In this new year…

Friday, January 3rd, 2025

Ken Pullen

ACP

In this new year, all of us on earth are closer now to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ and the fulfillment of every word within the Word of God than at any other time in world history. The hour, the moment presses on, speedily, ever closer.

Closer from the time I’m writing this until you’re reading it. In fact, since no one knows the time of the Rapture — though many profess to, desire to, go against the Word of God in predicting, or being fearful, or complacent, or creating unsound doctrines — the gathering of the remnant of Christ followers on this earth, be they Jew or Gentile, could have happened by the time I write this and you were going to get around to reading it.

Or it could hap

At any moment. In mid-sentence. Mid-thought. Mid-step. Halfway through a sneeze or lunch. Just when the traffic light turns green after being red for over two minutes…ahh, the testing of faith!

Are you ready?

Suited up in the whole armor of God [see Ephesians 6 if unfamiliar, or if you know it by heart read it again, and again and not only read it — do it. Apply it. Live it. As the words instruct us]. If even a bit undressed? Thinking some part of the attire can be left and isn’t necessary? It’s too hot? Does it get too uncomfortable? Doesn’t fit as you’d like? Isn’t tailored to you? Well, that’s when it’s time to really suit up and remain so until one’s last breath.

What is more important, to be comfortable, find pleasure, please people, please yourself, or please the Lord and abide in His ways and His Word all our days?

Kind of think eternity matters and which eternity one is spending all their eternal time in is important. And where will those pleasures, those people, those things, that imagined comfort be if in the pit of hell forever?

Here are some things the wonderful organization Trumpet & Torch sent to my inbox on January 1st…

A Prayer for the New Year

Heavenly Father,

“I will extol You, my God, my King;

and I will bless Your name forever and ever.

Every day I will bless You,

and I will praise Your name forever and ever.

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;

and His greatness is unsearchable.” (Psalm 145:1-3)

Our hearts are bowed in silent adoration by the display of divine mercy and goodness which You have bestowed upon us, our glorious King.

How graciously and tenderly You have drawn us nearer to Yourself and emboldened us in our petitions as those who are accepted in the Beloved.

You have guided us by Your Spirit this past year to recapture a sense of Your glory. You have renewed in our hearts the delight of feasting upon Your Word and fellowshipping with You in prayer that we may experience the fullness of joy in Your presence which You have promised Your children. You have stoked the embers of First Love’s fire within us and awakened true love’s desire for deepening intimacy with You – the One our heart loves!

“What shall I render to the LORD for all

His benefits toward me?” (Psalm 116:12)

“I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works.” (Psalm 145:5)

How our heart overflows with gratitude for Your goodness, faithfulness, mercy, and love.

“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 118:1)

As we embark on this New Year with renewed hope and joy, help us to keep our eyes ever-fixed upon You, Lord Jesus, so that we may walk on the firm foundation You have paved for us with confidence and assurance and without fear of losing fervency and zeal for the glory of Your holy name and Your coming Kingdom.

“My soul waits silently for God alone,

for my expectation is from Him.” (Psalm 62:5).

“I will run the course of Your commandments,

for You shall enlarge my heart.” (Psalm 119:32).

“All Your works shall praise You, O LORD,

and Your saints shall bless You.

They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,

and talk of Your power.” (Psalm 145:10, 11).

In Your wonderful and worthy name, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Dear Praying Friend ~

As the hands of the clock make their rotation and the bells chime to ring in the New Year, we can look back with hearts full of gratitude for the marvelous, merciful, and manifold ways the Lord displayed His glory and power in 2024! Our journey through Psalm 24 led us to a deeper understanding of God’s Sovereignty and power and encouraged us in our ascent to the heights of worship, as we opened the gates of our hearts to welcome our triumphant and glorious King – Jehovah Sabaoth, the mighty LORD of hosts, who commands the armies of heaven and rules the nations – to rule and reign within our hearts without rival during the Sabaoth sanctified season of prayer. Amid a year of upheaval and uncertainty, our glorious Warrior King united His church in prayer from coast to coast and settled our hearts with His call to, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10). With the battle cry, “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge” (v. 11), daily upon our lips, a calm, peaceful, adoration filled our hearts for the One who alone fights our battles for us and hears our prayers, and we now enter the New Year with greater hope and joy. “You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance” (Psalm 65:11).

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He encircles the year with His love and makes visitations of mercy so that the earth may delight in His abundance and His people be enriched with His grace. The same God who showed His marvelous power at the Red Sea and His burning zeal on Calvary moves with the same zeal for His people today. “The LORD shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war” (Isaiah 42:13). The Lord’s zeal is the battle garment He wears as He fights on behalf of His people. “He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak” (Isaiah 59:17b). Our Lord is always fighting for us in order to remove the obstacles and iniquities that stand in the way of our experiencing a life of deep, abiding fellowship with Him. “The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:7). As we make our resolutions and set our goals for the year, let us “be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:19b), and pray for a more fervent and holy life on fire that will honor God, bless others, and further His kingdom plans. Let us commit to a deeper study of the Word of God and to spending intimate time with the Lord in prayer, as we fix our eyes more firmly upon “this One who is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength…” (Isaiah 63:1b). Let us begin each day in our prayer closets, putting on the garment of Christ (Romans 13:14), so that we may go out into the world properly clothed in our spiritual armor and arrayed in Jesus’ boundless power, radiating His light to a world in need of His love and grace! “…you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth)” (Ephesians 5:8b, 9). I look forward to continuing our journey together in 2025!

“Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; make His praise glorious. Say to God, “How awesome are Your works!” (Psalm 66:1-3a).

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you (1 Thessalonians 5:28) ~

Traci A. Alexander

Traci@trumpetandtorch.org

Psalm 27:4

“God be merciful to us

and bless us,

and cause His face

to shine upon us,

that Your way may

be known on earth,

Your salvation

among all nations.

Let the nations

praise You, O God;

let all the peoples

praise You.

Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy!

For You shall judge

the people righteously,

and govern the nations

on earth.

Let the peoples

praise You, O God;

let all the nations

praise You.

Then the earth shall

yield her increase;

God, our own God,

shall bless us.

God shall bless us,

and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.”

~ Psalm 67

And anyone can join in this. No need to have been there since the beginning [I’ve published daily prayer from Trumpet & Torch in the past, perhaps you recall, or participated then].

~ 77 Days of Prayer ~

United in Prayer from Election Day to Inauguration Day

(If you would like to join us for the journey, click on the button below –

today (New Year’s Day) is Day 57 of the 77 days):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN US FOR THE JOURNEY

“The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you;

the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.”

(Numbers 6:24-26)

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