S – She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

Matthew 1:21 CSB

O – Mary would give birth to a son.  Joseph obeyed God in naming him Jesus.  He will save people from sins and shares his unique calling is to set people from their sins.  The Jewish people were looking for the Messiah to save them from physical oppression.

A – Even before he was born, Jesus’ purpose for coming to earth was to save people from their sins.  “Jesus” comes from the Hebrew name yeshua’, which means “Yahweh saves.  What amazing love God displayed when Jesus took on human form, lived as a man and was crucified on the cross.  Again, all for saving us from our sins.

R – Heavenly Father, was honor and reverence you.  Thank you for the love you show us in forgiving our sins.  Jesus paid the price for our sins with his body and blood.  He paid a price we could not pay for ourselves.  Now, we can have a relationship with you. 

S – Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.

James 5:16 CSB

O – Commentary:

The conclusion is clear: therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other. A mutual concern for one another is the way to combat discouragement and downfall. The cure is in personal confession and prayerful concern. The healing (that you may be healed) is not bodily healing but healing of the soul (iathēte; cf. Matt. 13:15; Heb. 12:13; 1 Peter 2:24). It is the powerful and effective … prayer of a righteous person that brings the needed cure from God.

“James,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – In relationship with other believers, we find strength in working out our salvation.  Confessing is acknowledging we cannot do it by ourselves.  We need God’s intervention and power to work in us.  We need others to encourage and keep us pointed in the right direction.

R – Heavenly Father, we worship and surrender to you.  We invite you to bring healing to our souls and spirit man today.  Thank you for the people who put their lives in our lives and helped us in the journey.  

S – Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes. 

James 4:14 CSB

O –  Commentary:
James condemns rich business owners for their arrogant self-confidence; he accuses them of acting as though they alone determine the course of their lives, apart from God (Prov 27:1; Luke 12:16–20)

 Faithlife Study Bible 

A—There is a healthy tension between living with purpose and direction and allowing God to lead your life. The key is to start with God. By surrendering and yielding to his will and intervention at the start of each day, you have a great foundation.  As you work through your day, you and the Holy Spirit are in sync in decision-making and interactions with others.  We still don’t know what tomorrow brings but know Who goes with us.

R – Heavenly Father, you are worthy of praise and honor.  We surrender and invite your Holy Spirit to lead and guide us today.  We do not know what we will face.  We need your wisdom and discernment as we interact with situations and people.  As you lead us, we will impact our day with your character and love.

S – But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense. ¹⁸ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace. 

James 3:17–18 CSB

O – Godly wisdom gives us practical skills to live in a way that yields these results.  A person walking in godly wisdom will seek righteousness because that honors God.  Those seeds of righteousness will yield peace in their lives.

A – We must continue to grow in godly wisdom.  It causes us to yield our own desires and actions to invite God’s best in a situation.  The results do not make us “pushovers.”  Instead, it develops strength that genuinely allows us to love God and others.

R –  Heavenly Father, we honor you as God.  We invite your Holy Spirit to work in us a desire for Godly wisdom. Please help us to humble ourselves and quiet our desires.  Instead, help strengthen us to seek you and your wisdom as we love others today.

S – For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. 

James 2:26 CSB

O – Commentary:

Faith and deeds are as essential to each other as the body and the spirit. Apart from (chōris) the spirit, or the “breath” (pneumatos) of life, the body is dead. Apart from (chōris) the evidence of works, faith may be deemed dead. It is not the real thing. True faith continually contributes to spiritual growth and development.

Not only is a believer to stand confidently on God’s Word even in the midst of trials and temptations (chap. 1), but also he must serve his brothers and sisters in Christ (chap. 2). He is to accept all members of God’s family without favoritism (vv. 1–13) and to aid the family with a working faith (vv. 14–26). To gain spiritual maturity a believer must be what God wants him to be and do what God wants him to do.

“James,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – Our faith and actions work together to grow our relationship with God.  They cannot do this independently of each other.  When in sync, it creates a perpetual motion of belief in God’s unlimited character while acting it out in tangible ways.  The result is more intimacy with God and a deeper love for others.

R – Heavenly Father, we revere your unlimited character.  Please help us to grow in our faith and trust in you.  Give us the courage to act in love towards others even when it is challenging.  Let our faith and actions align with your will for our lives.

