A Strong Delusion

 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12, "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

There has never been a more confusing time than when we are living right now. Nations and governments are perplexed because they are unable to solve their problems. Crisis after crisis comes so quickly that there is no time to recover from one before the next strikes, and each brings the world closer to the brink of economic meltdown and military confrontation.

The spirit of the Antichrist is working overtime to destroy and deceive the hearts of people at an unprecedented rate. Yet, this deception will worsen before Jesus returns to set up his kingdom of peace.

Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians pointed to the spirit of the Antichrist that was already at work in the early church to deceive God’s people. Indeed, that same spirit of the Antichrist has been at work in the hearts of men since the fall of Adam in the garden and has continued to increase in power and influence as the population also increased.

Oh, how easily the heart and mind of man is deceived. We are so quick to believe a lie and so quick to accept Satan’s lies. It is not only those who live in the world of sin who are quickly taken in by the god of this present world whose goal is their eternal destruction. Many people claim to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior but are also caught up in this trap of deception.

Do you believe that you can be deceived? Is it possible that the spirit of the Antichrist has been at work to cloud your judgment, to pollute your heart and soul, and to engulf you in the delusion that all is well with Jesus? Is your salvation assured this morning, or are you living in a world of illusion?

The most significant power of deception that Satan has is to compromise the convictions of the heart of a Christian. I’m not sure if I know anyone whose convictions are not compromised from time to time. Some live under this deception and have been in that place for so long that they don’t even realize how far they have come.

There was a time when righteousness and holiness were the rule in all churches, but now it is the exception. Many are like Lot, Abraham’s nephew, who chose to live in Sodom. He was a righteous man who lived in a degraded society.

2 Peter 2:8, "(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds)"

Lot lived in that sinful place and was bothered by the sin around him. His heart was affected every time he walked out the door. Living amid such a compromising situation clouded Lot’s judgment because we find that he even comes to the place where he offers his daughters to the mob, who stood at the door to protect his angelic guests.

Let me ask you, was it necessary for Lot to protect the angels – of course not. But Lot had been compromised in his faith to the point that he no longer remembered God’s power over sin. He took matters into his own hands and did that which was evil to protect them.

Lest we condemn Lot, let me also ask this question – how many Christians are willing to let Satan destroy their children because they lack the faith in God to deliver them from the clutches of sin? How many cast their children into the streets of this world, leaving them at the mercy of the spirit of the Antichrist, simply because they don’t want to be bothered by them or they are tired of fighting against the powers of hell to reclaim their children from the stronghold of sin?

Satan’s power of deception, through daily compromise and living amid such horrible sin, had clouded Lot’s judgment. That same power of deception can cloud our judgment, too, unless we stay buried in God’s Word and daily fall before God in repentance, and we are very diligent in following the paths of righteousness and holiness.

I know that we can be saved only by the grace of God and through the Blood of Jesus and his sacrifice upon the cross. It will not be because of our righteousness or our own holiness.

Isaiah 64:6, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

But there is another side to salvation, too. It’s the side of remaining sanctified, living a daily, sanctified life of righteousness and holy conviction of sin, for we do not have the right to live after the manner of others who do not know Jesus.

Romans 6:1-2, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"

Paul says that we are justified by our faith in Jesus when we accept him as our Savior. Still, we are not given that justification by faith so that we can continue to live in sin. We are given a new life that is no longer under the power of sin. We are set free from the bonds of compromise to live a sanctified and holy life unto the Lord.

I see too many people who claim to know Jesus, and yet they are convinced that they can continue to live like the world, to act like the world, and still be saved. Darkness and light cannot exist in the same place. We can’t be serving God and Satan at the same time.

How can we say that we are born again, spirit-filled, saved, sanctified, and on fire for God when we partake of the sin of this world? Unsurprisingly, the Church is bound up when its members are living lives of deception and compromise!

How can you come to church on Sunday and act as though you love the Lord and you are on your way to Heaven and ready for the rapture of the saints when you use profanity every time you get angry; you don’t care what you watch on TV or in the movies after all we are adults. The things that pour into our living rooms, murder, witchcraft, occultism, idolatry, and anything else you want to name, are considered as something that won’t affect us anymore. We will sit and watch it for 2 or 3 hours without feeling that conviction of the Holy Spirit anymore because our conscience has become seared through continued compromise.

There was a time when we would hear profanity, which would bother us. Now, we laugh at it and even repeat it. There was a time when we would turn our heads when someone walked on the screen naked; now, we stare and admire the work of art that man parades before us and call it artistic freedom. God still calls it sin, even if we don’t!

There are a lot of standards of holiness that were created from the laws of men. I am convinced that none of us can obey the holiness standards or do’s and don’ts of any preacher any more than we can abide by all of the Law of Moses. Those standards of men, just like the Law of Moses, are only useful in pointing out how much of a compromised and sinful life we lead. Obeying those standards can’t save you anymore than following the Law of Moses can save you. Does that make those standards ineffective? NO! We are still commanded to live a holy, sanctified life unto God! But we cannot depend upon our own holiness to save us, for that only comes through the grace of God and the power of the Blood of Christ.

I know it is impossible to live in this world without being tempted. It is impossible to drive down the highway, read a book, go to work, or do anything else without being affected by the power of sin. The billboards on the highway are more pornographic today than the movies were ten years ago. The Disney shows that once were the cleanest, family-oriented films of all have become little more than faucets that pour out occultism, witchcraft, and homosexuality. Even children’s cartoons have become purveyors of Satanic doctrines, black magic, and the “alternative” lifestyles.

We are living in a sinful world, and we will all be tempted. We will all be vexed, as was Lot, with these daily invasions of our hearts and minds.

1 Corinthians 10:13, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

God knows that we are flesh and subject to temptation. He was also tempted in the wilderness by Satan. God knows that we have our weaknesses, so he also promised us that with every temptation, we would be given the power to overcome that temptation if we use it.

Therein lies our problem. When we are living a life of compromise with sin, and when we have a conscience that has become seared through repeated surrender to temptation, then we can no longer see the way out that God will give to us.

Let me ask you a question. If a prisoner is locked away in a maximum-security prison, under the sentence of death, for a crime that they committed, and somehow the door was left open with no one around to stop them, do you think that they would hang around and wait for someone to close the door? No, they would run as far and fast as possible from that prison.

If we could only learn to run from temptation, which can destroy our soul if we yield to it, how much better off would we be if we fled as quickly as that condemned prisoner would run from his cell.

The point is that if we are truly born again, indeed in love with Jesus, and truly desirous of pleasing the Lord and obeying His Word, our lives will bear the fruit of those convictions.

We will not be comfortable with sin. We will not compromise the standards of righteousness. We will not compromise the convictions of the Holy Ghost in the area of dressing modestly. We will not compromise the convictions of being ethical on the job. We will not compromise by using the same language as the world in communicating with worldly people. We will not allow the deceptive power of the spirit of the Antichrist to compromise our convictions to the point that we no longer know what our convictions are.

