zra 5:15

"And he said to him, "Take these articles; go, carry them to the temple site that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its former site." Ezra 5:15


What a strange verse for today. What could ever be there to inspire? Well, let's take a look. Ezra is talking about utensils that were taken from the Temple when Jerusalem fell some 70 years before. These arethe same items that were displayed by Nebuchadnezzar's son at a national party. It was that night that God wrote on the walls of thebanquet room -- and the kingdom fell into enemy hands. It is thosesame utensils that Solomon commissioned to be made for the Temple. The same ones that had been used by the priests when the Glory of God fell upon the Temple on dedication day.


You see, these were important historical and spiritual items to the Jews. Now they are being returned to Jerusalem. The only problemis that the Temple has not been rebuilt -- but it will -- in part because the sacred items are being returned. This is a most generous gesture of the king -- he is turning loose of a great wealth in gold alone (for these items were made of solid gold!) The prophets foretold the day when that which the canker worm had eaten would be returned. This is it. They spoke of the days that the riches ofthe Gentiles would be given to the Jews. This is it. They spoke ofthe time when the Temple would be rebuilt and sacred sacrifices would once again be offered. That day is come. All because a king in a far land heard of the injustices done to a small nation --one that had given birth to men and women who found favor in the king's eyes.


These same promises and more have been passed on to you and me. And here is the value of today's verse. If God did it for the Jewsin exile, He will do it for us. God is a keeper of promises -- even if we fail to keep our end. His promises are "yes and amen". What God speaks is truth and what is truth will be fulfilled. Perhaps you find yourself in a bit of bondage. There is that "pet" sin that plagues you. You simply cannot turn loose of it no matter how hardyou try. God will take it away. He promised that we should be made white as snow. "How? When?" you may ask. I don't know. Sometimes it seems to be forever, sometimes it is instantaneous. It's all up to the Father. He may want more effort from those of us who show signs of strength. He may require none from those who have no strength at all. Some of us have struggled with smoking, drinking, or other sins for years and have not found freedom.


God has promised to lift you up. Understanding that He knows what is best for us and we don't, then allowing Him to do things His way and letting Him do the worrying. Which is more relaxing, driving cross country or flying? Most will answer flying. Why? Because the pilot and crew get to do all the hard stuff. We simply lean back trusting that the pilot will find the proper airport and take us to our destination. Simply lean back, put your confidence in the Lord, trusting that He will find the best way to our destination. That's the promise of today's verse -- God keeps His promises. Always has -- always will. All we have to dois trust. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Psalm 106:15

"And He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul." Psalm 106:15


There are a great many people who do not pray becausethey simply do not feel any sense of need. One of the greatsigns that the Holy Spirit is in us is that we realize that sense of absolute need. The Spirit will awaken that sense of need whenever life challenges us. The Spirit may bringus a sense of fullness, yet we realize how empty we have been, and in that emptiness the Spirit directs us to prayer.


When we learn how to pray in the Spirit, there may come a sense of restraint. Never push beyond, determining in your mind that it is God's will and I will stick to it. Remember the above scripture, God may be reluctant but grant your request anyway. Allow the Spirit of God to teach you, He is your source, He knows your need, and do not grieve Him withyour determination. Beware; if you are ever free from that sense of need, it may be that you have become satisfied with the way you are.


If you are truly abiding in Jesus Christ you will learn to ask for what He wants you to ask for, whether we are consciousof doing so or not. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Mark 15:37-38

"And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. Then the veil of the temple was torn in twofrom top to bottom." Mark 15:37-38


There is a difference between being alone and being separated. Jesus had been separated from His Father, but He was on a mission. He was doing His part in God'sgreat plan to redeem mankind from his sinful ways. That was fine. Every day He could communicate with theFather. He did what His Father asked. He was separated from the Father but He was not alone.


That all changed on a Friday afternoon. Jesus was hanging on a cross, the result of a set of rigged trials. He was unjustly accused, convicted with false testimony, beaten unmercifully by the Romans and finally hanged on that cross. It was there that He became truly separated from His Father.


All of a sudden, He looked heavenward through pain filled eyes, and Daddy wasn't there. Why? It wasn't the suffering or the injustice. It was the sin. No, not Jesus' sin for He was sinless. It was deeper. Just as the priest would lay his handsupon a sacrificial lamb and transfer the guilt of a person orthe nation from them to that lamb, on the cross all the sins of all mankind -- past, present, and future -- were placed upon Jesus.


In effect, Jesus became sin -- and that is what the Father could not tolerate or look upon! That is when Jesus was alone and lonely. That is why He cried "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" But note what happened when Jesus died --literally when He took His last breath! The veil of the Temple was torn in half. That may not seem significant at first, but follow these questions.


"What was the purpose of the veil?" It separated the HolyPlace from the Holy of Holies. "What was the Holy of Holies?" It symbolized the dwelling place of God. "So when the veil was torn, what happened to the Holy of Holies?" It was exposed to every man -- there was no longer a partition that separated man from God. EXACTLY! Jesus' sacrificial death was what was needed to break down the barrier between God and YOU! You and I no longer need to be lonely. We have direct access to the Father. We do not have to approach Him through a priest or pastor or intermediary of any type. We can approach Him directly --if we approach Him through the blood, the sacrifice of Jesus. To that I say "Hallelujah!" I will never again be lonely. I always have the Father with me. He no longer resides in a Temple made with hands. He resides in my heart where there is no separation but what I put up -- and I willingly, openly tear them down so that I can rest in the Fathers arms. And YOU can do the very same thing! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Gal 5:14-15

"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!" Gal 5:14-15

In Matthew 22:36-40 Jesus is asked to define the greatest commandment. His response, in brief, is "Love God and love your neighbor as yourself." He said all the law "hangs" on these two. Visualize a ladder hanging on a wall. For it to remain in a horizontal position above the floor, it has to have two hanging points. So it is with the Old Testament Law. It hangs upon these two commandments every bit as much as that ladder hangs on the wall. Jesus is indicating that if we love God with all our heart, soul, and body -- everything we have -- we will not sin against God.

Likewise, if we love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves, we will never sin against them. In short, we would be perfect if we could just keep these two commandments. Paul simplifies the law a bit more. He says if we love our neighbor as ourselves, we fulfill all the law.

