In or Out - March 14, 2014

Scripture: Revelations 7-11
15“That is why they stand in front of God’s throne
and serve him day and night in his Temple.
And he who sits on the throne will give them shelter.
16 They will never again be hungry or thirsty;
they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun.
17 For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd.
He will lead them to springs of life-giving water.
And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” - Revelations 7
11 But after three and a half days, God breathed life into them, and they stood up! Terror struck all who were staring at them. 12 Then a loud voice from heaven called to the two prophets, “Come up here!” And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched.
The nations were filled with wrath, but now the time of your wrath has come.
It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets,
as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name,
from the least to the greatest.
It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.”
- Revelations 11
Message:

In or Out. With GOD or without. Light or Dark.

Observation/Promise:
There's only two places in the spiritual realm, in the light or in the dark. There's only two places we can be in, either we are in the light or in the dark.
Either you are with GOD or not. Either you belong to GOD or the devil. If you don't belong to God, you belong to the devil. There's no such thing as in between. Either you love GOD or hate Him. If you love the world and everything this world offers, then you do not love GOD. If you do not fear GOD, you will be afraid of something else. Why would you be in the dark where GOD is not there when being in the light is so much better because GOD is on your side and you will forever be in His shelter, in His keeping, in His arms. Just as a mother looks at their child, is how GOD looks at us, with so much love and compassion. There's no losing when you are with GOD, HE will always lead His sheep into spring of life.

Command/Application:
Fear GOD, by loving Him and giving Him the highest respect and authority in your life. Let GOD lead you like a Shepherd leads His sheep. Worship and love GOD with all your heart. You can never lose when you belong to GOD. And if you fear GOD, you need not the terrors of the earth or in the days coming upon the earth for you know that GOD is Sovereign, He is always in control. And even the terrors that come upon the earth are part of His will and plan to punish the wicked and give judgement to all the works of mankind. When the judgement of the earth comes, you need not be afraid because you know that this is all part of GOD's plan. So are you in or out?

GOD's good plan

9 God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 11 ... and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.
- Ephesians 1

GOD has a plan, a great and grandiose plan for each of us and for the whole world at large. Why would HE go through all the trouble of creating a world, being hurt repeatedly by the humans HE intentionally created to love and worship Him? But GOD's heart is always for the good to every human person and creature alike. Therefore God's plans are good, they are to fulfill His own pleasure because His pleasure is always good. Paul explains GOD's plan the one day at the right moment, HE will bring everything together, both male and female, animals and plants, every living creature under the authority in Christ. He works out everything according to His plan. If you are part of this world, then you are part of GOD's plan. GOD's plan is always good, do you want to know what His good plans are for you?

If you want to know GOD's plan for you, you have to understand who GOD is, His greatness - who He is, His goodness - what He is like, His power - what HE can do. To know GOD, first we have to believe that HE exists and that HE is real and that HE is at work in every little thing in this world. You have to understand what He did to show His love for you, what Jesus did on the cross some 2,000 years ago is something that every seeker should take hold in His life - GOD sent His Son to die for you. Why? That's how much He loves you. Jesus is the proof of His love. Jesus was raised to life and right now is seated on the right hand of GOD is proof of GOD's power. Death is something everyone is certain about, but JESUS conquered even death and so will those who truly believe in Him. Do you want to be part of God's good plan? Believe and keep seeking Him.

Work

 Unless the Lord builds a house,
the work of the builders is wasted.
Unless the Lord protects a city,
guarding it with sentries will do no good.
It is useless for you to work so hard
from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat;
for God gives rest to his loved ones.
- Psalm 127:1-2


No matter how much we try, we can never do anything without GOD's help or GOD allowing it to happen. It all comes back once again to the Sovereignity of GOD. Do you believe that you are in control of your life? Do you believe that you are in control of this world? Believe it or not, you are not in control of your life as much as you are not in control of this world. For it is GOD alone who allows us to achieve what we are working so hard to achieve, it is with HIS power that we are able to succeed in what we intend to do. Yet when we succeed in our endeavors, we usually think it is because of our hard work. Yes GOD rewards hard work, HE rewards people with success but it is HIS doing. But how many of us work hard and enjoy the fruits of our work, and better yet enjoy rest from work.

We can work hard all day yet it can all come to nothing. We can store up riches for ourselves yet some of us can't really enjoy what we've worked hard for because we don't have the time to enjoy it. Work blessed by GOD is not so much hard rigid dull work. Work blessed by GOD is work that you enjoy and love doing. It is work that results to greater things than the work that one has to put into. GOD has set everything in order, HE has already planned for everything. GOD has a plan for your life, and HE has a plan to bless you. HE also created you for a specific purpose, task, or assingment. If you do not follow through HIS plan for you, you won't be able to reap the fruits that you are supposed to reap because you are not in the plan. But when you are in GOD's path, walking in HIS plan, you will be fulfilled, you will feel that you are doing what you are supposed to be doing. It won't even feel like work but play, because you yourself love doing it. You will feel that you are in the right time and place, even when things are hard or impossible, you will always find strength, you will always have hope and a ray of light to keep your faith going. You just know you are in the right track because you will feel GOD's hand upon you, backing you up, supporting you and most of all you will have peace. The best thing with walking out GOD's work plan for you is that you will see tremedous fruits and results with the work that you do when you work with that which GOD has intended for you to do at that specific place and time. But unless it was GOD's plan, it will not work out. So before you decide to do anything in your life, consider GOD's thoughts, and ask. HE will surely direct you. For we never want to do anything in our life that's only put to waste and there's no any other way to live but to enjoy the rest from the fruitful labor that GOD will place in our hands.

A Better Plan

³⁰ “But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as it is this day.
³¹ “And the Lord said to me, ‘See, I have begun to give Sihon and his land over to you. Begin to possess it, that you may inherit his land.’ ³² Then Sihon and all his people came out against us to fight at Jahaz. ³³ And the Lord our God delivered him over to us; so we defeated him, his sons, and all his people. 
- Deuteronomy 2

Sometimes in life we hope for certain things to happen... like the Isralites who needed to pass through Heshbon and hoped that their King would allow them to. But turns out their prayers and hopes were not met, instead they would be disappointed to find out that what they hoped to happen was actually total the opposite. When what we hope for does not actually happen, it is best to look to GOD for answers, for even in the midst of disappointments and quenched hopes, GOD has a better way. 

In verse 31, GOD's reveals why HE didn't allow Israel to pass by Heshbon and the reason was so that the king would oppose them and therefore give them a reason to fight against them. For GOD had wanted them to posses the land of Heshbon. Sometimes, we would not be able to do what we need to do without a catalyst. The opposition was the catalyst that Israel needed for them to react to the opposition of the King as to fight. There would not be a reason to fight if there was no stirring up or an opposition of their simple request . GOD was so faithful to provide for everything Israel ever needed to fight even if it was a bad thing as anger, anger to the King for not allowing them do a simple thing as to pass by their land. But with GOD's blessing, their anger led them to fight with all their might and with GOD's mighty hand with them, delivered the people of Heshbon unto the Israelites so that they were able to defeat the people of Heshbon. So if you are disappointed to learn that your prayers are not answered exactly the way you wanted it, look to Yahweh and ask, HE might have an even better plan.