There is power in God’s Word, so why not memorize these 7 great Bible verses to energize your new year?
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“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” 2 Cor 5:17
There is power in God’s Word, so why not memorize these 7 great Bible verses to energize your new year? One place to start is to recognize that you are a new creation in Christ Jesus if you’ve trusted in Jesus. The old things we used to do before salvation should pass away and all things are new to us; like the Word of God opens up to us after we’re saved. Just like this new year, we are new in creation. In the beginning, God created man…in Christ Jesus, God recreated man.
“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18-29
If we try to hold on to our past mistakes and sins, we’ll not focus our eyes on Christ and our future, or what’s ahead of us. We are told to “not remember the former things,” and even “consider the things of old.” Why? It is because God is doing a new thing in us and a new thing this year through us, whatever that may be (Eph 2:10). He will make a way for us, even “in the wilderness,” so let’s forget the past. The Apostle Paul said, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14), and it’s hard to “press on toward the goal” if you’re holding onto the past in your mind.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jer 29:11
[2]Horace Vernet, Jeremiah on the ruins of Jerusalem (1844).
Even though this was written to the nation Israel who had gone into captivity, it is fitting for us to know that God works in similar ways with us as with ancient Israel. The message for believers is still the fact that God has plans for us and “plans for welfare and not evil,” and beyond today, “a future and a hope.” This future hope is in Christ Jesus whom we’ve trusted in.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Prov 3:5-6
Before you take a step today, make sure your path is in alignment with Scripture. If we lean on His understanding and not ours, and if we give glory to God in our lives (by acknowledging Him), then He’ll straighten the paths we walk. We cannot straighten our own paths because we can’t see around corners or forward in time, but if we trust in God, we can trust the path, because He’s already seen the future and the path.
“To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Eph 4:22-24
[3]The idea of putting off and putting on, means it’s up to us to participate in the process of riding our mental closes of “deceitful desires” and allow God’s Spirit to renew our minds (Rom 12:1-2). The Word of God can do that. The Bible actually helps us “put on the new self” and become more “after the likeness of God,” in Christ Jesus. He is our righteousness (2 Cor 5:21). The more we become like Christ, the more others will see Christ in us. Just as Jesus said if you have seen Me, you have seen the Father (John 14:8-9), may it be when others see us, they see at least a little bit of Jesus.
“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” Lam 3:22-24
Count every day like a present from God. He’s graciously give us each and every morning as new opportunities to be the hands, eyes, voice, ears, and feet of Jesus (Matt 25:35-36). And we ought to feel indebted to Christ and feel compelled to remind ourselves of God’s unceasing, never-ending love…morning after morning, and all the time in between.
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“You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.” Psalm 65:11
What a beautiful Bible verse to help us remember to count our blessings. Most of us are much better off than most of the world is, and every time we start to count our blessings, we suddenly forget our troubles. God has crowned my families year…year after year. How about yours? It’s not a matter of a glass being half empty or half full…it’s being thankful you have a glass. Contentment is a better tent to live under than the tent of discontentment.
Conclusion
I pray you have put your trust in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If that has not happened yet, my friend, you are in real danger of hell fire. And I mean, in immediate danger. You’re one breath, one heartbeat…one accident away from eternity when it will be too late to repent. Today is the best day to believe (2 Cor 6:2) since tomorrow is no guarantee. If Jesus Christ came today, here is your fate (Matt 7:21-23). This is why I plead with you as you read this, repent today…and I mean right now. Put your trust in Jesus Christ. If you do not, you will face God’s judgment after death guaranteed (Heb 9:27) or at Jesus Christ’s appearance (Rev 20:12-15), which could happen at any moment.
Here is some related reading for you: 4 Ways to Have a Happier New Year [5]
Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), Crossway Bibles. (2007). ESV: Study Bible: English standard version. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.