Put on Longsuffering

In this most Holy Season, this is not what we would normally think about – “Longsuffering!”  Yet “Longsuffering” is seen in Scripture pertaining to God and to Christ.  Even since the days of Noah, God Himself has experienced Longsuffering! As Noah was preparing the Ark, God waited in Expectation of Saving His people. In the case of Noah, saving them from the flood was a symbol of bringing Salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. In Num. 34, God again is shown as Longsuffering; In this Old Testament Passage of Scripture God is dealing with the disobedience of the Israelites while they were in the wilderness. Vs 17-21 – We hear: “I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, The Lord is Longsuffering, and of great Mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression … And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy Word: As truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the Glory of the Lord.” How awesome is the Word of the Lord!  God embraced Suffering at great length as He waited for all people to come to the Saving knowledge of His Son overcoming death, hell, and the grave!  Sometimes we forget the grief in the heart of God to send His Only Begotten Son to die for mankind.  God is a Spirit and we must worship Him in Spirit and Truth.  Longsuffering is a “fruit of the Spirit of God!” With the ‘Joy of Salvation came the Suffering of our Saviour!’ We are challenged and called by God’s Word in Eph. 4:1-2 “…I beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with Longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;” Again we hear in Scripture: Col. 1:10-11 “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being Fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to His Glorious Power, unto all patience and Longsuffering with Joyfulness; Longsuffering has everything to do with the Lord’s Birth, You can read the Book of Hebrews where it over and over talks about the Jesus’ suffering – talk about Long suffering; Heb. 9:26“For then must Jesus often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of Himself.  This is the season of Jesus Birth, but we have received so much more in His death and Resurrection!  His Gift to us is Eternal Life!  O Jesus we Exalt You and Glorify Your Holy Name! There is Great Expectation that You are coming in the clouds of heaven to bring us unto Yourself!     Loving you, Pastor MERRY  CHRISTMAS  TO ALL AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR!

The Covenant of Peace

In the Holy Scriptures we read if “we search for Him, He will be found!” There is so much information as we research the subject of Peace. The Old Testament records there is a “Covenant of Peace!”  This you will note in the above Scriptures.  It is an Everlasting Covenant, which means it never terminates! With this Covenant of Peace comes a Promise.  God will place us in His Sanctuary!  That takes some research to see the full meaning of Him placing us in His Sanctuary! It is the Millennial Sanctuary which Ezekiel saw in a vision [Ch. 40-48]. Only Christ can restore the Peace of God to the hearts of His People. The world cannot know His Peace nor understand it. But He has given it to those who believe in the Salvation of Eternal Life! It is interesting to note in Scripture where His Peace enters into our lives. [1] He will keep us in perfect Peace if our mind is stayed on Him. ~Isa.2-4 [2] When we are in “right standing” with Him; for Righteousness shall be Peace which breeds a Peaceful Habitation. ~Isa.32:16-18 [3] I create the fruit of the lips; Peace! ~Isa. 57:19-21 [4] Because of His Mercy, the Covenant is Everlasting! Isa. 54:10 [5] Jesus is a King, a Priest, and a Counsel of Peace. ~ Zech. 6:12-13 [6] He commands us to execute Truth and Peace in our gates! ~ Zech 8:16 [7] And this Covenant is for us the Gentiles! ~ Heb. 13:20-21. What a God we serve, What a Saviour we have; As saints of the Soon Coming King; We give Him Praise and glorious adoration – as we celebrate His Birth, and greater yet as we rejoice over His Coming Again in Rapture!  We hear the Word from the Book of Revelation: “Surely I come quickly. Amen! Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.  Loving you, Pastor

The Celebration of Advent: The “Birth of Jesus Christ, Our Saviour!

“Advent” means “Coming” ─ Our Redeemer!  It is the period of time beginning four Sundays before Christmas.  It begins with the sounding of the Shofar and it is blown each Sunday during Advent. It sounds the alarm as it calls for attention to “expect” the return of the Lord at any time! It also sounds for battle,. Short sounds rally the troups for war. We are in a deadly warfare as we await our Lord’s Return!

  

Advent is observed by Christians, that is, followers of Christ. It is a season of remembrance and with it comes the Promise that there is yet another “Coming” ─ it is called “Rapture!”

  

The Promise of His Coming Birth was foretold many years before He was born. It is seen in the Prophecy by Isaiah. {7:14} “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a Sign; Behold, a Virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”  The Prophecy of His Coming, continues as the Spirit of Lord moves through Isaiah: {9:6} “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” As sure as the Prophecy of Jesus Birth has come to pass, we wait in Hope for His Coming again in Rapture. This is yet another Promise from our Lord in 1 Thess. 4:16-17: “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the Trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be Caught Up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”HALLELUJAH!

As our Jewish brethren wait for the Messiah, so we wait for Him also. We have read in Acts 1:11 “…This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

The colors of Advent this year are Purple for His royalty, and Pink for the Joy Jesus brought us, that of Eternal Salvation. The song of Advent is as always the cry for His Return!  “O Come, O Come Emmanuel!”

It is good to have an Advent wreath in your home and as you sit down to the evening mean, light the candles of Advent and give thanks for His Coming as the Christ Child in the manager so long ago, and Thank Him for the Hope of His Return in Rapture to catch away His saints.  There are many Voices of Advent, may the Lord hear our voice as We Cry out, “Even so, Come Lord Jesus!” May we “set our affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”  We wait in preparation to be His Raptured Bride!  Remember to declare “Merry Christmas!”