22:20 “He who testifies to these thing says, ‘I am coming soon’. “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
Genesis 12:2 records God’s seven-fold blessing to Abram. Matthew 5:1-11 records Christ’s nine-fold blessing for kingdom subjects. In various contexts Revelation reveals an eight-fold blessing for disciples confronting Roman intolerance towards the end of the first century. If Jesus said to us, “Yes, I am coming soon”, would we reply as John, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”? The very creation “waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed”, knowing Christ’s Return heralds its re-creation Romans 8:19. How could mortals, made in God’s image, less readily look for the Master’s Return, knowing the transformation of our body and mind will be the result? Could we possibly be so spiritually dense or dead? Have we possibly so plastered over our conscience with materialism tht we don’t hear God because we refuse to? God ordered Daniel’s visions sealed because they related to distant events Daniel 12:9. Jesus ordered his visions to John kept open “because the time is near” 22:10. The difference in the two instructions is at least that the distant time of Daniel had become the last times in John’s day. Scripture considers history from Christ’s birth to be the Last Days of humanity on earth. Every perseveringly-obedient disciple responds as John to Christ’s glorious promise. For the Christian welcomes his Return. We’ll be glad when he comes. With Paul, even now we would rather depart and be with Jesus, which is “better by far” Philippians 1:23. Until he calls us, however, we’ll serve while listening for his trumpet blasts. All Christians, of course, live in the day by day timeframe Jesus allotted Matthew 6:11. We begin and continue projects: some we finish, others we continue to pursue. We’re a lot like the young soldier who died in the Japanese death camps by the River Kwai. His mates found his eloquent poem in his effects. Read it in Ernest Gordon’s book Through the Valley of the Kwai. With no access to my books at present, I can remember only his closing line: “And lo, the end approaches just when I was thinking of preparing to begin.” Our lamentable appeal. So much to do. Never enough time to do it all. Yet, God’s people have hope beyond that mournful fate. Death completes, not interrupts, all we live for, illustrated by an 18 year old missionary-intern’s death in the Philippine Islands. Mortally wounded from a shark bite, his last words were, “This is the day I’ve been waiting for.” Now...we understand Winston Churchill saying those words at age 74 as he ascended to leadership of England in 1940. He had been preparing all his life for the role. But for an 18 year old to say them as he lay dying? YES. Because, whatever we start now that praises Jesus continues when we die. Little wonder, then, when Jesus said, “Yes, I am coming soon,” John replied AMEN—let it be so! Not because John was an emotional 90 year old man. But because of what he has just experienced in visions and wanted to continue in reality, in the presence of his Majesty. He knew that to have Jesus COME again meant he would experience in TOTAL what even the magnificent realities of Revelation had been but a PART. When Jesus Returns, he will “do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power....” Ephesians 3:20. Amen. Fini
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22:20 “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen, Come Lord Jesus.”
We need to avoid two extremes when considering the Revelation of John. One, because the book has only mysteries that confuse, we shouldn’t bother. Two, because Revelation has so many mysteries, study it to satisfy our appetite for the dramatic, the spectacular, the unknown. What use, then, should we make of the final book of Jesus Christ’s revelation of himself to history? The eight beatitudes may offer a suggestion: learn, accept and incorporate into daily living the spiritual lessons we can otherwise overlook by fixating on identifying every person or event described. Think of two such principles of MORE. One, the Revelation stressed Jesus Christ’s sovereignty over all history, all governments, all opponents, all who intentionally acknowledge his rule and all who don’t. Whoever seems to be in charge at any particular time, Jesus IS ALWAYS, in every age, whatever the circumstance. Pompous Pharaoh at first considered himself untouchable by the plagues God sent Moses to inflict on Egypt. However, from the first, God warned the king of worse plagues coming by having Moses’ rod-turned serpent swallow all the serpents cast by Egyptian magicians. A verbal message accompanied the seventh plague—hail beyond all their experience. “But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth” Exodus 9:16. That principle applies to all historic events and personalities. Think of two. II Kings 19:25-31 is one. Read the entire chapter for the background. Isaiah 37:21-38 has the prophet’s personal account of the same