End of the Line
Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy. Revelation 22:11 NASB
Still – Just keep going in the same direction and you will arrive at your destination. The only issue is where you’re going, not how you will get there. You know how to get there. Just keep on the same path. Do the same things. Make the same choices. Practice what you have always practiced. Simple. Easy. Don’t change a thing.
But where? That’s the question. Where are you going? What is your destination? Do a little directional investigation. Imagine the end of your line. What is it going to be like if you just keep doing what you have always done?
Listen, God doesn’t need to you change a thing. He won’t compel you to change either. You are the only one who can take another road. The Kingdom will do just fine without you. God’s plan will prevail. But you? Ah, that’s not His problem. You are your own problem. You decide. Will it be righteousness and holiness or will it be wrong and filth? Yetzer ha’tov or yetzer ha’ra. It’s up to you. (Hey, and don’t go pulling that “I’m waiting for the Spirit to lead me” stuff. You might be a lump of clay, but you still determine which potter’s wheel you’ll sit on).
The Greek word here is eti. It’s a nice temporal word. It means “continuing, not stopping.” Notice the context. Yeshua HaMashiach announces His coming. “Don’t close the book yet. Let the people continue in their ways. I am coming and when I arrive I will bring judgment and consequences.” Does this sound like the Savior we know? He’s willing to let those who have chosen wrong and uncleanness to just keep going until it’s too late? What about compassion? What about mercy? What about the “not willing that any should perish” assertion?
This is compassion. This is mercy. This is not willing for any to perish. Do what has already been revealed to you! If you don’t change your ways, why do you think you will not be judged for your willful ignorance, your deliberate disobedience, your spiritual arrogance? You have been given the Book. The Law and the Prophets are yours. The Son has spoken the truth to you. What excuse will you have at the Great White Throne? “Oh, I only followed what I was taught”? “But I thought You would forgive everything”? “I’m under grace. The law doesn’t apply to me.”
What is the end of your line? Look ahead. Look far ahead. If you continue in this path, will you arrive at holiness, at blamelessness, at conformity to the Son? Or will you be a casualty of religion?
Topical Index: still, eti, direction, choice, Revelation 22:11
Um…ouch…
Seek and Find
What is it going to be like if we just keep doing what we have always done? What “results” or “consequences” can we expect? If we were to continue in sin, (God forbid) then the “wages/consequences/results/payment” will be?
To do the same thing over and over again, repeatedly, habitually, expecting a different result is what?
Yes, the definition of insanity! We must (truly) change our wicked ways!
Change happens. But change begins with a choice! – And that choice, that decision, that act of the will begins where? Change happens here. Within. Within the heart of man. Any man.
Today, this very day, make a “command” decision. Just do it. – “Choose.” Love is a choice and Love is an act of surrender. Surrendering our will to the will of Another. Yes, ~ choose “you” this day who you will serve ~, (yes, as a purposeful act of the will) “As for me and my house, – we WILL (intentionally and purposefully) serve (abad) the LORD.”
The litmus test for love of God is love of neighbor. Yes, simple. Yet profound! (Purposefully, intentionally) Love God- love people- all people, regardless. Love every man, woman and child on this green planet.
“Let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus”- Love (all) people.
The word of God is crystal clear concerning our calling: ~ The purpose, the goal of My instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith ~
A pure heart. One that is single/focused in purpose and intent. This day, “I will.” I will (intentionally) show/demonstrate love. Benevolence towards another at cost to myself. A clear conscience. -Nothing between my soul and the Savior! Concerning a clear conscience- “if not, -why not?” Forgiveness and cleansing is only a prayer away! Ask,- and you (too) will receive! Ask. Our Father is far more ready to give than we are to receive! A genuine (real, transparent) faith. Where does “faith” come from? Faith is NOT “self-generated.” Faith is not “wishful thinking!” Faith has (only) one Source. And that Source is? The Word of God. ~ Faith (which pleases God, btw..) comes by hearing! (Got your ears on?) And hearing by the word of God! Listen! Listen to Him! And? ~ Whatever He says – Do it!! Friends, it was the servants (!) who witnessed the water become wine!!
~ Finally, (dear brothers), whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, “think” (dwell, meditate) on these things. (AND?) The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, (do these things!) and (AND?) the God of peace will be with you ~
~ And the peace of God, which (far) surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus ~
~ Blessed are (all) those who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart ~ If we will seek Him, will we find Him? (Jeremiah 29.13) “It is written!” Amen.
Amen.
“…you might be a lump of clay, but you still determine which potter’s wheel you’ll sit on.”
I have wondered sometimes if all of sin could be defined as our attempts to rebel against the most awful and incomprehensible gift that we were created with. I am talking about the gift of free will. I have come to the conclusion that we do not want choice! Not really! We just think we do.
Iniquity, in a profound sense, is an attempt to avoid responsibility of some sort; either to our Creator, ourselves, or to each other. At every turn, sin is about the throwing away of choice: it is literally about choosing our choices away, until we are stuck in a field where there is no choice left, all in the name of avoiding responsibility.
