Another "Last Chapter" Reading

"Jesus said to him, 'If it is My will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?  You follow Me!'"  (John 21:22, ESV)

We have all noticed in life, I'm sure, that our Lord Jesus Christ's, "....will that he...," is not the same for all.  In fact, it could be possible that, "If it is My will that...," can have as much variation as there are the numbers of those who, "follow the Lamb wherever He goes."

Some Followers of Jesus seem to always have perfect health; others struggle with health issues, some for most of their lives.  Some have had marriages which have lasted decades; some have known the pain of divorce.  Some, but I might add, relatively few, have big ministries, are widely popular in the Believing Community, while most live in relative obscurity. 

I often think of, and am thankful for my Dad, and many of his fellow pastor friends.  They were exemplary in pastoral care.  They were not "widely known," and most of Dad's pastor friends served small congregations in very small communities, e.g., Kantnor, Shanksville, Hooversville.  I remember these faithfuls at church camp, faithfully being cabin counselors, playing ball with the kids, then back home caring for the people in their small farming communities, comforting the downtrodden, hospital visitations, (my Dad went to the hospital every evening.)

What is it that Jesus has, "....will that he...," and not "will that you?"  The question is the same for us all, "What is that to you?"  He did this and that, but you cannot.  She has a lot of money, but you do not.  The, "conclusion of the matter," is, and I can say of life itself, "You follow Me!"

Father, in Jesus' Name, if there is anything which I have not accepted, I so choose to.  Amen. 

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

Another "Final" Text

"Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.  Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.  And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:4-6)

Today's text is from the last passage of my Minor Prophets reading.

First: "Remember the Law of Moses...."  You know that I am not a, "Whew!  Glad the Old Testament is over with."  It is not.  It is fulfilled, and continues to be fulfilled, in Jesus Christ and His Purposes for this Present Age and the Age to Come.  "REMEMBER THE LAW...."  What's the alternative?  "Forget the Law?!?"  I have said and written many times before.  Which of the Ten Commandments should we not obey?

Second: "I will send you Elijah...."  Jesus said that John the Baptist was Elijah.  I think this is mostly an allegorical reference, but I wouldn't "break fellowship" over this interpretation.  There is a teaching in Judaism that since Elijah never died, but was taken up to Heaven, he is still alive and will come, "before the coming dreadful day of the Lord."  Regardless, whoever this "Elijah" is, he will have a reconciliation service for humanity, "....he will turn the hearts of," both fathers and children to each other.  If this reconciliation is rejected, "....I will come and strike the earth with a curse."

Each day brings us closer to, "....the coming dreadful day of the Lord."  It is, "dreadful," in that it is a "day of reckoning" for humanity.  Those who are walking in obedience to Jesus Christ, however, submitting to His Purposes in the Earth, and who are "under the Blood of Jesus," will, as our Lord Jesus promised, "escape all these things that will come to pass...."  Our King and Savior, Jesus, shed His Blood, died, and rose from the dead to give us Eternal Life, life "protected" from, "the coming dreadful day of the Lord."  The days ahead, while they are, "dreadful," are also full of joy and anticipation for you and me.  They mark the Day when, "....the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout...."  I say with John, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

Father, in Jesus' Name, by Your grace I am being prepared for, "the coming...day...."  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"The Conclusion of the Whole Matter"

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments....And the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE....He Who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming quickly.'"  (Ecclesiastes 12:13a,b, Ezekiel 48:35, Revelation 22:20)

We are with family in Cincinnati, so I read ahead a little for this quarter; hence, today I finished this quarter's readings.  I have posted the concluding statements of Ezekiel and Ecclesiastes.

"Fear God and keep His commandments," which means, Obey the, "Words of God," Genesis 1:1-Revelation 22:21.  None are superfluous, no matter what our time-space minds might tell us.  If only you and I would always remember the life-saving Words of Deuteronomy 6:24 & 32:47, "And the Lord commanded us to do all these commandments, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always....They are not just idle Words for you-- they are your life."

And then Ezekiel closes his tremendous prophecy with, "THE LORD IS THERE."  The Word for, "THERE," is translated in another place as, "EVERYWHERE," which just about settles, "....the whole matter."  Of course, this is true, "now and forevermore, 'world without end, Amen.'"  Historically there has been a sense of "special presence," or such statements as, "the Lord left him," but the overall truth of the Godhead is, "THE LORD IS EVERYWHERE."  I know I don't fully grasp this.

What I can tell you, however, is that the, "EVERYWHERE," Presence is my great comfort, and this is affirmed in the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Shepherd/King, "I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support.  [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)!"  Sarah and I celebrate 55 years of marriage today.  These Words of Jesus have been our sustenance and testimony in the "house of our pilgrimage," and are written in our hearts.

"Surely I am coming quickly." (Jesus)

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that You are, "the conclusion of the whole matter."  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2