The Almanac
15th of January
I have the last times been sharing with you what the Lord has given to me. We are still in the beginning of a new year and I can still write about an empty almanac even if you cannot read this before the 15th of January.
I have written about a lot of new births this year. God’s plans, visions and dreams will be delivered during the year of 2013. There will also be born new spiritual babies. The normal is to have birth-pains before a delivery and I wrote about that last time. This time I want to share with you a picture I got around the change of the new year. I saw in the spirit a new almanac with empty pages. I was the one to fill the content of the pages. Jesus should write His name on every day of the year 2013. I should pray through week after week and my life should be like a mirror of Jesus. I saw the name of Jesus written over every day, not in small letters, but it covered the whole day of every day.
I can’t sleep through the year of 2013. I can’t say: What happens, must happen. It doesn’t make any difference.” If Jesus is going to stamp every day, I really have to ask Him what He wants to do and when He wants to do it. Some of you might say: “This doesn’t suit me. I want to be free and do what I want to do. He has promised to be with me every day.” Yes, I do not think that God will leave us even if we should do things that He is not pleased with, but He cannot go against His own word and His own will. He is therefore not blessing the things that are done outside His perfect will. I do not feel that God wants me to have any fear of doing the wrong things nor does He want me to be bound. He simply wants me to make every day into a Jesus-day. We are singing a song going like this: “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it.” This song can be sung Monday as well as Saturday and Sunday. When we sing this song, we do not think that we can’t sing this song since we sang it yesterday. No, God has made every day and every day can become a Jesus-day.
Some of you might wonder: “Can’t I have any fun and what about relaxing?” What kind of picture of God do you have? I just mentioned the song where we sing that we should be glad and rejoice. We read in Nehemiah 8:10 that the joy of the Lord is our strength. I would like to ask you: “What do you consider to be fun and what makes you happy?” That can vary from culture to culture and from person to person. Age can also determine our choices of joy. I watched a program on television yesterday. It wasn’t a Christian program, but about a known artist and her songs. They are very nice songs and she explained how she had received a growing faith in God. I was moved by the songs and I went to bed with very good feelings. Many believe that a Jesus-day means that you must work for the Lord every free moment. If not, Jesus will be angry or very sorry. I must again ask: “What kind of a vision do you have of God?”
God is a good daddy and He will not enslave you.
Jesus lives inside of us and He cannot leave us even when we commit sins. A good daddy wants the best for his children. He knows that if we make mistakes, we will reap the consequences and that might not be good for us. We are smart if we ask Him before we make decisions. If we live close to God as a good Daddy, we know His voice and we would become more and more confident with His will. My daughters know me so well that they can just look at me in certain situations and they would know what I think. Do you know your heavenly Daddy so well that you can say what He thinks? If we do not care to spend time with God and Jesus, I can assure you that we can’t write the name of Jesus over our days in the almanac. A Jesus-day starts by being together with Him. You can talk to Him, pray and thank Him even when you are busy with other things. Your life would not be in balance if you shouldn’t do anything else than sitting by His feet. His presence leads to action. James is writing about faith and deeds. God has given us many tasks to do. He can’t tell people about Himself. We can. He cannot lay hands on the sick. We can. He wants us to help the poor, strengthen the weak and encourage those in need. We are supposed to make disciples. In other words: We should teach others our Christian faith.
I have the privilege to be on pension and I have plenty of time. I get up in the morning, take a couple of biscuits and a cup of coffee and then I can start my day with the Lord. I can just be, praise Him and thank Him. I am reading the Word and after some time I start praying. I always pray for the day and if nothing is planned, I always ask Him what He wants to do. In other words, what He wants me to do. To-day I got that I should write and later I need to shop. God is a practical God. Sometimes He reminds me of calling someone in need. I have quite a few appointments of counseling and I have some friends who are sick and they need different kinds of help. I am participating in different church groups where we pray and share. I do not believe in isolation. Jesus wants us to come together with sisters and brothers. When I am home, I can spend much more time with the Lord than when I am out travelling. That is a time of preparation both in the Word and in praying. One thing is for sure: I do not need to be bored. Jesus is creative and He is full of surprises.
We can go back to the almanac.
I heard of a pastor who had written up appointments for the entire year. One day the Lord came to Him and said that he should cancel all his appointments. He thought that might be the devil, but it turned out to be God. He should go to a certain place and stay there and pray. Revival broke out in that place and great changes took place. You must be sure that it is the Lord if you should cancel all your appointments, but I believe that way too many have too many appointments. Maybe they haven’t learned the simple word of no. Others think that they are very important if they are very busy. I think that the Lord should be important, more than people. I recommend you to pause a little before you answer yes. Take time to ask the Lord first. Maybe you should ask your partner as well. Many Christian marriages have broken up because one of them was never at home. He or she thought they did the right thing because they were in ministry.
When I have an appointment with the Lord, I turn off my cell phone. I would do the same if I had an appointment with my husband or my children. I turn off my phone when I am in counseling. I have attended prayer meetings where people are running out with their cell phone. Can you think of anything so stupid? You are in a conversation with the Creator of heaven and earth and then you say: “Hey God, somebody else is more important than You, so I must talk to him or her instead of You.” I find this disrespectful.
I want you to keep the picture of the almanac with empty pages. I also want you to see the name of Jesus written all over every page or every day of the year. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you with planning your time. Don’t waste your time. Vacations and relaxing time should also be part of your planning.
The Word of God says that we should seek the kingdom of God first and then everything else will be added. (Matt.6:33)
MAKE THIS YOUR PRIORITY THIS YEAR!
Mother Else