Sunday, December 22, 2024

Eyes on Christ 12.22.24

 What we have to do is not complicated.  What the Spirit is saying to the Church is not complicated.  What does the servant who writes to you hear from the Spirit of the Lord today?

1.  Keep our eyes on Christ

Ps 25

My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.

Luke 21

34“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with [h]carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36Watch therefore, and pray always that you may [i]be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Keeping our eyes on Christ also means watching daily for His unexpected return:

Mark 13

32“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— 36lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”

2.  Restraining the rot and darkness in this world:

Matt 5

13“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

14“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matt 25

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

6“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom [a]is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

11“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

13Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour [b]in which the Son of Man is coming.

Lamps produce light-at least they are supposed to when working properly...

Light drives out darkness every time.  Have you ever turned on a light or lit a lamp and it did not drive out the darkness around it?  No, because is happens every time all the time.  It is both a physical and spiritual law-light drives out darkness.

3.  Bring souls into the Kingdom

1 Tim 2

who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

2 Cor 4:4

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

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To accomplish all of this 1,2,3 above we have been given many tools.  Tools like the keys to the Kingdom:

Matt 16

18And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not [g]prevail against it. 19And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth [h]will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Also, praying, fasting, standing in agreement with each other and the Lord God and believing we have already received what we ask for in prayer:

Mark 11:24

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

And last but not least developing and using all the tools, talents, skills, abilities we have been given.  "Leveling ourselves up" to become the very best versions of ourselves in order to finish the work we have been given in an exemplary manner for the great God we serve. (Matt 25 parable of the talents.)

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This vision/mission layed out above (1-3) takes us into the indefinite future depending on where and when the Lord decides to pull His Church (us) out of this world. It is this servant's understanding that Christmas/Hanukkah (12/25/24-1/2/25) is another window of decision for the Lord who is watching and listening to His Church to determine what comes next.

If the Church at large makes the same mistake that took place during orange man 1.0 of going out to vote then kicking their feet up on the desk and declaring "mission accomplished" then we will likely see the Church pulled out of the earth in short order.  If however, the Church has learned their lesson from the past 8 years and decides to lean into this window of grace and opportunity to do what He wants to do, then we may get more time.

It was posted here yesterday that the Lord God wants to know what we plan to do with the time ahead.  If our answer is more "business as usual" apathy, complacency, Nicolaitan shackled churchianity which allows the devil and his demonic horde to run roughshod over the earth then time is very short indeed.  It is this servants prayer and intent to do what the Lord wants to do on this earth (1-3 above) in exchange for more time.  This servants supplication to the Lord is to allow us to finish our work in strength.  We ask that He will allow us and empower us to finish strong.

If we are pulled out now, (and its a very real possibility) we will be leaving behind an earth infested with darkness and demonic filth spreading out like sewage over the land.  In this servant's opinion that is not a "job well done."  We want to push the reset button and get this right before we leave.  This servant believes these reasons, this plea to the Most High God is good and pleasing in His sight and will be granted.  That is what this servant believes.  So what are we going to do?  Please join with me in prayer and supplication to the Lord that we who believe can finish the race the way we were intended to-not limping across the finish line.

Acts 20:24

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Phil 3:14

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Glory to God

grace and peace