January 1 A Prayer for Newness * Dear God, Thank You for being the Maker of all things new. As someone who trusts in Jesus, I believe that what You say in the Bible is true. The old has gone and the new is here. I am a new creation. Today is a new day. Help me to make good decisions and say goodbye to bad habits and bad attitudes. Remind me that I am Your child, and help me to grow in You. When I get overwhelmed, remind me that I am Your masterpiece--­that even before I was born, You created me to do good works in Your name.

I pray those things come to pass in their right time. As I begin to read and grow through these devotions, teach me to value what''s most important. Thank You for leading and guiding me. In Jesus''s name I pray. Amen. Based on: 2 Corinthians 5:17; Isaiah 43:18-­19; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 2:10; 1:18 January 2 The Greatest Trade * If anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 In 1975, in what was probably one of the worst trades in sports history, the Milwaukee Bucks traded Kareem Abdul-­Jabbar to the Los Angeles Lakers. Abdul-­Jabbar would go on to win five championship titles and a record six MVPs.

There have been plenty of other disappointing trades in the athletic world, which makes me grateful for being on the receiving end of the greatest trade in history. When God gives us the chance to change our sin for the righteousness of Christ, He offers us the opportunity to go from old to new. From dead to alive. Darkness to light. Bondage to freedom. Separation from God to united with Christ. Lost to found. We don''t have to earn or work for salvation.

Jesus paid the price for us. When we accept Jesus, we are made right with God, and we experience the joy of a new, purpose-filled life. So live out of that joy. You have been traded to the greatest team of all: the family of God! How does being reminded that you are part of the greatest trade of all make you feel? January 3 You Are a Divine Work of Art * We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 Many people spend their lives hoping to fit in. Maybe you''ve worn the same brands or listened to the same music as everyone else, more to feel like you belong than because you really like those things. It''s funny how hard we can attempt to be something we''re not. Trying to fit in is a solid strategy for living an average life.

But God didn''t call you to be average. He didn''t make you the same as everyone else. When the apostle Paul called us God''s workmanship, he used the Greek word poiema, which means "the works of God as creator."1 Some translations use "masterpiece" instead of "workmanship." When you begin to see yourself as God sees you, trying to fit in is going to be a lot less important to you. Be free to be who God says you are. You matter too much to Him to be just like everyone else. How does knowing you are a masterpiece created for good works make you feel about yourself? January 4 God Is Looking for You * The eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth, so that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.

2 Chronicles 16:9 God wants to help you live a mission-­possible life. This can be done only through Him. The verse above talks about how God is looking for people who are loyal to Him. The words were spoken by a prophet called ­Hanani to King Asa of Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel. King Asa had once relied on God to deliver him from a fierce enemy. God had come through and proved His faithfulness. For the next thirty-­five years, King Asa enjoyed a peaceful reign. However, when Baasha, the king of the northern kingdom of Israel, threatened to invade Judah, King Asa''s dependence on God shattered.

Instead of seeking help from God, King Asa looked elsewhere. Hanani scolded the king and reminded him that God looks for people who wholeheartedly seek Him. It seems much easier at times to depend on ourselves or others rather than on a God we cannot see. Yet He is looking for the heart that is committed to Him. Will His eyes land on you? What is holding you back from being all in with God? January 5 Aim for Significance * What good will it do a person if he gains the whole world, but forfeits his soul? Matthew 16:26 I believe that one of the greatest tragedies is to reach the end of one''s life and look back and say, "I was successful in things that did not matter." I want you to be successful, but more than anything, I want you to be significant. When you live for Jesus and you love people, you''re going to have a life of significance. I think of success as being focused on self, reaching certain dreams, or excelling in whatever goals we have assigned ourselves.

But significance has an outward reach. When we succeed, we influence our own lives; when we are significant, we influence the lives of others. To achieve lasting significance, you have to find a need and use your gifts to meet it. Begin by serving others with the gifts God has given you. Use whatever you have--­a lot or a little--­for the good of others. To be truly successful, aim for significance. What''s one way significance is greater than success? January 6 Willingness Is What Is Required * If you are willing and obedient, You will eat the best of the land. Isaiah 1:19 A mission-­possible life is not about ability; it''s about being willing.

When Moses was eighty years old, he was working as a shepherd for his father-­in-­law. We''re not sure what his future plans were at that point, but everything changed when God spoke to him through a burning bush. God told Moses to return to Egypt, the place from which he had fled forty years earlier, and lead the nation of Israel out of captivity. But Moses hardly seemed the man for the job. He told God this, listing five reasons why God must have gotten His wires crossed: 1. "I don''t have the ability" (see Exodus 3:11). 2. "I don''t know enough" (see verse 13).

3. "What if the people don''t believe me?" (see 4:1). 4. "But I''m the worst speaker ever!" (see verse 10). 5. "Send someone else" (see verse 13). But God didn''t let his excuses keep the mission from moving forward. He was waiting for Moses to offer his willingness.

Eventually, Moses carried out an incredible rescue mission. A mission-­possible life is not about being ready; it''s about being willing. What''s your excuse for not living mission possible? January 7 Choose to Discover * Taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Psalm 34:8 I believe that the greatest form of love is to act in the best interests of another person. That''s exactly what Jesus did for you and me and the rest of humankind. He loves us without limits, without reserve, without measure. God wants to have a relationship with you. Not just one where you show up at church once a week or say the same prayer each time you wolf down a meal. He wants you to know Him.

He wants you to talk to Him. The ancient king David, who experienced his share of highs and lows, wrote a beautiful psalm persuading us to "taste and see that the Lord is good." Don''t just take his word for it (or mine). Commit to pursuing God for the next year through meditating on these devotions. Discover for yourself what it''s like to know the God of the universe''s unconditional love. What is one step you can do, starting today, to get to know God better?.