Let's think on this last statement a bit. If I love my neighbor as I love myself, I would never think about stealing his nice new car -- after all, I wouldn't want him to steal from me. There's one of the commandments -- thou shalt not steal. If I love my neighbor as I love myself, I would not commit adultery with his wife -- I wouldn't take kindly to him flirting with mine. Another of the ten commandments is fulfilled -- thou shalt not commit adultery. Get the picture? Of course, we've discussed it before when we say that we should prefer each other over ourselves -- we need to put others before ourselves in all things. That's just a different way of saying the same thing. But, a funny thing happens when two people get together. Sooner or later one of the pair will become jealous of the other. Grumbling to yourself is one of the first steps towards destruction. Gossip is the next step. Back biting, hatred, perhaps even a knock down drag out fight may conclude the friendship's demise. So follow the law and Love one another. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

John 5: 19

"Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner." John 5:19

In today's verse Jesus says that He can do nothing but what He sees the Father doing. Isn't that something. If it is true that Jesus only did what His Father did, then shouldn't we be exactly doing the same? But how different we run our lives. How often we drive down the road of life doing our own thing, happy as can be -- until something happens -- something goes wrong. Then who do we blame? Where do we turn? Ever prayed this prayer? "Lord, help me! I've gotten myself in a big mess. I need you to fix it for me." Something is wrong here.

First of all, I never see Jesus praying that prayer! Why didn't He? He didn't have to. He always sought the Father's advise before He did anything. Remember he would spend all night in prayer even after the disciples would be fast asleep. Even -- no especially -- before the day of His death, He spent the night in prayer. What did He pray? "Lord, if it is your will, take this cup from me. But not my will but Yours be done." Even in this trying time, He was willing to do the Father's perfect will.

This leads to the second thing that is wrong. We seldom ask God for direction before we set out. We seem to think we know everything -- until we are proved wrong. Instead, we need to be like Jesus. We need to seek the Father's will before we act.

Imagine the difference in our lives if we knew what God wanted in every circumstance. We can, you know. The Father is more than willing to tells us when and where to go. What and whom to do it with -- everything. Even if there seems to be no obvious answer, this prayer always seems to work: "Father, it looks like a door is open to me. I have sought Your will and still don't have a clear direction. I will proceed to go through this door, but I ask that You close it if You don't want me to." Trust me, I have had more doors closed because of this prayer -- but I have also pried open a few that He had nailed shut!

I suggest that you avoid this action at all cost! Let's follow Jesus pattern. Let's watch the Father and do what He does. Let's ask Him and do what He says. I can guarantee that our lives will be safer, fuller and richer than ever before. Amen and Amen.

Luke 9:1-2

"Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick." Luke 9:1-2

Notice how Jesus equipped His disciples for ministry. He knew that when they began preaching the kingdom of God and healing the sick, demonic powers would bring opposition. So He specifically gave them power and authority over demons.

Later Jesus sent out 70 of His followers on a similar mission, and they "returned with joy, saying 'Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name'"(Luke 10:17). These missionaries were spiritually in tune enough to know that demons existed and that they were a force to be reckoned with in their ministry. Jesus' followers had been eyewitnesses as the evil spirits opposed the Master, and they probably anticipated the same treatment. Perhaps they even started out on their mission with pangs of fear and doubt about encountering demonic resistance. But they came back astonished at the victory they experienced over evil spirits.

But Jesus quickly brought the issue of spiritual conflicts into perspective: "Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven" (Luke 10:20). Jesus sent out the 70 to preach the gospel and to heal, but all they could talk about when they came back was how they sent the demons running. "Don't be demon-centered," Jesus replied. "Be kingdom-centered, be ministry-centered, be

God-centered."

That's a good warning. As you learn to exercise authority over the kingdom of darkness in your life and in the lives of others, you may be tempted to see yourself as some kind of spiritual freedom fighter, looking for demons behind every door. But it's truth which sets you free, not the knowledge of error. You are not called to dispel the darkness; you are called to turn on the light. You would have no authority at all if it weren't for your identity as a child of God and your position in Christ. Amen and Amen.

Here I am Lord

1 Samuel 3:1-10 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 John 1:43-51

Here I am Lord

 When Carmel calls me, sometimes I cannot hear her calling, even though she might even be shouting for me.  At such occasions,
 she gets rather angry about it, and my one and only excuse is that I am getting old, and I am getting a bit hard of hearing.

The stories from the Gospels as to how Jesus called his disciples are all very known to some of us present here today, and over
the years, some of us have heard it many times.  The story of how God called Samuel to be his prophet should also be rather
familiar to some of us present here today.  

However, I am very much aware as I am standing here speaking to you, that there are many people who are failing to hear the
call of God.  Although the church often talks about how we are all called to be followers of Jesus, and despite all the sermons
we hear every year that tells us that we are all called to be like the prophets of old and to hear and speak of God’s word to one
another.

Why do you think that may be the case?

Why do you think that so many people, many of them are very fine people, many of them are people who already believe in God,
who already believe in Jesus, and accepted Jesus as their Saviour, believe that God is not and has not been speaking to them
personally?  That God is not trying to, in some way or other, guide them in the path that they should be taking?  That God is not,
and has not been reaching out to them?

I think that the answer to that is that some people failed to hear the call of God, that they failed to notice how God is summoning
them.  They did not hear it not because the call has not been issued, but it is because either they have no idea as to how God
calls us, or maybe because they allow themselves to pass over that call.  Maybe they are used to putting aside the call of God
as it were, as it might be something that they do want to do, or do not think that they can do it, and so grow used to ignoring
the Word when it comes.

Let us think about the boy Samuel for a moment…

He was a special boy – like some of you are – he was a special gift from God to his mother Hannah.  He was dedicated to the
Lord by his mother upon his both and sent, when still at a very young age, to live with the Priest Eli at a place call Shiloh.

The scriptures told us that he was living in a time when the Word of the Lord was rare, a time when visions of the future were
not widespread at all.

Nevertheless, Samuel was living in a holy place in the holy presence.  He witnessed the sacrifices made at the alter in Shiloh,
and even as a young boy, he was wearing the line ephod and ministered in the house of God.

Just like his teacher, Eli, Samuel prayed to God.

Just like his master – he served God faithfully.

