Video Devotions

Hope for the New Year

Greetings and Happy New Year! 

Perhaps you are looking forward to 2024 and all it holds.  One thing to keep in mind is that it is a new start!  If you have not heard it already: “The older you get, the faster time goes.”  I didn’t believe this in my early years.  Something has happened, and those years moved on—year after year, new year’s parties that came and went too quickly.  Remember, the Lord has all the time in the world and among the heavens to wait for us to find our way back to Him.  In time, with time, across time, and throughout the Bible, there are many times we see the Lord waiting on people to come back to Him.  People who interacted with God looked for various opportunities as they learned from the past and looked forward to what lay ahead.  Even in 2024, we can choose to look ahead and not to look behind.  

“…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; if somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already grasped it all or have already become perfect, but I press on if I may also take hold of that for which I was even taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, all who are mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that to you as well; however, let’s keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.” Phil. 3:10-16

Paul tells us in Philippians 3:10-16 about the Resurrection, the newness of life, what lies behind is behind, to press on, I have yet to lay hold of it (works in progress we are, yes!). I press forward for the upward call in Christ Jesus. Attitude is everything. We must live to that high standard that we have attained.  

We rise to the occasion of the Resurrection.  All believers in Jesus Christ have left the old self behind (die to the old self, go in the past) and put on the new self (experience the salvation of the Lord in Jesus and strive for righteousness daily).  What lies behind is gone in the past.  What is ahead goes before us in the future.   

As we look forward to the future of 2024, are you going to press onward toward the goal of eternity?  So that when our bodies are laid to rest, believers can live on in heaven.  The upward call is in Christ Jesus.  Will you decide to pursue righteousness and perfection even as a work in progress?  Think about it! 

If you are asking yourself as you go into 2024: 

  • “Is all this really going to be ok?” … “Yes, it is!” 
  • “Do I really want to do this again (another new year)?” … “Yes, you do!” 
  • “Should I or should I not change some of my ways?” … “Yes, you should!” 
  • “Should I or should I not go ahead and pray to the Lord and start it all out as new and fresh again?” … “Yes, yet again, you should!!!”  

If you have asked yourself the above questions, take heart in telling yourself: 

“Yes I can!” … “Yes INDEED!” 

Welcome to the New Year of our Lord, 2024! May God bless you and keep you focused in your walk with Jesus as you take new steps to get to know Him better, all while looking forward to the future.  

~ Pastor Luke 
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