From Before the Beginning

Revelation 21:6 - And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts."

These words never fail to excite me or cause me to become emotional. It's like I can't breathe. 

The First and the Last, Beginning and the End, Alpha and Omega. All encompassing. God has created all things and provides life; He knows the number of our days also. He knew before the beginning of time when we would be born physically. He knew before the beginning of time He would come to earth as a man to offer us the free gift of eternal life because man would royally mess up the perfect life they had in total communion with Him in the garden. He knew before the beginning of time there would have to be an end. And He is working out His plan. He is the Way, Truth and the Life. He is the only way to heaven.

Just imagine, walking and talking with God...the God of the universe...the First, the Beginning and the Alpha. What a privilege for Adam and Eve. 

He also knew sin and disobedience would enter and what the outcome would be. He knew we would all  fall out of His grace. But He knew, again, that He would offer us a way to return, by grace through faith, not works, in His Son Jesus Christ...who was in the beginning, is now and who will return some day soon. The Beginning...and the End.

He is also the Supreme and ultimate Judge and in the end, for some, there will be an end that does not involve eternal life. 

Jesus made this claim numerous times: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last..." (Revelation 1:11)

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” (Revelation 22:13)

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)

...who is to come. He was in the beginning. He will be in the end. Every part of His existence from Old Testament to New was that we might be saved, that we might see Him and believe, obey. My mind cannot fathom the Alpha and Omega. 

In the beginning, God...said...and it was...good...for a time. From before the beginning God knew He would have to bring what was supposed to be good, until man botched up perfection, to an end.

Then these words come to mind that so describe an ending: 

In the beginning God created...and it was good. Amen. Done. So be it. 

At His crucifixion Jesus said "It is finished." He gave His life as THE way to overcome sin, temptation and death. He gave us Himself. It is a done deal for those who call on Him, who follow Him. 

Then in a prophetic moment in Revelation, after a time of His judgment upon those who have rejected Him, Jesus will say: ...“It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts."

Even in the Old Testament He made this claim:

"Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last. (Isaiah 48:12)

“Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.'" (Isaiah 44:6)

Do you believe this? Can you wrap your head around the truth that Jesus was, is and is to come? That He is the only way, truth and life? That heaven is only for those who admit they are sinful beings in need of a Savior? Do you hunger and thirst for something only to find when you think you've found it you are not satisfied? In the beginning God...knew you, knew your needs, knew your sins, even knew whether you would seek Him or reject Him. If you do not walk closely with God you do not know Him. You can receive Him and live or put Him out of your mind and...hard word...perish. 

Only Jesus can take your sins away. You cannot do it yourself. His blood washes you of all unrighteousness. His blood cleanses. He will wrap you in a white robe of righteousness. Without Him we are nothing. He has done it to innumerable people. Be counted among them. Receive Christ. You needn't be an addict or hardened criminal. You may believe you are right with God because you go to church. If you have not received Chist and can't say you know you have changed, you may still need to give your life to Him. 

Isaiah 55:1-3 - “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you...”

Revelation 1:8 - I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

First, let me remind you...the words in red are from Christ! The Word is truth. 

All I know is God/Jesus knows the beginning from the end in any and all situations from the minutest thing to the largest. 
What man can do this? 
Don’t think He doesn't know the outcome of elections, our hearts’ motives, each of our demises? Don’t think He knows about “climate change?”  He has a purpose, that all men should know Him. He both knows...and cares.

Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. (Matthew 10:29)

I have this sign in my kitchen. 

We are to love Him above all other things. We are to trust in His Son, Jesus, which means turning to Him in repentance. God wishes none to perish in this world. Not even terrorists! If we all go to Him with hearts humbled, asking for Him to forgive us of our sins, He is so willing to do this. We need not go to any other person. We go directly to God. He is never too busy to hear heartfelt prayers. He doesn't want our good works. He just wants us...to come to Him. 

He is the Alpha and Omega, as seen above. He has shown us what the days will be like prior to His return. We are beginning to see evidence of this. I know...we've heard for thousands of years He is returning soon. When do you think He will have seen enough evil, enough rejection of Him and His Son, enough rejection of what His Word says is wrong that the world today ignores as truth? When is enough enough?

All He wants for us is good. This good will come when He returns. It comes with dedication to Him and in the very end with eternal life. Not everyone will have this life if they have not put Him first, believed His Words, trusted in His Son only, not works, for the salvation of our souls. 