Like other people, he had heard the teachings proclaimed, he heard the story of the love of God.

Samuel was living in a very special place.  In fact, the scriptures told us that Samuel grew up in the presence of God.

Samuel in that case, of all people, should have been able to recognize the call of God when it came to him.  But as the story in
chapter three of the Book of Samuel told us, when the time came, he did not.  He did not recognize the call of God, until Eli
recognized that call for him.

We are told by the Scriptures that three times the Lord called out to Samuel when he was lying in bed, and three times he
answered by saying “Here I am” and ran all the way out to see Eli who was in the room next to him.

The third time that this happened, Eli understood that it was God’s voice calling Samuel and he instructed Samuel to “Go,
lie down, and if the Lord calls  you, you shall say, speak, Lord for your servant is listening.”  

And so, it only after that did Samuel finally heard what it was that God wanted to say to him.  So it was only then that Samuel
learned of the fate that was to befall Eli.  So it was only at that time did Samuel learned that he was to speak the Word of God to
others.

How very much like Samuel are a great many of us.  Living in a special place.  Listening to the stories of His love for us.  Serving
Him in his house and in this world where we are living in.  Just like Samuel we are dedicated to the Lord.  Just like Samuel, a lot
of us are thinking that the voices we hear in the middle of the night comes from another room, thinking that those are just dreams
which came to us as a result of eating that midnight snack before bedtime.  Quite often many of us feel that the inner nudges
that we feel is only coming from our own intuition, or from maybe from the fact that our unconscious mind is just playing tricks
on us.

God calls all of us in many ways.  God speaks to us all in many different forms.  And almost of His calls are gentle.  Almost all of
them are subtle ones; almost all of them can be mistaken as for something else.  That is until we really hear those calls, then we
discover the power of God is in them and behind those calls.

That was what happened in the Gospel reading we heard this morning.  The power 

That is what happens in today's gospel lesson.  The power behind the call of God is discovered by the one who finally decided
to listen to it.  The Gospel reading tells us that shortly after his baptism Jesus decided to go up to Galilee.  At that time he
already had Andrew and Simon Peter as his disciples.

As he was getting ready to leave Bethany to go on to Galilee Jesus goes out and finds Philip – he seeks him out, just as he
seeks out Samuel, and just as he seeks us out – and he says to Philip, “follow me”.

Philip responded to the call of Jesus and as he was preparing to join Jesus he goes out and locates a man by the name of
Nathaniel, telling him “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote.  Jesus, son of Joseph
from Nazareth”.  It is obvious from the Gospel reading that both Philip and Nathaniel were men who were seekers, men who
were looking for the promised one of God.  However, we can see that Nathaniel was not prepared to accept that it was the call
of God that he has heard through Philip.  He doubted what Philip told him replied to him: “Can anything good come out of
Nazareth?”

Still, Nathaniel went along with Philip.  He went with Philip to check out what he has just been told by Philip.  And in doing so
discovered that Jesus is a prophet, that Jesus has special powers.  For Jesus knew without being told where he was at the
moment when Philip called him.

Jesus said to him: “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?  You will see greater things than these.  
Very truly I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Do we listen to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ – Do we check out the calls they issued out to us on behalf of God.  Do
we check out the call to meet the Lord in a particular place and time?  Do we check out the call to discover what we have been
looking for? 

Do we check out the call?

If I praise all of you all too much now – let me know, because when I look out here on Sunday morning, I see faithful people.  I
see people here who have decided to follow Jesus, people who are struggling real heard to do what is right.  I see people who
worship and who pray.  I see people who listen to the holy stories, and seek to obey the will of the Lord.

I see amongst you all people who are like Samuel, and Philip and Nathaniel.  I see here people who work for God.  

But still, I cannot help but wonder, when I see you, how many of you here today believe that God has spoken to you?  How
many of you do believe that God has called you in person and not sent an angel to do it.  He has personally called you to do
what you are doing here in the church?  Here in this place call Hong Kong?

And of those of us who do believe this.  How many of you here believe that God is still with you – guiding you, or tying to
guide you, each and every day?

God is calling all of us – He is calling ALL OF US!  He is calling us not to just worship Him.  He is also calling us to do and say
certain things at certain times.  He is calling for us to walk a particular path with Him, a path that is very similar to, but not the
same as the path of all the disciples, apostles and saints of all the ages before our time and of this day and age.

God has a personal plan for you.

God seeks to guide you in your daily life.

And that call of God to you is a personal call.

God is seeking you out, just as Jesus called out Philip.  

God is calling you by your name – just as He called Samuel by name.

God calls us in our dreams.  He calls in the voice of those people who are tying to help us find our way.  He calls us through our
spouses and the people at work.  He calls us when we take the time to calm down and to read His Word, or to meditate.  He calls
us when we are trying to decide as to what to do next in our life.  He calls us when we gaze upon the heavens.  He calls out to us
 when we are praying.

God is calling us.

A great many people speak to God, they pray to him daily, whether it be five minutes a day or half an hour a day, or even an hour
a day.  They do that without even really thinking of how it is that God might answer them, without seriously thinking as how
they are meant to listen to Him.

It is like picking up the telephone to speak into it, and instead of HOLDING IT LIKE TH IS, they are trying to HOLD IT LIKE
THIS.

I remember a cartoon I looked at in a newspaper some time ago.  In the cartoon the yard was filled with children playing in the
way that only children can.  They were yelling and screaming, blowing horns, and crying.  The dog was barking, a plane flies
overhead, and there were two boys beating drums.  Inside the house, the mother of one of the children says to her husband,
“Listen. That is PJ crying!”

I am sure that those of you who are mothers sitting here today will be in agreement with me if I said that mothers’ ears are
conditioned to h ear the sound of her child’s voice, no matter how much noise there might be in the background.

God calls each and every one of us for a purpose – a very good purpose.  He calls us to come to him so that He may be able to
transform our lives.  He calls on us to listen to Him and to do what he tells us to do, so that he might change us, and the world
we are living in, making it holy and good, full of love and joy, whole and at peace…

If we really want to hear what God is trying to tell us, it will certainly help to hold the telephone in the correct way.  It will
certainly help if we have learned as to how and where He will speak to us.  It will certainly help if we, by continual practice,
conditioned our ears and hearts and minds to hear His voice.

