Wednesday, August 31, 2011

“I am the LORD”


Ex 6:2 "And God spoke to Moses and said to him: 'I am the LORD'."


Here we are again. Reminders. Things got tougher. Moses and Aaron approached Pharaoh and asked him to allow the children of Israel to go out into the wilderness to sacrifice for three days and Pharaoh's response was what God said it would be. "No." In fact, in that "no" answer Pharaoh decided to make things tougher for the children of Israel. Now they would have to gather their own straw in order to make bricks with the same quota of bricks expected. Here is where the grumbling started. No wonder. They had to do twice the work in the same amount of time and when they didn't they felt the wrath of their foremen. I probably would have grumbled too. This time, the guy that they doubted 40 years earlier came in and made life harder for them. They blamed Moses. And Moses? He blamed God. In fact he got in God's face and said: "Ever since I came and did what you told me to do, you haven't done anything." Bold.

God's response: I AM. God's response: "I am the LORD." God's response: "I Jehovah." I exist. I always have. I always will. I am the One that is in charge. No matter what you may see, no matter what you may think, no matter what you may feel, know this: "I am the LORD". This message was so important that it was repeated five more times in this chapter. The name LORD is throughout. The existing One. I exist. I AM.

This is huge. This has not changed. Israel was going through it and God was the LORD. Israel seems like they continue to go through it and God is the LORD. The world seems so out of control right now with radical Islam, and economic structures crumbling, and earthquakes, and hurricanes..."I am the LORD". Our country, frankly, seems to be a mess but: "I am the LORD". And any time that my life seems to be spinning out of control I need to remember: "I am the LORD". "I exist. I am eternal. I have everything under control. No matter how things look, I am in charge...I always have been...I always will be."

This is our rock. This is our foundation. This is my assurance. It was for Moses. It was for the children of Israel. And frankly, it was a warning to Pharaoh as it is a warning to those who think that they are in charge today. God is. I AM. LORD.


Tuesday, August 30, 2011

“I Will”

Ex 4: 12 "Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say."

I don't always listen well. Just ask my wife. She will tell me something and it will not register for some reason. Weeks later I will say: "Hey, what about….?" And she will say: "Don't you remember? I told you that…".

I think that Moses was in that "not listening" mode. God just got done telling him who He was. He just got done telling Moses: "I am the eternal One. I exist. I am all that you need." And then Moses, in his lack of listening once again questions God and basically said: "Hey. Don't You know me? I can't speak well. How am I going to go to Pharaoh and these people and explain to them that they are going to be released from their captivity and who You are?" Once again, God had to remind Moses of who He was and He said: "I WILL". I will be with your mouth. I will teach you what to say. "Remember Moses, I am God. I am all sufficient. I have this thing under control. Don't doubt Me."

Unfortunately, I am a lot like Moses. I get my eyes off of who God is and I place them on who I am. When that happens either I make a dumb move or an unwise decision because I am relying on my own smarts, or I don't step out because I don't believe. That was probably Moses' problem. It wasn't a problem with his hearing…maybe he heard God say: "I AM"…he just didn't believe it.

Today, as I walk through my day, I need to know and remember and practice the fact that God is all I need. He is my mouth. He will teach me what to say in all circumstances. He is my wisdom. He will guide me in the right direction. When I have an opportunity to plant the seed of His truth, let Him speak through me. I really don't know what to say sometimes, but God is all I need. He will take my words and mold them into what is needed for the hearer. Believe it. Believe Him.

Monday, August 29, 2011

“I AM”

Ex 3:14 "And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.' "

This weekend I had the privilege of being involved in a wedding. It is really an honor when someone asks you if you can participate in something like this. Beyond a great event, you have the opportunity to meet people that you would have never met before. In this case, I had the chance to meet a violinist who played with some of the guys in our band and who accompanied us. When I met this individual one of the first things he said to me was: "Hi. I am Larry." I am sure that if you were to look at his birth certificate the name "Larry" would be on there. And I am sure that it is on his social security card, and his driver's license, and his bank accounts, and his W-2 form, and his mail, and frankly, all over the place. His name is his identification.

