Yes, I am coming soon! - Revelation 22:20

In the book of Revelation (from Jesus Christ) we are told that, "God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near." I am not going to read the book to you.  I will read it to you if you ask me to as we would both be blessed! You really should read it or listen to it if you didn't do it when doing your group study.

I have been away for the last 10 days in New Jersey helping Joyce look after our grand kids while their parents are away on a mission trip. Before coming here, I bought another Bible. Please don't ask me how many I have now! Many in our men's group have been using the new New Living Translation (NLT) Bible ... so I guess, "I had to have one!" And it's been worth it! While in New Jersey, since the kids have been in school most days and since we don't have TV to watch and since I was left with only a few DIY / Grand Dad / Honey Do projects, I have been able to invest a great deal of time reading my new Bible.  I started in Romans and just finished Revelation this morning.

I use to listen to the New Testament on cassette tape when I had a 45 minute commute to work.  It took about 15 hours to listen to the 15 tapes ... so it probably takes about 15 hours to read the New Testament too. Just think ... if I read 2.5 hours per day, I could read the New Testament every 6 days.  Imagine reading it 52 times per year!!  Well I won't set my sights that high ... but since I do plan to cancel my TV subscription ... I almost wrote "prescription" ... which maybe more accurate, because it can become like a drug or addiction!, ... I think I will try to devote much more of my time each day to reading and studying and thinking about the Word and learning how to apply it - i.e. obey and actually "do it" and hopefully become more like Jesus in the process and learn how to LOVE like He and the first Century believers did.

That's seems to be what the Holy Spirit wants to teach me right now ... What does it really mean to love my brothers and sisters in the Lord? What does it really mean to love my neighbour as myself.  What does it really mean to love my enemies. What does it really mean to love God with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind.  I know that God is love, that Jesus loved us so much that he died for my sins and paid my debt, and that others will know that I am one of his disciples if I obey his command to "Love one another". But, how do I really put into practice loving others His way?  So LOVE will be my subject and emphasis over the next few months. I'll let you know if I learn anything!

Back to Revelation ... here are some things that popped out while I was reading it this morning. As part of the church and as individuals, we need to examine ourselves and if we have "spiritual" ears to hear, "listen to the Spirit" and what he is saying to us.

1. We may not be loving Jesus and others like we did when we first came to him. 
2. When persecuted and suffering we may want to throw in the towel and say its not worth it to follow Jesus anymore. 
3. We may be mixing the worlds ways and teachings with God's ways and His Word.
4. We may appear to be "good" Christians outwardly but involved in secret sexual sin and idolatry of things of this world.
5. We may be now asleep or dead spiritually speaking.
6. We may be actually doing pretty good and deserve our "well done" when Jesus returns.
7. However, we may be just getting by and becoming "luke warm", straddling the fence with one foot in the world and the other foot wanting to pursue His kingdom but no longer 100% committed to doing His will.  We have perhaps become ashamed of the gospel as Paul puts it. 

If we ask the Holy Spirit to examine our hearts we will know whether we are one who needs to repent and turn back to God and our first love or whether we are indeed on the path to receiving a "well done".  When we turn every area of our lives over ... all our dreams, pursuits and ambitions over and reckon ourselves dead and desire Jesus to live his life in you, we won't have to worry about not receiving our "well done" because we will be doing what He wants - His will in His way in Him.

I also love reading chapter 21 and 22 of Revelation.  I remember that I preached my first sermon over 35 years ago on these chapters.  I was still a relatively young believer / follower and probably pretty naive, I guess, back then.  My Mom and Dad was there to hear me preach. Like most parents, they were proud of me, even though they were not believers yet.  In chapter 21 we see where we are going to live forever in the New Jerusalem ... there will be nothing like it in this world!  

I love the invitation that is extended to everyone in Rev 22:17 ... 'The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." Let anyone who hears this say "Come." Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.'

Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords, ends his revelation to us with the words, "Yes, I am coming soon!"