You Are Being Followed

‘YOU ARE BEING FOLLOWED’—Revelation 14:13c_iii

Attention:

‘Electric Eye’(1982), by the secular British rock band, Judas Priest.

Up here in space,

I'm looking down on you.

My lasers trace,

Everything you do

You think you've private lives,

Think nothing of the kind

There is no true escape,

I'm watching all the time.

I'm made of metal,

My circuits gleam.

I am perpetual,

I keep the country clean

I'm elected electric spy,

I'm protected electric eye

Always in focus,

You can't feel my stare.

I zoom into you,

But you don't know I'm there.

I take a pride in probing all your secret moves,

My tearless retina takes pictures that can prove.

I'm made of metal,

My circuits gleam.

I am perpetual,

I keep the country clean

Electric eye, in the sky,

Feel my stare, always there.

There's nothing you can do about it,

Develop & expose

I feed upon your every thought,

And so my power grows.

I'm made of metal,

My circuits gleam.

I am perpetual,

I keep the country clean

Protected. Detective. Electric eye.

*That secular song covertly says that ‘big government’ is the bane of personal freedom.

*What that song does NOT overtly say, is that the ‘Electric Eye’(the satellite collector of data) is directed by those who are sinful, fallible, potentially prideful & thus will force you to adhere to their sin-tainted will. Sinfulness is lodged in the heart of all people, including those who head big & potentially authoritarian government. The ever-present nature of sin is what makes ‘big government’ dangerous!

Being followed would make anyone uncomfortable at the least...It can make us ‘ill-at-ease’...it can make us nervous. Being followed makes us nervous because it takes away our personal freedom. So being followed ‘naturally’ make us anticipate ill will from the one following. Being followed makes us anticipate malicious or hurtful actions toward ourselves.

Need:

However, you & I have some-'thing' that follows us wherever we go. It trails along behind you, & is constantly with each of us.

*That which follows & trails behind each of us is what the Bible calls your ‘works.’

Your ‘works’ are a result of the decisions of your life. Your decisions are governed by your loves, focus, heart’s desire, motives.

These ‘works’ all ‘follow’ you into the arms of Jesus or thru the gates of & into hell. Our ‘works’ remain & impact others long after you & I are gone from this earth. The particulars of the ‘works’ which follow you are a result of your rejection or acceptance of Christ Jesus.

Your ‘works’ are the general result, as well as the detailed results of your choices; Your ‘works’ consist of your aid to others & your hindrances to others;...They consist of your escapes from reality, & your perseverance in Christ;...They consist of your collateral damage & the collateral good you cause;...Your casualties & victories; Your good & bad. Your following Christ or not following Christ.

Many people mistakenly hope that their ‘good’ will eventually outweigh their ‘bad’, mistakenly supposing that the eternal determination of their lives is held in the balance of a scale.

What these do NOT realize is that the eternal determination of their lives is not a scaled act of balance at all!

The REALITY is that the eternal determination of your life is set by your personal choice to trust Jesus’ sacrificial atonement for your sinfulness! The eternal determination of your life is actually about the surrender of your life to God thru Christ Jesus! It has nothing to do with a good/bad balancing act at all!

Rather the determination of your eternal destiny depends upon God’s goodness, & His payment for your sin & your faith in that payment.

Today I invite you to consider the fact that...

‘YOU ARE BEING FOLLOWED’—Revelation 14:13c_iii

Explanation: Rev. 14:12-13c_iii

Rev. 14:12—“Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God & the faith of Jesus.”

“Here is”—A note of contrast to those tormented—The previous(14:6-11) is a prime example of the need for “perseverance” in regard to “the saints”. This need for perseverance is directed to those who will read this prophecy of man’s future.

These same “saints” are the ones who “keep the commandments of God.”

Perseverance today is preparation for tomorrow.

We were told that the rest of the offspring of the woman(true Israel, thru Jesus) are those who “keep the commandments of God”(12:17).

When everything around you seems to be falling apart...God’s people persevere, & are faithful, & are loyal to God thru it all! They remain holy(“saints”)—patiently keeping God’s commandments by their faith!

“Here”2X—wde—Adverb—1) Here, to this place, etc. Strong—In this same spot, i.e. Here or hither.?From an adverb form of—ode including the feminine--hde, & the neuter--tode—1) This one here, these things, as follows, thus. Strong—the same, i.e. This or that one(plural=‘these or those’).