Acts 7:59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
There have been few times in human history when a man appeared to be more powerless than Stephen appeared in this moment. Everything is going against him. The tide of human opinion, the power of those in judgment, and the ammunition about to be aimed at his head and body, all speak to the powerlessness of his situation.
Stephen is about to die. There is no uncertainty. We are left to wonder, how might we face death in a similar situation?
Is Stephen dying with a sense of guilt over his condition? On the contrary, he is completely innocent of all the charges which have been leveled against him He knows they are all contrived lies and absolute falsehoods.
Then surely His God will save him. This, the God of all Power and Wonder and Might. Nothing is too hard for the Lord!
As Stephen had provided a brief synopsis of the Old Testament before his accusers, perhaps some of the images had flooded his mind as he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Perhaps, the story of Isaac being spared at Mount Moriah, or of Gideon and his 300 men provided miraculous victory, or of blind Samson bringing down the pagan temple, or of David slaying Goliath, or of Jonathan and his armor-bearer going up and defeating an entire army.
Our God is an All-Powerful God, who spoke forth creation. He can do anything. Nothing is too hard for the Lord!
And here is Stephen - God’s own precious Stephen - the one who had so boldly stood before the ruling council to proclaim both the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the wickedness of the condition of those who sat in judgment, now kneeling, now about to receive the intense suffering of not only stones, but the hatred and wrath of false accusation and indignation. Not only was Stephen about to be killed, he was being vilified and his reputation trashed in the process. He had nothing to offer in his own defense in this life-ending situation. The only question: Would God come through for Stephen as He had so many times before in the history of those He loves?
But he also recalled a more recent history, one in which his own Savior went to the cross, experiencing a similar fate. And he saw the Gates of Heaven opening to him, with Jesus standing by The Father to receive him, and he remembered what Jesus had said…
- Pastor Bill
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Fighting Against God
Acts 5:34 Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them: "Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. 36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. 37 After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. 38 And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; 39 but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it--lest you even be found to fight against God."
Sometimes the wisdom of the world is correct. After all, everything about God is entirely logical and common-sensical, because God invented logic and common sense. When logic and common sense are applied, even by worldly men, they often arrive at opinions which are Biblical, even if unintentional – or even accidental.
Gamaliel is just such a man. At a time when the rulers of the Jews were attempting to stamp out the early church, and belief in Jesus as the Messiah, Gamaliel voiced rational truth that brought relief to both sides.
In a sense, what Gamaliel was saying was: “If it (Christianity,) flourishes, we’ll know God is in it.” That makes a lot of sense. By the same token, Gamaliel also said, “If it comes to nothing, we’ll know God was not in it.”
Since they were having such a difficult time stamping out the fire that would become The Church anyway, those listening to Gamaliel chose to accept and at least temporarily follow his suggestion. After all, Gamaliel was known to be a very wise man, and he was a teacher of the teachers of the laws of the Jews. He was well-respected. In fact, even Paul bragged about having been trained at the feet of Gamaliel, (though not in the normal context of bragging – it was stated more as an absurdity.)
So here’s the question we are left with: Did Christianity flourish? Another question is like it: Has anything EVER flourished as Christianity has flourished?
There are many logical and common-sensical arguments you could make on behalf of Biblical Christianity, and this is certainly one of them. But the real reason The True Church flourishes is not logic or common sense, it is the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the world. God is FOR the Church, and His Power in the Church is living proof of His abiding interest in and love for the Church. God loves His Bride, and He will not allow those who fight against His Bride to succeed. No matter the odds, Gamaliel was right, you cannot fight against God.
- Pastor Bill
Sometimes the wisdom of the world is correct. After all, everything about God is entirely logical and common-sensical, because God invented logic and common sense. When logic and common sense are applied, even by worldly men, they often arrive at opinions which are Biblical, even if unintentional – or even accidental.
Gamaliel is just such a man. At a time when the rulers of the Jews were attempting to stamp out the early church, and belief in Jesus as the Messiah, Gamaliel voiced rational truth that brought relief to both sides.
In a sense, what Gamaliel was saying was: “If it (Christianity,) flourishes, we’ll know God is in it.” That makes a lot of sense. By the same token, Gamaliel also said, “If it comes to nothing, we’ll know God was not in it.”
