MEN’S HEARTS FAILING THEM FOR FEAR … 

Everywhere in the world people are on edge especially since the terrible atrocities in Manchester, London, Paris and Barcelona (to name but a few). We saw people running for their lives. All over the world people are wondering what will happen next.

The Bible tells us that these events are a precursor of a time when people will be even more worried, even more terrified because of ever more violent events all over the world.

The Bible tells us all this will happen prior to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth to set up His Father’s Kingdom.

The Gospel of Luke, which is a record of the life of the Lord Jesus, sets out in order the events immediately before His return as Saviour and King. He will reign over Israel and all nations.

Luke 21:26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.  Those who believe in God and Jesus have the comfort of knowing that, although the world is a sad and terrifying place, they should not fear because the Lord Jesus and His Father protect those who belong to them.

The Bible gives believers a wonderful hope for the future. Isaiah 11:3-5 tells us of the Lord Jesus, a descendent of David, King of Israel, coming again as King of the whole world.. He will judge honestly:

“… He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
or decide by what he hears with his ears;
4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
5 Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash round his waist.”

There will be no more violence. Wars will cease and all will live in peace.

But before this 2 Timothy 3: 1-3 warns  “But mark this: there will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

This is an astonishingly accurate picture of our civilisation today. Humankind is throwing off all restraints and indulging its own desires. We have already quoted Luke 21:26. Look at verse 27 “At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

Override your fears for the future and look with confidence for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ!

*To find out more about our hope and how you can become a part of it, visit our website: www.ammanfordchristadelphians.co.uk.

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Virtual Reality

This is tipped to be the ‘must have’ this year. Put on the headgear and you will be in another world of your own choice, far away from the mundane and, at times, stressful problems we all have to face.

You can even seem be participating in what you see on the screen.

The problem is that this ‘time out’ does not really help us come face to face with the real world.

If only there were information available which could be used in this nasty real world of today which could enable the mind to look forward to a time when this planet would be peaceful and stress free, information that provides consolation and hope when we face the trials of life and also shows that the present evils are but signs of a wonderful age to come.

Such information is available in the Bible!

What we need are the spectacles of faith! Faith is listening to what God has said and making the vision God’s Word presents real in our minds Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ”. And what is the vision? A world of peace and harmony (Psalm 72:7,Isaiah 2:1 to 4), the needs of the poor fulfilled (Psalm 72:12,13 and 14) the necessities of life provided (Isaiah 11; 65:17-24) immortal rulers governing righteously (Isaiah 32: 1-5) led by King Jesus (John 18:33-40).

Jesus warned that, prior to his coming again, there would be stress and anguish on a worldwide scale.

People will be perplexed as to what is going on in the world Luke 21:25-27. “And there will be signs in the sun, moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity … people fainting with fear and with foreboding for what is coming on the world … And then they will see the Son of Man (Jesus) coming in a cloud with power and great glory”

Prophets of Israel foretold that the Jews would return to their land. They foretold that this, in itself, would cause friction, unrest and hatred in the nations (Ezekiel 38). Look at the State of Israel today and see what enmity the surrounding nation have towards Israel.

So in the Bible there is both the bad news and the good news. This is real information, as you would expect from the all knowing God who controls the planet and the universe. Why not read the Bible and consider the truth and accuracy of Bible teaching?

To find out more about our hope and how you can become a part of it, visit our website: www.ammanfordchristadelphians.co.uk.

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Patience and Perseverance

Patience and perseverance are much needed virtues but they seem to be sadly lacking in our modern world. The fast pace of our lives today doesn’t help us to cultivate patience. Paul, the apostle, tells us that tribulation produces perseverance (patience) and perseverance character and character, hope. Romans 5:3. Children are born completely lacking patience. Wise parents try to teach their little ones that they cannot have everything they want immediatly. True Christians, God’s children, need to remember that they cannot always have what they want.

God always answers the prayers of the righteous but sometimes he says, “Not in the way you think is right but in my way.” We must wait for God to work his will in our lives. Impatience may sometimes cause us to doubt God but we should be wise and remember that “(God) who works in you both to will and to work on behalf of His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13 James advises us, saying,  “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it, until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” James 5:7 Every farmer has learned to wait for his seed to spring up. He has to wait patiently for the first signs of growth, The Lord Jesus Christ will come again to establish God’s worldwide rule and we have good reasons to believe it will be soon. In the meantime, we are to continue patiently in well doing. We should read our Bibles daily and believe that “whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Romans15:4 The Bible, the Word of God, teaches us patience for we can, as James suggested “… take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience” James 5:10.