event. Luke 2:1-7 explained God’s sovereignty in fulfilling the prophet Micah’s prediction that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, Judea, when at the time of the Annunciation, both Joseph and Mary lived in Nazareth, Galilee Luke 1:26-27. Two, face uncertainties, problems and alterations in daily life with faith in God, not doubt; with hope in God, not despair; with confidence in God, not questions. Especially the pressing question now about the dreaded COVID-19 scare: “What’s going on?” Whatever decisions will yet be made to restart community life and the workplace, will it be enough to continue recovery? What’s to be the long-term effect on the economy? Will a workable vaccine become available to prevent new outbreaks? And, more alarmingly, a question Christians must consider, given our nation’s departure from God: is the pandemic a one-time, short-term adversity, or a portent; a one-time trouble, or an ugly deformity sure to afflict us with increasingly disfiguring tribulations, fraying nerves, increasing impiety, hastening violence? Whatever comes on the world, Christ counsels patience in his people, awareness of the circumstances in his people, boldness in his people, fearlessness in his people—all because GOD is in control! It doesn’t matter “what’s going on?” All that matters is, “Who’s in charge of what’s going on!” That entire Bible message, reflected in the Revelation, encouraged Christians then and encourages us now. Whatever occurs in society, remain SURE, COURAGEOUS, IMMOVABLE in Christ Jesus. While not responsible for the mess humanity made in history, God will yet conquer all opposing him and invite into his New City, earth and universe those who loved their Lord more than their own limitations, more than their own sorrows and more...infinitely more than their own lives also. End Part III 22:20 “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon’. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
The verse appropriately summarizes this series of beatitudes. First, seen in Christ’s closing statement “I am coming soon,” echoing his previous word in verse 22:12. Soon, as in: quickly, unexpectedly, suddenly, instantly. Therefore, live daily in its possibility. How simply, forcefully and grandly that summarized the entire book of Revelation. It’s God’s wake-up call to humanity. Everyone will be impacted by it, even if not eyewitnesses of it. All who have hoped in God will be rewarded beyond their expectations; all who passively ignored or actively opposed God will be punished beyond all their fears. Those living for and expecting it will be thrilled. Those living for themselves will be terrified. It’s also an assurance for God’s people and a warning to unbelievers: as history had a beginning in the Garden of Eden—which our evolutionary-controlled generation denies, it has an end—which our sin-wracked generation belittles. We can’t escape the reality of Christ’s Return. We can live to WELCOME, not REGRET, it. We can’t prevent it. We can prepare to open our arms to embrace it. It’s also God’s final response to Satan and his angels. As Jesus in ministry had bound the Enemy by casting out demons, he shall at the end shackle and imprison him in Hell eternally; where he will never again slander God to us and accuse us to God. Accompanying him into his eternal torment will be his demons and also temptation, death, Hades, conflict, opposition, war and HUMAN EGO! The Return will be so universally complete that space-creation will explode in ear-shattering concussions of sound and fury. Planets suddenly free from the HAND that held them in place will explode and shriek and sizzle out of existence II Peter 3:10, 12. The earth itself, desiring destruction, Romans 8:19-22, while now the object of unwelcome attention by environmentalists insisting it survive, will be incinerated entirely to a formlessness reminiscent of Genesis 1:1-2. No geographic feature left, whatever. To be followed by a re-creation reminiscent of Genesis 1:2c-31 and II Peter 3:13. With this difference. Jesus through the Holy Spirit will create a SPIRITUAL world appropriate to the SPIRITUAL bodies and minds inhabiting it. So glorious in every way will it be that we’ll never remember or desire a return to the sin-scarred, Satan-filled earth now so important and so permanent to Biblically-illiterate people. Indeed, the very preview of sighting the Holy City in Revelation 22 led John to such paroxysm of delight that he fell before the angel hosting his tour 22:8. That wasn’t the first time John had been so overwhelmed by seeing what the angel showed him. After hearing a multitude in Heaven shout a thunderous song of approval of God’s judgment of Rome, John had fallen before the messenger Revelation 19:9. John had personally experienced Rome’s anger, understood the pain faith in Christ brought and delighted in seeing Christ avenged. Nevertheless, the angel resolutely forbade any adoration of or attention to himself. End Part II 22:14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.”
