Hope for the Gentile

Isaiah 56:1-8, ESV

Thus says the LORD:

“Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed. 

Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, 

“The LORD will surely separate me from his people”; 

and let not the eunuch say,

“Behold, I am a dry tree.” 

For thus says the LORD:

“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.

“And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant—these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer;

their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, 

“I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.” 

Be Ready Always

 
“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day
nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” 
~Matthew 25:13

We hear a lot about the predictions made by man as to when Jesus is really coming back for His followers and the “signs” that point to our being in the end times. How should we respond to these predictions? Should we dress in white and stand on our roof tops waiting for Christ to swing down and pick us up? Should we believe that major, destructive storms mean that His return is nigh? Well, whether we believe in such predictions or not, we should not let these predictions or possible “signs” determine when we will be ready.

“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.” ~Luke 12:35-37.

No matter when the end times start, no matter when Jesus will return, no matter what signs are predicted, and no matter how hard secularists bash us in our belief of His return, we need to be the sheep whom our Shepherd will “find watching”. We cannot honestly be leading Christian lives if we only get concerned about how we are living based on the predictions. Our lives should be lived in accordance with God’s Word at all times and in all seasons. Because it’s going to be one scary event to be left behind to face the Anti-christ and think about how we could have made a difference after Christ has already returned for that faithful.

“Then Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?’ And the Lord said, ‘Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.” ~Luke 12:41-43

One thing that I would like to add here, is that we should not be worried about the signs of the end times nor the predictions; rather, we should be concerned about how we are making a difference in the lives of those around us. How do they view us as different, in a positive way, from the world? Do even our “acquaintances” see Christ’s love shining through us? We need to understand how important our witness is, because eternity is forever: Heaven or hell. One will be a glorious eternity and the other will be a place of bitterness forever and ever with no end.   

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” ~John 3:17-18

In closing, I would like to share with you a testimony which Sarah Mally gave in her sister, Grace Mally’s book “Will Our Generation Speak”. This book was given to me last year by three of my friends and I have slowly been going through the book as I find the time.

“The Cost”

“I imagined myself as a spectator watching a scene unfold before my eyes. First, I saw a man who was helping others--yet not simply in the way that any man might help someone else. This was much different. It was as if tenderness and kindness were just flowing out of Him. I could tell He was a good man--GOOD in a way that I had never seen before. Every single thing He did was good. His face was so pure. I had never seen honesty like that, never seen love like that. It’s like I finally knew what love was--now that I saw Him. All I wanted to do was to keep watching Him because everything He did was so amazing. Even the simple normal acts of service that He was doing--I was astonished by them...by Him, I mean. The way He spoke...I could just tell He was right, that He spoke the truth, that everything He said was right by definition. And the way He looked at people. I wished He would look at me, but He never did. I was just a spectator. But I knew I would never forget this goodness that I had seen. It was almost as if I was in a daze, not quite able to comprehend it, stunned that this kind of righteousness could even exist. I wanted to just keep watching him. I felt that I would be content if I could simply watch Him for the rest of my life.

But then suddenly the scene changed before my eyes. I didn’t want to believe what I was seeing. People were looking at Him with angry stares. It was more than mere anger; it was rage; He was looking back at them with such..such..I don’t even know the word..it was as if He was on a totally different playing field. There was such tenderness in HIs eyes. A touch of sorrow, an ocean of love. Their rage turned into vehement shouting and accusations, and then I began to watch the most horrible scene of my life. The whips they were holding were cruel and scourging unbearable to watch. But how could this be? He was so good, so pure, so tender. He was the best person I had ever known. This must stop. I tried to yell out for someone to help, for someone to stop this. But I realized, again, I was only a spectator. Lash after lash. Blow after blow. I couldn’t look--especially because it was Him. It was the worst possible injustice I could imagine. This could not be happening. It had to stop.”

She went on to say…

“Stunned and traumatized, I stepped back. I forced myself to breathe. I tried not to comprehend what I had just seen: One so deserving of glory and praise, yet receiving such punishment. I’m not sure how long it was before I realized that I was holding something: I also had a whip in my hand. It was then I understood that my hand also was on the rod that fell on Him. Was I responsible? For this? I realized that I had not been merely a spectator.

At last it was over. It was finished. It--was--finished, for all eternity! It is done! God the Father has seen the anguish of His soul and has been satisfied. Never would I have dreamed that justice would have been this costly. How vast is the extent of my sin--that this was the price. And how immeasurable the extent of His love--that this much He would pay.”

~Sarah Mally (from “Will Our Generation Speak?” by Grace Mally, 2012)

In Christ,

Anna

Going Home

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." -Revelation 21:4



A place where there is no more cancer, no more dying, no more need for morphine to kill pain, no more tears to wipe away, no more bullets killing innocent school children, no more fear of government take overs. Heaven will have no broken friendships, no more car thefts or junkies. Heaven won't have drunks or poor people. No more careers, no more need for money, no freezing temperatures. No enemies will be there, nor weapons needed to fight battles. Heaven doesn't sound real, but it is.

As most of you know, my Grandpa Duerkop passed away last week, Monday the 7th. The service that was held on Friday was not sad, though most of the people who came didn't have a dry eye before it was over. Our family did not even call it a "funeral" as Grandpa didn't die (1 Corinthians 15:54). Yes, he left his weakened body of dust behind, but now he's alive and well in Heaven (2 Cor. 5:8)! As Christians, we know we where we will go. As Christians who know other Christians who pass on before us, we can be reassured that we will one day be reunited in God's Kingdom. Though we feel that separation on this earth, we realize that our loved ones are in a better place. A place free from pain and anger and drought and storm.

One thing that my Mom wanted at the Memorial Service, was the salvation message. A perfect time to share with those who are not yet in Christ, the message of Jesus and to give them hope for their souls. My Grandpa was strong in his Savior and his faith was steadfast. He was also a man of few words. He could spin a good story for you about his adventurous farming days though. He'd tell stories about how he'd have to go out and chase the draft horses down so he could hitch them to the farm equipment. That's where his strong dislike for them came about.

As my cousin's wife told me at the service, "we don't get over the loss, but we can get through it." But I urge you to not forget the person. Don't make it a point to lose the good memories that you have with him or her. Remember the part they played in your life and feel grateful for having known them and loved them. Because as Alfred Lord Tennyson put it, "Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all". You may have lost a loved one or will in the future, and the verses below can be a comfort to you as you go through those times.   

We see the dying convict who believed that Jesus was the Messiah, had the reassurance of being with Christ that day.....

Luke 23:42-43:
"42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."

Revelation 21 also provides us with comfort......

Revelation 21:1-7:
"1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

Satan has not won the battle of a Christian's life. Sin is destroyed because of the power of Christ's blood on the cross......

1 Corinthians 15:54-58:

"54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

When we have passed from this earth....

2 Corinthians 5:8:

"We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord."

No, I'm not happy that I've lost my "earthly" Grandpa. But I do have a Grandpa who's up in Heaven sitting at Jesus' feet. I have a Grandpa who's been reunited with two of his children, his mom and dad, his brothers, and all of the many other Christians who preceded him. He's not floating around somewhere in peragatory; he's up there in all of Heaven's glory! 

In Christ,

Anna