Dear friends:

With all the wall-to-wall, 24/7 Pope coverage in the media the past few weeks, I'm all poped out!

I am even having trouble mustering up the motivation for this one last (hopefully) Pope message, at least until the A/C may be revealed, and I don't intend to be here for that, so I'll let the post-tribbers take care of that one.

By now everyone has seen the bulletin from the Vatican: Habemus Papam ("We Have a Pope").

Actually, for us, it should have read, "They have a Pope," because he is not the Pope for a majority of the world's Christians.  Yet the world sees him as the number 1 Christian because Roman Catholicism is so monolithic.  Non-Catholic Christians are greatly divided organizationally and do not have a single leader, except the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the church, according to the Bible.

THE GOOD NEWS: All this worldwide TV coverage has reminded the whole world of the God of the Bible and His Son Jesus Christ.

THE BAD NEWS: The news has been shrouded in the trappings and traditions of Roman Catholicism and its extra-biblical ceremonies, costumes, titles, doctrines, etc., making the poor lost sucker in Timbuktu think all this is necessary to get saved and go to heaven.

THE GOOD NEWS AGAIN: The Holy Spirit can and does transcend all that pomposity and communicate to a person's heart that which He wills.

The new Pope, Joseph Ratzinger, or Pope Benedict XVI, was a favorite of the previous Pope and will probably be much like him.  He seems like a nice guy, humble, courteous, and with a good sense of humor, they say, unlike the stern disciplinarian the news media are painting.  Thankfully, he adheres to biblical moral values, such as on the subjects of abortion and homosexuality.  The liberals, feminists, abortionists and homosexuals are probably gnashing their teeth right now.

I may be proven wrong, but I see nothing particularly prophetic or ominous about this new Pope, except as he may be number 111 of St. Malachi's prophesied popes, if there is anything to that, and I am not sure.  But if we are as near to the tribulation as is evident, his reign may be short-lived, replaced by the final Pope, or the 112th, as predicted by of St. Malachi (although there is evidence that St. Malachi's original prophecy about AD 1140 only included 111).

Remember, in 1978, to the shock of the world, Pope John Paul II's predecessor, Albino Luciani, died after only 33 days in office!

Or, if St. Malachi's prophecy of 111 Popes is correct and Benedict XVI is the last Pope, he may undergo a drastic spiritual change -- and soon.

Let us continue to be watchful.  Jesus is coming!

Jim