Agape Simple Church

Two years ago, I wrote about the examples of Anna and Simeon. I remain intrigued by the story of these two faithful watchers for Jesus’ first appearing and want to further explore the relevance of their faith for our day. Luke 2:22-38 records the story of their remarkable belief in God’s promises to Israel and His promise to send a Deliverer. Guided by the Holy Spirit, the pair immediately recognized the baby as the long-awaited Messiah, the One spoken of in the prophetic texts throughout...

How can one prepare to be raptured up to Heaven and so be with Jesus Christ forevermore? When it comes to the Rapture, it’s often said that a person must prepare, and so, “Be ready!” This saying is implied by Jesus Himself, who said in Luke 21:28, “Now when these things begin to happen…” (“things” meaning when the signs of the end times begin to occur), then “look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” In other words, Jesus was commanding His followers to “Be ready!”...

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, “Bible prophecy”? Do you picture old people in the ancient past, clothed in ragged robes, declaring, “thus sayeth the Lord”? Perhaps the word prophecy itself causes you to bristle with thoughts of doom and gloom awaiting humanity in the future. Maybe you think of modern-day social media influencers who self-proclaim to have received a word, vision, or message from God. Or could it be that not much at all crosses your mind when you encounter the...