Sharon Lackey
“Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.” Matthew 25:13
“I hope you’re with me. I hope you’re with me. I hope you’re with me when it’s over. You won’t be lonely. You won’t be lonely. You won’t be lonely went it’s over.” Lover Boy
These are the words to a song that was repeating in my mind over and over and over as I both slept and when I awoke this morning, and I think I know why.
The Lord often ministers to me through music, and yes, on occasion, through secular music. But why this song—a song I haven’t heard since my teens? I believe it’s because I recently studied the book of Revelation for the first time and discovered an unsettling warning—that a person's name could be erased from the Book of Life.
“Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. So remember what you have received and heard, and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know the hour I will come to you. But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments, and I will not erase his name from the Book of Life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” Revelation 3:2-6
“Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die….and I will not erase his name from the Book of Life…” This is a serious warning and the reason I believe that silly song was repeating in my mind. I fear having my name erased from the Book of Life.
Perhaps you, like me, have been taught the words of mankind that you cannot lose your Salvation. But that is found nowhere in the Bible. Perhaps you, like me, have been taught the Words of Jesus from Hebrews 13:5: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” That is His promise, His covenant and He cannot and will not break His covenant. He absolutely, positively will never leave us or forsake us. He will never put us away (divorce us), BUT will we put Him away? Will we divorce Him? Or will we be found faithful to the end?
“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later time some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.” I Timothy 4:1
“At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.” Matthew 24:10-11
Jesus spoke of the parable of the ten virgins in the book of Matthew 25:13 saying:
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with Him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, ’ Lord, Lord, open up for us.’ But He answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.’”
Notice that all ten virgins (the pure) had a lamp with oil (the Holy Spirit). They all became drowsy and began to sleep. But at the shout of the coming of the Bridegroom, all ten virgins trimmed their lamps but five of the virgins lamps were going out. They were found without oil (Holy Spirit) at the coming of the Groom. When the Bridegroom went into the wedding feast, He closed the door. So when the five foolish virgins returned it was too late. “'Lord, Lord, open up for us.’ But He answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’”
There is another warning found in the closing of Revelation 22:18-19, which says, “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book; if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in the book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”
We as the Bride of Christ have entered into a Covenant with our Groom, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our names are written in the Book of Life. Our lives are grafted into the Tree of Life. Jesus will never put us away (divorce us). He is faithful and will remain faithful to the end. Faithful is WHO He is. May we, the Bride of Christ, be alert and be found faithful to the final hour—when it’s all over!
“But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” Matthew 24:13
The Book of Prayers | Praying Covenant Prayers
If we don’t align our thinking with the New Covenant message, our prayer requests will take the pathway of selfish praying. New Covenant thinking is all about fulfillment versus asking for things – it is more like claiming what is already true about us and the allotment of our daily circumstances. Without this modality of thinking, the enemy will shift our focus from accepting existing sovereignty to begging for God to change His sovereignty to match our panic and fears. Note. He will not change His eternal plan to match humanity’s needs. However, since He knows what your needs are before you pray, He will fulfill all the requests that match His predestined care for you. ORDER HERE
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