I’m not telling you to live according to my standards or the standards of any other preacher. I’m telling you to live by the standards of the Word of God! I’m telling you that you need to listen to the voice of the Holy Ghost as he brings conviction for the sin in your life and stop ignoring and hardening your heart.

The longer this world exists in this sinful state, the more influential the spirit of the Antichrist will become. His power to deceive grows stronger every day, and more people fall under his delusion.

John 3:19-21, "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."

Sadly, there are a lot of self-proclaimed Christians who live a life of compromise with sin who will not allow the Holy Spirit to shine his convicting power upon their hearts because they love the things of this world more than they love God.

It is not my place to set standards for you to follow. It is not my place to bring you under condemnation and legislate you into living holy unto the Lord. It is my place to warn you of the powers of deception that Satan has and to warn you not to allow Satan to fool you into believing that your heart is right with God when it isn’t.

The Holy Spirit knows how to get your attention if you only hear him speak to you. When you compromise the standards of holiness, he will speak to and warn you. Just listen and obey what the Holy Ghost speaks to you.

John 16:7-8, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:"

The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, that comes to live inside of you will convict you of sin and unrighteousness and give you the power to judge righteously. Don’t ignore him when he pricks your heart. Every time you do, your heart gets a little harder and your conscience a little more seared until finally, you can’t hear him anymore.

That’s a dangerous place to be because that’s called backsliding. No backslider who continues to follow after sin and not after God will enter Heaven’s gates. You will be left behind when Jesus comes for his bride. Left behind to face the onslaught of all the powers of hell that will be released after the rapture of the church. Left behind to face not only the deception of the spirit of the Antichrist but the strong delusion that God will send upon this sinful world so that the devil’s lies will easily fool all who would not accept him.

Don’t allow Satan to deceive you and drag you back into a life of sin. Don’t let him make a fool out of you! Listen to that still, quiet, small voice of the Holy Spirit as he gently and surely convicts you of the sin in your heart and life. Repent of it before it destroys you. Stay on your face before God. Don’t let one day go by without asking God to cleanse you from all sin.

Has Satan gained a foothold in your life? Have you already compromised the standards of holiness in your own heart? Have you allowed sin to hang around? Have you allowed temptation to linger near? Listen to the voice of the Holy Ghost right now and make it right with God. He will be faithful and will forgive you.

Such As We Have

 Many times, we feel inadequate to the task that God has set before us. How often do we find ourselves at a loss for words in times of tragedy? How many times do we feel helpless in the face of overwhelming grief at the loss of a loved one? I am often at a loss for words. In such times, I don't have anything to give that seems relevant to the situation, not from within my own ability to deliver.

However, as a Christian, you always have something relevant to give to hurting people. You may not have anything of value that you can provide based on your ability, education, or reasoning. Still, you have the greatest gift of all. You have the gift of the Love of God.

Acts 3:1 - 9, "Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God:"

This was just an ordinary day in Peter and John's lives. They were living their lives with a new-found faith now. No longer were they hiding in shadows, fearful of the mob that had crucified Jesus. Oh, the dangers were real, the threats had not subsided, and every day, the persecution of those who called themselves Christians was just as widespread as it had been a short time before when Jesus had been crucified.

But something was different now. Fear had been replaced by faith! Frustration had been replaced by faith! Doubt of the future was replaced by a commitment to follow Jesus and preach the gospel to the world around them. Peter and John, and the other disciples, had embarked upon a course of service that would ultimately end in great suffering for the cause of Christ and an eternal reward in glory once this life had passed.

They had experienced the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost fell in the Upper Room, and now they had a fresh anointing. The power of the Holy Ghost was upon them everywhere they went. But that anointing power and indwelling Spirit of Almighty God wasn't there to occupy space or to have a place to live in the heart of men. No, the power of the Holy Ghost is there for a reason. It's there to be given out, extended in faith to anyone who needs the touch of God in their lives.

If you have repented of your sin and been baptized in the name of Jesus, you should actively seek Baptism in the Holy Ghost.

I have the same question for you this morning that Paul had for the new converts and disciples at Ephesus in Acts 19:2, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?"

If you have been baptized in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, I hope that you pray every day for a fresh infilling and a fresh anointing. We need to pray for that newness of the power of the Holy Ghost in us to be renewed every day. We can't live on past experiences or the power we had last year or years ago; we need the fresh and abiding power of the Holy Ghost if we are going to be the disciples that God expects us to be.

Jesus had given the disciples a command before He left to go back to Heaven in Mark 16:15-16, "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."

Some of you may feel like it's not your forte to minister to those who are hurting or sick. Still, I want to tell you that, upon the Word of God, there is no reason why every man or woman of God shouldn't be going about ministering and witnessing to everyone we meet.

Jesus didn't say for us to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature only if our personality is outgoing and upbeat. He didn't say to go and preach or minister to other people only if you feel up to it, you have had some specialized training, you feel a definite call to the ministry, or if the time and circumstances are right and you feel good about it. Jesus said, "Go ye," and I believe that "Ye" means everybody, not just a few.

So why don't most act like we are a part of that "Ye"? I can tell you why. It's the same reason that Peter and John were in hiding before the Day of Pentecost. It's the same reason that all the disciples and everyone who had believed in Jesus were hiding in fear, doubt, and frustration before that day came.

The reason is that they aren't filled with the power of God through Baptism in the Holy Ghost. ! If you really get filled with God's power and anointing, you won't be able to go about your daily life without some great times of ministry happening to you any more than Peter and John could.

On this ordinary day, Peter and John were doing what they did every day as men of God. They were entering the temple to attend their daily ritual of prayer. They were going to church out of habit and routine. Since the day they realized just who Jesus was and what He had done for them, their lives were changed.

They had repented of their sins and had been forgiven. They were washed clean in the Blood of Jesus, accepting His sacrifice upon the cross to pay the debt of sin. They were saved at that moment and began to follow Jesus as closely as they knew how.

Jesus had given them a second command that must be considered before we obey the commandment to go into the world and preach the gospel.

Acts 1:4, "And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me."

Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

This commandment to wait for the Baptism in the Holy Ghost was given after the commandment to go into every part of the world. Those disciples weren't told not to witness at home in Jerusalem. Everyone at home witnessed their changed lives and their new attitudes. But before their ministry could impact those outside of their home that God wanted them to have, they had to be endued with power from on High. They had to have the anointing power of the Holy Ghost upon their lives.

In that short time between the Ascension of Jesus back into Heaven and the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the disciples continued their faith. They did their best to serve the Lord. They certainly continued in prayer. They gathered in the Upper Room in a constant prayer vigil for days. During that time, they continued to love Jesus and serve him to the best of their ability, they had been commanded to wait for the coming of the Comforter and that extraordinary anointing power that Jesus had promised.

Then it came. Somewhere between 6 AM and 9 AM, everything changed for those disciples in the Upper Room!

It was the third hour of the day when Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, began to preach the most powerful message he had ever preached. No doubt he had preached before, but this time, his words carried a power behind them greater than he had ever known. It was as though the power of God was in every word, and his words were piercing the minds and hearts of everyone who heard him. God's power was doing its work through the words of Peter. Have you ever felt that power?

