From the Home Place

November 3, 2025

Good morning friends. It was 23 degrees at 4 a.m. and has now dropped to 21 degrees at 6:30 – it’s always coldest just before daylight.

Could that also be the condition of the American church? We are closing churches at the average of nearly 300 per month, our culture is out of control and the world around us seems to have a real dislike for anything about GOD. All of the analysis people are in agreement that the spiritual climate of America is “very cold” at this time. If really is the coldest just before daylight, it would seem that the light of Christ is just about to shine brightly!

Growing up on the ranch, we were usually able to see the sunrise and sunset of each day. As such, we were blessed to see the beauty that God would paint in the sky at each of these special times of the day. Still today, we get to see the beautiful sunrises that God continues to paint for us. It is true that it is always the coldest just before daylight, and that is usually the most beautiful time of the day.

I have always been an early riser, and I can remember many a morning with my favorite uncle. He would warm up some coffee (left-over from the day before), and we would sip a very strong cup while watching the sunrise off to the east. When the painting was complete and the glow of the sun was beginning to show behind the hills, he would comment, “She’s coming alive, I ‘spect we should go milk the cow,” and our day would begin. I sure wish I could tell him how precious those mornings still are in my heart.

You see, the coffee and the sunrise were the preparation for the rest of the day. In Joshua 3, the nation of Israel is getting ready to cross over the Jordan River and enter into the Promised Land. The day before the big crossing was their preparation day. Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”(3:5)

Joshua challenged each individual in the camp to “consecrate yourselves.” To consecrate is to “set oneself apart holy before God.” It involved personal confession and cleansing, and then fully yielding one’s life to God for His glory. Perhaps we could use some consecration today?

The Israelites knew that they were about to enter into a war zone, but they also knew that if God was with them, no enemy could stand against them. (Numbers 13-14) You see, a consecrated people focus their energy upon HE, not upon me. In today’s culture, we tend to reverse that equation. Even when we know what God is calling us to be and to do, we are more concerned with me than HE.

Over my years of walking with God, I have seen many young men with God’s calling clearly upon their lives, refuse to obey His calling because it would be too difficult. You see that is what “consecration” is for. Look at the lives of men like Isaiah, Moses, Abraham, John, Paul and Peter, they were mighty men of God because they had consecrated their lives to His use. Careers are a good thing, until they interfere with the greater thing of God’s calling upon a life that has been consecrated to Him!

So, here I sit, with a cup of coffee and the sun peeking over the horizon to the east, another beautiful sunrise. Yep, it’s plum cold out there right now, but it is going to be a beautiful day of walking with our Master. And tomorrow, if it comes, will be the day of God doing “wonders” among us, if we consecrate ourselves today. That makes today a day of preparation. You see, this isn’t just another day, “This is the day the LORD has made, rejoice and be glad in it,” and “consecrate yourselves for tomorrow God will do wonders among you.” If we do our part, He will do His part.

Preparing with you, Neal