Christian Writers Circle

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!

It Is Time
by
Kathleen Shore

The rhythm of the clock whispers to me, “Wait, wait, wait upon the Lord…. Wait, wait, wait upon the Lord….” And I hear Father’s voice join in its rhythm. “Stay in step with me, “ He says, “like dancing to the rhythm of the clock, the rhythm of my heartbeat. For blessed are all those who wait for me.”

It is time…. to live every moment as though it were our last. For we know not the day or the hour,

but must discern the times and the seasons.

It is time…. to fix our eyes like never before on His gaze of love for us and let go of all that

distracts and so easily entangles.

It is time…. to know what “the kingdom of heaven is like” and run like a child, after Him in it.

It is time…. to know Him in total silence, more assuredly than in profound recognition of His

voice.

It is time…. to believe, in the face of all that seems contrary to His truth and rest in the timing of

His movement.

It is time…. to simply abide in Him, and He in us, that our secret place with Him would be

our contagious desire, our only want.

It is time…. to be satisfied with Jesus alone as our full reward.

Let nothing steal the joy and peace…. His outpouring that fills each one who will wait.

“He who waits upon the Lord will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” “Wait…. Wait I say, upon the Lord…. more than watchman wait for the morning.” With expectation and joyful hope, wait for the Light of the world to dawn Himself in every hardship, every painful circumstance and depleted desert place…. wait for Him. It is persevering through these very moments that will bring us into the fullness of our inheritance and His glory displayed like gold overlaying us, His Ark of Testimony.

He is right here….

He has not gone anywhere….

And His timing is perfect to answer our cry for help.

Time
by Judy Hitson

Ecclesiastes 3: 1 NKJV To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven,

     If you are not familiar with this chapter in the Bible, it would be worth your time to read and prayerfully consider it. It is one of my favorite Scriptural passages to think about in regards to the seasons of life and our time on earth. Last year we wrote a topic for four seasons. This year we will write on the topic of time. We hear of time management, time planners, and so forth. In Christian Writers Circle we share on time from perspectives on our hearts and invite you, our readers, to ponder with us. May the Lord help each of us to use our time wisely, to give Him pleasure and be at peace that we may follow as He leads us.

Let us use our time according to our gifts and callings from God. He fashioned us in unique ways for different purposes. Isn’t it good to know God made you unique, different than anyone else. In some ways, we find common ground to make wise use of our time that would be helpful to share with each other. For example, as Christians, some of us might prefer to have a quiet time with God in the early morning while others prefer to have a special time with God in the evening. Though the Lord may have me up with Him at night, for the most part I like to rise early in the morning and spend time in God’s presence in prayer, in His word and in fellowship with Him to start my day. You might have a few verses God’s given you that spoke to your heart for when you come aside with Him each day. The verses significant for me are Mark 1: 35 and Psalm 5: 3 which refer to being with God in the morning.

It seems I veer to a specific topic of “Quiet Time,” as we start the New Year of 2013. Do you have a daily quiet time with God? Do you have a favorite time of day you draw aside with God? This may be something dear to your heart and we could learn from your experience on this topic or it may be a new idea to you. Whatever the case, join us Christian writers as we write on the topic of time. We would appreciate your comments and begin a dialogue with you.

Time of Salvation
by Judy Hitson

John 17: 3 NIV Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

Time of salvation was a phrase coming to mind as I considered writing to you. I heard, “For someone to have time with God, they need to know Him! It is like having time with your best friend who you know well.” I receive this word as the Lord’s prompting.

John 17: 3 is a profound revelation about eternal life. I used to think it was a future event after our life on earth. In this verse,  do you see it is the time you come to know God? Do you find this truth as amazing as I do that knowing God is eternal life? The time of salvation is knowing the only true God.

In regards to salvation, the Lord also revealed that the Spirit gives life and the flesh profits nothing, that the letter kills. See John 6: 63 and 2 Corinthians 3: 6 for clarity. Since the Lord gave me understanding on this matter, it continues to affect me with deep conviction that salvation is of the Lord; we cannot save ourselves by good merit. The time of salvation is of the Lord.

Some of us grew up in church and some of us did not. Some of us grew up believing in God and some of us did not. Is salvation a familiar term to you? It was a word I didn’t understand though I went to church and attended a church school through childhood. I learned about God but did not personally know Him until I was 36 years old. Until that time, I practiced a religion without a relationship with God. The time of salvation is a living relationship with God.

Do you have a testimony regarding your time of salvation? In my search for God, He used Contemporary Christian music on radio to draw me to Himself. Testimonies of salvation, healing and deliverance stirred my heart with a desire to know and hear God. Listening to people speak of being born again, of a conversion experience or being saved, I realized these different terms seemed to imply the time of their salvation. After three years, I remember the day I heard a radio announcer say, “That’s all you need to do! Invite Jesus into your heart.” She said this in response to a song that played. I said, “Jesus, I have asked you to come into my heart many times but I don’t know you the way these people are talking about. Some shared on a program yesterday of surrendering, not 10%, 50%, 90% but 100%. Lord, I surrender to You 100%!” Suddenly, I was filled with joy talking with the Lord as I drove my car. The time of salvation is a time of surrender to God.

Following this experience a car accident occurred. I was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. Months later, while reading Eph. 5: 18 Be not drunk with wine but be filled with the Holy Spirit, the words about popped off the page. The Lord revealed that at the time of my salvation I was filled with the Holy Spirit. There was a hunger in my heart to read and understand the Bible, to hear God speak to me and be with others who experienced the salvation of the Lord. My life was changed. The time of salvation is life changing.

When I heard Christians talk about being drunk in the Spirit, it seemed distasteful to me to hear the word drunk used in a spiritual way until I experienced it. You may be wondering about the car accident. Let me mention the Holy Spirit prompted me to go through a church parking lot. I believe that would have spared me of the accident. We hear reports of DUI, driving under the influence. In my case, I had no alcohol in my system but was under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Being filled with the Holy Spirit that day, I understand being drunk in the Spirit. An important lesson I learned is to listen and heed the promptings of the Spirit.

Time Spent
by
Kathleen Shore

Discarded moments…..

Misplaced hours….

Fade into a life forgotten…. unnoticed…. lost beneath disheveled corners of the soul that mask God’s longing heart for time spent.

Often in desperate need of You I have come bolting through the throne room doors into our secret place, only to find Your eyes of love waiting for me…. You never left. Your abiding presence did not leave me, I was simply caught in the mirage that I was alone and missing out on the abundance of my full inheritance…. right here, right now, in each moment with You.

May it always be remembered that it was You who bolted in on me! Plowing through the doors of my heart and taking my breath away with the way You poured Your love all over me and washed me clean with the blood of Your Son, all so that You could just be with me… and hold me in our time spent.

O let me never again seek outside of You, what I can only find IN You.

And so I run to You my Lord, even though it was You who first came after me. What can I say of my condition, except  “Thank you” for seeking me out, finding me and whispering to me, “You are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1b)

My Savior and Lord, please escort me back to be seated at the table You have prepared for me in the presence of my enemies (Ps. 23: 5a). O Bread of Life, You are the feast. You alone are the remedy for what has been misplaced, unnoticed and disheveled within me. Even my efforts to clean up the mess I have made would only be another distraction and waste of time. My only labor should be maintaining unbroken communion with You.

I love that You just want time spent with me….

I love that You wait for me….