Revelation 1:3
"FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND"
 

This part of the verse is telling you to always watch what is going on around you. Stay in the word and concern yourself only with spiritual things, not on the things of the flesh, that is not our duty as Christians to concern ourselves with things in this world.

As it is written in the word; Colossians 3:1&2 "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above not things on the earth."

This is saying look for the things that have to do with God, not on the things that happen on earth.

Romans 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God."

Paul is saying do not be like the people of this world age, but instead become a different person by studying the word of God. So that you can show others what the right way to do things according to the way God wants it done. That is our duty to be examples for others.

In 1 John 2:15&16 it says "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man Love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

This is a pretty intense statement if you really read it. Paul is saying if you love this world than you don't know God.

Then he goes on to explain what he means by this. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh. The word lust just means to long or want something, what it actually means is this. If your flesh wants it or desires it or longs for it. In other words If your flesh says I am hungry, or if it says I am cold, Or it says I'm tired, I'm thirsty....I could go on, but you get the point.

The next part of the verse says and the lust of the eyes Which means if you can see it and you want it. Think about that if you can see it that means anything on this earth. And the pride of life, which means anything you can boast about that you did and not the Father.

People boast when they help an old lady across the street, or when they take someone from a burning building or they graduate from school or they do a good job at work and get a promotion, when they give someone money or food or clothes or a place to live.

Paul tells us this is not of the Father, but of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: That means anything you do like that, will not be counted in the book of life, because it is not spiritual work. It is work of the flesh. When the flesh is gone so will all those works be gone and forgotten.

When Jesus talks about feeding the poor he is not talking about food we eat but to feed those that don't know the Word of God, so they can grow spiritually.

When he says clothe the naked he doesn't mean give someone your shirt, he means give some one something to wear in eternity, show them how not to be naked in heaven. You get your eternal clothes from doing Gods work.

If we look in 2 Timothy 2:3&4 "Thou therefore endure hardness, as good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier."

What Paul is saying we have a job to do for Jesus he picked us to work for him and he is watching what we are doing, so do the work you were sent to do.


I am not saying that you are not to help people in the flesh with flesh things. I am saying that stuff doesn't matter in the book of life. We are here to work for God and it isn't a sin to help someone who you know is hungry. God wants us to be awake and doing his work all the time. That is why he says the time is at hand, it will keep you on your toes, which is where you belong.

In His Service