Have you ever been shocked by an electrical current? My friends, that power of electricity lets you know it's there! It has the power to kill! But the indwelling power of the Holy Ghost is greater than that of electricity. It may even give you the same sensation at times. But the power of the Holy Ghost doesn't kill; it gives ultimate life!

The life it gives is beyond description! The power of the Holy Ghost in you will give life a more significant meaning than ever! It will provide you with a greater purpose than ever before! It will give life a more incredible passion for God than ever before! It will give you love for all people that you never knew possible! It will give you a life that is anointed, directed, and guided by God like you have never known before!

That's what we need today in God's people. We need a mighty outpouring of the Holy Ghost! We need to experience that Day of Pentecost in our own hearts. We require the fresh, indwelling power and presence of the Holy Ghost. Folks, we are never going to experience a mighty move of God without a fresh infilling of that power of God through the Baptism of the Holy Ghost!

Peter and John continued in their daily routine to attend the House of God and to pray. As they approached the temple, they weren't aware that this time, their entrance into the temple was going to be very different from all the times before. There sat a beggar asking for help. He represents the world out there to you and me.

I believe that God is going to put people in your path, and in mine, who are searching for answers, begging for a crumb of bread from the Lord's table, and seeking help because they can't find the answers for themselves in the world. Your chance and my opportunity to minister to them will come. Still, that chance will only last for a moment, and then the opportunity will disappear.

What will we do with those opportunities? How will we react to the "beggars" we meet? Will we pass by as Peter and John had done before? Will we look the other way? Or will we allow the indwelling power of the Holy Ghost to work through us to touch those in need?

We are no different from Peter and John. We have to say with them, "Silver and gold have I none." I don't have the financial wealth to give away freely. I don't have the physical abilities or any power of the flesh to help them. But like Peter and John, I have something far more significant to give.

"Such as I have" – What a "Such" that is! It's the anointing, healing, delivering, yoke-breaking, sin-killing, life-giving, and eternal power of almighty God! That's what I have, and its value is far above the riches of this world. The power we have to give and the message we share is what this world needs more than anything.

That beggar received far more than he expected! He received a blessing that money couldn't buy! He jumped up, walked, and went praising God! He was having an old-fashioned "Holy Ghost Fit!" Something about the power of God moving in you makes you want to shout "Hallelujah" sometimes. It makes you feel like dancing a jig occasionally! It puts a spring in your step and a song in your heart, and you just must let it out, or you feel like you will explode!

We need to see a few more "Holy Ghost Fits"! I want to see people who are so full of the Holy Ghost that they must Shout for Joy! I want to see someone dancing before the Lord in the power of the Holy Ghost – not some choreographed, show-off dance that offends the Body of Christ – but a genuine Holy Ghost dance when you can't control where you go or how your feet will move!

We need a fresh outpouring of the Holy Ghost in the Church! And not just in my Church but every Christian Church worldwide, especially in America. I want to see Pentecostal churches being called "Holy Rollers" again. We've become too sophisticated for our own good! We have tried to calm people down to the point that we have grieved the Holy Spirit.

We can't expect a mighty revival in our churches, communities, and families until we see a revival of the Holy Ghost in our lives! When that lame man went into the temple praising God, jumping, leaping, and shouting the victory, everybody took notice. When something happens by the power of the Holy Ghost, everyone will know it. You won't have to advertise it to draw a crowd. You won't have to beg people to come. You won't have to put notices in the newspaper or signs on the billboards. When the power of God is really moving, the whole world will sit up and take notice.

Are you ready for revival? Are you prepared for a mighty move of God? Then get full of the Holy Ghost! Ask for it, seek after it, desire it with all your heart, surrender your will to God's will, and let the Holy Ghost fill you with power! It's a gift from God to his Church to give us the power to perform his will!

It's important to say this, though. If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and surrendered your life totally and completely to Him, that's your first move. You must repent of your sin, confess Jesus as the Lord of your life, be washed in the Blood of the Lamb, and be born again into the family of God before you can be filled with the Holy Ghost! The promise of the Holy Ghost is given to all who believe, repent, and are baptized in Jesus' name.

Many are afraid of that power. Many will even doubt its existence. Many more will say it was for another time and not for today. I'm here to say that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost is for today! God has not changed! His indwelling power is the same today as it was on the Day of Pentecost, and it's a power that every Christian should earnestly desire and seek.

Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? Do you want that power of God in your life that Peter and John had? You can have it right now if you seek it and ask for it. The Holy Ghost will come, and your life will be forever changed!

One More River

 We used to sing an old song, “One More River to Cross.” -

One more river to cross, one more mountain to climb,

One more valley that I gotta go through

Leavin' my troubles behind.

One more battle with the devil, and I know he'll understand.

I'm going through with Jesus, Hallelujah

Holding his nail-scarred hand holding to his nail-scarred hand.

After 400 years of captivity, the Children of Israel were finally free. Now began the long journey through the wilderness of the Sinai as they slowly made their way eastward. But it wasn’t long after they were free until they met the first major hurdle in their journey. Just a few day's journey from Goshen; the Jews came to the banks of the Red Sea. Pharaoh was hot on their trail. After having finally hardened his heart and gathered his chariots of war, he had come to put an end to these people and to this prophet named Moses, once and for all.

Of course, we all know the story of how Israel went across the Red Sea on dry land and how Pharaoh’s entire army was drowned in the sea as the waters came crashing down upon them. I am sure there is hardly a Christian alive who couldn’t give you an outline of the story. But there is much more to this than meets the eye. Buried between the lines of what is printed in the Bible, there is an underlying meaning, an analogy, that carries such a powerful word for all of us. Israel’s journey from Egypt is symbolic for all of us as well.

Let me begin by saying that all of us were slaves in “Egypt” at some time. Whether we are new babes in Christ or Elders in the church with many years of serving the Lord behind us, we all came from “Egypt.”

“Egypt” is a type of the sinful life that men live in the world. It is a symbol of Satan’s power to enslave mankind in the pits of sin and impose upon him a life that is hard and full of trouble. That’s not how God intended it to be for mankind. God had created Adam, placed him in a Garden Paradise, created woman as a companion, and gave Adam the rule over all of God’s creation. It was, and still is, God’s intention that mankind should one day enjoy life and live in God’s protection forever.

Out of “Egypt,” God called for us. He sent His messenger, in the form of a man, anointed with the Holy Ghost, to give us the message of deliverance. Moses, as a type of the Messiah, didn’t have an easy time convincing or leading Israel out of bondage, even though God was with him through it all. He knew that he could have faced certain death at the hands of Pharaoh for even entering the land of Egypt. Likewise, it was not a walk in the park for Jesus to come and lead you and me from the pits of sin either. He had to lay down his life and die for you and me.

Satan didn’t want to let us go, but he couldn’t stop it either. Satan has no power to prevent any man or woman whose heart is under conviction from bowing their head and hearts before God and surrendering their lives to Jesus.

Through Moses, God sent seven plagues upon the land of Egypt. Each one of them represented God’s judgment against Egypt, not just for the mistreatment of God’s people, but they also represented God’s wrath against the idol gods of Egypt. All these plagues and the judgment that God brought upon Egypt are symbolic for you and me.

