Hidden in My Heart

"For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14; NKJV)

Grace Be With You

Revelation 22:18-21; NKJV

18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 

19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

20 He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly."  Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Don't add to God's will.  Don't take away from God's will.  Let His grace be with you and do God's will.

Outside

Revelation 22:12-17; NKJV

12 "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.  

13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." 

14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 

15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

16 "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star."

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

Outside -  exo - out (-side, of doors), literally or figurately (Strong's)

Don't be left outside of the city.  Do His commandments.  Love the truth.  Accept His invitation and find forgiveness in Him.

Blessed Is He

Revelation 22:6-11; NKJV

6 Then he said to me,"These words are faithful and true." And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.

7 "Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.

9 Then he said to me,"See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God." 

10 And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 

11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still."

Blessed - fortunate, well off (Strong's)

Keeps - to attend to carefully, take care of, to guard, to keep, to observe (Thayer's)

Blessing comes to those who are obedient to His will.

They Shall See His Face

Revelation 22:1-5; NKJV

1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 

2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 

3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 

4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 

5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

Question:  What makes Heaven Heaven?

Answer:  He is there...

"They shall see His face..."

Light Lift Me Up

Revelation 21:22-27; NKJV

22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 

23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 

24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.   

25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day(there shall be no night there). 

26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.   

27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

The purpose of Revelation 21:22-27 is to prompt us to long to be in Heaven where God is.  God's glory illuminates the abode of the redeemed.  Allow His light to lift your spirit up into the heavenly places by faith and long to be illuminated by Him throughout eternity.

Hidden in My Heart

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16; NKJV)

The New Jerusalem

Revelation 21:9-21; NKJV

9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife."   

10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 

11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 

12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 

13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.

14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 

15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 

16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 

17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 

18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 

19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 

20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 

21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

No More

Revelation 21:1-8; NKJV

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 

2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 

3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 

4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

5 Then He who sat on the throne said,"Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."

6 And He said to me,"It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 

7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 

8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

No more...

1.  Tears

2.  Death

3.  Sorrow

4.  Crying

5.  Pain

Death and Hades

Revelation 20:11-15; NKJV

11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 

13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 

14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.   

15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Death - the abode of the body

Hades - the abode of the soul

Jesus has the keys to both Hades and Death (Revelation 1:18).  At the final judgment He will use His authority to bring forth everyone to be judged according to their works.  When you face the great white throne, be found in Him.

The Devil's Last Stop

Revelation 20:7-10; NKJV

7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 

8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 

9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.

10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The events of Revelation 20:7-10 are still to come.  Satan will be defeated.  The Devil will be punished.

Live in such a way as to overcome his deception.  Be on God's side.  Avoid the lake of fire and brimstone through Christ.

The Second Death

Revelation 20:6; NKJV

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Revelation 20:14; NKJV

Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death.


Death is the separation of the spirit from the body.

"The Second Death" is separation from Jehovah God for all of eternity.

It is appointed unto all of us to die once (Hebrews 9:27).  "The Second Death" has no power over those who are in Christ (Revelation 20:6, 14).  Prepare for one; avoid the other.

Hidden In My Heart

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16; NKJV)

Victory in Jesus

Read 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 and consider the victory God the Father offers through the Lord Jesus Christ. Victory over sin and death. Victory over corruption.  Victory in Jesus!

Because of the victory that awaits...

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58; NKJV)

A Body Like His

Consider the great truth of 1 Corinthians 15:35-49.

We have lived on Earth with a body like Adam, the first man (v. 45).

We will live in Heaven with a body like Jesus, the second Man (v. 49).

Evil Company and the Resurrection

Do not be deceived:  "Evil company corrupts good habits." (1 Corinthians 15:33; NKJV)

The context of this verse is profound.  There were some Christians at Corinth that were saying "that there is no resurrection from the dead" (1 Corinthians 15:12).  The point of 1 Corinthians 15:33 in context is this:  If you associate with folks who do not believe in the resurrection they will corrupt you.

"Awake to righteousness and do not sin; for some do not the knowledge of God.  I speak this to your shame" (1 Corinthians 15:34; NKJV).

The Cornerstone of Christianity

1 Corinthians 15:12-19; NKJV

12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 

13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 

14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 

15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up — if in fact the dead do not rise. 

16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 

17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 

18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 

19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

Without the resurrection...

1.  The Cross has no meaning.

2.  Faith in Christ is worthless.

3.  Jesus of Nazareth is not the Son of God - Romans 1:4.

4.  His death redeemed nothing - Romans 4:25.

5.  There is no judgment to come - Acts 17:31.

6.  We are without hope.

Christ arose.  His claims were vindicated.  His work was a success.  He is Lord of all!

