This Is My Year…I Promise

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.” – 2 Corinthians 4:16.

Another year has come and gone. There is a buzz in the air as the world comes together to recognize a new beginning. We say goodbye to 2022 and usher in the new year. We ponder and discuss all the interesting occurrences that happened in the past year; the good times, the bad times, the frustrating times, and the fun times. We share what valuable lessons we learned from our experiences, what God showed us and how He was faithful through all of it

We do this as a closure to one year and then an opening to the next. How do we harness the incredible opportunity and hope each new year presents to us? What new experiences will we go through and what new lessons will we learn? It’s all fresh and new and that is exciting. Isn’t this the longing of every heart? Regardless of what season of life you are in or the circumstances you are facing, there is a belief that the future will be better. There is a belief that this could be our year.

The new year gives us a fresh new outlook for the coming year and enables us to leave the past where it belongs, not that we forget the past but learn from it and move forward into our present future with opened hearts and minds to receive whatever God has for us. This is your year.

Start out the New Year with a fresh point of view on new experiences, memories, and blessings. Having an open mind and heart to where ever the Lord may take you with full assurance and confidence that He is with you “…And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) Then consider the possibilities. There’s no limit to what God can do in your life and nothing is impossible with God. God opens doors that no man can shut and also closes doors that no man can open. The possibilities are endless with God. “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

Find your purpose this year.  God always has a plan and a purpose for what you will go through and experience in 2023. Remember that God always has a reason for what He allows in your life and through it you can trust Him completely. “Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance.” (Proverbs 1:3-5)

Gilbert K. Chesterton said, “The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul.” This could be your year.  It may be filled with hardships, but it could be a new beginning for you where you see the Lord move and experience His presence more and more.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are some areas in your life where you want to see change in 2023?
  2. Think of the past few years.  What struggles have you had in implementing changes in your life?
  3. In what ways has God given you a “new you” to help navigate 2023?

If

“Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours.” – 1 Kings 3:9

What if you had one wish? What if God appeared to you and gave you one wish, what would you ask for? Most of us would have to pause and sort out the luxuries versus the necessities of life. We would also probably try to figure out a way to get several additional things by asking for one thing. Money, power, prestige, safety, security, a promotion, a vacation villa in Tuscany, a huge boat, etc. There are quite a few things that would come to us if we were asked. While most of us won’t get the opportunity, Solomon did.

Solomon was a young man, about twenty years of age when his father David died and he became king. 1 Kings 3: 5 tells us, “…That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” Think about that for a moment.  Solomon is basically given an open checkbook. He is a young man presented with a vast array of possibilities by the One who can give him anything he desires. Obviously, he could have gone in many different directions, yet he simply asked God for the most important thing he could think of—and God answered his prayer. “I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have!” (1 Kings 3:12) Solomon acknowledges his deficiency to reign over God’s own people as king. He realizes that he needs to depend upon the Lord for success.

So what can we do with Solomon’s wish? We’re not likely to get a God-sent wish-for-anything package anytime soon. But I think we can put ourselves in Solomon’s shoes and ask ourselves, “What would I wish for?” Given the opportunity, a lot of things would present themselves to our minds. Jesus is giving us some insight when He says, says, “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Matthew 6:21) and “…What you say flows from what is in your heart.” (Luke 6:45) Our answer to the question reveals the desires of our heart. So as we begin 2023, what would you ask for?

Maybe you would ask for something that will increase your enjoyment of God. Or maybe you would like to have the wisdom to improve your family life, or the faith to believe that God can and will do the impossible in your life. How about making significant progress in a spiritual discipline you have been working on? Or do you wish to find new and helpful ways you could strengthen your church? Or maybe you want to be the instrument of the salvation of loved ones. Or just maybe you think more strategically and you would ask that what you do in 2023 will matter in ten years, in eternity.

Pray for wisdom on what He would have you do over this next year and talk to Him about your desires and dreams for the year. Ask the Lord to remind you of your purpose in Him as you walk forward.