He is the Alpha and Omega. He is the first, as Creator God and the last, as Christ our conquering Savior, King of kings and Lord of lords. We can live in the same victory, through Christ. 

Today it would be wise to know these truths in our heart. His truths are the best and surest. What He says, He will accomplish...and I believe it will be soon. Do you really know Him? Have you really given your life to Him? Have you ever thought about your life and looked at the things you've done that might have been or are not quite on the up and up? Have you ever felt guilty about what you've done or have you dismissed it as "everyone else does it?" God does not grade on a curve. If it's wrong in His eyes, it's wrong. 

He knows the beginning from the end. He knows our hearts. He knows who needs saving. He's wanting that none should perish. Will you be part of that group? Can you be humble? Can you ask your Heavenly Father for forgiveness? Today's a good day...before it's too late. (Just an aside...yesterday's terrorist attack in Manhattan (October 2017)...I wonder how many of those victims, despite their innocence in this act and not deserving of their deaths, knew God? I wonder how many met Him? I wonder what they know right now? There is no place where they wait and see if the good they did in their lives outweighs the bad. God is just and without our receiving His Son we are toast! 

Matthew 24:29-30,36-38,42,44 - Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark...
Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.
Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

From Before the Beginning

Revelation‬ ‭21:6‬ ‭- And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts."

These words never fail to excite me. It's like I can't breathe. 

The First and the Last, Beginning and the End, Alpha and Omega. All encompassing. God has created all things, provides life and knows when life is over. He knew before the beginning of time when we would be born physically. He knew before the beginning of time He would come to earth as a man to offer us the free gift of eternal life because man would royally mess up the perfect life they had in total communion with Him in the garden. He knew before the beginning of time there would have to be an end. And He has carried out His plan. 

Just imagine, walking and talking with God...the God of the universe...the First, the Beginning and the Alpha. What a privilege for Adam and Eve. 

He also knew sin and disobedience would enter and what the outcome would be. He knew we would all fall into sin. But He knew, again, that He would offer us a way to return, by grace through faith, not works, in His Son Jesus Christ...who was in the beginning, is now and who will return some day soon. The Beginning and the End.

He is also the Supreme and ultimate judge and in the end, for some, there will be an end that involves eternal life and for others not so much. 

Jesus made this claim numerous times:
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last..." (Revelation‬ ‭1:11‬)
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” (Revelation‬ ‭22:13‬)
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation‬ ‭1:8‬)

...who is to come. He was in the beginning. He will be in the end. Every part of His existence from Old Testament to New Testament was that we might be saved, that we might see Him and believe, obey. My mind cannot fathom the Alpha and Omega. 

• In the beginning God...created...and it was good. Completed. Done. Finished.
• At His crucifixion Jesus said "It is finished." He gave His life as THE way to overcome, as He did, sin, temptation and death. He gave us Himself. It is a done deal for those who call on Him, who follow Him. 
• Then in a prophetic moment in Revelation, after a time of His judgment upon those who have rejected Him, Jesus will say...again: ...“It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts." (‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21:6‬)  He will have defeated the enemy. All who have remained faithful to Him will finally live a life of peace, no pain, no sorrow. 

Do you believe this? Can you wrap your head around the truth that Jesus was, is and is to come? That He is the only way, truth and life? That heaven is for those who admit they are sinful beings in need of a Savior? Do you hunger and thirst for something only to find when you think you've found it you are not satisfied? In the beginning God...knew you, knew your needs, knew your sins, even knew whether you would seek Him or reject Him. Do you know if you walk closely with God? Do you know that you know Him? You can receive Him and live or put Him out of your mind and...hard word...perish. 

Only Jesus can take your sins away. You cannot do it yourself. His blood washes you of all unrighteousness. His blood cleanses. He will wrap you in a white robe of righteousness. Without Him we are nothing. He has done it to innumerable people. Be counted among them. Receive Christ. You needn't be an addict or hardened criminal. You may believe you are right with God because you go to church or are kind and generous. But if you have not experienced a touch from God and can't say you know you have changed, you may still need to give your life to Him. 

He knew you before the beginning of time. Do you truly know Him?

Isaiah‬ ‭55:1-3‬ ‭- “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you...”

Idols??

Leviticus 26:1 - You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves; nor shall you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am the LORD your God.

What is your idol? It doesn't need to be the things listed above although God is warning His people not to bow to any of those things listed. What do you put before God? Your children? Your family? Your job? Your hobbies? Your sports? Your television? Your iPhone or iPad? Your food? The list can go on. 

