Will we say that missions month is over? As far as the calendar is concerned it is over but will it be over in our lives? We have a month of missions every year with the purpose of increasing our vision, involving of lives, and instigating new people to go to white harvest fields. So as a sequel we can ask ourselves these questions - Is there a need in a specific place for God to work? Will I pray, give, and even go that this place may have a better gospel witness? Would I answer "Here am I, send me" if we hear the voice of the Lord saying "Who can I send, who will go?" Missions month should never be over in our fellowship or our lives - will it be?

Our speaker yesterday was a "home" missionary ministering to the Amish people of Ohio and the USA. In the morning he brought a wonderful salvation message explaining that so many religious people believe in Jesus, have been taught that from birth, but have never received Him and God's gift of salvation. This truth struck home as I was a good religious boy who learned all the things I was taught in Sunday School, church, VBS, and other places where the Word was taught but was blind to the fact that faith had a starting point, that I needed to receive a gift from God. PTL that happen to me when I was about 12 and God has never or will never ask or take that gift back from me. Anyone else like that?

I don't know if anyone missed this sequel on Monday but it's a little like we are on Monday. We are at church on Sunday, hear a good message, enjoy good fellowship, make a good commitment to do what we have heard. Yet Monday comes and we just don't get around to it, Tuesday is busier so it's forgotten that day too. Sometimes by Wednesday we remember (Thank you Holy Spirit) and finally put feet on the message. The best part of all is that if we heard the Word it is there for the Holy Spirit to bring to our minds that we might do we have learned. So be faithful to coming to church and join in with a listening ear and a committed heart and you will be blessed.

Yesterday's speaker used the Apostle Paul as an example of what can happen in a life that turns to Jesus. He said God will save us no matter what we had done, this salvation will change us from what we have been, and the world will hate us because of what has happened in our lives. It was a joy to me to realize that although my salvation experience was not exactly the same these 3 things happened in my life too. A sister came to me after the service and said that the message was so good and encouraging to her because of past "baggage" and present struggles. How about you today? Is salvation taking place in your life? Will your salvation story be an example to others? Let's hear it!

I closed the message last night by saying "thus ends the epistles of Thessalonians AD 55 and begins the epistles of the Thessalonians 2009 AD. We are a living epistle read by the world around us and we are the best translation the world reads. So, what is the number 1 lesson God has taught you that you want to live in your life? Tell us by way of a comment.

In last night's message I poked a little fun at the students of prophecy who make it their job to speculate. There is and always has been among us as Christians an interest in prophecy especially when it relates to what is happening around us. Yet we do need to be careful that we don't replace what God has revealed about something with something that we think he revealed. Hitler was a prime target for such thinking, he was proven to be the antichrist for many of the years he was alive and even now a few think he might be resurrected to become this character.
It's best to remember that God said He would unveil this person and we won't know who it is until God chooses to do this. In the mean time it's better to "abide in Him, so that when He comes, we'll not be ashamed at His coming" (1 John 2:28). Prophecy allows us to see the end so let's believe what God has said and allow prophecy to be used of God to give us endurance, growing faith, and abounding love. (2 Thessalonians 1:1-5) "Come quickly, Lord Jesus!"

It was good this weekend to learn about the stars and the mighty God who created them and cares for them. It seems so easy in the day by day routine called life to forget to lift up our eyes and behold Him who created all this. When we do we receive a new appreciation of the greatness, might, and awesomeness of God. It's amazing that this great God who created also cares. Such was the great nature lesson of the book of Job who, when it was over, said "I know You can do everything". So take a look at the stars tonight and remember the one who created them is mighty enough for any problems we may have and cares enough to bear them (Matthew 6). Wonderful, isn't it?