Life is fickle. As we navigate our life through all the challenges presented to us, we find it difficult to find that safe habor to anchor our life in.
Thankfully God has provided a certainty to the uncertainty of our times. He has given to us the hope of the Lord Jesus Christ’s return.
Thankfully at the young age of 20 I got born again, filled with the gift of holy spirit, speaking in tongues much. Now my anchor is completely hooked onto Jesus Christ. The storms of life cannot break Him away.
Hebrews 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Jesus Christ is what gives us assurance and hope for the future.
Colossians 1:23b: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven;
What is the hope of the gospel? It is the return of our Lord and Savior coming back to earth, picking us up and giving us a new body and a new mind, so that we will be ever with the Lord. Our hope is etched in God’s Word so that we can put our anchor solidly onto Christ.
1Thessalonians 4:16 & 17: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Corinthians 15:52: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Hebrews 6:11: And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
What a victorious life-style we have to live. We do not live in fear, but with confidence having the full assurance of Christ coming back to gather us together to be ever with Him.
Agape,
Bob
I Corinthians 15:57: But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jeanie and I both have our parents interned at Ft Rosecrans National Cemetery. Both of our fathers fought in the South Pacific during World War II. On this upcoming Memorial Day they will be dearly remembered.
On this special day, as Americans recognize the value of the men and women who gave their lives for our freedom, we also recognize the Lord Jesus Christ and the life He gave for the spiritual freedom all born again Christians experience.
Recently, Jeanie was touched by an article in the Word of Truth magazine by Kenneth Hagin called, “The Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers.” Since 1937 a sentinel has guarded the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. On that tomb is inscribed: “Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known only to God.”
Somewhere in Jerusalem, there is the remnants of the tomb where our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was laid. But He is long gone from that place, only staying 72 hours, enough to pay for our salvation. Jesus Christ won the spiritual freedom for all mankind through His death and resurrection.
John 8:36 (NLT)
So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.
Yes, we will remember those brave men and women who have given their lives for our country’s freedom. But with even greater thanksgiving do we praise and worship our Heavenly Father for the eternal freedom He bought for us through His Son. May we walk in the fullness of who we are in Christ and boldly hold forth the Words of Life.
Jeanie recently shared in a note to a particular family of believers words of wisdom we all can participate in: “Each of our lives are precious to our Heavenly Father and He wants us to live in victory and to live our lives in sacrifice for one another.”
I John 3:16 (NLT)
We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So, we also ought to give up our lives [in loving service] for our brothers and sisters.
Agape,
Bob
Little did anyone know how spectacular this feast day would be!
Of the three major feasts in the Bible, Pentecost, or the Day of Firstfruits, was a festive time of abundance and rejoicing.
This special time followed some 50 days after the first major feast called the Feast of Unleavened Bread. God utilized these special times not only to recognize His blessings on the people, but to illustrated future events to come.
The first feast of the year (Unleavened Bread) was the barley harvest representing the firstfruits. It is uniquely noted that during this time the resurrection of Jesus Christ occurred. He represented the firstfruit from the dead.
The third and final feast celebrated the final harvest of all the crops at the end of the year. It illustrates the final harvest, the resurrection of the just and the unjust at the end of the world.
The feast we celebrate this Sunday is the second significant feast called Pentecost, or the feast of the wheat harvest. It illustrates the giving of the gift of holy spirit and was the firstfruits of the spirit.
God amazingly performed major spiritual events with these significant feast days.
As we celebrate Pentecost this Sunday, may we remember the incredible reality of the new birth spirit given on that day. May we walk in power realizing the fullness of the spirit of God in us. What a day!
Agape,
Bob
We all have pin numbers to remember. And if you are like me, you write them in a notebook, not to forget them.
Last Sunday at our Pentecost picnic Barney Barnhart masterfully shared a pin number few would never forget. 5683.
Why would we want to remember these four digits? Each number represents a letter. Check those numbers on a phone and you will see it spells: L O V E.
What is even more amazing is, if you are aware of the significance of numbers in the Bible, these four digits communicate a dynamic spiritual reality:
God’s grace to man, as evident in the number 5 (grace) and 6 (man), demonstrates God so loved man He graciously gave him a new beginning (8, indicating a new start) on life and because of it, he is now fulfilled (3, meaning complete) having spirit, body and soul.
5683 is a good number to put at the top of your pin number list never forgetting God’s grace (5), giving you (6) a new beginning (8) with spirit, which makes you complete (3).
Check out our website at actsnowfellowship.net for the recorded teaching.
Agape,
Bob
Ephesians 2:7 & 8:
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
I recently came upon a story that illustrates one of the precious keys in our relationship with the Heavenly Father.
John was looking forward to getting home from his business trip. The flight would only be about two hours. Unfortunately it turned into two very uncomfortable hours. There was turbulence most of the flight. The pilot apologized for the inconvenience and assured everyone things would be OK. Still, John noticed that many were gripping their arm rests tightly, others were sick and it seemed everyone was very stressed out, except one little girl. John watched her as she read her book with no concern at all about the rough flight. While everyone was fearful, she remained calm. The plane finally landed to the relief of everyone. John wanted to check with the girl on why she did not express any fear during the flight. He spied her out and went up to her and asked her why she was not afraid during the flight. She replied to him saying, “I knew we would be safe because my dad is the pilot.”
The girl trusted in her father when he told everyone that, “everything would be OK.”
We might not have a pilot for our father, but we do have the Creator of the heavens and earth as our Heavenly Father directing our steps. He loves us and has made us to be His children. We are a new creation in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17) and have God as our dad.
1John 3:1:
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
Galatians 4:6:
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba [Intimate term meaning “Daddy” in our times], Father.
Proverbs 3:5,6:
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Whenever you are in a stressful situation, grab your mind, not looking at the turbulence around you, but remembering who your Pilot is!
Agape,
Bob