"I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Revelation 22:13
Jesus has many names and each one blesses us in a different way. His name, "Alpha and Omega," comes from the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, and it appears four times in the book of Revelation. There are at least two reasons our Lord calls Himself the "Alpha and Omega."
The most obvious is that He IS the beginning and the end, the first and the last. It speaks of the everlasting quality of Jesus, who was present from before the foundation of the world and will be on His throne forever. Our salvation is tied to the assurance that Jesus will always be there when we need Him, and even when we think we don't. Our God is eternal.
"Alpha and Omega" also extols His victorious nature. If Jesus exists just so we may proclaim Him as eternal, there would be no reason for Him to die on the cross. Instead, Jesus might have stayed in heaven where it was safe and left us to make it the best way we could. But that isn't His nature. He finishes what He starts! And the only way to bring completion to what He started in the Garden of Creation was to win a total victory for His people on Golgotha.
GospeLines Prayer:Father, my Alpha and Omega, I cannot count the many times I have wanted to quit, but was encouraged to continue on, because You did. I am glad that You are more than an absentee God who oversees his creation from afar; I am grateful that You did not wind the clock of creation and leave it to run on its own. Thank You for sticking with it for the duration, from beginning to end, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and amen.
Let me be real frank with you.I can remember more than a few times when I was at the end of my rope.I had been going through challenges for quite a while and it seemed as though they would never end.My pastor kept encouraging the church to hold on to God, regardless of how stormy the sea of life became, but I had gotten tired.I'd finally reached the end of my rope.
The interesting thing I've discovered nonetheless is that when I've reached the end of my rope and exhausted all of my resources the Lord steps right in.
It's when my plans, devices and strategies fail me and I throw my hands up, that God seems to step into the picture.Why is this?
Perhaps it's because as long as I had my hands on the rope, I could never raise them, and thereby surrender the problem to Him.It's when I've reached the end of my rope (and sometimes fallen into despair) that I can hear Him say, "Let me help you through this."
Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying that things always worked out the way I wished they would.However, I definitely could sense His hand moving in the situation and working things out for the highest.
When you're at the end of your rope, release it, and give your hand to God.
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Thank you.
≈ Devotional for Wednesday, June 24, 2009
"Flirting With Disaster"
"Wish I had a truck," I muttered to myself while in rush hour freeway traffic. The older I become, and the more I drive on the freeways of Houston, the less happy I am with my 4-cylinder Geo Tracker. It isn't that I want to run over anyone, I just want to SEE over them and be able to KEEP UP. With those 18-wheelers towering above me on both sides, I have thoughts of being squeezed to death with nothing left but a big spot on the concrete. My worst fear comes when two NASCAR wannabes use the freeway as a racetrack, whizzing across three lanes of traffic in unison, darting in and out of cars at speeds approaching 90 mph. Watching them flirt with disaster brings visions of twisted steel and crushed bodies.
While attempting to stay on the Christian course, we may sometimes make errors of judgment which bring us face to face with dangerous situations. It could be a slightly shady business decision, or the encouragement of a flirtatious relationship that we know is not healthy for us. Maybe the temptations we face are certain social issues which are okay for the world, but unacceptable for the child of God. In school, we may be faced with cheating or drug or dating challenges. Whatever the circumstances, we should flee from evil. Do not give satan an opportunity for victory by flirting with danger.
GospeLines Prayer:Father, keep us safe whether we travel the freeways of life, or the less traveled country roads. Let purity be our constant companion and vigilance our navigator, less we become careless and succumb to the temptation that 'You can get by with it just this once.' Amen and amen.
A friend of mine recently said, “Unless it's for everyone it's incomplete.”He was talking about a “Golden Age” of economic good fortune: jobs for everyone, no one without health care and no one without food or shelter.He doesn’t accept a plan that leaves anyone behind.
I share his desire for a “Golden Age;” but, I know that for now, it is something we long for, but cannot yet attain.Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble.But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)The “Golden Age” will come to this earth, but not until our Lord and Master returns.In the meantime, what are we supposed to do?
We can start by heeding God’s words.“Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’says the Lord.On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:19-21)
If the plans of men (or governments) are not going to bring the “Golden Age” what plans can we follow until Christ returns to establish His Kingdom on earth?The Bible tells us to "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2nd Timothy 2:15).If the plans you live by are directed and rooted in God’s Word, you can be confident that you are walking toward that Golden Age by the best means possible.
"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33)."Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).
My friend said, “Unless it's for everyone it's incomplete.”God’s plan is for everyone and it is complete.If you want to experience the Golden Age now, then live by Joshua 24:15 - "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Pastor RonU
"…we can face Him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world."