Moses had a similar experience. He kind of met Someone new. While out tending sheep he had a weird encounter with a bush that was burning but it was not consumed. As he approached it a voice spoke from the bush. Now, I don't know about you, but if I went up to a bush that was burning and not consumed that talked to me, I would freak. Not Moses. He talked to the bush. And right away God did something. He introduced Himself. He said: "I am the God of your father – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." Right from the beginning of this conversation, Moses knew who he was talking to. And God said something that ties in with what I wrote yesterday: "I have seen, heard, know and have come down." This is the God who pays attention. This is the God who acts. And He was about to act in a dramatic way through the life of Moses by using him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt.

When Moses heard that, he hesitated. He doubted. Even though this was God that was speaking to him, he questioned God. How many times do I do that? Even though I know it is God who is clearly speaking to me, I wonder…I doubt…I question. Who am I? Who was Moses? Who are we to question God? But we do. And he did. And the next question is amazing. "If they ask who sent me, who do I say You are?" Give me a break. God just told him who He was but apparently Moses needed another introduction. So God boiled it down to the basics and said: "I AM".

"I AM". The word that is used here is: Exist. Kind of interesting, but the name Jehovah also means: "The existing One". God's very nature is that He is. He was. He always will be. He is eternal with no beginning and no ending. When He wanted someone to know who He was He nailed it by saying: "I am the eternal One who has always been in existence." Why this characteristic? Why would He emphasize His eternality? I think because it sets Him apart from all others. Everything else, whether human or animal or plant or any other created thing had a beginning. Not God. He has always been around. That is part of what makes Him God. And He will never end. He will never die.

The other cool aspect of the fact that He said: "I AM" is that He was explaining to Moses and all of the people that Moses would talk to that He is all they need. I am your strength. I am your power. I am your sufficiency. I am your Guide. I am your Leader. I am your Lord. I am your joy. I am your help. I am your protector. I am your mercy. I am your love. I am everything that you need for the adventure ahead.

Since God is eternal. Since God never changes. God is my I AM as well. He is my strength today. He is my wisdom today. He is my help today. He is my guide today. He is all that I need today. And He always will be.

This is the God that Moses was introduced to. It is the God that I know.

(If you want to read a book that nails it, read: I am not, but I know I AM by Louie Giglio. Great book.)

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Paying Attention

Ex 2:25 "God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them."

I love it when someone actually pays attention to what I am doing. It probably is an ego thing, but when someone says: "Glen, I have been watching you and I appreciate…", that does something. It gives me a boost of confidence. It helps me know that I am, hopefully, doing something right. Or when someone says to me: "Glen, I just want you to know that I have been praying for you because I can see that something is going on in your life." That, again, gives me hope. It helps me see that someone cares. And it allows me to see that I am not in this thing alone.

That is what this verse basically is saying. Only it is coming from the God of the Universe. It is coming from the God who has all authority and power and dominion. It is coming from the Ruler and Sustainer of it all. And this God did two things.

First, He saw. He was watching. He could see that the sons of Israel were afflicted by the Egyptians. To think that God sees, that God watches, that God knows what is going on in this world, and in my country, and in my community, and in my church, and in my family, and in my life is astounding. God is paying attention to all that is going on in this world, and He is not just paying attention to the whole world, but He is paying attention to what is happening in my life. He sees the big picture and the small picture. He stares at all of it. This God of all sees it all.

Second, He takes notice. This is different than just seeing what is going on. This is personal knowledge. This God inserting Himself into what is going on. It is God taking upon Himself the responsibility to act. After seeing what was going on, God knew that He had to do something.

Amazing that God would be concerned. Amazing that God would see and insert Himself into our life situations…but He does. He loved Israel that much and He loves us that much that He inserted Himself in the most dramatic way. He came to this earth and died. Talk about seeing. Talk about noticing. Talk about taking action. But this is our God. This is just like Him. To see everything, to know everything and then come up with a solution to man's most pressing problem.

The thing is, He didn't just do it for Israel in Egypt. He didn't just do it when Jesus came to this earth. He is continually doing it. He is always at work. He is always seeing and noticing and acting. Right now as I sit here, He is seeing and noticing and acting. As I go on my day today He will be seeing and noticing and acting. As I go through my life next week, He will see and notice and act. He can't help it. It is who He is. A very personal, real, powerful God…in my life. Wow.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Affliction = Growth

Ex 1:12a "But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew."

I think that the children of Israel understood the saying: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." After Joseph brought seventy people from his family to Egypt something happened. They had kids. And more kids. And more kids. After a while, they got huge and the king in Egypt who did not know Joseph (he must not have known his Egyptian history) got scared. He thought that Egypt would be taken over by the Jews so he made their lives hard. Not just hard, but painful. Not just painful, but excruciating. "They made their lives bitter with hard bondage…" v14, and they were living what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. The more they afflicted them, the harder it became, the more pain they endured, the more they multiplied and grew.

