Dear Church family,

Greetings to everyone in the precious name of our Lord and soon coming  King Jesus Christ. 

We continue to live stream our services, in light of the current situation. 
This week we looked at word of God for strength and encouragement in the midst of painful situation that not only our country is going through, but the whole world is experiencing. God’s word speaks to us in Psalm 27 that He is our light and our salvation, we should not fear. Though the enemy may set up his camp surrounding us, we have this confidence through our Lord Jesus Christ, that we who are his children, are hidden in his pavilion. He keeps us in the secret place of his tabernacle, that is, his presence. The enemy cannot bring any harm to us. 
As David the psalmist says, we need to do one thing, that is to seek the face of God and desire to be in his presence daily. Pray daily that he will continue to speak to our hearts, and that we will not only meditate on his word day and night, but also encourage others to do so. Our decision must be to sing praises to his holy name, even in the current circumstances, and trust in him completely.
Our prayer is that God will continue to give each one his peace and word of comfort, and we will continue to give him the glory and encourage each other, as God is in control of all situations.
    

Our senior pastor John Cherian, spoke to us from Isaiah 60:8. “Who are those who fly like a cloud, and like doves to their roosts?”
In the New Testament, a dove is used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10, Luke 3:22, John 1:32).
Is is also an emblem of purity, innocence and harmlessness.
The Talmud compares the spirit of God hovering over the waters, to a dove that hovers over her young.
Renowned Jewish scholar, Rabbi Eliyahu Vilna Gaon, explicitly declares that a dove is a symbol of the human soul.
The dove is also a symbol of the people of Israel, an image frequently repeated in Midrash.
The use of a dove and olive branch as a symbol of peace originated with the early Christians, based on Genesis 8:11.
Dove symbolizes beauty. In the book of Song of Songs, Solomon often uses the image of dove, as a symbol of beauty.
Coming back to the text from this morning, Isaiah 60:8.
Rabbi Yisrael Lau, Chief Rabbi of Israel, quotes about Isaiah 60:8, “I see them in my spiritual eyes, coming like clouds and like doves to their nests.”
Why does the prophet need two examples for the gathering of the exiles?
There is a big difference between a cloud and a dove. A cloud, has no emotions, no wisdom, no motivation. A cloud is pushed by wind. Without wind, a cloud will not move.

 A dove, on the other hand, has emotions, has self motivation. A dove is homesick, wants to add children to her nest, her home.

“I see it in my spiritual eye” said the prophet, “Two kinds of coming to Israel; Newcomers”, Those who will be pushed here by the storm winds, of pilgrims anti-Semitic, exiles, holocaust. People driven by events, like clouds driven by winds.
And I also see those who will come here like the doves, with emotions and feelings and sentiments, to come back home. This is our home, we want to be here. These are spiritual/Homesick people.

The statistics show that among the Israel Jews, 43% self identify as secular, 22% as traditional, 13% as traditional religious, 11% as religious and 10% as ultra-Orthodox. According to the Israel Democracy Institute, the percentage of ultra-Orthodox is slightly higher.
Roughly a quarter of the Israel Jews say that they attend a synagogue on a weekly basis(27%), while 39% say that they attend on a monthly, yearly or infrequent basis. A third of the Jews in Israel (33%)  say that they never go to a synagogue.
Believers in Jesus Christ are as doves. When Jesus was sending out the disciples to proclaim the gospel, he said to them, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves”. Matthew 10:16

What did he mean by this? The dove is not a predator, but wolves are. Those who oppose us, as people did the disciples, are like ravenous wolves that seek to destroy all, who bring the good news of Jesus Christ.

Believers, in sharing their faith, must be shrewd as snakes, in the sense, that they must be wise to the ways of the enemy, who seeks to prevent this message of hope from being proclaimed.
If we are to be innocent as doves, we are to be above reproach and live lives, pleasing to God and bringing harm to no one.
A dove is a very sensitive bird. It flies away at the least of disturbance. It is exceedingly timid, yet, it is one of the most beautiful of all of God’s creatures.
Dove- The Praying Church – Tears in dove’s eyes.
Dove- The Church, focused on Christ, the Bridegroom.
Dove- The Homesick Church.
The Church is not event driven. We are always focused on Christ’s return. Always longing for his imminent return, to be home with him. Let us continue to focus on Jesus Christ.

The most asked question today is. Is there a cure? Is there healing possible? What is going to happen with this deadly virus? The answer: Jesus Christ. Our Savior, and healer God. For Him, all things are possible.

On December 31, 2019, our message was based on the following scriptures:
Genesis 18:14.  ” Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
Jeremiah 32:17. “Ah, Lord God! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth, by your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you”   
Matthew 19:26. “But Jesus looked at them and said to them,
“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Luke 1:37. “For with God nothing will be impossible.”
Philippians 4:13. “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”
John 15:5. “I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.”
Joshua 23:14-15. “Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed. Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all the good things have come upon you which the Lord your God promised you, so the Lord will bring upon you all harmful things, until he has destroyed you from this good land which the Lord your God has given you. When you have transgressed the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you. 

Every Sunday, we pray at the end of service, “If the Lord tarries, or delays his coming, we will come back again next Sunday.”

The dove represents the Holy Spirit, that also indwells every believer after they have repented and trusted in Jesus Christ. For the believers, we are to be as innocent as doves, so that no one can bring any accusation against us and bring shame to the cause of Christ. We can easily grieve the Holy Spirit, but He will never leave us, because we are sealed by Him.

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased. Eph 1:13-14  

God’s Holy Spirit, “dove” today is bringing the message of hope and peace to all who still have the wrath of God abiding in them for disbelieving in Christ. “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides in him. John 3:35-36.

May God bless us with these words, as we continue to pray daily for each other and the people around us. May we continue to share the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ, so that many more may know Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal Savior. The wrath of God will be removed and they will be covered by the grace of God and His love. Amen!

God Bless!

Thompson Samuel
Associate Pastor:  Atlanta Christian Assembly
 678-471-9636