"And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown."Jonah 3:4 ; "For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."Romans 8:24-25

When the prophet Jonah entered Nineveh, he gave a message of hopelessness -- in 40 days your city will be destroyed! He did not say, Nineveh will be destroyed "unless", but emphatically prophesied destruction to the people of the city -- seeming to say their situation was hopeless. Yet hearing this message Nineveh repented, and because their repentance was genuine God spared the city for a season and many lives were saved. Jonah's prophecy of judgment was averted, and Nineveh's destiny was changed by their response to the deep conviction from a message of doom. That's how it is with God. He is so compassionate, so longing to forgive and restore people to Himself, that He seems to "change His mind" showing how His mercy triumphs over judgment. Brothers & Sisters, is there a "prophecy of doom" over your life? Are your sins piled so high that God's judgment seems irrevocable and imminent? Don't despair ... repent! With our compassionate God, there is hope even when it seems all is lost. You may have wandered very far from Him -- but if Nineveh, a pagan city, hardened and ripe for judgment and "hopelessly" heading toward destruction, could be saved -- shouldn't you also have hope if you turn back to the Lord? Don't give up -- with Jesus there is always hope! HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS!

"My righteousness is near; My salvation is gone forth, and My arm [z’roah in Hebrew] shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on My arm [z’roah] they will trust."Isaiah 51:5 ; "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,"John 5:22 ; "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war."Revelation 19:11

On December 25, 1908, a newspaper in Messina, Sicily dared God to make Himself known by sending an earthquake. Three days later, the city was destroyed by an earthquake that killed over 84,000 people. Do we really believe that Jesus is returning soon? He is – He's coming back to judge this world and no one will escape His wrath except those whose sins are forgiven through living faith in His atoning sacrifice. The world in its increasing sinfulness, rejecting His Son, seems to be daring God to bring judgment. This historical event in Messina speaks with shocking clarity that the God of Creation is real, that He listens carefully to the statements we make about Him and the communications we express toward Him, (as individuals, cities, and nations), and that He is a powerful Sovereign King whose judgments are imminent and totally righteous. Because of sin, we are all born destined to die. Every one of those 84,000+ people were corrupt from the womb and fated for death, so that when this dare came before the Lord in Heaven, He chose the moment to take them and reveal this serious and dramatic testimony of His judgment to all the world. By revealing His judgment as a warning, God shows His mercy to those who remain alive, that we all may seek the eternal safety He offers. Jesus' sacrificial death provides eternal life for all who are destined to die from sin...that is, all that come to Him in faith. Brothers & Sisters, God is the true, righteous, and final Judge of us all. Will you be found in Him when He judges? If clothed in His righteousness, the Lord Jesus, we will escape His judgment for sin. Trust in Him completely and know He is not only a just judge but a "merciful, gracious, longsuffering" God who "abounds in goodness and truth". [Exodus 34:6] With judgment looming -- let's also be about His business today! HE'S COMING AS JUDGE, ARE YOU READY?

"I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing."Genesis 12:2

When we read this passage of Scripture, the first thing that probably comes to mind are all the promises that God gave to Abraham and the nation of Israel. But it occurred to me that there is a bigger lesson that we can learn here. We tend to focus on the part of that scripture where God does the blessing -- but why did He bless Him? The answer lies in the passage! The Lord told Abraham: "I will bless you --- and you shall be a blessing." Abraham was blessed so that he could be a blessing! The same is true today. The Lord has done so much for us! He has blessed us with so many things, the most important of which is His mercy in that He died for sinners like us! He has bestowed us with so much grace! He has allowed us to come into His Kingdom and be a part of the great things He's doing! What we have received should not only be for our own enjoyment but for the salvation of a dying world around us! Brothers & Sisters, God gives freely to us so that we may give freely to others! Matthew 10:8 " Freely you have received, freely give." Let's not be afraid to give out the blessings God has granted us! Share God's goodness! To whom much is given, much is required! WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR BLESSING?

"Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted (me-u-neh). But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed."Isaiah 53:4-5 ; "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone."Hebrews 2:9 ; "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."Hebrews 12:2 ; "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."Romans 8:16-18

