Christian Writers Circle

Take Time to Prepare
by Judy Hitson

Romans 13:11 NIV And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

And do this. Do what? I thought it was about being and believing, not about a “to do list.” Are you with me on that thinking? When did you first believe in Jesus Christ? Let me pause a moment to say, If you are reading this and do not believe in Jesus Christ, I urge you, take time to prepare for your salvation through believing and receiving Christ. It is a matter of life or death. See what I wrote on Time of Salvation. However, if you know the Lord and believe in Him, please do not slumber or sleep from heeding what the Lord asks. See also Eph.5:8-11

Do you understand the present time? There were believers of every generation who looked for the Lord to return. In our generation, some believers, including me, sense an urgency to prepare not only for the return of the Lord, living in ways that please Him, but prepare to live in the end times before He returns. What do you think of the exponential changes taking place in our nation? What do you think of the extreme weather around the world, natural disasters, war, increased crime and other matters that may be on your mind. Yes, we need to take time to prepare for such a time as this with our circle of influence and the boundaries God set for us. What does that preparation look like? Perhaps you have taken time to prepare and understand the present time, alert and watchful, pleasing the Lord. If so, I commend you. If you are not sure or wonder what I found as important in preparation, I will share the Scripture passage that alarmed me as I was reading the Bible in Romans 13: 8-14 New International Version:

Love for the Day is Near
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,”  “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

The bottom line I see is walk in love and realize that is something only God can do through us. Let us heed the greatest commandment found in Matt. 22:37-38 NIV Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.

Take time to think slowly on these verses. Let the Lord speak to your heart of what it means for you to take time to prepare for His return and for the end times.

There are many Scripture passages I would like to share with you but  close with the key passages I shared. They tug at my heart at this time of preparation in my life and hope it is meaningful for you and your life.

Prayer: Father in heaven, touch our hearts and reveal how we are to take time by Your Spirit to prepare for such a time as this in history and for Your return. This I ask in Your name, Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Time to Prepare
by Judy Hitson

Be alert and aware
We are going somewhere.
For a trip you pack
and see nothing you lack.

Minutes, hours and a day
Some say, Come what may.
Now is your time on earth
How have you lived since birth?

This is not all there is.
It is not about the latest biz.
There is more to consider.
How you live does matter.

There is a heaven and hell.
We are told to go and tell.
The Kingdom of God is upon you.
Through Christ be made new.

How, you say to me.
First, bow the knee.
He is Most High.
It is truth, not a lie.

Think of eternal things.
Know what eternity brings.
Jesus will return.
There is much to learn.

God is right and fair.
To Him, you will answer.
He sent His only Son for you,
to make you brand new.

We must prepare for tomorrow.
Time we cannot borrow.
It is time to prepare.
We are going somewhere

Time to Stand
by Brenda Flowers

We often hear about George Washington
and the greatness of this man.
He sought the Lord for wisdom
and God helped him to stand.

Yet behind the scene of Valley Forge
much more was going on.
Martha and others were praying,
crying out for battles to be won.

The mothers’ prayers were key.
Their cries were heard by God.
Our forefathers we should honor.
Our mothers we should laud.

Loving mothers sent their husbands
and their sons; a great sacrifice.
They faced the foes of justice.
Their bravery great against vice.

Our nation was founded by men
and women following God’s lead.
It took the sacrifice of all.
On their knees, they did plead.

America’s victory was Divine.
Ordained by God before it was won.
The people sought God’s will,
Stepped out in faith and knew God’s Son.

Fathers and mothers, ask yourselves,
Are you seeking the God they knew?
Do you know God’s leading and His ways?
Is America important to you?

God loved this country before its birth.
He orchestrated the events to follow.
God worked through willing men and women
to create this country we all know.

It is time to rise up as citizens.
to awake to God’s purpose here.
Fathers and mothers, cry out to God.
Search your hearts. Seek God without fear.

We are a nation founded by God.
And He has a purpose for us even now.
Let us seek His will to know His plan.
May we be brave. He will show us how.

We are entering an age of challenge.
Evil forces and deception abound.
The truth of His Word is challenged.
By seeking God, His ways will be found.

Arise, Americans, from your sleep.
Arise to the call destined for you.
Arise, Americans, hear the trumpet.
Embrace the purpose our founders knew.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord.
Pray for forgiveness and direction.
Sacrifice your selfish desires.
Speak out loud, “Thy will be done.”

Our future depends upon people
willing to obey and follow God’s lead.
In humbleness, through heartfelt prayers
Victory over darkness, we will see.

Oh! Beautiful, America, my  beloved country.
God, please shed Your Grace on thee.
May I humbly trust Your Word
and live a life You call worthy.

