We never really know what a new year will hold, but as Christians we can be certain of at least two things:
#1) We will face trouble. #2) We won't face it alone.
Jesus warned us and comforted us about this reality of the Christian life, "in the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
Every year, beginning around September, the other pastors and I begin praying seriously about the calendar/theme/ministries at church, and where God is leading us for the next year. Over the coming weeks we'll be sharing the details of the things that we believe God has burdened our hearts for concerning the direction of the church in 2025. Most of these things center around the theme of being 'Strengthened' - and our theme verses will be from 1 Peter 5:8-10. Tomorrow, we'll begin with a deep dive on these powerful verses, with a special focus on how God wants to Strengthen us personally for the coming year. I'm really excited about this message, and I'm praying it's going to be a great blessing and help to each of you as we endeavor to follow Christ more closely than ever before through 2025.