Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,
People say "You can't take anything with you when you die". And that's true as far as material things are concerned. You won't be bringing a nice house and retirement savings with you. But for the believer in Christ there is something that will follow after you when you die, something you can bring with you (so to speak).
In Revelation 14:13, the Christian is given this promise "'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!' "Yes" says the Spirit 'that they may rest from their labors for their deeds follow with them'" (Rev. 14:13).
Dear ones, the blessing of those who "keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus" (Rev. 14:12) is that our labors will not be wasted. There is a rest that awaits us. We may not see now what benefit our labors have accomplished, but we may be assured by this word that we will not be without the fruit of our faith in Christ. So let us press on then with our hope set on Jesus, trusting that when we die, we shall be blessed beyond anything we could hope for or ever deserve. And let us take thought to what we do each day, that our labors would not be in vain, but that we would do all to please God and further His kingdom.
Such a promise is made that much sweeter, when we notice the contrast before and after this word of encouragement. The promise is set on the one hand between God's decree of judgement upon those who worship the beast and it's image and on the other hand is God's description of judgement, which he likens a terrible winepress where the wicked will be crushed underfoot until their blood spills out for miles. The wrath of God which we likewise deserve is a dreadful fate. Yet wonder of wonders, Christ bore the wrath of God so that whoever believes in Him would in wrath's place be given peace with God and life forever with Him. Remember this always, for it is when we recognize that our rightly earned place is to be crushed with the ungodly under the feet of the LORD of Hosts that we truly see what a tremendous blessing that it is to be given not only everlasting life, but a life that here and now counts for something. So brothers, rejoice in the days God gives you and be glad that there is something that shall follow after you, the fruit of your faith.
Grace & Peace,
Matt
P.S. Next week I will be updating the prayer list, so please let me know if there is anything you would like added or updated. Thanks.
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Matthew Deneault
Pastor at Christ Community Fellowship
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