S – “My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger”

 James 1:19 CSB

O – All of us can make this part of our life – Listen more and intentionally, speak after processing and contemplating the other person’s communication and recognize all of us growing to give grace to others.

A – What would our lives look like in 2025 if we did this well?  There is much to be gained in developing all three character traits.  We need to listen and hear what others say in their words and actions.  We need to think before speaking and process the entire situation.  We need to communicate genuinely our feelings.  Anger is not unhealthy when it causes a response that protects and helps move people to a better place.  Yet, it can easily become unhealthy.  It must be governed by wisdom.

R – Heavenly Father, we honor and revere you. Thank you for a new year to draw closer to you and live well with others.  We invite your Holy Spirit to lead us into new beginnings and walk with courage to the purposes you have for us.  Let’s go!

S – They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵ Night will be no more; people will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light, and they will reign forever and ever. 

Revelation 22:4–5 CSB

O – Commentary:

They will have a privileged place before the throne for they will see His face. The implication is that they are under the Lord’s good favor and in His “inner circle.” This intimacy is also indicated by the fact that His name will be on their foreheads (cf. 2:17; 3:12; 7:3; 14:1). Their freedom to be in the presence of God indicates that they will then be in their glorified bodies (cf. 1 John 3:2).

“Revelation,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – This is the intimacy with God that we desire.  We want to know Him and for Him to know us.  We will see him face to face.  The God who created everything, who knows no limits will be in relationship with us.  No more obstacles – us and God.  

R – Heavenly Father, we look forward to the day when we can stand with you face to face.  Our desire is to walk on earth in a way that honors you, demonstrates your love for others and makes us more like you.  We invite you to help us do that each day  in 2025.

S – And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire

 Revelation 20:15 CSB

O – Commentary:

Following the great white throne judgment death and hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death, the final destination of the wicked. The doctrine of eternal punishment has always been a problem to Christians who enjoy the grace of God and salvation in Christ. The Bible is clear, however, that the punishment of the wicked is eternal. This is confirmed in verse 10, where the beast and the false prophet are still in the lake of fire after the thousand years of Christ’s millennial reign. Though the wicked dead will receive resurrection bodies, they will be quite unlike the resurrection bodies of the saints. The former people will continue to be sinful but will be indestructible and will exist forever in the lake of fire.

  “Revelation,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – It is imperative that anyone who hasn’t recognized Jesus Christ as their savior to do so before they day.  Without identifying who God is and desiring a relationship with him, people will spend eternity separate from him.  A prayer of acknowledging who He is, repenting of your sins and desiring to walk with him today is the first steps to salvation.

R – Heavenly Father, we desire to be in relationship with you now and for eternity.  I pray that anyone who reads this who hasn’t taken these steps towards you, would do so now.  

S – The Lord values those who fear him, those who put their hope in his faithful love

Psalms 147:11 CSB

O – “Values” – râtsâh, to be pleased with; spec. to satisfy a debt:— (be) accept (-able), accomplish, set affection, approve, consent with, delight (self)… reconcile self.

The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words 

A – The Lord is pleased and reconciles us back to him when we revere and show awe in him.  He satisfied our debt of sin through Jesus on the cross.  We can walk in hope because he displayed his love for us before we demonstrated our love for him.

R – Heavenly Father, we stand in awe and reverence of you.  Thank you for paying the price for our sins on the cross.  We desire to know you more today.  Help us to see the expression of your delight in us in our relationship.

S – I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing to my God as long as I live

Ps 146:2 CSB

O –  “Praise” – hâlal,  to be clear; to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; caus. to celebrate; also to stultify:— (make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool (-ish, -ly), glory, give [light], 

The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words 

A – Does our lives “praise” God?  Is it clear who the God that we serve is?  Do we shine in His love?  Do we boast of what He has done for us?  Do we celebrate his goodness and mercy?  Do we give Him glory in praise, spend time with Him and invite Him to be part of our daily lives?  “All my life” is not just the duration of our time on earth.  It is also the comprehensive 360-degree view of everything that makes up our lives.  All of it should point to a life with God.

R – Heavenly Father, we praise and glorify your name.  Help our entire lives to point to you.  Please help us to celebrate all the good you have done in us.  You alone are worthy of this honor.