You Can’t take it with you
Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” Revelation 14:13
Have you ever heard the old saying: You can’t take it with you? Meaning that when you die and leave this world, you cannot take any material things with you when you go. Once I heard an older preacher say that they never saw a moving truck following a hurst to the cemetery. Yet the majority of people spend their entire time here in this world trying to accumulate the best things that will only last for a few short years here on earth.
It’s true, when we leave this world and go on to live in heaven, we cannot not, nor would we ever want to take any physical thing that we have acquired here in the earth with us when we pass. It just cannot compare to the treasure we will see in heaven. However, there is something that we can take with us from this life. That is the good works that we do for other and the souls that we lead to our Savior Jesus.
Today’s reading describes three angels that fly through the heavens proclaiming the everlasting gospel message and also giving warnings to the people on earth to fear God and give Him glory. These angels are messengers to preach the good news that Jesus is Lord to the people in the world and to warn them that the beasts and systems they are trusting in are going to fall and God’s wrath is coming to those who receive the mark in their hand or head. This is bad news, but there is still time at that point for the people of the world to turn to God and aways from the deception of the evil leaders.
Then John was told to write a proclamation that those who die in the Lord are blessed and they will rest from the labors and all their hard work will follow them into eternity. These that are suffering the terrible afflictions of the evilness that is possessing the earth are blessed and all their labor to help others in that time will live on with them for all eternity when the finish here in this world.
You and I are blessed too. Even though we will escape the treachery of those great tribulation days, God’s blessing is on us right here and now. We have been called to do His good works and glorify our Father here in the world. Jesus said in Matthew 5:16 to let our light shine brightly so that the world can see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. His intent was for His disciples to carry on in the good work Jesus started and to continue in it through the generations until the end of the age. These good works, feeding the pour, healing the sick, sharing the salvation message and following the leading of the Holy Spirit will follow you into eternity. So you can take something with you when you leave this world, that is all that you have been called to by your heavenly Father.
Today I want to encourage you to do the good works that Jesus did while He was here in this world. Love the unlovable, Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you and pray for those who spitefully use you. If anyone slaps you on the cheek, offer the other also. From him who takes aways your coat, do not withhold your shirt either. There is no reward for loving those who love you and doing good to those who do good to you. Even the world does those things, but loving your enemies, doing good, lending and hoping for nothing in return, that is when your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High because He is kind to the unthankful and evil so be merciful just as your Father is also merciful. In the same way that Jesus said these things in Luke 6, that is the good that will follow us into our eternal destination.
Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 14:6-13
6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people
7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”
8 And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand,
10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
The Daily Dose 