2021 New Opportunities

Let no one therefore judge you in eating and in drinking or in respect of a feast or of a new moon or of the Sabbath, which are a shadow of the things to come, but the body is of Christ. Col. 2:16-17

According to the changing of days, months, and years, God gives us new opportunities every day, every month, and every year…

God has ordained days, months, and years for the existence and growth of living things…If the time span of the universe consisted of one long day, there would be only one opportunity for life to exist and grow. Thus, if there were existence and growth during this period of time, there would be existence and growth, but if there were a failure to exist and grow, there would not be another opportunity for life to exist and grow. Thankfully, God has prepared and ordained numerous opportunities in the universe, not just one opportunity. If we experience a failure during one year, there will be another year. If our work is not successful this year, we can start again next year…

We need to consider before the Lord how we have spent our time and the things in which we failed and in which we overcame. We need to consider the areas in which we responded to the Lord’s demands and in which we rejected the Lord’s will. We need to bring our spiritual condition before the Lord in order to settle accounts and have a proper clearance so that we can have a new beginning. (CWWL, 1957, vol. 1, “God’s Need and God’s Goal,” ch. 4, pp. 120-122, 124)

In this light of the Lord giving me new opportunities, as I was considering before the Lord at the end of the last year and at the beginning of this new year, though I resisted making any resolution in my natural man, still the Lord burdened me to consider some aspects of my Christian life, family life, and church life. These are the direct speakings from the Lord. Whether I could make it or not is not up to me. The burden He gave He will definitely accomplish it. In the principle of incarnation, I must cooperate with the Lord in His speaking. 

So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much rather in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; For it is God who operates in you both the willing and the working for His good pleasure. Ephesians 2: 12-13

For which also I labor, struggling according to His operation which operates in me in power.  Colossians 1: 29

Since the source of the burden is from Him, He will grace me the strength to carry them out. On the one hand, it is I who has to work out my "salvation" yet, on the other hand, it will be done so as He operates in me. With the new opportunities given to me with a new year, I must cooperate with God. The following are some specific points the Lord burdened me to cooperate with Him.

In Gospel Preaching: Weekly, I am burdened to exercise to preach the gospel at least for two hours. Whether I meet the new ones physically or not, I am burdened to use all means to preach the gospel. This is also the Lord's leading for the local church I am in. My responsibility is to be faithful to the Lord's speaking by His operation in me.  Week by week, I trust the Lord will grace me to carry out this burden. 

In Fruit Bearing: If I continue to abide in Him and cooperate with Him in carrying out His burden, there will definitely be fruits. I pray and look to the Lord for His blessing as I endeavor to labor in His vineyard, to bear fruit regularly each month. This is a burden, and I believe the Lord will accomplish it by faith. 

In Prayer: In the matter of prayer, this year the specific burden is to spend at least a solid one hour with the Lord daily. This is in addition to the corporate prayer time I have been enjoying with some saints and serving ones daily. As a family, half an hour everyday family prayer to be carried out as well as a continuation from the previous year's burden.

In Studying the Word: I have been reading the Bible daily, and have read through the entire Bible over and over again. Still, this year the added burden is to also study and dwell on the word. In other words, delve into the word, study, and pray over the Lord's speaking through the word. In addition to reading through the text of the Holy Bible, I am also being burdened to study the footnotes in the Recovery Version, at least once a year. In this way, gaining the proper and healthy constitution of the truth. For this, at least an hour daily, I am burdened to spend, in addition to the regular reading through the text of the Bible. Yes, I must continue to finish reading through the Bible at least once a year, and now my extra burden is to also study the footnotes of the entire Bible once a year.

Early Rising: This year a new burden is on the matter of early rising. Unknowingly my life-style in Metro city and especially during the pandemic has gradually led me to sleep late and rise late. This is definitely not healthy, physically nor spiritually. It has been a challenge to adjust my body timing to sleep early and rise early. The famous dictum, "Early to be and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise" has been ringing in my ear me as a reminder.  That is the Lord's speaking to adjust my lifestyle.

Family Morning Revival: Though we all have our own personal morning revival and a corporate revival with various other saints, I am freshly burdened for the family revival time. So far I have not included my children in this kind of exercise. Perhaps, the time has come to let them exercise as well. The Lord will grace us through in this matter as well.

These are the burdens to be carried out as the new opportunities the Lord gave me in this new year. And He will faithfully grace me on and one. In 

To You, O Jehovah, I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in You; Do not let me be ashamed; Psalms 25: 1-2