“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?” (Isaiah 43:19a NLT)
These lines are from “The Gate of the Year,” a poem written in 1908 by Minnie Louise Haskins:
“I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year
‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’
And he replied, ‘Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!’”
What are your expectations for the new year? For a few days, beginning tomorrow, I plan to share some ideas related to goals to consider, but ultimately, putting our hand into God’s hand is the most vital first step in walking into the unknown of a new year.
David Jeremiah shared a story in one of his devotionals that struck a responsive chord in my heart. He wrote: “When D. L. Moody preached in Brooklyn in 1875, thousands were converted. Pastor Henry Ward Beecher struggled to understand this phenomenon until he met Moody personally. ‘I saw the secret of his working and plans,’ wrote Beecher. ‘He is a believer in the second advent of Christ, and in our own time…. He thinks that Christ may come even to-morrow.’”
The climate of today’s world is aligning perfectly with what God wrote through His Prophets hundreds of years ago. The stage is being set for God’s final act in history. Jesus is coming again! Peter, one of Jesus’ original disciples, wrote: “The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:7-8 NLT)
If Peter felt such a strong sense of urgency, how much greater should ours be as we prepare for our Lord’s soon coming! What does that mean? Foremost, are you ready for His return? Have you yielded your life and allegiance to Him? Are you living daily as if He could come any second? And if not, why not? What are you waiting for?
Yes, of course, people across the ages, like D. L. Moody, have had an urgency to see people saved, but Jesus hasn’t yet returned. What we often fail to realize, worldwide, on average, more than 40,000 people die every day. We have no guarantee of the next second. The only time we have in which to receive Christ and/or to obey Him, to do our part in the fulfillment of His eternal purposes on earth, is in this second!
Isaiah, hundreds of years before Christ’s first advent, wrote: “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland…so my chosen people can be refreshed.” (Isaiah 43:19-20 NLT) In the original context Isaiah was speaking of Israel, but by extension, he’s speaking of the Body of Christ, the Family of God worldwide.
Jesus IS the water of life! Jesus IS the refreshment for our parched souls and thirsty spirts! What are you waiting for? Take God’s hand and walk into this new year in confidence, knowing if you draw your last breath or He chooses to return today, you’re ready! Think of lost loved ones and friends who need to know Him before it’s eternally too late. Please, don’t let anything stand between you and getting the good news of who Jesus is and what He’s done, into the hands and hearts of those you love.
Jesus said: “Yes, I am coming soon!” (Revelation 22:20b NLT)
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 
Amen!
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Hi Warrior Ed,
Thanks for giving me a mindset and attitude adjustment on the solution to being everready for life unknowns, Life’s hardships, and lives changes:
Minnie Haskins: ‘Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!’”
Living the life of a authentic Jesus follower as a man of God I believe can be boiled down to a few things (perhaps more) but I learned it involves.
The King 👑 Rejecting Passivity “living in the last days”
The warrior ⚔ Accept Reponsiblity ”living in the last days”
The lover ❤️ Builds Loving Relationships ”living in the last days”
The Friend 🧑🤝🧑 Focus on The Eternal Things ” Living in the last days”
The Secret of. Our Working and Planning
“Be a believer in the second atrival of Christ, in our own time…. I and We must thinks that Christ may come today, even tomorrow.’”
My favorite movies as a child where Terminator 2 and Independence Day both about the possibility ending of the world.
Beyond the entertainment value there is a principle of living everyday as though it would be your last… But with the twist in light of your post…. You last opportunity to be a disciple use by God to seek and save the lost.
Lord get these conviction into my heart
1. King – The end of the world is coming soon.
2. Warrior – I am a man earnest and disciplined in my prayers.
3. Lover & Friend – Under the pressure of monder living I am a man of persistence & perservance in practicing & providing “deep love for God, self, and others” knowing it covers a abundance sins.” (1 Peter 4:7-8 NLT)
Cultivating a Strong Sense of Urgency
What does that mean?
It means being prepare personal in a love relationship with God, and living a lifestyle of preparedness like a military soldier training and developing my self and others for war daily.
Are you ready for His return?
Yes, I am saved but I have not gotten the gospel clearly communicated into the hearts of my children, and the in livers in my circle of influences.
Have you yielded your life and allegiance to Him?
This is something I must do daily to Jesus as my Commanding officer who wants a report on my arrival to heaven on what I did with the new life he gave me and did I glorify him with my time, talent, and treasure.
Are you living daily as if He could come any second?
I am not.
And if not, why not?
Because I do not feel the sense of urgency of Xhtist coming in a way that convicts me to live life on target of making the most of the time and on mission of seeking a saving those who do not have a relationship with him in my personal worship, corporate worship, and public worship.
What are you waiting for?
I am waiting to feel the conviction of, Christ is coming today or tomorrow, instead of affirming the conviction and a ringing on it regardless of how I feel in faith, discipline, and love.
Prayer for a Spiritual Sense of Urgency
Father God,
You are love it’s self and I am your beloved. I love you God for the urgency you demonstrate in pursuing a relationship with me. You are the conductor and converters of hearts and minds to have divine sense of urgency for today insight of the promises of enteral life with you.
I repent for failing to make the most of my time in these evil days to often choosing irresponsible comfort & passvity over earnest disciplined effort.
Is it true more than 40,000 people die every day? I could be…no I am apart of that number… I dye to myself today and daily. I have no guarantee of the next second. The only time I have to receive Christ and to obey God, to do my part in giving God an R.O.I. of His eternal purposes on earth, is in this second! Today! Do it Now!
Before your second coming, you are making pathways through the wilderness of my fear, uncertainty, and unbelief with rivers of love, provision, and faith in the dry wasteland of our hearts, and these last days replenish your chosen people (Isaiah 43:19-20 NLT)
Jesus, you are the water of my life!
Jesus, you are the refreshment for my thirsty souls and longing spirits! Today I Take your hand and walk into this new year in confidence, trusting you to cause me not to let anything stand between me and getting the good news of who you are Jesus is and what you’ve done, into the hands and hearts of those I love. Jesus, you said, “Yes, I am coming soon!” (Revelation 22:20b NLT). Cause me and all followers of you to live with this conviction daily. Amen.
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