A new year. A new calendar to open and start new. An opportunity to purpose in our hearts to live for God more than we have last year…to do more in the kingdom of God – praying more, witnessing more, fulfilling our callings.

This new year can be a productive time of self-examination. It can be a productive time of making things right. It can be a time of forgiveness. It can be a time of repentance and receiving forgiveness.

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:13-14 KJV

A new year is coming...

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;" - Acts 3:19

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38

Church!

A new year is just around the corner. Today is a good day to get ready for it!

"Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." - Psalm 16:11

"What is Repentance? It is a change of mind, that leads to a change of heart, that leads to a change in actions. This change involves both a turning from sin and a turning to God."

This change of mind is not something that goes back and forth every day, choosing God, then choosing sin. True repentance is a life change. When we repent, we do not continue in sin, saying to ourselves that grace will keep covering our sinful lifestyle.

What does Paul say about this?

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? GOD FORBID. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE.

“For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN." - Romans 6:1-6 KJV (My italics.)

Jesus gives us the gift of His Spirit so that we CAN walk in newness of life. His Spirit leads us to make changes in our life to become holy. Jesus' Spirit gives us His power to overcome temptation and live a victorious life. With His Spirit, Jesus opens our eyes to see the way of escape from temptations. Praying in every situation, and being led by His Spirit, we keep the victory.

(Acts 1:8, Romans 12:1-2, John 14:26, 1 Corinthians 2:16, Ephesians 4:11-15, 1Corinthians 10:13, Romans 8:5-16, 1 John 5:4).

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39 KJV

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4 KJV

Repentance

The First Step in God's Plan for Salvation

To experience sorrow and conviction over past sins, and a turning away from future sin.

John the Baptist Preached Repentance

"And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." - Matthew 3:2 KJV

"John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." - Mark 1:4 KJV ["This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven." - Mark 1:4 NLT]

Jesus Preached Repentance

"I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." - Luke 13:3 KJV

"And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." - Luke 24:47 KJV

Peter Preached Repentance

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38 KJV

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count likeness: but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9

[From: Exploring God's Word Bible study]

Who was born in Bethlehem? God the Father, Creator of the universe, was born a son, to live among His creation, to die, and to rise again. What is His name? JESUS.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." - Isaiah 9:6 KJV

"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." - 2 Corinthians 5:19 KJV