PSALM 103: VERSES 14, 15 AND 16 - "HE KNOWS MY NAME"

For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, and its place acknowledges it no longer (Psalm 103:14-16)

The brevity of life, life at any age, is never more evident as one day seems to roll into the next into the next month, and into the next year. Time is fleeting at warp speed. It used to be that only senior citizens thought life was moving to a conclusion too fast. It is kind of like when you get to the end of the roll of paper towels, where the final few sheets coming flying off the cardboard roll, faster than newer paper towels. Nowadays, however, even younger people complain that time is moving too fast…and who can blame them?

There are so many distractions in all our lives that there are not enough hours in the day to pay attention to even, 35% of it all. There are only so many hours in the day to get work, sleep, have family time…as well as do all the things millennials think they have to do be relevant.  Sadly, of the latter, none of it has eternal meaning and/or benefit to those who live like this. We know from practically every survey that most of the last two generations can be classified as NONES – that is, people who have no faith. Even worse, a vast amount of those who do, think you can practice “Cafeteria Christianity”.

Cafeteria Christianity will send a huge population of self-professing “Christians” into outer darkness, where there is eternal separation from God. Because of horrible preaching, teaching, discipleship of the Post World War II generations and the Baby Boomers, the glide path to perdition was opened up wide for the destruction of the generations we see today. Scripture, and the Holy Spirit Who guides all who are redeemed, DAILY, is more than extremely clear.

Consider the following facts:

• We are created in the image of God.
• We were built for eternity and relationship with God.
• Adam and Eve forgot that God says they will “surely die”, and brought sin into the world.
• Because of sin, our life-spans are shortened.
• God knew us not just before He formed us in our mothers’ wombs, but before the foundation of the world.
• We were appointed to be born into the family, location and time period by God, Who then decides how long we live on this planet.
• We can be as healthy and strong as an ox, like Moses was at 120, but when God is it is time, it is time!
• Our lives can be full of beauty and good deeds, and just a joy to others. In the affluent western world, and especially in the younger generations who were not taught Godly values and morals, they think this is supposed to last forever with no pain, suffering or hard times.
• Reality is real. This means accidents will happen. Tragedies will claim the very young and even vulnerable. Nothing but the present is promised.
• God will bring all actions and beliefs into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 12:12-14) Remember the Lord in the days of your youth because most times, there is no time for death-bed conversions.
• When we were young, we wanted to be older. Now we are older, we wish we could be young again. Therefore, begin with the End in mind, because the End is within view.
• It is appointed for man to die once, and then the Judgment (Hebrews 9:27).

God knows everything about us. If a person has a real relationship with Abba Father through Christ, you know exactly that of which I speak. He created us, no matter what the pagans of the world teach or believe. He knows us intimately – when we hurt and when trouble (or good things) are heading our way. He prepares us for these things if we would only listen and pay attention.   This is the essence of these three verses from Psalm 103 (14-16).

We are as easily disposable as the “grass of the field” or the beautiful flowers therein.  If this only sounds like poetry, then look at your own backyard or front lawn. The grass can be beautiful and green after the Spring rains and in the summer. But look at it when the drought hits or when the Fall and Winter deprives it of the ability to grow. Then, ignore the dandelions and weeks and then look at it. Even after it is cut, it soon becomes unruly. This is the metaphor for us. If we do not remain on the alert as Christ warns us, or stay close to the Flame by daily repentance, reading or worshipping through the Word or prayer, we too will be like the chaff, which the winds driveth away.

The entire point of examining the Word of the Lord so in-depth, on this site, is to discern the Mind of God and how He wants us to live. He has told us right here about the fleeting nature of our lives. Let us them make them count, to the beauty and glory of His Name and for the benefit of others. This way, we will enter Eternity and Life in the Presence of God, with peace, joy, and contentment, in Jesus Strong Name, Amen.

THE BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE

“Your words have been hard against me, says the LORD. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping His charge or of walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’”
Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed His name. “They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him....(Malachi 3:13-18 ESV)

As we continue our End Times look at relevant portions of the Prophets, to whom the Lord has led us,  we return to our brief look at Malachi chapter numbers 3 and 4. This short passage is meant for us who call ourselves Christians, in today's world. There are about 45 messages and books in those six verses above, but, what basic message they carry should sober up a whole bunch of people....deceived people...in these last days!

The first portion in BLUE is actually a charge against the following who are among us today. They are:
- the actual lost, but they are so lost they don't know it. This is the majority of mankind and they will be eternally removed from the Presence of the Holy One.
- those with the spirit of religion. They are deceived, full of lies and have bought the easy preaching of charlatans with nice suits, good teeth and popular TV shows
- they have bought the lies of the bumper stick "CO-EXIST" where everybody, from priest, pastor and president tells them that all roads lead to heaven...that we are only on different sides of the same mountain.

These people don't know God and don't know the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They don't know His Word because they have never been saved, sanctified and called out to a purpose. They have a form of religion but are not transformed into His Image. They are full of dead men's bones. They would not lift a finger to really help somebody find true peace and contentment in Christ because they don't have it themselves. They reside from the highest offices in the land to the lowest country church in Iowa. As the verse said above, "they call the arrogant blessed" and bow down to mortal men as their lord and savior. Yet they spit on the True Lord and Savior - Jesus Christ - just as the pharisees and Romans did when they crucified Him. They own everything in America and the world today. They own all the money, the media, the message...and by getting others to eat the forbidden fruit, they own the masses. They already have the mark of the beast on their souls.

But these people in the Blue printed Scriptures above, who live among us today, forget one thing. The cameras in Heaven have been rolling...and rolling in high quality! He has a Book of Remembrance. Several times we are told about the Books in Heaven, which is another study by itself, but be ye not slack on this - God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man doeth, so shall he reap. Many today have sown the wind - they will reap the whirlwind. We may not see it when they do, but God is true, and the whirlwinds are coming!

Please not several key words in the above passage printed in GOLD: 
- "those who feared the Lord". WE MUST FEAR HIM...and not just because of Who He is and what He can do to us. We must fear Him because we respect, adore and are in awe of Him. The Bible says "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Knowledge". Jesus said to not fear men who can kill the body but fear HIM Who has the power to both kill the body and cast you into hell. But if you wish to live past this life, I recommend you do as in Ecclesiastes 12:13. God gives two directives when it all boils down to it...as Solomon himself recognized - "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man"
- Finally, note what else gets and keeps us in the Lord's Book of Remembrance. He says "Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed His name. HOW did they "speak with each other"? Well, they were in fellowship, for one thing! There are those who say they don't have to go to a church, meet with others (if they can) and such. But what we see here is that the Righteous both Fear the Lord and Fellowship with each other...and not just that! They TALK about the Lord and all His Righteousness. Note this too: THE LORD PAID ATTENTION!

Friends, this is the TRUE Christian walk. This is what gets a person into Heaven. It is not politics, social justice, social gospel (there is no such thing). It is the fear of the Lord; meeting with His people and talking about Him as you should. That is, in a way He approves. That way? Well, it is called Worship! What did John 4:23 say "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers"! There is a lot more to say about the Books - of Life and Remembrance, but this is what the Lord is calling His people out, as His encouragement to us, as we press on towards the Prize, in these Last Days!