It’s 2022! Wow! So much to thank God for looking back at 2021. Have you done this? Your heart will be overwhelmed with praise and thanksgiving and joy when you do. Looking ahead to 2022, God remains the same-good, loving and faithful. He will continue to reveal Himself to those who seek Him. He will continue to work in His church to make her holy. He will continue to work out His plans. So let’s continue to seek Him alone, trust in Him alone, focus on Him alone and always be thankful. I encourage you to read, meditate on and practice these things in Colossians 3:15-17. Three times Paul exhorts us to be thankful-that means this is important to God and He really wants us to hear and receive this exhortation. So let’s decide to be a grateful people-not just for what God has done, is doing and will do-for who He is! Let’s be thankful in both the good and the hard times. Let’s be thankful for each other!
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Col 3:15-17 NLT)
I would like to share a Word the Lord gave me. I encourage you to read and pray through this Word and the scriptures and decide to apply them. We need to be prepared for the year ahead.
Note: For space sake, I have only listed the scriptures and encourage you to look them up for yourselves.
A Word for the Church of Jesus Christ-“More Darkness-More Light”
Before you read this Word, pay attention to the words of Jesus in Mk 4:21-25.
Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine. For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” (Mk 4:21-25 NLT)
At the beginning of December, while in prayer, I heard the Word, “MORE”. In asking the Lord what He is saying to the church, this is what I heard-
“There will be more evil, more deception, more trials, challenges, testing and tribulations. There will be more persecution. There will be more intense battle”, says the Lord.
Church, this is what Jesus has said-
“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Lk 12:32 NKJV)
And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” (Mt 24:4-6 NKJV)
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. (Mt 11:12 NKJV)
To the true church of Jesus Christ, “Ask for more!” says the Lord. “The more you ask and seek, the more you will find. The more you use what I have given you, the more you will be given.” says the Lord.
“So that, as there is more darkness, there will be more light”, says the Lord.
WE NEED MORE OF JESUS!
“Church, ask for and seek more wisdom and revelation, more discernment, more perseverance and more faith. Be more watchful, more steadfast and more obedient. Put into practice more of the ‘one another’s especially the command to love and encourage one another.
As you ask for, seek and receive more of these things, there will be more repentance, more refining, more maturity and more holiness.
Ask and seek and more will be given to you-more boldness, more opportunity, more power and more authority-more demonstration of My kingdom!”, says the Lord!
“So that, as there is more darkness, there will be more light”, says the Lord.
2 Thess 2:13-17 A FINAL EXHORTATION & PRAYER-Stand Fast!
But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Rev 2:7a NKJV)
This is the end of the Word. The following are the scriptures related to this Word as every Word from the Lord needs be about Jesus and confirmed with the Word of God!
SCRIPTURES
1 Peter 1:6 NKJV, 1 Peter 4:12-19 NKJV, 2 Ti 3-the whole chapter, 2 Ti 4:1-5 NKJV
Mt 7:7-8 AMP, Mt 25:29 NLT, Eph 1:17-19 NKJV, Mk 4:21-25 NLT, Rev 14:12 NKJV, Rev 1:9 NKJV, 1 Peter 5:8-10 NKJV, 2 Peter 3:14-18 NKJV, 1 Thess 5:6 NKJV, Ro 5:1-5 NKJV, 1 Peter 4:7-11 NKJV, Jn 15:2 NKJV, Eph 4:13 NKJV, 1 Thess 4:1-8 NKJV, Heb 10:14 NKJV, Acts 4:29 NKJV, Acts 18:9-10 NKJV, Acts 1:8 NKJV, Lk 10:19 NKJV
So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of His call. May He give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with Him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ. (2 Thess 1:11-12 NLT)
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Rev 2:7 NKJV)
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