Listen for God’s voice where-ever you may be – in whatever you see or hear.  Whether it is a dream you have just had.  
Whether it is the message of a preacher you have just heard.  Whether it is in the still small voice y9ou have heard inside you
at the seashore, or in the words of a friend who is telling you how God has dealt his or her situation, and what it is that he or
she thinks that God is trying to tell you.

That happens when you belong to a church you know.  That happens when you are gathered with your fellow brothers and
sisters in Christ.  Sometimes they speak to you about God.  Sometimes they have a message from God that is meant especially
for you.  

Listen to the “Good Book” and judge the things you hear by the Book and by the Spirit that is within you.  Examine what is
happening around you and pray about what you just heard or read.  Look and listen – and I promise you that you will hear the
 voice of God, you will hear his call.

LISTEN.

Listen and then do as you feel or believe that you have been called to do, and if it is truly the Word of God, you will find and
experience the power that lies behind that very Word, that very call.

You will see things happening as promised.  You will see changes that are good.  You will see God glorified and people who
only seek after their own desires humbled.  You will see mercy and grace, judgment and vindication.  You will see new life arise
out of sinners and new hope comes out of despair.

Listen, and it will be as Jesus promised to Nathaniel, you will see heaven opened up and the angels of God ascending and
descending upon the Son of Man.  

Listen and you will find what you have been looking for all the time.

Let us pray.  Dear Lord, we know that you do call each and every one of us.  Help us to listen for you call.  Help us to be able to
recognize it and to accept it.  Help us discover your personal Word for us.  Help us discover your personal demands upon each
and every one of us.  Let us discover your personal will for each and every one of us.  We ask of it in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

James 4:14

"Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appearsfor a little time and then vanishes away." James 4:14


Years ago, I saw a scene that was a definite Kodak moment and I wanted to take a photograph. On this particular morning the rising sun was muted by a fog that rose from the water. The water was perfectly still, reflecting the pleasure boats docked on the opposite shore. The mist caused a sleepy, mellow, winsome feeling to come over me. On that particular day I did not have my camera with me. I thought to myself"surely this scene will be repeated sometime this summer.


So, every day thereafter my camera was my ever present companion -- and was never used! The only place I can visit that particular moment is in my memory. So it is with our lives.J ames says we are a vapor -- a mist -- a mellow fog. We are here today and gone in an hour or so never to return again. Even so, our lives are not to be wasted. The fog on that morning so long ago had a purpose. If nothing else, I can retreat to that river bank and refresh myself in it's coolness.



James tells us that it is important to live our lives for today-- not in dissipation and self-centeredness -- but in service to the King of kings. It does no good to fret over yesterday --it's gone and can never be brought back, like the fog in my missed photo. There is no practical purpose served in worryabout tomorrow. It will come in it's own time bringing withit sufficient things for us to do. Such worry only drains ourenergies that we need for today. James says today is where it's at! We need to direct our efforts into today, for today and what we do with it is the only thing that we can do somethingabout. Another thing about our lives being a vapor, what we do on this earth will be short lived. Very few of us willever be written up in the Encyclopedia Britannica. Very few of those who do will be found in it 10 years after our first appearance. Only what we do today that has eternal value will last. That job that is so important to get out this week -- it will be forgotten by next month. That cake that has to be just perfect will be nothing but crumbs at the end of the meal. The car that we spend so much time and effort on -- just a pile of rust in 10 or 20 years. What'simportant is the love we give our spouses and our children.



What's eternal is the Word of God that we plant in their lives. What makes a difference is what we do for Jesus today.


These can not be measured in dollars and cents, but in treasures laid up in heaven where bugs and rust cannot destroy them. That's how we need to view the "vapor"we call today. Amen and Amen.

James 4:17

"Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." James 4:17

There are two types of sin -- sins of commission and sins of omission. The first we know all about. You lie, you sin. You steal, you sin. You cheat, you sin. The other is a little more mysterious. A while back I was in a donut shop in Central here in Hong Kong, and an old white man of about 90 years came into the shop and asked the girl if they gave senior citizen discounts, she replied yes, but before serving the man I said to check his ID, cause he didn't look like a senior. With that he turned to me with a huge smile on his face and said son, you just made my day, as a matter of fact, you just made my year. Oh, what a feeling. Now that was not a sin. I blessed that fellow.

But, if I hadn't said what I did. . . now that would have been a sin of omission -- a sin because I didn't do something that I knew I should have done. Let's think of some other such sins. How about the time you intentionally forgot your wife's (or husband's) birthday so you could do your own thing? How about the money you spent on new fishing gear (or perfume) instead of paying the electric bill? Oh, here's a good one. What about staying home from Sunday worship because you had spent Saturday night partying? Now my intention is not to have you pack your bags and lay a guilt trip on you -- but if the Holy Spirit is convicting you -- well as they say, "if the shoe fits, wear it." Of course, we all know that conviction leads us to repentance. And repentance leads us to forgiveness. And forgiveness leads us to sanctification. And sanctification leads us to a right relationship with God. If, however, you are suffering from condemnation because of sins of omission -- things you should have done and didn't -- well, that comes from Satan.

He is the author of such thoughts as "and you call yourself a Christian!" and "see, I told you that you didn't have what it takes to be a child of God." or "look at you, holding a pity party. My, aren't we a cutie sitting there with tears of remorse streaming down our faces?" If you are having these thoughts, STOP! DO NOT PASS GO! GO IMMEDIATELY TO THE FATHER AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS. TELL THE DEVIL WHERE TO GET OFF. AND REJOICE IN THE GOD OF YOUR SALVATION! Halelujah, Amen and Amen.

2 Corinth 3:17

"Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." 2 Corinth 3:17

I believe that our freedom in Christ is one of the most precious commodities we have received from our spiritual union with God. Because the Spirit of the Lord is in you, you are free to choose to live a responsible and moral life. You are no longer compelled to walk according to the flesh as you were before conversion. And now you are not even compelled to walk according to the Spirit. You are free to choose to walk according to the Spirit or to walk according to the flesh.

Walking according to the Spirit implies two things. First of all, it's not passive. We're talking about walking in the Spirit, not sitting in the Spirit. One of the most dangerous and harmful detriments to your spiritual growth is passivity--putting your mind in neutral and coasting. Sitting back and waiting forGod to do everything is not God's way to spiritual maturity.

