As we prepare to enter another New Year, we do so with a variety of experiences and expectations. For some, 2009 has been a year filled with trials and obstacles. Perhaps you experienced the death of a loved one or you are in the difficult place of trying to find steady employment. For you, 2010 can be an exciting opportunity for breakthrough or simply the continuation of a dreary and difficult season. 

Imagine what things were like before we experienced the first New Year. The Bible tells us, “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.”  (Genesis 1:2) Each New Year, since the first one, looks the same from our perspective. After all, “we see through a glass, darkly” (I Cor. 13:12). The New Year is filled with uncertainty and unknowns. Only the Lord fully knows what lies ahead for America and planet Earth.

But look what happened next. The Bible says,  “The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” The Holy Spirit has the power to bring clarity out of chaos and meaning out of the madness of this fallen world. We remain “prisoners of hope” as we allow the Holy Spirit to hover over our lives, our families, our church, our nation and our world. Our confidence in the Holy Spirit becomes and anchor which steadies us through the storms we encounter. The writer of Hebrews tells us, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul” (6:19)     We stand in faith ”being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).

I want to invite everyone to join us January 3-8 at 7pm at the Crown Point campus as we gather as a corporate family to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and to “build ourselves up on our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 20). As we saturate ourselves in the presence of the Lord, God will begin to reveal His plans and purposes for the New Year. As He gives revelation, we have the privilege of of joining the Lord of History in declaring His heart and agenda. As we say, “Let there be….”, God’s power is released from within us to create that which the Lord wants done. The formlessness must give way to Spirit created structure and the empty void becomes a fruitful garden! All this occurs when we choose to partner with the Holy Spirit! Like John the Baptist, let’s join together to prepare the way of the Lord for His powerful entry into this New Year!