This entire beatitude glorifies the Grace of God granted to obedient believers. And...not to forget...calls them to “wash their robes”...that is, remain obedient to Jesus in discipleship. God’s Grace removes the sin that prevented our fellowship with him. Persevering disciples can therefore qualify, without being worthy, to walk into “Jerusalem just like John”; to access the Tree of Life; to live forever transformed bodily and spiritually into Christ’s likeness. Remember that God planted two fruit trees in Eden, one with a promise: “Eat as often and as much as you want from the Tree of Life and go on forever.” The other with a threat: “Eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil JUST ONCE and you surely die.” There, in that Garden of Innocence, of Beauty, of Delight. In constant fellowship with the Father through the Pre-Incarnate Son. With no excuse to fail and every reason to succeed, they STILL FAILED. The human condition before God! They had to obey but one command for them and their progeny to live forever. ONE command...and they broke it. How could they ever obey TEN? Their failure removed humanity forever from any role in finding peace with God. Forget it! Mortals did not then, and have not since, discovered a way to enter God’s Presence. We cannot do it. We may be the reason for God’s grace, but we’re only spectators of the origin of the Great Redemption. Which illustrated the inability of Old Testament Law, though bolstered by animal sacrifices, to be anything but a temporary measure. Note: God determined the initial way broken people could once again be whole: by LAW and SACRFIFICE under Moses. On and on it went, for centuries. And just when it seemed the situation would continue interminably: good people struggling to live morally beyond their limitations; bad people whining that Law unfairly limited their freedom to do as they pleased. Just when it seemed...., a bright star shone in the dark night, heralding God’s Final Answer in his Son to Law and Sin. Born under LAW but so gifted he surpassed it. Born in a culture of regulations, replacing it with relationships. Born within Law that fostered limited lifestyles of “do and don’t”, destined to grant fullness of life in every believer by removing crippling sins from and suffusing him with spiritual power that ignited unlimited freedom within Christ’s holiness. All of which means...first, Adam and Eve did nothing, and we DO nothing, to merit being forgiven and to earn the right to enter the gates into the New Jerusalem. It’s by Grace alone through faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us Galatians 2:20. Second, only those redeemed by Christ’s forgiveness enter that City: dressed in robes of righteousness he alone provides. End Part I 22:7 “Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
Keeping the words of Revelation’s prophecy means we believe in and fix our attention on Christ’s Return. That great finality finishes all history, incinerates the present heavens and earth and brings the New Jerusalem out of Heaven to be the Single City of God’s New World. Remember: we will never be more useful on earth than in realizing our real citizenship is in Heaven Philippians 3:20. That was the message preached by the Russian Christian to her Communist tormentors. Why did they hurt Christians, she asked. They were ones who lived under the Holy Spirit’s tutelage. They prayed for Communist officials. They offered benevolence to anyone in need. Why harm the very people who did them the most good? They had no answer to her questions and no argument with her evidences. Neither did they change their hatred of Christians. They hated them “without a cause” John 15:25. They proved the accuracy of Aslan’s condemnation of unsaved humanity: they never have trouble protecting themselves from what would do them good. Chronicles of Narnia. Christians in peril by serving in dangerous circumstances nevertheless remain faithful to Jesus, willingly sharing his afflictions Colossians 1:24. While aware of the cost of serving Jesus, they don’t count it. It’s what he called them to be and do, and they delight in the confidence he has in calling them to serve. America, shamefully following Soviet-Russia’s vicious and inexcusable hatred of Christianity, still boasts of being a compassionate people. No tragedy occurs but that hundreds rush to alleviate the pain misfortune afflicts. Some rush to help as Christ’s servants, advertising their concern. Others arrive to help thinking it’s all about human compassion. But if anyone reads the late James Kennedy’s book What If Jesus Had Never Been Born, they would discover that their desire to help is a result of the days when the Christian faith controlled the conscience of America. And the Holy Spirit continues to work through even them as they have compassion on others in need, while He seeks the opportunity to impress on them their need of Jesus. Fini 22:7 “Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.
