Jacob Leisler, "I am ready. I am ready."

 Henry Sloughter signing Jacob Leisler's death warrant.

"I hope these my eyes shall see our Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven I am ready. I am ready." Jacob Leisler, May, 1691

"We are thoroughly wet with rain, but in a little while we shall be rained through with the Holy Spirit." Jacob Milborne, May 16, 1691 at his execution.

These two men died as traitors to the Crown of England. During the English Revolution of 1688, the people in New York were divided. Leisler befriended the Huguenots. And to keep them from being sold into slavery for being unable to pay their bills, he championed their cause in what would later be called Leisler's Rebellion. Jacob Leisler became the acting Lieutenant Governor in New York. A man truly before his time, Leisler summoned the first Intercolonial Congress in America in New York, May 1690. Their mission: to deal with the ongoing conflict with the Indians and the French.

When the rebellion ended, Leisler resigned his command to Governor Sloughter. The governor responded by arresting him along with others. After extensive trials, Leisler (along with Jacob Milborne and six other men) were convicted and sentenced to death.

Death will come. I know we don't want to think about it, but many will die today in accidents or from illness or from some other demise. We all have to face it. What a joy for those who have received salvation to be able to say, "I am ready. I am ready."

Our perspective tends to be limited to this present life, but God’s perspective encompasses all of eternity.
I've noticed that many of the Psalms open with the psalmist revealing sorrow and hurt in his life, but close with him determining to praise God. We should praise God always, for our hope lies not on the substance of this world but in our eternity in Heaven.

*What do you look forward to in Heaven?

• Spending time with Jesus 
• Worshiping God with the angels 
• Not suffering anymore 
• Getting rid of this ugly old body 
• Not struggling against our flesh anymore 
• Seeing people who have gone before us
• And so much more. 

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:1-3

What will be waiting for us in Heaven? A place just for you and a place just for me.

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God." Revelations 21:1-3 

 Who will we be with? We will be with God. How do you feel about that? Excited and maybe a little awed?

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." Revelations 21:4-5

What will you not find in heaven? Death, sorrow, crying, pain, the former things.

What does God say He will do? Wipe away our tears, Make all things new.

What does that mean with respect to our sorrows we experience here on earth? They will no longer affect us, because they will have passed away. 

"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. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelations 21:6-8

Who will be in heaven? He that overcometh. That refers to those who are saved. We find the definition of this in Revelation 12:11 “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto death.”

Who will not be in heaven? Sinners, those who are not saved—who are unbelieving. We have all lied. We’ve all been fearful and idolaters in some way. The difference between the two groups is that those who overcome go to heaven, and we see in Revelation 12:11 that it is through Christ that we overcome.

"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Revelations 20:10

What happens to Satan? He is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.

After that, will he ever be able to torment another again? No.

To God be all glory and honor and praise.

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. We have a hope that we must cling to—a hope that will help us endure to the end. And that hope is eternal life in the new heaven and new earth." 

Revelations 21:4 

* The following is used with permission from https://sites.google.com/site/joabsfire/bible-study?offset=10

"Under God we are determined that, wheresoever, whensoever, or howsoever, we shall be called upon to make our exit, we will die freemen."  

Josiah Quincy (1774)

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." II Timothy 4:7-8

This week in my personal devotions I have been reading through The Revelation of St. John the Divine (aka Revelation). How sweet my read last Sunday morning:

"The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Revelation 4:10-11

How sweet to feel the Holy Spirit as I read those words. To, in my spirit, feel the pleasure of worshiping the Lord, and the precious hope of one day bowing before the Lord I love and worshiping with the angels, and to lift my voice with them and say:

"...Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." Revelation 5:13b

A very dear friend of our family is dying of cancer. She has only days left to live. Each day we pray and wonder if today may be the day God calls her home. We will miss her terribly. Yet, we know for her to go home to be with her Lord, to be free from the pain of cancer and the strains and worries of this life, is the greatest blessing she could ever receive.

None of us know when we will die. In my twenties I had a doctor tell me I could die at any time, if I was not careful. I've lived more than twenties years since then. I will go when God calls me home. No sooner. No later.

I'm thankful for the life I've had here on earth. What a trip! God has given me experiences few people have ever had. He's let me travel and meet people many have never met. He's shown me places few people ever see. He's been there beside me, revealing Himself to me, helping me to learn more about this glorious and wonderful grace and love He bestowed on me. Each sorrow, each trial, each failure, each tribulation brought Him and His grace in clearer focus.

When I make that final leg of the trip from this life into the next, I'll go rejoicing. I can't wait to see my Saviour's face and to cry in a loud voice:

"...Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." Revelation 5:12b

 To God be all glory, and honor, and praise!

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

Revelation 21:4