done!”
Be honest with me, how many of you have even said to God, “Lord, I’m over this… just take me home!” I’m not talking about doing something foolish but just frustrated words spoken in a moment of despair. Did it get that bad for anyone here? I can tell you honestly, there were times I felt the same way. Life can be so harsh sometimes.
As you may be aware the disciple Paul, along with all the other disciples of Christ, faced many trials and tribulations during their ministry. Was Paul ready to give up? I don’t think so… as he wrote to the people of Philippi…
Philippians 3:13-14 – “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
“Yet to have taken hold of it.” What is “it?” He just hadn’t fully realized what his goals were or what God’s plan was for him, but he wasn’t willing to give up as he knew what was in store for him if he followed the path of our Lord “to win the prize which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
We should be aware, this is NOT the end of a year but the beginning of another and, as Paul stated above…
Forget and Forgive the Past
One of the hardest things for us to do is forgetting the past. Sometimes it lingers in our heads and distracts us from our purpose. Just as Paul did, we need to forgive those that have wronged us, forget our past and just let what once was, go and focus on a new beginning with God.
If we can learn to forgive and forget about the past, we will assuredly find hope in our future. Remember who has forgiven us and given us another chance at life despite all the wrong-doings we may have done.
God, through Jesus Christ, has forgiven us and as Paul also wrote in Colossians…
Colossians 3:13 – “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
He tells us do so. How much has our Lord forgiven us? How many things have we done at which He would disapprove? I don’t know about you, but mine are many. We should be so grateful that we have such a Loving and Forgiving God!
A New Creation
2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
Imagine that… once we have received Christ in our hearts, we are brand new people! All that we have done in our past has been forgiven and we have new lives to live.
Remember how we used to be before finding God, hearing and understanding His Love for us. We really do have a new beginning and we are a “new creation” through Christ.
Believe in Our Lord
How many times have we talked about believing? I think we’ve done a pretty good job bringing that subject up as it is something I, and many others sitting among us here today, firmly understand as should we all.
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
And again, in…
Proverbs 16:3 – “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
Believe, trust and expect your paths to be set for you. Last week, we talked about covering our ears and listening as well as closing your eyes and seeing. “Lean not on your own understanding” God knows what is best for us and He has His plans for us. These verses from Proverbs tell us ever so clearly that we should believe in our Lord as He will provide for us.
Believe in God’s Purpose
We aren’t here to simply wander around the planet and do as we please. That’s an obvious understatement. We are here for a reason… Let it happen!
Proverbs 19:21 – “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
God has put us all in this place for a purpose. Only He knows what that purpose is, but it is up to us to understand the truth in this verse. “It is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” No matter what it is we might want to do, God probably has another plan for us. Let it come to you and understand once you’ve heard.
America’s Top-Ten Resolutions
Here are, according to a Google search, the top-ten New Year’s resolutions across America today:
- Diet or eat healthier
- Exercise more
- Lose weight
- Save more and spend less–my personal favorite!
- Learn a new skill or hobby
- Quit smoking
- Read more
- Find another job
- Drink less alcohol
- Spend more time with family and friends
I’d like to try and make this year’s resolutions a little easier for you. I’d like to share with you what I believe to be the best New Year’s resolutions and what we should really focus on this year:
- Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.
- Love your neighbor as yourself. These, according to Christ, are the two greatest commandments. By doing these alone, you will bring boundless joy into your hearts and compassion from our God.
- Believe and trust in what God has in store for you
Our Lord Loves us so much. We have seen that so many times in our lives when we are forgiven our sins repeatedly. Treasure the Love we receive from God and believe in what He has in store for you.
While it may seem difficult to “Love your neighbor” or “Love your enemy,” it truly does make living easier. Scientific fact has proven: It is easier and takes far less effort to smile than it does to frown.
As we’ve said so many times… “Believe and trust in God!” Focus on these three this year and all else that you need will be given to you by God.
In Closing
I wish everyone a very Happy New Year. Celebrate with your friends and family. Enjoy the fellowship with one another and, as Spider alluded to last week about having a church at “A Bar,” remember what Christ told us in…
Matthew 15:10-11 (MEV) – “He called the crowds and said to them, ‘Hear and understand: That which goes into the mouth does not defile a man, but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.’”
If and when you drink, be good to watch yourself and what you say and do. As Christians, we are encouraged to celebrate and have good times just as much, if not more, than the non-believers. I say, “if not more” as we do have so much more with God than those without Him!
Go with God; be good to one another; always stay humble; always be kind… God Bless!