THE FIRST TIME AND LAST TIME

1 Peter 1:20 NIV He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.

Christmas is fast approaching and we’re all probably up to our ears in plans or wrapping paper!😊 But none of it would be happening if God hadn’t had a plan back before the world was made to send us a Saviour to rescue us and give Him a family.

It was prophesied over and over for hundreds of years that God was sending a Saviour and on the first Christmas Jesus arrived on a quiet night in Bethlehem. His death and resurrection were also prophesied and sure enough He did what God said.

Just as He came quietly that first Christmas, scripture tells us when He comes again it won’t be quiet, it will be very loud with the shout of the archangel and the sound of trumpets! Scholars tell us His second coming was prophesied many, many more times than His first coming. It is a certainty, whether people believe it or not. God always does what He says!

So, what is God saying to us as we remember Jesus’ first coming in a short while? Just as we prepare and get ready for Christmas He wants us to prepare and be ready for His Second Coming! We may or may not look forward to Christmas but if we know Jesus as our Saviour we can look forward with great joy to the day when He comes back for us.

He wants us to be like the five wise virgins who were prepared and waiting for their Lord to arrive, walking in faith, not distracted by a million other things.😊

So as we wrap up presents and listen to our Christmas music, let’s not forget that the Lord is coming again and He wants us to be looking for Him and ready when He comes.😊 Amen.

Titus 2:13 KJV Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Photo by Cody Chan on Unsplash

REMEMBER!

Psalm 103:1-2 NKJV Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

‘Remember, 

His goodness never fails, 

His mercy never ends, 

and His power has no limits.’

I read those words this week and made them into a picture, and because they encouraged me so much, I wanted to share them.😊 They’re describing our God, His character, and His ability which are awesome!

When you think about it, it’s crazy that we keep being anxious about anything when we know our God is able to do all of the above and that He is for us not against us. 

Yes, we make mistakes and fail sometimes, but His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. There is never a day goes by when His mercy isn’t available to us to forgive us and put us back on the right path.

2 Chronicles 16:9 AMP For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth so that He may support those whose heart is completely His. God is actively seeking loyal people! The ball is in our court and He wants to pour His goodness out on us, to strengthen us.😊

And as for the thought that God can’t do anything about our problem - that just doesn’t make sense. God’s power is limitless, beyond our imagination and that’s the trouble, we probably haven’t given our thinking free rein to imagine all God can do. We’re maybe limiting Him by our small aspirations, our small believing!

Let’s ask God for the dreams and visions He wants us to have, think bigger, and then release our faith for them and we shall see His limitless power at work. 

And whatever you do today, and wherever you go, remember, “God’s goodness never fails, His mercy never ends, and His power has no limits.” 😊 In Jesus name. Amen.