Tim Hetzner, President of Lutheran Church Charities, who normally writes the daily devotions, is out of the country right now leading a Biblical Study tour in the Middle East. While he is out, he has asked Pete Imlah on the LCC staff to cover for him. Pete is Director of Mission and Outreach at LCC.

Played: 100 | Download | Duration: 00:03:25

New Beginnings

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:9-11

As you think about your future - and as you consider the countless opportunities that will be woven in the fabric of the days ahead - be sure to include God in your plans. When you do, He will guide your steps and light your path.

Perhaps you desire to change the direction of your life, or perhaps you're determined to make major modifications in the way you live or the way you think. If so, you and God, working together, can do it. But don't expect change to be easy or instant. God expects you to do your fair share of the work - and that's as it should be. Nonetheless, if you trust in the Lord completely, and if you don't give up, you're destined to accomplish big things… very big things.

Lasting change doesn't occur "out there"; it occurs "in here". It occurs not in the shifting sands of your own particular circumstances, but in quiet depths of your own obedient heart. So if you're in search of a new beginning in 2010 or, for that matter, a new you, don't expect changing circumstances to miraculously transform you into the person you want to become. Transformation starts with God, and it starts in the silent center of a humble human heart - like yours.

No matter how badly we have failed, we can always get up and begin again. Our God is the God of new beginnings.
- Warren Wiersbe -

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, Create in me a new heart - a heart that reflects the love You have poured out upon me. Help me to seek and faithfully follow You in all I do this coming year. When I need to change, Lord, change me, and make me new again. I pray this in Jesus' Name. Amen