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Looking forward to 2024
14 This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sakes I will send an army against Babylon, forcing the Babylonians to flee in those ships they are so proud of. 15 I am the Lord, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator and King. 16 I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. 17 I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick.
18 “But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. 19 For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. 20 The wild animals in the fields will thank me, the jackals and owls, too, for giving them water in the desert. Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed. 21 I have made Israel for myself, and they will someday honor me before the whole world.
22 “But, dear family of Jacob, you refuse to ask for my help. You have grown tired of me, O Israel! 23 You have not brought me sheep or goats for burnt offerings. You have not honored me with sacrifices, though I have not burdened and wearied you with requests for grain offerings and frankincense. 24 You have not brought me fragrant calamus or pleased me with the fat from sacrifices. Instead, you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your faults.
25 “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again. 26 Let us review the situation together, and you can present your case to prove your innocence. 27 From the very beginning, your first ancestor sinned against me; all your leaders broke my laws.
28 That is why I have disgraced your priests; I have decreed complete destruction for Jacob and shame for Israel. 1 “But now, listen to me, Jacob my servant, Israel my chosen one. 2 The Lord who made you and helps you says: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, O dear Israel, my chosen one. 3 For I will pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children. 4 They will thrive like watered grass, like willows on a riverbank. 5 Some will proudly claim, ‘I belong to the Lord.’ Others will say, ‘I am a descendant of Jacob.’ Some will write the Lord’s name on their hands and will take the name of Israel as their own.”—Isaiah 43:14-44:5 (NLT)
3 challenges for us as we close out this year:
Recount the good that God has brought you.
- Get ready for something new.
- Be better than last year.
25 “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again. 26 Let us review the situation together, and you can present your case to prove your innocence. 27 From the very beginning, your first ancestor sinned against me; all your leaders broke my laws. 28 That is why I have disgraced your priests; I have decreed complete destruction for Jacob and shame for Israel. 1 “But now, listen to me, Jacob my servant, Israel my chosen one. 2 The Lord who made you and helps you says: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, O dear Israel, my chosen one. 3 For I will pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children. 4 They will thrive like watered grass, like willows on a riverbank.—Isaiah 43:25-44:4 (NLT)
And now dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.—Philippians 4:8 (NLT)
22 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it, for this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many. 25 I tell you the truth, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”—Mark 14:22–25 (NLT)