April 20, 2011 Salvation Wednesday, Holy Week

He (Jesus) replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming 'I am he,' and 'The time is near.' Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away." Then He said to them: "Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places and fearful events and great signs from heaven."

Good Salvation Wednesday, my dear brothers and sisters, and welcome to the day we pray for those who might be unsaved and for God to use us to bring in the lost to be saved by our Lord Jesus.

PRAISE REPORT. On Sunday Evening I was called by the family of William Sanders, one of our flock at The Bridges. Willie, as I call him, was in bad shape, the family had gathered and hospice was on location. I anointed him with oil and we prayed over him. I was not sure he even knew I was there, until I started to sing his most loved song, Mansion over the Hilltop. His eyes opened and he started to sing. Monday I was back with the family, again we prayed and prayed and he did not open his eyes. But when I sang, he very faintly sang along. Yesterday, he was like a brand new man, still with infections, but sitting up and laughing, this time we prayed a prayer of praise, and we sang some more. God is good, brothers and sisters, and Willie was spared for now. THANK YOU JESUS.

Please pray today for Rick Brouse and his family in the loss of their 14 year old family K-9. Also pray for Radio (WHP) Talk show host Bob Durgun and his family in the loss of their family K-9.
Also pray please for Bob as he has had a bout with a bleeding ulcer. Also please add Don to our prayer list for those having cancer... Don, Ron and Kathleen... Thank You.

Dear Father in Heaven, Thanks for another day, and thanks for Salvation Wednesday, and please help us take Salvation very seriously, help us to be sure we really are saved by checking our own hearts and then help us work to bring in the harvest of the lost to be saved. Thanks for answering prayers about Willie and also about Bob... Thanks for your healing hand. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Holy Week, Salvation Wednesday: Luke 21:8 - He (Jesus) replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming 'I am he,' and 'The time is near.' Do not follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away." 10 Then He said to them: "Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places and fearful events and great signs from heaven." 13 But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name." (NIV)

Brothers and sisters, the scripture that God pointed me to today is one we need to be aware of as we work for Jesus. However, please do not waste time trying to figure out when Jesus is going to return for us, instead use your time wisely in helping to bring in the lost. Think about it, if you were to sit today at your computer and with Bible in hand going through scriptures trying to figure out when Jesus is coming back, what have you gained for Jesus or yourself? Nothing! But if you work to be sure you are in good standing with Jesus and then work to help others do the same, find good standing with Jesus. Just so you do understand, not even Jesus knows the time He will be sent back.

When you read the warnings, when you read the warnings in these verses you can see that things are lining up, and that means we should be working harder and harder in those fields of Harvest. As we follow Jesus these next few days, as we have communion tomorrow and then go to the garden to pray with Him, and on Friday to the cross with Him, we should know we have work to do.

So dear brothers and sisters, as we see the wars and hear about them, do not worry, when you see and hear about earthquakes, do not fret, just work harder for God. When you hear about people with no food, or not enough food, share yours and be thankful you have it to share.

And folks, that last verse, and remember it for it will also happen before Jesus returns for us... Hear this verse again, please...

Luke 21:13 - But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. (NIV)

Has any of that happened to you as you confess your love for Jesus? Before you answer that question, really think about it. It started for some of us when we were young, we read our Bibles in school, and we prayed in school, and we of course pledged our allegiance to our country, one nation Under God. Then that was removed from our schools, and from public buildings. You could no longer pray in public, or at least out loud. What else has happened to you that you might call people persecuting you? Let me tell you about one that happened to me.

As you know I love old vehicles, and I love old buses, and I was a very happy member of the Museum of Bus Transportation located in Hershey, Pa. I was elected to the board of directors and elected as a vice president and was chairman of the fleet committee and was very happy to have been appointed Chaplain for the bus museum. I was happy to open each meeting with prayer and close them the same way, the same with the events. Then all of a sudden a new board member complained and I was not permitted to pray at the meetings, it was changed to a moment of silence. I REFUSE TO GIVE JESUS JUST A MOMENT OF SILENCE and I walked out of that meeting. Other things I did were stopped, because of my standing up for Jesus. So I resigned my board seat. Then other things were taken away, again because of my speaking out for Jesus. Oh, I was just invited to the Car Museum, in the same building to pray before an event, so please note it was just a few people and those are with the BUS Museum. So what have I done about it? Well, I pray for the people on the board, I pray for the museum, and I still love those people because that is what Jesus has told us to do. It just amazes me how much someone who does not believe in Jesus is afraid of Him. For those non-believers, I want them to know, Jesus loves them as much as He loves the believers, but in the end, when Jesus does return and HE WILL, those non-believers are going to go to HELL and that is in the Bible... read John 14:6.

So when those who hate what you do come after you, smile and move forward for the one who really, really counts will always love you. When you are in the fire, He will be there with You... Fear not, these things will happen... how do I know... my Bible tells me so. Now go forth sharing your blessings and spreading the GOOD NEWS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST... and remember this... I love ya. Pastor Dan.