Permanence

“Consider my affliction and deliver me, For I do not forget Your law. Plead my cause and redeem me; Revive me according to Your word. Salvation is far from the wicked, For they do not seek Your statutes. Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord; Revive me according to Your judgments. Many are my persecutors and my enemies, Yet I do not turn from Your testimonies. I see the treacherous, and am disgusted, Because they do not keep Your word. Consider how I love Your precepts; Revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness. The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119:153-160‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Permanence

I am in a stage of life where I have no long term plans. I live each day as the Lord provides, making the most of each moment, trying to consider each step as a possible service before the Lord. My awareness of the brevity of my time has been extended to the world around me, as I am coming to realize more and more that our world, like each of us, is but a vapor carried away by the wind.

Humanity likes to make big plans, to plot out grand schemes to take over the world. As I have observed the developing events of these last three years, I have come to the conclusion that humanity has been deceived, and all that we considered permanent is really passing away, and our efforts to hold on is vanity at best.

““Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.””
Ecclesiastes 1:2 NKJV

I completed reading through Psalm one hundred nineteen. I think the Lord had a reason in for slowing me down this year as I read through it. As I read, I could see the passing of time, of the passing of a life of one who follows Jesus. I could see the new born babe in the faith that I was so many years ago, taking new steps of faith.

In the beginning the word of God was a vegetable, something I needed to eat to get stronger. Then it was my meat, and later it was like candy, something I was thrilled to have. Now in the twilight of my life, it is my vitamin saturated beverage I take to survive each day. The world we live in has become so devoid of spiritual nourishment, that it is only by the word of God that I can live.

The world we live in is crumbling to dust, and nothing will stand in the future unless spared by the Lord. But I know what will stand: the word of God.

“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.”
I Peter 1:22-25 NKJV

Only the word of God has permanence and will stand the test of time. It will be regardless of what happens in our individual lives, or what happens in the world at large. This has been a great comfort to me, as I have seen the loss of all things, but experienced the unchanging faithfulness of my Lord.

Brothers and sisters, there is much happening in our world, and there are looming threats and potential calamities multiplying as the horizon comes into view. But know this: our God is sovereign, and He will be still standing at the end, whether it be of our own lives, or the end of the age.

It is easy to find oneself caught up in worry about all that is to come, but it is far better to seek the Lord in His word. For the follower of Jesus, the word is alive and directly in synch with the Holy Spirit that resides in the life of the born again Christian. We walk through the struggles of these present times with the fellowship of God who accompanies us and does not forsake us.

Let us press on through the fear to be faithful to go and tell of the great salvation that Jesus has provided us, for He went to the cross to die for our sins, was buried and rose again. Because of Him, I can read the Holy Scriptures as if written specifically for me, for they were. God’s word is a love letter to those who are His own.

The word brings blessing and cautions, as all those who have come before us are examples for us, having had the consequences for their disobedience played out in their lives.

We who may be the last generation of those who have come to the Father by faith, face many of the temptations that those who fell in the wilderness so long ago faced. We have the advantage of God in us, and the completed word of God. Let us be attentive to what is written and willing to do what it says.

“And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”
I Corinthians 10:7-11 NKJV

Let us be mindful, for He is coming quickly.

“Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”
Revelation 22:14-17 NKJV

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https://www.allaboutgod.com/the-roman-road.htm