When we heard the gospel message and responded by giving our lives to Jesus, God judged the gods of this world, casting off their powers to bind us and destroying their power to possess us as slaves. In the process, God delivered us from the power of Satan, who had us under sentence of eternal death. He delivered us from every influence of the world and made us overcomers by His blood. He crushed the power of those demonic spirits who attempt to make us serve them and worship them as idols.

When a Christian is born again, it’s a wonderful miracle of deliverance from sin and death. We are called forth and step out by faith, headed for the “Promised Land” that lies somewhere over the horizon, closer than we think but just a little farther than we can see clearly.

God destroys the power of everything that could become a god to us in this world, lastly destroying the old man and making us a new creation in Christ. Just like God persuaded Pharaoh to let His people go, He still forces the devil to set his children free today.

But like the Children of Israel, there comes a time when we must face the first major hurdle in living for Jesus. We must come to our “Red Sea”. Until then, the babe in Christ is elated with his deliverance. He is on “cloud nine” as he walks without the weight of sin that has held him captive for so long. But that soon fades when he faces the reality of the spiritual warfare that doesn’t stop trying to bring him back to “Egypt.”

Satan doesn’t give up easily. The fleshly desires don’t stop instantly; they keep nagging us all along the way. The Children of Israel came out of Egypt, but Egypt was still in their hearts and minds. It took a long wilderness journey passing through the waters, and the loss of many of God’s chosen ones along the way before the victory could finally be realized. Israel’s freedom and passage through the Red Sea can be likened to us being saved and the burial of the old man in the baptismal waters. It can also be compared to being born again of the Spirit as we begin our walk with Jesus.

Throughout that long wilderness Journey, Israel tried to learn to obey God, failing miserably at every turn. Doesn’t that sound like the Christian walk today? How many times do we fail God? How often do we find ourselves in doubts, fears, and frustrations, almost ready to throw in the towel and walk away, returning to “Egypt?”

Eventually, after traveling through the wilderness for 40 years, the Children of Israel came to another river, Jordan. This river was more horrifying to them than the Red Sea because this one meant total commitment, and what was on the other side was vastly unknown. The pillar of fire by night and the cloud by day wouldn’t be there to guide them now. They had to learn to walk by faith and not by sight.

God had given them hints and glimpses of what that Promised land would look like, but they could only “see” it in their minds as though they were looking at it through a darkened glass.

As each of us walks with the Lord through this wilderness called life, we walk in the same manner that Israel did. Like Israel, we can go quickly to our high calling in Christ by faithfully, with a total commitment, obeying and following the leading of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Or, we can do like the Children of Israel and take many years to make the same journey. The point is that the destination is the same whether we take the short or the long road. We are all going to have to face the Jordan River. We will all have one more river to cross before the victory can come.

When they reached the Jordan River and looked into the Promised Land, they still couldn’t see what was there. God had said it was a land flowing with milk and honey. He had promised them that it would be theirs forever. God had painted a wonderful picture of what Israel would be like if they trusted and obeyed Him and walked by faith.

That same thing is true for you and I. God, through His Word, has given us glimpses into the Promised Land. You can call it Beulah Land, Heaven, New Jerusalem, the Eternal Kingdom, or whatever you want to. We can describe it. We can dream about it. Study about it. Read about it and believe that it’s a beautiful place, but the fact is that none of us know what it will be like.

Each of the Children of Israel had to decide whether they would cross Jordan and take the Promised Land. Each of those spies had to make up their mind.

When that day comes that we must face Jordan alone, how will it be for you and me? Will we face Jordan with confidence, knowing and believing that God’s Word is true, and will we be like Joshua and Caleb and tell the world that we are well able to take the land? Or will we be like all the others who doubted whether crossing Jordan was worth the trouble because all they could see were the obstacles?

When Joshua and the Children of Israel finally crossed over Jordan, they found God’s Word was true. The land was more than they had imagined. The enemies were there, but God had already made the way for Israel to overcome them. They picked up 12 stones and built an altar in the middle of the river before the waters came back.

In Revelation 21:14, John saw the New Jerusalem on the other side of Jordan. Listen to how he described it. "And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."

We all have one more river to cross. We’ve passed over the Red Sea in salvation and baptism, and now we must face that last great hurdle as we stand at the edge of our Promised Land. The river Jordan will stand before us, overflowing its banks in a menacing tide that seems impossible to cross.

I’m convinced that our time will come to step into the waters of Jordan. Will we step out in faith and walk across as if on dry ground, or will it become a raging torrent with billows that will drown us in fear and doubt?

I believe that if we stay close to God and keep our faith strong in Him when we must cross that final river, we will cross it in a moment as though it wasn’t there. If you keep your eyes on Jesus, on the other side, and trust Him to carry you through to victory, your “one more river to cross” will be the most extraordinary step you will ever take.

For those who refuse to trust God in the wilderness, the river will be a horror to their hearts. Great waves of fear, doubt, unbelief, and mistrust will overwhelm them as they slip into the waters for the last time.

In the story of “Pilgrim’s Progress” by John Bunyan, two pilgrims, “Hopeful” and “Christian,” come to that final river, and there, a discovery is made. The story says we will find that river as deep and wide as our faith in the King of Heaven.

If you don’t know the Lord as your Savior and come to the edge of that last river that each of us must cross, it will be a sad day, for all hope will be gone. Make sure that you are ready to go. You have one more river to cross.

Heed the words of the Lord that He spoke to Israel about that river.

Deuteronomy 30:15-20, "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."

Out With the Old

 Have you made a New Year's Resolution to do anything you haven't done before or to change some things that should be better in your life? I made only one resolution – "Not to make any resolutions."

 

I look at it like this: The Holy Spirit is constantly dealing with us concerning the things we need to give some attention to in our lives. Then God gave us enough ability to think and reason for ourselves, to figure out that some things are good for us, and some are not. A resolution to change whatever the Lord is dealing with us about should be made the moment He speaks, not just at the beginning of a New Year.

 

If there is a resolution for one change in our lives, that change could be summed up in one single thing: that we may know and draw closer to the very heart of God.

 

One thing is for sure! The coming year of 2024 will be an exciting time to be alive. Not only do we get to see Bible prophecy playing out before us, but we also get to see what God will do through his Church as we draw ever closer to his second coming.

 

There be wars and rumors of wars? We can already see the saber-rattling going on between Iran, Israel, and the rest of the Middle East. They've threatened to close off the flow of oil to the West. If I know the Americans, $6.00 for a gallon of gasoline will make them mad enough to want to teach Iran a lesson they'll never forget. I hope it doesn't come to that. We don't need another Middle Eastern war. Still, we may as well prepare ourselves for such an event because that area of the world will be hotly contested until the very end of time. We will always be right in the thick of the battle. My main hope in it all is that our government continues to support Israel!

