"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith."1 John 5:4

A friend of mine send me an e-mail expressing concern about the future. But I want to tell you a little something – the future is VICTORY! It's not defeat, or loss. If you think about it, all the great leaders of the Bible shone in the hardest of times. When the giant Goliath stood against the army of Israel, David didn't sit around with his brothers complaining about how big Goliath was. Though David was a dwarf next to this evil giant, he was still convinced he was going to be victorious because God was on his side! When the apostles saw Jesus die, they must have felt utterly defeated -- then, suddenly, there he was, out from the grave, gloriously alive before them -- and from then on they walked in His victory! They didn't sit around complaining about Roman persecution, the Sanhedrin, or the Pharisees. They didn't get wrapped up in how evil the world was becoming; instead they pressed forward in the worst of times and in those dark days they shone like the stars in the midnight sky. Brothers & Sisters, despite everything that's happening around us, let's be sure we're not developing a defeatist attitude. We are called children of the King, a royal priesthood and a holy nation. Despite how bad things may be getting -- don't forget we're on the winning team! We can stand against this evil and overcome it... with good! REMEMBER YOU'RE ON THE WINNING SIDE!

"By this we know love of God, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth."1 John 3:16-18

The Sea that is alive is the one that gives. The more of your self, of your life, of your love, that you pour out, the more alive, filled up, and refreshed you will become. The Lord Jesus exemplified this to the greatest extent ever, by giving all He was and all He had, even to those who hated Him and were His bitter enemies. And the love that He gave was returned to Him by His Father in the resurrection, and by all the multitude of His redeemed people throughout all ages and into eternity. Could it possibly be any different for those of us who live lives of giving and loving? No. We will continue to be filled by the Lord's infinite abundance no matter how much we pour ourselves out. Of course, if we hold back, keeping all we have to ourselves, we will begin to evaporate and die... Give and you will live. Love, and you will be filled with God’s love. Hold back, and even that which you have will vanish away. A friend of mine shares this limerick: There once was a sea that was dead It was, 'cause it only got fed And never gave up Not one single cup Now that's something to keep in your head Brothers & Sisters, let's be givers. Let's be lovers. Empty ourselves into His Kingdom, into His work, and be constantly refilled with His love, power and peace. With so much work to be done, I'm choosing the Sea of Life! CHOOSE BETWEEN THE SEAS!

"And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them. And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water."Genesis 26:18-19

There are times in our lives that we are going through a spiritual valley and we want to get victory -- we want to have answers -- we want God's power to flow through us again. In this passage, Isaac found springing water after digging up the wells of his father Abraham again. Jesus made us a promise, "He that believes on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." - John 7:38 We, who are believers in Messiah, have those living waters within us -- but we must clear out the obstacles in our lives that prevent them from flowing! The Lord promises us rivers of living water -- not a puddle, not a pond, not a lake -- He said rivers! These waters are not meant to be stagnant and not meant to be dammed up! They need to be flowing -- unrestricted! Brothers & Sisters, if you feel as if your spiritual walk has grown stagnant -- then dig up the wells again and tap into His living waters! LET THE RIVERS FLOW!

"I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah."Psalms 89:3-4 ; "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham."Matthew 1:1

New Testament genealogies of Jesus the Christ all identify Him as the son of king David. It was universally understood from the Tenach (OT) that the messiah would be descended from David and that he would restore the Davidic monarchy to its ultimate and most universal expression, even that this king would reign and sit on the throne forever. Why was Jesus' identification with David so significant? One reason is that David is the only man in the Bible about whom the Lord said, this is “a man after My own heart”. Yet we know well David's imperfections ... adultery and murder -- so why would God say this about him? I believe it was David's lifelong love for and abandoned worship of the Lord, and also his contrite heart (Ps. 51) and the depth of his sorrow and repentance which showed this relationship to be the most important and precious in his life. God isn’t expecting perfection from us -- His Son has provided that. Jesus alone is the Man whose heart and actions are flawless. But David exemplified a man whose love and respect for his God were constant, if imperfect, a man after God's own heart. And this is the heart that God is seeking today, contrite, worshipful, and filled with respect and love for our God. Brothers & Sisters, David provides a wonderful example for us who are as imperfect as he was. We may fall and fail miserably – but its how we get up that makes the difference. Our constant desire to preserve this most precious of all relationships will show that we too have a heart after God. I know I want to hear Him say, "Yes, you are truly someone after my own heart!" HAVE A HEART AFTER GOD!

