God's Ways Are Higher {The Chronicles of Prophecy}

What’s an evangelistic series without any guests from the community? Maybe, it’s God’s perfect plan.

“ ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord.

‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

And My thoughts than your thoughts.’ ”

When we began our 2022 Bible prophecy series at the beginning of January, we naturally remembered last year and expected much the same: thirty-five visitors from the community the first night, three brand-new members by the end, a wonderfully moving month. But God had different plans for us this time.

Dakota Day and his wife Anna came to town and began The Chronicles of Prophecy on Friday, January 7. Through the whole series, we only had a few community guests, only one of whom attended regularly. As the series progressed, it seemed like everything that could go wrong, did.

And yet, as the meetings faithfully continued and church members faithfully attended, many of us agreed that God was doing something in our own hearts.

“ ‘For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,

And do not return there,

But water the earth,

And make it bring forth and bud,

That it may give seed to the sower

And bread to the eater,

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth:

It shall not return to Me void,

But it shall accomplish what I please.

And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.’ ”

On the last Sabbath of the meetings, January 29, eight people gave their lives to Jesus through baptism. Five were long-time members who felt that they had wandered and wanted rebaptism, and three were children of the church.

“ ‘For you shall go out with joy,

And be led out with peace;

The mountains and the hills

Shall break forth into singing before you,

And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,

And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;

And it shall be to the Lord for a name,

For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.’ ”

Was this year anything like what we expected? No. Did we have a lot of trials through it? Yes. And yet, could we say that this year was just as powerful as last year? We could. In fact, it amazed us to realize that more people were baptized this year, regardless of the small number of guests, than last year.

Our Redeemer is faithful and true.

Scripture from Isaiah 55:8-13.

Photos by Simon & Eden.