Unfailing One - April 12, 2014

Scripture: Job 3-4
11 “Why wasn’t I born dead?
Why didn’t I die as I came from the womb?
12 Why was I laid on my mother’s lap?
Why did she nurse me at her breasts?
13 Had I died at birth, I would now be at peace.
I would be asleep and at rest.
14 I would rest with the world’s kings and prime ministers,
whose great buildings now lie in ruins.
15 I would rest with princes, rich in gold,
whose palaces were filled with silver.
16 Why wasn’t I buried like a stillborn child,
like a baby who never lives to see the light?
17 For in death the wicked cause no trouble,
and the weary are at rest.

Message:

The agony of suffering to the point of regret.

Observation/Promise:
We all suffer from hardship and troubles in life. Pain and troubles are part of being in this world, it is part of life. And we can regret the day we were born for when we taste the suffering and troubles in life, we will begin to think that death is sweeter than life. But everything that GOD allows to happen on earth has a significant purpose and most especially the day of our birth because HE has a purpose for our being.

Application/Command:

We may regret the day of our birth and wish for death because of our sufferings and troubles on earth but GOD who brought you life truly has a purpose for you. Even Job who had everything then and lost everything in a single day was blessed even more in the end that he was blessed in the beginning. GOD's purpose for Job's life is to be a model for all those that love GOD, an example for all that want to be faithful to GOD, that even when we go through trials, GOD will carry us through all of them just as He carried Job. That our end is better than our beginning. Let us trust GOD even in the sorrows, hardship, persecution and sufferings. Hold on to the Almighty and Trust the unfailing one.

Troubled Times

9 “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 11 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
- Mark 13

To be a follower of Jesus you will have to be willing to die and be persecuted in the troubled times which many call as the end times. Jesus promised a life of abundance to those who walk with Him but He never promised a life of bed and roses. In gospel of Mark, he writes the words of Jesus saying You must be on your guard! This sentence should wake us up if we are spiritually sleeping, coz being on guard will require us to be alert, be alert at all times. Jesus is very honest about what would be happening to His followers, some will be handed over to be flogged and punished.

That being arrested or being brought to trial should not make us worry because the LORD will be the one speaking in us through the Holy Spirit. There will be many troubles towards the end, families will be at war with each other. You will be hated because you love and follow the LORD Jesus. This is a very difficult thing to be, but this will test our faith and how true we are to our Lord as we profess with our mouths. We have to persevere, we have to endure whatever trials GOD allows in our lives, for HE has promised that he who stands firm to the end will be saved. Yes Jesus has saved us when we opened our lives to change us but He requires us to be faithful even to the death. 

The End

27 “These wicked people are heavy and prosperous;
their waists bulge with fat.
28 But their cities will be ruined.
They will live in abandoned houses
that are ready to tumble down.
29 Their riches will not last,
and their wealth will not endure.
Their possessions will no longer spread across the horizon.
31 Let them no longer fool themselves by trusting in empty riches,
for emptiness will be their only reward.

- Job 15

There are wicked people in this world, and that is why there is so much crime and injustice because of people who do not fear GOD. GOD will never force Himself on anyone but there will come a time where the wicked will be judged. As written in the book of Job, the wicked are rich and prosperous, they scheme and kill to get whatever they want. But there will come a day where the end of their existence will come. They do not feel they will be gone someday because with all their power, they seem like they are invicible, living forever. But no one lives forever and no kingdom would last except for the Kingdom of GOD Almighty.

Someday, the LORD of Heaven and Earth, creator of all, will judge all living things. The wicked will be punished in GOD's time and their wealth and empire will crumble down. But blessed are the wicked who turn themselves to GOD when they realize they are merely created beings. When will we all realize that there are things we need to change? When will we surrender ourselves to GOD knowing that HE is the one who gives whatever we possess in our hands? Shall we wait for the end of our lives where we do not have a chance anymore to turn from wickedness? When we live as if everyday could be the end, we will not take anything for granted, especially the time we have in our hands. The wicked may prosper now but there will come a time for their end.

Forever Begins

“These are the people who have come out of the Great Persecution. They have washed their robes and made them white with the blood of the Lamb. 

15 That is why they are before God’s throne.
“Day and night they serve him in his Temple;
and the One who sits on the throne
will put his Sh’khinah (glory) upon them.
16 “They will never again be hungry,
they will never again be thirsty,
the sun will not beat down on them,
nor will any burning heat.
17 “For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will shepherd them, will lead them
to springs of living water,
and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

- Revelation 7: 14-17

What is the great persecution? Everyday each one of us is proving our faith before GOD when we go through troubles and trials here on earth. But there will come a day when the troubles all over the world becomes so great, each one of us who follow the Lord Yeshua will feel we are being persecuted for what we beleive in and live for. GOD spoke of all this through HIS word of what will take place in the last days. But if we persevere until the very end not losing our grip in GOD, we will enjoy an eternity of joy and happiness in the place where GOD is. Before GOD's throne we will forever sing with gladness and joy before His throne and His glory will be upon us. There will never be any hunger or thirst, tiredness or fatigue. Everything that we experience on earth that we do not like, we wont ever have to experience it ever again.

What a beautiful day it would be when we can finally start this eternity with our LORD and King. Where we will always enjoy His presence leading us to springs of waters that give life. And every sad memory on earth will be erased from our minds when HE wipes the tears from our eyes. How every true follower longs for that very day when Forever begins.