Living in the shadow of eternity

Monday, November 3, 2014
Devotions: Ps 56, 57, 64, 65; Sir 38:24-34; Rev 14:1-13; Lk 12:49-59

YHWH, be gracious to me, for I am trampled underfoot by arrogant morals all the day long.  I put my trust in You, Whose word I praise.  No creature can undo what God has set forth.  I know that God is for me, and I trust You, Lord, with no reservations.  My soul takes refuge and rests in Your steadfast love and faithfulness, Your righteousness, mercy and might!  My heart is steadfast, Lord, and I make melody to You alone.  Let Your glory reign over all creation.  Let the righteous rejoice as God defends us against the wicked and deceitful.  All praise to You, Lord Most High! You crown the year with Your bounty, and all the earth rises in song to praise our Maker and Master and King.  Hallelu Yah! 

The scholar's wisdom arises from the privilege of free time to study and reflect.  Craftsmen and laborers learn the wiles of their own trades.  Let us all labor in fields for which God has fitted and equipped us.  For the community needs every skill, every gift, every calling.  Some may seek to save the world; meanwhile, others work to keep the world and make it worth saving.  God have mercy on us all!

John the Revelator envisioned Mount Zion and the Lamb standing there, surrounded by 144,000 saints with His Name and His Father's Name written on their foreheads.  He heard heavenly music, like many waters, like thunder, and like myriad harps; and the 144,000 saints sang a new song before God's throne, before the 24 elders and four living creatures.  These 144,000 saints are undefiled; they attend the Lamb wherever He goes; they are the first fruits of the redeemed, set apart for God and for the Lamb; they harbor no deceit; they are spotless.  And a great angel flew across the firmament of heaven, proclaiming an eternal gospel to every nation, tribe, tongue and people on the earth: 'Fear God and give Him glory; for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and the wellsprings of water.'  A second angel followed the first, and proclaimed, 'Fallen!  Fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of her impure passion.'  And a third angel followed, loudly proclaiming, 'If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives a mark on forehead or hand, that one also will  drink the wine of God's wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of His anger; and that one will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.  And the smoke of their torment goes up forever; they have no rest day or night, these worshipers of the beast and of its image, and all who receive the mark of its name.'  So let the saints endure, who keep God's commandments and are faithful with the faith of Jesus.  And John heard a voice from heaven:  'Write this:  blessed are all who die in the Lord from now on.'  And the Spirit responded, 'Blessed indeed, that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.'  Amen.

Jesus taught His disciples: 'I came to cast fire upon the earth; and I wish it were already kindled!  I have a baptism awaiting Me, and I Am constrained until it is accomplished.  Did you think I came to give peace on the earth?  No; My coming causes division!  From now on, households will divide over Me:  father versus son, mother versus daughter, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law.' Jesus said the crowds around Him, 'When you see clouds forming in the west, you expect showers--and they come.  When the wind blows hot from the south, you expect scorching heat, and it comes.  So, hypocrites: you can interpret signs in earth and sky; how is it that you cannot read the signs of these times?  How is it that you do not judge for yourselves what is right?  Listen: as you go to argue before the magistrate, try to settle with your accuser out of court; otherwise, he may drag you to the judge, the judge may remand you to the officer, and the officer may lock you in prison.  I tell you, if that happens, you will never get out until you have paid the very last cent!'