For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
— Jeremiah 29:11


We never know what the New Year will bring. We don't know what problems we will encounter or what changes will come our way. We don't even know what blessings the Lord has in store for us.

But one thing is guaranteed. No matter what the New Year brings our way, we don't have to be afraid because Jesus Christ will be there for us.

I like the words of Corrie ten Boom, that wonderful woman of God, who said, "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." God is in control of our future. He is ready to bless us in this coming year. But we must be ready to walk with Him, worshipping Him and obeying Him. We can't expect the Lord to bless someone who is in opposition to His law and His love.

As you look back on 2008, was it a year when you progressed spiritually? Was it a year when you found yourself becoming a bit more like Jesus Christ? Or was there some kind of spiritual breakdown?

If so, now is a good time to make a change. Now is the time to resolve to grow closer to Jesus Christ.

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14


"Immanuel" consists of two Hebrew words: im (the preposition "with" coupled with the plural "us" yielding immanu), and ‘el (God). Immanu + ‘el = "God with us." Perhaps more than any other word in the Bible, Immanuel represents the essence of the Christian and Christmas message: God has invaded the domain of man and dwelt among us.

Immanuel was prophesied by Isaiah, and the gospel writer Matthew declared Jesus of Nazareth to be the fulfillment of that prophecy. The apostle John best captured the meaning of Immanuel in John 1:14: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory . . . " Sadly, many who celebrate Christmas today have never understood the central point of the season: God with us. God entered the human race in the person of a baby who was the God-Man, Jesus Christ, Savior of the World. To fail to recognize Immanuel at Christmas is to miss the reason for the season.

Many who acknowledge "God with us" have never said, "God with me." Don't let this Christmas pass without making sure God is with you in the person of Jesus Christ in your heart.

“But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the Lord. “I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” —Jeremiah 31:33


God can do a new thing! He told Jeremiah that He would make a new covenant in the future that would far surpass the old one. Today we are living under that new covenant. God has put His law in our minds and written it on our hearts. He has forgiven our wickedness and will remember our sins no more (Jeremiah 31:34).

At a time when the nation of Israel was being invaded, God directed Jeremiah to buy a piece of property. Jeremiah purchased the land, placed the deed in a jar, and buried it. The Lord promised that once again Israel would return to the land, and the deed would then be worth something. Jeremiah responded to the Lord and to this incredible promise by saying, “Nothing is too hard for you!” (Jeremiah 32:17). God agreed with this assessment, saying, “I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?” (v. 27).

Have you lost all hope? God can and will do the impossible. If He can forgive your sins forever, He can fix your problems right now. Place your confidence in His strong covenant. Absolutely nothing is too difficult for God!