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Guest Postby John Doyle“The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night… So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake... putting on the breastplate of faith and Love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 2,6, 8.  Have noticed that many who are going through difficult times in Lockdown are searching for signs indicating “end times" and “rapture”. Its very prevalent on Social Media as people try to interpret the stories behind the Coronavirus told Globally.  So what do we know about the end of the world? Just as importantly, what don’t we know? And how should we live in light of this knowledge? Let these Biblical truths guide you as you pray for God to give you wisdom and peace in these difficult times. Understand the Truth About the End Times How is the world going to end? Can anyone predict when it will happen? How bad will things get before Jesus comes back? We don't have all the answers but I do have just 2 points that I trust will encourage you in these difficult times. 1. Make Sure You’re Ready “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! And He Who sat on him was called called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war” - Revelation 19:11 Jesus Christ came to earth as a suffering Servant, He will return as conquering King. A day of reckoning is coming, and we are invited in Gods Word to be Ready - Matt 24:44 "Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man cometh". As believers let's remind the people out there to give their hearts to Jesus in repentance and faith knowing that the King of Kings will come one day and "capture His bride away" and so we do need to encourage people to become part of that Bride that they too will be ready for that Day. The Bible says it’s not “if” but “when” Jesus Christ will come back to judge the earth. By choosing to follow Christ now, you can ensure you’ll have eternal life in Heaven. That's the most important message we can give to the peoples of this Earth at this time. Know the Signs by reading Gods Word. While the Bible makes it clear that no human being knows when the world will end, it also says there will be signs that Jesus’ return is approaching. The best source for understanding signs of the end times is the Bible itself. Take a careful look at some of the things Jesus said about His return.Please read about signs of the end of the age in Matthew 24Read about the coming of the Kingdom in Luke 17Read about what Jesus foretold in Luke 21Great passages of scripture that would be great reading for you at this time. From the coronavirus pandemic to natural disasters, many people are asking whether specific events are signs of the end times. The…

Guest Blogby John DoylePhilippians 1:27 "Only let your conduct be worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your works that you STAND fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the Faith of the Gospel." I am sure you may remember this saying "If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything" How true it is. If a person doesn't have firm convictions, more than likely they will fall into traps set up by the things of this World and sometimes by the Devil. How many people are not standing on a firm foundation, but they seem to believe just about everything the TV or the Media Posts put on Social Media around the World. In these difficult times of Lockdown we Christians need to keep standing strong in the Lord and in His Word. We don't want to be people who fall for anything because we are not standing on a Firm foundation given to us in the Lord Jesus. Standing for Jesus means standing up for the Gospel. The Gospel (Good News) tells us that what we couldn't do for ourselves, namely, earn our own Salvation and a place in Heaven, Jesus has already sacrificially done this for us. There were two important things Jesus did to secure our salvation. Firstly He led a perfect life on this Earth so that we could get the eternal reward through our Faith in Him, all because of His sinless life on earth (Rom 5:19). Secondly He put Himself on the cross to remove our guilt, once and for all - Please read Isaiah 53:5-6. He did this for all people of all Nations (No one was excluded). With God given Faith we grab hold of Jesus' sinless life and sacrificial atonement, make it our own, and claim Heaven because of our Faith in Christ alone. The Gospel of Christ declares: HE DID IT FOR US! The Bible promises that He and His Word is at work inside us, giving us power to live for God and deal with life in a fallen world Please read 2 Cor 5:14-17. Standing up for Jesus also means standing up for the entirety of God's Word. Standing for Scripture means that we regard every word in the Bible as God's Word and not the word of men - 2 Thess. 2:13. Standing for Christ means that we will gladly be guided by what Scripture tells us, trusting that it will lead us into all Truth and Righteousness - Ps 119:105. Standing for Christ means letting His Holy Word speak into our lives and allowing it to become our guide and not allowing the things of this World to distract us from the eternal truths that we have been given through His Word - 2 Cor 10:5. Standing up for Jesus and His Word cannot be done in ourselves. We need the Lord Jesus Who says, "I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides…

