The Hammer of God?

This is what I saw in the sky on September 25th, 2023, on our way home from Brasher Falls, NY. God is doing a new thing in the earth these days, the beginning of the Kingdom age, when the sons and daughters of God shall be manifest on earth. He is putting down the hammer, the holy gavel, letting us know that judgment is here for those doing evil. It’s not time for the end time rapture, but the time for God’s people to tear down the dividing walls of religion, traditions, and offense.

In the words of a chorus I learned years ago: There’s a great and mighty army in the earth today, dressed in splendid armor, they’re in full array. The host of darkness tremble as we walk their way, there’s a great and mighty army in the earth today!

SO, let’s shout the victory. The enemy is under our feet… Great is our king… great is the King of kings!

In other news, I was blessed to have my sisters, Gretchen and Trina, spend the weekend with me. They both live in Virginia, and we three haven’t all been together for a number of years. They were here to attend the burial service for our brother Karl’s wife, Debra McCoy Stahl. It often takes a cataclysmic event to bring family members together, but I’m not sure that’s the way God desires to bring us together.

We were able to sign Karl out of the hospital and take him to the service. It’s so hard when a loved one is confused and not understanding fully what’s going on. Reminds me a bit of traveling with our young children. My son Chris and his family also attended, which was a good help getting him out of the vehicle, settled in a graveside chair, and finding blankets to warm him.

I think it settled Karl to be there for the service, seeing Deb’s family, and hearing what the funeral director had to say. The ride back to the hospital was easier for us. We got Karl back in time for his lunch, visited our brother Fritz in the nursing home, and had a good meal together afterward at a local restaurant.

I was thankful for the day and enjoyed having Gretchen and Trina with me at our evening church service. It was a peaceful ending to the busy Saturday.

Yesterday, Sunday, my sisters helped John and myself organize things from Karl & Deb’s apartment. Gretchen suggested we go out to dinner to celebrate Trina’s birthday, which is today, October 2nd. So, after a long day of sorting and organizing, we went to Outback Steakhouse. We had an excellent waiter named Karl. I didn’t ask if his name is spelled with a K or C, but I did ask if it’s the joy of the Lord that he was sharing with us. He said, “Definitely! Please ask for me by name next time you come!”

It is a blessing to recognize fellow Christians around us and give thanks to the Father for time together. Our pastor is doing a series called Better Together as we begin Life groups for the fall. If you would like to hear these messages, they are in the sermon archives at http://www.myacf.org. We have 19 different groups planning to meet this fall, which is an amazing number. Do you participate in a small group in your area? If you dont, I urge you to find a group to join or gather a few people together to start your own. I leave you with instruction and encouragement from the Word:

Colssians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him

Better Together!