God, I am thankful to be alive now
to be here in this time of history.
I hear Your call and I am challenged.
Please lead me  with clarity.

May I spend time in prayer seeking You.
as George and Martha did long ago.
May I hear Your voice and be guided.
Your protection, then I will know.

For, God, Your ways are higher than mine.
Your purposes on earth are great!
May I as an American citizen
take the time to pray and wait.

You will guide me and others
as citizens of this great land.
For your calling has been sounded.
Now is the time for us to stand!

God, how do you want me to stand?

Stand against the lies of the enemy.

Time To See

by

Kathleen Shore

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

                                                                                                                                                                                    Hebrews 11:1

At seventeen, two years had past since Dad had died and the frozen temperatures of the white out storm I had driven into echoed the condition of my heartache.

Initially, I was unaware of the magnitude of my situation as I drove up the Colorado Rocky Mountain pass just as the snow began to fall. Within minutes my visibility was reduced to about 20 feet in front of me and with the steep incline of the road, I decided it would be best to put chains on two of my tires for traction. I was confident in this task, as I had been taught well…. I knew how to do it…. I even mustered up emotional strength for the moment by remembering how proud Dad had been, watching me tackle the practical things he felt to teach me before he died. But this time, I was alone.

Tightening the chains well, I crawled back inside my car. To finish, I would need to drive forward a short distance and then tighten them again. But as I put the gear in drive, fear drove a stake into my chest as I realized I was not able to see anything. I couldn’t see the wall of rock to my right that I had intentionally parked very close to, nor was I able to see the shear drop to my left on the other side of the one lane between us. My heart felt crippled as I peered out the window at my surroundings, looking for some point of reference so that I could safely move forward. But everything was white. There was no dividing yellow line on the road, not a tree or twig for a guide…. I couldn’t even see the hood of my car. I was caught in a place that was deadly to move forward, and to not.

Having become fatherless at the age of 15, I had spent much of the time since, clinging to every promise in God’s word and found myself reminding Him often of one in particular when He said, “I will be a Father to the fatherless.”

Not only was God on the move, paving a way in front of me with amazing provision and divine connections for His purpose, but He was also carving out His way in me. He wanted me to know Him…. He wanted me to see Him, straight through the mirage of the enemy, no matter what my conditions presented.

So near to my destination and having done all I knew, I closed my eyes and said, “Father, what should I do?” And with my eyes still closed, I heard Him speak to my spirit ear….”Can you see me?” Within His question, His voice called me upward to know His answer and I saw the figure of a man ahead of me, outlined in light. Then Father said, “Now open your eyes.” As I opened my eyes, my guide was still in view….

I eased my foot off the brake and began to inch forward. In holy fear of what I was doing, yet in total belief, I whispered back, “I can still see you.”

Very aware of the curve and bend of the road when I had pulled off, I took great comfort in knowing that my Father knew this neck of the woods like the back of His hand…. the same hand that had created it. So I followed on.

I followed for what seemed forever, but the distance I had covered really didn’t matter at that point, for I had come a long way with Him, in just a few feet.

Have you become blinded by the painful trial you are in?

Are you at a dead standstill, perishing for lack of sight or vision?

Oh my valuable friend, HE is the vision, that without it, we are perishing…

     Follow…. follow onward in the white out storm of your circumstance. With eyes to see and ears to hear, follow Him in unreserved belief that He knows the terrain. He knows the bend and curve of the road you are on.

Follow on with Him in raising and teaching your children. You do not need an earthly point of reference and comparison to ensure that they will arrive to their full potential and destiny. Get back to believing what God spoke of them before the foundations of the earth were laid. This is the truth of your children…. truth that lies in the spirit realm that cannot be seen with the natural eye. Follow on with Him in your marriage, your finances, within the pain of your great loss.

Though it seems an impassable mountain stands in front of you…. follow on.

Yes, blindly follow Him, and He will give you sight.

“For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already sees?

But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently.”

                                                                                                                                                Romans 8:24, 25

Now Is The Time

by Kathleen Shore

     Here and there, and everywhere…. we spend ourselves on earthly cares that exhaust and weary us. In painful places we take our eyes off of our Heavenly Father and disconnect from the amazing privilege of living in God’s abiding presence. Oh, He has not gone anywhere in our circumstances my friend. But right in the midst of His love that is ever ready to catch a glimpse of our eye and endow us with His power and strength, we give our attention and affections to another and live ravaged by our day to day experiences.

This addictive behavior has desensitized the body/bride of Christ and caused her to be satisfied with the crumbs that fall from the very table that has been set before us, each with a place to come, sit down and feast. We leave off the abundance of our inheritance in Him, to live with an orphan spirit seeking out a residence in this place that is not our home.