Since they were having such a difficult time stamping out the fire that would become The Church anyway, those listening to Gamaliel chose to accept and at least temporarily follow his suggestion. After all, Gamaliel was known to be a very wise man, and he was a teacher of the teachers of the laws of the Jews. He was well-respected. In fact, even Paul bragged about having been trained at the feet of Gamaliel, (though not in the normal context of bragging – it was stated more as an absurdity.)
So here’s the question we are left with: Did Christianity flourish? Another question is like it: Has anything EVER flourished as Christianity has flourished?
There are many logical and common-sensical arguments you could make on behalf of Biblical Christianity, and this is certainly one of them. But the real reason The True Church flourishes is not logic or common sense, it is the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the world. God is FOR the Church, and His Power in the Church is living proof of His abiding interest in and love for the Church. God loves His Bride, and He will not allow those who fight against His Bride to succeed. No matter the odds, Gamaliel was right, you cannot fight against God.
- Pastor Bill
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Principled Peter
Acts 4:5 And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, 6 as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?" 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.'12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
I remember a book back in the ‘60’s explaining the concept of ‘The Peter Principle.’ (I have no idea if the name somehow sprung from the apostle Peter.) Here is an explanation of the principle:
In business organizations, this theory states that any ambitious person will continue to rise within an organizational structure until they arrive at the position at which they are least effective. Amazing, and unfortunately, true. How often we see those who are great at everything along the way suddenly prove to be completely horrible at say…management. Completely ill-equipped. The whole organization suffers by the rise of many into positions of ineffectiveness.
It makes you wonder about the financial crisis our country (and the world) finds itself in at the present time. Perhaps some of those top-level finance & banking guys have risen higher than their ability affords? Perhaps some are in oversight in legislative branches that are over-matched intellectually? Is the ‘Peter Principle’ in play here?
The apostle Peter had been somewhat of an example of this ‘promotion-to-failure’ principle with his own life – and so perhaps the originator of the ‘Peter Principle’ concept was thinking of Peter as he wrote the book. But there was a dramatic turn in the life of the apostle Peter which completely belied the principle of promotion-to-failure, which we can use as a powerful example in our lives. Suddenly, and I might add, supernaturally, Peter went from being a fearful wimp in dread for his life, denying association with Jesus even to a slave girl – to a bold witness for Christ, at great risk of his life, even before the leading members of the Sanhedrin. The answer is Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. Do you need power over ineffectiveness in your life? The answer is the same: Be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Filled with the Spirit of God, Peter became a principled man who backed down from nothing.
- Pastor Bill
I remember a book back in the ‘60’s explaining the concept of ‘The Peter Principle.’ (I have no idea if the name somehow sprung from the apostle Peter.) Here is an explanation of the principle:
In business organizations, this theory states that any ambitious person will continue to rise within an organizational structure until they arrive at the position at which they are least effective. Amazing, and unfortunately, true. How often we see those who are great at everything along the way suddenly prove to be completely horrible at say…management. Completely ill-equipped. The whole organization suffers by the rise of many into positions of ineffectiveness.
It makes you wonder about the financial crisis our country (and the world) finds itself in at the present time. Perhaps some of those top-level finance & banking guys have risen higher than their ability affords? Perhaps some are in oversight in legislative branches that are over-matched intellectually? Is the ‘Peter Principle’ in play here?
The apostle Peter had been somewhat of an example of this ‘promotion-to-failure’ principle with his own life – and so perhaps the originator of the ‘Peter Principle’ concept was thinking of Peter as he wrote the book. But there was a dramatic turn in the life of the apostle Peter which completely belied the principle of promotion-to-failure, which we can use as a powerful example in our lives. Suddenly, and I might add, supernaturally, Peter went from being a fearful wimp in dread for his life, denying association with Jesus even to a slave girl – to a bold witness for Christ, at great risk of his life, even before the leading members of the Sanhedrin. The answer is Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. Do you need power over ineffectiveness in your life? The answer is the same: Be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Filled with the Spirit of God, Peter became a principled man who backed down from nothing.
- Pastor Bill
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
What in the World is Going On?
Zech 12:1 The burden* of the word of the Lord against Israel. Thus says the Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him: 2 "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. 3 And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. 4 In that day," says the Lord, "I will strike every horse with confusion, and its rider with madness; I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. 5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the Lord of hosts, their God.' 6 In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place--Jerusalem.
