If you are reading this newsletter, our prayers are still pending, as so many are praying for the day of the Lord and the consummation of the church age! Please come Lord Jesus! We are ready to be done with this sin cycle and see the kingdom of God on a NEW earth ushered in! What a day that will be indeed!! Well, it’s the month of May already and this month always reminds me of the flowers! I have grown to appreciate the beauty of flowers as I age/ripen here on the earth. And I’m always reminded of this precious truth

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” ~ Isaiah 40:8

Note the one thing that stands forever… THE WORD OF GOD! How hard it is to remember that nothing else will last. Food, shelter, and clothing will all disappear, just like this ole earthly body, but the Living Word will endure throughout all eternity along with the soul that never dies. As members of Christ’s body, we have so much to rejoice in, but there’s ONE THING that supersedes it all – that your name is in the book (Luke 10:20)! This is the main thing to keep as the main thing in life. The practice of remembering this should encourage us all to live in gratitude to God for His precious gift of Jesus for us. I feel like I need this very timely May reminder via the flower!! It feels like the reoccurring theme of life as of the last several weeks is “cycle of life on planet earth disaster syndrome”. Isn’t it so sweet that we are simply sojourners (tent dwellers) on the earth and “just passing through”, like a vapor, like the dew on an early morning before the sun comes up. Everything we physically possess is decaying AND either for sale, or in the process of preparing for fire, since everything will burn up. Scripture reminds; IT’S ALL SMOKE! “Vanity” is “Smoke” or “Vapor”. Let’s all stop and ask ourselves what are we focused on? Our lands, gardens, houses, cars, clothes, etc…it’s all smoke. Look at the flowers, they don’t toil or spin and yet none of our stuff and things can compare to these beautiful reminders of our temporary abode here in the month of May. One thing matters, “that your name is in the book”. So, let’s all

Trust in the LORD with all (our) heart and lean not on (our) own understanding; in all (our) ways submit to him, and he will make (our) paths straight.” – Prov 3:5

So, what’s our mission? “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. (let’s not be those “some”.) Then Jesus came to them and said

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matt 28:16-20

We need to remember, by observing the beautiful transitory flowers, this is not our home, we are just passing through. Stay focused, engaged, and faithful in the gospel ministry! Remember, He will bring us transitory flowers to the eternal city which has actual foundations on which to dwell for eternity (Heb 11:10). Let’s not forget our short-term neighbors who are headed to the eternal hell, where they will burn and not be consumed! This means we have work to do, while it’s still day, that really does matter for eternity. So, let’s not get distracted! Read your Bible and smell the roses before they burn up or die. Share the gospel, and if someone takes your shirt, give them your coat as well (Matt 5:40). Please pray for me as I pray for you! Maybe it will help if you’re reminded while you’re in this very short season of eternity, that before you stone those adulterous people your frustrated with, remember the one without sin gets to throw the first stone and HE chose to die in place of many adulterous people, like me! Please, let’s help each other never forget to Whom we belong, from what we’ve been rescued, and where our actual home is in the process of being built by Jesus! Bro Tony