Monthly Newsletter
May 2008

Dear Faithful Believers:

I greet you in the majestic and powerful Name of Jesus. I pray that you and yours are well and enjoying God’s love and His many blessings.

Susan and I have recently returned from Palm Springs, California and a week with Pastor Jeff Walker’s church, Victory Christian Center and Southern California Christian College. What joy and excitement we experienced going verse by verse through the Book of Revelation. After all, the Book of Revelation is about Jesus and His Lordship over both the tribulation and the millennial periods of time. It is indeed the “REST OF THE STORY” that begins in the gospels.

The Holy Spirit has also enabled me to complete the next 13 weeks of television programs, “Prophecy Unraveled,” which airs on LeSea Broadcasting. Our subject came from the statement of Jesus in Matthew 16:1-3 in which He accuses the religious leaders of His day of being hypocritical because they could not discern the “SIGNS OF THE TIMES.”

Think with me. Isn’t it amazing that animals, birds, and insects easily discern the signs of seasonal change every year? They begin to prepare for the coming season in which they will hibernate, build shelter, store food, and migrate to different climates. In early March, the robins arrived in Dallas, in late March we saw them again in Indianapolis on their way north. Their presence announced that “SPRING IS COMING”. We are busy planting seasonal flowers, working in the yard and changing the clothes we wear in preparation for a change of season. When the seasons change, all of HIS creations are prepared and ready! We know to do this because the Creator has created all of us with the sense of change and provided “signs of change” for the season.

Well my believing friend, mankind’s season is about to change and it will be a major one! Both Jesus and Paul provide you and me with very accurate signs of a “season of change”. When Jesus gives the parable of the fig tree as recorded in Mark 13:28-29 and Luke 21:29-31, He uses the seasons of spring and summer as signs of the times.The prophets Jeremiah and Hosea identified the “FIG TREE” as the biblical symbol of Israel in Jeremiah 24 and Hosea 9:10. Therefore, when Jesus spoke of the fig tree, His disciples knew He was referring to Israel’s restoration. At that time His disciples were in hope that He was about to bring back the kingdom of Israel as shown in Acts 1:6.

It is evident from Acts 1:6 that the disciples, at that moment in time, still did not know what their future held. Notice that in verses 7 & 8, Jesus told them the future was in the hands of His Father and they should not be concerned, but receive the Holy Spirit so they would be enabled to be HIS witnesses. In, other words, to carry on HIS ministry.

Here is an example of divine order: Jesus saying to His disciples that the future of Israel is in the Father’s hands and they were to concern themselves with the present time and carry on what he had begun … restoration of Israel comes at a later time. My fellow believers, more than 1900 years have passed since the Mount of Olives event. Today Israel is being restored, which is a major end time sign for us!

Paul, by Holy Spirit inspiration, wrote in I Corinthians 10:1-12 of the backslidings of his people. He set forth their sins and wickedness, admonishing us not to follow in their steps. Verse 11 reads as follows, “Now all these things happened to them as examples and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the End of the Ages have come.”

Paul understood, and so should you and I, that the upper room experience as Peter stated in Acts 2:17, was a “last days” event. Paul knew the end of the ages had begun. Today biblical prophecies of the “End of the Age” are being fulfilled. These events are “signs of the times” for you and me. JESUS IS COMING!

However, mankind seems to be unaware of these signs. In fact, most Christian’s behavior today reveals they are unaware of the time in which we are living.

Due to little or no understanding of bible prophecies and the influence of the world, most Christians are only religious. Under these conditions they are oblivious of the “Signs of the Times” and are making no preparations for the imminent return of Jesus.

As surely as animals, birds, and insects follow signs and make provisions for winter, we as the body of Christ have much to do in preparation for the catching away. Ephesians 5:27 states, “The Lord will present to Himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle.” Such a church is mature and powerfully anointed, driving back the gates of hell and releasing many into the kingdom of our Lord!

Isn’t it strange that of all God’s creatures men and women, even in the church, are not discerning the signs of the times? I pray that this ministry letter is a wakeup call to many who read it and also an encouragement to those who are watching the signs and keeping themselves ready.

Jesus instructs, “You also must be ready therefore, for the son of man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him,” Matthew 24:44. Signs are everywhere and the season is about to change.

Thank God for the presence of the Holy Spirit and the instructive Word of God, which provides us on a daily basis, everything we need to stay ready and be about the Lord’s business while we joyfully await HIS appearing.

In the Joy of Serving Jesus and you!