A New Year's Eve

New year. New resolutions. New goals. New pursuits. New ideas. New jobs. New skills. Newness!

Many of us take this turning of the calendar as an opportunity to focus on and pursue new things.

Check this out:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.  Proverbs 16:9

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.  Philippians 3:13-14

You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance.  Psalm 65:11

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  1 Peter 1:3

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.  Proverbs 3:5-6

…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40:31

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”  Lamentations 3: 22-24

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.  Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.  Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.  Psalm 96: 1-3

Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed.  For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.  Habakkuk 1:5

Precious one, as we head into 2015, I want to encourage you as I encourage myself (as has been the theme for the last couple of days) that God’s love for us is unchanging and that He desires relationship with us. But I also want you to know that He has great plans for us. As we walk into this new year, by His mercy, may our hearts and minds be aware that He has given us His Holy Spirit to empower us to do all that we were designed for – to live the John 10:10 life here on earth. John 10:10 (TLB) - The thief’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life [vitality] in all its fullness.

May we focus on and pursue all the fullness of life that the Father has for us in 2015.