"And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat."Exodus 16:15

When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt I'm sure several million people were wondering, "How am I going to be fed? How am I going to survive in this wilderness?" Imagine the logistical nightmare. An incalculable quantity of food and water were needed to survive in the desert. Where would it come from? Yet, in this seemingly impossible situation, God provided! He provided Manna from heaven. When the people first saw the Manna on the ground, they wondered in amazement saying to each other, "What is this?", which is exactly what "Manna" means in Hebrew -- "What is it?" They were receiving the food of angels, [Psalm 78:24-25] which sustained them the entire time in the desert. But we know what happened as time passed...the people got used to this miraculous provision, began to take it for granted, and even be bored with it, and, of course...the wonder of God's supernatural provision evaporated. Israel lost sight of the miracle that God was doing in their lives each and every day. Brothers & Sisters, each and every day is a miracle from God. Each day of our lives we walk through a world filled with the wonders and glory of the Lord. But we, too, can become dull and lose the wonder of all that He has done and provided for us, even our very salvation. We need to awaken to the daily miracles of life, and to the never ending opportunities the Lord is opening, to pour His love into us, and through us. As we do, may we always be saying to ourselves, "Wow -- what amazing love is this that's been given to me!" DON'T LOSE THE WONDER!

"And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave."1 Kings 19:11

The prophet Elijah, through his dramatic demonstration of the LORD's authority and power, inspired repentance in the people of Israel, calling them to exercise His judgment on idolaters by slaying 450 prophets of Ba'al and 400 prophets of Asherah on Mount Carmel. Yet this spiritual victory was followed by a severe demonic reprisal through the woman Jezebel. Her words so terrified Elijah that he literally ran for his life. The conflicts in the spirit realm are truly awesome. The moment of Elijah's greatest victory became the very context for his greatest temptation, as he was devastated, discouraged and depressed to the point of hopeless despair by Jezebel's vengeful threat to kill him. But the Lord had not abandoned His man. In the midst of Elijah's flight God sent His angel to feed and encourage the prophet for his forty day journey from Beersheva to Mount Horeb, where he undoubtedly expected protection at the mountain where Moses had first encountered God. Completely alone, Elijah takes refuge in a cave, where the Lord finds him and initiates a conversation which seems almost casual; "What are you doing here, Elijah?" The prophet begins to pour his heart out, complaining about his isolated desperate condition. God's reply is another dramatic demonstration, but this one is different and personally tailored for Elijah's discouragement. Whirlwind, earthquake, and fire are all devoid of His Presence. ….but there, in a still small voice, the prophet hears His Lord... Brothers & Sisters, perhaps unrepentant sinners and backslidden believers require dramatic demonstrations, catastrophes and devastating judgments to awaken their attention to God's presence and will. But we who love Him are invited to a more intimate relationship; one which takes place in privacy and quiet listening. This weekend could be a good time to renew yours... SPEND THE WEEKEND SEEKING HIS STILL SMALL VOICE!

"I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good."Psalms 54:6

When we come to know our King, we, too should want to exchange the flourishes of our former life for Him. The amazing thing about our King is that He not only takes our jewels but He takes our rags too -- and uses them for the good of His Kingdom! Brothers & Sisters, perhaps there are some things we need to sacrifice to him today. Let's pray and ask for His revelation. There are great things awaiting those who give. HAVE YOU GIVEN YOUR ALL?