Of First Importance

1 Corinthians 15:1-4; NASBU

1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,

2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

At the Core.  What is at the center of your life?  What’s really the main thing in your life?  What’s at the top of your list?  What are you most passionate about?  What do you love to talk about?  What do you think about most when your mind is free?  What defines you?  Maybe it’s a relationship or your family.  For some it is a cause, movement, or political affiliation.  For others it is their hobby or their team.  Some are defined by their talent, or a possession.  Maybe at this time in your life what defines you is constantly shifting from one thing to another. 

Of First Importance.  “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures…” (1 Corinthians 15:3; NASBU).  The Greek word protos, translated “of first importance,” means “foremost in time, place, order or importance” (Strong’s).  According to the Holy Spirit, the death of Christ for our sins is of first importance.  It is to be foremost in the days of our lives.  It is to have first place in our hearts.  Who He is and what He did at Calvary is to be of first importance to each of us.  His death for our sins is to be at our core, it is to be what defines us.

Thee Gospel of Christ.  The gospel of Christ is the worst news any of us will ever hear.  Every one of us has sinned against our Creator and the Sustainer of our lives.  The I AM is holy and just.  His nature and character require Him to punish sin.  Ours is an inescapable penalty:  “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 3:23; 6:23; NKJV).   At the same time, the gospel of Christ is the best news any of us will ever hear.  The One we have sinned against is the very one who is going to save us!  The divine dilemma gives the great I AM the opportunity to perform the divine rescue!  “…being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 6:24-26; NKJV).  GOD’S wrath, stored up beginning with Adam’s sin and extending to all of your sin and mine and to all the sin to the end of the world was poured on Christ on the Cross.  “All of this sin needs to be punished,” cries the one seeking to accuse Jehovah of injustice.  It was.  At the cross.  Christ drank the cup of GOD’S wrath for you and me.  “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21; NKJV).  At the cross, the holiness of Jehovah was maintained.  His justice was upheld.  The penalty for all the sins of all time was paid.  The wrath of GOD was appeased at the cross.  Sins are forgiven at Calvary.

In My Life.  In my life Jesus is to be the main man:  “…the Man Christ Jesus…” (1 Timothy 2:5; NKJV).  In my life the crucifixion of Jesus is to be the main event:  “…gave Himself a ransom for all…” (1 Timothy 2:6; NKJV).   Perhaps John Stott said it best:  “The Cross is the blazing fire at which the flame of our love is kindled, but we have to get near enough for its sparks to fall on us.”  Let us see that “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” is to be “of first importance” in our lives.  Let us allow His blazing fire to kindle our love for Him.  Let us pray His aid in keeping us near His cross.  Let us live in such a way that Galatians 2:20 is true of each and every one of us:  “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (NKJV).

Hidden in My Heart

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16; NKJV)

Free Will

"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision..." (Acts 26:19; NKJV)

Saul of Tarsus had free will.  He could have been disobedient to the heavenly vision.  He chose to obey.

You have free will.  You can choose to be disobedient.  You can choose to be obedient.

Follow Saul of Tarsus' good example.  Don't be disobedient to the Lord Jesus.  Whatever you do, in word or in deed choose to do all in the name of the Lord.

I Do Not Object to Dying

Acts 25:10-11

10 So Paul said, "I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. 

11 For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar."

The Apostle Paul had a different perspective about death than most of us.  A perspective that we need to imitate.

Philippians 1:21-26; NKJV
 
21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 

22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 

23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 

24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. 

25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, 2

26 that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.

A Convenient Time

Now as he reasoned about rightousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, "Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you." (Acts 24:25; NKJV).

So far as we know, Felix's convenient time never came.

Don't wait.  Do right now.  Practice self-control now.  Prepare yourself for the judgment to come now.

All Good Conscience

Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, "Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." (Acts 23:1; NKJV)

It's not enough to "live in all good conscience before God."  Paul thought  he must do many thing contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth in all good conscience (see Acts 26:9-11).  He was wrong.

We must be about the business of aligning our conscience with the truth of God's word.  Then and only then will our consciences be a blessing to us.  Allow His truth to prompt your conscience to prompt you to live righteously and godly in this present age.

Does Salvation Come Before or After Baptism?

Question:  Does salvation come before or after baptism?

Question:  How would Saul of Tarsus answer that question?

Saul of Tarsus' Answer:  "And now why are you waiting?  Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16; NKJV).

Hidden In My Heart

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16; NKJV)