Join me for my Sunday Message, "Plans and Promises," the second in the series, "Where is the Promise of His Coming." As i reflected in last week's message, the airwaves and pulpits are currently preoccupied with the war in Israel and many dire predictions of the end of the world and excited announcements that "Jesus is coming in the very short term."

Even though I continue to believe in the ""Doctrine of imminence" (that Jesus could return at any time) there are some things we need to consider rather than get caught up in the rhetoric of the day. 1. The Apostolic Church believed that Jesus would be gone only a short while and His return would be almost immediate. 2. The war on Israel is nothing new but more of the same historically. Hatred of the Jews has been the order of the day since the day that Abram went down the Hagar's tent (at the suggestion of his WIFE!) 3. The key to the return of Jesus, according to His own words is the preaching of the Gospel in al the "ethnic peoples of the world" Matthew 24:14, Luke 24:47, Mark 13:10. The word used there is translated nations but is the Greek word "ethnos" - ethnic groups. There were no nations on the earth at the time Jesus spoke these words.

An observation from history - anytime the church has become overly focused on the coming of Christ, the mission to reach the world suffers. By the way, Missions sending organizations tell us there are over 7,000 language groups in the world and we have thus far reached 43% of them.

Yes! Jesus IS coming. YES! He has promised! YES! God has a plan and has had that plan BEFORE creation. Our role in all of this to "work til Jesus comes" to finish the mission of reaching ALL the peoples of the world.