 

I'm ready for the start of this New Year. The old one is absolutely worn out. I'm looking forward to what God is going to do. I pray this is the year of revival in our country and worldwide. I hope that this is the year we will see more of the miracle-working power of God in our churches than ever before and that this is the year that God fills the Church with new babes in Christ. I also pray that many in our families will be born again and begin to serve the Lord.

 

Isaiah 66:8, "Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children."

 

The fulfillment of our prayer is already promised, but there must be some travailing going on first. No child is born into this world without pain and suffering to some degree. If we really want to see a great revival and see our loved ones, friends, and neighbors come to Jesus, it will take more than wishing; it will take some travailing before God in intercessory prayer on their behalf. When God's people get serious enough to cry out to God consistently, we will see the mighty move of God that we all want.

 

1 Peter 5:6-7, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

 

At the beginning of the New Year, we often reflect on the things that transpired during the past year. Usually, there were some good times and some bad times. The cares of life that result from events of the past year are weighing heavily upon some of us right now. But as the Word says, we can either continue to bear that heavy load, or we cast it upon the shoulders of Jesus and let him take it for us. The price of victory over those troubles has already been paid. We cannot go back and change the past, but we have the power through Christ to change the future by learning to entirely rely upon God.

 

Sometimes, the things that have happened to us are almost too hard to bear, but thank God, Jesus is there to lift us up, carry us for as long as it takes, and make us an overcomer.

 

No man, except Jesus, in the Bible matches the grief and pain that Job had to face in his life. Job had a happy family, a loving wife, and a life filled with wealth and influence. But he lost it all in a moment. His friend. Eliphaz had tried to encourage him with words that came from man's wisdom but did not come from the heart. Eliphaz's words did little to console the grief that seemed to swallow Job.

 

Job answered him in Job 16:5, "But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief."

 

In other words, Job says, I wish that only words could help, but words can't heal the pain in my heart. I get little strength from words spoken that are not of the heart. There must be something deeper that reaches right into my heart and removes the grief. That "something" can only come from God, who can touch the heart and make it anew.

 

Words of consolation from the lips of other people are good. Still, they cannot comfort us in times of great pain, anguish, and grief. Yet that's all that man can do.

 

So today, I give you Jesus. He alone can reach into your heart and soul and provide peace and consolation. I may be able to hold your hand, but Jesus can keep your heart, and he will never let go but will continue to bring the strength we need for as long as it takes.

 

The beginning of a New Year is always a good time to let so much of what has happened in the past stay in the past. If we allow the past to control us, we will never see the fullness of the future that God has in store. We must cast our care upon Jesus and let him bear it for us. Trying to carry that load alone will crush us, derail our faith, and sap victory from our lives. Doubts, fears, frustrations, and even anger will overwhelm us. All of these things will cause bitterness to grow within the heart.

 

We must remember what has passed, and sometimes we do need to remember. But let us not live there. Let us cast that upon the Lord and walk on with Him into a brighter tomorrow! There is victory, power, healing, and deliverance in Christ; just there for the asking and receiving. God will lift us up and never let us fall.

 

Even as it was with Job, he never regained what was lost, for it was gone forever. He could not go back and get his children that were lost. That which was stolen from him through the attacks of the devil that were meant to destroy his faith in God could never be regained. They were forever gone!

 

But Job never lost faith in God! In time, the grief eased, the pain subsided, and the healing power of God began to do work in Job. How long he grieved, we do not know, but we do know it was not forever.

 

God began to bless Job's life. The attacks of Satan that had taken so much from him ceased as God said, "That's enough, Satan, you've reached your limit. Now let Job alone that I may bless him." You see, God had Job's back. The things that happened to Job were allowed only to prove his faithfulness to God and were never meant to destroy him. As you reflect upon what has come against you, remember that God has your back!

 

Isaiah 52:12, "For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your reward."

 

God will not allow you to be destroyed. Victory is on the way, and God's blessings are just waiting to be poured out upon you; they have probably already begun. Many of you can already sense the hand of God moving Heaven and Earth to bring his blessings upon you. Hold on to your faith in God! Your answer is on the way!

 

And so, in our heart, we should say before God, "Out with the old, with all of its pain and grief; and bring on the new, with its joy, peace, and victory in Jesus!"

 

Just as God blessed Job, so are your blessings about to overtake you. Only God alone knows what he has in store for you, but we can only look to what God did for Job and know that what he will bring will be as great, or perhaps even greater, than what we have lost!

 

I know that my God reigns not only in Heaven but upon the earth and in the hearts of men. There is nothing impossible for God! Remember, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." - Philippians 4:13

 

May we cast our sorrows and cares upon Jesus and bring renewed hope and joy in the Holy Ghost. May we cast out those heavy burdens that we have taken upon ourselves and take up the cross of Christ, for it is an easy burden to carry and light upon our shoulders, for it is all in Jesus! May we throw out the faults and failures of the past and take hold of the hope of a perfect life in Jesus. May we cast out the remembrances of what we have lost and embrace that which will come from the Throne of God to provide all we need.

 

A New Year is about to begin, and with it will come a new set of troubles, trials, tests, and blessings from the Lord. Let us look forward to what God will do, remembering that He is the Lord of our lives. God is with us, and we cannot fail!

 

It's time to cast out the old, the things of the past, and take in the new things God has in store for us! Let this day be a day of new beginnings for us all, a new beginning where we will walk in the presence of God and be led by the Holy Ghost every step of the way.

 

Prepare for the blessings of God to overtake you! God has great things in store for all his people. His promises cannot fail. Just as he placed a rainbow in the sky to remind us of his unfailing promise, he wants us to know that for all those who genuinely love him – there is always a brighter tomorrow and more incredible blessings to come.

Best Gift We Can Give

 Matthew 2:7-11, "Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed, and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh."

Tomorrow is Christmas, our thoughts are turned toward the birth of Jesus. This story has been told for 2000 years and more, yet every time we read or hear it, there is always a freshness, and we often find something new that ministers to our hearts with each passing year. Today, I want to draw your attention to the Three Wise Men.

The time frame of their visit has always been a point of contention or confusion among Bible scholars, but nearly all of them agree on one thing: The wise men's visit to Jesus didn't happen on the same night Jesus was born. The time estimates have been anywhere from 40 days to 2 years after Jesus was born. The beautiful Nativity sets seen everywhere are great, but no such scene ever existed (The manger existed, but the Wise Men never visited it).

The birth of Jesus was a giant step forward in God's plan of salvation for lost humanity, and it marked the fulfillment of numerous prophetic scriptures throughout God's Word. But it wasn't the final step. It marked the beginning of the end for the powers of darkness and the end of the beginning for the lost souls of men who needed a Savior. 

On that very morning, while he lay in that manger as an innocent baby (The only innocent baby ever born), Jesus took his first step toward the cross. It would take him 33 ½ years to complete the journey, but he never wavered in his commitment.

I thank God for sending his only Son to that manger. I can only worship Jesus, who never turned back but kept his eyes set on that final, eternally important goal of being the perfect sacrifice that would take away the world's sins. I thank God for the Love that held Jesus to that cross for me when nails could not have done it. I thank God that Jesus laid down his life willingly, for no demons of hell nor soldiers of the mighty Roman Army could have held him if Jesus had not surrendered voluntarily.