You have been sought after, found and are His chosen child…. Look to Him in everything. Wait for Him to move on your behalf.

Your Father is awakening you! And now is the time….

Live alert! Be on your guard! Keep watch as you wait for Him, because we do not know the day or the hour. The angels in heaven and not even the Son have been given this information (Mark 13:32-37).

Now is the time to wait. Wait upon His every move, His every breath. For He is coming for a bride who is looking for Him!

Time to Grow
by Brenda Flowers

Lord, I am thankful for You
For the life in me.
Giving me hope and a dream
I’m created purposefully.

I’m here, for this time
Not without reason.
The babe grows in me
The fruit of the vision.

Oh, the pain of labor.
Will it not end?
Yes, the time is close.
Hold on, faith does not bend.

A seed takes time to grow.
It’s nurtured from above.
The plant pushes and battles.
Obstacles are overcome by love.

My babe, my destiny
My hope found in You.
I experience joy
When its birthing is through.

New life, rejoicing
A dream is fulfilled.
Life’s purpose is found
When to You, I yield.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you , plans to give you hope and a future.” 

Time with God
by Judy Hitson

Do you wake in the morning longing to hear what the Lord, your God has to say more than anyone else?

Is He your first love?

Do you long to be in His presence and whisk away with Him?

Is your desire to know God’s perspective more than your own?

Do you make time in your day for God?

Do you realize your time is in God’s hands? (Ps. 31:15)

Twenty-four hours in a day. How will you spend your time today?

Do you compartmentalize your day?

Do you walk with God through your day?

Is it time to do some soul searching? Consider Psalm 139:23-24 NIV
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Do you know God intimately?

Do you hear God’s voice?

Do you recognize the virgin bride of Christ with sincere, pure devotion to Him? (2 Cor.11:1-3)

Is that you? One who longs to be with God and commune with Him?

Do you practice the presence of God in daily living?

Know that God loves you and longs to be with you. He has much to say to you. He will lead you to fulfill your destiny and reveal the plan He has for your life. Will you follow Him? Will you take time to know and hear Him? What time today belongs to God in your life? All of it, some of it, none of it? The decision is yours for God has given you a free will. He has laid out boundaries for you to enjoy a fulfilled life. Listen and hear what He has to say to you each day. Start reading His word, the Bible, and ask Him to speak to you. His ways and His thoughts are higher than yours. (Is. 55:9). Come worship the Lord, your God with gladness. Discover the depths of Jesus Christ. Hear what He has to say to you. He loves you. He longs for you to follow Him. Will you listen and hear Him as your Lord and your God?

Redemption of Time

by Brenda D. Flowers

There’s a lesson on time I learned today

Taught through trials,  found along the way.

The words of Scripture spoke to me.

God’s truth of time’s redemption, I finally see.

When just a baby Christian, I didn’t know

The true power of Christ’s blood given so . . . .

I could have victory over death and sin.

Much more happened way back then.

Jesus Christ suffered, was crucified and died.

He was pierced. Blood and water flowed from His side.

Relate this to time, I hear you say.

What is the lesson you learned today?

Christ gave His life so we can be free.

Sin does not have to control you or me.

Many people struggle with how to use time.

Daily time is wasted. It is an uphill climb.

For years, I battled with wasting time;

Knowing in my heart, victory was not mine.

Procrastination and lateness ruled my life.

These sins controlled and brought great strife.

The resurrection of Christ brings hope to me.

Time was redeemed on Calvary.

Jesus died and took away all our sins.

He was the perfect sacrifice. He wants us to win.

He rose in power, life and might.

My  struggles with time are out of sight.

I’m redeemed!

I’m redeemed!

What does that mean?

My sins are gone! I am washed clean.

Focusing on Jesus  brings the redemption of time.

By accepting His sacrifice, His power is mine.

The redemption of time is one victory I see

As I realize Jesus’ will for me.

By starting my day off with my eyes on Him,

Praising, listening and in quietness begin.

Miraculous multiplication of time will be mine

When faith is released in the morning time.

Starting first, centered and focused on His ways.

The moments will flow with His life through my days.

The key to the redemption of time is found in Jesus.

He is the Way, the Truth and the Life for us.

The redemption of time has been a mystery.

Praise God! Today, it’s truth I see.

Read in God’s word:

See then that you walk

circumspectly, not as fools but

as wise,

Redeeming the time, because

the days are evil.

Therefore, do not be unwise,

but understand what the will

of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5: 15-17)

Time
by
Brenda D. Flowers

What about time, Lord?

Spend time purposefully

Evaluate now

Time

Listen responsibly to My Voice

Wow!

Time

It’s worth, measurable

I’ll show you how

Time

Redeemed eternally

Willingly bow

Time

A gift creatively given

For now!