A lot of people set goals for themselves at the start of the new year. Many quit after two weeks, but some are able to continue striving to reach their new goals.

Have you been able to maintain your spiritual goals through 2024? How about reading the Bible every day? or not missing church services except when sick?

Every runner in a race should be hoping to win it. Christians have an enemy who continuously seeks to rob you of joy, power with God, witnessing, and prayer. It is time to stop yielding to his will for us and start doing God’s will faithfully. No, we are not perfect yet – but we are commanded to seek His kingdom first – and He will bless you for it.

Paul “pressed” for the prize. He was not merely in a race – but he determined to win it with God’s grace. To him it was a “high calling” – there was nothing more important to him than to please the One Who called him.

What have you decided to do differently this year than what you did last year so you can expect a better outcome at the end of 2025? Only daily Bible reading and much prayer will make a difference and let you have the victory through Christ that you need. As a starting point, will you commit to it with God’s help?

Have you thought about how many blessings you have had over the past year? Most Christians have received so many blessings just in the past month that they could not count them all.

God loves His children which are regenerated through faith in His Son, Who died for us – and for the world (Jn. 3:16). Those who receive the most blessings are those who walk close to Him and are obedient.

Take a moment and wonder if you could have gotten more blessings – and have been a greater blessing to others – if you had walked closer to the Lord this past year. Think about His tremendous promise in Ephesians 3:20: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”

This verse makes it plain that most believers have no idea of the amount of blessings God wants to give His children. It is our lack of faith and lack of obedience that often short-circuits those blessings.

On top of it all, the verse says that when God blesses – “he addeth no sorrow with it.” It is certainly another great blessing in itself. Yes, God wants us to be joyous in Him, and He wants to give that joy and peace. All that the world offers cannot completely satisfy. Its joys are often short-lived.

Friend, if you are saved, why not try to see how God can bless and use you more in the coming new year. Why not talk to Him about it right now?

The fact that the Son of God came into our world at all is a very powerful demonstration of the mercy of God. He did not have to come. Ever since Adam, the entire human race has repeatedly and deliberately broken God’s law and, because of sin, has prevented God from giving His best to us in this world.

Instead of the perfect world He created for us, sin brought about a curse upon it. Although there is much beauty in our world still, evidence of the curse is very much seen all around us.

Through the Sacrifice of His Son at Calvary, His mercy invites all to come to Christ for forgiveness, cleansing, a new start, salvation, and Sonship. He certainly has “not dealt with us after our sins” – which would merit Hell.

God’s mercy does not end at salvation, He desires to demonstrate it over and over to His redeemed children. We certainly need it – and thank God – He freely and readily gives it to the sincere.

When God’s people turn to Him and seek His forgiveness and fellowship, He immediately restores that believer. Like the prodigal son’s return to the father, there is joy and a welcome to be found.

A new year will soon be here. Will you seek to be in close fellowship with God? His mercy awaits your call, and He will revive and strengthen you anew.

Day one of the new year has arrived. The old year is gone and the new one has arrived.

Although it is a day that many people have off from work, it is a day that God has given us. In it, as believers, we have the privilege of honoring and worshipping Him. I hope and pray that you will start the year off right.

As the coming of our Lord draws nigh, we must always remember that there is a strong possibility that there is a time when the night will come. It could be in 2024. If it comes, it means that work for God will be very limited – if possible at all. Of course, He could also take us home to Heaven this year – what a joy that will be.

As we see more and more changes coming to America, we must realize that opportunities to serve Him are likely to be limited more and more.

God’s people need revival. It starts with choosing to be committed to do His will – are you?

Although we cannot be sure that others will follow Him, you can take steps to help ensure that you will. To ensure that you will still serve God, you need to:

1. Strengthen your relationship with God now
2. Stay in the Word – read it every day and study it.
3. Hide the Scripture in your heart – to be strong, to defeat Satan, and to be a ready witness
4. Develop a strong prayer life
5. Witness often – take some people with you to glory – do not go alone! There are people in your circle of influence that no other Christian may know.
6. Fellowship often with other believers – go to church regularly.
7. Give faithfully to support your church that is fulfilling the Great Commission in local evangelism and missions.

Stay strong for His glory by His grace and strengthen others, too. God bless you.