Discussion questions:

  1. What would you be thinking if God granted you one wish?
  2. What is one thing, one change that could make a significant difference in your life spiritually in 2023?

What Kind Of Security System Do You Have?

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.’ With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: ‘Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.’” – Isaiah 12:2-6.

It is time for the college football national championship game. The stage is set as Los Angeles prepares to welcome more than 70 thousand fans downtown for the College Football Playoff National Championship game. As coaches, players, and fans get ready, many security preparations are taking place behind the scenes that include K-9s to search the bleachers, team locker rooms, and club-level suites. All vendors entering the stadium will be vetted and searched. All these measures are to ensure the night goes smoothly and the fans feel secure.

Security is a concern for most people, Christians included. When we give our lives to Jesus Christ, He becomes our safety and our security. Because of Him, we can risk living life to the fullest and be all that we were created to be. He keeps us secure, even when we feel insecure. The prophet Isaiah points us toward the future, showing us a picture of what it means to trust in God. The reality is that our security can only be found in God. We should solely place our confidence and security in God alone. Not in our jobs, possessions, status, and even relationships. Because if God is not your security, then security will always seem fleeting.

Everyone was faced with this reality when the COVID pandemic happened. People were forced to face their fear of losing the things they placed their security upon. Most especially with their careers. The closing of millions of businesses around the world resulted in millions also losing their jobs. Fear of death engulfed nations amidst the realization that our security could be gone in the blink of an eye. God is the only one who can make us feel free from fear and anxiety.

In 2023, encounter the Lord’s presence through prayer, Scripture reading, listening to worship music, in small group conversations.  Each is a means of minimizing the stress of insecurity and increasing our trust in the Lord.

Discussion questions:

  1. How often do you feel genuinely secure? Free from fear or anxiety? Why do you think that is?
  2. Do you believe God wants you to be secure? What can you do this week to trust God a little more?

Is There Life On Other Planets?

“Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing.”    Isaiah 4:26.

In 2022, mankind took unprecedented leaps forward in unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos. We witnessed the first mission to the International Space Station funded entirely by space tourists. There were historic launches of spacecraft and technology by NASA and its international partners that could one day be used to land humans on Mars. As we move farther and farther into the cosmos, will we find life on other planets? How do these new discoveries affect our view of God? Do we need to revise our understanding of Him?

The answer depends on how big your concept of God is. You see, we need to recognize that God is far greater than anything the human mind can conceive. The discoveries of science excite us, but it’s even more exciting when we recognize the greatness of the Creator of it all.

Louie Giglio, pastor of Passion Church wrote a book called “Indescribable: Encountering the Glory of God in the Beauty of the Universe.”  In his book, Louie makes the case that while modern science allows us to see farther into space than ever before, every step draws us closer to the God who breathed each star into existence.

David wrote in Psalm 8:3, “When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place.” The universe contains objects of incredible size and mass at distances that the human mind cannot fully grasp. When we consider the power of the Lord who made all this, we cannot help but feel humbled.

We should be standing in reverent fear of a God so indescribably powerful that He called it the work of His fingers.  Psalm 147:4 adds   “He counts the stars and calls them all by name.” Imagine looking up on a starry night and counting the stars and giving them a name as you go along. “It was my hand that laid the foundations of the earth, my right hand that spread out the heavens above. When I call out the stars, they all appear in order.” (Isaiah 48:13).

Truly, the God who created this universe is glorious and worthy of praise. As to whether there is life on other planets, we simply do not know. So far, no evidence of life on the other planets of our solar system has been found. Wherever life exists or doesn’t exist, God is still the Creator and Controller of all things, and all things were made for His glory.

Discussion Questions:

  1. When have you had the chance to observe the night sky and its starry host?  What emotions did you feel?
  2. Read Psalm 19:1-6.  What does the universe communicate to us about God?
  3. Why do we tend to lose perspective on how big God is?  How does this impact how we approach life?

Encounters With God

“As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”“Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” – Acts 9:3-6. 

