The Call Of God: COME!

I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto 

you these things in the churches. I am the root 

and the offspring of David, and the bright and 

morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, 

Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let

 him that is athirst, come. And whosoever will, 

let him take the water of life freely. For I testify

 unto every man that heareth the words of the 

prophecy of this book, If any man shall add 

unto these things, God shall add unto him the 

plagues that are written in this book: and if 

any man shall take away from the words 

of the book of this prophecy, God shall take 

away his part out of the book of life, and out

 of the holy city, and from the things which are 

written in this book. He which testifieth these

 things saith, Surely I come quickly, Amen. Even so, 

come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord 

Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Revelation 22:16-21

     We have come to the last verse of the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible. I have attempted to go over each and every verse, to keep those verse in context, and to use context, Greek grammar, and historical references to ensure that we get the thrust of Scripture for our lives. What is that thrust? It is simple: Believe upon God as the creator and progenitor of all things that exist and upon His Son, God in the Second Person of the Trinity who died for sin and applies that propitiation to all who will believe. The thrust is for us to come to our conclusion that we are sinners in need of a Savior and that Savior is Jesus Christ. Then we are to empty ourselves as Jesus emptied Himself and came down into our world to pay our debt, and follow Jesus Christ, to deny ourselves of that this world claims as the way life should be, a life in opposition to God. We are here, left in this life after our conversion, and the reason is that we are to witnesses to the Gospel, to bring the Gospel to our world and the world at large. The metric is simple: Go....make disciples, teach them, and then to baptize them, a metric that has been so divisive among those who claim another metric, one that is not found in the Bible. 

     Jesus sent, as the translators put it, angels to the churches. Remember that the word we translate angels means messenger, so it can mean simply a spirit being, and angel, or it could mean that God has sent men to the Churches to testify to you the Gospel. The One sending those messengers is Jesus Christ, the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star. He is calling: COME! Remember that old hymn, "Come home, come home, all ye who are weary, Come home, Jesus is calling, Come home!" God is calling, and He is willing to give to you the free gift of salvation, but you must be willing to receive it and then to take the water of life freely. Will you? 

     The words in this prophecy is so serious that we are charged to not tamper with it, to not add to it, or to take away from those words given to John. Some want to apply those words to not take away or add to all the Bible and they are certainly right: we are not to add anything to the Bible, or take away anything from the Bible, but here this has a deep meaning for us to not take away or add to this vision given to John. It is so serious that if anyone should add or subtract from this letter that they would be removed from the book of life. Some will cry out: "this means you can lose your salvation!" No! If you are an Authentic Christian, that is, that you have put all your faith, your life into the hands of Jesus you will not want to add or subtract, you will read the words of God with simplicity and follow what God has revealed to you in His word. If you are not Authentic in your Christian life, and you make changes, then that person has not denied himself/herself and wants the Bible to say what they want it to say, and not just allow the Bible to reveal to us the simple truths. Yes, you must be growing in sanctification, your faith must increase, stagnation is unacceptable to God and you will enter into the holy city with the stench of smoke upon you. Repentance is the way to growth in faith, in sanctification. You must put into practice that which you say you are, an Authentic Christian. Have you added, or subtracted from the words of the Bible: Repent! Life is simple when a person follows the word of God, and it also at the same time hard for persecution and decision that are hard are to be faced due to your faith in Jesus Christ. Don't worry! Your name is in the Book of Life, permanantly: you are saved from your sin that so easily besets you. 

     Jesus is coming soon, and quickly, that is, there will not be a waste of time, quickly, loudly with the sound of a trumpet, and will come as a thief in the night so be prepared, prepare now!

THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOU ALL. AMEN. 

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Give unto the LORD, O ye 

    kindreds of the people,

give unto the LORD glory 

     and strength.

                Psalm 96:7

Praise God for your salvation

Richard L. Crumb                

The Reward Of God Who Is The Alpha And The Omega

And behold, I come quickly; and My reward' is 

with me, to give every man according as his work 

shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning 

and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are 

they that do His commandments, that they may 

have right to the tree of life, and may enter in 

through the gates into the city. For without 

are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, 

and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever 

loveth and maketh a lie.

Revelation 22:12-15 

     O apologize for not including in the opening verses verse 11, but there are times that I just forget and look at what I wrote to ensure that I have typed correctly. Yet, we must be reminded that the unjust, the filthy will not be changed into the clean and just so that they can enter into the holy city. Only the righteous can enter into that city and that they are to be righteous, and the Greek word translated still means henceforth (eti). Are you growing in sanctification? If so then you are from the beginning of your faith henceforth growing, and if you are not growing in your sanctification then begin now, it is not too late, Jesus has not returned for His bride, but when He comes then you will be saved as through fire and you, as well as everyone, will give an answer to all we said and have done. Once the dogs and the murderers, etc., are gone then you will henceforth remain faithful and righteous without the stain of sin. This stain of sin will be gone, a reward given to the children of God, and this reward will be given to you according to your work. I am not necessarily speaking of philanthropic work, whatever form it may take, important but not the work that aids you in your growth in sanctification. The primary work of an Authentic Christian was set forth for us by Jesus: "Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord they God with all they heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:37-40). You must first love God, and then by that love, love is extended to others, but that love of God must be the foundation and the driving force of all you do in this life that henceforth will be the driving force for you for eternity. How do you love God? God is the priority of your life. God is the force in your life that keeps you from actively sinning. It is God first that everyone can see in you God. Even atheist do philanthropy, even agnostics do philanthropy, even heretics do philanthropy, so then philanthropy can be caused by several different reasons, yours should be based upon the word of God. Your primary priority is the Gospel, and you are to be a witness to the Gospel, for the Gospel is Jesus Christ. Are you waiting for the call of God? Well....if your waiting is to do little or nothing and requiring God to show you the way, you will wait until death. God has called you to be a witness for Him, to be His mouth, feet, hands, to be active in your faith and righteousness, now. You will be called to give an answer for all you have said and done, so why not, then, have an answer based upon you getting up and doing with God, not for Him, you cannot do anything for God, only to do things with God and He has outlined for you the commandments to follow, and by those commandments you do you work, your service, your preaching, your time as a missionary. Apparently, there is a reward according to your works. You are not saved by your works, no, you by your faith demonstrate your faith by your works, works built upon the Gospel. Jesus did all for you, why not give to Him your all? 