We can all learn from this, including me. What is the first thing we do when we arise in the morning? What's the first thought? Who's the first thought?

If our first thought is not of God, our gratefulness for yet another day that He has given us, another day to hear from Him, we have idols. He is to be the Lord our God. Tomorrow can be a new day to begin this. 

I was at a memorial service the other day. This woman lived for God in the smallest of details. The pastor said something that really impacted me. He said she was always busy doing something. A neighbor and her children attested to this. Always busy. She always maintained a calm demeanor and peace. She always had a smile on her face. Despite it all, he went on to say, she was never distracted from God. How easy it can be to become distracted from the most important part of our life. 

The pastor admitted he hasn't been able to achieve this. It was as if she just walked side by side with the Lord. If that's the case I know she was praising Him with every step she took. I myself had heard her do that. She may have been a perfect example (though she was not perfect, something she'd confessed to me a couple times!) of one not having made idols for herself. He was the Lord her God. 

She was strengthened by His might and given peace and joy in the midst of troubles. He was her Rock. She was by no means without trials. As the pastor said, He walked with her in the midst of them. (Like the three young men in the fiery furnace.) That is why she was able to withstand them. Nothing came between her and her Savior. What an example. She endured to the end and is no doubt before her Jesus now worshiping Him. [He was to her] the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” (‭Revelation‬ ‭22‬:‭13‬) 

Just as He is to be our first thought in the morning, He should be our last thought at the end of the day.

Time to tear down those idols...

Isaiah 44:8 - Do not fear, nor be afraid; have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.

Parable of the Landowner

Matthew 20:1-7 - For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’

Here we have a landowner. He needs help to work in his vineyard. He goes out to hire. His agreement, if you look closely, is a denarius a day. At the end of this day all the laborers gather for their earnings. Each is given a denarius and a commotion arises when those who worked all day got the same as those who worked an hour or two. Those were the conditions...a denarius a day.

The landowner can be viewed as God. The vineyard is the world. The workers, those who have given their lives to Christ. Whether we come into relationship with Him early in life or at the end, He treats us equally. Some may have worked a very long time for Him...and may be granted more eternal rewards...but all are part of His Kingdom.

When we receive Christ what difference should it make here on earth? It's all about our eternal life anyway since we will be there longer than here! God has enough to give to all people, according to their needs. He will heal all hearts, for sure, when they receive Christ. Healing bodies is part of His will also. But sometimes He heals to show His glory and boost faith in an individual...or for someone else to bring them into His kingdom. Or He won't heal to keep a person relying on His strength and not his own. His will. He is God.

It was His will also to choose to pay each person the same amount for inequal amounts of work. Some were called to work and they accepted. Others did not. But those who were chosen got paid. Same with Christ. Some will be called and receive Him, some never will. All who receive have their debt paid. Shouldn't that make us grateful enough to not grouse? There's a supernatural thing that takes place. God is here for all people and there's enough of Him to go around! And we are all equal in His sight when we have chosen to believe, receive, trust and have faith in Him. Hallelujah! If He has or is calling, decide to choose lest you become one of the "few" He alludes to.

Matthew 20:14-16 - Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.

Glory to God, Lord of All

1Chronicles 29:11 -  Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head over all. 

Do you see a world full of anger and/or fear? Are you concerned about the things occurring in this nation or in the world? Do you wonder how it might affect you? Do you think of these things or do you ignore it? I praise my God that He is the First and the Last, that He is in control and He knows the outcome of all circumstances whether personal, in our country or in the world. The time is now to seek Him and trust in Him for all things.

...if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2Chronicles 7:14)
For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. (1Corinthians 14:33)
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Hallelujah!! To God be the glory.

We see a world of confusion, discontent, uprising. If anyone doesn't have peace, they don't know the One who can bring it. He offers peace in a turbulent world by giving the assurance of a perfect hope, one which man cannot give. Our future is secure in Him, no matter what the world looks like around us. It's time for taking heads out of the sand! Look around. What do you see? Anger, killing, blaming, arguing, lying, cheating, stealing, unhealthy, ungodly lifestyles. And it grows. It's like leaven...which is defined as a substance used to produce fermentation. Evil has been fermenting for thousands of years. How much longer will it be able to before God intervenes?