" So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."Romans 10:17

I could tell you about countless difficult and drawn out circumstances over which we have tried to stand firmly in faith until they finally came to pass. Sometimes we made it and sometimes we were weak and began to doubt. But God mercifully came through for us on most of these things, despite our lack of strength to stay faithful. There are some things in our lives that take a lot of prayer and a lot of faith to overcome. But why is it so hard sometimes to stand in faith for those things? I spent many hours praying for faith. I once said, "If all the time I have spent praying for faith was put together, it would be months. I thought that someday faith was going to come down and strike me like lightening. But faith did not come. Then one day I read in the 10th chapter of Romans, "So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." I now opened my Bible and began to read God's Word and faith has been growing ever since." Much of what we believers describe as 'faith' has nothing to do with Biblical faith. Our faith must not be based on emotion, or want, and not on the latest exciting conference or revival. But it must be centered on God's Word, on Jesus, His death and resurrection, His salvation. The Living Word is the eternal, everlasting love of God which has been poured out upon our lives. Brothers & Sisters, let's read, hear, apply and live the Word today, and we will grow strong in faith! WHERE'S FAITH WHEN YOU NEED IT?

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."Romans 12:1

The world has yet to see what God will do with and for and through the man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him." I didn't say an educated person, nor did I say a person who was ultimately gifted. The person with whom God will work with and for and through will be the person "who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him". We realized that God isn’t looking for people with amazing minds or hands or voices or computer skills. He’s not looking for those who are wearing the nicest suits or dresses at church. And He’s not looking for the people with the highest grade point averages at the local Christian College. What God is really looking for, are people who are simply sold out for Him! Brothers & Sisters, One of the great secrets to a successful walk with the Lord, is understanding total commitment to Jesus. But being totally committed requires us to daily take up our cross -- leave the past behind us -- and despite all the obstacles the enemy tries to throw in our path, press forward for the Lord and His work! Let's consecrate ourselves to the Lord again today. SO MANY COMMITMENTS!

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."Proverbs 3:5

Some of us are in need of answers today. We've been crying out for the Lord and feel like He's not listening. But He is! And He has a plan far greater than any of us could ask or think! Brothers & Sisters, be encouraged! Let's choose to trust that God has great plans for us in the making, regardless of whether we can see them right now. His timing is PERFECT! SHOW A SIGN!

"And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities."Luke 19:17

A young man once went to the beach. There, he saw miles and miles of starfish washed up on the sand. “If these starfish stay out here during the heat of the day,” he thought, “they'll die.” So he began picking up a starfish at a time as he walked and throwing them back into the ocean. An elderly man also walking along the shore approached him and said, “Do you mind if I ask young man, what are you doing?” “I'm throwing these poor starfish back into the ocean so they don't die in the hot sun,” the youth replied. “But what difference can you really make,” said the old man, “Look at this beach -- there are thousands, maybe millions, of starfish here!” The young man chuckled as he threw yet another starfish into the sea. “Well -- it made a difference to that one!” “Faithful in a very little”, the Word of God says! It is faithfulness in the little things that the Lord rewards mightily! Brothers & Sisters, the world is like those millions drying out in the hot sun – and we have reach out to those the Lord has put in our path! If we all do our share, the job will get accomplished! MAKE YOUR DIFFERENCE!

"The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God." Isaiah 35:1-2

It reminds me that even the dry desert areas in our lives can come to life! The Lord declares that He will restore the years the locusts have eaten! No matter how desolate we've been, this is the time to blossom! Brothers & Sisters, our lives are meant to flourish in the Lord! Let's ask Him to touch us in a special way this season. May we spring to life and blossom abundantly. May that which was once dead spring to life and may everyone around us may see the evidence of the glory of God! IT'S TIME FOR BLOSSOMING!

"Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you."Hosea 10:12

Revival is that sovereign work of God in which He visits His own people, restoring and releasing them into the fullness of His blessing. Over the years a friend of mine was always asking "Do you think revival will ever come to Zimbabwe?, When do you think it will come?" Revival must begin within each of us.....and it's not just a one time event but an ongoing process of desiring to be closer to Him. Once again, my wife asked "Why do you keep having revival meetings?" And he quickly retorted, "Why do you always take a bath?" Brothers & Sisters, revival is an ongoing transformation of our hearts to be constantly moved by the Spirit of God. We need to be daily breaking up our fallow ground, those places in our hearts which we've allowed to grow hard. How? We have to first ask the Lord to reveal those hard places, pray that He would forgive us and ask Him to heal all our rough edges that we might be soft before Him and sensitive to His leading. Only then will we be changed and be in a place where we can contribute to revival around us. REVIVAL IS AVAILABLE TO US TODAY!

"If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."Daniel 3:17-18;23-25

And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king." "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." Continuing our study of First (Old) Testament appearances of the "preincarnate" Jesus, we find ourselves in the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These three men refused to bow and worship another God besides the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. While they knew that God was able to deliver them, they also knew that He might choose not to do so–and whether He delivered them or not had no influence on their loyalty to Him. These three faithful Hebrews were convinced that idolatry was a non-starter for them, no matter what! Their unquestionable loyalty brought wrath upon their heads. Nebuchadnezzar's violent rage moved him to increase the furnace fires seven times! Brothers & Sisters, isn't this the crux of the matter for all of us who live by faith? Whether He delivers us or not??!! Wasn't this the Lord's example in the Garden of Gethsemane? And don't we know that this kind of resolution will increase the intensity of the attacks against us? Our faithful obedience and loyalty UNDER PRESSURE is the most powerful testimony we can give of our love and faith in God. And one way or another, Jesus will be standing there in the fire with us, just as He was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were delivered. But what really stands out is that they didn't make their deliverance an issue with God. Will you? HE'S IN THE MIDST OF THE FIRE!

"And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,"Genesis 18:1-2 ; "And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son." Genesis 18:13-14 ; "And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?" Genesis 18:17-18 ; "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am."John 8:56-58

The (Old) Testament contains numerous appearances of God in the form of a man, sitting, speaking, even eating with those that love Him. Abraham was sitting in front of his tent on the plains of Mamre, when the LORD (God) came to him and declared the fulfillment of a promise He had made to him many years before, saying that through Abraham's seed the world would be blessed! (Genesis 12:7; 13:15-16, 15:18, 17:7-9) For a long season, the Patriarch had patiently waited for the fulfillment of this promise, but it wasn't until the LORD came to him personally, speaking face to face, that the fulfillment of this promise drew near. No wonder Jesus told the Jews of his day that Abraham rejoiced to see Him! It was the day that the promise -- the long awaited promise -- was coming to pass! Brothers & Sisters, the visitation of God, the Creator of the universe, to this Earth, in the form of a man, seems preposterous to normal human understanding; yet we know it is true, historical, and certain because God has revealed it to us by His Spirit and His Word. Because of this astounding Incarnation, every other promise of the Word is absolutely reliable. Faith and patience are all that are necessary for us to receive them. Is there anything too hard for the LORD? Follow the example of our Father Abraham and stand on the WORD He has given you. Every one of His promises will be fulfilled....... in His time! IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD?

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."Matthew 28:18-20

As we have entered into a New Year, the world is rapidly changing before our eyes! War seems inevitable in the Middle East, the world economy is on the brink of complete collapse – one thing hasn't changed -- our orders from Jesus to preach this gospel of the Kingdom to every one! Brothers & Sisters, continue to stand guard, watching and being ever alert of the times in which we live; and never forget that our "Orders Remain Unchanged!" With so much work to be done, let's be sure that we have entered 2014 with our priorities intact – "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you..." 2014 - ORDERS REMAINS UNCHANGED!

" Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!" Gideon said to Him, "O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites." Then the LORD turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?"Judges 6:11-14

Biblical Hebrew uses a grammatical form called "s'michut". This form joins two words together to form a single word form. We have this in English: for example, a door and a knob are two nouns, which are used to form the word "doorknob", a compound noun. This form of joining nouns is found in Judges 6:12. The expression, "Angel of the Lord" is rendered, "angel-Lord" Then, suddenly, the narrative changes from "angel-Lord" to simply, "Lord". Here we see another appearance of God in human form in the Old Testament. The God-Man, Jesus in a "pre-incarnate" appearance. When Gideon was called to fight the Midianites, he felt inadequate, unequipped and the weakest among his brethren -- but the Lord called him "you mighty man of valor"! Isn't it always interesting how God calls the weak things of this world to confound the natural wisdom of the world [1 Cor 1:18-21]? And sometimes He sees right through their perception of themselves, and calls them "mighty"! Gideon, in the midst of overwhelming circumstances, felt as many feel today: weak, abandoned by God, wondering, "Where are you LORD?" But when the Lord suddenly shows up to call us to be part of His solution, what will we say? What will we do? Because He knows who we are deep inside, and He knows how to empower the weak to perform His works for His glory. Brothers & Sisters, if you find yourself asking, "Where are you LORD?", you might want to prepare yourself to be the answer to the problem. Because He might just "show up" and give you an "impossible" commission, then equip you with the strategy for victory. Even you, alone, with the LORD, are an army that no enemy wants to face! THE LORD IS SENDING YOU!

" Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him."Isaiah 62:11

I came across this quote and thought I'd share it with you in light of the holiday season. The author is not known but he or she is surely wise. "If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer..... but our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior." Yes, God sent us a Savior -- that we might know His forgiveness. But not only that we might know it. God sent us a Savior so that we, who have been given the privilege of this knowledge, might go and share the good news of His forgiveness with all the world! Brothers & Sisters, let's cherish His forgiveness today. Let's revel in it and let all who don't know that they can have the same! GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN!

"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Brothers & Sisters, it's easy to follow the crowd. But it takes courage and conviction to follow wholeheartedly after God. Sometimes it can get lonely running your race, wondering where the crowd is going, and even whether you, yourself are on the right road. But you my friend, keep running with the Lord. And when the race is over and you have finished your course, may the He say to you, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant!" RUN THE RACE - IGNORE THE HECKLERS!

"And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem. But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Micah 4:8;5:2

There are many who are not aware of the very deep significance of Bethlehem,Jesus' birthplace. Everyone knows that Bethlehem was a place where shepherds grazed their sheep, and where the Messiah was to be born, but do not realize that it was a town designated as the birthing place for lambs which were used for the Passover sacrifice. The Scriptures give significant details about this little town lying slightly south of Jerusalem. In Micah 4:8 we read about the "watchtower of the flock", or in Hebrew, "Migdal Edar." According to the "Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah", by Alfred Edersheim, a Jewish believer in the late 1800's, Migdal Edar was the location where the Messiah was to be revealed. This watchtower stood as a place of protection for the city from approaching enemies, but it was also utilized by shepherds to watch over the specific flocks from which sacrificial Passover lambs were taken. The shepherds who were tending these particular flocks were no ordinary shepherds. They were specifically trained by the Rabbis for a holy task. They had to insure that, as much as possible, every lamb was free of any blemish or injury, in order to be used for the Passover sacrifice. Since they were instructed by the Rabbis, they almost certainly knew of those passages in the Targums (Aramaic translations) and the Mishna associating the birth of the Messiah with "Migdal Edar". For example, Migdal Edar is translated in one of the Targums as "The Anointed One of the Flock of Israel." It is also written in the Mishna that "He spread his tent beyond Migdal Edar, the place where King Messiah will reveal Himself at the end of days." Brothers & Sisters, those shepherds had strong hints of Messiah's advent in the very town where they lived, so that when the angelic host appeared announcing his arrival, they responded immediately and went to worship Him. We too have increasing signs of His soon Second Coming. Are we also prepared to respond? Our readiness to act in faith and worship will show how well we understand the signs of our own times. With so much work to be done, let us stay awake and be inspired by the expectation of his soon arrival – for, just like those shepherds of Bethlehem, we truly were born for such a time as this! EXPECT HIS COMING!