This New Year, 2026, there will be prophets saying what the word of God is for the new year. I’m not a prophet.

I have two words: Love and prayer. I’m not sure if they’re from God, but I believe they’re meant for me. They may or may not apply to you also. Time will tell.

Love

1. Love God

Jesus said that there were two laws above all others in the Torah. The first of these was to love God.

 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the great and first commandment.”

Matthew 22:37-38

2. Love your neighbour as yourself.

³⁷ And he said to him… ³⁹ “And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”

Matthew 22:37 & 39

I mentioned prophets in the introduction. There seems to be a conflict between being prophets and providers. We need prophets with real experience in helping others. There are those who claim to prophesy but say things that contradict the Bible’s view of justice. Biblical justice is not simply about personal morality, as some politicians suggest, who show little compassion for the poor and foreigners. It is also not solely focused on the rights of the poor and welcoming asylum seekers. Both ideas are modern interpretations. They can be found in Jesus’ teachings, but not as separate concepts like in 21st Century western politics. Caring for the poor, homeless, and immigrants, along with personal morality, are interconnected, and teachings flow between them.

If a prophet comes from a church which upholds individual morality and looks after the needy I’ll listen, if not I’ll ignore them.

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Matthew 25:31-40 ESVUK

Notice “the least of these” in that reading.

Prayer

My intention is to look at prayer this year, not just intercessory prayer, praying for things for ourselves and others, but all things prayer. It will be the focus of my looking at songs in the New Testament.

God is on the move with Gen Z. The question is not how do we get these people into church, but how do we get to where God is moving. Some want to find a way to bring these young adults into the church structures we have now, others including me thing we should mentor them in bringing new ways of worship. Whatever it it we need to be praying that God will send out “labourers into the harvest.” When we pray this we have to be open to God saying, “OK, go,” to us.