JESUS CHRIST, the BEGINNING and the END

"And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely" (Rev 21:6). "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last" (Rev 22:13).

Devotion 3 of 20

RELIGIOUS PRETENSION

Professed Christendom is plagued with individuals and organizations that exercise self-imposed authority. Christ is not preeminent in these groups, and yet they bear His name--His holy and exalted name! They speak of Jesus, but they do not bow to Him. They claim to serve Him, but are fundamentally ignorant of His purpose. They lay burdens upon their constituents that Jesus has not placed upon them. Their yoke is not easy, and their burden is not light.

Entire ecclesiastical structures have been devised that do not function under the Headship of Christ. They operate independently of Him, being governed by individuals fundamentally unacquainted with the Lord of glory. The success of these organizations is dependent upon the wisdom of men, and the requirements and disciplines they have devised. Reliance on Divine power is not required in this approach to (for want of a better term) "Christianity." An interceding Savior, empowering Spirit, and ministering angels are not necessary for their self-conceived programs.

Spiritually informed people know these things are true. It is just not fashionable to speak candidly about the situation. However, we must declare war on anything and everything that attempts to function apart from Christ, while claiming allegiance to Him!

The Father has placed everything in the hands of the Son--everything. As it is written, "The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand" (John 3:35). "Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands . . . " (John 13:3). "All things that the Father has are Mine . . . " (John 16:15). There is no question about it. All authority in heaven and earth has been committed to the Son (Matt 28:18). He, and He alone, is "the Beginning and the End."

God will not bless anything that has not been started by Jesus--"THE Beginning." Nor, indeed, will He receive something that has not been finished by Jesus--"THE End." If it can function without the involvement and direction of His Son, God will destroy the work, not uphold it.

Grasp the truth!

We cannot allow the practicality of these things to escape us. If Jesus Christ is Lord of all, then all of our affairs are to be conducted in deference to Him! His good pleasure is the ultimate consideration. His cause is the preeminent aspiration. His Kingdom is the dominant domain of moral influence. It is never right to place Christ in the background, because God has exalted Him to the foreground.

PRAYER POINT: Father, thank You for declaring the place of Your Son in Your kingdom. I receive Him in that capacity, and gratefully so.

-- Tomorrow: DRAWING NEAR --
Friday Evening, 7:00 PM, Hungry Saints Meeting
Blakely Home, 406 S. Sergeant, Joplin, MO
Third Lesson in the book of Romans (1:16-17)