I know that I am a wimp. I don't like hard stuff. I don't like it when things get tough. I would rather stay in my comfort zone and have smooth sailing. Unfortunately, that is not what life brings all the time. Life has a tendency to get hard. Life has a tendency to bring pain. Life sometimes can get excruciating. Life can bring us failure and loss and hardship. The weird thing is, the very thing that you think will take you down can bring you up. The difficulty that looks like it will destroy you actually makes you multiply and grow.

I am thinking of a friend right now, Joe. Joe has battled cancer for years. At one point in time, they thought he had it beat. Unfortunately, cancer has this thing about rearing its ugly head and it returned. Now they are trying to figure out where it is coming from. And Joe? He keeps getting stronger. He keeps growing. He said to me the other day: "They can take my body but they can't take my spirit." What an example.

Then I think of another friend of mine who is trying to work through a difficult marital situation. I am watching him walk through this and am praying for him and his wife daily. The thing that I am seeing is that this guy is growing. He is not just enduring, he is getting stronger.

After all this is what James said: "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." James 1:2 It doesn't produced failure. It doesn't produce loss. It doesn't produce weakness. It produces endurance, growth, multiplication.

I just hope and pray that when tough times come, I can see multiplication and growth…just like the Israelites, just like the early church, just like my friends.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Bookends

Rev 22:13 ""I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."

Bookends are great things. Really. I can't stand it when there is a bunch of books that sit on the shelf and they keep falling over. It is kind of irritating. I always want a bookend, or those metal library things to keep the books up so that they are orderly. I guess I am kind of weird.

Do you ever get the feeling that something is really important? I know that when my wife wants me to remember to do something, she usually has to remind me a few times. She has to repeat herself in order for it to sink into this thick skull of mine. She has to use mental bookends to keep me orderly.

I get the idea that God wants us to get something in the book of Revelation. He wants us to see that this book is held up. It is held up by bookends that He put in the first and last chapter of Revelation. He does not just want us to see that this earth is going to be in a world of hurt. Not just the fact that He is coming back to rule and reign in a new heaven and a new earth. I think He wants us to get this: Bookend at the beginning: Rev 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." Rev 1:11 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," Bookend at the end: Rev 21:6 "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts." And now this: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."

The thing that I think God wants us to get is that it is all God. He is the Bookends. He is the One who holds it all together. He is the One who keeps everything standing. The future is God's. The past is God's. The Present is God's. It is all God. In fact, it is all Jesus because a few verses down we read: "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches." v16 If there is any question whether the Father and the Son are One, this should put that question to rest. God the Father and Jesus the Son are the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Eternal. Forever.

And the massiveness of this should just blow me away. There is no way that I can get my feeble brain around the fact that this Triune God has always been in existence. This Triune God has no maker. This Triune God has always been in control. This Triune God is the only One I should worship. This Triune God is the only One that I should obey. This Triune God is in all, above all, and through all. This God is God. Oh, I can be drawn to many other things. My allegiance can be divided. But God is saying: "It is Me and Me only. I am Alpha and Omega. I am the Beginning and the End. I am the First and the Last. I am the One…the only One. Listen to Me. Obey Me. Be committed to Me. Pursue Me. Spend time with Me. Have a relationship with Me."

Only Jesus. That is what Revelation is all about. He is what holds me up. He is what will hold everything together. We can trust Him simply because of who He is.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

No More Screw Ups

Rev 21:4 "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

This is after Satan is thrown into the bottomless pit for 1000 years and then cast into hell. This is after God creates a new heaven and a new earth. This is what it is going to be like. No more tears. (That is not just the name for a baby shampoo…that is going to be reality.) No more death. No more sorrow. No more crying. No more pain.

The new heaven and the new earth where God Himself lives with people, where God the Father and God the Son illuminate the place, will eliminate everything negative that we can imagine, and will be filled with only goodness and grace and life and joy.

As I think about it, if there are no more tears, if there is no more sorrow, if there is no more crying, if there is no more pain then there are not going to be any more screw ups on our part. After all, a lot of the crying and pain and sorrow that we experience on this earth is because of our sin. Because we don't listen. Because we don't obey. Because we want to go our own way…and the consequences are tears, and sorrow and crying and pain. In the new heaven and the new earth, there will only be perfection. Only perfect lives. We humans will not act like humans any longer…that is we will not be imperfect. Every decision we make will be right. Every word we say will be proper. Every thought we have will be pure. No more doubt. No more guilt. No more screw ups.