The prophet Zechariah was serving the Lord 500 years before the coming of Jesus Christ. At the time of his prophecy, Jerusalem was a wide spot in the road, just beginning to recover from complete destruction at the hands of the Babylonians some 70 years previous, and having just been re-occupied by a smallish band of Israelites who had chosen to return to their homeland following the years in exile in Babylon.
The nation was weak, and Jerusalem was struggling to survive - threatened by enemies all around, and threatened by Spiritual weakness from within. Early attempts to get the city back off the ground had mostly failed, as those who had returned focused on their own personal needs in desperation. The city they returned to was a burned out crater with nothing to offer. No temple, no walls of protection, and no place for anyone to live. It is completely natural the people would become despondent and turn to creature comforts first. Building up their own home-places became the priority.
Along came the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to spur the people to action on behalf of the Lord. Those who had stolen from the building supplies gathered to build the temple for their own homes were chastised by Haggai. Those who were overwhelmed by the staggering nature of the work which lay before them were encouraged and exhorted by Zechariah.
The amazing things Zechariah had to say pertained to Jerusalem, and to the return of the Messiah to this particular city at a future point in time. What Zechariah was telling the people on behalf of God is that Jerusalem, this small smoldering hunk of land torn and devastated, would soon become the most important piece of real estate on the face of the earth. How impossible that must have seemed to those present at the time. “Yeah…sure!”
Fast-forward 2500 years and we find Jerusalem at the center of the universe, the most sought-after real estate on the face of the earth – exactly as Zechariah had described – a cup of drunkenness over which all the earth is staggered.
- Pastor Bill
The prophet Zechariah was serving the Lord 500 years before the coming of Jesus Christ. At the time of his prophecy, Jerusalem was a wide spot in the road, just beginning to recover from complete destruction at the hands of the Babylonians some 70 years previous, and having just been re-occupied by a smallish band of Israelites who had chosen to return to their homeland following the years in exile in Babylon.
The nation was weak, and Jerusalem was struggling to survive - threatened by enemies all around, and threatened by Spiritual weakness from within. Early attempts to get the city back off the ground had mostly failed, as those who had returned focused on their own personal needs in desperation. The city they returned to was a burned out crater with nothing to offer. No temple, no walls of protection, and no place for anyone to live. It is completely natural the people would become despondent and turn to creature comforts first. Building up their own home-places became the priority.
Along came the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to spur the people to action on behalf of the Lord. Those who had stolen from the building supplies gathered to build the temple for their own homes were chastised by Haggai. Those who were overwhelmed by the staggering nature of the work which lay before them were encouraged and exhorted by Zechariah.
The amazing things Zechariah had to say pertained to Jerusalem, and to the return of the Messiah to this particular city at a future point in time. What Zechariah was telling the people on behalf of God is that Jerusalem, this small smoldering hunk of land torn and devastated, would soon become the most important piece of real estate on the face of the earth. How impossible that must have seemed to those present at the time. “Yeah…sure!”
Fast-forward 2500 years and we find Jerusalem at the center of the universe, the most sought-after real estate on the face of the earth – exactly as Zechariah had described – a cup of drunkenness over which all the earth is staggered.
- Pastor Bill
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Waiting for What?
Acts 2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?
I hate to wait, don’t you? It’s probably one of the greatest sources of constant irritation in my life. Waiting in traffic, waiting in lines at the store, waiting for the package to arrive, waiting for the diagnosis. The list is endless of things we must wait for in life. All the while, our flesh grates against it.
And now, even Jesus had told His disciples to wait. It would seem with the importance of getting the world-wide church started, that Jesus would have His followers off and running, but instead He has given them the most important command of all: “Wait.”
“Wait for what?” we would probably have been inclined to ask. It’s a normal question. “Why do we have to wait? Is what we are waiting for going to be worth the wait?” Ah, the ever-present questions of the flesh…
Jesus has told them to, “Wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father.”
Herein lies one of the greatest examples of what we are to DO in our Christian lives, and it is really the first command given to what would become the church. “Wait.” Man, that just kills my flesh! You?
And so, the disciples waited. Jesus had told them to wait - and then He left, ascended up into the clouds, not to be seen again by physical eye by those who had seen Him ascend. They waited. They waited. And they waited some more. Ten days they waited secluded in a room, cloistered to themselves. What a way to build a church – eh? What if Jesus told us to wait like that?
