"The righteous perishes, and no man lays it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness"
Isaiah 57:1-2
"Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them."
Revelation 14:3
Over the past few years, I have seen my mother, mother-in-law, and several other friends and fellow saints pass from this world, and into the everlasting arms of the Father. I do not pity them; I do not pity any other family member, friend, or fellow minister whom the Lord shall see fit to call home from this time onward. Blessed are they, for they shall be spared the distress of all that is coming on this world!
As Jesus was being led away to Golgotha, He turned and said to the women who cried after Him, "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.......For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" (Luke 23:28-31) Yeah, things are gonna get really bad, really quickly, really soon. No, I don't feel sorry for those who get out before it all hits the fan! Whom the Lord chooses to keep from the hour of temptation (for they are worthy).
But as for me, who am less than the least of all saints....do I wanna be here? Do I want to see the scoffers & scorners go scurrying into their holes like little mice when God's judgement hits? Do I want to see the Two Witnesses send plague after plague upon the unrepentant ungodly? Do I wanna see the look on the smart-mouth atheists' faces when every eye shall see Him, and every knee shall bow?
Do I wanna hear the children of Israel ask the Messiah, "What are these wounds in Thy hands?" when they look on Him Whom they pierced? Do I wanna see the Beast and the False Prophet taken? Do I wanna see Babylon fall? Do I wanna see the angel grab hold of Satan and lock him up 1,000 years? Do I want to be in that number when the saints go marching in?
I wouldn't miss it for the world!
God granted old Simeon his wish that he wouldn't die without seeing the LORD's Christ. My heart's desire and prayer is that I might not only survive and endure all the things that are coming quickly, but also that I might remain faithful unto the end, to be among those that are alive and remain at His coming. To be among those Isaiah heard say, "LO, this is our God, we have waited for Him.....this is the Lord, we have waited for Him!" (Isaiah 25:9)
Lord, carry home whom You will, sparing them the grief of the fiery trial that shall test them that be upon the earth in these days, only let me serve you and abide faithful until You return!
Amen & amen. Maranatha!
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