Matthew 4:4 (New King James Version) But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"
For today's verse we'll return to Revelation for another of the beatitudes found in this book of prophecy. Living by "every word" is "keeping" the word.
Revelation 22:7 (New King James Version) "Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
The book of Revelation and the beatitudes we've looked at have shown that the blessings in this life and the next are found in our relationship to Jesus Christ. They've spoken of being prepared, being ready for His coming. We do this by living for Him and we find how to do this by following His Word. As we follow Him, He will commune, communicate to us. In essence, He will visit us as we seek to spend time with Him.
I think of Genesis where God walked in the garden with Adam and Eve before they sinned and tried to hide from God. Oh that we would seek Him and not try to hide from Him today. May we look forward to His visits.
Thomas Watson wrote:
He visits them as they sit around His table, and sing His praise.
He visits them in the valley of trouble--where they sigh and weep.
He visits them when oppressed--to support and set them free.
He visits them in sickness--to comfort and make their bed.
He visits them when they backslide--to restore them.
He visits them in the valley of the shadow of death--to conduct them safely through.
The Lord has visited me at times in the past--and, blessed be His name, He will surely visit me in the future. He will visit . . .
to sweeten every bitter cup,
to sanctify every trying dispensation, and
to enable me patiently to bear every cross.
He will visit, to bring me up out of this land--this land of trial and tribulation, this land of sins and sorrows. His last visit will be the sweetest, as introductory to His eternal presence and glory!
He will surely visit His children--but it may be to bereave. It may be to remove some idol. Or it may be, to strip me of something which encumbers and hinders me in my journey.
He will visit, and His visits will be in mercy
Do you find yourself in one of the situations described above?
He visits us in Spirit now, and He will come again in person to gather us to Him that we may truly know Him, forever. (John 17:3)
Blessings,
Mike
Follow the verse of the day at mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Revelation 22:6-11 (New King James Version)
The Time Is Near
6 Then he said to me, "These words are faithful and true." And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.
7 "Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
9 Then he said to me, "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God." 10 And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still."
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