A note I sent out to our churches:
What’s the Holy Spirit Speaking to You About Your Life in 2005?
The beginning of a new year is often the time when we make New Year’s Resolutions. Usually, these are human desires or resolutions that we want to pursue; more often than not, they are forgotten by January 20.
Maybe there’s a better way!
The week before Christmas several churches studied Mary’s angelic visitation. What we learned there was
1. Mary was ready to receive whatever miracle God had for her: “be it unto me according to your Word.”
2. God spoke to her about what He intended to do
3. Mary believed that Word
4. The miracle happened
So… I’m suggesting that God has many wonderful and awesome miracles for us in 2005: things that He wants to do in us, for us, through us, and even miracles that will take place right in the midst of those trials we are in (He does specialize in bringing beauty out of ashes).
Our part, then, is to:
1. Be open—“God whatever you have for me I’m ready to receive”
And
2. Ask the Holy Spirit what He has for you in 2005
I suggest that we intentionally ask Him to reveal to us, just as He did to Mary, what He wants to do in and through us in 2005—good things, things that bring us joy and life, things that will bless others, things that will cause us to rise to a new level of confidence in who we are in God. We ask and then we take the time to listen.
This is more than seeking after our normal human desires or things that comfort us. This is, “God, what do you have for me in the coming year?” I’m not saying that God is not interested in our normal human desires. But He operates on a higher level. When we open ourselves to His purposes more fully, deep joy and satisfaction will naturally follow.
So… our key question again… What is the Holy Spirit speaking to YOU about YOUR life in 2005? This will be something that we cannot accomplish on our own. By opening ourselves to what He is saying we are opening ourselves to more of Him-at-work in our lives.
I will probably ask each of us this question personally. It’s so powerful. House church is not about one person coming up with God’s vision for the coming year; it’s about every person listening and responding to whatever God is saying, and then collectively entering into a new level of God’s-power-at-work. How exciting!
Scary? Maybe a little bit. Worth it? Yes. What God does is always so far above and beyond the “good” that we can imagine accomplishing on our own.
What is the Holy Spirit Speaking to YOU about YOUR life in 2005?
