December, 2014
"Where wilt Thou that we prepare?" Luke 22:9
At the close of the year, there is a needed stress for Christians and churches, not only to 'finish well'; but to start well in the New Year. How is this to be done?
Where are we to prepare for Christ our Lord:
1. First, in our own hearts:
Let the heart chamber of our soul be made right and holy. 'What business does light have with darkness?' 'Cleanse your hands, ye sinners and purify your hearts'. 'who shall ascend the hill of the Lord, but he that has clean hands and a pure heart'
LEt us examine our own ways of this past year. Recognizing and seeing where sin has been, or is, and with full confession and repentance let us make sure the New Year will not repeat the same folly.
And where you have stayed strong in your walk with the Lord and in your spiritual disciplines, maintain and encourage those same areas for 'growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord'.
2. Prepare in our homes:
Every home should also make preparation to finish well. Families to come together to pray, talk and read. An hour or two on Sunday is not enough and more time throughout the week should be used to grow the homes for the Lord. As Joshua said, 'As for me and my household we shall serve the Lord'.
3. Prepare in the church:
The church is not an entertainment center, nor is it a fellowship gathering. It is a place where God's people gather to pray and hear the Word. There unity is built, there holiness is maintained and sought after, there God visits His people. Priorities are skewed today in the church and for most, they are not houses of prayer. The church must get back to God and learn of Him and HIs ways while together. But so affected by numbers and worried of what the world thinks of us, they compromise and cheapen the Lord's House, His Word and His Presence. The church is to be a place of the glory Shekinah of God, not an Ichabod.
4. Prepare our nation:
We have seen much evil this year across our land. Continuance of murder-suicides, homes broken, school/workplace and military base shootings, drugs continue to swallow our society, laws and judicial edicts passed that are contrary to God's commandments are all signs that we are not finishing well. But in the midst of such darkness, God is able through His church to shed forth His marvelous Light for the redemption and awakening our nation needs.
FINISH WELL AND BEGIN WELL BRETHREN!
until,
dan biser
