God's original purpose for this world was that it be filled with true love, joy and beauty. Satan has tried his best to thwart God's plan, by leading human beings astray. But his reign of deception, coercion and terror on this earth is nearly ended. Soon our world will be cleansed of the curse of sin, and will become forever, not only the home of the redeemed, but the very place where God's throne will be located! How will this happen? Our song for today points us to this glorious time.

At the very close of Earth’s history, Jesus will finish His work in the heavenly sanctuary. This marks the beginning of what the Bible calls the “Time of Trouble”, a time on the verge of which, we are even now living. How can we be prepared to stand during this time? Our hymn for today tells us.

Jesus calls us—He calls you, He calls me—to follow Him. His call is still sounding today; in fact, today, at this time in Earth’s history, His final call is going out to a dying world. How can we, in the words of the apostle Peter, make our calling and election sure? Our hymn for today tells us.

As we draw ever closer to the end of time, the end of this world as we know it, we are more and more in need of God’s guidance and protection. There are many warnings in the Bible about the deceptions that will exist at this time in earth’s history. How can we be sure that we have a shelter in the time of storm?

Music used by permission from 2CBN TV

https://www.youtube.com/@2CBNTV

On October 22, 1844, Jesus left the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, to go into the second apartment, there to complete His work as our great high priest. What is the significance of this event for us living today? Our hymn for today tells us, that this calls us on to higher ground!

All Christians believe in the Christ of history who died on the cross. Millions today believe in the Christ of the future who is coming in glory on the clouds of heaven. But what about the Christ of today? Where is He, and what is He doing?

I believe that the answer to this question lies in one of the most confusing, one of the most crushing, even one of the most humiliating events in the history of the Christian church.
Our hymn for today, The Solid Rock, captures in an amazingly insightful way, the essence of that event.

The hope of the second coming of Christ is the very key note of the sacred Scriptures. That is the day that God’s people have waited and longed for, ever since Adam and Eve first turned their sorrowing steps from Eden. This precious, joy-inspiring hope is the theme of our hymn for this week.