As I was studying and dealing with a message regarding spending time with God, the Lord gave me the following simple message regarding the year 2017.
“2017 will be a year of great kingdom building, and My people must put in the work and build, even through the problems of 2017. They must put in time for Me, and be about My business. Those of you who are ready to work and have gotten your building materials, this is your year to build. And when you build, you will see great works for My kingdom.
I am always looking for laborers. The assignments I have called you to do will take off like a rocket if you put the work in. Rise and take your place, and draw closer to Me. Spend time with Me, and I will sup with you. With Jesus as your chief cornerstone, the gates of Hell will not prevail, and you will succeed in advancing My Kingdom.”
Here is something to marinate on. Many are not doing the work of God’s kingdom because they are not spending enough time with Him, so let’s consider how we are spending our time.
Let’s assume we spend 4 hours per week in a Sunday service (including Sunday School) and another 1.5 hours attending a mid-week service. So, that is a total of 5.5 hours per week.
The average professing Christian spends 5 minutes or less praying 4-5 times per week and reads their Bible once a week for about 15 minutes (Source: Barna Group and Christian Today). So now we are up to about 6 hours per week. Over the course of a year, this would add up to 24 hours in a month and 312 hours in a year. There are 24 hours in a day, 168 hours in a week, 672 hours in a month, and 8,736 hours in a year. Therefore, the average Christian devotes only 3.6% of their life to God (6/168, 24/672, 312/8736).
Just imagine if we gave 10% of our time for God and His Kingdom (2.4 hours a day). This is very doable. If a person uses 8-9 hours for work, 1 hour for commute, 7 hours for sleep, 3 hours for children, dinner, bathing/cleaning and errands, this would be a total of 19-20 hours, thus leaving a person with 4-5 hours, on a work day and a total of 10-11 hours on a non-workday (subtract 910 hours +the 1 hour commute), leaving a person with 13-14 hours in a day. So, if one spent a minimum of 2.4 hours every day for God, (3 hours rounded up), they would have 1-2 hours left for themselves on a work day, and 10-11 hours for themselves on a non-workday.
Is God not worth this much time? We make time for everything but God and His Kingdom, but the sad irony is when a person dies, if they are not right with God, God will not have time for them.
2017 will be a year for plenty of Kingdom working opportunities. Are you ready to put the time, energy, and effort in?
37 Then Jesus said unto his disciples, the harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few;
38 Pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest. (Matt 9:37-38)
Author: Matt Smith
Matt Smith received the Lord in 2011, then ran from Him for a few months before returning and has not taken his hand off the plow. Today he is a church musician, minister, and husband. He believes in the saying “Get right church, and lets go home.” He enjoys making others laugh and smile saying, “I don’t need medicated happiness, I come naturally happy.”
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I do believe God is placing His people into specific positions right now; positions to fulfill their purpose or ministry. I, for example, have felt for many years that part of my purpose here is to begin a ministry to physically and spiritually prepare the saints for the hard times we will be facing ahead. I didn’t have a place where to do this so I did not know how this would ever come to fruition. However, God has forced me to relocate my place of work in the last couple of weeks, and I believe this may be the place where I will be able to begin this ministry. Everything has just fallen into place; it just took time (years of praying and waiting). In fact, my first day working at this new location, I asked God if I should bring my bible with me to work. I did not want to stir up any problems on the first day (there are non Christians, even Muslims there). I decided to just bring my pocket bible instead. To my surprise, the very first client that walked into the door brought me a late Christmas gift, since I did not see her the end of December. It was a basket with coffee, teas, and a large KJV Holy Bible!! I know judgment is coming, but I also believe God’s people will be placed where they need to be to fulfill their work for His kingdom. I think this is the “building” that some may be speaking of. Building up God’s people to do God’s work in these last days. God bless you all, brothers and sisters!!
CSL, I have the same calling that I have been pursuing for years. I was in a church that unfortunately was “rich, had prospered, and had need of nothing.” This became very discouraging. I have been shown recently that dis-courage-ment is something I need to overcome. It is simple “dis-ing” my own courage—letting my courage be negatively affected concerning what the Lord has called me to do.
2017 is the year for doing all the work to put OTHER men of God to work to build His Kingdom and prepare the Church for hard times, and the simultaneous great revival. I have just begun a Web site to this end: StorehouseStrategy.us. I would really like to get in touch with you to share our visions and pray and collaborate. Maybe we can do this through James, or just e-mail me from the Web site.
I will pray for what you are doing, and also for an awakening of good men to accomplish this work.
