August 24, 2023

Revelation 22:6-21 (HCSB)
The Time Is Near
6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel to show His slaves what must quickly take place.” 7 “Look, I am coming quickly! The one who keeps the prophetic words of this book is blessed.” 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow slave with you, your brothers the prophets, and those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” 10 He also said to me, “Don’t seal the prophetic words of this book, because the time is near. 11 Let the unrighteous go on in unrighteousness; let the filthy go on being made filthy; let the righteous go on in righteousness; and let the holy go on being made holy.” 12 “Look! I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me to repay each person according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to attest these things to you for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright Morning Star.” 17 Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Anyone who hears should say, “Come!” And the one who is thirsty should come. Whoever desires should take the living water as a gift. 18 I testify to everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book.  19 And if anyone takes away from the words of this prophetic book, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city, written in this book. 20 He who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.

Jeremy Cannon
I am the world's worst when it comes to procrastination (don't believe me.....ask my wife). While some say "Why put off tomorrow what you could do today?", I say "Why shop for Christmas now? The stores are open on Christmas Eve for a reason!!!!". But what if someone told me that if I did not get my shopping done before the end of Thanksgiving, my family would go without gifts? Would I take it more seriously? Would I plan a little better? Jesus is telling us the time is near. The saved will be saved and those who aren't will be left out. This is a thought that crosses my mind daily. I think about all the people I know personally who will be left behind one day and it makes me sad. Why do some of us wait so long to do what we need to do, whether it is something small or something of the utmost importance? Sharing God's word with someone and leading them down the path of salvation is what we are called to do as Christians. It is something that was done for us by someone who didn't wait, and it is something we should be doing for others. Let's don't wait until it's too late. Jesus is waiting.......but who knows for how long?