I was praying and asking God for a message for the new year.  As I was mediating, I asked, “Lord what would You want us to hear to start off this new year?”  People do have plans that are set based upon the calendar in that they have planned and are planning ahead in their five-year plans, their three-year plans, etc.  I would encourage you with the fact that there is nothing wrong with five-year or three-year planning, but we don’t know if we have tomorrow; amen?  “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”  We can’t say, “Tomorrow I will go and accomplish these things.” (James 4:13-16).  We, as the church, as the body of Christ, live in simple faith that seeks first the wisdom of God and says, “If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that”; amen?

I think that, for this new year, we need have a greater consciousness of the mind and the will of God, rather than seek our own agendas.  Many of us have plans: we have plans that we are going to set aside this much money and we will accomplish this and, “I’m going to be at this company for X number of years, then I’m moving on down the road looking for bigger and better.”  I encourage you to look for the wisdom of God.  We are a people not called to establish our own way.  There is a way, and He said, “Walk ye in it”; amen?  There is a way already established. God has already planned out this whole year and His purposes for you.  Are you excited to discover what God has, rather than worrying about what you can come up with?

I believe this year can be the greatest year of peace for us.  When everybody else around us is in turmoil, He said, “Peace I give unto you”; amen?  “God hath not given us the spirit of fear,” but what a great gift God has given to us, “My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth.”  There is no peace in this world and its system; amen?