Second, we're talking about walking in the spirit, not running in the Spirit. The Spirit-filled life is not achieved through endless, exhausting activity. We mistakenly think that the harder we work for God, the more spiritual we will become. That's a subtle lie from the enemy. Satan knows that he may not be able to stop you from serving God by making you immoral, but he can probably impede your service by simply making you busy. Ourservice for God can become the greatest detriment of our devotionto God. Amen and Amen.

Matt 6:13

"And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." Matt 6:13


When I was a child, there was a series on TV based on the Superman comic books. The show began with a description of Superman's powers and one line said, "More powerful than a locomotive." This was supposed to be impressive. But the imagination of a child cannot
match the reality of God.


We find it hard to even imagine the power of God. This is because we are limited creatures trying to understand an infinite creator. It boggles the mind. Which, of course, is what we should expect to happen. A friend of mine often said, "I wouldn't want to serve a God that I could understand." What he means is that, if we were capable of understanding God, then He would be no greater than us. That is hardly a very powerful God.


I like the construction of this verse. Jesus simply says, "Yours is the power." It's as if all other power, hardly deserves the name. It also tells us very clearly where real power resides. Even the power I believe I have in this life depends on God. We think the power of the atom is mighty, but what about God who made the atom and who is holding the atom together. In Colossians 1.17 Paul tells us that "by Him all things consist." The Greek word for "consist"
literally means, "held together." In other words, everything would just blow apart if God withheld his power. Now, that is power. So, Our Father in Heaven has at his right hand infinite power. How does a loving parent use the power he or she has available? That parent uses it to guide, nurture, and shower gifts on his or her child. Right? Do you think our heavenly father is any different.


So, we know that God is a loving father. We also know that he has all power in heaven and in earth. Given those two facts, why do we worry about what we need. God wants to provide our needs and he has the power to do so. What more needs to be said? Amen.

Hebrews 13:2

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Hebrews 13:8

The fact that you claim to believe is not the issue of faith. It's what you believe or in whom you believe that will determine whether or not your faith will be rewarded. Everybody walks by faith every day. Every time you drive on the highway, you do so by faith. Are the objects of your faith on the highway reliable? Most of the time they are because most drivers drive safely. But

you may have been involved in an accident because you placed your faith in another driver who proved to be untrustworthy.

What happens when the object of your faith fails you? You give up on it--maybe not immediately, but how many failures would you tolerate before saying never again? Once faith is damaged or lost, it is very difficult to regain. Your belief isn't the problem; it's the object of your belief that either rewards or destroys your faith. If your marriage partner has been unfaithful to you, or a friend or relative has hurt you badly, your faith in that person is weak because he or she did not live up to your trust. When faith in a person is shattered, it may take months to rebuild it.

The ultimate faith-object, of course, is not the sun, but the Son. It is His immutability--the fact that He never changes--that makes Him eminently trustworthy (Numbers 23:19; Malachi 3:6). He has never failed to be and do all that He said He would be and do. He is eternally faithful. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Sinking like a Rock

READING: Genesis 37:1-4; Psalm 85:8-13; Romans 10:5-15; Matthew 14:22-33

Let us pray: Breathe on us, O God, that we may be filled with your Spirit – and led by your living word – Jesus Christ our Lord. Bless the word of my lips and the meditations of our hearts. We ask it in his name. Amen.

You may have heard before the story about a man taking a walk in the mountains enjoying the scenery when he stepped too close to the edge of the mountain and started to fall. In desperation he reached out and grabbed a limb of an old tree hanging onto the side of the cliff.

Full of fear he assessed his situation. He was about 100 feet down a shear cliff and about 900 feet from the floor of the canyon below. If he should slip again he will be falling to his death. Full of fear, he cries out, "Help me!" But there was no answer. Again and again he cried out but to no avail. Finally he yelled, "Is anybody up there?"

A deep voice replied, "Yes, I'm up here." "Who is it?" "It's the Lord." "Can you help me?" "Yes, I can help. Have faith in me." "Help me!" "Let go." Looking around the man became full of panic. "What?!?!" "Have faith in me. Let go. I will catch you."

"Uh... Is there anybody else up there?"

Often each and everyone of us goes through hard and difficult times, and I often wonder where our faith fits in when we are going through difficult times, the times of storm, the times of trials and of testing.

There are some people who will tell you that you if you have faith, life will be smooth sailing. There are some people who will tell you that if you have faith, God will take good care of you, He will cure all your ills and He will guard you from every danger in the world. That is if you have enough faith, if you stay close to God….

If we listen carefully to our Scripture reading of this morning from the Book of Matthew, we may discover that this is not necessarily the case.

Do you remember the incident in the Gospels of Jesus feeding the 5,000? Do you remember that in that particular incident the crowds had gathered to hear Jesus, and as the day went on, Jesus told the disciples to “Give the people something to eat?”

The disciples were shocked! Their immediate response to Jesus was “We do not have enough! All we have here are two little fish and five small loaves of bread. That is not enough! We cannot possibly do what you asked us to do, Jesus!” Does that reaction of the disciples sounded familiar to you?

Jesus said to his disciples, “Give the food to me.” After they given him the food, Jesus blesses it, and tells the disciples to pass it out. The disciples did as they were instructed, and everyone had their fill, and when they finished eating, there were even 12 baskets of food left over!

What do you think that the disciples were thinking throughout all this? They were after all, right there in the middle when Jesus performed that miracle. Maybe some of the members of the crowed did not realize as to what was happening at the time, but the disciples were right there. They were there all the way through the entire miracle. They took part in the miracle. What do you think that they were thinking? Did witnessing the miracle change them? Did witnessing the miracle strengthen their faith?

Well from the Scriptures the disciples seem to be slow learners.

After the feeding of the 5,000 was all over, Jesus dismisses the crowd and sends them all home. After sending the people home, he told the disciples, “Get in the boat and cross the lake. I will join you later, but right now I need to be alone for a while to pray.”

The instructions that Jesus gave to the disciples probably did not sound strange at all, for often as we can read from the Scriptures, Jesus did spend a lot of time praying. In any case, I think probably the disciples were thinking that he may be joining them by getting another boat later that night to cross the lake and so they set sail for the other side.

