Here are 7 great Bible verses for the New Year.
Isaiah 43:18-19 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
Isaiah the Prophet is trying to encourage Judah about the past and present sufferings they’ve endured. He wanted to give them hope that the former things will become old and the new things will spring forth and Isaiah wants them to perceive it or to realize that God is not finished with them, nor is He finished with you. He will work in you until the day of completion; at your death or the day of His appearing.
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Even though this was written to Judah who were in captivity at the time, the same principle applies for us that God gives us hope of a bright future; the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ. His plans are always for our best (Rom 8:28) and not for bad. What better promise is there than God’s promises for His children’s future?
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
This new year, if you give God acknowledgment for all He has done for you; publically giving Him acclaim for your blessings, then “He will make straight your paths,” but if you don’t acknowledge Him before others, your path is a path of your own choosing and it could be a crooked one.
Romans 13:11-12 “Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.”
Today we are closer to Jesus’ return than yesterday, so we need to wake up to the fact that those around us who are not saved are going to perish apart from Christ. The “night is far gone” and “the day is at hand,” so we must live with that urgency and the proclamation of the gospel so that some might be saved.
Romans 12:1 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
The Apostle Paul appeals to the church at Rome to present their own bodies as a living, breathing sacrifice to God. This doesn’t mean you have to die for your faith necessarily, but to die to ourselves, giving of ourselves. We sacrifice our time, talents and treasures for the good of others. We are new creations, renewed by God’s Spirit. This means that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor 5:17).
Psalm 118:24 “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Every day we wake up is another day the Lord has given us, so what will we do with it? Will we “rejoice and be glad in it,” or is it just another day? Every day is a present God gives us and He expects us to use it wisely.
Philippians 3:13-14 “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
The Apostle Paul didn’t want to look back but forward to what lies ahead. Like Paul, we must press forward, striving to reach “the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” That means we redeem the time and take advantage of every day God gives us. We forget what’s behind us and focus on what’s ahead…and that is our calling and the coming Kingdom.
Conclusion
What Bible verse would you recommend we use for the New Year? Are there any that remind you of the future? What Scriptures could you memorize this year to help you in your walk with Christ? I like the verse where it says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him” (Lam 3:22-24). The New Year is what you make of it. We can be content with how little we have or how much we have. We can be discontented with whatever state we find ourselves in, but God is most pleased when we give back the time God’s given us. He wants us to use our time wisely and for His name’s sake.
If you have never been brought to repentance and faith in Christ, you have no hope, for to hope in a lost world means you are lost yourself. Come to Christ today and place every care and burden upon Him. Jesus tells us all, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28), but there will be no rest for you unless you “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt 11:29). Once we understand that, we can understand why Jesus said, “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt 11:30).
Here is some related reading for you: 7 Christian New Year’s Resolutions
Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), Crossway Bibles. (2007). ESV: Study Bible: English standard version. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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