How important are our works?

As I have written before many time, we are saved by grace but our rewards in Heaven are determined by our works.  I ran across another verse today regarding our works.

Revelation 14:13(NKJV)

Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”

Isn't that an interesting turn of phrase?  "Their works follow them".  Our works follow us to Heaven.  So when you get to Heaven and look around, do you want to be one of the people who accepted Christ and then went your merry way or do you want to be one of the people who accepted Christ and then truly "served" God?  Hmm?

The Anti-Christ

Revelation 13:1-4(NKJV)

Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 

Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 

And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 

So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

From time to time we here that so and so is the antiChrist.  Here is a quick and easy way to see if that is true.  Ask yourself, "have the two witnesses been in Jerusalem for 3 1/2 years yet?  If not then whoever they are referring to isn't the antiChrist because the antiChrist doesn't appear until after the witnesses. 

A rod of iron, not Kumbaya.

Once again, seems to me that many people are going to be surprised.

Revelation 12:5(NKJV)

She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. 

So Jesus will rule with a rod of iron.  What about the love of Jesus?  It's still there.  Jesus' love for those who believe in Him will be overwhelming.  To those who don't believe in Him, not so much.  Jesus will still love them enough to take them back if they ask for forgiveness but I don't believe He will take them back without them asking forgiveness.

Remember, rejecting Jesus was their choice, not His.  They chose to declare themselves enemies of God and they shouldn't be surprised if Jesus treats them as such.  

Looking for signs.

I've probably written about this before but I'll mention it again.  We are told to stand watch and be ready for the return of Jesus.  There are many mentions of signs and warnings in the Bible.  Some are pretty generic and some are pretty specific. 

There is one however that will be hard to miss.  According to my understanding of Scripture, this has to happen before Jesus comes. 
 

Revelation 11:1-3(NKJV)

Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. 

But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. 

And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

The two witnesses testifying in Jerusalem day after day for 3.5 years is gonna be hard to miss!

God as torturer, I hadn't thought of it that way.

I don't know why I hadn't realized this before.  In the end, God is not only going to kill off His enemies, He is going to torture them.  Check this out. 

Revelation 9:1-12(NKJV)

Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. 

And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 

Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 

They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 

And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 

In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 

They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 

And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 

They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. 

And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.

God is going to put these people in such torment that they will want to die but won't be able to.  That sure is going to surprise all those people who believe in Kumbaya Jesus, isn't it?

Picturing this in my mind makes me chuckle.

 

Revelation 8:1(NKJV)

When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 

From all accounts I believe Heaven is a pretty noisy place.  Revelation talks about all the saints sitting around praising God 24 hours a day and things like that. 

So imagine the shock when that 7th seal is opened.  Dead silence.  Silence that echoed as it were.  Kind of like the old E.F. Hutton investment commercials on TV.  I realize that dates me.  If you don't get it, look it up on Youtube.  :)

Imagine the dead silence and everyone is just looking around at each other wondering what the heck?  Never seen that happen before! 

For some reason that just tickled my funny bone.

What about the wrath of the Lamb???

We hear a lot about the love of Jesus.  But what about the wrath of Jesus?  As I have written before, I can't find anything in Scripture that backs up the view of Kumbaya Jesus.  Take a look at the passage below and I will pick it up on the other side.

Revelation 6:9-17(NKJV)

When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 

And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 

Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. 

And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 

Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 

And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 

and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 

For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Couple things about the first part that I highlighted.  In Chapter 6 the riders on horseback are being unleashed on the earth.  God ordained it and Jesus sets the events in motion.  Part of God's plan is that a quarter of the world's population be wiped out.  Killed.  Destroyed.

Then the martyred saints start asking God, when are you going to avenge our deaths?  God tells them, in a bit, but all of these other people have to die first. 

Wow!  Not much Kumbaya and love your enemy there, is there?  Should people be surprised by that?  Not if they have been reading their Bibles.  No surprise for the people who read and understand Scripture instead of substituting their own beliefs, like kumbaya Jesus, for what Scripture really says.

The second highlighted part is what really jumped out at me today though.  The wrath of the Lamb.  In other words, Jesus is pissed!!!  No kumbaya and love for your enemy here either is there? 

And once again, should we be surprised? 

Matthew 10:34-39(NKJV)

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 

For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 

and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’  

He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 

And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 

He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

Again, not if you understand Scripture.  Jesus told us His purpose in Matthew.  He came to make people choose.  Choose life by believing in Jesus and God's plan or choose death by rejecting Jesus and God's plan.

But why is Jesus pissed?  Why has He stored up wrath?  My guess is that He takes it personally when people reject the sacrifice that He made on their behalf. 

Now let's circle back to a glib comment I made earlier.  No love the enemy here.  Actually there is plenty of love your enemy, just not in the way most people think about it in my opinion.  First off remember that the enemies of God have declared themselves enemies by rejecting Jesus.  It is something that they had total control over.  So those who whine it isn't fair, baloney, it is totally fair.