The apostle Paul’s views summarized his obedience to the Lord’s beatitude. “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ....” Philippians 3:20. Eagerly...translated as eager in some of the various contexts of the Greek. It certainly implies watching for it, anticipating it, desiring it. When Jesus discussed his Return, Luke 12:39, he likened its appearance to a thief coming—that is, unexpectedly. In the same reference, in Revelation 16:15 Jesus said, “Behold, I come like a thief”, that is, unexpectedly. In I Thessalonians 5:2 Paul told the Christians...”You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” Again, unexpectedly. It involves the sudden, instant and complete removal of our present planetary system, giving us no chance to identify, let alone understand his arrival; the instantaneous occurrence of all its events rather than the immanence of his coming is what he emphasized. Given that understanding of soon, Jesus warned John’s readers to live in expectation of his Return. Shall we criticize that generation for being obedient to Jesus in desiring and patiently waiting for it? They made no mistake by looking for his Return since he commanded it. We have made the mistake of neglecting it by being so comfortable in the padded chairs or pews of our air-conditioned sanctuaries; our comfortable life-styles, with wide-screen television and internet access. We’ve hardly broken a sweat in our discipleship, let alone shed blood in living for Jesus. Point of integrity: we can’t blame early Christians for anticipating the Savior’s Return, given the price they paid to serve Christ. Read Hebrews 10:32-34, I Thessalonians 2:13-18, 3:1-7 and Revelation 2:3, 10-11, 13 for just a few of other passages relating to persecution first century disciples suffered. Before we criticize them for looking to Christ’s Return, consider the slaves in America in ante-bellum South; gathering in their secret places, they sang songs of Zion, deliverance, Heaven, delight. White owners and overseers pilloried them for their attention to the next world in their worship. But it was all they had. That existed as their only hope. The owners would sit in the spacious living rooms, sipping mint-juleps while their human property performed the back-breaking work. End Part II 22:7 “Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
First-time Bible readers want to read Genesis: a mistake. Many Christians want to study Revelation: another mistake. Beginning readers—new converts to Christ—have two excellent resources in the Gospels of Mark and John. Mark for seeing the energetic nature of Jesus. John for dramatizing Christ’s powerful Deity-Nature in seven splendid signs. The battle over Bible integrity, especially the integrity of the Four Gospels, has been handily won by defenders of the Faith. The contentious charges of obscurantist unbelievers prove only their refusal to be convinced. The Seventh Beatitude raises and answers a question: once God had given amazing visions to John, did he have a purpose in mind? For example, did they complete their meaning simply by being revealed? Or by being emotionally-stimulating? Or, like verbal art, hung on a wall for discussion and dissection? Many conceive of God in that way. So long as they believe in him, nothing more is required—as a young man said to this young minister one day. He regretted asking, hearing the answer. All attacks on the Bible notwithstanding, the eloquence of a number of its passages merit inclusion in books chronicling the world’s great literature. But only as great literature. And God will never be satisfied with such compliments. Jesus certainly dismantled that idea in Matthew 7:24-27. He clearly taught that only as listeners activated his words did they build solid lives on solid ground. In the same way, Jesus warned readers of Revelation to LIVE in anticipation of his Coming. To prepare in this world for life in God’s new world. For only as we commit to Jesus now will we live with him after Judgment. Once Jesus appears, we can’t change our previous mind, previous habits, or previous behavior. Henry L. Mencken loved being sympathetic to friends, but felt free to poleaxe clergy and politicians and humanity’s every foible. An agnostic, he also felt free to question God’s existence and Christ’s sacrifice. Yet, he rehearsed his speech if finding himself in Heaven facing the Twelve Apostles. He would simply say, “Gentlemen, I was wrong.” Uh huh. Comforting. No matter how we live here, a mere apology to God for being WRONG? Oppose God in life. Refuse to accept Christ in life. Ridicule those who serve Christ in life. And Jesus will be convinced by our sudden humility for being wrong. Eleanor Roosevelt had the same opinion. While a church-goer, she could never decide what would happen after death. So she decided to wait until THEN to see. The modern humanist is the same. One world at a time is all he can handle. If another world IS THERE, he’ll face it at the time. All of them...wrong...desperately and fatally wrong. Scriptures such as II Corinthians 5:10 and Revelation 20:12-13 warn us that our present life constitutes the basis of our judgment before Christ’s throne. Pay attention. Eternity begins NOW for each of us. End Part I 20:6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection.
