In Luke 2 v49 we find Jesus replying to his parents as recorded in The Message: “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be here, dealing with the things of my Father?” Jesus had put God’s work as his first priority. The question facing us is where do we put God in our daily order of priorities? And how honest are we going to be in answering it? Do we put him first in all things?

We have responsibilities to our family and employer if we are still working but do we sit down with our Father and sort out how He wants us to plan the activities we are involved in. Jesus knew His priorities but do we? And if we do are they in line with His?

To be able to make the right choice we must have clear and consistent communication with our Lord and know Him as our Father anchored by grace and mercy in his family. When we are sure of our position in Him we will find He will show us the order in which He wants us progress and how he will lead us to achieve them. As we follow Him and obey His commands He will show us the results that will be mind blowing.

Clarity of vision means clarity of purpose so that every time we step outside the front door we will recognise that we are going out and about on God’s business. As we make our journeys we are going to see how He is giving us constant encouragement as His agents for change.

Jesus knew His priorities and vision and through Him so can we. Are you up for the challenge that he has given?

Billy Graham turned 93 in November 2011 and is still as passionate about telling people about Jesus Christ, his Saviour, as when he first started to preach at crusade style meetings in 1947.

He is struggling with failing eyesight and hearing, but his evangelistic drive has not diminished, he still wants to get the message across. Recently he has used modern technology to preach in Spain and Portugal, two countries he was never able to reach when he was active in ministry. He has also just published a book entitled, ‘Nearing Home’.

‘Nearing Home’ will have much to say to us as we move through our senior years and from it we might learn how Billy has been inspired and guided through his life of Christian service.

He is confident that God still has plans for him and we can take this as encouragement that God can still use us at whatever age we are.

As we move through 2012, we may wish to reflect that:

• There is no retirement when working for God’s Kingdom
• God sees us as valuable to Him in His service whatever our physical state or age is
• He wants us to finish strong through the strength He gives
• He wants us to teach our following generations, so that they can teach their children and thus pass the baton from generation to generation to generation.

That is our task and challenge for 2012, so are we ready to pick up the baton and be Christ’s messengers?

It will be interesting and encouraging to hear your experiences.

Buy the book on Amazon: Nearing Home – Thoughts on Life, Faith and Finishing Well

How well do we listen to what God is saying to us, through His word, prayer or other people. So let us consider how we approach the Bible. Is it something we do prayerfully?

By approaching the Bible prayerfully we are saying to ourselves and God that we are giving Him our attention and wish to stay closely connected to Him, instead of the approach that often occurs when we rush in with so much on our minds that we are not able to focus on our Lord.

It is good to remember that when we ask God to speak through His word, it is not that He is reluctant to talk to us but that we have to take hold of His willingness to talk to us.
Once we have lowered our barriers we will find that He is willing to and has a great desire to bring alive His word to us.

The problem still is not that God doesn’t want to speak to us, but that we don’t listen well.

Let us consider that if we take a minute to pray before opening our bibles, we are telling God that we are ready for Him to speak to us and we are ready to listen.

This will be a discipline that has to put into practice; the need to pause and pray before we read God`s word.

It will be good to hear your experiences on this subject and also hear your practice so that we can encourage each other as we walk and share together, as a Band of Brothers, how God has spoken to us.

Every Blessing