ENCOUNTERING CHRIST

Good Morning Loving Church,

Today is Wednesday, June 22^nd, 2016. Today is the 174^th Day of 2016.

There are only 192 days left in this year; and, there ONLY 25 DAYS left until VBS BEGINS; and, only 186 days left until CHRISTMAS…

On this day in 1750:

“Jonathan Edwards is dismissed from his pulpit in Northampton, Massachusetts because he has rejected the “halfway covenant” which allows individuals who have made no confession of salvation to baptize their children. His calls for holiness do not sit well with his congregation either. One hundred and fifty years later, Northampton Church will erect a monument to Edwards.”

For the next several years, Edwards (the greatest Theologian-Pastor ever to live in North America) would spend his time teaching a handful of Native Americans.

However… in HIS benevolent providence, God gave him this time to write several of the most important theological books ever published.

Later, Edwards was elected President of Princeton but died within days of that after taking a smallpox vaccination and contracting the disease.

ENCOUNTERING CHRIST IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

Matthew 5:14-16

The Light of the World
¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
¹⁵ Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

John 3:19-21
¹⁹ “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
²⁰ For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
²¹ But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

The greatest heart-break in my life today is watching the certain coming of another “Dark Age.” The light of the gospel is going out in North America and only God knows when (if ever) HE will bring it back again.

Lost people “love darkness” because their deeds are evil.

Western civilization, which was built on the light of God’s Word, has passed into night in Western Europe and now Canada is surely slipping away.

The United States is not far behind.

Here is our challenge! WE are THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. At least, we are supposed to be. If the Light of the World is dim, how great will be the darkness.

Salt; and Light. God’s people.

Here is a haunting limerick for us…

How much light would this world see; if every Believer lived just like me?

The solution? Simple.

^{16 “}In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

The Midweek Bible Study Lesson for THIS EVENING is “THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH”.

Each Wednesday will feature a stand-alone lesson, so even if you can’t make them all; be sure you catch as many of these lessons as you can.

Carpe Diem!