Now is the time! (“I’d rather be five years early than ten minutes late”)
Matt, great word! The Lord gives us 24 hours each day, and if we but tithed back to him, that would be 2.4 hours per day in His presence. A former pastor of mine said the Lord told him if the church would tithe the first three days of each month (most have 30 days) dedicated to prayer, He would bless the rest of the month. For years we had special prayer meetings the first three days of each month, and I can tell you, the Lord was FAITHFUL and blessed the rest of those months!
Elaine I love that.
Elaine that’s great but I do believe that it’s hugely important right now to develop a prayerful life EVERYDAY whilst seeking Him and to be in His presence constantly. We need to know His voice so clearly. We will need to decipher even the slightest whisper It could be a matter of life and death, not only for ourselves but for others too
For the days ahead will necessitate this closeness. Even when we don’t know what to pray we can pray in our heavenly language so that the Holy Spirit can pray for us. But also by praying in Tongues our spirits will be strengthened as Jude exhorts us
Matt;
Thanks for a great exhortation here. We all need to hear that
without a doubt. God has promised to bless the work of the hands of the righteous. BUT, If those hands are not working what is there for him to bless or give increase to?
And a further thought. It may be a slight miscalculation to assume God wants merely a greater percentage of our time and efforts. We could probably more correctly say he wants it ALL! The putting to death of self-will to embrace only the will of the Father is not a very popular message in this day; but it is the true service He deserves.
May the LORD grant us the grace to give it ALL; and may He receive ALL the glory!
Bless you Matt;
Paul Benson
Here is why we must put in our time with the Lord: Everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
Jesus came to establish the kingdom of heaven. But before we can go about establishing the kingdom in others, he must first work in us so that it is first established in us.
How can the clay be made into a piece of pottery for noble purposes unless the clay spends time with the potter?
Yes, Sujit!
I’m in agreement with Matt 🙂
Something I’ve seen that supports this message is The Last Reformation movement. They have announced that they will be starting “Jesus Cafés”. They are coffee shops that people can come to discuss religion, do bible studies, network with other believers, etc… the idea is that unbelievers will be more willing to attend a coffee shop to hear the gospel, then they would stepping into a church. If these catch on, they would create more jobs for Christians and more money can be seeded into God’s kingdom. The Last Reformation also leans towards small home churches. If more people attend home churches, then the big churches will be devastated. If “church” is happening in cafes and homes, and not in traditional churches, then the government can’t tax them and control them.
Sandra, I love that, even though I don’t like coffee. The church should flood everywhere they can, before time runs out.
Amen, Sandra… and thank you for that word of confirmation as I sit in Starbucks drinking coffee (where I come into town to get my ‘free’ internet connection) I was just sharing with an employee I’ve known for years here how I made a sign and placed out front so that they would not close down this one and I invited the employee to ‘drop by’ the farm (I saved that sign after they did not need it here anymore) and she would be able to find it by recognizing the sign. You have given me confirmation to put it up out front as God shared with me to do earlier today… Our God is a consuming Fire and all glory, honor and praise be to Him
Shalom, Thomas no-doubt
Love it Sandra
I give hearty endorsement to this word, Matt. I also sought the Lord for a message for my flock for 2017. In a dream on Jan 4th he showed me that I need to “equip” the saints for the work of service (Ephesians 4).
Time is precious, folks. Let’s be busy about the Lord’s work with complete joy!
Great encouragement, we can all be reminded to order our priorities and number our days. The Lord told an Apostle I know that the AntiChrist is alive and well and he ain’t no baby or teenager but a man. Also expect economic downturn because of war, terrorist attacks and natural disasters. Israel will be attacked with nuclear weapon BUT GOD!!! Hallelujah!! Signs, wonders and miracles will bring in the harvest. In order to walk in the power and glory of God, the servant will have to be tried and true, humble and sold out, totally surrendered to the Holy Spirits leading at ALL TIMES. Dead to self. No revival ever started without lots of prayer. Most revivals ended because of pride.
Let us examine ourselves daily and Pray, Pray and Pray some more. Glory to God!!!
Praise Yahuwshua for this. Just Last night we had bible study with a couple other brothers in the Lord and this was what we concluded the Lord’s message to us was, I.e. Start doing it ! The Lord has lead me to turn my farm/business into His Ekklesia (church). He has spoken for years over the small little 30 ac there that this is His ‘place of refuge’ but He would not allow me to (continue) building over the last 7 years. Only within the last couple weeks has He begun to allow it to proceed forward and He revealed to me when I continued asking Him why, was that so He would get ALL the GLORY. And boy am I glad He did. Now, He is bringing almost daily new people to the ‘Ekklesia’ located here.