How did that fermentation begin? With fall in the Garden of Eden. Although we can suggest it was Adam and Eve's fault, there is no excuse today when we have a God who is trying to get our attention, whose Word shows us what we need to do to avoid the leaven to grow in our lives. We live in a fallen world with people determined to live as they wish without consideration for God. And so...we see what we see in the world. That is why some have chosen not to follow in the things of the world but in the things of God. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1Corinthians 5:8)

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:14-16,19-23)

Can you see yourself even in the slightest bit in any of the fleshly evidence? Be honest. I do. And what is the fruit of the Spirit? Read it again. Might we be remiss in some of these as well? The things of the flesh will get to the point where God will not tolerate any of it. Like in the days of Noah...He will bring judgment upon this earth.

Lord, I sing praises to You for all You do, have done and are about to do. Because I know You, despite not knowing exactly when or exactly how (And He said to them,"It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority." Acts 1:7), I know the beginning (In the beginning God created...Genesis 1:1) from the end (Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him...Revelation 1:7). 

The world crumbles and people balk or rise up. We takes sides in the world but don't seek the side of He who holds the world and our future in His hands. But He even knows this. He has known this from the first and He knows who will be on His side at the last. I would want to be counted as one who knows my days will be for good and my future secure in the One who will determine how all people's lives will end.

Lord, fill me every morning with Your Spirit that I might walk with You to the end of my life. I praise You for being Almighty God and for knowing the beginning from the end. Let Your kingdom. Let the world behold Your glory and rejoice. Let Your people humble themselves and seek Your face. We already know that Your will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Open eyes of unbelievers to see this.

Even so, Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)

Foolish, Weak, Base and Despised

1Corinthians 1:26-29 - For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, but of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

Not many wise, nor mighty, nor noble, but those those things which are foolish and/or weak or base, despised by the majority are used of God. Why? That He might be glorified. Oh, horrors, the pride in that statement. To the foolish perhaps, but not to God nor those who follow Him. Man's thoughts are not like His, His ways are not like ours. We are so totally ignorant until we realize just who He is, what He has done and what He can do in each of us.

The world view looks at the physical stuff, the strong people, the prominent or even rich, those who believe they are noble and believe that fame and fortune are what counts. God views that differently...and He uses those things the world looks up to to one day shame them.

I look at the current state of things in our country and know without a doubt those who believe we are headed in the right direction under our current leadership will find out what a mess we truly are headed for. And the despised thoughts against differing opinion will one day be put to shame. Some will come to their senses, some will not. Those things which appear to be so necessary to change what once was good, not perfect but better, will be brought to nothing.

All this to say that God will honor those who honor Him. The humble will become great and those who appear now to be great will become nothing, humbled. God will do the work of raising up and taking down, in His time. And that to show His excellence, His power and wisdom. To prove what He has shown us in His Word is truth...those things that few believe and follow because their desires, their lusts are for the worldly things.

But God...can change any person from a world view to a God view. Ones heart alone must be wanting to receive His wisdom, protection, peace, righteousness. Seems all so vain to some to look not to the things we see in front of us. But it is not when God is entirely able to give what we really need. And anyone may have righteousness but it comes at a price...to give up worldliness to seek God's holiness. We will never attain 100% but He sees us through the very eyes of His Son and what He did for us if we give ourselves to Him.  

Nobody will be able to eliminate, annihilate, obliterate or utterly destroy all that God has set up. It's been about 6,000 years this earth has existed (eyebrows raised??) and 2,000 for Christianity. That certainly stands the test of time. It will always remain, even with the meager number of true followers there are. True followers are what He is seeking. Remnant believers who, through thick or thin, remain faithful to His call and His following.

The Church today for the most part does not look like the first Church anymore. There are false doctrines and a myriad of beliefs. In some churches anything goes. Come as you are, stay just as you are. No need to change, just say you believe in God, say a sinner's prayer, and believe there are many ways to the Father of Hosts, including your own way for just believing in God but not seriously following. The proud will be humbled...the wise shall be made foolish, the strong will be weakened...until the day when every knee will bow and tongue confess to the absolute truth of who Jesus is, was and forever will be.

The time is now to change, to take a stand, to be on the narrow road with just a few people united in their narrow beliefs...because narrow is the way, the Way. This goes for the Church too. Be the first to be last so that you might become the first. Take a humble stand and see where you can go.

But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. So the last will be first, and the first will be last. But many who are first will be last, and the last first. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last. (Matthew 19:39, 20:16, Mark 10:31, Luke 13:30)

Psalm 16

Psalm 16 - Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.
O my soul, you have said to the Lord, 
“You are my Lord,
 my goodness is nothing apart from You.”
As for the saints who are on the earth,
 “they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”
Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;
 their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,
 nor take up their names on my lips.
O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
 You maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
 yes, I have a good inheritance.
I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
 my heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
I have set the Lord always before me; 
because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
 my flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
 nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You will show me the path of life;
 in Your presence is fullness of joy;
 at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

This is what those who are in unbelief are missing.

