"But Now Be Strong"

(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

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

So: You Want Wisdom and Understanding?

"And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.'"  (Job 28:28)

There is really not much more to add.  Notice that, "wisdom," and, "understanding," do not come from "book learning," nor a wonderfully "perceptive" individual, nor study.  Too many, however, believe that wisdom and understanding come from anything but, "....the fear of the Lord," and, "depart from evil."  Sort of puts a new "take" on holiness, doesn't it?

There is a principle here which I encourage us all today to consider, meditate upon.  It came to me many years ago that if you want to know the "ways" of Jesus, one consideration is to look at what those who reject Jesus are doing, what they believe, how they interpret life, their answers, and remedies to everything.  Then do the opposite.  Those who have rejected Jesus Christ, those enslaved to the kingdom of darkness will never have the Wisdom and Understanding of life which the Godhead has/is for them.  "The Word of God," tells us, "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord."  We can add, "....without which no one will," have, "wisdom," and, "understanding."

Our text today is the same as every day reading of the, "God-Breathed," Words, i.e., new, refreshing, empowering, imparting, "wisdom," and, "understanding."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I confess that if it were not for Your Words, I would be thinking and living as the rest.  Amen.
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We understand that those outside of the Pittsburgh area cannot make the briefings.  We just send the notice to all on our mailing list.  Next briefing is at the Lamplighter in Delmont at 11:00, April 14.  We need to know who will be attending.  Hope to see you there.

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

Red Horse of the Apocalypse Has Been Revealed

The Second Horse of the Apocolypse

 
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

"When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, 'Come!'  Then another horse came out, a fiery red one.  Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other.  To him was given a large sword."  (Revelation 6, NIV)

Today my brother turned 68.  We spoke on the phone for over an hour, which is our wont.  At any rate, at one point we were discussing the current global situation, and I shared with him my impressions of my time in DC.  He mentioned that we could be in the era of, "a red horse."

I am no authority on such, but I read this recently online.  "The rider of the second horse is often taken to represent War (he is often pictured holding a sword upwards as though ready for battle) or mass slaughter.  His horse's color is red; and in some translations, the color is specifically a 'fiery' red.  The color red, as well as the rider's possession of a great sword, suggests blood that is to be spilled.  The sword held upward by the second Horsemen may represent war or a declaration of war....In military symbolism, swords held upward, especially crossed swords help upward, signify war and entering into battle.  The second Horseman represent civil war...."

One of today's readings was from 1 Corinthians 14.  Paul says, "I thank God that I speak with tongues more than you all."  Maybe not, "....more than you all", but I am thankful for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and the realities mentioned in 1 Corinthians 14.  Events happening all over the Globe, and especially in the United States of America are a call to us for prayer, perhaps on a "scale" we have never known.  While I do pray some, "with the understanding," I find that what I am witnessing and perceiving in the Earth is keeping me in, "For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays...."  Perhaps we should all pray for more understanding on the phenomenon of, "the fiery red horse."

Father, in Jesus' Name, Help me to, "be ready in the day of Your power."  Amen.
 

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

"He Is Jesus Christ, The Word of Life"

"The One Who existed from the beginning is the One we have heard and seen.  We saw Him with our own eyes and touched Him with our own hands.  He is Jesus Christ, the Word of Life."  (1 John 1:1, NLT-- from one of today's readings)

I was in a church service some time ago, and the Name of Jesus was not mentioned until 30 minutes had gone by.  This included the opening "greeting" and the worship.  Someone could have been visiting and not have known it was a worship gathering of Followers of Jesus.

Our text is a most powerful reminder to Christendom, to the Church of Jesus, and to each of us as those who claim to, "follow the Lamb wherever He goes," that without Jesus, without His Name dominating our witness, our lives, our worship gatherings, our sermons, our mission work, we are not proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God/Heaven which He sent us to proclaim.  Jesus is the, "Good News;"  Jesus is, "the Gospel."  The Gospel is not a "plan."  The Gospel is a Person.

There is talk of our Lord God in the Old Testament, but we can say that the "concepts" of Him were as, "a glass darkly."  But when Jesus appeared, the Godhead was saying to humanity, "Behold, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world," and, well, just, "Behold!" or, "Look!"  When people, "Behold!" Jesus, they are "beholding" the Living Triune God.  Islam speaks of "god," other religions speak of, as Paul said to the Corinthians, "gods many"; therefore, I share again with you the rest of that most powerful exaltation of the Blessed Trinity, "....We know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but One.  For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many), but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him."

Father, in Jesus' Name, For [me] there is only You.  Amen.
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Next Antipas Ministries (FHMP) briefing, April 14, 2018.  Details if interested.

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