Welcome to the New Year – 2023 is here. Now that the parties and celebrations are over, it is time to get serious about the new year.

While most people are wondering what this new year will bring – in comparison to last year – it will largely depend on what you make of it.

If you have not been walking close to God as a Christian, this is the year to change that. People need to see what real Christians are and why they should want what we say we have in Christ.

The above verses tell us that if we draw close to our Father, He will meet you halfway. We must first put off the levity and need to get serious about the things that He is serious about. We must hate our sin, confess it, and start walking in righteousness. He will help you do these things if you ask Him.

When you do, you can have the joy of a clean heart, be aware of His presence and blessing, and have victory over sin. If listening to Him, you can also have His guidance in your life.

If this devotional has spoken to your heart, and you wish to live closer to God this year, why not tell me about it. I’d love to hear it and could pray for you.

The newness of the year will quickly wear off as people will soon be back to work or school, and their everyday lives. For Christian believers, this New Year – 2022 – can be more exciting than ever as you seek to accomplish more for God. It could also be the year that Christ comes back and takes us Home!

Think about it, Christian – this year could be the best and last opportunity you have to serve God like you should. It would be a shame to get to Heaven and have a lot of regrets and what-ifs!

On the other hand, what glory awaits those people that serve God faithfully! The apostle Paul hints at the fact that we can’t even begin to imagine what glories await those who are faithful! I want to be one of those that God will say: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” (Mt. 25:21).

Since this is the first day of the New Year, why not recommit to serve God better this year than last year? It will mean going to church regularly, reading your Bible every day, praying, and witnessing, and seeking to fulfill the will of God for your life. It could be the year of personal revival.

It is pointless to live for self because only what is done for Christ will last. No faithful believer has ever told me that he or she was sorry that they served God! I am sure that if you are saved that you will find the same things to be true.

Remember, though, that the cost of discipleship has never changed: “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34).

God loves you and He takes care of His own. Trust God wherever He leads and He will use you: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Pr. 3:5,6).

If you are reading this and are not saved, why not make this the day of your salvation?

The Christmas holiday is past, and life goes on. Since the year 2021 is almost over and the new year will soon be here, now is a good time to stop and give this past year some time for worthwhile reflection.

Not a single one of us knows exactly how much longer we might live, if we will be given the “threescore and ten” or not, so it makes a lot of sense to live it wisely. It also needs to be remembered that God sees everything and He is recording what we do; and, one day – it will all be revealed. The meaning of “sowing and reaping” will certainly take effect at that time.

Thank God, that if you are a believer, the sins of your past have been erased. You have been justified. Your name has been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and glory awaits – all of it is something to shout about! Praise God! Romans 6:6 tells us: “Knowing this, that our old man” (the way you lived before salvation) “is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

Although freed from the penalty of sin (Hell), the thing that needs to be remembered is that your rewards (not your salvation) are based on faithfulness and obedience to His Word. We have been redeemed – not to live the way we want – but according to the will of God.

With a fresh year coming soon, this would be the ideal time to make some desirable changes in your life. Take a pause in your day (or this week) to evaluate how you have lived and what you have accomplished for God this year. To help you, I encourage you to consider the following questions:

• Have you lived in such a way that God will be pleased when you stand before Him at the Judgment?
• Will you be happy to have all your secret actions and thoughts revealed for all to see?
• If you knew you would die tomorrow, are there some things in your life you would want to change?
• Are you doing what you know God expects of believers: reading your Bible daily, faithful church attendance, tithing, prayer, seeking to be an example, etc.?
• Have you helped others to come to Christ during this past year?

After a pause for reflection, pray and ask God to help you see what areas need improvement. Then, jot down those things and ask for His help to implement them into your life this coming year.

Since none of us are yet perfect, it means we all have some room to grow. God provides power and blessing to His children that serve Him. While He will never force anyone to serve Him, be aware that you cannot beat His eternal rewards! After we get to glory, there is little doubt that we will say – after having lived for God – that it was worth it all!

If there is someone reading this and you know you are not yet saved, why not make today the day to get saved? After all – you do not know how long you will live, either! Remember, too, you live one life, then you die – then you face the judgment of God (Hebrews 9:27)! There is no redo and there will be no appeals! Let me encourage you to make that decision to trust Christ and get saved today!