Here is where Jesus and God show love for their enemies.  They love their enemies enough that they will let them repent and follow Jesus any time they want.  God and Jesus will welcome them back with open and loving arms…..right up until the enemy dies.  But at that point, it is too late.  At that point Jesus has something for them.  Something that He has stored up and saved for them.  His wrath! 

Now I don't know about you but that is something I never want to face and the really cool thing is I never have to because I asked Jesus into my life almost half a century ago.  How about you?  Would you like to know that you will never face His wrath?  All you have to do is ask Jesus to lead you.  Have a talk with Jesus.  Let Him know where you are at in life and that you would like His help.  "Dear Jesus…."

The blessings Jesus receives from God.

Look at the listing of the benefits that Jesus receives from God.

Revelation 5:12(NKJV)

saying with a loud voice:      “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain     To receive power and riches and wisdom,     And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

Notice what isn't there.  Fear, weakness, and being poor.  Now I'd like to focus especially on the "saintly poor".  There are so many Christians who think there is virtue in being poor.  Many draw that conclusion from the verse that says the poor shall inherit the earth. 

As I wrote the other day, I think many people are mis interpreting that verse.  As I've said before, I don't think that verse is referring to poor in the monetary sense.  I think it is talking about spiritual poverty.  After all, if being monetarily poor was such a great thing in the eyes of God, then why did God bless Jesus with riches instead of poverty???

I sometimes wonder……

What is relevant and what isn't?  As we study Scripture we try to glean any hidden meanings in the words used.  Sometimes just a single word can be relevant and sometimes I think it is just a diversion.  Part of our job is to let the Holy Spirit guide us and help us discern which is which.  Here is an example from today.

Revelation 5:1-3(NKJV)

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 

Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” 

And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.

So why was the word strong added to the description of the angel?  Wouldn't telling us it was an angel be enough?  Aren't all angels strong?  Do we ever see them described as weak?  Is the word strong even relevant to the larger point being made? 

Interesting stuff to ponder!  :)

Without the Holy Spirit, how do you decide?  Scripture tells us that God sent us the Holy Spirit for just this type of thing.  To be our helper as we study God's word.  To reveal to us the secrets of God as we are ready to understand them.

Would you like to have this help too?  It's available to anyone who asks.  All you have to do is invite Jesus to guide your life.  Have you done that yet?  Why not do it right now?  It's no accident that you are here reading this message.  Jesus is inviting you to get to know Him.  Why not have a conversation with Jesus?  "Dear Jesus…." 

I know your works!

I just love it when the Holy Spirit lays some revelation knowledge on me.  Today is such a day.  In reading through Revelation 2 and 3 I noticed something that I have never noticed before.  Check this out!

Revelation 2:1-2(NKJV)

“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 

“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 

As you know, Jesus appears to John in a vision and has John record Revelation.  In chapters 2 and 3 Jesus is speaking to each of the seven churches.  Jesus says to each one, "I know your works". 

Think about that.  We know that faith is a big deal to God and Jesus.  In fact we can't be saved without it.  I also believe that it says somewhere that it is impossible to please God without faith, although I could be wrong on that one because I am going on memory. 

So what I found so interesting about this is that Jesus focuses on works instead of faith when He addresses each of the churches. 

Why do you think that is? 

My guess is that as I have pointed out before, while we are all saved by faith, our rewards in Heaven will be determined by how much service (works) we provide to God in our lives.  Here is a verse to back that up.

Revelation 2:23(NKJV)

I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

Notice Jesus doesn't say "I will give to each one of you according to your faith".  He says "And I will give to each of you according to your works.". 

In Romans 5:3-5 we are told to glory in our tribulations.  As I have written in the past, I think by doing so, our joy in the face of adversity is simply and outward manifestation of our inner faith.  I think we can apply the same reasoning to this is of works. 

Our works on God's behalf are just another example of and outward manifestation of our faith and commitment to God.

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

10:29 AM

I just love it when the Holy Spirit lays some revelation knowledge on me.  Today is such a day.  In reading through Revelation 2 and 3 I noticed something that I have never noticed before.  Check this out!

Revelation 2:1-2(NKJV)

“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 

“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 

As you know, Jesus appears to John in a vision and has John record Revelation.  In chapters 2 and 3 Jesus is speaking to each of the seven churches.  Jesus says to each one, "I know your works". 

Think about that.  We know that faith is a big deal to God and Jesus.  In fact we can't be saved without it.  I also believe that it says somewhere that it is impossible to please God without faith, although I could be wrong on that one because I am going on memory. 

So what I found so interesting about this is that Jesus focuses on works instead of faith when He addresses each of the churches. 

Why do you think that is? 

My guess is that as I have pointed out before, while we are all saved by faith, our rewards in Heaven will be determined by how much service (works) we provide to God in our lives.  Here is a verse to back that up.

Revelation 2:23(NKJV)

I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

Notice Jesus doesn't say "I will give to each one of you according to your faith".  He says "And I will give to each of you according to your works.". 

In Romans 5:3-5 we are told to glory in our tribulations.  As I have written in the past, I think by doing so, our joy in the face of adversity is simply and outward manifestation of our inner faith.  I think we can apply the same reasoning to this is of works. 

