December 11-12, 2010 – Daniel – Snyder, TX
What a great way to end our 10th year! We held two services this weekend with approximately 550 in attendance. It was a special time of worship with 15 responses to the message and many prayer requests. Thanks to Chaplain Hanson and all the support staff for your assistance during our visit.
The Daniel Unit in Snyder Texas is a 4 and a half hour drive from the DFW area and is one of our longest trips of the year. Along the way, we were blessed with a random donation by a nice lady who drove up next to us while we were leaving the local Wendy’s. She felt the need to give us moral and monetary support as we headed into Snyder for the weekend. God is good to us all the time!
With such a long drive, we had plenty of time to reflect on the year. It is amazing how much support we receive and how God uses so many people to bless us. I believe when we all get to heaven those blessings will be revealed to us in such a way that we will truly experience God’s amazing ability to work in and through us. I believe there are many miracles and blessings we aren’t even aware of!
Our lesson this week comes from Revelation and God-inspired words from author John, one of the “Sons of Thunder” (see Mark 3:17). John is in exile on the island of Patmos for proclaiming the word of God and testimony of Jesus Christ. John reassures us that Jesus Christ controls the course and climax of history and that as believers our life of faith and obedience allows us to persevere in all circumstances. Our broken and contrite spirits actually please God and allow Him to sharpen us for His purpose. This is a difficult and confusing concept to all who find themselves on the bottom in life and in the midst of despair. No matter what our prison is, God understands and wants to teach us to come as we are for His grace is all that God is and flows freely towards us all. Although Revelation is considered an apocalyptic prophecy, it‘s purpose is to comfort and challenge its readers. It reminds us that our present difficulties have a connection to the future, a future firmly in God’s hands.
So, as we move into 2011, we challenge you to the look to the future and your purpose in the Lord. The time is now as life is short and we are not promised tomorrow. But, we are promised eternal life if we only believe, confess, repent and be baptized as a symbolic act of obedience to Him. Freedom is here!
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