New Year Thanks Giving, January 1, 2026

Reverend Michael Mwangi

Senior Pastor, Fedha Church, Kenya Assemblies of God 

It is 2026 and God has given us a new year. Before we celebrate and go on to enjoy, we need to give him thanks and praise and worship just as the Samaritan did and he enjoyed the rest of his life.

Luke 17:11-19.

11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[a] met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Jesus expected thanks.

They went to celebrate. To be happy is not equivalent to thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving takes you to the next level and keeps blessing flowing.

New year celebrations are a reminder of God's faithfulness. Sio mahali tumefika but mahali Mungu ametufikisha (It's not where we have reached, but where God has brought us).

Such celebrations help us not to forget because it is very easy to assume and take for granted. Tunaweza on kama ni kawaida (We can think of it as normal.).

Psalm 103:2
[2]Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—

If you don't wish to forget... keep remembering and acknowledging God's faithfulness.
This is why we need a heart of gratitude and a time for thanksgiving.

Some people take life and blessings for granted, and because they are not grateful, they easily forget.

God had to caution and remind the Israelites how easily they can forget and the consequences.

Deuteronomy 8:10-14
[10]When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
[11]Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.
[12]Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down,
[13]and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied,
[14]then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

It is good to come here and remind ourselves in celebrations that it is God who has brought us to 2026.

That's why we want to enter the gates of 2026 with thanksgiving and praise in the courts of 2026.

Psalm 100:4-5
[4]Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
[5]For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.