Bring the full tithes

        into the storehouse,

that there may be food

                  in My house;

and thereby

put Me to the test,

             says the LORD of hosts,

if I will not open

      the windows of heaven for you

an overflowing blessing.

                             Malachi 3. 10

(Bring my full heart before Him

      and see what the LORD will do.

A heart turned to Him

       brings you to profoundly new places,

even right where you are.

Next year is going to be different.

          Follow Him into it.)

Behold,

the dwelling of God is with men.

He will dwell with them,

and they shall be His people,

and God Himself will be with them;

He will wipe away

   every tear from their eyes,

and death shall be no more,

neither shall their be mourning

nor crying,

nor pain any more,

for the former things

            have passed away.

And He who sat upon the throne said,

    "Behold, I make all things new."

                           Revelation 21. 3-5

(Not just a promise,

              but a reality.

He is the God of newness,

not just of second chances,

        but making things right again.

God redeems.

Even in this,

  no darkness too deep.

This is not the end of your story,

nor the end of one year

          or the start of the next,

but the beginning of new life in Him.)

For pressing milk
         produces curds,
pressing the nose
         produces blood,
and pressing anger
         produces strife.

               Proverbs 30. 33

(Find another way through it.
Learn how to let it go.
know how to pursue peace,
and avoid the obvious potholes.
Grace in your heart,
      healing in your hands.)

I will make them
       strong in the LORD,
and they shall glory
                 in His name.

                Zechariah 10. 12

(In whatever you do,
         His help is always there,
         His hope
            that on which you can
            stake your life.
Wherever you are,
   the LORD is with you.)

And the angel said to them,
"Be not afraid,
for behold,
I bring you good news
              of great joy
which will come to all people;
for to you is born this day
in the city of David
a Savior,
   Who is Christ the Lord.

                 Luke 2. 10-11

(And nothing
   is ever the same.
As all the children said this morning,
           "He came!!!!")

Merry Christmas, my friend!
You are loved.

...for the day of small things
       is not to be despised.

                Zechariah 4. 10

(Those are the times
when God works in
    profound ways,
the extraordinary spreading
      His roots in our lives.
There is nothing insignificant
    or ordinary
in God's economy.)

Not by might,

not by power,

   but by My Spirit,

says the LORD of hosts.

What are you,

         O great mountain?

Before Zerubbabel

you shall become a plain...

                Zechariah 4. 6-7

(That which only the LORD can do.

What mountain do I face?

Impossible.

          But by God.

He meets me 

    in my deepest need.)