Faith and Endurance

New Guest: Most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that label.

Saturday, December 6, 2008
Devotions: Ps 20, 21, 110; 116, 117; Isa 4:2-6; 1 Thess 4:13-18; Lk 21:5-19

May God answer, and grant us our hearts’ desires; may He fulfill our plans; may we shout for joy over the victories we experience; may we raise banners in God’s name. May YHWH fulfill all our petitions! I know God helps His anointed; we boast in the name of YHWH our God; we rise and stand! God promotes and sustains His chosen leaders; He swallows up our enemies in wrath; He foils their mischief and sends them packing! Be exalted, O Lord; we sing and praise Your power and goodness. God establishes His Messiah as eternal King and Priest and Judge. I love God because of His responsiveness and kindness to me. He delivers me in grace and holiness; He is merciful and mighty. My soul has rest by His grace. Lord, You have delivered me from death, from tears, from stumbling; I walk in Your presence and hold fast my faith. I offer God myself and my service; I give You my thanks and praise, and I will speak of You to all people. Let all the nations praise YHWH; great are His steadfast love and faithfulness to us. Hallelu Jah.

The Branch of the Lord is beautiful and glorious. His people and His environs are holy. He will cleanse His nations and His servants. His presence centers at Jerusalem, over Mount Zion—a canopy and pavilion to shelter and save.

Paul teaches the Thessalonians about life after death: ‘Don’t grieve; we believe Jesus died and rose again; and through Him, God will bring with Him those who have died. Those alive when Jesus returns will not precede those who have died prior to that time. Instead: the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the archangel’s call, with the trumpet of God! And the dead in Christ will rise first; then the living believers after them, will be caught up together to meet the Lord. So we shall always be with the Lord! Comfort one another with these words.’

When His companions remarked on the beauty and richness of the Temple, Jesus responded: ‘In days to come, there will not be one of these great stones left upon another—this edifice will be thrown down into rubble.’ They asked for more information, and He said, ‘Don’t be misled; many will come and claim to be the Messiah; many will say the last days have arrived; when you hear of wars and great tumults, don’t be terrified. All this will take place, but the end will not be at once. International conflicts will continue; natural disasters will strike; there will be famines and epidemics. And My people will be persecuted, yet they will have that opportunity to testify before kings and governors in Jesus’ behalf. Endure. Not a hair of your heads will perish, and by your endurance you will gain your very lives.’