Accepting the “binding” of Satan as a fact of history, based on Christ’s expulsion of demons, can we find in history an event that “released Satan to deceive the nations” 20:7-8? Yes...offered as a firm possibility, though a personal observation. The Origin of the Species, by Charles Darwin, published in 1859, has deceived the nations, who have been willingly, cheerfully and thoroughly deceived. No single writing has had a more deleterious impact on the human race. It loosed on society a viciously satanic view of humanity: that we’re the product of chance, morphing through various stages, not the intentional, directed, planned, instant creation of Almighty God in his image. It has done more to secularize America life than any Hollywood production, though its views of life originate in Darwin’s hypothesis. It has done more than any theory to undermine, dismiss and pillory Biblical morality than any salacious novel that merely reflected Darwin’s conclusions. Face it. If enough people believe we came from a life form presently beneath us, any anti-social behavior is expected since it reflects vestiges of our beginnings. Indeed, it congratulates us for already lifting ourselves by personal effort above our lesser beginnings. Given enough time—the favorite lie of the evolutionist—we’ll find more ways to minimize, if not eliminate, the misfit, the vindictive, the criminal, the abuser, the killer, the robber, the thief, etc., etc., etc. The Bible denies that comforting nonsense as satanic deceit. Since we originated by God’s holy perfection, the innocence of our original parents could have been advancement into perfection by simple obedience to his single command Genesis 2:16-17. Instead, from innocence they fell into sin in the Garden of Eden, then into depravity outside it Genesis 4:8, 19-24. Until falling into complete depravity brought destruction by the universal flood Genesis 7:11-23. From 1859 to 1926 Darwin’s theory filtered through colleges and universities to listening ears. In 1926 it became an everyday point of discussion with the Scopes trial in Tennessee. In that trial agnostic Henry Darrow defended Biology teacher John Scopes as a teacher “denied academic” freedom by not being allowed to teach evolution. Question: why don’t agnostics today defend dedicated creationist teachers who are “denied academic” freedom to teach “intelligent design” as an alternative to mindless evolution? For, while in 1926, evolution couldn’t be taught in Tennessee’s public schools, in 2020, 95 years later, nowhere in public schools, at any level, of any kind, throughout the country, and likely the world, can “intelligent design” be even considered, let alone taught as an alternative to Darwin’s baseless speculations. Until this very day evolution is accepted at all levels of education, careers, politics, publications and histories, etc. Every aspect of society and human life is so saturated with the lie that qualified, brilliant professors in universities cannot keep their positions as believers in Almighty God if they even mention, let alone suggest, let alone demand, intelligent design as a realistic option/alternative to organic evolution. It’s no wonder that prayer is no longer welcome in school classrooms—or in the Pledge of Allegiance. After all, that dreaded word GOD will be spoken! It’s no wonder that prayer in Christ’s name isn’t welcome in community meetings. After all, that most dreaded word JESUS will be spoken! In society’s eyes, humanity doesn’t need God in Christ to be decent human beings. Any other deity would be acceptable, but not God in Christ. And, following necessarily in that view, in the perspective of the secularist, anyone who insists that God in Christ is essential is but a narrow-minded bigot not fit to live in a wonderfully secular, diverse culture. Such is the impact of Darwin’s flawed, lying, deceiving false Origin of the Species. Now...Christians...do not be disheartened, defeated, discouraged and demeaned. Satan’s native arrogant mendacity thinks that, as he has fooled the unsaved, he can as easily convince the redeemed. Never! Aware of the vicious nature of the Enemy, we KNOW MORE CERTAINLY the POWER, AUTHORITY, MAJESTY and TRUTH of the Living God in Christ. As Elisha told his servant, II Kings 6:16-17; as the apostle John repeated in I John 4:4, the one who is for us is greater than ALL congregated against us. It’s still true in our depraved culture. Therefore, buck up, stand up, straighten up, speak up and stalwartly defend Jesus Christ! Our Great Friend has banished the fear of DEATH and will eventually destroy all other enemies as God’s Living Word! Fini Leadership in Israel had turned the potency of Mosaic teaching into man-made additions of rules and regulations, institutionalizing what God wanted personalized. Christ’s presence in Israel single-handedly reversed the moral and spiritual depravity. The early years of the church saw multiple thousands of Jewish believers added to the Holy Spirit-energized Twelve. The apostles then carried Christ’s energizing presence into the Roman world, as much in need of reform through paganism as Judaism through traditionalism.
