Contrast Between Earth Dwellers and Those who are Not (Rev. 14:12--13)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 09/01/2005

 

My Worship Time      Focus:  Contrast between earth dwellers and those who are not.

 

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  Revelations 14:12-13

 

            Message of the verse:  “12 Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.  13   And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, ‘Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’  ‘Yes," says the Spirit, "so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.’”

            John has been writing about those who are earth dwellers and who follow the antichrist, and will continue to follow him all the way to hell.  Those who are believers at this time in history will be sought out and killed if they are caught because of their faith in Jesus Christ and their refusal to take the mark of the beast.  John now writes about those who will follow the Lord Jesus Christ, even unto death in verses 11 and 12.  There is a difference in these people from the earth dwellers that will determine where they will spend eternity and in verse 13 John writes what the angel had said about this:  "Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from all their toils and trials; for their good deeds follow them!"   Those who are believers are blessed and will spend eternity in heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ, and those who are earth dwellers and follow antichrist will spend eternity in hell with antichrist, the false prophet and Satan.

            It is good to remember at this time that some of those John was writing this letter to were being persecuted and these words would have been a great comfort to them, and not only those people but those who have been or are being persecuted even today for their faith in Jesus Christ.  Revelations in not just a book of things that will soon take place, but it is a book that has brought comfort to many people through out the Church age.

 

The Word of God has challenged and refreshed my heart as I read and studied it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Yesterday we got some news about the two financial problems that we am going through, and though one of them does not seem to have a lot to do with the problem in Canada, in the Providence of God it could have a lot to do with this.  From these two bits of information I can see the hand of the Lord continuing to work on our behalf and I continue to trust the Lord with these things and praise Him for all He continues to do.

 

Memory verses for the week:                Psalm 27:1

 

The Lord is my light and my salvation; who shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?