Have you ever had a personal encounter with God? Saul (Paul) certainly did. Paul experienced an encounter with God on the road to Damascus. As a zealous Jew and Pharisee, Paul had thought that God wanted him to persecute every follower of Jesus Christ, and to stop the Gospel of Christ from spreading. He was sincerely convinced that Jesus was not the true Messiah of the Jews and that Christ’s followers were all God’s enemies. It must have been a rude awakening for him to discover the truth: he discovered the truth via a personal encounter with God.   

Encountering God is not something to be feared or shied away from. It is not spooky, super spiritual, or made up by fanatics. Encounters are not for people like Paul, they are for all of us.   

God is always with us, so how do we encounter God in our day-to-day lives? There is no clear-cut answer to this question, and people have encountered God in many ways throughout the centuries. Abraham heard the voice of the Lord instructing him to leave his land and travel to a land where the Lord would lead him. Moses had a one-time, powerful encounter with the Lord on Mount Sinai.  The disciples encountered God during three years of teaching, preaching, traveling, and communing with Jesus.

Fast forward to today. God wants to reveal Himself to you so that you may encounter His love, grace, truth, and presence.  Some people encounter God in times of corporate worship, and others tune their hearts to the Lord in private times of prayer. Others encounter God in the classroom, at the supermarket, or in conferences. Or they encounter God sitting in their easy chair before a fire reading their Bible.

We cannot see the Lord with our eyes, but we can see Him with our hearts. To encounter the Lord often begins with a desire, a gift of the Holy Spirit to open our hearts. Ask God to reveal Himself to you. “Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.” (Psalm 119:18).

Encountering God doesn’t have to happen on a mountaintop, in a lightning bolt, or in miraculous events. God is faithful. Open the Bible and read with expectation. Worship, pray, serve. All of these are opportunities to encounter the Lord. Every moment of every day is an opportunity to encounter the Lord as we abide with Christ. “or God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Discussion Questions:

  1. What constitutes an encounter with God to you?  
  2. What can we do in the short term to foster a more intimate relationship with God? 

Encounter God In His Word

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” – Colossians 3:16  (ESV)

How do you view the Bible? Do you view spending time in the Bible as an obligation on your to-do list?  “When I finish the three chapters in Galatians then I can check off today’s reading list.” It is easy to relegate reading the Bible to church or small groups. You imagine that is the best place to study the Bible.

What we have failed to realize is that God is not just restricted to a church, small group, or book. podcast, etc. He’s always with you and always available to talk. While going to church and small groups are important in themselves, we can literally encounter Him anytime and anywhere.“How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. I have tried hard to find you—don’t let me wander from your commands. (Psalm 119:9-10)

The purpose of reading the Word is to get to know the One to whom the Word points. Jesus said “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” (John 5:39) The Word is what displays God’s character and nature so that we can encounter God. Before you spend time in the Word, invite the Holy Spirit there to give you understanding of Who God is. “When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.” (Jeremiah 15:16)

The Bible remains the only source of divine revelation and power that can sustain you as a Christian in your walk with God. The Bible provides us with the incredible privilege to know God personally through His Word. Bookstores are filled with books attempting to help us figure out this life. There are countless self-help books on marriage, parenting, relationships, and personal growth. There are countless other books on addiction recovery and the ups and downs of life. Still more give views on life after death, good and evil, and the human condition. But only the Bible gives us answers to those questions directly from the God who created us. The Bible is God’s inspired words to us. No self-help book can come close to the words of our Creator.

Regardless of what season of life you are in, there is still so much to learn about God. Reading the Bible reminds us that our knowledge of God can always be improved. Reading the Bible completely forces us to reflect upon all aspects of God’s character and allows us to know Him in new ways.

Reading the Bible daily enables you to experience the gospel in a new way. God will meet you each and every time you read through His Word.

Discussion Question:

  1. Read Psalm 119:103, 105, 114, and 160: What do these verses say to you about studying the Bible?
  2. What can we do this week to improve how we read and study the Bible? 

  

Let’s Make A Difference in 2023

“I can’t change the world, but I can change the world in me” – Bono.