Guest Blogby John DoyleJohn 16:13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will GUIDE you into all Truth......"Psalms 48:14 "For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our GUIDE even to death" The great Hymn Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah was written by William Williams in 1745. It has been used for Worship in congregations around the World and across all denominations. Williams beautifully uses stories in Gods Word especially the book of Exodus to put the theme of God’s Guidance through difficult times. In these difficult days of Lockdown we all need Gods Guidance, that we as Gods people can display to the World that on this journey, despite the hardships, we can proclaim that we are safely in the Loving caring Hands of our Mighty God. But we do need to be open to the Guidance that God provides through His Word "into all truth". And when we do this faithfully He will provide Guidance by applying: 1. GRACEHis Guidance flows with abundant Grace "And the Grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with Faith and Love, which are in Christ Jesus" 1 Timothy 1:14 2. UNITYFather, Son and Holy Spirit are in full Unity in Guiding our directions in Life as we open up our hearts and minds to follow His Ways and not our own. Once again Gods Grace flows abundantly "The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all" 2 Corinthians 13:14 3. INSPIRATIONWhen we choose to be Guided in His ways and not our own it will Inspire us to be Focused on those things that will help us to Grow in our Faith and Love for God. "For you know how we are exhorted and comforted and everyone of you as a father does to his children that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own Kingdom and Glory" 2 Thessalonians 2: 11 - 12. 4. DEDICATIONWhen as Gods people we dedicate our lives to Him and give of ourselves to those Whom He has given to us, (Family and Friends) we have an assurance that He will Guide us in all of those things that will help us to remain on track and fulfill the will of God for each of our lives "Let your heart be wholly dedicated to the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments as of this day" 1 Kings 8:61 5. EMPOWEREDThe Lord so desires to empower His people so that the World can see that there is Hope in God, despite the Trials and Tribulations that the Lockdown and Covid19 has brought to the World. In Christ we have been empowered by Faith to share His Love and the Gospel by practically applying the Fruit of Gods Holy Spirit to those whom He sends our way "We are strengthened with all might, according to His glorious Power, for all patience and…

Guest Postby John Doyle“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in LOVE, as Christ also loved us and gave Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma." Ephesians 5:1-2  DEARLY LOVED CHILDREN OF GODThe Apostle Paul’s encouragement from this verse to all followers of Christ should grab our heart strings, tugging them tight, when referencing our relationship with the Heavenly Father, all made possible because of the Sacrificial gift of His Son. I don’t know about you, but it blesses me to know that I am the Father’s dearly loved child! Therefore, I should feel compelled to walk in the way of His Love in an effort to bring Glory to Him. 1. PLEASING AROMA OF OUR FAITHPaul gives yet another stirring image to consider here when he said that Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for us wafted up to the Heavens like a "sweet smelling aroma". This sensation and reality is true for every Christ follower when we respond in obedience to His Word. Walking the Jesus way of *Love* whilst the people of the World watches. We get to bless and please our Heavenly Father with the aroma of our Faith and Sacrifice that is on display itself through us in this dark World. 2. STAYING IN STEP WITH GODSo how do we walk Christ’s way of Love?I think it’s a lot like the way a toddler tries desperately to keep up with his or her loving Father so that they can grab Daddy’s hand and stay in step with him. My daughter Kimmie in Heaven sometimes would run after me as a little girl and grab my hand and say I want to hold your hand Dad. Likewise, every time you and I, as Christ followers, follow after Jesus and stay in step with our Loving Father, we walk out God’s way of LOVE for the people around us and they will see it and will be impacted by it and then we can trust God that they too will live their lives and walk in "Newness of Life" in Christ (Romans 6:4). Often that might mean being willing to lay down our comforts and preferences in our busy lives, so that Christ is honored by our devotion to Him and the precious family and friends He has given to us. This could also mean in these days forgiving and showing compassion to someone who may have purposely hurt us, doing so in an effort to follow Christ’s example of Forgiveness and Love toward us. Whatever opportunity God gives and walks you through in your life today and in the days ahead, be sure to stay in step with Him, knowing it will not only bless those you help and perhaps give to, but it will please your Heavenly Father by Him watching from Heavens Glory His child *Walking out His LOVE* As a Christian, Husband, Father and Grand Father I love helping my Loved ones and other people and seeing them grow…