Tag: patient endurance
Rest or no rest? Eternally!
Scripture reading for December 20th: Job 15-17, Revelation 14
Revelation 14:9-11 “And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of His anger, and He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” Here is the call for endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”
As God prepares the earth for His final judgments, an Angel preaches the eternal gospel to those on earth, calling them to fear God and give Him glory because the hour of His judgment has come. The call is one of repentance for those worshiping the beast and Satan instead of their Creator. A second angel announces the fall of Babylon the great, who had seduced all nations in sexual immorality. And the third angel warned of eternal torment for those worshiping the beast, its image, or receiving its mark. God does nothing in judgment except He warns people. They will make the choice of eternal consequences in the lake of fire or eternal rest in the presence of Jesus Christ. The call is for patient endurance and faith in Jesus Christ even unto death. The best is yet to come for those who believe!
Revelation 14:13 “And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.: Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors for their deeds follow them!””
Prayer: Holy Father, this coming time of judgment and wrath on the earth is a sobering reminder that all made in Your image are eternal beings. I have chosen faith in Jesus and am prepared to endure, even to death of my earthly body. I trust Jesus Christ, as my Witness in heaven, to give me eternal rest with Him in Your presence and give You glory and holy respect now and forever!
Job 16:18-19 “”O earth, cover not my blood, and let my cry find no resting place. Even now, behold my Witness is in heaven and He Who testifies for me is on high.””
“The Harvest of Earth is fully ripe!”
Scripture reading for December 21st: Revelation 14
Key Scriptures: Revelation 14:12-16 “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a Son of man, with a golden crown on his Head, and a sharp sickle in His hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to Him Who sat on the cloud, “Put in Your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” So He Who sat on the cloud swung His sickle across the earth and the earth was reaped.”
John heard a voice from heaven commanding him to write down a Revelation “beatitude’ that would call the saints to patient endurance. It was a “Blessed indeed” Word from the throne echoed by the Holy Spirit concerning those who would die in faith during the final days of the tribulation. These would rest from their labors and their deeds of faith would follow them. The final call to patient endurance for the saints came with another vision John beheld. There was a white cloud, and seated on this cloud was Jesus Christ, crowned as King of Kings, and holding a sharp sickle in His hand. An angel appeared and passed the command from the throne–“Put in Your sickle, and reap. . .” for the hour had come when the harvest of earth was fully ripe! God would avenge His people whose blood had been shed on the earth!
Revelation 14:17-18 “Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, I hear Your call to me for patient endurance even in the time I live on the earth. Evil is multiplying and Your people are despised. Help me to endure and thrive as I trust in You and give me boldness to share Your promise of blessing for all who trust in Jesus. I believe the harvest of earth is ripening fast and fields of souls are white for harvest!
Revelation 14:19-20 “So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1600 stadia.”
Jesus speaks to His Church
Scripture reading for December 3rd: Revelation 2
Key Scriptures: Revelation 2:1-3 “”To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of Him Who holds the seven stars in His right hand, Who walks among the golden lampstands. “I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for My Name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.””
Jesus personally dictated to John the seven messages to the churches John was an overseer at. These are the things that are now in the general outline given to John. This first message, to Ephesus, has a pattern repeated for each church. There is a greeting to the ‘angel’ of the church, probably the pastor or overseer along with a title or description of Jesus Christ in His present ministry. Then there was a commendation of the church with encouragement for what they were doing right. This was followed by a rebuke or warning concerning needed repentance and growth. The last element was a promise of reward for those who would listen, learn and overcome. Some teach that these seven letters apply to dispensations of time leading up to the return of Jesus for His church. I believe that they all speak to various churches during the church age.
Revelation 2:4-6 “But I have this against you that you have abandoned the love that you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father, thank You for clearly addressing the Church You love. Give me ears to hear and a heart to apply what You reveal. Forgive me for a lack of love for You and for Your church and restore my love and zeal to do Your will. Let the lampstand and light of Your love and Gospel radiated from Your church reach into the world in darkness. We want to be among those that conquer!
Revelation 2:7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”
Remember Lot’s wife
Scripture reading for March 25th: Luke 17
Key Scriptures: Luke 17:28-32 “Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot–they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all-–so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife.”
The Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God was going to come. Jesus responded that the coming kingdom was not visible, but would be an inside job, within each person. He then proceeded to instruct His disciples on the time when the kingdom of God would be revealed. He likened it to the days of Noah, when all mankind, except for Noah and his family, would be going about their normal lives and then suddenly the flood came and swept them all away. He then used Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah as another example of His sudden return and the destruction of the wicked and the saving of Lot and his family. Lot’s wife, however, looked back at the burning city, ignoring God’s instructions. She was turned into a pillar of salt in judgment on her lack of steadfast faith with her heart still in Sodom.
Genesis 19:15-17, 26 “As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside of the city. And as they brought them out, one said, ‘Escape with your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills lest you be swept away.” . . . “But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, Your Word is truth and life to those who will hear. Help me to remember the lessons You taught about perseverance and faith. Thank You for Your mercy for me and the lost of this world.
Revelation 3:10 “Because you have kept My Word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell upon the earth.”
Patient endurance rewarded
Scripture reading for December 3rd: Esther 7-10, Revelation 3
Key Scriptures: Revelation 3:10-13 “Because you have kept My Word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell upon the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the Name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down from My God out of heaven, and My own new Name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Jesus dictated this short letter to the church at Philadelphia. These faithful followers had kept Jesus’ Word about patient endurance as they lived in a world and culture that was hostile to the believers of Jesus. In response to their faith, Jesus promised them escape from the final hour of trial that would ultimately come upon the earth in the last days of the last days. Jesus stated clearly that He was coming soon. They must continue to hold fast to their faith for a crown awaited the overcomers. Jesus would make them strong like a pillar and give them an everlasting inheritance which would never be taken away.
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, open my ears to the Spirit’s voice and Your truth. Help me to have the patient endurance of those who fully trust Your Word. I want to be a pillar in Your holy temple and be marked with Your Name. Help me to proclaim Your Name to the nations!
Esther 8:15-17 “Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown and a robe of fine linen and purple, and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. The Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor. And in every province and in every city, wherever the king’s command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, for fear of the Jews had fallen on them.”