Discovering our call for 2025!

2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.“

Happy New Year – Welcome 2025. Today is Sunday, January 12, 2025. Statistics say that New Year Resolutions end by the 2nd Friday of the Year. This day is known as “Quitter’s Day”.

Thankfully, we are now past this time frame and can focus on discovering God’s plan for us in 2025. We are at the point where we are no longer focusing on New Year Resolutions. Hopefully, we have come to the realization that God wants better for us than we have had in previous years. But we also know that we cannot achieve the better with the same mindset we have had. As the saying goes “if you do what you always have, you will get what you always got”. If you want better, we need to do better. This requires a new mindset.

We need to clear away the old to make room for the new.

To do this we need to hear from the Lord. We need direction, a plan of attack, for 2025.

Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thought that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not if evil, to give you an expected end.”

In this verse God acknowledges that he has a plan for each and every one of us. However, for most of us, we have no idea what the fullness of this plan is. I believe it is human nature to want all the details. It gives us a sense of comfort, makes us feel as though our feet are on solid ground. However, if we knew all the details, what would be the point of having faith?

We do not need all the details. What we do need is a plan. We need to settle ourselves to hear from God. Then walk in obedience to the direction he gives. Rest assured, God will speak to us. It is our duty to make sure we are positioned to hear. Revelations 2:7a, “He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;”

It’s Fasting Time:

The Bible is our instruction manual. It provides concrete, specific instructions on how we can effectively walk by faith in our journey to be obedient to God’s will for our life. The instruction manual tells us how to fast – to break up the fallow ground that has developed in our hearts.

In farming vernacular – Fallow ground is land that has been plowed and prepared for planting but is left idle for a period to time, allowing the soil to regain its fertility and rest before being used to grow crops again; essentially, its a farming technique where land is left unplanted to recover and replenish nutrients.

Fasting is a spiritual discipline used for increasing faith sanctification repentance, power, strength, and hearing from God.

God is saying, now is the time to get to work. But we must first receive direction. It is time to move away from being idol, to planting seeds, and establishing a plan to bring in the harvest! We know that God has a plan for us (Jeremiah 29:11), we now must settle ourselves to hear from God to receive the direction. This is where fasting comes into play.

Types of Fasts:

• The Absolute Fast (Matthew 4:2) – a total fast which includes complete refraining from food or drink for the duration of the fast.
• The Partial Fast (Daniel 10:3) – this fast is from particular food or things that hinder our spiritual growth.
• The Daniel Fast – this is a biblically based partial fast. There are 2 options: Option 1 – only fruits and vegetables, drinking only water for a beverage. Option 2 – Is still only fruits and vegetables, but includes dairy, breads, and pasta.

Daniel fasted for 21 days. However, I am recommending fasting starting tomorrow, January 13, 2025, through the end of the month. Please decide the type of fast you will offer as a sacrifice to God. Remember to give up something during this time that means something to you.

While you are fasting, remember to have quiet time set aside. This is time spent with the Lord in study, prayer, and daily devotion. Cultivating this habit will support your faith and draw (keep) you closer to God.

I also recommend having a journal during your quiet time. You will want to write down what God shares with you.

I wish you all a blessed time during your fasting journey.

Remember, it’s time to clear away the old, to make room for the new.