In this impatient world of sound bites and quick reviews, we need to get back to the Bible, to “rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.” Psalm 37:7. Paul declares, “Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ,” 2 Thessalonians 3:5 . Those “who by patient continuance in doing good, seek for glory and honour and immortality,” Romans 2:7, will, when Jesus returns, be given eternal life and will reign with Him forever and ever.

Quotes from the NKJV. To find out more about our hope and how you can become a part of it, visit our website: www.ammanfordchristadelphians.co.uk.

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When Terror Strikes

Sadly, another terrorist attack in the UK, the terrible slaughter of those young people and their parents in Manchester, both young and older lives tragically cut short. Even as we write this blog, similar atrocities are occurring daily in such countries as Syria, Iraq and Yemen, as well as in far away countries we do not often hear about in our media. Why are people killed in such terrible and random acts?

During His ministry, Jesus was approached by a group of people who described a recent tragic event. “There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he (Jesus) answered them, Do you think that these Galileans  were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No I tell you, but, unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you: but, unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:1 – 5)

Do you get the point Jesus is making?  We know we all will die. As the saying goes ‘ There is nothing more certain than death and as uncertain as life’. The vital thing that what we must do is “repent” whilst we have the opportunity. Constantly, in the Bible, God’s Word, the urgent message is to do today what Jesus requires of us  ” Repent, and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”(Acts 2:38). We must give attention to the Word of God.

Jesus warned his disciples not to be anxious about tomorrow but to seek today the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33 – 34). The Apostle Paul warned believers not to be like Israel of his day, hardened in their hearts “Take care, brothers lest there be in any of you an evil unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort (encourage) one another every day, as long as it is called “today” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”(Acts 2:12-13) The Psalmist, so aware of the frailty of life wrote “My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day for their number is past (beyond) my knowledge” (Psalm 71:15).

Living spiritually on a daily basis is what is required by God. If we try as hard as we can to follow God and Jesus even if we are cut down suddenly by a tragic event or illness, God invites us, by His grace, to share in His wonderful Kingdom here on earth when He will raise us from the dead.

World events indicate that Christ’s second coming is near.

Quotes taken from the ESV

TODAY IS THE DAY OF OPPORTUNITY!

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To find out more about our hope and how you can become a part of it, visit our website: www.ammanfordchristadelphians.co.uk.

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Why should I worry?

Robert Louis Stevenson once said “Anyone can carry his burden, however hard, until nightfall; anyone can do his work, however hard, for one day; anyone can live life sweetly, lovingly, patiently, purely, ’til the sun goes down.”

This harmonises beautifully with the words of Jesus Christ who said, ”Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious about itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” ( Matthew 6:34)

We all face the problem of the anxiety and frustration we experience when we try to carry yesterday’s regrets and tomorrow’s fears with today’s load. It is more than one can bear and hospitals are full of those who have tried it unsuccessfully. A study of case histories by a group of doctors established worry as the greatest cause of illness. It was reported that worries fall into three categories. 40% of our worries are about the past, 50% about the future, and only 10% about present matters. This means we can eliminate 90% of all our worries by just living one day at a time.

Christ is the perfect example for the believer. He devoted himself completely to the task before him. He did one thing at a time. He carried his load, however hard, each day but he could put it down and fall asleep, even in the midst of a storm at sea! (Mark 4:35-41)  If we follow his example, we will live our lives one day at a time. We will not look into the future with fear and wonder how we shall cope. Instead, we will remember that a trip of a thousand miles must be made one step at a time.

True followers of Jesus should try to live one day at a time because no-one can be sure that he/she will live to see tomorrow. To try to carry tomorrow’s load as well as today’s and to worry about yesterday’s only wastes time.

Let us be wise and do our very best just for today. Do not worry about the past because it is gone. We should ask God to forgive us for the mistakes we made and take comfort in the fact that He will forgive us if we are truly sorry. The words of Jesus addressed to a sinner are consoling. “… Neither do I condemn you: go, and from now on, sin no more.” (John 8:11)

Today is ours. Let us live it having a firm faith and trying always to put our trust in God and giving Him thanks for every new day. We must have the faith to realise that tomorrow is a new day and that God will provide new strength for us. “Therefore do not be anxious saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’… your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:31-33)

emotion-5-summer-joy-by-zaneta-frenn

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In the beginning God …

The writer of this blog reads the creation record in the first book of God’s Word, The Bible, Genesis chapter one: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1) at the beginning of every New Year. These opening chapters reveal to us the order and grandeur of the record, and yet it is so worded that ordinary folk like you and II can understand it. However, creation is ridiculed by so many these days.

