Coffee With The Lord

Reading Isiah’s prophecy about a future day in history this morning during “coffee with the Lord” provoked deep gratitude in my heart for our spiritual heritage as Christians in Israel’s history! We can be thankful for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, King David and many others who forged a rich legacy of faith for us that ultimately led to our Lord Jesus Christ! In Isaiah’s passage, he prophetically pointed to a wonderful future day when that heritage will have prominence and be celebrated universally! Praise the Lord! Just let me say, I’m eternally grateful for God’s faithful revelation expressed through Israel’s history, all the way to God’s revelation through Christ, and then onward into eternity! Thanks to the covenant keeping Eternal God – the Living God!

Here’s the passage that provoked my grateful reflection… Give it a read – gratefully!

“In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it! Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’ The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem! He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! (From Isaiah 2 NIV)

New Year’s Eve… the end of 2016… Just finished reading my Bible through one more time (began doing it when annually when I was 18 – now I’m 69… figure it out 😉  Been a wonderful, uplifting, soul-sustaining, life-transforming practice!  I recommend!  (If you’re looking for a Bible reading plan to guide you, I wrote one several years ago I entitled “Necessary Food” based upon Job 23:12 [“I have treasured to word of His mouth more than my necessary food.”]  You read a passage from each major literary type of the Bible each day and finish the Bible in a year.  Just email me at leroybartel@gmail.com and I’ll send you a free pdf copy for your Bible reading this year.)

Back to what I got from my Bible reading during “coffee with the Lord” today…

The final passage of God’s word to us (repeated three times I might say) as we end 2016 and begin 2017 tomorrow morning…

“And He said to me [John], ‘These word are trustworthy and true!  The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets has sent His angel to show His servants what must soon take place.  BEHOLD, I AM COMING SOON!  Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book…

“BEHOLD, I AM COMING SOON, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end!…

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘SURELY I AM COMING SOON!’  AMEN!  COME, LORD JESUS!

“The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all!  Amen”

(From Revelation 22:6-7, 12-13, 20-21)

May you all have a God-blessed New Year as you watch for and expectantly wait for the Lord’s return!  “Amen!  Come Lord Jesus!”

Every year, regardless of what has happened it seems, we greet one another with “Happy New Year” and celebrate with a certain sense of optimism, hope and best wishes. And the truth is, things may get better, and yet they may not – in fact they may get worse. Regardless of that, tomorrow night at midnight, we’ll wish one another, “Happy New Year!”

This morning though, for devoted followers of Jesus, I read about a “Happy New Year” that tops them all! It won’t simply be numbered or limited by a set number of days… It will last forever – eternal – it will never end! All things will be new! Everything will be right and supremely “good”! Here’s the reliable report about it from God Himself, in the Bible…

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’ And He who was seated on the throne said, ‘BEHOLD, I AM MAKING ALL THINGS NEW!’” (From Revelation 21:1–5 ESV… and you really need to read the entire description in Revelation 21:1 – 22:5!)

Think about it – every aspect of God’s promised, fabulous future for those who trust him, love Him and follow Him! Gonna be “par excellence”! That’s a New “Year” to top ‘em all! I’m looking forward to that one with great anticipation!