I put my trust in God alone. Man or government cannot provide the true hope, protection, provision. Only God can.

Man or government cannot provide the excellent goodness that God can when we allow our hearts, minds and souls to submit to Jesus Christ as THE Lord.

Yes, I am, through and in Christ, counted as one of the excellent ones. Excellence isn't your job, your money, your status, your stuff. It is Jesus Christ. It IS comforting to be counted as among the excellent ones.

As my hope and happiness in Christ continues to grow, for those who know not this Man of salvation, their sorrows will be multiplied...if we begin to see the unrest in the world continue. Their plans, schemes, desires and attempts at good works without Christ will be nothing.

Jesus is my lot, my portion, my inheritance...my hope. In Him I will prevail. Let my cup runneth over.

It is He I will bless for the wisdom He gives, my discernment.

Because I seek Him He stands beside me always. I may not always sense it but I can have confidence and rejoice just the same. I will have rest for my soul.

The path of life is the straight and narrow road He offers, the road less traveled. It is a life of real joy and those treasures only He provides...pleasures forevermore.

I will praise my God in all things. I will trust in Him and stand by Him. He is the Rock of my salvation, the Tower I run into for safety, the Hope for life eternal, my Strength in difficult times. Jesus is my all in all. Alpha, Omega, Beginning and End, First and Last. I'm glad I know Him.

Rejoice in the Lord Always

Exodus 15:12 - The LORD is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

I’m sure this is not the first time I have used this title for a blog. I can’t think of any better way to put this. 

Try this out: Rejoice (delight, glory, give joy to) in the Lord (one having power and authority over others, a man of rank or high position, king, lion, prince...God or Jesus) always (at all times, consistently, incessantly, night and day, perpetually, continually, unfailingly). 

Get the message? How are we doing, we who know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives? How are those doing who don’t know Jesus in this way? How many can say that in this day and age we can truly rejoice, even though we have no idea what our future holds, or the future of those children and grandchildren who have many more years that others to live in uncertainty?

We are to delight in Him in good times and bad. Words that have been hovering in my mind for weeks now are “I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, Beginning and the End.” When I read those words in a class one Sunday morning I absolutely broke down in tears. He’s our all in all. And we are to glory in this, be joyful in Him. 

A lord is of high rank or position. That’s our Jesus. He is our Prince of Peace, the soon coming King and our Lion of the tribe of Judah. He holds all the authority over us, as much as man wants to believe that they control their own destinies. Revelation 1:18 - I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. There IS Someone who holds our life in His hands. And it is He in whom we should rejoice. We should rejoice over what He has done for us. 

We all go through struggles in life. We are, according to God’s Word, to rejoice in our tribulation. We are to delight in them. Why? Because that brings glory to God. It shows our trust in Him; it shows where our strength lies. I can’t imagine having a life threatening disease and fearing the outcome. If we know that we know Jesus, we can know that even if we aren’t able to win the fight with the disease, we’ve won the battle knowing we will be in the arms of our Lord. That alone would be an encouragement. Those who don’t know the Lord don’t have that satisfaction. They fight in their own strength, which pretty much is futile...1Corinthians 1:25 - For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

We are to praise Him always. In good times and bad. We are told to continually (incessantly) be in worship of Him. How? By having our minds constantly on Him. If we have our five senses, there is no excuse to not recognize God in all things. The sounds of nature, the sights of nature, the smell of a beautiful flower...or the soft, warm paws of a cat... All reminders of the creativeness of God. Even in bad times, we can be thankful for the good we’ve had. I believe God/Jesus is in the back of my mind all day long, not always in the forefront, but lingering...like those words hovering in my mind.

This world is both a blessing and a curse today. We see tough times ahead. But if we know that God is our Alpha and Omega, we know He has control over it. If we know Jesus, we can be assured that He is by our side, even now. 

This devotion came to me and I wanted to share. It is well worth the read. 

http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/15242?src=devo-email

“The magnitude of the disasters does not seem to sink in.” I tend to agree with this statement. It reminds me of the scoffers talked about in the last days. Yes, we must continue to live, but we must also not have our heads buried in the sand, believing that we will always come through the trials we face. Sometimes we don’t. That’s where the strength in Jesus and the joy of the Lord comes in. Don’t ask me how it works, it just does. It’s the peace that passes all understanding. Peace amidst the troubles. We can have hope, as Wilkerson alludes to in his last paragraph.

