Wednesday, September 27, 2017

What Endures? Part 1


Ecclesiastes 3:14 “I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him.”

This week, Michael writes: To have a legacy, then do things according to the Word of God. The things we do and the prayers we pray according to His will continue on ... they will last into eternity for the Word of God never returns void. The 1828 Webster’s dictionary defines the word “legacy” as: A bequest; a particular thing, or certain sum of money given by last will or testament. Good counsel is the best legacy a father can leave to his child.

Isaiah 55:6-7 “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; And to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”

Returning to the Lord means to "turn around."  This is the meaning of the word "repent."  He will abundantly pardon when we return to Him. He is waiting for our repentance so that He can exercise His loving kindness and tender mercies. The reason is because God doesn't think like we think...
Isaiah 55:8-10 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the Sower and bread to the eater.”

God's divine design has a purpose ... to abundantly bless ...
Isaiah 55:11-12 “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. “For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”

In Ezekiel 22:17-22 the prophet says by revelation: “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have become dross from silver.Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have all become dross, therefore behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. As men gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the midst of a furnace, to blow fire on it, to melt it; so I will gather you in My anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there and melt you. Yes, I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst. As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, so shall you be melted in its midst; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have poured out My fury on you.’”

God is a God of righteous judgment.  The fire is for purifying. 
According to 1 Corinthians 3:12-14, the fire will reveal that which is of lasting value..  The fear, respect, and reverence of the Lord built upon the firm foundation of Jesus Christ shall be preserved into eternity.

Let’s continue Michael message in the next post.

In Christ, Brian

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