Bible Study January 1, 2025
2 Corinthians 5:14 – 21
14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. “
Happy New Year. The “old has passed away the new has come.” Let us begin 2025 living in the newness of life.
Do you make New Year resolutions? I do not for several reasons. I will always remember my friend and former pastor Jeff Raker speak about the subject of resolutions. He would say the gyms were empty early in the year. Intentions are honest but results do not always come our way
Intentions may be good but fulfilling them is not easy. Why make a promise to yourself that you know you are going to break?
Here is what I do. I make decisions for the new year that are intentional. For 2025 I have made three such decisions not necessarily in order.
1. I am going to become more intentional on what I do. By that I mean I will act when I see a need. We have coin purses (for lack of a better term) that are available for our Christ Followers at Asbury Chapel to put money in and give to someone when the Holy Spriit prompts them. How intentional have we been in 2024 to do so? I know they are being used because the ones in the basket are dwindling.
2. To seek to live in greater grace. Be intentional about it. Look for additional opportunities to seek ways to care more. Since God has been merciful to me how can I show His grace to others? I must look for ways along with His guidance.
3. To act quicker. We have many people we can pray for as an example. We have prayer cards at church to fill out for someone needing prayer. I am now carrying them around with me. Why wait to pray – do it at that very moment. If we say we are going to pray for someone – do we or do we get busy and say I will pray later only to forget. Too often we think we need to spend so much time praying at one sitting and if we do not the Satan will condemn us for not doing it. Pray a one to two minute prayer at that time. Satan can only defeat when you open the door to allow him in.
May God richly bless you in this newness of life.
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