Unfortunately a few hours later we find the disciples caught in the middle of the lake in a wind storm. The waves were rolling, a strong wind was blowing they were getting absolutely nowhere at all. It takes them every bit of effort just to keep their boat into the wind, and they were not making any progress at all in getting across to the other side of the lake.

We must remember that the reason for their being out there in the middle of the lake in the first place was due to what Jesus told them to do. In fact, it was what Jesus ordered them, or commanded them to do – to get in the boat and cross to the other side of the lake.

They were following orders by doing exactly what Jesus had told them to do, and due to their being obedient to him, discovered that they were now caught in a big storm! A storm that was far too big for them to handle!

Do faith and obedience always mean smooth sailing in life? Apparently that is not the case. Sometimes when we follow Jesus, it may at times leads us straight into a storm!

Finally in the small hours of the morning just before first light, Jesus came walking out to them, actually walking on the water! The initial reaction of the disciples was one of fear. They were terrified! “It is a ghost!” they were saying, or more like screaming.

But then Jesus called out to them, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

I do not know why, but for whatever the reason it may have been, maybe Peter needed proof or something, and Peter said, “If it is really you Lord, command me to come out on the water with you.” He probably regretted it as soon as the words came out of his mouth. Mind you, if you really think of it, he was the only one who even dared to say that, the other apostles just simply refused to even take that step out of the boat!

Anyway Jesus simply told him, “Come…come on, Peter.”

I would imagine at that particular moment in time, it would be, to Peter, very much like letting go of that root that you would have been hanging onto for dear life. At this very point, I would imagine that Peter was probably ready to call out, “uh, is there anyone else out there?”

But Peter is caught, after all, he was the only one amongst the twelve who asked Jesus to let him get into the water, and since Jesus said ‘yes’, there was no backing down. So he very cautiously puts one leg over the boat, then the other leg, still holding onto the boat. He lets go of the boat with one hand, and then the other, and there we find dear old Peter, walking on the water as well!

Is that impossible? It is no more impossible than feeding 5000 people with two fishes and five loaves of bread! As Jesus plainly said and as we all know, “With God, all things are possible!”

Quite contrary to all the laws of nature, the impossible was happening – this is because the Lord of the universe was there.

But then something happens to Peter. It was almost as if he suddenly woke up and realized where he is.

Often when we watch cartoons with our children, we see a cartoon character runs off a cliff and stays suspended in mid air until he finally realizes what a stupid thing he just did, and then down drops the cartoon character.

Well, here we have Peter, walking on the water towards Jesus. Everything seems to be going on fine, but then he took his eyes off Jesus and began to look around at his surroundings. And guess what he saw? He saw big waves and a driving wind, and there he was in the middle of it, on the water, unprotected, without even a life jacket or a floating log.

He forgot all about Jesus, he forgotten all the miracles of Jesus he seen before, and got scared, as a result he began to sink.

The name “Peter” means rock, but now instead of being a solid rock of faith, he began to sink like a rock.

In desperation, Peter cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Have you ever been in a similar situation before? Have you ever been there before? I understand and believe that it is the most elementary cry of every human being whenever we are confronted with something or event or happening which is

- beyond our strength

- beyond our ability

- beyond our control

In the midst of our human helplessness and powerlessness, we will often cry out, “Lord, save me!” I know I do, whenever I am in trouble, and often those are troubles that I got myself into by not listening to God, I will cry out, “Lord, save me!”

Jesus reached out and grabs hold of Peter, pulls him up and helped him to get back into the boat.

“Why did you doubt, Peter? Where is your faith? Did you not believe me? Did you not believe me when I told you to let go?”

Suddenly the wind dies down, the waves settle. The disciples were all filled with awe and amazement. Falling to their knees they declared, “Truly you are the Son of God!”

As I was preparing for today’s sermon, I heard God speaking to me, as He did this morning through the Scriptures to all of us. What I hear is the Lord saying to Peter, to all the disciples and to each and every one of us:

Life is simply full of adventures and encounters and accidents and all kinds of experiences that will remind us time and time again, that if our eyes are open to see it, that God alone is God and each and every one of us are totally dependent upon the Lord as our only source of life and hope and strength.

Even when we are so very certain that God is the one leading us and we are acting as according to God’s will, we should never dare think that we, as we are acting in accordance to the will of God, we can therefore go it alone, and therefore relying solely on our own strength, resources and abilities.

We must not forget that the disciples were only doing what Jesus had told them to do. If they would have remembered that, they could have pressed forward without fear, even in the middle of the biggest storm they ever had in their lives.

Peter was only doing what the Lord invited him to do. He was in actually doing the impossible if we measure it by worldly standards.

It was only when he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the storm raging all around him that he got scared, got into trouble and began to sink.

We know that without Jesus we can do nothing, but with God, all things are possible. After all, He is the creator of this world, He is the one who created you and me, and He will never tell us to do anything without supplying the means for us to do so. But we have to place our complete faith and trust in Him to do so.

I am sure that Peter never in his lifetime forgets that moment. There were of course, many other times of doubt and testing through his life, and he was not always successful.

Just like us, whenever he floundered he will always end up crying out, “Lord, save me! And the Lord will always be there to reach out to save him, just as He is always there for us. Peter always found the help and the strength he needed when he asked for it.

Life in this world is indeed always full of adventures and encounters, as well as accidents and experiences that will remind us time and time again that ultimately we are completely dependent upon God for our life, our hope, our joy, and our salvation.

At the very end, we will find that there is just nobody else up there, and the one and only choice we have is to let go, and let God work out His Will in our lives.

As a congregation of God’s people, we often are faced with situations and opportunities to let go and let God’s will be done within our midst.

Every time we bring a little baby to the waters of Holy Baptism;

Every time we gathered around the table of the Lord;

Every time we adopt a budget and decide as to how to spend the money God has entrusted to us;

Every time we are face with new challenges or new opportunities for ministry to other people;

Every time we gathered together at a funeral to mark the passing of one of God’s faithful servants from this world into everlasting life;

We will with all certainty be facing again and again the temptation to doubt and falter. The temptation to focus on the storms that are raging all around us, the human nature of feeling fear, instead of focusing on Jesus, who is the Lord of life, the Master of the winds and the waves.