Beyond that, however, the things that we can't control, no more sickness. No more injuries. No more disabilities. (No need for lawyers like me.) No more death. I know that this is going to be an amazing time. All of the people that I know who are believers who have back problems…gone. All of the people who are there who had cancer…gone. All of the people who have MS, or CP, or spina bifida, or Parkinsons…it is all gone. And death is abolished forever. It is really hard to imagine a place like this. All I know is what I have experienced in my 56 years here on this earth, and because of Adam and Eve's original screw up, we have to deal with these things. But, not any more. Because of what Jesus did we have hope. We have life. We have perfection.

So the people that I prayed for this morning…Joe and Ronnie and Frank and Mike, no more sickness. And the couples that I prayed for this morning…no more strife.

Thank God, no more screw ups.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Powerful Words

Rev 19:6 "And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, 'Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!'"

Last night my wife and I went downtown to see what we could see as they shoot the movie "The Avengers". I am not sure what we thought we were going to see. Maybe a movie star. Maybe an explosion. Maybe a guy flying out of a window of a building. All we saw was how they transformed Public Square into a German village and a bunch of extras running out of Tower City screaming. Why did we go there? It was something fun and unusual to do, and maybe we thought we would see something exciting.

Frankly, nothing that we could have seen last night, Hollywood stunts and explosions and all, is nothing compared to the fireworks that God has prepared. This is going to be an awesome, awesome time. The world is going to fight against God and the world is going to fall. The beast and the false prophet are going to meet their end. Everything that thinks it was powerful is going to see Who the ultimate power really is. And a great multitude will forcefully declare it and will say: "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!"

These seven words are packed.

Alleluia. It simply means: praise the Lord. Not praise the king, or praise the crowd, or praise the technology…just "praise the Lord." Not praise the President, or praise a rock star, or praise a politician, or praise an actor, or praise an athlete. No. There is only One who deserves our total and complete praise and adoration: The Lord. He is it. He is all. There is no competition.

Lord. The One who has the power to decide. The master and controller of all things. The owner. The sovereign. The Lord is in control. The Lord is over all. The Lord calls the shots. As I watch what is going on in the world I have to remember that it is the Lord who is running the show. We deceive ourselves in thinking that we have some influence. No way. He is the Lord and He is in total and complete control.

God. The One. The Only. The True. Some people claim that He does not exist. Some people claim to be atheists. Frankly, to be an atheist is not logical because no one knows everything and if it is possible for a God to exist outside one's realm of knowledge, then they cannot claim to be an atheist. The truth is, God is real. He created it all. He defines truth. He defines justice. He defines all that is good. He defines love.

Omnipotent. The Almighty. The ruler. He who holds sway over all things. If you have been raised in the church you have heard the big three words: Omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent. The first two words are not found anywhere in the Bible. The third word is…and the Lord God is almighty. He is all mighty. He is totally and completely powerful. To fight against Him, to deny Him, to think I can control my life is futile. He is omnipotent in all things.

Reigns. He is the King. He is the ultimate authority. He rules over all people and all things. The sooner we get that reality into our brains the better it is for us. The easier it is for us. Life just seems to go much smoother. But when we think that we reign, when we think that we are in control everything gets screwed up. Why? Because the Lord God Omnipotent Reigns. Not just in the future, but today, tomorrow and forever.

Seven powerful words. May they be reality in my life.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Temporary

Rev 18:10,17,19 " For in one hour your judgment has come...For in one hour such great riches came to nothing...For in one hour she is made desolate."

Everything is so temporary. Here is this great city that John calls Babylon, that has everything. Power, riches, amazing resources. The whole world is dependent on it. Other countries become rich through it, it is the center of world commerce, and it focal point of culture. It seems that it has everything including everything evil. It is anti-God, anti-Christ, and anti-Christian to the extent that it persecutes and kills prophets (those who speak the truth of God's word) and the saints (believers in Jesus Christ). Everything is so temporary. In the middle of its splendor and power it loses it all. It is all burned up. The city is destroyed by fire and the kings of the earth say one thing: "Alas, alas that great city Babylon…". And the merchants of the earth say one thing: "Alas, alas that great city…". And the transportation hubs of the earth say: "Alas, alas that great city…". Great no longer. Now destroyed. Now desolate. Now gone. Everything is so temporary.

