As a child raised in the church, I felt trepidation each time the “end times message” was preached from the pulpit. There was confusion, mystery and fear surrounding the subject; it caused me great concern. There seemed to be a lot of doom and gloom around the whole thing; it was not something I was looking forward to, that’s for sure! And, besides, I wanted to get married and have a family.
I am thankful I have been able to attain these important milestones in my life; and yet, I know others will be feeling the same way I did 30 years ago. The times we are living in are tumultuous times; it seems even more so than when I was a teenager in the 80s.
Today, there is a lot of uncertainty. It is no secret that there is a battle between good and evil, heaven and hell, God and Satan. It is a serious time. I don’t want to make light of what is happening in our world. Yet, in these uncertain times, we can have real Bible hope as we move closer to the day Jesus returns.
Friends, we don’t have to partner with doom and gloom. As Isaiah 60 says it is your time, dear readers, to arise and shine! “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.” Isaiah 60:1,2. As the darkness gets darker, the light gets brighter! I release a spirit of hope over you today!
During the last few months, I’ve been listening to what leading prophetic and apostolic leaders are saying. One such person is Dr. Tim Sheets, pastor of Oasis Church in Middletown, Ohio. An apostle, pastor and author, “his vision is to raise up people who will authentically demonstrate the Church on the earth and passionately evangelize the world.” He recently preached a message called “Holy Spirit and the Finishing Anointing”, which was an incredibly encouraging message about the days we are living in.
The inspiration for this week’s column comes from what he shared in the video. You may like to listen in its entirety. In his message, Dr. Sheets spurred us on saying, “We need to get on the glory train.” Allow the Lord to rise upon you and let His glory appear over you! Your best days are ahead! I truly believe that! I am confident that “He who has begun a good work in you WILL complete it!” Philippians 6:1. This is a promise from the One who created you! All the promises in the Word of God are “yes” and “amen” for you!
I’m reminded of the double rainbow that spanned the eastern sky over Moose Jaw and the region just a few days ago. I feel that He is giving us signs in the heavens encouraging us to be hopeful, to not give up and to trust His faithfulness. As I think of the rainbow and the promise that the Lord gave to Noah, I am encouraged and reminded that He always keeps his Word.
In a world of shifting sands, we can fix our eyes on the One who never changes. The One who is always the same yesterday, today and forever. We can look forward with anticipation for God to show up and show out. Stop partnering with doom and gloom! It’s Your Time to Arise and Shine!
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