We do know that Jesus has been calling us forth as His people, and God is inviting us to trust Him, to let go and let God take control of our lives.

And so, we go from here, seeking to be God’s faithful people, trusting and depending on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ all the time, always keeping our eyes focused on Jesus, who is the one and only source of life, hope, joy and salvation.

I would like to end this sermon by sharing with you a prayer: Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the endings, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us the faith to go out with good courage. Not knowing where we go. But only that your hand is leading us, and your love is supporting us; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Romans 13:8

"Owe no one anything except to love one another,for he who loves another has fulfilled the law."

Romans 13:8

Many people demonstrate that their need to win when trying to resolve conflicts with others is greater than their regard for relationships. Why is winning so important to us? Why must we always be right? The person who is driven to win, to be right, or to be first is insecure. Insecure people are driven to perform.

Security comes from relationships, not achievements. A secure person is a person who is comfortable with himself and others. It is easy to communicate with a secure person, but you often end up clashing with a driven person. Would you rather be a lover or an achiever? Which would you prefer your spouse, children, coworkers and friends to be?

Relationships are more important than achievements to God. Jesus declared that the two greatest commandments are to love God and love people (Matthew 22:36-40). The purpose of the Word of God is to govern our relationships with God and man. If our achievements in life don't enhance our relationships with God, our spouse and children, and others, then we are not fulfilling God's commandments.

Is there ever a time when we need to assert ourselves in conflicts? Yes, we need to stand our ground on moral issues. But we never have the right to violate the fruit of the Spirit in doing so. If what you do can't be done in love and self-control, then maybe it's better left undone. And remember: Your authority does not increase with the volume of your voice. When you resort to shouting in conflict, you are reacting in the flesh. You have lost control of the only person you can control: yourself. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Hebrews 13:2

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by sodoing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Hebrews 13:2

Today as I was reading my Bible this verse jumped out at me. To me it is saying let the love of God shine through me. In Hebrew times it was a common practice for people to take strangers in overnight. They showed the Love of Christ, not knowing if who they were helping was a spy or a brother or sister in the Lord.

Today we would say times are very different, but we can still show the Love of Christ in many ways in our daily lives. Many people cross our paths in a day's time. We don't know the struggles they are going through. Most of the time we see the bad side of people. But this might be from being let down or from being hurt so many times by others. If we would start by offering to open a door for them or say a kind word, offering a word of encouragement to a person whom is hurting. Trying to have a smile on your face, a pleasantness that will allow others to see Christ in us.

Helping others without expecting anything in return can bring many blessings. Getting to know people has been a blessing to me. After we befriend a person, we get to see through the hard and ruff shell that all of us have. The Lord has brought many people into my life, just at the time I needed encouragement or someone to talk with. TO ME THEY WERE ANGELS SENT BY GOD. By taking a step in faith, by letting Gods Light shine through you. You might be an angel that someone needs today. LET THE LIGHT OF THE LORD SHINE THROUGH YOU TODAY.

Father God, we thank you for how you bring people into our lives. For the many ways you bless us in and through others. Help us to entertain strangers and show them your love through us. Shine through us (I want to be in the Light as You are in the Light... ) each and every day Lord. Even in times when people treat us rudely and unfairly. Show us ways to help and encourage others. Amen and Amen.

Eph. 6:17

"And take ---- the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;" Eph 6:17

The Word of God is the only offensive weapon mentioned in the list of armor. Since Paul used rhema instead of logos for "word" in Ephesians 6:17, I believe Paul is referring to the spoken Word of God. We are to defend ourselves against the evil one by speaking aloud God's Word.

Why is it so important to speak God's Word in addition to believing it and thinking it? Because Satan is a created being, and he doesn't perfectly know what you're thinking. By observing

you, he can pretty well tell what you are thinking, just as any student of human behavior can. And it isn't difficult for him to know what you're thinking if he put the thought in. But he

doesn't know what you're going to do before you do it. He can put thoughts into your mind, and he will know whether you buy his lie by how you behave.

Satan can try to influence you by planting thoughts in your head, but he can't read your thoughts. If you're going to resist Satan, you must do so verbally so he can understand you and be put on the run.

You can communicate with God in your mind and spirit because He knows the thoughts and intents of your heart (Hebrews 4:12). Your unspoken communion with God is your private sanctuary; Satan cannot eavesdrop on you. But by the same token, if you only tell Satan with your thoughts to leave, he won't leave because he is under no obligation to obey your thoughts. You must defeat Satan by speaking out. The good news is that most direct attacks occur

at night or when you are alone.

One night I woke up absolutely terrified for no apparent reason, and I knew it was an attack from satan. Without lifting my head from the pillow, I applied the two-step remedy suggested in James 4:7. In the sanctuary of my heart, I submitted to God. Then I was able to resist Satan with one spoken word--Jesus--and the fear was instantly and totally gone. I went back to sleep in complete peace. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Proverbs 19:18

"Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction." Proverbs 19:18

An average child begins to struggle with his identity and seek his independence as he approaches the age of 12. The permissive parent starts to panic when the child assumes his own identity and starts pulling away. Fearing the worst, the parent becomes authoritarian by tightening the screws of discipline and restricting the child's activities. A power struggle ensues with predictable results. The child bolts and the parent calls for advice.

The problem of the rebellious, stubborn, disobedient child was easily resolved in the Old Testament: The child was stoned by the men of the city (Deuteronomy 21:18-21). Sometimes we wish discipline were that simple! Yet this passage helps us understand that even decent parents who try to be good disciplinarians sometimes have stubborn and rebellious children. Why? Because you aren't the only influence in your child's life.

As parents, we must help our children establish their relationship with God so they know what it means to be a child of God. Once they go off to school, you can't go with them, but God can and does. If we don't help them establish their identity in Christ, they will establish their identity in the world. If we don't give them an eternal purpose and meaning in life, they will establish

a temporary purpose and meaning. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.

Prov. 25:4

"Take away the dross from silver, And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry." Prov. 25:4

I have discovered that certain rules must be followed if a person is to make a good electronic gadget. The single most important elements are clean connections and proper soldering techniques. If the items being permanently connected aren't properly cleaned solder will not stick and the connection will corrode and fail in due season. In like manner, if solder is not applied in the right way, the joint will fail. This same principle applies to copper plumbing as well. A dirty joint and insufficient solder will produce a joint that leaks and a leaky joint is almost

impossible to repair without totally redoing the leaky section of plumbing.

