Happy New Year 2024

Photo by Kajetan Sumila on Unsplash

2024 is here and with it comes a lot of uncertainty, but “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.” (Psalm 115:3 ESV) As believers we have nothing to fear in 2024. 

So what does this new year mean for us? Well first it’s a good time to make reading your Bible and spending time in prayer a part of your daily routine.  If you need help knowing what to read you can simply start at the beginning of the the Old or New Testament or you can get a Bible reading plan. At Ector Baptist we give out the “Five Day Bible Reading Plan” available for free at www.fivedaybiblereading.com. There are also Bible reading plans available on the YouVersion Bible app (Link Below).  As for prayer, just start talking to God. Ask Him to help you to understand and apply what you’re reading in His Word. Talk about your struggles, confess your sins, pray for others, and just worship Him! Tell Him how thankful you are for all the ways He has blessed you and be specific! Tell Him how awesome and amazing He is as your creator and savior! You may let that new gym membership start collecting dust come February but don’t let your Bible! 

Secondly, commit to sharing the gospel! You know people who are lost. There is a family member, a friend, a neighbor that you know is not a Christian. It’s time to commit to share the gospel with them. Also, if you do share the gospel with that person you’re thinking about right now, don’t stop with them! Sharing the gospel is not a once a year thing to check off. This is why we are here on this earth! If we weren’t here to share the gospel, the Lord would have taken us to Glory the moment we believed in Him!  So don’t stop after one! Keep going! Pray that God would put people in your path that need to hear the gospel and then be faithful to share when God gives the opportunity! Remember, the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 isn’t optional it’s a command from our Lord! 

Third, commit yourself to the Lord’s church. President John F. Kennedy famously said “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” The same idea can be applied to the church. Before walking away from a church or just choosing to sleep in on most Sundays because “you’re not getting anything out of it,” ask yourself “what am I putting into the church?” We live in a society focused on consumerism but the church is a place you come to actively participate. What you get out of the church is dependent on what you are putting into the church. Serving in the church will always look different for different people based on your giftedness, and what stage of life you are in. But just as the Lord came to serve, not to be served (Matthew 20:28) so we also live to serve and not be served. The people in church need you! They need to shake your hand and hug your neck. They need you to listen to their stories about what the Lord is doing in their life and they need to hear your stories too. They need to hear you sing truth and you need to hear them. If you don’t know how you can serve and be involved just ask your pastor! We always know where people are needed! 

Going into 2024 there are a lot of things outside of our control that Satan would love to distract us with. Don’t let him!  In 2024 pray, read God’s Word, share the gospel, and serve the church! This is how we live for God’s glory in a broken world! 

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3

YouVersion Bible App

Five Day Bible Reading Plan