VERSE:

VERSE:
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
-- John 3:3
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=John+3:3&translation=kjv

THOUGHT:
"Fast away the old year passes ..." But we can be new and fresh
and clean (cf. 2 Cor. 4:17). Kingdom people are those who have been
born fresh and new through the power of the Spirit and the grace of
God (cf. John 3:3-7; Titus 3:3-7; John 1:11). So as we close out
the old year, with its good things and bad, achievements and
failures, successes and disappointments, let's approach the New
Year as Kingdom people. God's mercies are new every morning and our
lives can be made new every day by the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
Yes, we have been born again. But each sunrise offers us the
opportunity to be made new, to live in a fresh new way, as God's
grace rekindles our hopes and the Holy Spirit makes us new as we
trust in Jesus our Lord.

PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, you are holy and righteous. I confess that as
hard as I have tried and as much as I have wanted to be holy and
righteous, without your grace and the empowering presence of the
Holy Spirit, I fail. Thank you for your forgiveness. Please make me
new. As I stand on the threshold of a new year, please empower me
beyond my weaknesses and besetting sins. Open my eyes to your work
in the world around me and use me in your work of grace. Fire my
passion to live fully for your Kingdom and my King, Jesus Christ,
in whose name I pray. Amen.