     Jehovah Witnesses: WAKE UP! "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty (Not the might, but the Almighty)(Revelation 1:8), and, "Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last" (Revelation 1:11a). God appeared unto Moses and said: "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent Me unto you" (Exodus 3:14). God calls Himself the Alpha and the Omega, and Jesus calls Himself the Alpha and the Omega, both in Scripture are said to be the beginning of all things, and the end of all things, and that term means forever. God is called the Almighty, Jesus is called the Almighty: does it take a very smart person to understand? No! Read the word of God and read it without some presupposition built upon the word of man, no, read if plain and clearly: Jesus is the Almighty God, the Alpha and the Omega, and it was Jesus who gives to us the commands of God for us to follow. It is Jesus who gives the reward to you for your faithfulness to follow His commands. You, if you are faithful to the word of God be allowed to come into the city of God. Jesus is coming "quickly" and the Greek word means more than time, but suddenly (taxu). Be prepared, prepare now, deny yourself this world and all the things that will separate you from Him. Build your relationship on Jesus Christ, not to get a reward, that is already set aside for you, no because God saves you and not by any means you can do but to repent of your sins then pick up your cross and follow Him.

     You are blessed due to your following the commands of God. So, why not follow them?

And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven,

     the great and terrible God, that keepeth

covenant and mercy for them that love Him

    and observe His commandments.

                             Nehemiah 1:5

No fear, God loves you and has a home for you

Richard L. Crumb

The Words Of God: Faithful And True

And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful 

and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets

 sent His angel to shew unto His servants the 

things which must shortly be done. Behold,

 I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the

 sayings of the prophecy of this book. And I John

 saw these things, and heard them. And when 

I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship 

before the feet of he angel which shewed me 

these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: 

for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren 

the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings

 of this book: worship God. And he saith unto me, 

Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: 

for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be

 unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy 

still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous 

still: and he that is holy, that is holy be holy still.

Revelation 22:6-10

     In the yesterday's blog the word "light" was recorded from Revelation 22:5, as it was used similarly in other Revelation verses, but just to remind us that often our English does not give a complete Greek understanding of a word. The word "light" is one of several meanings and uses: it can be used for energy on a wave length that manifests as a physical light: i.e., a reading light, a light in the kitchen, or a flashlight, but there is a deeper meaning and that is: enlightenment. The Greek word means enlightenment. It is God who gives enlightenment, not man, not creeds, not denominational doctrines, not priests dressed up in some form of formal garb, even though some of this may have Scriptural warrant, it is only God, and this through the word of God that man is enlightened. It is Scripture interpreting Scripture and not Scripture proving a doctrine. Doctrine comes from a faithful and diligent study of God's word and allowing the plain and clear truth manifest itself without man's presuppositions, or proclivities. 

     John is told: "These sayings are faithful and true." The two Greek words are without a definite article, and the word for "and" means that the two words are of the same substance, the word, those sayings, are faithful and true. What more can be said, they are faithful, you can count on them as they are also true. How do you know? Read the Bible, both the Old and the New Testaments and see how Revelation and the symbols, the prophecies are true and they are faithful. In colloquial saying: "you can take them to the bank." 

     John was so amazed, so enamored that he wanted to bow down and worship this one that was bringing to him these words. The angel said: NO! Why? He was just another fellow servant. How then does a religion worship angels, or prophets as though they have the ability to do only what God can do? This religion digs up bones and venerates them, puts them on display, and by doing this gives them a form of worship, a worship that does not belong to them as our worship is to worship our God and our God alone. We can see similar forms of this type of image worship when we hold high as speakers from God, who have powers that Jesus displayed, i.e., to heal, to speak in gibberish languages, even to go so far as to not follow Scripture as to how languages were to be used in the Church? There are those who worship such items as "prayer cloths," or "sacred water," or other items used, icons, are one such item, all done without Scripture warrant. They must not have read these words: Worship God and Him alone. 

    Authentic Christians, those who will not follow after those false teachers, those heretical doctrines of man, keep the pure truth of the faithful word of God. Simple: if the Bible says do it, that is, nothing added, do it: and if the Bible says not do it; nothing added, i.e., such as priests must be celibate, etc., then do not do it."  Worship God! 

     John was told that the time for the fulfillment was due, at hand: the Greek word means "near." The word "near" is also one of many definitions: it can mean to be closely with respect to connection. John was told that there is coming a time when the time of this world will come to a close, this era will come to an end, and that the Son of God will come to claim His bride and a new world, a new order, a new dispensation of God's grace would occur. 

      When Jesus returns it will be too late to change your mind: you cannot wait until the last moment, to see of the words of the Bible are true and faithful: make up your mind now before the time that is at hand comes quickly. If need by, change yourself from the inside/out, renew your faith in God, in our Savior Jesus Christ, not some preacher, or some supposed prophet, etc., no, in God alone; worship God alone. Be righteous still, now and forever. 

Thy testimonies are very sure:

    holiness becometh thine house,

O LORD, for ever.

                   Psalm 93:5

The return of Jesus is near, choose who you will serve

Richard L. Crumb