Scientists who believe in creation as set out in Genesis have looked at the facts of science and cannot line them up with evolution. Consider the following:

1. The origin of life is unknown to science. The Law of Biogenesis observes that life only comes from life. Louis Pasteur proved scientifically that life does not come from non-life.

2. Many animals possess sophisticated equipment. The radar system of bats, the sonar of whales and dolphins, the electro-detection system of the platypus etc. A complexity that could not possibly have been produced by chance.

3. While single-celled creatures are numerous, there are none with two, three, four or even twenty cells. Thus there is no evolutionary sequence from single-celled to multi -celled creatures.

4. All known species (several million) appear fully developed, with all vital organs operational. There are no part formed eyes, half developed intestines or evolving feathers.

5. The genetic code in each cell, in the DNA, if written out in detail, would require as many as 4,000 large volumes of closely printed text. This is no accident of nature.

6. The DNA helix in each cell requires twenty different proteins for its instruction. These specific proteins can only be produced under the direction of the information in the DNA.Ttherefore the whole complex system must have been informed complete from the beginning of life.

7. Symbiosis, the interdependence of two forms of life, such as the fig tree and the fig-gall wasp, the yucca plant and the pronuba moth, pollen plants and the bee, each dependant for life upon the other, must have been formed complete at the same time.

Many other facts of science could be advanced. The Scripture says: “I will praise thee (God) for I am fearfully and wonderfully made….” (Psalm 139:14). This, is, of course a miracle.

What do you think?

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Why I believe the Bible

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On Thursday 10th November (as you may have seen in the local newspaper) we are holding a special Bible class which will take the form of a DVD evening! The DVD we will be showing is called ‘Why I Believe the Bible’. This DVD is a series of short presentations from 6 Christadelphians. Each one is an expert in a particular field of science. They present their arguments for believing in the Bible from the perspective of their field of expertise. It is a free event and all are welcome to attend – so please come along and find out more about who we are and what we believe!

Well, this got us thinking, so we asked our members why they belive the Bible and we thought we would share some of their answers with you here on the blog! (Please note the names quoted are pseudonyms for security reasons but their ages are correct- or thereabouts, after all, a lady never tells!).

“When I look around at the beauty of the world and how everything works together in such perfect harmony, how can you not recognise a Creator? One looking over us ensuring we have everything we need. The Bible lays out exactly why we were created and shows us the whole purpose of our being. To aimlessly walk through life simply pleasing ourselves and our own selfish lusts isn’t enough for me. You can see from the greed and selfish ways of mankind how it is slowly destroying this earth. Which God in the Bible accurately predicts. 

Worlds leaders may have the best intentions of righting all the wrong within this world, but unfortunately without God and his Son Jesus, there is no hope of that. It is only through God’s loving-kindness that there will ever be the opportunity of Peace on Earth. Which is why I put my complete trust in him and his ways. God gives me the strength and confidence through all the wonderful things we have around us and a SURE Hope to hold onto of a better Earth ruled over by His Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.”

Holly Bright, 30

“Global anti-Semitism, Israel inhabited with strong Jewish presence, fore-made predictions from Revelation occurring; these started me off learning about the strong evidence for biblical accuracy, while refuting the minimalist position with emerging archaeological data; the ‘Large Stone Structure’ (David’s Palace), Khirbet Qeiyafa, the temple mount, and many ancient inscriptions.”

John Bennett, 22

“Every time I look around at the world, at the beautiful mountains, the stunning coastlines, the Deep dark forests the amazing and fascinating creatures that live on this earth, just by looking at this alone makes me believe there is no way all this can be created by chance – it must be God’s work. “

Alfred Clarke, 30

“My faith in God and Jesus reassures me that the Bible is believable. As I read through the various books I see that they all link together, telling me the same message. The message that God had a plan right from the beginning of time, a plan of peace for all.”

Jacqui Parker, 45

“In our world I see such diversity in the animal and plant kingdoms from the tiniest wren to the huge orca whale, from the tiny snowdrop to the mighty redwood tree. God is the Creator. He reveals in the Bible His plan to bring order and peace to our sad world.”

