Brothers and sisters in Christ, Greetings and good will to all.  The days are getting shorter to the coming of the Lord as Christ raptures the dead in Christ then we who are alive in him.  The world is deep in darkness and sin and is moving further and further away from the truth.  Lust and greed and sexual immorality abound and it is only the grace of God that further abounds.  Spiritual darkness hides the lost from recognizing the truth and the need to proclaim the gospel never more urgent.  Only the light of Christ can penetrate the cloud of ignorance that permeates the mind of the unregenerate and it is only the Spirit that can overcome those dead in transgression and sin.  Bitterness, anger, and hatred are the fruit of Adam's transgression and it has spread throughout the entire world.  The rise of modern technology has only accelerated this situation and only Christ's return can overturn the impending doom.  Yet for those who hear the proclamation of the gospel, it is a sweet salvation.  The love of God in the face of Christ can completely erase the scars of sin.  Be people of light.  Be people of hope.  Be people of love.  Persecution awaits the church but it can only produce a sweet salvation for those destined to the resurrection of life.  So do not waiver in your commitment to Christ and the message he gave us.  Be strong and vigilant for the devil is a prowling lion.  Prepare yourself for the work before you and give testimony to the love of God and the sweetness of Christ's salvation knowing that you,too, were once in darkness and blind to the the truth.  The prayer of the church in the last days will be: “Taste and see the goodness of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  It is sweet and satisfying and nothing in the world compares with it.”  Thanks be to God.