Remember December 7, 1941? That date remains in our memories due to the devastating effects of Pearl Harbor being bombed that fateful Sunday morning. How were we caught so off guard when, in 1925, Colonel Billy Mitchell had predicted that Japan would bombard us by air?
The colonel’s prediction was accurate to within 25 minutes of the actual time of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Remember the Sony MP3 player? It was the first digital audio player on the market, and yet you would be hard pressed to find one today. Steve Jobs' book tells us that Apple got the upper hand in this marketing battle, in part because of Sony’s reluctance to hurt its own record division.
Wow!
Remember where you where when Jesus first called you to Himself?
“When Jesus was living in the Galilean hills, John, called 'the Baptizer,' was preaching in the desert country of Judea. His message was simple and austere, like his desert surroundings: 'Change your life. God’s kingdom is here,' " (Matt. 3:1, The Message).
John’s call was not just to the Galileans but also to us, to turn to God and change. Change your life because the presence of the living God is here! As we will see in this week’s reading plan, John was so committed to preaching a message of personal change that it would ultimately cost him his life (Matt 14:1-12).
The word “change” in Matthew 3 is often the word “repent” in other versions and is most often used to tell us to change directions. Yet, we tend to judge repentance on how much emotion is packed into the change. Did you cry, wail, grovel or beg for forgiveness, as opposed to truly changing your direction?
God coming near to me brought radical repentance, which translated to deep change in my life.
It was easy to change from darkness to light, and yet He isn’t through with me, and is still calling me to change. What sin I was to repent from back then was obvious. But the changes He calls me to make today are no less important to the kingdom of God.
I don’t want a Pearl Harbor to happen in my life because I disregarded the warning signs God put in my path. Nor do I not want to become the Sony MP3 player simply because I’m reluctant to adjust my course.
Change! It’s what’s required of me every day.
What is the Lord asking you to change today?
By: Dave Veach, district supervisor of Foursquare's Northwest District
Share your journey through the Gospels. Leave a comment below to share what God is showing you personally as the Foursquare family reads reads through the Gospels! Download the reading plan bookmarks for 2012, and you can also subscribe to the weekly Foursquare Leader Prayer email to receive insights and inspiration from Foursquare leaders around the world.