The death of Jesus on that cross and his resurrection were planned from eternity past, fulfilled in time past, and will stand for all eternity in the future. From the moment of man's creation in the Garden to the instant in time when time shall be no more, the moment that defines our existence is all wrapped up in a beautiful gift package known as the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus instituted the idea of giving gifts, and the gifts that he gives are almost beyond comprehension. Ephesians 4:8 says, "Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men."

God's gifts are eternal and supernatural, and each is more valuable than all the world's wealth. Yet they are gifts, given freely by the hand of the Lord to us all.

But let's look at the gifts a few kings brought to Jesus. These are among the best gifts that mankind could offer to God's only Son. These wise men, astronomers and scientists, rulers with great wealth, and students of prophecy had studied the heavens and were led by the Holy Spirit to find that "star" in the sky that signaled the birth of a new king in Israel. 

But how did they even know that Jesus was born? Where would their knowledge have come from? It is quite possible that these wise men had copies of the Old Testament since Israel had been captive so many times in Babylon, Egypt, and other nations. These wise men could have been made much wiser through their knowledge of the Old Testament writings, and it is likely that they were looking for the coming of the Messiah and recognized the signs even though most of Israel did not.

The time came that the wise men reached the end of their long journey eastward and came to the very house where Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were living. The wise men came, found Jesus, and then worshipped him.

We don't know how many wise men journeyed to worship Jesus. We base the idea on three of the three gifts offered, but there could have been two or twenty. We don't know for sure. When they came to the door of the house, they stopped, dismounted from their camel caravan, and bowed their faces before Jesus. In their minds, he was already the king, even though scripture says he was a small child.

I often wonder just what capacity for understanding Jesus had at this point. I know that Jesus was endowed with far more understanding and knowledge than we are, but I still wonder what was going through his mind as those wise men knelt before him and gave him their gifts. What were those gifts, and what significance did they hold in the life of Jesus that was to come?

The first gift was that of gold. Isn't it ironic that man's best and most expensive gift that he could find on earth to give to Jesus was gold, which is used to pave the streets where this Jesus had come from? There was a significance in this gold that I want you to see. Gold represented the great riches of the world, for nothing could surpass its value in the ancient world. It was used to depict the great Babylonian Empire in the time of Nebuchadnezzar as a "Head of Gold" because of his great power and wealth.

Not only was gold given to represent the power and wealth of Jesus as the King of Glory, but I believe it also represented the fact that all of the wealth and power of this world, the dominion and dwelling place of the devil, had now been transferred to the authority of Jesus Christ and would soon be redeemed with a price that far exceeded gold, diamonds, and rubies. This gold represented Jesus' royalty as the King of Heaven and Earth, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. It also symbolized the riches of God's great gift to man as a sacrifice for our sins.

The second gift was that of frankincense. This perfume resin was imported from Arabia and was one of the ingredients of the incense used at the Altar of Incense in the Old Testament Tabernacle. It was always used in the "Meat Offering" sacrifice, and its sweet odor was an emblem of God's divine name, Yahweh, and a symbol of the prayer that rose before the throne of God in Heaven.

In giving this frankincense, the wise men were possibly aware that Jesus would be a man of prayer. They also could have recognized that this "King" was to be offered as a meat sacrifice for man's sins. They knew of his divine nature and worshipped Jesus as Lord, King, and God.

The odor of the incense filled the room, and I know that Jesus recognized that odor as the same one that he had received from the Altar of Incense as the Children of Israel worshipped God in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle. That incense would rise, causing God to know that his people were praying and worshipping him. Now, in human form, Jesus still sensed that same dedication of prayer and worship coming to him from the hearts of men who desired to know God and to worship the True God.

The third gift of the wise men was myrrh. Myrrh is first mentioned in the Old Testament as a principal ingredient of the holy anointing oil used in the Temple. It was used to anoint priests for service and kings for their office. It was also used in embalming a body in preparation for burial.

The implications of the myrrh as a gift then are clear. It was pointing to the day when Jesus would be crucified and then be prepared for burial. It also pointed to the day when he would be crowned as the eternal King of Glory and that the sting of death would be forever removed for those who accept him as Lord and Savior through his death, burial, and resurrection.

One thing about the myrrh that also strikes me is that it was made from the gum of the Acacia tree found in Africa and Arabia. Do you remember where Acacia wood was used in vast quantities? It was in the construction of the Tabernacle of Moses. Acacia wood, covered in gold, was used to make the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies walls. It was used in the Table of Showbread and the Ark of the Covenant.

In a fashion, the gift of myrrh represented the earthly side of Jesus' existence as a man, born of a woman, while the gold represented his heavenly origin.

The gold, frankincense, and myrrh brought to Jesus by the wise men carried a lot of symbolism, but there were more important gifts they brought that day. The most important gift that they brought nearly goes unnoticed by most people. What was that gift? It was the gift of their submission to his rule over them and their worship of Him as King of Kings. The gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were gifts of sacrifice; they cost the wise men something. But the gift of obedience and worship were much more valuable to God.

In 1 Samuel 15:22, Samuel spoke to a backslidden King of Israel named Saul. Saul and the armies of Israel had disobeyed the Lord and taken the spoils of their enemies when God had said to destroy it all. Saul wanted to offer God his gifts, but God would not accept them. That's when Samuel said, "Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."

What gifts will you offer the King this Christmas? Will you offer him only those gifts that are temporary? God loves a cheerful giver but not just a giver of our finances; he wants our gift of commitment and worship. Jesus already has all of the wealth of Heaven, yet he accepts our offerings and blesses us for giving him a portion of our wealth through tithes and offerings. But what Jesus wants is your heart, your worship, and your praise of him.

Will you give God the gifts that count? Will you give him yourself in complete obedience? Will you give yourself willingly and wholeheartedly? That's the gift that Jesus wants more than anything this world offers.

Join the ranks of those who are called wise. Come and worship the Lord, bearing your gifts, your praise, and your worship, and lay them at the feet of Jesus.

The Midnight Hour

 It has been cold this past week here in southern Mississippi. It feels like winter, like Christmas time. This morning, I was reading the passage in Luke about Jesus' birth. I was reminded that on a hillside outside the little town of Bethlehem, shepherds gathered around a campfire, yearning to drive away the cold. It was, as the song proclaims, "a midnight clear." Midnight was just a symbol of the condition, the darkness, that engulfed humanity that night.

A religious spirit and a supernatural darkness covered the land. It was a darkness that a campfire could not drive away. It was Israel's midnight hour – the darkest hour it had ever known, and the atmosphere was ripe for the coming of Messiah to bring light into the world once again. While the rest of the world slept in darkness that night, something incredible happened on that hillside where those shepherds lay.

Suddenly, the angels appeared with their voices ringing to announce that the light had come because a Savoir had been born in Bethlehem. The glorious light of Heaven broke the darkness of the midnight hour. Sin was about to be conquered forever because God had robed himself in flesh; a baby named Jesus was lying in a manger!

