My daughter told me the funny story about the texts she got last week from her boss (the bakery owner) while she was baking away: “STOP WORKING”, and then “She is coming!”. What’s funny is, Julia knew what that meant: Taylor Swift is coming to Vancouver; get tickets! The most famous athletes are known by a single name, like “Gretzky” or “Lebron”. Taylor just needs a pronoun.

But we have a better message: “STOP WORKING” because “He is coming!” The kingdom of God is at hand. This is always true, but somehow the feeling of it has been building in the past few years, and especially in the past few months. There might even be some signs appearing….

One of my friends was leaned over his computer last week, crying out to God to get away from the endless administration and actually minister to people. As he prayed and wept, the phone rang. His Hindu neighbour wondered if he had time to talk. He’s been observing his life and how he treats his family and wants to know about his God.

A girl I talked to last week told of her co-workers at the coffee shop being drawn to God. “Tell me about Jesus” said one, and another, “Do you have a Bible I could read?”

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’” – Zech 8:23

Another friend did their first in-house baptism last week. Others are baptizing and casting out demons.

I’ve seen more demons cast out of people in the past couple of weeks than in several months before that. Each of them (including me) was convicted by the Holy Spirit and spent weeks in prayer before being set free.

A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” – Isaiah 40:3-5

I can feel it, sense it, sometimes see glimpses of it. And it compels me to get ready. It’s Advent Season!