Three-Two-One: Countdown Done.

“Listen. One more year to plow it around.” – Pastor Richard

“God is giving you all of 2015 to get into a right place with Him.” – Pastor Allison

Though their sermons were grounded in different passages of Scripture, our speakers in our English-language and Spanish-language services both declared the same rhema word as the services transitioned from preaching to prayer: 2015 is the year that we are called to respond to the mercy of God.

Pastor Richard noted that we sometimes try to employ pretense in the presence of God, gathering for worship while continuing to harbor secret sins. Our pastor shared the analogy of a person who not only hides things in a back closet, but also has built a trap door into the closet to hide things even more securely. However, we know that nothing is hidden from God: His word declares that He is the one who will bring all hidden things to light.

For today, let’s reflect on a few verses that encourage us to engage the process of drawing nearer to God and submitting our desires and motives to His will. Lord God, give us grace to hear and obey You.

Psalm 119:54-56: Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge. In the night, LORD, I remember your name, that I may keep your law. This has been my practice: I obey your precepts.

Ecclesiastes 12:14: For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

Luke 13:6-9: Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

First Corinthians 4:5: Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.

Second Corinthians 10:5: We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

All Scripture references are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.