Without that colossal spiritual renewal, which grew in the Empire despite Jewish hostility, Imperial persecutions and the slander of misinformed opponents, God would have answered the increasing depravity with a Noahic-like catastrophe. This blog considers the binding of Satan in Revelation 20:6 as a restraint on, not an eviction of, Satan. The thousand years represent a limited binding over an indefinite period of time. Unwilling to deprive humans of free-will, God in Christ nevertheless gave them the Spirit’s POWER to resist the Devil, to accept Christ’s teaching on self-denial, to surrender to Jesus as Savior and Lord and to develop within their resurrected lives the Fruit of the Spirit. Thus the first resurrection is conversion to Christ through repentance and baptism—the very command Simon Peter issued in Acts 2:38. The very teaching the apostle Paul recorded in Romans 6:1-14. We, who were dead in sin before conversion, Ephesians 2:1-10, rose from the waters of immersion to “live a new life” Romans 6:4. (The very words I heard a Baptist minister use when baptizing a person without thinking what it meant.) But that isn’t all that the first resurrection implies and plans and demands. No; check Paul’s teaching in Romans 6:5-14 with his teaching in Ephesians 2:4-7 and Colossians 1:9-14. Then add Galatians 5:22-26 to Philippians 2:1-18 to Colossians 3:1-17 to II Peter 1:3-9. The cumulative effect of these passages demonstrates the Nature of the resurrected life Christians must embody and reveal to the world. Which is possible only because Jesus has assassinated the self-will that would keep us FROM wanting to have such virtues and fills us with the Presence of the Holy Spirit who DESIRES only to empower them in our daily life. That fruit of the Spirit has since Pentecost kept Satan bound within the limitations the Gospel placed on him. Now...the reason that’s essential to us: Christians are still sinners released from the penalty of sin, not from its presence in our lives. If we put a balloon inside a jar and blow it up, no needle-point we jam against the jar harms the balloon. Just so, if we persevere in discipleship—i.e., “wash our robes Revelation 7:14” in persistent obedience to Jesus, we’re inside Christ’s impenetrable, transparent grace, protected from God’s wrath. Reconciled to God through Christ’s death, we’re continually saved through his endless life. God sees us in Christ, protected, not us outside of Christ, exposed. End Part VIII, Part C Now...here is the greatest confidence-builder of all: the redeemed shall be God’s honored guests at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb. Consider how that changes our focus from the COVID-19 and other crises to Christ’s conquest of every fear, of which the virus is but a small illustration.
Jesus said, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me” Matthew 5:11. Luke wrote, “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” Acts 5:40. Living close to Jesus, suffering more for Jesus, the apostles gloried in their sorrows! A key to understanding present-day nations. America leading the way, people are more than ever removing from God, the result being they are weaker than ever before adversity; they more than ever complain of hardships; they more irascibly wonder why IT happens to them. What they never expected, given all their advanced degrees in all disciplines, our sybaritic age more quickly loses confidence when facing troubles. Obviously, using the apostles as our model, the best way to regain confidence in adversity is a return to the faith of the apostolic age. By living publicly for Jesus in the most dramatic way; by preaching his Gospel of repentance to unconverted sinners; by ignoring the price paid to serve, the apostles boldly walked their talk, whatever. And, when trouble came, they rejoiced because of it and through it. If we don’t want to go that far back, why not return to the faith of our Pilgrim and Puritan fathers? Whatever hardship or loss they experienced in creating a place in the new world, they refused to count the cost by focusing on the gain! It’s for sure we aren’t getting any braver against adversity in our present spiritual unbelief and rebellion. If we want a modern model, consider the lives of Christ-centered Christians: who understand that we inevitably have trouble in this world; who also know that Jesus overcame the world, whatever its challenges, disappointments, demands and fears. By possessing God’s Holy Spirit we, with Paul, dare to do “everything through him who gives me strength” Philippians 4:13. Courageous against the criticism of those who won’t consider Jesus the Only Solution to humanity’s issues, we declare him the Lamb of God, the Root of David and the Lion of Judah, alone all-sufficient for human need. Called to temper our message for a non-confrontational approach to discipleship, we fearlessly declare the hard truths of Christ’s Faith. Therefore, Christians, tell those you know who are afraid, who wonder what’s coming next, that in the Master’s Presence they also can have inner PEACE by accepting him as Savior and Lord. He wants to love them and give himself for them Galatians 2:20. Since Jesus banished even the fear of death, Hebrews 2:14-15, he left nothing in life that should make them afraid! Come what may, Jesus Lives, Jesus Forgives, Jesus Overcomes, Jesus Conquers, Jesus fills our minds and hearts with his Awesome Presence. Fearing him, we fear nothing or anyone. Fini |
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