Looking ahead into the new year can feel overwhelming. We don’t know what this coming year will bring, but instead of allowing these unknowns to make us anxious or fearful about tomorrow, we can place our trust in God and His Word, for they always remain the same. This applies to the promises found in His Word as well. Paul writes, “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us” (2 Corinthians 1:20). The following are some of the favorite promises from Scripture that the volunteers of the Youth Page would like to remind you of for this coming year.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
Perhaps the greatest promise that we find in Scripture is of Jesus promising to forgive all the sins of anyone who confesses them to Him with a repentant heart and the desire to begin a new life with Him.
Over the years of working with young people, I have learned that many shy away from confessing their sins to Christ because they’re embarrassed to repeat them. Yet, John reminds us in 1 John 1:10 that all have sinned. Not only have all sinned, but Jesus already knows all the ways that every person has sinned in his or her life. Sinners don’t need to feel embarrassed to confess their sins because Christ already knows what they’ve done. He wants them to confess their sins so that He can remove those sins through His love and grace and transform their lives into new creations who love God above all and their neighbor as themselves.
Dear young person, if you haven’t yet experienced the promise of Christ’s forgiveness, please don’t delay any longer. Not only will you be able to start the new year with Christ, but you’ll then be able to claim the other promises of God’s Word as well.
“I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12
Have you ever been in a situation where it is so dark that you have to feel your way around?
At the beginning of the year, we often feel like the future is just as dark and uncertain. Do you feel the same way? Are difficult circumstances, worries, fears about the future, or sin obscuring the light within you?
This verse is a wonderful promise that you never need to walk in darkness or fear with Jesus by your side. He is the light of the world and has promised to light your way through His Word.
What does He reveal to you?
Your foundational goal in life and the hope of eternal glory with Him.
The certainty that you are His child and that your sins are forgiven.
The individual steps in your everyday life and that He is with you in small or big decisions and challenges.
Your trust that He personally guides you correctly and that your whole future is in His hands.
Come boldly to Jesus in prayer knowing He is the true source of light. Only with Him will you gain bright confidence for the new year! Follow this light obediently and stay close to Him!
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13
What a wonderful promise God has given us here! No matter what kind of attacks the devil has planned for us in the coming year, God has promised that because of His protection, no temptation will ever be too great for us to overcome. Isn’t that a great comfort?
God has not just called us to live a holy, victorious life; He provides a way for us to do so by His grace! We don’t need to live in bondage to sin where we constantly keep falling back into old ways. Through Jesus we have been made free! Without God’s protection, we would have no chance against the wiles of the devil who is determined to ruin our soul, but God’s grace and power are more than sufficient to protect us and give us the victory in this spiritual war we face here on this earth. Through Jesus we can be more than conquerors.
‘“For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
This Bible verse is full of promises. It is amazing to me to think that the Lord has plans for us, for you and for me. Even though there are over 8.1 billion people living on Earth right now, the Lord has a unique plan for each single person. These plans are good because God is good. He cannot do any harm to anyone because that would go against His character and very nature. Keep this in mind the next time you encounter difficulties in this new year.
Perhaps you won’t get into the post-secondary program you were hoping to; maybe a relationship will crumble; perhaps you may become injured in an accident, you may suffer from a chronic illness, or death will affect your family. But even in all this, God is good. He has only the very best in mind for you. He wants to see you prosper and do well, He wants to give you hope, and He wants to give you a wonderful future. These are His promises to you.
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
This New Testament promise is one that we often claim with joy when things are not going well in our life. It’s a lot harder to see how God will work things out for our good when we are going through a hard time. These hard times can take many different forms. We might ask ourselves: How could these challenges or trials be for our good?
The key to understanding this promise correctly is actually in verse 29. There we read that these things work for our good in that they help us be “conformed to the image of His Son.” In other words, the trials we go through in life allow us to become more like Jesus.
For a child of God, that’s really our ultimate goal in life – to become more like Jesus! God’s promise to us is that He can work everything in life for our good, to make us more like Him, if we love Him and serve Him faithfully.
From the Youth Page Team:
Ryan & Stefanie Henkelmann (Edmonton)
Dina Grötzinger (Eppingen)
David & Karina Knelsen (Hamilton)
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