Every year we get products that are advertised to innovate and lead a cultural revolution. The company making these products believes they are changing the world. As Christians, we would love to do something that would change the world. Our desire is to make a difference rather than live an obscure, little life that will leave no mark on the world.   

If we do really want to change the world, how do we go about it? Handling the basics of life can leave one exhausted. Do I really have the margin, much less the capacity, to change the world? Do I really want to give it a try? After all, the world has a lot of problems and it is difficult to determine where to start. And there is still another question to throw in the mix: how do I make an impact? Do we want to invest our strength, power, and abilities? What if I get tired? Or scared? Or worse yet, flat-out fail?

The key is to stop paying attention to the enormity of the impossible and start pouring your time and energy into the possible: the people and the place to which God has called you to serve Him.

You cannot do it all. You can’t get your arms around the vast boundaries of your city or your entire state. But you are able to touch those who come into the scope of your influence. There will always be more people to reach than time or energy or commitment can provide. But the truth is that each one of us can touch a few. How wrong we would be to stop helping anyone because we cannot help everyone. C.S. Lewis once wrote, “Don’t shine so others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see Him.”

With 1440 minutes in a day and 365 days in a year, we’re given plenty of opportunities to shine. The thing is, we tend to forget that small acts of kindness are every bit as powerful in drawing others to Christ as those we plan and prepare for. A smile, a word of encouragement, a prayer, a text, or a compassionate ear, are just some of the ways to show love and glorify God. You can make a difference. Count on the Lord to honor and multiply your best efforts, even though they may seem small.

John Piper said that “people that make a difference in the world are not people who have mastered a lot of things. If you want your life to count, you don’t have to have a high IQ, good looks, or graduate from a prestigious school. You just have to know a few basic, simple, glorious, majestic, obvious, unchanging eternal things and be gripped by them. It is what you are gripped with, or what we care deeply about.”

Imagine the difference that one person can make–that you can make in this world.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How are you making a difference in your community? 
  2. What can we do this week to make a difference in one person’s life?

Preparing For The New Year Spiritually

“Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.” — Proverbs 24:27

Christmas is over. It is certainly a wonderful time of year to worship God incarnate and spend time with family and friends. But now that Christmas is in the rearview mirror, it is time to look forward to the new year.

A new year is a great time to develop new habits. Many people focus their New Year’s resolutions around their health and lifestyle, pledging to lose weight or spend more time with family. However, many people forget to center God in their New Year’s plans.  While many people are quick to take on areas such as health or finances, it is a little more challenging figuring out how to set spiritual goals, whether it’s for the new year or beyond. 1 Timothy tells us, “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” Now is always a great time to recenter yourself spiritually as you organize your life and look ahead.

God has provided everything we need, to grow strong spiritually. He provided us insight on how we can properly prepare ourselves to follow His direction in the new year. Scripture tells us in Proverbs 24:27 to “Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.” Before we set forth to perform the work God has for us in the new year, we must pray and seek God’s direction in 2023.“Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:6)

2023 presents us with a new race with a new finish line. It’s a new day, a new year, and a new you. So what changes would you like to make this year? What will you resolve to do differently this year? Psalm 17:3 provides an excellent example of someone that feels he “has” to make a commitment.  He is “determined…”   “You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night. You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong. I am determined not to sin in what I say.”

The new year seems the perfect time to make commitments and take action. If you are dissatisfied with how you have lived this past year, there will be new opportunities before you. It can truly be a new year for you, with a better and stronger relationship with God.  May this be a new beginning for a new you where you see the Lord move in your life.

As we begin 2023, my prayer is that we are committed to trusting God to work in our lives in a new, and powerful way. So rather than seeing the start of another year as a daunting task to be met or an unknown to be feared, my prayer is that we can trust in God’s sovereignty over every aspect of our lives. There will be new blessings, new trials, new failures, and new victories, but He is all we need.

Discussion questions:

  1. What is your mindset in entering the new year?
  2. What would you like to change in your life in 2023?

The Water, River, and Fires Of 2023

“But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says,“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” Isaiah 43:1-2.