Solomon tells us that pure silver, that which has been properly refined, is a product a silversmith can use. Pure silver allows the talented silver artist to produce jewelry, silverware, and serving items that will last for generations. However, if the silver is not properly refined or if the silver is over refined, the end product will be worthless and has to be re-melted and processed again.

You and I are in the refining business. Oh, we are not the ones doing the refining. No, we are the silver in the refiner's crucible. We are the ones who start as raw ore with more impurities than silver. We are crushed into small particles. We are sifted and sorted. Just when we think we are in good enough shape, we are cast into the fire. It is there that we find out just how impure we really are. The fire is hot enough to melt us and the impurities around us. The

dross, melted impurities, is ladled off and the heat is turned up a notch. New impurities are melted and rise to the surface. They are drawn off and the heat is once again turned up. It is only when the Silversmith sees his perfect reflection in the shimmering silver that the

crucible is removed from the fire and we are poured into molds for the Silversmith to use in His craft.

No, it is not pleasant being silver ore. I'm sure I would often prefer to remain impure, the alternative seems unthinkable. But, with each step I find that I am happier with what I see

happening. Even then it is easy for me to shout, "Hey, Lord. I'm good enough. You can turn the head down now!" But it won't happen, not until the Master sees Himself reflected in me and that reflection must be perfect or it is back into the fire. It is hard being sent back into the fire, it seems that failure is the reason. But that is not so. Having impurities is not failure to the believer; it is the opportunity for the Master Silversmith to perfect us, to make us into what He knows we are capable of being. Only after the firing and the pouring out and the molding and the carving that we are what the Master knows we can be, a tool to draw other ore into His ways so

He can refine them and make them perfect and pure in His sight. Amen.

Isa. 35:1

"The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose" Isa. 35:1

Jonathan Edwards in his great sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" asserts that the earth, animals, and plants long to kick man off the face of earth - man is that far from the

perfection that God created. It seems that I came upon a few people who did not like that idea. First, they said, the earth is not a person and thus has no emotions or thinking ability to WANT to kick man off. Second, they said, man is not that bad.

In light of today's verse, I propose that the earth DOES have emotions. Isaiah says that the wilderness and the desert will be glad - glad for what? They will be glad for the return of the

Messiah as He sets the earth aright. He continues to say that the desert or "Arabia" - the great southern desert separating Israel from Egypt - will rejoice and blossom. Sure sounds like

emotion to me; don't you agree? Isaiah continues with other personifications of the earth and its natural inhabitants and how they will be glad at the return of the Messiah's reign. Allow me to show you with another scripture:

"For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now" Rom. 8:19-22

Paul tells us that the whole of creation is straining under the sins of man and is longing for the day it will be delivered from that burden. Indeed, Mr. Edwards was a powerful preacher

with a very deep insight into the ways of God.

Unfortunately, man today does not have that great insight. We, as a whole, believe that we have the ability to fix ourselves and the world. We follow the example of Benjamin Franklin who

thought he could master thirteen "virtues" and thus become nearly perfect. He failed. And even if he succeeded to become "nearly" perfect, that would not have been good enough to get him into Heaven. Only that which is absolutely perfect can stand before the unstained God of the Universe. No man is that good.

Only through the application of the cleansing blood of Jesus can we be made pure enough, whole enough, perfect enough to stand in God's presence. Fortunately, THAT perfection is attainable to those who believe and are willing to die to them selves and live for Jesus and Him alone. Only then will we find that creation is willing to support us and yield to our control. Until that day, the day we ALL are purified by Jesus' sacrifice, the earth would rather cease producing gravity and fling us out into the universe. As Edwards said, we are here only because of the grace of God, and an angry God at that. Amen.

2 Pet 3:9

"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" 2 Pet 3:9

"Honey, we need to be going. You know how I hate being late." "I'll be ready in a minute. I have to put the finishing touches on my makeup and then put on my dress, and I'll be ready." Every man knows what that means: sit down, turn on the TV, and watch ten minutes of whatever is on TV. You will be late, unfashionably so, and there is nothing you can do about it. It makes no difference if the engagement is a church service, or a visit with the Queen, or dinner at the Peninsula; you will be late so get used to it.

Often, my friends and I talk about how it can't be long before the Lord returns. All the signs seem to be in place (if we ignore a few) and the world certainly can't get any worse... can it?

What is keeping the Lord from accomplishing the final tasks and returning tomorrow or the next day or next year. "Maranatha!" we shout: "Lord, come quickly." Still, the time is not yet and

the earth continues to spin on it's axis just like it has for 6,000 or so years.

Isn't it interesting that John finished the Book of Revelation longing for the soon return of the Lord? And Peter tells us to be patient that the Lord will be on time. In the previous verse,

Peter had told his readers that with the Lord a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. That certainly doesn't fit with the math we teach in secondary school or university!

No wonder it is hard to figure exactly when the Lord will return!

While humans have a bad habit of being time conscious, it seems that the Lord has his own time schedule. One thing is certain from Peter's explanation; the Lord is NEVER late... by His own timing. Another thing is certain; the Lord knows exactly when on time is on time. Oh, one more thing is certain; the Lord keeps His promises...every one of them, and He keeps them exactly on time.

Moses appeared exactly on time to redeem Israel. David appeared on the scene exactly when his services were needed. The prophets appeared one after the other exactly on schedule. The Messiah came exactly when He was needed to redeem the world. Paul was chosen as an apostle to the gentiles... exactly on time.

And each event was promised and delivered... exactly on time. With these and many more examples, we can be assured that the promises we have been given by the Lord will come... exactly on time... never early... never late... just when we need those promises, those answers to prayer, those dire needs met. The next time you feel like the Lord has abandoned you, remember that His timing is perfect. It is our timing that is inferior. Oh, and about the return of the Lord, it will come on time... His time. I may desire that return today, but my desires are mostly self-motivated. His motivations are towards grace. With every day the return is delayed, hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions have one more opportunity to turn to Jesus and be

saved from certain eternal death. Amen and Amen.