1952 YOU WILL STAND IN YOUR LOT
AT THE END OF DAYS
Let’s do a little from Daniel
chapter 12.
That was the chapter for this
past week.
These chapters in the Old
Testament prophets are very familiar with the End Times teachers.
In Theology we call this
Eschatology- the study of End Times.
But what I want to do is give you
a few simple principles.
Daniel is receiving a message
from God/angels.
He hears that God is going to do
a great work with his people- but this work takes place in the middle of great
trouble [often called the time of Jacobs Trouble- or the Tribulation].
God communicates that his people
will be scattered- a ruler will come against them- and yet- this is the time
they will inherit the promises God made to them.
The chapter ends by saying those
who endure to the final days- they will ‘stand in their lot at the end of their
days- and rest’.
The ‘end of days’ phrase- used by
Jesus in the gospels- can be a tricky phrase.
How so?
In the New Testament when we read
that certain things will happen- and the ‘end of the world’ comes.
The actual term in Greek says
‘the end of the age’.
This can refer to a specific time
period coming to an end.
For instance- one of the great
themes of the bible is the New and Everlasting covenant of the Blood of Jesus.
Yes- Christians celebrate and
remember this covenant every Sunday in church.
The Eucharist/communion is the
central mode of worship in many Christian churches of our day.
In biblical terms- we are already
in a ‘new age’.
So- in some ways the ‘old world’
has passed away- and the new one has come.
Okay- applying this to Daniel-
God says in the ‘end of days’ we shall stand in our lot [fulfill our purpose in
life] and this will happen during a time of great trouble- like never before.
As we say ‘can I get an amen’?
So- in life- we have a calling from
God- a purpose for being on the planet.
Thru out the journey there are
ups and downs- but those who ‘endure to the end [outcome]’ will ‘be saved’- or
fulfill the purpose at the end.
Got it?
Okay- just a few notes.
The last week or so I have been
helping my friend establish a halfway house.
I have been working with some new
guys- guys form the other part of town- yet they are brothers just like the
guys where I live.
I mentioned Little Charlie the
other day- he’s a young kid- has had his problems with drugs- and is living at
the halfway house.
I brought a bunch of furniture
and stuff over the last few weeks.
I like it- it already has some of
my favorite nick knacks hanging on the walls.
I spent some time with the guys
this past Sunday- I took them to a street church that my friend pastors [see
all the pictures of the tent he sets up- I posted them on Facebook].
His name is Rey Escalante- he’s a
good friend of mine- he works with the same street guys I work with.
I took the halfway house crew to
his service this Sunday- we had a good time.
Rey feeds everyone a Sunday dinner
too.
I had a good talk with Bryan.
Bryan is one of the guys at the
house- he’s 46- I was surprised- he looks much younger.
He told me ‘John- I’m Catholic’.
I guess he has had various
‘preachers’ jump on him about that over the years- you could tell by the way he
said it.
I told him that’s fine- I have
Catholic friends [over the years even a few priests] who have read my blog.
So- I do get along well with my
Catholic friends.
Bryan has been in Corpus for
about a year.
He is a drug addict.
He works in construction- and
looks to be a hard worker [some of the guys do work hard- there are different types
of guys who struggle with addiction- and believe me- some are hard workers].
Bryan strikes me that way.
As we were heading to church this
Sunday- he found out that his Jeep finally got repossessed.
He was behind 3 months on the payments
and his friend was holding it for him.
Sure enough- they found it.
Bryan told me he was glad in a
way.
That years ago- something like
this would really get him upset.
You know- having to get with the
dealership and try to get his tools and stuff back.
Yeah- this has happened to him
before.
But this time- he has learned how
to deal with it in a better way.
He can now focus more on his
recovery- and less on the Jeep.
I had a good day with the guys-
this type of ministry is really more like a brotherhood.
After we left the church meeting
at Church Without Walls- we came back to the house for a couple of hours- by
this time I picked up a few other guys- we had a house/yard full [Huey crashed
out in the ‘homeless room’ I fixed up a few months ago- It’s just ‘their room’
type of thing].
Henry crashed on the couch-
watching his favorite show- ESPN.
And the rest of us hung out in my
yard- I cooked some hot dogs on the grill and we just laid back.
Bryan even took a short nap in my
Hammock.
All in all we had a good day.
Yeah- like the prophet said- in
the end times there will be trouble- yet- those who endure to the end- they
will inherit all that God has for them.
In a way- I see God doing this
with all these guys.
I took a ride with John David the
other day.
John David is the older brother
who actually started the Halfway House- I’m just helping him with it.
As we were driving- getting the
rooms fixed up- he was so excited.
He was saying ‘thank you God for
making all this happen- it’s happening all around us’.
John was a big time addict for
many years- I know John- and his brothers- from the streets.
He almost died a couple months
back [had the open heart surgery- had to be shocked with the paddles].
He has had quite the life.
And now- after all the troubles-
he is ‘standing in his lot at the end of his days’.
Yeah- I thank God for my buddies-
seeing them come full circle.
They stuck it out- in very tough
times- may God bless them all.
Note- Do me a favor, those who
read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read
them on. Thanks- John. Don’t forget to scroll down on the timeline [Facebook] -
I have posted lots.
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