“And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, THAT THEY MAY REST FROM THEIR LABOURS; AND THEIR WORKS DO FOLLOW THEM.” Revelation 14: 13
Ahh, tomorrow, here in America, we celebrate “Labor Day”.
A day of course, set aside to honor the hard-working men and women who make our country strong and whose diligence in countless areas of service keep the economic ball rolling for our nation.
And also there are so many, such as nurses, doctors, firemen, emergency workers, repair people, and food service employees, many whom are actually required to work on Labor Day.
I do admit that while pondering the best “spin” to propel the thought of the post, that I felt the need to tell all of you, I am NOT a Ballerina, nor do I dance, but this is for me, in relaying this message, that I am performing a grandiose version of “Swan Lake” WHILE wearing steel-toed work boots.
So if it seems a bit “ungraceful” and if the heavy boots donned during the dance step on toes, including my own, please pardon. I would also like to point out that this is not for new converts to Christ, this is for “seasoned” workers of the Kingdom, who once knew these things and now just need a “note attached to their time cards” to remind them that they can lose benefits due to poor job performance.
Better to hear it now, than to hear, something much like what Jesus told the Disciples, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour IS at hand…. Here, my friends is the first of the very awkward “dance moves”, I must make, We can not work our way to salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-10: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man boast. For we are his workmanship (creation) created in Christ Jesus unto (for) good works, which God hath before ordained (prepared) that we should walk in them.”
Notice in our first verse the voice said that they may rest, and Jesus told them to take their rest.
There is a very clear difference between trying to do our own work that we think is good enough for salvation, which again is an impossibility and doing the work that God preordained us to do.
And then to decide that we will take our own rest rather than to have him grant us that rest.
But we still are required to work in the Kingdom. And I believe in grace! I thank God for grace! I could lay at His feet for a thousand years just thanking Him for the grace He gave me, saving me, a miserable creature who in no way deserved that grace!
And that is what Paul was referring to. I have heard some on television completely blow off the judgements and really come against the teachings of those judgments.
I can’t figure this out because God has a Bible full of people WITH that job, without the forced warning from Jonah, Nineveh would have never repented, it was the warning God sent that made them aware that they were doing wrong and the Bible is full of warnings.
My Goodness, People! To reiterate this for anyone who has not read prior ancient posts, there ARE TWO Babylon’s, the first ancient Babylon, the Prophet Jeremiah proclaimed the destruction and judgments against it.
BUT Jeremiah also proclaimed the judgment and destruction of future, spiritual Babylon.
The fulfillment of this is what is spoken in Song of Solomon 7:9: ” And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, (smoothly) causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.”
Jeremiah wrote the judgments that the Lord had commanded, Jeremiah 50:62-64: ” Then shalt thou say, O Lord, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be a desolate for ever. And it shall be when thou hast made and end (finished) reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast (throw) it into the midst of Euphrates ; And thou shalt say, thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her…”
There is so much Bible prophecy linked up with the Euphrates, it has angels ‘bound in it that will be released and it dries up to prepare the way for the mighty war… Has this already happened? No! Neither has many of the absolutely horrifying events foretold, but we have hope in the sealed words of the seven thunders and that is why we need to be so diligent now.
The fulfillment of the words of Jeremiah are Revelation 18:21: ” And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more.”
No matter what country a person chooses to believe that “Mystery Babylon” IS, one fact remains.. This is Bible and this will happen and those who live in that country will be going about everyday life, many unsaved and completely unaware of these prophecies yet to be fulfilled, and many more who have been force-fed “grace” to the point that they think they do no wrong in the eyes of a Holy God and have been taught that repentance and work are not a even a requirement in our modern day and suddenly “Babylon” is attacked, from all sides and without warning, other than the Biblical truths of teaching of Jesus in how we know these things shortly come and to be living lives accounted worthy to escape these things, Babylon will be destroyed in one hour, one day from off the face of the earth.
How can anyone be perfectly comfortable not sharing the Gospel, not leading others to Christ, not using the gifts and talents he has given them?
How about all those who sit in bound in chains of demonic bondage of drug addictions, pornography, alcoholism, and so many other bondage, when God has given someone the prayer of faith, given someone the gift of healing and miracles, and others sit in dread and terror, while God has already given someone a word of knowledge, and a word of prophecy, a word to be “fitly spoken in due season” that would free that person’s mind and bring the peace they need.
Gift after gift, talent upon talent, wasted and unused, because we are too busy, too lazy, too comfortable to be the light that he left us here to be while the world suffers in almost pitch black darkness, no wonder Jesus warned us, Revelation 2:4,5: ” Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and remove thy candlestick (lampstand) out of his place, except (unless) thou repent.”
Anyone want to argue that He does not expect us to work for the Kingdom?
So, if you are saved, sure, you are saved but when our work is tried by fire to ensure purity and purpose, motive, and measure, and the Lord gives crowns and rewards and treasures in heaven, you will come up lacking and the saddest part is the difference made in the difference that should have and could have been made in someone else’s life will have been left undone on your shift.
The work he asks is quite simple, Love Him, spread His love, go to His house, worship Him, Keep His commandments, and Honor Him in your life and in advice you give others, do as He asks when He prompts you in heart, help someone else to carry their burdens, show mercy and be kind. And he is not asking much!
And one thing you do not want to do is ever let Him catch you sleeping on the job, you may just sleep your way right through a God-given opportunity to impact this world while we still barely have enough light left to work by.
If you doubt any of these things pray, read your Bible, and try something so simple as watching the news. It is here people, nothing is changing it and maybe those who preach against preaching warnings really believe that they can just get everyone saved and bypass the judgments.. well, could be true, those saved and raptured WILL be spared many things, but what if those who did just simply omit these thoughts, these verses, find themselves on that day, not accounted worthy and NOT escaping these things and left here to do a job that should have been done right the first time!
Love and peace, don’t kill the messenger. My ministry started with this thought, my very first post PLEASE WAKE UP !!! on a church site that God had blessed me to write for, it was November 2013 and I was so scared that everyone would hate me, but now it is not fear of hate, it is anger, every time I see those who are hurt, wounded, and know that things could change, if we would change.
God said if we “would humble ourselves” but see that is still the problem, it is all about us, when it should be about Him, the Kingdom, and the work that needs done.
It is so sad that so many are still sleeping on the job, but I have come to believe that maybe, as we know great revival comes during great persecution, that maybe it is going to take quite a wake up call… please don’t wait too late.
And if you are working for Christ, volunteer with Him for more work! Offer to do the jobs others won’t and He will bless you for going that second mile when your brother has only asked you to go one!
BTW, HAPPY LABOR DAY!
Φλογιζω Σαλπιζω NBJ 2017 REVISTED 09/05/2021 & 09/05/2022
Also for more please check out:
“Eleventh Hour…working till it’s too dark to work”
“An “A” for effort but “0” still equals nothing . “
“They’re hungry, YOU feed them”
Φλογιζω SOUL FOCUS 