In Isaiah 43, God talks to His people, the Israelites, as they begin a journey. After years in captivity, they rejoiced at the freedom to return to their homeland. But to get there, they would have to travel a long distance. Their travel would look quite different from ours — no plane to catch and no trailer to haul their stuff. So you can imagine the challenge this nation would face when they found themselves standing in front of deep waters or difficult rivers. Men, women, children, livestock, and all their belongings would have to find a way through these physical obstacles.

Though we may not come upon an actual river or fire, we will likely encounter obstacles in 2023. Notice how Isaiah says, “When you go through deep waters … When you go through rivers of difficulty … When you walk through the fire of oppression.” The water, river, and fire represent the afflictions, trials, and difficulties we face. The Bible makes it clear that it is a question of when not if.  The nation of Israel encountered these difficulties on its journey, and I think we can count on it too.

Thankfully, God is with us in our most troubling times. He is constantly working all things out for His will. And He has compassion for us. When everything else is uncertain, there is one thing that you can depend on — the promises of God.

The Bible is filled with the promises of God. From Genesis to Revelation we read of normal people that received the promises of God. When God makes a promise to His people, it will come to pass. What is a promise? A promise is a covenant or declaration that one will do exactly what one says or something will happen just as pledged.

As we get ready for 2023,  spend some time simply meditating on the promises of God. You might try focusing on one each week. Take a deeper look at God’s character and what He promises to those who believe in Him. Because no matter how prepared we feel, we’ll never be able to conquer our troubles alone. God didn’t just warn of potential problems ahead, He included promises to stand on in the midst of them.

As we head into a new year, let’s start 2023 prepared, so that when we face the trials of life we will stand. Undaunted by deep waters. Ready for rivers of difficulty. Fearless in the face of the fire.

Discussion Questions:

  1. God wants believers to know they are loved so much that they need not live in fear. Yet, this love relationship does not eliminate all fearful things in our lives. What are the things you fear in 2023?
  2. How does God eliminate these fears?

Christmas Is Over, Now What?

“Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son. The only requirement is to believe in Him. The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life.” – Corrie Ten Boom.

It’s the day after Christmas and all through the house there are piles of junk, cast-off toys, and piles of unwanted gifts to be returned as soon as possible.  Perhaps you’re hoping to exchange the flannel shirt Uncle Pete gave you. The kids have already found that the cardboard boxes their toys came in are more interesting to play with than the items which the boxes originally contained.

You’ve already made the decision to put the tree out on the curb for pickup tomorrow and get ready for the new year. Maybe this year should be different. It is the time to pause and answer a question: “Is there any correlation between the focus of the Christmas holidays—and what drives and motivates your life after the Christmas decorations are gone and the poinsettias have wilted?

Yes, it is Jesus’ birthday, but it is also the beginning of the gospel story. We are not just celebrating the fact that Christ came as a baby. We are celebrating that He came and brought redemption to our world. In other words, He came to redeem everyone who believes in His name.

Here is how Paul answered that question in I Timothy 1:15: “This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.” Paul was thinking about the grace of God shown to him. He could not get over it. We too should be amazed. We too should not be able to get over it. We too should be in awe of God with us. We should be in constant astonishment at God’s grace and mercy that began for each of us on that first Christmas night.

Some people want to put Christmas behind them until next December.  But others bask in the reality of the meaning of Christmas, the Incarnation.  For them, Jesus is not a babe whose manger is getting pretty old and dusty.  He is the living Savior, the One who became flesh at Bethlehem, the One who wants to touch the lives of people today. He can be pushed aside by packing up the Christmas decorations. Moving on after Christmas should include the risen Lord who will someday return from heaven. May we enter the New Year with our eyes focused on the risen Savior.

Take the time and the step of remembring the Christmas story during the year. Try to understand what “God with us” and “unto you is born a Savior” really means all year long.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think about Christmas year-round?
  2. What would you suggest are a couple of practical ways to help refocus on the true meaning of Christmas during 2023?