Are You Aware?

"I will make you  a great nation, and I will bless you, And Make Your Name Great,; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse.  And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed" (Gen 12:2-3).

Hey Gang: Are you up to speed in what is happening in our world at this moment.   Are you concerned?  I mean really getting to the nail- biting stage of the daily news of our world?  I am.  Not so much for myself or my bride, for we have been blessed with God's promise of three score and seven, and I am not as concerned with my kids and their spouses, for they have passed the half century mark but I am really concerned for my grand's and my great grand's.

Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, was given the profound covenant that would be the center stone of all happens in our world.  In it God says you can judge all things by how they impact of "the apple of My eye."    Very simply stated, "If you bless 'My Land' and 'My people', I will bless you and, if you choose to curse 'My Land' and 'My People', I will return the cursing on you.."

I have included the prophecy given to us by Haggai and repeated by the writer of the Hebrews, but I want to repeat it again, and pray that it is driven deep into the depths of your heart.  These very powerful and ominous words were written during the reign of Darius the King as a warning of what is to come in the latter days or even the last days.

"Yet once more I will shake not only the  earth, but the heaven."  This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain".  That is the black dog portion of Haggai's prophecy, but notice he does not leave us without hope, "Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire" (Hag. 2:6, Heb. 12:26b - 29).

Yesterday I once again completed my favorite chore.  You might think we weird but I love to cut the grass.  Why?  Not because I like to hear the racket of the engine and mower for two hours or because I enjoy the sun baking down on my frail body, but because the engine is loud enough I can sing at the top of my voice and no one can hear me.  The song that rang my bell yesterday was one penned by Albert E. Brumley, who I suspect also had a mower. 

He wrote the following words that every believer can take to the bank "This world is not my home, I'm only passing through.  My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue; The angels beckon me from heavens open door, And I can't feel at home in this world anymore." 

Soooo, friends and fellow believers, this truth is echoed throughout the word of God. The words "sojourner" and "pilgrim" are found many times in both the Old and New Covenant.  When the alligators begin to assemble and the rubber-hits-the-road and your back is against the wall, take a moment or two remember that this is just a short preparing time and place- for eternity.

Blessings, 

  Gramps