Wait a minute – in actuality He has, and is. You see, the Christian life is all about waiting on the promise of the Father. It seems we are never all we can be, and it seems we are always building and moving, and never completely achieving what we seek – that is, perfection. Holiness. We are always seeking perfection, and waiting on holiness. Waiting for the promise of the Father – that we may be made whole, and that the church may be all it can be. It just kills my flesh to wait. You? Hmmm…And suddenly there comes a sound from heaven, a rushing mighty wind…
- Pastor Bill
I hate to wait, don’t you? It’s probably one of the greatest sources of constant irritation in my life. Waiting in traffic, waiting in lines at the store, waiting for the package to arrive, waiting for the diagnosis. The list is endless of things we must wait for in life. All the while, our flesh grates against it.
And now, even Jesus had told His disciples to wait. It would seem with the importance of getting the world-wide church started, that Jesus would have His followers off and running, but instead He has given them the most important command of all: “Wait.”
“Wait for what?” we would probably have been inclined to ask. It’s a normal question. “Why do we have to wait? Is what we are waiting for going to be worth the wait?” Ah, the ever-present questions of the flesh…
Jesus has told them to, “Wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father.”
Herein lies one of the greatest examples of what we are to DO in our Christian lives, and it is really the first command given to what would become the church. “Wait.” Man, that just kills my flesh! You?
And so, the disciples waited. Jesus had told them to wait - and then He left, ascended up into the clouds, not to be seen again by physical eye by those who had seen Him ascend. They waited. They waited. And they waited some more. Ten days they waited secluded in a room, cloistered to themselves. What a way to build a church – eh? What if Jesus told us to wait like that?
Wait a minute – in actuality He has, and is. You see, the Christian life is all about waiting on the promise of the Father. It seems we are never all we can be, and it seems we are always building and moving, and never completely achieving what we seek – that is, perfection. Holiness. We are always seeking perfection, and waiting on holiness. Waiting for the promise of the Father – that we may be made whole, and that the church may be all it can be. It just kills my flesh to wait. You? Hmmm…And suddenly there comes a sound from heaven, a rushing mighty wind…
- Pastor Bill
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Gifted
Acts 1:6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." 9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."
Sometimes when we don’t get exactly what we want it leads to disabling disappointment. Jesus was planning for something else in the lives of His disciples.
They asked a reasonable question based on His presence in a resurrected body, and by His teaching that He had come to bring the kingdom of heaven to the earth. “Lord, is it time? Will we now be princes and rulers and such over all the earth?”
Jesus response was immediately off-putting and mind-changing at once. “It is not for you to know!”
But wait, there’s more! And rather than disabling disappointment, Jesus points to an enabling power, even explosive power. Rather than focusing on this world and your power in it, Jesus tells His disciples, (and us,) that He wants them and us to be focused on the next world and power from it.
‘Dunamis’ or “dynamite” power from heaven on earth, that we may be witnesses – or martyrs for Christ.
And we will need to be because in the next moment Christ ascended from earth to heaven and left His disciples, but not only His disciples to complete the work. And this is what He told them to wait for: Another Helper. Another helper just like Him, just like Jesus. A Helper who would work from the inside out rather than from the outside in. This would be the Holy Spirit. The Promise of the Father. The Spirit of Almighty God living in each human heart who would receive Him.
And this is what produces a witness who has seen the Lord, even in those who have not seen Jesus with the physical eye. Of all those re-born of repentance there is an inherent incumbent gift which is received, and it is the gift to see God with the eyes of the heart, and this gift is commendable and communicable. This is why Jesus has said we are to go into the whole world to share it.
- Pastor Bill
Sometimes when we don’t get exactly what we want it leads to disabling disappointment. Jesus was planning for something else in the lives of His disciples.
They asked a reasonable question based on His presence in a resurrected body, and by His teaching that He had come to bring the kingdom of heaven to the earth. “Lord, is it time? Will we now be princes and rulers and such over all the earth?”
Jesus response was immediately off-putting and mind-changing at once. “It is not for you to know!”
But wait, there’s more! And rather than disabling disappointment, Jesus points to an enabling power, even explosive power. Rather than focusing on this world and your power in it, Jesus tells His disciples, (and us,) that He wants them and us to be focused on the next world and power from it.
