Have you ever taken a trip and didn't follow or made a mistake in reading the directions?  You eventually realize you are off course or lost and you have wasted a lot of time.  God has shown us grace and mercy by allowing us the opportunity to move into 2009.  It is our responsibility with the gift of grace and a new year to move in the right direction.   The right direction is God's pupose and destiny.  As we journey in the right direction, we must keep God our focus and our compass.  The prerequsite for a move in the right direction is to trust and obey God.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.  Proverbs 3:5-6.  We have been given Jesus, our mediator; the Bible, our map; the Holy Spirit, our navigator; the Ministry, our mission, and Eternal Life, our destination.  Although there will be many experiences with blessings and challenges that causes our journey to slow down, pause, advance, or even detour, we must not stop moving in the right direction.   The prodigal son was lost because he moved in the wrong direction and connected himself with a riotous circle of friends and associates.  He moved in the right direction and was found when he:

• Had the "meeting of me"  -  The prodigal son met with himself and each individual who earnestly desires to move in the right direction must have the "meeting of me".  This meeting will be an honest and objective evaluation of one's present status; spiritually, emotionally, and physically.  The standard we will use in this meeting will be God. As we perform His purpose and His will in our lives, we will please God all of our lives.  As we meet with and evaluate "me", we must be real, repent, and renew our minds for the trip. I beseech (urge) you therefore, brethren (sisteren), by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable (pleasing) to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  Romans 12:1-2.
• Made the move - After the renewing of the prodigal son's mind, the scripture indicates that "he arose" ( he moved.)  Our minds, our spirits and our bodies must actually move in the right direction.  It is time for action and movement.  There will be hindrances and obstacles to the move such as procrastination, people, and the past.  However, we must move past the past, press by people, and park procrastination.  These giants are forever looming to stop us from moving in the right direction, but we must get in motion and MOVE!  Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:13-14.
• Was ministered to and ministered - The prodigal son was found because the father ministered.  When the father saw his son moving in the right direction, he ran to him.  James 4:8, Draw night to God and he will draw night to you.  Our Father ministers to those moving in the right direction.  As we move in 2009, it is vital that we minister and serve God through worship, witness, and work.  There is joy unspeakable and celebration as we labor and minister in the vineyard!  The right direction will yield the right pay as we labor and minister in the vineyard  Matthew 20:8, When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages...  Payday will benefit and prosper us while minstry will glorify God and edfiy others!

As the year, 2009 advances, let us advance spiritually for ministry and to advance the kingdom of God.  There is a great move of God and spiritual paradigm shift occuring in the higher laws of God.  It's time to accelerate and move in the right direction!!!!