A New Year's greeting,

Cheers to a New Year of spiritual growth, boundless grace, and endless possibilities. May the echoes of faith resonate in your hearts, guiding you through every twist and turn you encounter. My prayer for each of you is a year filled with divine favor and unshakable peace.

As we step into the canvas of a new year, may the God of hope, love, and grace paint a masterpiece of joy in our lives. An unspeakable joy. Happy New Year to every team member. May every prayer be answered and every heart be filled with peace. I pray that 2024 is filled with abundant blessings, unwavering faith, and the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. May your journey be illuminated with the echoes of faith throughout the coming year. In Jesus' name. Amen

Scripture: John 1:1- In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Reflection

I read a story the other day that made me think of my own experiences on the beach. Let me ask you, you, and you-

Have you ever been to a beach and noticed how much harder it is to walk on soft sand? I have. I immediately got tired quicker and had to put in more effort to cover the distance. I didn't realize how difficult it was until I stepped onto solid ground – everything got easier.

This simple illustration shows why you and I should love being intimate with God. Yep! We can walk through life relying on our righteousness, relating to God now and then, or we can build our lives on a solid foundation: the Word of God.

I believe the Apostle John teaches us how to have intimacy with God by laying the foundation in John 1:1-4: In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was at the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

What lessons can we glean from the profound communion between God and the Word, and how can we grow in our relationship with God? As I pondered this question, I considered seeing things from John's perspective. John reveals the Divine nature of God. Jesus Christ is the Word and is the Father to us. There is a Divine principle by which God reveals himself as the Word (logos), and He communicates by the Spirit, who is the expressed image of God in Christ Jesus.

John tells us three things about Jesus in John 1:1. First, Jesus was there; secondly, he revealed the divine connection; the last thing he shows is the True Identity.

1. Jesus was there: John takes us back to Genesis with a captivating proclamation, "In the beginning was the Word," suggesting the profound mystery that predates time. He sets the stage for the narrative "Let us make man in our image."

2. Divine Connection: The phrase "and the Word was with God." It is evident in Genesis 1 that Jesus was with God before the earth's foundation. Jesus is a distinct person from God, yet with Him. John establishes an intimate connection between Jesus and the Father. He reveals the sacred unity, sparking intrigue about the nature of this relationship and the significance of the Word in the divine realm. Jesus is the Word and was with God before He revealed God to us.

3. The True Identity of Jesus: The statement "the Word was God" boldly declares the identity of the Word with the Creator. This attention-grabbing point invites contemplation on the nature of God and the profound implications of such a direct association between God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In conclusion, Let us remember the words that Jesus spoke to His disciples in John 15:4-7 Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch cannot produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me, and I in him, produces much fruit because you can do nothing without me. He is thrown aside like a branch and withers if anyone does not remain in me. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and burn them. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. This glorifies my Father: you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.

As we embark on the journey of a new year, let us grow in our relationship and keep God first in all we do by the power of the Holy Spirit in us. In Jesus name, Amen

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