What Can We Give Up in the New Year?

Blog Layout

What Can We Give Up in the New Year?

Andrea Lende • Dec 28, 2022

John 15:2

What Can We Give Up?

You can listen to the devotion and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/What-Can-We-Give-Up-e1sr324

John 15:2

Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.

As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit.

What can we give up as this year comes to a close?

What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning?

The answers to these questions take time.

Time with the Lord.

We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well.

But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better.

So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.

More of our time.

More of our heart.

And more of our will.

Making room for kingdom things.

It is the perfect time of year to reflect on our activities and readjust as the Lord leads us in new directions for the New Year that will shortly be upon us.

Today I choose to sit with the Lord and ask Him to lead and guide my steps as He shows me what to give up and where He wants to lead me.

May you find the Lord has a plan to readjust your life as we end this year and give up things that are no longer fruitful.

Daily Prayer:

O Lord, thank You for this time of year to reflect on the past year. Thank You for readjusting our lives and pruning things off that are no longer bearing fruit. Show us what You want us to let go of that no longer serves Your purpose. Help us let go easily, Father, and lead us to the things You have planned for us. Help us also let go of more of the pieces of our hearts so You can mold us and make us into the person better suited for Your use. Lead and guide our hearts, minds, and steps, Lord. Help us bless someone today. Thank You for hearing our prayer.

Answer: Allow Me to prune pieces off from your life that are no longer bearing fruit so that you will bear more excellent fruit in other ways.

Response: Help us be obedient and allow You to cut off the dead pieces of our lives for new growth. In Jesus’ name, amen.

< Older Post Newer Post >

All Things New

By Andrea Lende • 30 Dec, 2022

We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.

Using Words to Bless Others

By Andrea Lende • 29 Dec, 2022

This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.

The Kingdom of God

By Andrea Lende • 28 Dec, 2022

I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.

Strengthened With the Might of the Lord

By Andrea Lende • 27 Dec, 2022

Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.

God Will Be Our Guide

By Andrea Lende • 26 Dec, 2022

This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.

Unto Us A Child Is Born

By Andrea Lende • 24 Dec, 2022

God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.

God's Divine Plan

By Andrea Lende • 22 Dec, 2022

The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.

Restored to God's Favor

By Andrea Lende • 21 Dec, 2022

What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.

This is a picture of red Christmas balls and the words Merry Christmas

God's Power

By Andrea Lende • 20 Dec, 2022

Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.

This is a picture of the wise men on their way to see Jesus

God's Gentle Whispers

By Andrea Lende • 20 Dec, 2022

The Lord wraps His arms around us as we read the Christmas story. His gentle voice whispers to us. In this passage I hear, “I won’t let you miss Me.” He will get our attention and lead us to walk in His will. We need not worry about missing Him. He will show us everything we need to know. We see this demonstrated as the angel of the Lord met with people to tell them God’s Son was coming. He spoke with Zachariah about his future son, John the Baptist. He spoke with Mary and told her of her pregnancy and birth of the Christ.