It wasn't the first time God brought deliverance in the midnight hour. God called Moses and anointed him as the Deliverer of Israel and sent him to speak to Pharaoh as God's voice saying, "Let My People Go"! Six times, Moses went before Pharaoh, but God hardened Pharoah's heart, and he wouldn't admit that Israel's God was the only true God. But God was not giving up – God had already won the battle of the wills. God brought one more plague upon Egypt to convince Pharaoh that He was greater than Pharaoh was.

Exodus 11:4-6

"And Moses said, thus saith the LORD, about midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it anymore."

Here again, we see the Lord performing a miracle at the "midnight hour" to bring about deliverance. I don't know why God chooses the midnight hour, but He often does so.

Perhaps it's the midnight hour because God must allow man to sink to the very depths of despair before man will turn to Him. Maybe it has to do with the fact that God will not share His Glory with any man. When man is locked into the hopelessness of the midnight hour, that's when God knows that no man can say God didn't bring about a miracle. Whatever the reason, God chose to bring about the final plague upon Egypt at the midnight hour.

Another time we see something happening in the midnight hour is found in Psalms 119:62, "At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments."

King David knew what it was to be locked in the midnight hour of sin and despair. He knew what it was to feel the pain of sin and the agony of defeat at the hands of the devil. But he also learned how to pray in the midnight hour.

It's often those prayers when we cry out to God when we have come to the end of our rope that touch the heart of God. All of us have prayed, at times, when we were going through the motions, but when you get down to business – when your grandchild is sick, and medicine won't help when death is knocking at the door, the doctors have said there is nothing that they can do when all hope of deliverance is gone unless God performs a miracle – that's when we really pray, and that's when God really begins to move.

James 5:16, "… The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

Those midnight cries, those wee hours of the morning prayers, when the Holy Spirit brings you to your knees before God. You feel the heaviness of the burden are the prayers that get the quickest answers.

Paul and Silas had done nothing deserving of the place where they found themselves on this night. They were chained to the wall in the depths of a prison under Roman guard just because they had cast the devil out of a young girl.

You won't always find yourself in the depths of darkness at midnight because of some dark sin in your life. Sometimes, it's just a trap that the devil lays for you and that God allows you to go through for His name's sake.

I am confident that Paul and Silas wondered why it was happening to them, but they didn't blame God, get mad, quit the ministry, or curse the guards. They didn't complain over their cold bread and water if they even had that. They didn't murmur because the air-conditioning was just right, the heater wasn't right, or the lights were too dim. They just started praising God in the darkness and waited for God's will.

Acts 16:25-26

"And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed."

Psalms 22:3, "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel."

When the praises go up, the Holy Spirit comes down.

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

Paul and Silas already had liberty in their hearts. Still, now, they would experience the freedom God gives in a very tangible way.

Another time we see God working in the midnight hour is found in the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew chapter 25.

Matthew 25:1-13

"Then shall the kingdom of Heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."

Midnight is when we least expect anything to happen when most of the world is asleep or trying to rest to forget the things of the day that have passed and not to worry over the things of tomorrow. It's the midnight hour, not just midnight by the clock, but midnight because of the powers of darkness that seem to engulf the whole world. As our world grows darker and deeper into the darkness of sin, I can't help but believe that we are approaching the midnight hour for humanity.

Christians understand that Jesus, the Messiah and Deliverer, has already come. He was born in that manger over 2000 years ago; he died, rose again, and is alive forever. Though the world grows darker, we see the light. We can hear the angel choirs singing in the realm of the Spirit, and we understand what they mean when they sing, "Glory to God in the Highest and peace, goodwill to all men."

We hear the Lord saying, "Come unto me and I will give you rest." We see the "Star of Bethlehem" as a light in our hearts, for Jesus is that star, the Bright and the Morning Star, that has risen in us to give us the light of the gospel.

But I found myself weeping this morning, my heart breaking this Christmas for those who are still trapped in the darkness of sin and bound by chains that Jesus could so easily break. We are approaching the midnight hour. Soon, we will hear the trumpet sound and the midnight cry will go forth. Where will they be when it sounds?

It won't be only those who have never known Jesus who will remain in this world during its darkest hour. There will be 'church people' who will remain who had the religious Spirit of the Pharisees but who didn't know Jesus at all.

I weep for those who once were on fire for God, but they have allowed the darkness to kill the fire and destroy the light in their souls, and if they do not repent, they will be trapped in that darkness forever.

There will be those who have ceased to pray, ceased to serve God, and ceased to read His Word who will suddenly, and without warning, find that they can no longer pray, serve, or read because Satan will complete the blinding process in their heart and mind. There will be those who were once delivered by the power of God as the light of the gospel shone in them, but now they are locked down again, forever chained to the blackness of sin and despair.

There is a midnight cry coming. We are approaching the midnight hour!

Children across the land are being lied to about a fat, red-suited elf riding a sleigh pulled by eight miniature flying reindeer. They are being ordered to sleep before midnight so he can pass by their house. They are being told that he will give them what they desire.

But I wonder how many of those children are told that Jesus is coming soon, at midnight. I wonder if they are taught that Jesus is riding on the clouds of Glory, seated upon the Throne of God, or that The Seraphim of Glory carries him about?

We are approaching the midnight hour! Who are you looking for – an elf in a sleigh – or Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords? Don't let the devil lull you to sleep now. The hour is growing late; the midnight hour is approaching; don't let the fire die, don't let the anointing die, don't be caught unaware or unprepared. Friends, I hope you all will be found watching and waiting, when Jesus comes in the midnight hour!

He Came, He's Coming Again

 We have entered a time of the year when everyday life's usual hustle and bustle ramps up a notch on the "Rat Race Scale." People who were already stressed about time suddenly must find more time to do things they don't normally do.

It's the Christmas Season; for most of us, it is anything but a holiday. Lest I be accused of being a "Grinch," let me also say I still love Christmas. It is a time when people are more cordial and friendlier. I have noticed that if you say hello, at least you will get a grunt in return rather than the usual deaf ear. And you will really get them to speak to you if you get in their way or pick up something they wanted first.

Everywhere you turn, people prepare for the time that is undoubtedly coming. There is an air of expectancy; for many, their life has taken on a new purpose, at least for a while. They will lay aside a lot of the things that seemed so important just a few weeks ago because now their whole focus is shifted to preparing for the coming of a little, short, red-faced demon that rides around in a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer, or nine, depending on which version of the lie you want to propagate.

Christmas is upon us, and there are only six days left to get out there and fight the traffic, spend your money, and get those special gifts for the special people in our lives. So, hurry up so you can wait in lines for hours to get that new Barbie for the little girl in your life, that X Box Game for the boys, or whatever it is on your list this year.

You will need to check your list and then check it twice – you have to make sure that no one is left out, whether they have been naughty or nice. After all, if you don't get something for everyone, their feelings might be hurt, and they won't give you anything next year.

But wait! That's not even the tip of the iceberg! Not only do you have to rearrange your schedule to spend endless hours at the mall or fight the traffic, but you also must find time to check out the lights that adorn so many homes in our area.