Julietta Dawes, 71

“Having been bought up in a Christadelphian family, I decided in my teens to investigate my parents’ belief in the Bible. I did this by visiting a wide range of churches and chapels, not only was it a fascinating experience, but it also convinced me that the Christadelphians (with all their faults) have, what the bible calls ‘the truth’.

Bernard Shaw, 82

“The Bible, from cover to cover, brings me close to my creator: longsuffering and compassionate, kindness itself, utterly truthful, trustworthy and just. In a cruel, chaotic world He is sane, real, approachable and understanding. And He gives me strength now and a concrete hope for a quality of life that will be simply lovely.”

Catherine Evans, 66

“The shimmering colours of the peacock feather is due to a phenomena known as ‘interference’. Each feather consists of tiny flat branches. When light shines on the feather, we see thousands of glimmering coloured spots, each caused by minuscule bowl-shaped indentations. That doesn’t happen by chance. If God pays such close attention to detail in his creatures, how much more care and attention is he paying in our lives?”

Talulah Riley, 22

As we said, please join us on 10th November at 7.30pm
for our very special Bible Class!

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DO IT NOW!

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It was once said “The most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do when it ought to be done whether you want to do it or not.”

Using this as a starting point it seems strange that most highly educated people have less time for God than ordinary people.

This proves the apostle Paul’s point when he said, “For the wisdom of this world is folly with God,” (1 Corinthians 3:19) because “.. God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world…..so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (1Corinthians 1:27-29)

In this world of greatly increased knowledge we can become so absorbed in our own wisdom and our own petty problems that we completely fail to do what ought to be done when it ought to be done.

So let all of us, educated or not, learn the lesson – that of making ourselves do the thing we have to do when we ought to do it whether we want to do it or not.

The difference between success and failure in almost any venture is the ability to do the right thing at the right time. This illustrates the wisdom of Solomon who said “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die……” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) Too many of us put off doing the thing that is unpleasant or unappealing. True religion does not attract the natural man. Paul tells us that “the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God: for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed it cannot.” (Romans 8:7) If we are wise, we will learn what we ought to do and do it. It is vitally important for us to apply it to serving God. In the final analysis the only education really worth having is in God’s law and the only worthwhile wisdom is Godly wisdom.

Too many have spent their lives without doing what they ought to have done for God and realised as they lay on their death bed that all the things they knew and all the money they had was of little use.

Let us remember our Creator NOW before the years draw near when we are no longer able to obey God. We must not use the lame excuse that we don’t have time. We have all the time there is, 24 hours every day! No one has more or less than that. If we are honest with ourselves we must admit that we find time to do things we like to do. We must develop the ability to make ourselves do the thing we should do when it ought to be done. Now is the time to draw nigh unto God. At our death or at the Coming of the Lord Jesus to set up His Father’s Kingdom it will be too late.

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, or work, or knowledge, or wisdom, in Sheol [the grave], to which you are going.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10)

There is no joy like godly joy and no pleasure on earth like the peace of God but we shall never experience it unless we begin and persevere. By doing so, we, having been ” … set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification, and its end eternal life.” (Romans 6:22)

Quotes are taken from the ESV

*To find out more about our hope and how you can become a part of it, visit our website: www.ammanfordchristadelphians.co.uk.

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A Trip To Israel

Hello readers,

This blog post is a little bit different to our usual. One of our members has recently travelled to Israel and has very kindly agreed to share their experience with us on the blog. Enjoy!

“It was a pleasure to visit Israel for two weeks in August this year. I was able to develop an understanding of the history, both modern and ancient, of a land which God calls ‘most glorious of all lands” (Ezekiel 20:6) We visited many places.

Ashkelon, where Samson went to kill thirty Philistines for their garments, after they had tricked him, into revealing the answer to the riddle he had set by threatening his wife with death if she did not get the answer for them.(Judges 14:14-20) ;

Ashdod Philistine Cultural Museum which gives a context to the David and Goliath account, and to the endless struggle which Israel had with the surrounding people until the Babylonian captivity;

Masada where the Jews took refuge after fleeing Jerusalem after revolting against the Roman conquest of their land Jesus foretells the conquest in Matt 24:32-35.(Israel is symbolised as a fig tree).