Thank you , Matt, you are a blessing and may YHWH increase in you mightily and (continue)giving you words of knowledge and place His angels round about you and your loved ones in Jesus’ Name.
I’ve been getting this message too Thomas. “Be a doer” and “just do it”.
I admit I chicken out because I would rather approach a stranger and I live in a small community where I know almost everyone. I feel that the Holy Spirit has shown me that things will explode once I start but I just have to do it!
I’ve been working on family, without luck so far (although God told me they all will reach salvation) but it’s discouraging. I need more boldness!
I apologize for not getting back to you quicker but my only internet connection is when I come into town for ‘free’internet at Starbucks LOL! I probably spend more on coffee here monthly than a years’ worth of ‘net. Ha ha… but I am not sorry.
Hey, Sandra, let me say that my family and friends and former business associates think I am crazy! In fact, my wife called me a ‘crazy lunatic’, even though now, she is starting to read Z3news prophecies and is living at our daughter’s house(a fact that satan’s demons have tried to make me regret so that I would get discouraged and turn back from ‘selling all to follow Jesus’) I had a big arborcare business grossing ~$1mn/yr when God lead me to abruptly shut it down!!!😟 definitely not what those without eyes to see nor those believing in the ‘prosperity gospel’ wanted to be faced with, but God kept confirming to me that He was guiding me and today the ‘new things’ He has said would be happening appear to be taking place. BTW, when King David danced before the Lord, and Michal rebuked him, despising him in her heart, David said, ‘?..’I’ll be yet more vile on the morrow.’ That is my encouragement from the Lord and my prayer that Jesus make you bold and BOLDER IN HIM tomorrow!!! The time is coming when, like Joseph, they will appreciate what you stand for in Him! !
Shalom, Thomas (no-doubt)
Thomas, I believe we are going to see great kingdom works this year.
That IS what the Spirit is revealing to me also.
Blessings for such a practical word Matt. I concur with all you have said because I too am challenged in this area. We really must fight our flesh and beat it into submission. The question we must ask ourselves is how much do we really want God and what are we willing to do in order to connect with Him? It calls for much sacrifice. We must resolve in our hearts to spend time with our Heavenly Father regardless of the cost.
Paula, that’s right. God wants a close relationship with us.
Matt, how do you reconcile your optimism with the church’s performance? I think judgment is at the door. All the talk about Cyrus and reprieve is for those who love the world a little too much. I welcome God’s judgment and Christ’s return. Come away from the world and be ye separate. Come quickly Lord Jesus.
I just listened to tonight’s Trunews program and am in shock at how Rick is so optimistic about how Trump is going to make things better. Rick has been one of my favorite people who not only has a fantastic supernatural Christian testimony but has a professional broadcasting resume that includes working with Pat Robertson and Paul Crouch and having his own show for nearly two decades that in his words was ushering in the Lord’s return. His new world view compels one to ask oneself if he or she is losing it. Didn’t the Jews return to the Holy Lands in 1947-8? Are we not living in a world that faces nuclear catastrophe on a daily basis with crazies like the leader of North Korea threatening to attack us? Need I mention the Muslim radicals, the $1 1/4 quadrillion debt crisis, 95 million American workers who would like to be employed, the danger of war with Russia, the breakdown of the family, abortion and divorce not to mention the deluge of Christian dreams and visions of judgment and how they’re in harmony with one third of the Bible? Man’s adversity is God’s opportunity. Maybe it’s because some of us have gone through some stuff that we are more focused in on God and His prophesies. If that’s the case we can thank God in all things and for all things because we here at Z3 have a pretty good handle on what’s up.
There is good reason to believe that major judgment is at the door and that it makes no logical sense for a great statesman to gain office during this time of end time events. For Trump to take office now would be like trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. When world events are all going in negative way exponentially there is no logical place for a great statesman. America and the world certainly don’t deserve one.Trump is an anomaly. His role was only to shine a light on the cockroaches not to be a mini messiah. He is miscast for any role in this end time drama. This means something big is going to happen before the 20th and I place my bet on God’s judgment on America for splitting Israel in two on the 15th. Expecting Trump to heal the patient when it is full of cancer head to toe is ludicrous. God raised him up ONLY to shine a light on our rebellion. SUDDENLY God made Trump President elect. SUDDENLY God allowed the UN vote against Israeli settlements. And SUDDENLY Israel will be split in two on the 15th. There has been silence in the MSM about the coming Summit in Paris. Most haven’t yet adjusted to the fact that God has changed gears. We have been conditioned to think everything has always been years away and so it will be again and then SUDDENLY America will be split down the middle with people roaming the streets of your neighborhood with guns looking for food.
