Tag: wear out

12.a. “They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment,”

Habakkuk 1:12  Are you not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof. You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?

Psalms 90  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Revelation 1:8   “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Lamentations 5:19   But you, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations.

Isaiah 40:28     Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

1 Timothy 1:17    To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 1:10-12     And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands;  they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment,

Isaiah 57:15    For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Almighty, Everlasting, Holy One, Rock, Righteous, Alpha and Omega, Creator, Unsearchable, Immortal, Invisible, and Unchangeable, is our God!!!!!!!!!  It is hard to touch the edge of understanding of how great God is.  The Mighty One who reigns in eternity is the same one who dwells with those who are repentant. “The One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” Our God reached out to His creation in love through Jesus Christ, to redeem those who come to Him in a contrite spirit.  It was not as though He needed to do this.  He is God and could have destroyed His creation and started over but He chose to send a redeemer into this world to rescue those who would respond to His offer of redemption through Jesus Christ.  Adam and Eve chose to defy God’s warning.  They chose to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. I do not know how this all worked but at this point sin and our sinful nature took birth.  Every birth from this moment forward has a sinful nature.  This same sinful nature that drove Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden is the same sinful nature that drives us to willingly continue to separate ourselves from God.  This sinful nature wants us and entices us to look at what this world has to offer more than the Word of God and His promises.  This sinful nature wants us to water down the Good News of Jesus Christ to the point where it has no effect on the way we live.  It wants us to water down the Good News of Jesus Christ so that the need for forgiveness, repentance, reliance, obedience, and humbly serving the King of Kings is not required. This should not be.  Things of this world will never fully satisfy, but will surely disappoint.  Things of this world will never give us lasting peace, but will surely rob us of rest for our souls.  Things of this world will never give us lasting hope but will fill us with confusion and fear.  Things of this world will not save our souls from eternal punishment and torment in hell but will fill us with a worldly wisdom that there is no punishment, torment, or hell.  The grace, mercy, and love of God reached out to save us from our sinful nature.  The Creator demonstrated this grace, mercy, and love by sending His only Son and placed our sins on Him as the only perfect, once and for all sacrifice.  This perfect redemption came at a very high cost and yet, Jesus Christ paid the price willing for our redemption and forgiveness of sin.  Our daily lives ought to be lived out in humble thankfulness and gratitude, full of worship, obedience, and reliance.  Be mindful of your sinful nature and what this world is offering, they both lie.  Turn your hearts, minds, and souls to the Almighty, Everlasting, Holy One, Rock, Righteous, Alpha and Omega, Creator, Unsearchable, Immortal, Invisible, and Unchangeable, God!!  In this turning to God and away from self you will find purpose, meaning, peace, and rest.  Eternity awaits us all.  To some it will be eternity Heaven and others it will be an eternity in Hell.  The choice is all yours and be assured that this choice has eternal consequences.

Who is a God like you

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

“Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,”

Psalms 108:1   My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being!   Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!  I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.  For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!  That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer me!

 Micah 7:18-20     Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.  He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

 Ephesians 2:4-7     But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

 Isaiah 51:2-11     For the LORD comforts Zion; he comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.  “Give attention to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go out from me, and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.  My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for me, and for my arm they wait.  Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed.  “Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings.

11  And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Who is like God? When we think of His love, grace, and mercy do we put it in context of “Our Sin”?  When we think of His anger, judgement, wrath do we think of it in the context of “Others Sins”?  One of these views results in joy, peace, safety, hope, strength, courage, rest, and praise to God.  The other view results in a life critical of others, complacent neglect because the inner self is not examined.  Praise to God does not come from looking at others sins in light of our perceived righteous actions, no it comes from knowing God, His holiness, and a deep understanding of our sinful nature.  We find this in and through His word.  God’s word is sharper than a two edged sword, able to divide the thought and intents of man.  Spend time in His word and let it speak to your heart, soul and mind. In and through it and His promises we find hope and peace.

New heavens and new earth

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.”