Freedom is about responsibility, more than it is about anything else. It is the understanding and the acceptance of the fact that we were created to be connected to EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE, INCLUDING GOD HIMSELF. This washes both ways: not only is what we do affecting ourselves, and others, it is affecting GOD TOO. Now THAT is responsibility! Our choices change all of creation, as well as our Creator. Why? Is it because we are ‘gods’? The way I read it, it is because we were GIVEN that power. And what, exactly, is that power? The power of choice. But power is always, always, two-edged. If someone has the power to create, they simultaneously have the power to destroy. If I have the power to choose my way to salvation, then I also must have the power to choose my way to destruction.
Righteousness, then, is an act of faith in its very essence for us who still are living in this incredible vacuum: this rift in the time before the real Time starts: I mean the Time of Eternity, which is what we were obviously created to exist in. I have tried to think of it as the tryouts before the real Game – the heats before the real Race, to determine who is going to run in the Time of Eternity. Who can be trusted with the responsibility of Total Connection To Everything? We must live by faith, then, because if we are to be given a real opportunity to choose, then we must be given the opportunity in which Doubt can also exist. A place in time where we can avoid the veracity of responsibility long enough to run with it and see for ourselves how dis-function pans out. Even to the point of self destruction.
How many of us do not stop running until we can run no more? How many of us have had to ‘hit bottom’? Iniquity is the practice of borrowing ourselves into a bottomless pit so as to avoid our Due Date. When is the day of salvation, of repentance? Isn’t it “Today”?
C.S. Lewis writes that when God invades, the show is over. The time for choosing is over when He comes because it will be so overwhelming that it will either strike irresistible love or horror into every creature. There is no point to saying you choose to lie down when it becomes impossible to stand up. This will be the time when every knee will bow. But it will also be the time when we see what we have ALREADY CHOSEN.
Love, in its essence, is the Thing That Cannot Be Forced. Nor will it ever force. But because it is a Force, then its very presence precludes all other possibilities, including the possibility of irresponsibility. Now is the choosing time. Love can have it no other way. Love wants to be freely chosen. But at some point, It also wants a connubial marriage night. This is the Night that is coming “in which no man can work”.
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
WHAT DOES GOD WANT FOR US?
To KNOW Him!
“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw
all peoples to Myself.” Jn 12:32
Each of us has been given our own unique path.
Some find Him early. Some late.
The thief on the cross experienced his eyes opening
virtually at the last moment.
But know Him he did! Up front and personal.
We shouldn’t count anyone out who’s still
open to Him.
“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Freedom of choice.I am very thankfull for it,i decide wether I swerve to the left or to the right,or keep a straight line.A friend of mine shared with me there frustration in not being able to get there message across to others that replacement theology is wrong.I have come to a place where I do not get frustrated anymore.It is sad to see this line of thinking,but I believe these people have to come to a certain place in there life (on there own)then Hashem peels off the blinders accordingly.My part is simply to live torah obeideintly and be prepared to answer any questions they have.Ps live in such a maner that they want to ask.I myself have never convinced anyone.
“…you might be a lump of clay, but you still determine which potter’s wheel you’ll sit on.” I suspect many believe or desire to be on the master’s wheel, but then wicked, deluded, selfish or mixed motivated potters sneak in the shape the clay.
I read something interesting in last week’s parsha, Balak. Bila’am opined, “Let me die the death of the righteous.” The word translated, “righteous,” is yasharim, which means straight. He said he wished to die the death of the straight, which I surmise means one who continues on that straight path, as the scripture in revelation demonstrates.
Not to squat on your blog, but I mentioned this in something I wrote: http://endtimechaverim.wordpress.com/2014/05/27/the-serpent-speaks-again-thoughts-on-the-recent-tragedy-in-isla-vista/
“…willful ignorance…”
I have spent this Shabbat with a heavy heart in tearful intercession for the “body” as it is self-described. I made the mistake last night of watching a video posted by a Christian acquaintance on FB and then reading the caustic antisemitic and cutting comments made by other Christians back and forth to their “brothers”. Reading TW this morning and that particular phrase “willful ignorance” has struck me as apropos of this time we live in. And the consequences are terrifying.
You are right, Skip. This is compassion. This is mercy. This is not willing for any to perish. Do what has already been revealed to you!
Where are we heading? Towards self destruction, or redemption?
Not to be ever learning, yet never experiencing the knowledge/reality of what truth/Word is all about.
אֱמֶת emeth firmness, faithfulness, truth, sureness, reliability, stability, continuance
Truth is involved in the formation of the person… and the restoration of the world.
Truth is about DOING, that we are part of it, and informs all the decisions we make in life. Actions and speeches are ONE, and entirely reliable-Heb4Christians.
“Practice what you have always practiced.” SAD, when nothing will excite/challenge us to change, to having a different mindset/perspective/paradigm, and STILL trying hard to influence others to your perspective/understanding? STOP! Turn back, wrong direction!
LOVE means “to provide and protect what is given as a privilege” as well as ” to have an intimacy of action and emotion”. We are told to love God and our neighbors, not in an emotional sense, but in the sense of our actions.- Jeff Benner.
To love and protect-being stedfast in YHWH’s ways, not presumptuous, but seeking His righteousness, submitting to Him.