The Weekly Word: Seize The Hour
The weekly verse
“Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, Jacob and John, and hiked up a high mountain to be alone. Then Jesus’ appearance was dramatically altered. A radiant light as bright as the sun poured from his face. And his clothing became luminescent—dazzling like lightning. He was transfigured before their very eyes.”
Matthew 17:1-2 (TPT)
the weekly question
Are you living prepared?
Jesus’ parables illustrate the black & white nature of those who are prepared & those who are not. The dividing line is always wisdom & foolishness. There is a remnant who readies themself, while the remainder are foolishly “caught with their pants down”, so to speak.
We need to humble our hearts & take initiative to seek the Lord’s desire for us each day. When King Jesus tells you to prepare yourself, the only wise & reasonable response is to take charge of what & who He’s entrusted to your care “today”.
“When my coming draws near, heaven’s kingdom realm can be compared to ten maidens who took their oil lamps and went outside to meet the bridegroom and his bride. Five of them were foolish and ill-prepared, for they took no extra oil for their lamps. Five of them were wise, for they took flasks of olive oil with their lamps. “While the five girls were out buying oil, the bridegroom appeared. Those who were ready and waiting were escorted inside with him and the wedding party to enjoy the feast.
And then the door was locked.
Later, the five foolish girls came running up to the door and pleaded, ‘Lord, Lord, let us come in!’ “But he called back, ‘Go away! Do I know you? I can assure you, I don’t even know you!’ “That is the reason you should always stay awake and be alert, because you don’t know the day or the hour when the Bridegroom will appear.”
—Jesus (Matthew 25:1-4, 10-13, TPT)
the weekly Consideration
Embrace change
As born-again Believers, change is something we should be quite comfortable with by now. Not because it’s an easygoing experience, but because it’s been a major factor from the moment we surrendered our lives to Jesus. Romans 8:29 tells us that God knew ahead of time that He would “conform us to the image of His Son [Jesus]”. God knew that we would be changed into a new creation. And yet, there’s a reluctance inside of us to give way to the new. Nonetheless-
Maturation & Change Is The Process God Has Called Us To.
Jesus tells us that two spirits are actively working to alter the conditions of our spiritual life. One desires to bring worldly brokenness, while the other brings Kingdom abundance. In John 10:10 (AMP), Jesus contrasts the two:
“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].”
“The thief” represents an anti-Christ spirit. A spirit who opposes all the good things that God has for us. While Christ’s Spirit enriches us with a truly fulfilling life. The question is, how do we live in the fullness of what God has to offer?
We Repent.
On the most basic level, repentance means to “change one’s mind”. In our walk with Christ, this means turning away from anything that’s holding us back, coming into agreement & surrender to Jesus’ Lordship, and “returning” to the highest place…the place where God dwells & invites us to join Him. Repentance is about redefining the “defensiveness” that rises up inside of you when God’s Spirit prompts you to change. Those defenses may feel like walls of protection, but in reality, they’re prison walls. Often times—
Our “Protections” Rob Us Of God’s Greater Intentions.
God wants to continue His redeeming work in every area of your life. Repentance is the precursor for releasing Christ Jesus’ Kingdom power. God wants you to change your mind because He knows it will open the doors of change for your relationships & your life. God wants you to seek agreement with His Spirit because—
He Wants To Draw You Closer To Himself.
the weekly challenge
“Seize the hour”
There’s a “fight or flight” response that kicks-in when we experience extreme moments of distress. But what happens when the daily tension of life compounds little-by-little, day after day? Often times, we simply shut down.
Critical Moments Tell Us A Lot About Ourselves.
In 2 Peter 1:12 (ESV), we find the Apostle Peter at a critical point in his life. He acknowledges that his own death is imminent & the Spirit of Jesus confirms this reality. Knowing death is knocking on his door, what does Peter do? He preaches.
“…I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon…”
Though Peter was living in his body, he was walking in the Spirit. Instead of protecting himself, he continues to point people to Jesus. He emphasizes the divine power & qualities that we possess as Christ-followers. He “stirs us by way of reminder” & urges every disciple to-
Live In The Fullness Of Your God-Given Identity.
“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls”
Hebrews 10:39 (BSB)
When the going gets tough, by God’s Grace, we keep going. We don’t shrink back & become paralyzed because that’s not in our new nature. We are enduring people, equipped by God Himself.
This is the hour to get in position & listen for the Lord’s leading. This is the time to remember the spiritually thirsty, who desperately need the Living Water of Jesus Christ. As Kingdom-leaders in the making, we have a responsibility to recognize our capacity to reach people in our own God-given uniqueness, and to respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit in meeting those needs. This is the time to—
Seize The Hour & Walk In God’s Power.
“God’s marvelous grace imparts to each one of us varying gifts. So if God has given you the grace-gift of prophecy, activate your gift by using the proportion of faith you have to prophesy. If your grace-gift is serving, then thrive in serving others well. If you have the grace-gift of teaching, then be actively teaching and training others.
If you have the grace-gift of encouragement, then use it often to encourage others. If you have the grace-gift of giving to meet the needs of others, then may you prosper in your generosity without any fanfare. If you have the gift of leadership, be passionate about your leadership. And if you have the gift of showing compassion, then flourish in your cheerful display of compassion.”
Romans 12:6-8 (TPT)
we pray this week’s edition of “the weekly word” richly blesses you & the lives of those around you!
deepen your roots daily
When we “break bread” together, Jesus multiplies the blessing of His transformative presence in our life.
This is why we host a daily Christian chat on Telegram. Take another step of faith in connecting with Christ & like-minded believers on our chat, “Pursuing Jesus Christ”!
You can also enjoy more Biblical-based content that challenges you to grow more intimately with Jesus on our Gab & Facebook pages.
Click Here for our main telegram channel.
here for gab.
here For Facebook.
be a blessing
If any of our posts are a blessing to you, please share as the Lord leads you!
Every post shared creates the opportunity for someone to be impacted by a Christ-inspired message. Thank you for partnering with us to advance His Kingdom.
*direct link to this week’s post: Seize The Hour
Prayerfully consider partnering with ThinkOne9
Our Mission is:
To help Believers grow stronger & deeper in their relationship with Jesus.
To advance His Kingdom by encouraging & edifying the Church.
To share the Good News with people who don't know Jesus as their Lord & Savior.
Thank you for partnering with us to move this mission forward. Whether you choose to donate one-time or become a reoccurring donor, thank you for any support you’re led to give!
You can support our ministry using Donorbox or GiveSendGo (see below).
*Our ministry (LiveOne9) is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Donorbox
Select an amount (or write your own)
Choose to give onc-time, weekly, monthly, or annually
Click the green “Next” button
Finalize your donation details to support ThinkOne9!
Give Send Go:
Click the red “Give Now” button below
Enter your amount & donor details
Click the red “Continue” button
Finalize your donation details to support ThinkOne9!
Keep growing in your walk with Jesus
On your phone, text the keyword THINK to the number 77222.
Each week we publish a new Christ-centered message, you’ll receive one free text message with a direct link to the post.
Prefer Email updates?
Enter your email address in the form below & you’ll be able to read each new message from the convenience of your inbox.
today’s Takeaways
are you living prepared for Jesus christ?
maturation is a vital part of ongoing discipleship.
It’s time to seize the hour & walk in god’s power.