Rejoice in the Lord always! 

2Corinthians 12:9 - “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Revelation 1:8 - "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." 

Let Your name be lifted higher, be lifted higher, be lifted higher... Some of you will not be familiar with those words to a popular Christian song, but these words have been the words that I have awakened to time and again at night and all throughout the day. They do not escape me! I can't shove them aside, but have come to let them penetrate. 

As I awoke early this morning more words rolled through my mind, as Pastor Rory Grooters had prayed they would last night. We have started two studies at church. On Tuesday mornings it's the Book of John by the Apostle John. On Wednesday nights it is the Book of Revelation, which was also written by John. The books go hand in hand to show us who this Man, Jesus, is. With the awakening of our personal revelation of Jesus Christ we can't help but lift Him up higher in our lives. It's only natural. 

John knew Jesus intimately when He was alive. He saw firsthand all the miracles Jesus performed. He listened intently to His every word. It has been said in John 20:2 that John was the one whom Jesus loved. This was not some weird relationship as some have tried to imply. It's like the relationship I've brought up time and again...a personal, intimate relationship (whether man, woman or child) with He who was and is and is to come, our Lord and Savior. It comes from a desire to hang onto His every word, to have a revelation of Who He is.

Jesus, the Name above all names. The name that should be lifted higher. The all-encompassing One, as I mentioned the other day.  John was undone when the revelation of who He was to him went beyond who he knew Jesus to be in the flesh. 

John could not hold back his witness of Christ after His death. So he was exiled on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:9). I've heard this island is very small and rocky. John lived in a cave. After Jesus' death and John was quite old, an angel of the Lord came to John to reveal in more detail the end of what will be His story (history)...revealed ahead of time. The revelation. Maybe I sensed on Sunday just a hint of this in my own spirit when I became "undone" as I read that He is the Alpha and Omega, First and Last, who is and who was and who is to come. These words need to be taken to heart by us all.

John was asked to write what would be described to him, what he heard and saw when the revelation of Jesus Christ was further imparted to him.

The first words he heard were the ones above, I am the Alpha and Omega... He went on to describe the words which were spoken...they were loud words, like a trumpet. When you hear a trumpet you take notice. When anything is loud it tends to drown out other things, even to the point of being annoying. I'm certain this voice was not like that. 

John turned to "see" the voice which spoke and described in the only way he could what this voice looked like:

. He saw One like the Son of Man (human)

. Clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band

. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow

. His eyes like a flame of fire

. His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace

. His voice as the sound of many waters

. Out of His mouth went a sharp double edged sword

. His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength

In other words, He was majestic, magnificent, strong, intensely commanding, One that could not be ignored. He could not be drowned out. And when John saw Him, He fell at His feet as dead...he was undone. This description, although I've read it before, only added to the depth, the fullness, of what I felt on Sunday when I believe I sensed just a minute portion of this Alpha and Omega, all-encompassing presence of the Lord and felt undone. The word all is defined by Webster's as completely taken up with, given to, or absorbed by; entirely consumed; as much as possible. I imagine, whether in relationship with Jesus or not, when He returns, we will all will fall at His feet as dead...being undone.

Although I've done studies on Revelation and John, I'm anxious to do them together. This fullness of who Jesus is is vital to our lives. It is life; He is life. I'm hoping to be further undone as these two studies progress. 

He is all in all. Who can understand these mysteries? By the power of His Spirit, John was able to put into words what he saw and heard. Perhaps it is time we all begin to have a better revelation of Who He is. It can happen if we allow it.

Revelation 1:3 - Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

The God of Jacob

Psalm 46:7 - The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah 

It was a beautiful, quiet morning. The cool air and warmth of the earth mixed to produce a haze low to the ground. As I drove to church for a 9/11 commemoration service I thought about this day ten years ago and recalled the horrifying haze produced by the collapse of the World Trade Center buildings.

Like the sunlight was burning off the haze and bringing brighter light, so can the light of Christ burn through tragedy's darkness and through the darkness of sin. Darkness fades as the Light of Christ emerges.

We have seen the twin towers come down in this nation. It brought people to their proverbial and literal knees seeking God for answers and comfort. Churches filled up again...for a time...till the dust of the tragedy settled and life once again went on as usual.

Sometimes, like the walls of those towers came down, we need to tear down the walls of our hardened hearts to seek and see God in our lives.