Then you must sit down long to plan your Christmas dinner and ensure there is enough food to feed the multitudes. God forbid anyone would want their 40th cookie or piece of fudge and find the tray empty. Oh, Horror of Horrors – Uncle Jimmy wanted a 6th piece of lemon pie, and it was all gone. I should have bought 13 instead of 12. I just knew that 12 pies were not going to be enough.

Next year, that won't happen. I'll buy enough for a hundred people and ensure no one goes hungry. We can lose that extra 20 pounds that we will gain just by making a New Year's Resolution to go on an extreme diet that will last about two days.

Then, there are the preparations for exchanging gifts with the family. Oh, what a time that will be. Let's buy a few extra gifts to ensure everyone gets something; we might have Jill's boyfriend or Jack's girlfriend, and we would want them to feel included. We might have to add a room onto the house to hold the toys our children get - toys that won't last through Christmas Day and, even if they do, the kids will lose interest in them and go back to playing with sticks and cardboard boxes in less than a week.

Preparations, preparations, preparations – we must make our preparations – nothing can be left to chance – nothing can be overlooked – no one can be left out – the rest of our year will be ruined if Christmas isn't perfect.

"My family won't love me if everything isn't perfect. My kids will hate me if they don't have that new Hummer under the tree. My wife or husband will doubt my love if there isn't a diamond ring or a new hunting rifle there."

What are you waiting for? Why are you still sitting there? There are only six days left to get all this done and more. Don't you love your family enough? I am confident that not all of you are prepared!

Now I realize that most of you don't act like what I have just described; at least, I hope not. You don't go to these extremes in your preparations for Christmas. But I also know that everyone can relate to what I have said and that there is a measure of truth that we all identify with.

Preparations are necessary if we are to have a successful Holiday Season. We make those preparations because we love our families and want to do everything we can to make this a special time for them. We want to show them our love through our actions, and nothing is wrong with that.

But today, I want to remind you not to forget to make some preparations for an even greater time that is coming.

Isaiah 40:3-5, "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."

Hundreds of years before Jesus would be born in that manger in Bethlehem, God had prepared one of his prophets named Isaiah to bring forth this word, foretelling the coming of His Son. In fact, in eternity past, God had already made his plans and prepared a way that man could be redeemed from sin. In Genesis 1:2, God spoke light into a dark and void emptiness and began the creation we all enjoy today. In bringing forth light, we can already see a picture of the coming Light of the World, Jesus Christ.

Then, in Genesis 3:15, we read where God speaks directly to Satan and reveals his ultimate plan for the coming of Christ when he says, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

Our God is a God of order and preparation. He leaves nothing to chance, so his plans always succeed.

And so, we read in Matthew 3:1-3, "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."

There were preparations that our Father in Heaven decreed should be completed before his Son, the Light of the World, would be presented unto a dark and dying world. So we find that John the Baptist, a man filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb, was sent to make those preparations. What was John's message? What was necessary for men to do to be ready to receive Jesus? John's entire message can be found in one word – REPENT!

The coming of the Son of God and the revelation of the Gospel to this world had to be preceded by a time of preparation. Israel had fallen from its place of prominence in the world through its idolatry. The prophets had been silent for about 400 years. There was no vision in the land. There was no hope, and the light of God in Israel had all but gone out.

So, John came preaching repentance. He came to tell Israel where they were in their relationship with God. They were a lost and dying people. They were a people who were the "apple of God's eye," and yet they knew not God at all. They had a form of worship, a form of rituals, but all their laws and rituals only served to condemn them more. They were spiritually blind, morally corrupt, and physically impoverished. They were caught in Satan's trap of sin, and there was no way out.

Israel needed to turn away from their form of worship and their religious traditions and turn their hearts toward God. John came to lift their vision off of the shadows of the tabernacle or temple worship, to lift their hearts out of the miry clay that held them in such deep despair, and to lift their thoughts higher than they had been as they looked upon their nation as a slave to Rome. John preached so that Israel could see that there was hope – their Deliverer was coming! One who was much more significant than John, whose sandals John would not be worthy to unlatch.

But what did it take for Israel to be prepared for Jesus coming? It took true repentance. They needed to turn away from their sins of idolatry. They needed to turn away from their sins of doubt and fear. Not only did they need to turn away from their sin, but they also had to make a conscious choice to turn toward God, to lift their eyes to behold His Son, and then choose to accept Jesus. Their Messiah was coming, but they were so blind in their sin and self-righteousness that they could not see him.

In like fashion, we see the Word of God going forth today in our own dark and dying world. Jesus is coming again, but before he comes, there is a time of preparation. Before he can come into this world, sin must be judged. Before he can enter your heart, your sin must be judged. The righteous, holy Son of God cannot enter the heart of a sinner until the Blood of the Lamb removes that sin.

That heart must be prepared. We must break up that fallow ground of a life and a heart that is hardened by sin. We must allow the Word of God to plow deep into our hearts and lives and break those chains that bind us. We must prepare ourselves for His coming.

It is a sad thing when we realize that most people will spend more time preparing for the coming of Satan Claus than for the coming of Jesus Christ. We will spend more time cooking pies than reading God's Word. We will spend hours in the stores, but we don't have time to be in God's House when it comes time for worship. We will spend hours hanging out lights, wrapping gifts, and doing a hundred other things, but how much time will we have for talking to God in prayer?

Friends, we need to realize that Jesus came the first time as the Savior of the World, but the next time he comes, it will be as the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and the Righteous Judge of all the earth. We need to remember that it's vastly more important to prepare for the coming of the Lord than for the arrival of Christmas. Instead of being overly concerned with making this Holiday Season a joyous time of the year for our families, we should double our efforts to reach them with a message of repentance.

Jesus may come before we can celebrate Christmas this year, and where will that leave us then? Are we preparing for Christmas and forgetting to prepare for the coming of the Lord? Are we focused solely on enjoying the holidays and forgetting about the pain and suffering that is coming upon the earth? Are we more concerned about the comfort and fulfillment of the needs of the flesh and unconcerned about the condition of the hearts of our loved ones?

Let us remember the real reason for Christmas. Amid all the hustle and bustle of the malls, the glitz and glamour of the decorations, and the excitement of parades and family gatherings, let us never forget that Jesus is standing there, with tears in his eyes, with his hands outstretched, begging and pleading for people to turn away from their sin in repentance and to turn to Him as their Savior.

The greatest gift we can give anyone is to tell them about Jesus' love. Tell them that he is no longer a baby in a manger but the risen Son of God and the Savior of the World. The greatest gift anyone can receive is the gift of Salvation and eternal life in Christ.

But before they can receive it, we must prepare. We must tell them of God's love, mercy, and grace. We must preach repentance unto them. We must not fail in our duty as Christians to spread the message of the Gospel because the souls of our families and our friends are hanging in the balance.

Are you preparing for Christmas in your home? I'm sure most of us are, and there's nothing wrong with that. But while you are preparing for Christmas, remember to prepare for the Coming of the Lord. Those who aren't prepared won't be watching and waiting, won't be found faithful, and will be left behind. Get prepared and stay prepared. Jesus is coming soon!