What a great reminder to this country that I live in. We have been blessed beyond belief. I don't think that John is writing about America, but he could be. The world seemed like it was dependent on us. Our monetary system is what has built this world's economy (for now). We have great resources. Other countries have been made rich because of us. We still think that we were the greatest country in the world. But, everything is so temporary.

And it is a great reminder to me. God has blessed me and my family with a lot. I am totally grateful to Him for all that He has done and all that He has given. Yet, I have to remember that the stuff that we have, the bank accounts that we hold, the house we live in, the cars that we drive, even our very lives are so temporary. I have to remember that I am dependent. Not on me, not on my smarts, not on my abilities, not on my wife, not on my kids, not on my job. I am dependent on God. I am dependent on His provision. I am dependent on His resources. I am totally and completely dependent on Him. I should not hold on too tightly to anything because everything is so temporary.

One hour is a short period of time, yet a lot can happen in one hour because everything is so temporary. Just ask Babylon.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Massive Flash Mob

Rev 17:14 "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful."

Here is a description of three kinds of people. Those who make war with the Lamb, the Lamb, and those who are with the Lamb.

The first group, those who make war with the Lamb. As I talked about yesterday, dumb. It is dumb because no one can fight against God and win. (I didn't post it because I failed to save it.) Futile. Hopeless. No chance for victory. These people are just following their own base instincts thinking that they can do battle with the Creator of the universe. It really is going to be a massive flash mob. Who knows, everyone may be summoned through social media to get to Megiddo to do battle with God. Their response will be much like the response of those in England who decided that they were just going to go out and destroy some property and kill some people. Unthinking. These are the people that Jude talks about when he says: "Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do not understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals – these are the very things that destroy them." Jude 10 These people do not understand what moral absolutes are all about. They don't get this thing called truth or morality. And they become like unreasoning animals and pack together to do battle against God and they will be destroyed.

The second is the Lamb. The Lamb will overcome this mob. He will conquer them. He will be victorious over them. Why? Because of who He is…the King of kings. The Lord of lords. There is no king like Jesus. He rules over all of them. He has authority over all of them. No one can stand before Him and boast that he or she is a ruler. Jesus controls them all. And He is Lord of lords. He has the power to decide all matters. He is the Possessor and Disposer of all things. He is the Owner of it all. He is the Master of masters. By His word all things were created and by His word all things will fall. Just watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzqTFNfeDnE

The third are those who come with the Lamb. They are described in three ways: Called. Chosen. Faithful. Called means that these were invited. These were specially selected to be with the Lamb. Chosen means that they were picked out. They were elected. They were selected and appointed by God. Wait. Isn't this calling and choosing stuff unfair? Why would some be doing battle with the Lamb and only those who God picks are going to be with the Lamb? As I think about this, who am I to question God. This is just like those who do war with Him, questioning Him, doubting Him. He is King. He is Lord. He can do whatever He wants and however He wants to do it. So, according to scripture, according to God's very own words and His very own decision some are called and chosen. And these show their calling by the way that they live. They are faithful. They have kept the faith. They are not up and down and all over the place, hot one time, cold another, lukewarm another. They live lives of consistency. They know that this life of faith is not a sprint, it is a marathon and they are faithful.

May I be included in the faithful. May I not be double-minded, unstable I all my ways, but may my life be a life of slow but steady progress, showing in the end that I have been faithful, chosen, called one.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

The Reality of the Gospel

Rev 14:6 "Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth--to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people."

Chapter 13 is a rough one, because this is when the dragon gives his power to the beast and where people receive the mark of the beast. We think the economy is bad now? Just wait. No one will be able to buy or sell or conduct business without this mark. And in the middle of all of this the everlasting gospel will be preached to everyone who is on the earth…every nation…every tribe…every tongue and all people. This time the gospel will be preached by an angel. He will tell the world the good news.

The thing that grabs me is that this time is going to be horrible on the earth. People are going to experience death and tragedy and loss and pain like they have never experienced it before. Of all of the wars, of all of the natural disasters, of all of the epidemics that history has given us, nothing will compare to the horror that people who are alive at this time will experience…and this is nothing compared to what will face them in forever and ever as they experience fire and brimstone in hell.

