"Awakening"- going offline

Like many churches in the USA, the church we attend is participating in “Awakening”.  Awakening  is a season of prayer, fasting, and personal devotion that takes place each January.  Our church is participating over a 40 day period.  We are encouraged to focus on prayer, devotions, and fasting of some sort that will culminate in special services at the end of February.

The idea of Awakening reminded me of verses where either Jesus or Jesus and His disciples got away by themselves.

Matt 14:22-23

Mark 6:31

Mark 6:46 

Luke 6:12
John 6:15

This is exactly what we need to do, if we are going to experience an “awakening” or refreshing” or whatever you want to call it.  At my job we are currently upgrading some existing customer equipment.  In order to do this, we have to take the customer offline.  The customer has no way to contact the outside world, while this is being done, but once back online, the equipment is upgraded to be able to provide better service.  We need this kind of experience in our spiritual lives as well.  We need to go offline and spend time with God, so are spiritual lives can be upgraded for better service.

What are you doing to have that “awakening, refreshing, or upgrade” in your life?  Is it time for you to go offline from the world and spend some time with God?

New Year - Resolutions?

A new year always brings about resolutions, new hope and dreams.  It is a new beginning, as we put the old year in the past and look forward to new things that await us.  I am not much on resolutions myself, but I do look forward to the new year with anticipation of what is to come.  In my bible reading I came across the verse below.  It got me to thinking, that maybe the new year is not so much about what I resolve to do, but that it is God's appointed time to do something. 

Genesis 21:2 NASB
So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him.

In this verse, God had an appointed time for Abraham and Sarah.  Could it be that 2012 is an appointed time for you?  Remember that the birth of Isaac was a miracle birth. Not only because of the bareness of Sarah, but the age of both Abraham and Sarah as well.  They had the cards stacked against them.  And even though it was something they both desired, they could not resolve to have a child.  God had appointed the time in which Sarah was to bear a child. 

Could you dare to believe God for the miracle you been looking for?  Is 2012 your appointed time to establish new relationships?  Maybe it is the appointed time for a new career or raise.  Perhaps that new opportunity or open door.  Maybe it is your appointed time for healing to take place, or to experience His favor.  Be sure of this- There are appointed times in your life, throughout your life.  2012 could be that time for you.  I believe it is for me.