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IT’S CHRISTMAS, AND THE KING IS COMING
A year or two ago, on Christmas Eve, Cathy and I were sitting in
a church at a nighttime Christmas service. As things were happening,
suddenly Jesus spoke to me – "These people are celebrating my
birth, and here I am getting ready to return."
It is true, isn’t it, how people love to celebrate the manger,
even build mangers and put live people in the scene, with a baby
doll or even a live baby at times portraying the infant Jesus. Well,
why not. It is the grand moment in human history – God descending
to become human, one of us. An even greater moment occurred
thirty-three years later when that God-man overcame everything that
separated lost human beings from God, in essence reconciling us to
God. That reconciliation becomes a reality for anyone who recognizes
who Jesus is, who truly believes and accepts him as lord. The
apostle Paul said that if anyone confesses Jesus is Lord and
believes in his heart that God raised him from the dead, then he
will be "saved." That saved means reconciled to God,
having life ever after with Jesus and the Father. Jesus in his own
words said that no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is
born of water and the Spirit.
The key is that it is up to each person now. Jesus has done all
that is needed for each person to be reconciled, to be saved. But
each person has to be open to the truth, to receive the truth, to
believe. It’s the same in receiving anything from God. We have to
believe, have faith in Jesus. We have to realize the truth and
believe it.
Here is an important fact: Jesus is not a baby in a
manger. He is not a child nor a traveling preacher. No. He has
done all that. He has gone through the cross. He has risen, and has
ascended to heaven. He sits at the right hand of his father, and all
things are under his feet. In some way that we can scarcely
understand, those who believe are in a way there with him (Ephesians
2:6).
And, to get to the point, he is getting ready to return to earth,
to call out his church, to win the battle at Armageddon, to
establish his kingdom rule from Jerusalem. From the calling out of
the Church to his taking up residence as King in Jerusalem is a
seven year period which is about to begin. In the lifetimes of many
of us, great prophecies of events to happen before Jesus’ return
have happened. We’ve written about that in previous newsletters,
and you can hear details in several of our CD’s. Jesus said that
all this would happen within one generation, and that includes his
return.
His return is imminent. It is amazingly close, far closer than
most are aware. Most people will be shocked and surprised. They will
be going about their daily activities, and suddenly he will be here
collecting the Church. In a twinkling of an eye. In an instant.
Yet here we celebrate his birth as a baby. Well, that is worth
celebrating. But it is not the key moment now. The cross and his
victory there is a greater moment. But that too is in the past. Now
the King is about to come. Not an itinerant preacher but the King,
the ultimate King. You want to be in that Kingdom. Not a democracy,
mind you, a Kingdom. Don’t take your eyes off Jesus. Stay alert.
Watch, as he warns, so you will be ready to go when he summons. You
will be surprised how soon that is.
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ANNOUNCING AN
IMPORTANT NEW CD FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS:
WHERE ARE THEY?
HELP
WHEN FRIENDS AND FAMILY SUDDENLY
VANISH
Read this text from the inside label of this CD:
We are living in amazing times – the times in which Jesus
Christ comes to collect his Church, the times that see his
victory over his opponents at Armageddon and his establishment
of his Kingdom rule from Jerusalem. Those persons left behind
when Jesus collects his Church face extraordinary hardships.
Is that you? Have friends or family members vanished?
This CD will give you a quick jumpstart in preparing for
the difficult years ahead. Do not despair. There is still
hope. In a few minutes in simple, direct language, the CD
points the way.
I suggest you get several of these CD’s to pass on, or just to
leave around for those people who are left behind. They may be
requested using the enclosed form.
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THANK YOU, CONTRIBUTING PARTNERS!!!!!
(If you are considering making a contribution by year-end so that
you also can benefit from an income tax standpoint, I encourage you
to move quickly. We certainly can use the funds now; help us take
the ministry’s vital message to more and more in these next few
weeks. I don’t think there is a lot of time. Jesus is coming far
sooner than most people expect.)
This year has seen more extraordinary things happening in the
ministry, as have every year since its formation. I am always amazed
at what transpires. With the overall objective of telling people who
Jesus is and that he is coming soon, we have taken steps to reach an
ever increasing number. By "who Jesus is," we mean the
fullness of who he is, including all he did, including such subjects
as healing.
Amazing opportunities came in surprising areas this year.
Currently we are on television weekly with our DARE
TO BELIEVE! program in several major metropolitan areas.
The broadcast reaches homes with a potential ten million or so
viewers, so this is exciting indeed – half of New England,
including Boston, the Tidewater area of Virginia and northeastern
NC, and Wilmington and southeastern NC.
This is not inexpensive, but it is a way quickly to reach more
and more with the gospel and the exciting news that Jesus is soon to
return. Most do not know that.
Jesus over and over has instructed me to tell people who he is
and that he is coming soon! In the last year he has further
explained. I tell you, it’s not long.
There have been stories of thanks and gratitude, healings, and
more. Examples: One man said he loved the show, and then added –
"saved my life." Others have said things like "just
what I needed," in response to a CD sent following a request
after watching. "You just talk, you don’t shout." And so
on.
We continue to seed CD’s and DVD’s throughout the country and
even a little internationally. Hopefully soon we can make even more
copies of the television program available on DVD.
The web site is attracting a steadily increasing number of
visitors and we are working to upgrade with more offerings. The new
Articles section is one such. The newsletters seem to get a lot of
attention there, as well as some individual articles, the CD/DVD
listings, the healing scriptures and keys to receiving, and more.
The newsletter itself has turned out to be a ministry all on its
own. The initial addressees are not the only ones who read it. Once
a person unknown to us and living far away sent an email reporting
that the newsletter and its subject (the kingdom in this case) had
been the subject of his Sunday School class.
We could do none of this without your funds. As I’ve said
before, God provides, and in my experience that provision is through
other people. Thank you. You share in the blessings of all that
happens through this ministry. I think of your contributions as
building up treasures in heaven, as investing in your future as well
as your present. Jesus did say a person receives a hundred fold
return in this world and the next for all he gives up for Jesus and
the gospel, and that certainly includes your contributions as well
as the time and efforts of ministry volunteers.
Again, thank you.
Cathy and I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!
It is, after all, All About Jesus!
John
TELL
FRIENDS & FAMILY TO JOIN US
WEEKLY FOR THE
TELEVISION BROADCAST of
DARE TO BELIEVE!
New
England
at 7 AM Tuesdays:
·
WBPH-TV –
Boston
and surrounding areas – channel 68 over air (digital 32)
· WPXG-TV – lower half of
New Hampshire
– channel 21 over air (digital 33)
· WDPX-TV –
Cape Cod
,
Martha’s Vineyard
,
Nantucket
, lower
Mass.
– channel 58 over air (digital 40)
· Cable: Comcast
15, 9, 11,12, or 17; Charter 20, 17, or 24; Metrocast – 21; Time
Warner 14 or 18; RCN 12.
Virginia Beach/Norfolk/Newport News, VA/
Northeast NC
at 7:30 AM Wednesdays
·
WPXV-TV – channel 49 (digital 46)
·
Cable: Cox 49; Charter 14, 64, 20, or 14; Mediacom 17;
Time Warner 16.
Wilmington
/
Southeastern North Carolina
at 6:30 AM Tuesdays
·
WSFX-TV 26
· Cable-Time Warner 9; Charter 9
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