(The video conference call is taking much longer to download. I hope to get it out to you later.)
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"'Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the Lord, 'and work. For I am with you,' declares the Lord Almighty. 'This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.' This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake heaven and earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of The Nations, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the Lord of hosts. 'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says the Lord of hosts." (Haggai 2:4b-8, NIV & NKJV)
Some news coming out of Washington, DC, is not promising. I had a wave of discouragement go "over" me, then I read our text this morning. It is a call to you and me, to the Church of Jesus Christ to, "Be strong....Do not fear." And don't ever think we are too spiritual to have to be reminded of this. Sounds like simple Words, but nothing coming from the, "The Word of God," Jesus Himself, is ever "simple" that is, if by simple one would mean "cliche," too simplistic, etc. When Our Lord Jesus speaks Words such as our text, it is for us to stop the "pity parties," the what's-the-use, "....and work." So I did, and so I am.
In what situation do you find yourself today. Well, "Be strong,..and work." I am not talking about that job at which you find yourself today, though we do need to do that. But the call, "and work," was to get on with building the Second Temple, in other words, get on with that to which our Lord Jesus has called us as His Church. The video conference call today was based on 2 Chronicles 20, the time when Israel was face with annihilation. The king called the people to praise the Lord God. When the Lord God tells people to, "Stand still and see the salvation of God," it is not a passive "standing." It is active standing, praising, thanking, giving all glory, honor and power to the Living Triune God, revealed in the King of the Ages, Jesus the Christ.
Maybe we need a sign over our church buildings, our houses, our places of business, "Followers of Jesus at Work."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I'm working because, "[You are] the Strength of my life." Amen.
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We have five people signed up for the briefing on April 14
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"'Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the Lord, 'and work. For I am with you,' declares the Lord Almighty. 'This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.' This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake heaven and earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of The Nations, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the Lord of hosts. 'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says the Lord of hosts." (Haggai 2:4b-8, NIV & NKJV)
Some news coming out of Washington, DC, is not promising. I had a wave of discouragement go "over" me, then I read our text this morning. It is a call to you and me, to the Church of Jesus Christ to, "Be strong....Do not fear." And don't ever think we are too spiritual to have to be reminded of this. Sounds like simple Words, but nothing coming from the, "The Word of God," Jesus Himself, is ever "simple" that is, if by simple one would mean "cliche," too simplistic, etc. When Our Lord Jesus speaks Words such as our text, it is for us to stop the "pity parties," the what's-the-use, "....and work." So I did, and so I am.
In what situation do you find yourself today. Well, "Be strong,..and work." I am not talking about that job at which you find yourself today, though we do need to do that. But the call, "and work," was to get on with building the Second Temple, in other words, get on with that to which our Lord Jesus has called us as His Church. The video conference call today was based on 2 Chronicles 20, the time when Israel was face with annihilation. The king called the people to praise the Lord God. When the Lord God tells people to, "Stand still and see the salvation of God," it is not a passive "standing." It is active standing, praising, thanking, giving all glory, honor and power to the Living Triune God, revealed in the King of the Ages, Jesus the Christ.
Maybe we need a sign over our church buildings, our houses, our places of business, "Followers of Jesus at Work."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I'm working because, "[You are] the Strength of my life." Amen.
**********************
We have five people signed up for the briefing on April 14
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