First in prayer and then throughout the morning at church the power of the Lord was evident. Pastor Andy Horn read Psalm 46, a prayer President Obama read at a memorial service that morning in New York City. What was so amazing were the words he read that proclaimed that the God in this Psalm was the God of Jacob. This is a proclamation that for some Christians needs no explanation. It is a proclamation that this is the one true God. It was in the line of Jacob from which our soon coming King came. 

This is the God of the Bible. He is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble (Psalm 46). It is He who is in control of all things and although the nation, the world or our own lives seem to be shaken, He is the one who is in the midst of it all. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Not only is He in the midst but surrounding.

As this Psalm was read in prayer I was reminded that His word will not return void...and those words of Psalm 46 read Sunday morning were spoken in the hearing not only of the God about whom they were written, but also by this country and probably abroad as well. If they were spoken in God's ear they will not return void. He honors those words.

In Sunday school I was touched by the awesomeness of this same God as we read Revelation 1 to get a glimpse of Who this God really is. I was asked to read a portion of the chapter. I came to these words in verse 8:  "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" and was completely undone, so moved by His words of strength and conviction I had to stop for a moment.

Our study for that morning was on perspective. In the very grand scheme of God's plans, we are minuscule. As we discussed this, admitting that we ALL look at our own circumstances as being monumental compared to that of others (Nobody knows the trouble I've seen, crooned Pastor Andy!), it needs to be seen in perspective. Yes, our God is in control; yet we must be in control of our own choices...and one is to choose to just trust God with our circumstances...knowing He's in control. To Him all problems are important and none too great for Him to handle...in His way in His time.

While the discussion went on my head was still wrapped around the Alpha and Omega! When the opportunity became available I told the little class what I had envisioned. Here we are in the middle of our little drama of life but putting it into perspective I saw us standing in the midst of the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End, His arms surrounding us. He is our Center, too; yet we who know Him intimately are centered in Him. In Christ and He in us (2Corinthians 13:5 and Galatians 2:20). The Alpha and Omega...a huge concept, all encompassing.

He needs to be the Center of our lives today, not just at moments of tragedy. Look again at 9/11. None of these people knew what was about to transpire that day and we don't know how many of them who were lost had the Lord as their Center. How awful to not know the Hope in their death. 

Even with the events of 9/11 God knew what it would bring. It would bring a, sadly, short-lived return to Him, a new perspective of Him in some lives. Some would continue drawing strength from Him. If only we would live each day like this we might see an outpouring of His love, grace and mercy upon not only individuals but nations.

He is the Author (Beginning, Alpha, First) and Finisher (End, Omega, Last) of our faith. Being these He surrounds us, IF we let Him. There's always that choice to be made. He later tells us in verse 17 we need not fear because He is the First and the Last and "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen."

Is He the First and Last in each of our lives? He should be. Our eternal life rides on this. He is our refuge and He is with us if we choose Him as Alpha and Omega, First and Last and Beginning and End.

Psalm 91:1 - He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 

Thank You, Lord

Revelation 1:8 - I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Lord God, thank you for this day. This is the day You have made! Thank You for the sunshine and thank You even for the aches and pains which prove I am alive! Thank You for the new songs You give to Your people and the one You gave me last night. Thank You, Lord!

I am reminded that You are the giver of life and You are the taker of life (Job 1:21). In between life and death, you are the upholder of life (Psalm 54:4). From beginning to end You provide for Your people. 

You came to earth as Emmanuel, that You might be with us. In Spirit You reside with us. You have given us Your Spirit that we might know You are with us. Thank You for Your Spirit. You have given us discernment for these days we see approaching. Day after day we see one more thing that immediately reminds us of You and Your plans that are unfolding before us. Thank You for discernment. These plans are both dreadful and wonderful. Dreadful because of the people who will never know You and what they experience now amid the death and destruction will be eternal and even worse for them without You.

Wonderful for those who are in Christ and await Your return. Wonderful because with the wars and rumors of war, we know You are planning Your return. Wonderful in that we know where our security is and where our eternal life will be spent. Death may take us out, but only out of this world...and into Your welcoming arms. Thank You, Lord. We remain steadfast in our trust that You will provide here on earth, just like You will be greeting us someday in Heaven. What we see happening today only shows us how much closer we are to seeing Your return. Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Strengthen Your people and continue to provide in time of trouble. We know that it is under Your wings we can be sheltered. It is Your tower that we find refuge. At the name of Jesus the devil must flee. At the name of Jesus You are there as our protection. We thank You Lord.

