"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." Jude 1:24-25
Reflection
As we step into a new year it always gives us cause to pause and ponder the past, present and future. Looking back is great to remember God’s faithfulness, great milestones, achievements, lessons, and the people God put in our path to love one another. We must be careful and prayerful as we look back at the past but don’t live in the past; these memories should bring us to moments of praise and thanks in the present. God’s never-ending, never- failing love endures and has caused us to endure as well. In His hands we stand the test of time because He has carried us through the seconds and season that brought us to this very heartbeat and so we stand here today overflowing with gratitude and look forward with hope. Hope is not a wish in the abyss, it’s joyful, confident expectation in the One who has given us our salvation. The Savior who lived, was crucified, raised from the dead, ascended into heaven where He sits at the righthand of the Father continually interceding for us, He is our hope and future. Because of His indescribable gift of abundant life, we can stand though every test that time throws at us on earth because we know He able to keep us from stumbling, and to make us stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy.
No matter what scheme, temptation, or struggle the enemy is stirring up, we are assured three times in Ephesians chapter six that when we put on the full armor of God and pray, we are able to STAND firm and must continue to stand in the victory that Jesus has already won for us.
Many of us have been through some great battles and heartbreak in the past that seem to have knocked us to the ground. We, as your spiritual siblings and prayer partners at the National Day of Prayer Task Force are extending our heart and hand to you in this moment as we pray you back to your feet and ask the God of hope to fill you with all that you need to stand. God’s joy is your strength, His forgiveness equips you to forgive, His promises are the foundation we stand on to endure our earthly trials because we are eternally secure and loved. Jesus, our anchor of hope, holds us strong in the storms.
On Monday January 6th, the Day of Epiphany, in partnership with our dear friend Kerry Hasenbalg, we will be offering a free biblical teaching called, “STAND.” This inspired booklet is one of the twelve practices from her upcoming project, “The Way of Becoming.” Kerry and I have sensed the urgent need for a survival guide for believers on how to stand in the storms of life in a generation that has so many people struggling with emotional endurance and mental health. Kerry has generously given this teaching to all of you as we pray it refreshes or restores hope in your life. We invite you to visit our website on Monday to receive your free copy of STAND as we continue to pray and stand with you.
We will expand our conversation throughout the next few months as we stand abounding in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. We invite you to take some time in prayer to ponder the God who was with you in every moment of your past, the God who is with you now, and the God who is to come who is our hope every second and step of the way now and forevermore.
Will you please join me in pouring out to God in prayer?
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, we praise You. These are not attributes that we only ponder at Christmastime but every time we pour out our praise or call on the Name of the Lord. You are the God who never leaves of forsakes us, the One true God who knows all of our days, tears, desires, talents, everything about us as we are fearfully and wonderfully made by Your divine design for Your glory. Help us to Stand against the schemes of the enemy. Heal us from the wounds of the past and lift us to our feet if we have fallen and brace us to be strong and courageous in the moments and mission ahead. Thank you for another year to love and serve you. Show us Your path and priorities and we ponder how we should spend the time You have given us that we may spend our time only doing that which will stand the test of time and to You Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. In the precious name of our Savior we pray, Amen!
Serving Him with gladness,
Kathy Branzell
President
