Hold Fast!
A man fell off a cliff but managed to grab hold of a branch on his way down. He hung there and shouted up to the top, “Is anybody up there?” “Yes,” came the reply, “God is up here!” “Can you help me, God?” “Yes.” “What do you want me to do?” “Let go of the branch.” There was a pause. “Is there anybody else up there?” This humorous story is more truthful than many would like to admit for it illustrates our tendency to have faith in everything but God. Unfortunately for some He’s the last resort, or back up plan when all other resources have failed. It seems appropriate that the Apostle Paul was warning the Thessalonian Christians to make it a lifestyle practice of holding fast to God – first and always. Paul states, So then, brethren, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions and instructions which you were taught by us, whether by our word of mouth or by letter. (2 Thessalonians 2:15)
But why was Paul compelled to write such an exhortation? What compelled him? 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 9-12 answers that question: But relative to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and our gathering together to [meet] Him, we beg you, brethren,2 Not to allow your minds to be quickly unsettled or disturbed or kept excited or alarmed, whether it be by some [pretended] revelation of [the] Spirit or by word or by letter [alleged to be] from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has [already] arrived and is here.3 Let no one deceive or beguile you in any way, for that day will not come except the apostasy comes first [unless the predicted great falling away of those who have professed to be Christians has come], and the man of lawlessness (sin) is revealed, who is the son of doom (of perdition),4 Who opposes and exalts himself so proudly and insolently against and over all that is called God or that is worshiped, [even to his actually] taking his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming that he himself is God…..9 The coming [of the lawless one, the antichrist] is through the activity and working of Satan and will be attended by great power and with all sorts of [pretended] miracles and signs and delusive marvels—[all of them] lying wonders—10 And by unlimited seduction to evil and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing (going to perdition) because they did not welcome the Truth but refused to love it that they might be saved.11 Therefore God sends upon them a misleading influence, a working of error and a strong delusion to make them believe what is false,12 In order that all may be judged and condemned who did not believe in [who refused to adhere to, trust in, and rely on] the Truth, but [instead] took pleasure in unrighteousness.
What really got my attention at the initial writing of the last two blogs was that I had scheduled my blog scriptures to go out in sequential order. Old Testament, then New Testament, working through the books of the Bible and consecutive chapters, beginning with chapter one. The goal is to work through each chapter, from each book, until we have utilized the entire Bible. What’s interesting is that I scheduled these Scripture months ago. I had no idea that they would coincide with an Aliyah Readiness Drill in Israel, nor did I plan them according to prophetic themes. This is the order into which they fell. Is the Lord warning of something?