‘Dunamis’ or “dynamite” power from heaven on earth, that we may be witnesses – or martyrs for Christ.
And we will need to be because in the next moment Christ ascended from earth to heaven and left His disciples, but not only His disciples to complete the work. And this is what He told them to wait for: Another Helper. Another helper just like Him, just like Jesus. A Helper who would work from the inside out rather than from the outside in. This would be the Holy Spirit. The Promise of the Father. The Spirit of Almighty God living in each human heart who would receive Him.
And this is what produces a witness who has seen the Lord, even in those who have not seen Jesus with the physical eye. Of all those re-born of repentance there is an inherent incumbent gift which is received, and it is the gift to see God with the eyes of the heart, and this gift is commendable and communicable. This is why Jesus has said we are to go into the whole world to share it.
- Pastor Bill
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Wanderlust
Malachi 4:1 "For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up," Says the Lord of hosts, "That will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
After Christmas, we do tend to feel a lot like fat, stall-fed calves, especially in the good ole U.S. of A. All our desires, (or at least most of them,) have been fulfilled. We’ve seen and visited with all the family and friends we can stand. All of our physical needs have been met – for the time being. (Especially once we’ve had the time to take back all the things that didn’t exactly meet with our desire, so we can get EXACTLY what does.)
I don’t know about you or the rest of the world – but that pretty much sums up what I believe to be the majority Christmas experience in America. Stall-fed calves are what we are. Never having to raise a hand to feed ourselves, or even to over-feed ourselves.
How natural it is to take our eyes off of God in times like these, as our flesh is more or less satiated. Satisfied. Filled to the brim. Filled to overflowing.
The main problem with being filled to overflowing with stuff is it leaves no room (in our thoughts and our hearts,) for the Holy Spirit. These are the times when the Holy Spirit is crowded to the side by truckloads of stuff. Trainloads of weariness.
We do really well looking forward to the coming of the Lord. Not so good looking back. What happens to the fervency we had leading up to Christmas?
God says, “Hey, wait – there’s more!” Not only did Jesus come to earth, as had been prophesied in Malachi 3:1-2, but He’s coming back. And just as the followers of Jesus were not certain of the timing of His advent, we cannot be certain of the time of His CERTAIN return. All we do know is it will be soon. All has been fulfilled for Christ to come for His church.
As the Christmas song professed of those awaiting Christ’s advent, they spent a lot of time wondering as they wandered, gazing into the night skies awaiting the One to be born of a virgin. Keep that wanderlust always. It makes the heart prepared for the True King. And it takes a prepared heart to receive Him still.
- Pastor Bill
After Christmas, we do tend to feel a lot like fat, stall-fed calves, especially in the good ole U.S. of A. All our desires, (or at least most of them,) have been fulfilled. We’ve seen and visited with all the family and friends we can stand. All of our physical needs have been met – for the time being. (Especially once we’ve had the time to take back all the things that didn’t exactly meet with our desire, so we can get EXACTLY what does.)
I don’t know about you or the rest of the world – but that pretty much sums up what I believe to be the majority Christmas experience in America. Stall-fed calves are what we are. Never having to raise a hand to feed ourselves, or even to over-feed ourselves.
How natural it is to take our eyes off of God in times like these, as our flesh is more or less satiated. Satisfied. Filled to the brim. Filled to overflowing.
The main problem with being filled to overflowing with stuff is it leaves no room (in our thoughts and our hearts,) for the Holy Spirit. These are the times when the Holy Spirit is crowded to the side by truckloads of stuff. Trainloads of weariness.
We do really well looking forward to the coming of the Lord. Not so good looking back. What happens to the fervency we had leading up to Christmas?
God says, “Hey, wait – there’s more!” Not only did Jesus come to earth, as had been prophesied in Malachi 3:1-2, but He’s coming back. And just as the followers of Jesus were not certain of the timing of His advent, we cannot be certain of the time of His CERTAIN return. All we do know is it will be soon. All has been fulfilled for Christ to come for His church.
As the Christmas song professed of those awaiting Christ’s advent, they spent a lot of time wondering as they wandered, gazing into the night skies awaiting the One to be born of a virgin. Keep that wanderlust always. It makes the heart prepared for the True King. And it takes a prepared heart to receive Him still.
- Pastor Bill
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