My wife and I, Vera, we lived here in Florida for thirteen years. A few years back, 10 years ago, we moved to Ohio. Coming back this weekend has been such a tremendous experience. I’ve gotten to see people that I haven’t seen for years, and renewed friendships. And I’ve gotten to meet new people that I’ve never met before, they weren’t here when I was here before. And it gives me just a little idea of what it’s going to be like when Jesus Christ comes back. We’re going to get to be with all of our friends, family; relatives, it’s a reunion. This meeting is a just a little glimpse of what the gathering together is going to be like. I know Jesus isn’t here, and rather than being in the air, we’re in Florida. But it’s a little glimpse of what that gathering together will is going to be like. I love these kinds of meeting when we get so many of us together, because that builds for me my vision of what the Hope is. So that doesn’t have anything to do with what I was going to share, but it just really helps me to see the hope.
When I was called, and they asked me to share, on how I live the Hope and encourage others to live the Hope. I said “Yeah, Sure, I’ll share.”, but when I hung up I started thinking, “Man, you know what, I don’t really think about the Hope that much”. I was kind of hoping to learn a lot more about it myself by coming to this weekend. I had to think, well, I better start doing something now so I’ve got something to share about how I’m living the Hope. So I was thinking, how can I encourage others, how to encourage the household. So I thought, I’m in the household, how about I start with: how can I encourage myself about living the Hope. I just starting thinking about the basics. All those that are born-again, when Jesus Christ returns; we’re going up, we’re all going to be together. How can I prove that I’m going to be a part of that, and I’m not going to be one of those left behind?
Well, what’s the proof that I am born-again? I can speak in tongues, right? There’s that old mathematical maxim, or something. A equals B, wait! A equals B, C equals D, therefore A equals D(C)? Anyways, I wasn’t good at math. But, if I can speak in tongues, that proves that I’m born again, and the Word says that if you’re born-again, you’re going to be at the gathering together. So whenever I speak in tongues that’s proof, to me, that I’m going to be there. I’ve started to, when I speak in tongues, especially in the morning, I’m trying to combine that idea of the hope. So that every day, I’m starting to think of the return, the Hope, and all that’s going to mean as I speak in tongues. And that’s blessed me, and that’s building for me, my vision of what the Hope is going to be.
My encouragement to you is to do the same. When you speak in tongues remember, that you are going to be there at the gathering together with Jesus Christ and all of our brothers and sisters. God Bless you.
Responses