Welcome to 2010! I did not have this letter to you in January but I trust
that you are experiencing the abundant life that Jesus promised us. What I am sharing with you here was
something I spoke during our January 3rd worship service.
I want to share a word with you. It is a word that I believe God wants to grab your spirits. It is a prophetic word. It is a life-giving word. It is a word to draw you into your destiny. The word is “engage.”
I’m a bit of a Trekkie, so the term brings to my mind Captain Picard telling the helmsman to go to warp speed. The word also brings me back over twenty years to when I had a ring burning a hole in my pocket while waiting for the moment to ask Betty to become my wife – then we would be engaged. No matter what image this word brings to your mind, the term requires having a personal connection, investment and involvement.
This is a year for you to reconnect with and involve yourself in and move forward in the destiny of God for your life. There can be a tendency to trust God to deal with everything associated with bringing that destiny to pass. Now, you certainly can’t experience the destiny of God without God, but you are part of that destiny and God intends you to be involved. It’s your destiny, so you do have to be a part of it.
Some verses that cause me to think of having to engage are:
- Romans 5:17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through
the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of
righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
- Ephesians 4:15-16 … may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from
whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies,
according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes
growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
- Hebrews 6:9-10 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Jesus was always encouraging the disciples to step out and become more than they were. Simon Bar-Jonah was impulsive and reckless; often had both feet in his mouth; had an inflated image of himself – and yet, Jesus called him a rock (petros) and now we call him Peter. I don’t know where you are in your journey today, but I do know that Father is calling you to reign in life by His grace. Maybe you need a walk on the beach with Jesus like Peter did. Then, take the time to be with Him and hear from Him. He has encouraging words for you.
Engage with God and experience your destiny this year.
Love and blessings,
Pastor Merril