January 18th – “God is calling you”
“Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” Matthew 9:17
Walking through the start of this new year, many of us may have resolved to embrace all that the Lord has destined for us. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2.10). This verse is a reminder that we were created with a life plan for productivity. The Bible refers to this as “good works.” We are challenged to identify what our individual calling is and to focus on it. Few of us embrace each day with a clear life plan. Understanding your life plan takes determination, diligence and dedication. This fast is an opportunity for us to discover and understand the plan and the capacity God has placed within us to fulfill our life plan.
The Apostle Paul instructs his mentee Timothy not to neglect the gift that was given him through prophetic utterance and the laying on of hands from the elders (1 Timothy 4:14). Once your God-given life plan is drafted in your heart, attention must be given to maintain and maximize it. Jesus referred to this as “new wine,” that special gifting that you received from God. The wineskin is you; your mindset and your convictions about your life and the world we live in.
In this parable, Jesus warns that new wine cannot be contained in old wineskins (Matthew 9:17). Just as He made clear a few verses prior that it is not fitting for His disciples to mourn the loss of Him while He is still very much present (v 15), nor is it fitting to patch a piece of unshrunk, new cloth on an old garment (v 16), Jesus is making clear for us now that you cannot put a fresh, new perspective into an old mindset. As we consecrate, we are ridding ourselves of old mindsets and behaviours, making room for that new thing that God wants to perform in and through us.
The unfortunate result of failing to allow a “metanoia” (transformation of the mind) through this time of consecration will be spilled possibilities and wasted potential. It’s critical that we ensure our faith is firmly grounded in the Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him, we can accomplish all that we are designed to do. The challenge is to unlearn and step out of models and cultural habits that cannot manifest and maximize our life plan. Let’s learn and embrace the mindset of the Kingdom of God, of which we are citizens. (Ephesians 2:19; Philippians 3:20).
Through the grace of Jesus Christ and our faith in Him, we will discover, develop and deploy the life plan He has destined and qualified us for, for the benefit of church and community.
Reflect:
Have you discovered your life plan?
Have you embraced what you were designed to do?
Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your grace to be with this community in this season. I thank You for the time of consecration You have allowed us to participate in. Thank You for my leaders who remain obedient to You. Thank You for allowing them to receive Your instructions. Thank You for allowing them to put into practice Your good works. Mashiach, help me understand and receive Your instructions for my life and practice the works You prepared for me before the beginning of the world. In Jesus name, amen.
Written by Pacome Koudou
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