I so thank You that in the midst of difficult days I am covered in peace. That peace that passes all understanding. How can You do that? I'm totally amazed. I trust in You that You will uphold me. I trust that Your hand will reach out to grab me out of the hands of my enemies. You are our Redeemer. You are whatever we need You to be. 

I thank You, Lord, that You are Truth. When we know Truth we are in the right hands. You shelter us from the storms of life. You strengthen us. You give us wisdom and knowledge. You give us, above all, discernment. So thankful for that discernment.

All You have done for us, Lord. It's incomprehensible. And all You desire is that we receive You and trust what You have already done for us. Beginning and the end. Of all things. Creator, Savior. Giver of life, taker of life. Alpha and Omega. All things. What new words can be spoken to give thanks other than thank You Lord. It doesn't seem like enough. 

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; it shall rejoice in His salvation…I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. (Psalm 107:1, 63:4, 35:9, 13:5)

God's World

Joshua 10:13 - So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies... So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.

God is the Creator of the world. Plain and simple. He is the Source of all life. Plain and simple. He is the one who holds the stars in the sky and knows each of them by name. Plain and simple. There are more stars and planets out there, and galaxies, than we can count, than we have even discovered...and God knows the names of them all. So, wouldn't one want to trust that He is the Center of everything? He is the ultimate wisdom and knowledge.

How can we think we are the center of our own little worlds? That does not show God as Center of our lives. When God stops our life dead in it's tracks and we are faced with a dilemma, which way will we turn? Will we seek Him in that time of need or will we be faced with the frustration, maybe angst, that NOW things are going to be different?

What will happen when that illness strikes or that disability comes that causes the things that we hold so dear to us to be unattainable either for a long while or permanently? Where will we turn when disaster strikes our family, our state, our nation, our world? What direction will we take then? Will we turn to God?

 

Sometimes I think our little frustrations or big disasters occur when He really desires to make Himself known to us, to commune with us. He will cause something that we've taken for granted to be pulled out from under. He has got to get our attention somehow...He will humble the proud and arrogant, bring those who consider themselves above all others down to the lesser level to show they are no better, no greater, really, in this world. He WILL humble us. It is, after all, His world.

Everything  we see happening in this world is part of His great plan. Not all is good, but out of disaster comes good. I've been struggling with something. I know others are also struggling...and not able to pinpoint what it is. I feel like the other shoe is going to drop... I'm feeling distant from so much. I can only handle what's before me now and not able to think or comprehend tomorrow. But then, isn't that what God wants? Don't worry about tomorrow...today has enough of it's own troubles.

This struggle is not about me but about what God wants to do in me. It's about His power to bring change, transformation. What will it take? What will it produce? Only He knows. As much as I want to know what this is all about and want to know when it will be over, I must realize that the Lord knows and He's in control of the when and how.

We are told in the scripture above that He was able to stop the sun in it's tracks to bring about His will. Don't think He won't do that in our lives. He is able to bring the sun up and set it again each day. That's power. That's His power. Stop us dead in our tracks then raise us up.

There's something brewing. Perhaps it's just in my own life, perhaps it's in the world. If we are in the last days, there has got to be a great move of God and I want to be part of this. I must be stretched beyond my own little world. We learned last night in our Wednesday night study that we must take the focus off ourselves and focus on everyone else.  I certainly don't believe the world revolves around me but I do believe I need to step out of my comfort zone. 

I mentioned one time about seeing God in everything. That's the way it should be for everyone. Of course, that's a perfect world. Lord, help us. Everything is about Him and our being centered in God. We might even see Him in the midst of the struggle Israel is facing or the gulf oil spill, our government, struggles within our churches.  Something is brewing; I'm certain of it.

Genesis 1:1 tells us "In the beginning, God..." and in the last book of Revelation, Revelation 22:13 God Himself tells us "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." I read somewhere that if God is the beginning and the end of this world, this life, our lives, shouldn't He be everything in between too? Not about us, about Him.

What does it take for us to understand this? What does it take for to get us out of the picture? I don't see the letters "me" in God's name. They don't show in Yahveh, Jehovah, Lord or Jesus either. So when will we understand without a doubt that it's not about "me" and it's not about what is so important to "me?" Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Proverbs 19:21, Psalm 37:4) Doesn't this just fit right in with giving to receive (Greatness, June 15, 2010)? 

This so ties in with my question: "What Do I Do?" Seek God first, trust in Him and the rest will fall into place. Praise Him!

Matthew 6:33 - But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.