The Greatest Season...
I pray that as we move into 2022 that you and your family are safe and healthy.
As we observe end-time events unfolding around us, it can indeed be unsettling - but it certainly is a fascinating time to be alive. It also represents one of the greatest evangelistic seasons in the history of the Church Age! I encourage you to share the news of His coming for the Church as often as appropriate, for this information is a message of comfort and encouragement (1 Thess 4:13-18)! The Apostle Paul admonishes that we not be silent.
How tragic that so many try to ignore the wonderful truth that Jesus IS coming to extract His Church from Planet Earth. Paul concludes this reassuring eschatological passage in the first letter to the Thessalonians with "Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:18) If the Apostle's reassurance to the Thessalonians was comforting 2000 years ago, how much more is it a comfort for us today?! But our mission isn't only to share words of encouragement with other Believers. It is to clearly proclaim the timeless truths that Jesus came, lived, died, and rose again!
As we watch for that day when He'll appear and we are caught up to be with Him (1 Thess 4:17), may our every step be directed by the Holy Spirit (Psm 37:23) and every opportunity He presents to us be joyfully explored and carried out (2 Cor 7:4).
Your mission and mine is simply to present the Gospel to a lost and dying world. Regardless of how its packaged and no matter what other good things we might do or say, the proclamation of the Gospel is for all of us who claim the title of "Christian" to accomplish.
Whether at a pulpit, with a pen, in front of a microphone, or otherwise in our everyday lives, may your words and deeds reflect the truth that Jesus offers eternal salvation to "whosoever" and that He's coming again - soon. When our three enemies (the world, the flesh, and the Devil) attempt to discourage or distract us, take strength from Him who defeated Satan and who authored and finished our faith (Heb 12:2). He is able to strengthen us and complete what He set out for us to accomplish with steadfastness and joy (Phil 1:6)!
My friend, let us never forget that we were once shrouded in darkness (Eph 5:8). But through the ministry of someone just like us, we were brought into the light and knowledge of God's Son and accepted His great salvation (Rom 10: 9-17, Jn 3:15-17)!
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace..." (Ephesians 1:7).