God has changed gears. Get yourself ready. Pray that you will be accounted worthy to escape all these things, Luke 21:36.
Hi Bob! I concur with your messages & viewpoints! We are right at the edge of something HUGE!! Too many signs shouting change is coming, how can anybody not see them? But I know folks are so wrapped up in “today”, “me”, the world, etc that they are completely clueless! I sense in my spirit and can affirm everything that you have written in your comments. And still I pray to God for mercy for the innocent during his judgment. Jesus is right at the door!! Even so, come Lord Jesus! All glory to the King. Shalom everyone!
Thanks Sheryl, God will take care of His bride, every hair on our heads is numbered and we are washed with His blood.
Matt I agree that we should be in continual prayer / fellowship with the LORD as HE created us to be HIS Companions in HIS Image . We are to be as Eve was to Adam , HIS helpmate , how ever I believe Bob has hit the nail on the head .
John, I am a strong believer Christians must contend for the faith, no matter how late in time, even to the last second.
Amen Brother Matt , but when the plane loses its engines at 30,000 ft. and is in a nose dive , it is hard to reach people in a life and death crisis , it is hard to even pray unless we have trained ourselves too with out thought . It is always an unexpected surprise when the plane goes down or crisis comes , blessings .
I’m glad you used that analogy, because you want to get an atheist to believe in God, let the plane go down. Then you will hear oh my God.
The blood moons a year ago were not God’s mistake. They were a wake up call for those who had fallen asleep at the wheel. How many have fallen asleep just before the grand finale? Get ready for the greatest fire works show of all time. Jesus has stood up. The world will be His footstool.
Bob, Amen!!
I agree Bob, and the more I hear a prophet say that Trump is here just for a short season my spirit agrees. I think his purpose was to upset the election and shine a light on all the corruption because he has a way about him to say what he thinks. But I think his time will be cut short (let’s pray not by an assassination) and these judgments will be fast approaching, especially if they vote to split Israel. Pastor Benjamin Faircloth is consistently holding to the belief that he will not even take office. I believe we don’t have very long at all before these things will begin and escalate at the same time.
Nancy, I haven’t been following Pastor Faircloth but I would not be surprised at all if dramatic events override the inauguration.
Bob, I can’t see it any other way either—no repentance-no reprieve !
Heidi Baker also was shown by the Lord –SUDDENLY—and people
of wealth were caught out and in food lines !
This makes me think—-did their cars not run[ EMP] ?
Was martial law enforced ?–could not get through the damage ?
Or nowhere to run ?
On the positive she said ” There would be a move of God liken to
Mozambique ——-MIRACLES of healing ! Like the song says “Ready
Yourselves “—– Look up for your redemption draws nigh !
Your full of the word Bob—-and a blessing .
Bob,
From what I’m getting in the spirit, I have to agree. The following is just an excerpt of what I received on Dec 16th:
I saw in the spirit the darkness descending, similar to what I’d seen months ago and posted in the article titled ‘The Light Will Rise Above the Darkness.’ But this time I saw the descending darkness from where I was sitting. It was coming down as a cover, blanketing everything all around me.
As I watched, the Lord said, “Yes, sin will abound, but My Grace will MUCH MORE abound in you! The same Power that raised My Son from the dead lives in you. Stay close. Abide in Me, and YOU WILL BE UNTOUCHABLE!.”
Blessings!
Diana, no weapon formed against us shall prosper, the Devil is under our feet. We will escape all these things coming upon the earth, Luke 21:36.
It’s like Trump’s election is a test for believers…will they look to a president for security and provision (give us Saul), or will they keep their eyes on Jesus realizing that security is found only by abiding in the secret place of the Most High.
Yes! I completely agree with this comment! I feel the same way.
Yes Mike, everything is a test and we are all in prep school.
God’s ways are not our ways, so don’t think it needs to make rational sense. But if you want reasons, there are far too many to list here. But you can start with millions of Christians praying. Kat Kerr has said for over a year that Trump would win, and there is a sovereign move of God coming. I believe it ! Listen to any of her youtube videos. And they are amazingly encouraging.
Richard, I like Kate Kerr but be not deceived. Bible prophesy trumps one seer.
Bob, I believe God is raising up a people, who will be about God’s Kingdom. One mistake I see several believers make, they lump the bad church in, with the ones in the church doing God’s Kingdom work. I also believe there still things in the Holy Bible that must be fulfilled before the return of God. and the rise of the Antichrist. I believe this is our time to prepare and shine, before the one world religion is mandatory.
Yeah Matt
Matt, I understand what you’re saying and agree that with the true believer nothing is impossible with God. GB