What Were You Doing Twelve Years Ago?

Prayer – Lord, does time really matter? Does anyone really know what time it is…does anyone really care? We can only wait for time and use our time wisely—seeking You Lord. 

Site of the Beatitudes
Above the Sea of Galilee
Israel

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:1-12 NKJV

 

Meditate. Consider God’s guidance in scripture.

 

The Eighth Day of Christmas
Eight Maids A-Milking represent the eight Beatitudes, which can be found in Matthew 5:3-12 as part of the Sermon on the Mount. In short these are: God blesses the poor in spirit, blesses the meek, blesses they who mourn, blesses those who hunger and thirst after justice, blesses the merciful, blesses the clean of heart, blesses the peacemakers, and blesses those that suffer persecution for justice's sake.

 

Are you seeking God’s blessings?

 

What were you doing twelve years ago? I had just started writing this blog—and now I’m looking at the twelve days of Christmas. Twelve is an important number in the Bible. Note that it is in 163 verses in the New Kings James Version. It is noteworthy that Ismael, firstborn son of Abraham and Sarah’s maid Hagar, had twelve sons—who became the nations surrounding the current nation of Israel. Abraham’s grandson, Jacob’s twelve sons became known as the twelve tribes of Israel. History playing out before our eyes. Wars and rumors of wars resulting from centuries of sibling and family rivalries. What other twelves do we see in scripture? There was frequent mention of twelve gold or silver utensils in the temple and twelve oxen, rams, goats or other animals offered before the Lord as sin offerings. There were also twelve thousand soldiers and twelve hundred chariots. Twelve months, twelve years, twelve cities, twelve disciples, twelve baskets. Even in heaven there will be twelve gates. Search for yourself how many times twelve is significant throughout the Old and New Testaments.

 

Is twelve significant in your life? Twelve years of school. Who were the twelve most influential people in your life? How about five or even two most important individuals? Yes, twelve is an important number. There are twelve months ahead of us in this year of 2024. What impact will you make in other’s lives during this year? How will you serve the Lord by serving others? It isn’t too late to set goals and make choices about what you do—rather than just drifting through life and letting others tell you what to do and when to do it. Choose for yourself.

 

Choice. That is my word of the year. We all have a choice each day in hundreds of little things—that often result in a lifetime direction. Consider and choose wisely whom you will serve and what will you do with the time you have left here on this earth. Joshua encouraged the Israelites to choose before they crossed into the Promised Land.

"Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:14-15 NKJV (Underlined for emphasis.)

What is your “Word of the Year?” Have you chosen a word to guide you and give you encouragement each day? Can you choose a word that will impact on your life this year…and twelve years from now.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls—Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.  Habakkuk 3:17-19 NKJV

 

© 2024 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted. 

New King James Version, © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Harper Collins Publisher. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

New Living Translation (NLT) copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

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