When I studied Isaiah 53 earnestly in the ancient Hebrew, I was taken back by the Hebrew word for "afflicted" (me-u-neh). In modern Hebrew, this word means "tortured". When I was young, and first learned what torture actually involved, my soul was shocked that this could happen to people; in fact that it was happening to people. That a person could be kept alive for the purpose of intentionally causing him intense agonizing pain was an astounding enigma for my young soul. It really frightened me; and I think that fear of torture is probably the greatest fear that humans can experience. We read about people who have been tortured, with a kind of horrified awe. And quietly we wonder inside, "How can this be?" And, "Could this ever happen to me?" Crucifixion was a form of torture which the ancient Romans used frequently. And while I had a concept of the suffering that our Messiah endured for us, for some reason the understanding that He was tortured for our iniquities brought my awareness to a new level. I did not begin to appreciate or fathom the suffering Jesus went through. His identification with our suffering and our sin was total, and His experience of this torture so fully absorbed Him that He experienced what must have felt like infinite isolation and pain. Somehow, this is a deep comfort; to know that the Son of God understands by experience, torture, and suffering unthinkable. But then, I suddenly realized that I also could not begin to comprehend the glory that awaited Him after His suffering. And that His suffering purchased for me a portion in that glory as well. It was the other side of the story, and somehow, these two extremes complement one another; suffering, and glory. The apostle Paul states his revelation about our sufferings with almost light-hearted conviction; that they are not even “worthy” to be compared with the glory that awaits us. This, to me, could be the most amazing promise in all of scripture. Brothers & Sisters, suffering is everywhere, a constant part of this life; it may be you, or someone you love, or people you don't even know but are agonizing over and praying for. This world casts suffering in every direction at every level of intensity. But all of it, every flaming ounce of it has been successfully absorbed into the body of Jesus the Messiah. He was tortured for us – suffered death for us – so that our sufferings are trifles in the light of eternity. It's been said this way: from heaven, the most miserable earthly life will look like one bad night in a cheap hotel. Thank the Lord. HE UNDERSTANDS OUR SUFFERINGS MORE THAN YOU KNOW!

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might."Ephesians 6:10

Historian Shelby Foote tells of a soldier who was wounded at the battle of Shiloh during the American Civil War and was ordered to go to the rear. The fighting was fierce and within minutes he returned to his commanding officer. "Captain, give me a gun!" he shouted. "This fight ain't got any rear!" In Ephesians, Paul describes the armor that we should put on daily. Have you ever noticed that every part of the body is covered except for one? The back! The Lord didn't want us to run away and turn our back toward our enemy -- it would leave us vulnerable, with no armor to protect us against his attack! And just as a dog would when he senses fear, if we run from the enemy, he will relentlessly chase us until we are broken. But if we take courage and stand strong in the power of God's might, then the battle will be the Lord's... and He has already won the victory! Brothers & Sisters, the battle is raging and "this fight ain't got any rear!" It's time to take up our armor and face the enemy head-on! Don't worry about tomorrow's battles -- tomorrow battles may never come. There's no turning back -- it's time to press through and press on -- and claim His victory today! For today, He's given you the power to be victorious, so boldly walk in it! THIS BATTLE AIN'T GOT ANY REAR!

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified."1 Cor 9:24-27

Writing to the Corinthian Church, Paul illustrates his exhortation using the metaphors of running a race and fighting a boxing match. Victory is achieved by bringing your body into submission to the will of God. Their idolatrous culture promoted in the Corinthians an intense passion to win. In Greek mythology, Nike was the goddess of victory. She fought on the side of the Olympian gods, triumphing over the mighty Titans and thus became a powerful symbol of victory. Her divine her powers were not limited to warfare. She was also solicited by Greek athletes who sought victory in competitive sports. A major manufacturer of athletic shoes took note of this and named their company after the goddess. The Romans gave Nike the Latin name "Victoria" from which we get our English word - "victory". The apostle Paul, with characteristic cultural awareness, addresses the Corinthians in a language they well understand. He is seeking to harness their passion for victory and transform it for spiritual purposes seeking to motivate them with eternal rewards which the Lord has promised to those who serve Him well. Brothers & Sisters, in Jesus we have real Divine power which the ancient pagans could not have dreamed of. It is a power to win where it really counts...with and for our wonderful Lord! We too, need to discipline our bodies, bringing them under submission, and run the race of faith without looking back - we can be victorious. We will obtain an eternal crown, which will never fade! FIGHT TO WIN!

"And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,"Matthew 14:23

Here in Zimbabwe, cell phones are all the rage. You wouldn't believe it but parents even buy cell phones for their kids and send them to school with them in their schoolbags. I'm talking about six and seven-year-old kids! While it is true that part of the reason for this cell phone craze stems from the fact that violence goes on and people want to be able to contact one another in the event of an emergency, I would still say that it's somewhat excessive. Mark Twain was once asked to record a Christmas message on an early gramophone. This is what he said, "It is my heart-warm and world-embracing Christmas hope and aspiration that all of us, the high, the low, the rich, the poor, and admired, the despised, the loved, the hated, the civilized, the savage--every man and woman of us all throughout the whole earth--may eventually be gathered in a heaven of everlasting rest and peace and bliss, except the inventor of the telephone." Not that technology is a bad thing, but I think we have become entirely too dependent on it! Telephones, cell phones, televisions, computers. what's next?! Sometimes I feel like we just need to go back to the basics. Put all those things away in a closet somewhere and just sit down with the Word and with our Father. He wants to whisper in our ears sweet words of encouragement and wisdom. He wants to tell us of His wonderful plans for our lives and reveal to us the extraordinary mysteries of His Kingdom. But this can't happen if we're too busy taking calls! Brothers & Sisters, so let's spend the weekend -- disconnecting from the world -- and reconnecting with our creator ... perhaps He'll give us a fresh revelation ... if we will take the time to listen! HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?