May 5, 2010 (Wrap up!)

Well, I looked at my last blog - April 29 and it was Hebrews. Today is May 5th and I've finished reading through the whole Bible in six months (read 2 Timothy, Jude, 2 Peter, 1, 2 3 John and Revelation since then....finished two days ahead of schedule..started November 7, 2009). Because I didn't blog daily, I'm not going to go back now. This is just a 'wake up' to blog daily from now on.

It seems the overarching message I got from these last books is to be ready for Christ's return. He IS coming back to judge the earth. These are His own words from Revelation:

^16:15 “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their robes ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.”

^22:7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book.”

¹² “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

¹⁶ “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star.”

And the book of Revelation ends this way:

²⁰ He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

²¹ May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people.

And again, I am challenged and convicted by what I have read. I don't know if we are truly living in 'the last days', but regardless, we are responsible for the way we live. There are rewards for those who live in anticipation of His coming - whether that coming is in our lifetime or the next - it doesn't really matter. What He wants is faithfulness - faithfulness to Him and to His word. And how can we be faithful to Him and His word if we don't know Him? I am challenged to read through the Bible again in these next six months, but this time I am also going to work on memorizing. That does not come easy for me, but I will need to work on it. I can take a note card with me as I walk the dog and work on verses that way.

This is what will happen at the end of time:

The Final Judgment

^20:11 And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. ¹² I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. ¹⁴ Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. ¹⁵ And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Do I really believe that? I mean do I REALLY believe that? Then why am I so silent about my faith? God help me to be more bold for You.