Hi FBC Friends!
We have been having a good time of prayer here at the 5 Days of Prayer! I am so grateful for the privilege of prayer and for each one who has been a part. Remember, we are not meeting for prayer tonight (but please be praying for Awana tonight!), but we have two more sessions tomorrow: 5-9am, and 5-9pm. Please come join us! You won’t regret it. So far we have had over 122 total hours of prayer. I am hoping for another 20 tomorrow morning and another 20 tomorrow night!
This Sunday I will be finishing our journey through the book of Hosea. I trust this series from one of the often-neglected books of the Old Testament has been a blessing to you. God’s love is so persistent! So faithful! So merciful! So just! This week we will look at chapter 14 (yes, please read ahead) and talk about “God’s Final Promise.” We all have a choice to make. Come find out what that choice is.
It is also the first Sunday of December, which means we are heading swiftly towards Christmas! So let us be preparing our hearts for the celebration of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to earth (the first time). It should never cease to amaze us that the Lord of Glory would condescend and come to walk this earth as a human. The “reason for the season” is Jesus, not all the other worldly trappings that come along. But the reason we can celebrate His birth is because of His perfect life, His death, His resurrection, and His promise to come again! I was reminded of that again this morning in Hebrews:
He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:12 ESV)
How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. (Hebrews 9:14 ESV)
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (Hebrews 9:22 ESV)
For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. (Hebrews 9:24 ESV)
For then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:26-28 ESV)
What amazing thoughts about our Savior, our High Priest, our soon-coming-King!!! Let us meditate on Him, and these words about Him, as we prepare our hearts for Communion this Sunday as well.
Looking forward with anticipation of what He’s going to do!
Love From Your Pastor,
Michael