Psalms 102:26  They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end. The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you.

Isaiah 34:4     All the host of heaven shall rot away, and the skies roll up like a scroll. All their host shall fall, as leaves fall from the vine, like leaves falling from the fig tree.

Isaiah 66:22     “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the LORD, so shall your offspring and your name remain.

2 Peter 3:7-12     But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.  But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.  Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,  waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!

Revelation 20:11    Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.

Revelation 21:1    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.

Have you ever heard someone say “Live like there is no tomorrow”?  What are they really saying?  For some this would translate into “Party Time” and give no thought of the ramifications their actions would have on them or others.  Why not?  They assume all will end and there is nothing beyond this life.  No eternity.  No judgement. No God. No Heaven. No life after death.

For others, who believe, they may see this as so important they contact all family and friends they can, knowing they have little time, and tell them of God, eternity, judgment, life after death,  Good News of Jesus Christ, and salvation, new heaven and new earth, life eternal.  By the way this is how we ought to think – like there is no tomorrow.

There was a small book I read written by Brother Lawrence.  While he was out tending his garden the question was posed to him, “what would you do if you knew the world would end tomorrow?”.  He replied, “I would keep tending my garden.”  Brother Lawrence explained why.  He said he absolutely knew that he was doing God’s will and purpose.  He lived continually in the presence of God.  He sought nothing of his day but only to that which God was leading.  He sought to hear God’s leading and then, by faith, acted upon that.  He stayed in close contact with God through His word and in prayer.  Brother Lawrence only wanted to do what God had purposed for His life.  The world did not influence his actions, God did.  The world did not give him satisfaction, God did.  We all would do well to seek to know and understand God’s purpose for our life and then, by faith, always take action accordingly as His quiet small voice of leading is directing us.

Foundation of earth and heaven

“Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.  They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,”

Zechariah 12:1  The oracle of the word of the LORD concerning Israel: Thus declares the LORD, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him: “Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples.

Isaiah 51:22  Thus says your Lord, the LORD, your God who pleads the cause of his people: “Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering; the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more;  and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors, who have said to you, ‘Bow down, that we may pass over’; and you have made your back like the ground and like the street for them to pass over.”

Jeremiah 30:10     “Then fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the LORD, nor be dismayed, O Israel; for behold, I will save you from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease, and none shall make him afraid.

Isaiah 57:16     For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made.

Isaiah 44:24    Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself,

The power and sovereignty of God can easily be seen in  scripture.  Why is it I so easily forget the power, might, purpose, plans, and love of God?  Do I not trust the creator of all there is?  Do I not have faith in His love, purpose, and plans? Do I doubt He is in control? I wish this lack of reliance and trust were put behind me and I could walk this life in and by absolute faith.  It seems as though I have the head knowledge, but the heart, mind, and soul deep belief and trust is always on the fringe.  Forgive me Father for you alone is where my service, obedience, and reliance should continually be.

Judgement Day is Coming

“Our God comes; he does not keep silence; before him is a devouring fire, around him a mighty tempest.”

“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.”

“But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”

“This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.”

“so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment,”

Malachi 4:1   “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.

Malachi 3:2    But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.

Ezekiel 7:10     “Behold, the day! Behold, it comes! Your doom has come; the rod has blossomed; pride has budded

Joel 2:1    Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; it is near,

Joel 2:31   The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.

Zephaniah 1:14   The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there.

2 Peter 3:7    But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

Isaiah 51:6     Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed.

Zephaniah 3:8    “Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD, “for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.

Matthew 25:41    “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Revelation 20:11   Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.

2 Peter 2:9    then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,

Such great scripture today to keep in mind the urgency to proclaim salvation through Christ to the lost.  The day of judgement is coming, a time when there will no longer be any time to change your heart and mind to believe in and humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God.  This day will come when people least expect and much like those who’s lives are cut short by death.  Always thinking there is another day, another time to fully commit and trust God.  Let each of us be willing to be used by God and shine the light of His grace, mercy and love.