The Mount of Olives Jerusalem where King David wept as he fled from Jerusalem when Absalom rebelled against his father (2 Samuel 15:30)

The Temple Mount Jerusalem where archaeologist Dr Leen Ritmeyer has found evidence of the First Temple Period platform from which Ezra spoke to the people who ‘sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain’ Ezra 10 (The children of Israel had been unfaithful by taking foreign wives after returning from the Babylonian exile)

The Jordan Valley where John baptised Jesus (Mark 1: 1-8) and where the Children of Israel crossed over when entering the land (Joshua 3)

Ein Harod, where Gideon separated the 300 men who were to go to war from those who were to go home (Judges 7)

Mount Carmel where Elijah met more than 850 false prophets of Baal and .all the people .to prove that the Lord is God.(1 Kings 18:20-40).

Independence Hall Tel Aviv where the modern state of Israel was confirmed by the UN vote in 1948. This was the fulfilment of Bible Prophecy which foretells the return of the Jews to the land of Israel.

Seeing such places as Shechem helps me to understand the different choices the Children of Israel had to make; did they want the blessing by obeying God or the curses because of disobedience, Mt Gerazim or Mt Ebal – the symbolic act described in Deut 27. Shechem, translated as Shoulder, lies between these two mountains emphasising that there is a great gulf between God’s blessings and His cursing, between choosing good and choosing evil.

Shechem

Beersheba, a town in the far south in Israel, a city whose ruins are excavated and preserved well enough for tourists to see the ouline of the city and some of the rooms clearly. It reminds one of how, in the latter period of the judges, the prophet Samuel’s sons Joel and Abijah “were judges” in Beer-sheba but that they “turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes and perverted justice”,

(1 Sam 8:6). This led the people of Israel to demand a king.

BeerSheba

The well in Beer-Sheba, 26 metres deep, reminds me of the fact that this was the foundation name of the city, the name chosen after Abraham and Abimelech made a covenant between them where “two of them took an oath”.(Genesis 21:22-31)

BeerSheba Well

Another interesting location was Perath. In Jeremiah 13:4, the prophet is told to go to this location, normally translated ‘Euphrates’, though it is actually more likely to be a location not too far from Jerusalem. This was misunderstood by commentators until recently.  

Perath                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

These sorts of things help me to understand the ‘beautiful land’ which God talks about and the relevance of it to my understanding of God, His Scriptures and the prophecies they contain for the future of our world.”

*To find out more about the Christadelphians in Ammanford, their faith and how you can be a part of it, please visit our website: www.ammanfordchristadelphians.co.uk

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WHAT ON EARTH IS HAPPENING?

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The speed of events worldwide is breathtaking! These are just a sample.

* Brexit has totally transformed the political landscape in the UK. In days there was a new Prime Minister and Cabinet. This change has huge consequences for Britain and Europe.

* According to the US National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration this June was the hottest ever recorded worldwide and the 14th consecutive month that global heat records were broken.

* We have witnessed Islamic terror attacks in Europe.

* The refugee and economic migration crisis is destabilising Europe.

* Aleppo is Syria’s largest city – 300,000 residents are facing barrel bombing by Syrian forces.

* President Putin has signed an anti-terror law which includes the banning of many activities by Christians such as emailed invitations for friends to attend church services.

* Because of intimidation worldwide, particularly in France, large numbers of Jews are moving to Israel.

The list goes on! Where can we find the solution to our world’s horrific problems?

God’s revealed Word, The Bible, has the answer.

The prophecy of Habakkuk in the Old Testament opens with the prophet complaining to God about the evils of that society – Habakkuk 1: 1 – 4. God then warns him of greater problems to come – Habakkuk 1:5 -12. God advises Habakkuk to place his faith in Him – Habakkuk 2: 1-4, that one day “… the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” Habakkuk2:14.

God then tells the prophet in a vision, Habakkuk 3, of the day when God will intervene in the earth and will establish that “glory”.

Having received this vision and having believed in what God had promised, Habakkuk accepted that horrific events were to happen in his own life time. Nevertheless he looked forward in faith to the time God has promised and writes “ yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God the LORD is my strength…”Habakkuk 3:18-19.

Are we like Habakkuk? Shall we see the “glory of the LORD” when Jesus returns? Just like Habakkuk we need the spectacles of faith to see beyond the horrors of the present time. How do we obtain faith? “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” Romans 10:17.

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Quotes taken from the KJV and ESV

*To find out more about our hope and how you can become a part of it, visit our website: www.ammanfordchristadelphians.co.uk.

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