2012... A New Beginning

The Spirit calls me this morning.  There is peace and a sense of excitement as I end this last year of 2011 and look for ward to what 2012 will bring. 

I wonder if this will be the year the of the Lord's return for His Church?   Or will this be yet another year to press forward, assault the gates of hell to rescue yet more the of the Rahabs caught behind enemy lines? 

This last year has been brutal in so many ways. Lots has been shaken out and down.  Faith has been tested and tried.   The world is in chaos, our country divided, and our families broken by sin. 

So why is there any sense of peace?   John 14:27, Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid."

Jesus said this as He was explaining to the disciples the up and coming disbursement of the Holy Spirit into their hearts and minds to take place after His Ascension. Since that time, we who are born again, have the Presence of Christ Jesus through His Spirit, and the Holy Third Person of the Trinity provides the peace beyond explanation or understanding. 

The Holy Spirit calls me this morning to get ready for the coming year. 

He has me ponder the world and all that is being offered.  The temptations abound and the things to delight our flesh are endless.  Then He begins to make the point of today's counsel meeting.

He speaks into my thinking, "As you look around, the world is in a buying and selling frenzy.  The primary  medium of exchange is money.  You want something, and you offer your money in exchange.  This form of commerce is how you have been programmed to live your life in the economy of the world.

But God's economy doesn't work that way.  The medium of exchange in God's economy is Heavenward words, otherwise known as prayer"

What a wonderful reminder for the one who has no  money with which to purchase all that is needed or desired in the earth's realm.  The medium of exchange in God's economy is prayers and petitions.  As believers we have to know this.  But if we really believe it, why is there so little prayer being brought to the One from whom all blessings flow?  

Prayers are like gold in the Lord's economy, and through our prayers we gain the blessings from Heaven.  But an even more exciting reality is that the Father Himself has loaded up our Heavenly bank account with all the resources we need to procure the blessings we seek.

Worthy words, prayers, petitions, and the faith to believe are all available to the poor in spirit to exact the greatest blessing from Heaven's Throne.  In John 15:7, Jesus said, "If  you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you.  This is to My Father's Glory that you bear much fruit showing yourselves to be My Disciples."

An amazing promise, but as the world dominates our thinking we are programmed to value only our life and comforts here on earth.  Things have become more important than people, our ego's bigger than our God, and our words worthless to bring about changes in our lives and the lives of those with whom we have been commissioned  to share our faith and the Good News about the Savior.

The New Year presents a line in the sand, and an opportunity to cross over.  We can leave behind the twisted priorities and bondage to worldly comforts in favor of a new beginning.  Lessons learned can now be applied to effect changes that can and will have an eternal impact.

We have all we need to shed the fruitless deeds of darkness, continue on the work and mission of our Lord: to destroy the works of the devil, set the captives free and look forward to the return of our King, in all His Glory. We have the Holy Spirit within and all He asks is that we yield to His rule in our lives and Heaven's goals will be accomplished.

To access the Throne and have the storehouse of Heavenly answers opened to us, we need only bring the contract Jesus signed in His blood, and the "gold" placed in our heavenly bank account called the "prayers" of the saints.  The Lord calls for our participation in the government of our world and  it is in this place of prayer that we begin. 

We communicate to God what we believe our corner of the world needs and He will send the resources.  It is a sacred trust.  Intimacy reveals His wisdom over the affairs of men and what is really needed.  He will communicate this to us and we can then petition with the complete faith that we have all we ask.

I cherish the time spent with the Holy One and I pray for more and more intimacy to be established between us in 2012.  I know this is His will and my desire, so I anticipate an amazing New Year of deeper and more prolonged fellowship in ever increasing prayer.  As I pray for the Mind of Christ to overtake my human mind, and seek to bring every thought into the captivity of Christ, I know I will find more and greater answers to the petitions I bring.

We, the Church of the living God, have been given a legacy of power and authority by the Author and Creator of everything that exists.  What will we do in 2012, with the legacy we have been given and the delegated authority we have to pray, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven" and see it happen?

The Spirit is calling.  Can you hear Him?