Jesus promised to do whatever we ask. We are to ask what we will and it will be done. I know people who don’t ask God for something because they think they don’t deserve it. With Christ, it’s not about what we deserve. It’s about what He wants to give us. He loves us and wants the best for us.

Sometimes what we do is gripe. But griping is not asking. We say, “God, why haven’t You done this?” But He’s probably thinking, “Why haven’t you asked?” Jesus told us to go ahead and ask Him. If we practice asking as scripture says we should, it will change our year and our lives!

WRITE YOUR VISION

The Bible presents another strategy for a great year.

HABAKKUK 2:2-3 (NKJV)

2 Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

If we desire something, we should write it down. That’s how we make our vision plain. Whatever we wish to see ourselves accomplish in 2023 and beyond needs to be written down. Many people don’t see beyond the year in front of them. However, God doesn’t have just a one-year plan for us. He has a plan for our entire lives. That’s why we need to put our vision in front of us.

I heard a gentleman say that he doesn’t know of any head of a large corporation who doesn’t have a vision board. He said we should not only have a vision board, we should also make it the screensaver on our computers and mobile devices. Our vision isn’t really a vision if we can’t see it. When a vision isn’t in front of us, we forget about it. Vision must be written down. Nobody will ever be a visionary if they don’t write things down.

TELL PEOPLE ABOUT JESUS

Some people only have financial goals. We should have these, but our goals should be more than money. God’s vision is about people. They’re more valuable than money. That’s why it’s more important that we bring people to church than have a lot of money. If we make a change in people’s lives, the money will come.

Our whole purpose in life as Christians is to show Jesus to people—to show them His love for them. He died for us. He took the stripes on His back for our healing. He came to give us abundant life (John 10:10).

We’re here to change the world. But we do that by changing people’s lives. There are about two billion Christians on the earth. That means there are about six billion non–Christians. We need to care more about showing them Jesus than about walking on the streets of gold in Heaven. If they start seeing God at work, they’ll want to change.

I’m excited about this new year! God has a plan for us in 2023. Let’s forget the past, ask Him for what we need—including His vision for us—and write down what He gives us. I’m asking and writing things down. When I come to the end of this year, my life is going to be different in many ways. I hope yours will be too.