Our works on God's behalf are just another example of and outward manifestation of our faith and commitment to God.

Standing on the promises of God

Before you can stand on the promises of God you need to know what those promises are don't you?  I have a general sense of what God's promises are but I thought it might be interesting to catalog them and group them by subject so that when I am facing this situation or that, I will have specific promises to hang my faith on.

Here are 5 promises from my reading today in Revelation 2.  One of the things I have written about in the past and I find true in the verses today is that God's promises are always conditional.  They aren't automatic.  So if you are going to stand on the promises of God wouldn't it be helpful to know that the conditions are of the specific promises you are standing on?  I certainly think so.  Hopefully this catalog of verses will help with that.
 

Revelation 2:7(NKJV)

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’

Revelation 2:10(NKJV)

Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Revelation 2:11(NKJV)

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”’

Revelation 2:17(NKJV)

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’

Revelation 2:26(NKJV)

And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—

God is….Jealous

There are eleven uses of the word Jealous and 8 of them are in reference to God being jealous of us worshipping other gods.  Here are three examples.  Give them a read and I share some thoughts on the other side.

Exodus 20:4-6(NKJV)

    “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 

you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 

but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Exodus 34:13-14(NKJV)

But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images 

(for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), 

Nahum 1:2(NKJV)

     God is jealous, and the Lord avenges;      The Lord avenges and is furious.     The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries,     And He reserves wrath for His enemies;

OK, some thoughts.

The first thing that comes to mind is why does God even care?  Why is it such a big deal to Him?  In the greater scheme of things we are so insignificant.  Do you care what an ant thinks about anything you do?  In one regard we are like the ants in comparison to God.  So why does He really care if we worship Him or not?

My guess is that the reason it is so important to Him is that He chose us as His people.  He chose us for special treatment and benefits.  God sacrificed for us.  And many rejected Him.  He takes that personally.

As I have written before, God doesn't take a live and let live view of things when people reject Him.  God takes that personally.  At the point that people are given a chance to choose and they reject God they have essentially called God a liar.  In doing so they have declared themselves to be an enemy of God.

Which brings up another point.  "And He reserves wrath for His enemies".  Now you know one of my principals of Bible study is that God and Jesus are always in agreement.  So how do you square God reserving wrath for His enemies with Jesus' admonition to love our enemies?  Is that a contradiction or can you do both at the same time?

My belief is that they are not a contradiction.  At the point that someone has rejected God and made themselves an enemy of God, they chose to face God's wrath.    However God loves them enough that if they apologize and ask God to come back into their lives; God will do so.  However, if they never do so then that is a choice they made to continue to be enemies of God.  They rejected God's love, God didn't withhold it from them. 

That is how I see the difference.  Make sense?     

A different take.

We all know that we are heirs with Christ.  But here is a passage from Revelation that puts it a little differently.  I love how the Holy Spirit brings different things to your attention.  I've read Revelation more times than I can remember and I have even done a Revelation Bible study or two and I don't ever remember noticing this wording before.

Revelation 1:5-6(NKJV)

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 

and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

The first part, "to Him who loved us and washed us from our sins with His own blood,…" is obviously a reference to Jesus.  "and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father".  That is what I had never noticed before.  It tells us that Jesus made us kings and priest to God.  I don't really get the king part.  The priest part makes sense because we all have a direct line to God and can minister to Him and for Him. 

I guess the overall thing I get from it was that Jesus elevated us to kings and priests.  He didn't lower us to poor and dejected.  Which actually just triggered another thought. 

The New Testament says "the poor shall inherit the earth".  It says similar things in several places.  And most people, including myself have always thought that was meant as a good thing.

Well if that is the case, then why does Jesus elevate us to kings and priests.  Doesn't He want us to inherit the earth? 

It now occurs to me that maybe it wasn't meant to be a positive thing.  I have always thought that the verses were referring to spiritually poor, not monetarily poor.  Revelation tells us that the old earth will be swept away and a new heaven and earth will take its place.  If that is the case, then maybe it is saying that the "spiritually poor" will inherit the earth INSTEAD of enjoying heaven. 

I'm going to have to study this new idea a bit more and see where it takes me. 

Is Jude telling us to…gasp…judge? :)

For those of you who have read my blog for a while you know I am being facetious.  Lots of people like to quote the "do not judge" Scripture without realizing that there are way more Scriptures that tell us to make a judgement.  This is one such Scripture.

Jude 1:22-23(NKJV)

And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 

but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

That Scripture very clearly is telling us that some deserve compassion…and some don't and it is up to us to determine who does and who doesn't.  That requires that we make a distinction.  Another way of saying that is that we need to make a judgement. 

I've always loved this verse!

3 John 1:2(NKJV)

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 

Take care of your soul and everything else falls into place!

I love the simple signs!

Hows this for making it simple? 

2 John 1:7-8(NKJV)

For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 

Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

Pretty simple.  If someone does not believe that Jesus was an actual living human being, don't take spiritual advice from them.