LeeAnn and I hope all of you had a Merry Christmas and are looking forward to a Blessed New Year.  As we close the door on 2023, may each of us thank the Lord for the most precious gift He has given us - JESUS.  Question for us…what gift did we give the Lord this Christmas?  Hopefully, we would say, OURSELVES, and that your hearts resonate with mine by asking; "LORD, HOW CAN I BE MORE EFFECTIVE FOR THE KINGDOM WORK IN 2024?" 

I do not know about you, but I think that the New Year is a very special time.  There is a sense of renewed energy, rekindled spirit, renewed commitment and dedication.  For some it is starting over and putting the past behind, and learning from mistakes.  For others it is a brand new beginning. 

We cannot change the past, but, we can learn from it.  We can appreciate, rejoice, and be thankful as we are told in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Romans 8:28, and Ephesians 5:20.

The New Year might mean a time of reflection, planning, personal inventory, anticipation, and commitment.  Perhaps one of the best words to describe the new year is "renewal."   

A Scripture dealing with renewal includes 2 Corinthians 5:17.  “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  Upon surrendering our lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we are made "whole."  We are made "new."  The individual is given a new lease on life.  With that new lease on life, let us be found faithful in sharing the Gospel message with others. 

Each of us has been given a brand-new year.  Let us remember that only those things done for, and in the name of, Christ will last.  Are we going to invest our time, effort, energies, and financial resources this year in those things that will count for eternity?