No wonder the gospel is preached to the entire world by this angel. It is almost like a last ditch effort. Let's give these people one last opportunity to repent. To fall on their faces and worship the true God of all creation. And there will be some who will refuse the mark. There will be some who grab on to the good news. There will be some who obey God and who will "die in the Lord".

The reality is that this is real. This is not just some fairytale. This is not just some mumbo-jumbo made up by some religious zealot who was hallucinating on an island. These words are God's words. These warnings are God's warnings. The question that I must ask myself is: "Do I really believe it?" Do I really believe that this punishment is going to be experienced by those who are living on the earth? Do I really believe in the agony that is going to take place here and then "forever and ever" (v 11)? If not, I will keep my mouth shut. But if so, I need to be like that angel and share the everlasting gospel. This after all is the good news. Jesus is the way to avoid all of this. Jesus came to rescue us from all of this agony. Jesus came so that we could sing a new song in eternity.

What am I going to do about it…now?


 

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Overcomers

Rev 12:10, 11 "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death."

This is going to be ugly. For some reason, and I really can't figure it out right now, Satan has the ability to have an audience with God. The verse in chapter 12 that points this out says: "but they (the dragon and his angels…Satan and his demons) did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer." (v8) This is backed up by the book of Job where Satan talks to God and challenges Him with the life of Job. And now this verse, that Satan is constantly accusing Christians of things before God day and night. When this war in heaven takes place, Satan will be cast down onto the earth. That is when things are really going to get ugly on the earth. Bad stuff had happened before, but now…

This, however, is when things get beautiful, because it is at that point in time that salvation, strength, the kingdom of God and the power of Christ come. "Therefore, rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them." v12 That is the beginning of the end for Satan because when this happens Satan "knows that he has a short time." v12 A short time to do the rest of his dirty work. A short time to bring destruction. And no longer before God accusing the brethren.

I hate Satan. I see what he and his minions do in lives. And I know that he loves to accuse us. He loves to condemn us. He loves to point out our flaws. He loves to throw our failures in the face of God and say: "See. I told You so. These followers of Yours are weak and worthless. Look at the stupid things that they do." Unfortunately, he is right. We are weak and worthless and do stupid things. But then look at this truth: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…". Rom 8:1 Paul just got done talking about how weak and flighty he was in Romans 7 and then he asks the question: "Who will deliver me from this body of death?" The answer: Jesus. When Satan accuses us, all God does is say: "Look at My Son. No more condemnation for these people." Praise God.

I am talking with a guy right now who can't get out of the accusation mode. He is feeling guilty about something and he can't fight his way out of it. Even though he has confessed his sin, even though he is contrite and probably has shed tears over what happened, he still feels accused. This is Satan. This is his job. This is what he is good at. Keep us down. Keep us ineffective. Keep us wallowing in guilt. God does not want that and He took care of it the only way that He could, through the blood of His Son. And this did something for us. It made us overcomers. I love this word: overcome. It means "conqueror". It means: "those who carry off the victory". No more defeat. We win. How? Through the blood of Jesus. And this makes our words different. We are no longer negative Nancys. We no longer feel sorry for ourselves. No more wallowing in guilt. We speak victorious words even in the face of death. Going back to Romans 8: "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is Christ Jesus our Lord." (v37-39) Overcoming victorious conquerors. That is what Jesus has made us.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Kingdoms

Rev 11:15 "Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!'"

This is it. This is the last trumpet. This looks like it is the culmination of everything. This is when this world is no longer ruled by men. Instead, the kingdoms of this world, all the nations of this world, all of the stuff men clamor to control and rule over is no longer overseen by men. At this point, when the seventh angel sounds the kingdoms of this world now come under the authority and kingship of God the Father and His Son. And the thing is, this verse does not say: "and They shall reign forever and ever." No, it says: "He shall reign." These two are called "He"…singularly. As I read the book of Revelation I see this over and over again, the oneship of the Father and the Son. The Father and the Son, He…will reign forever and ever.

Kingdoms. When we think of kingdoms, we think of areas of land that are ruled over by Presidents and Kings and Monarchs and Prime Ministers. Sometimes these people are good leaders and sometimes they are ruthless dictators. When the seventh trumpet sounds these people will no longer rule. They will instead be subjects of the King of kings. All these people who politic, and fight, and overturn will lose their power. They will be nothing. God the Father and Jesus will reign.

And, there are other kingdoms as well. Little kingdoms that we all like to control. The kingdoms of our jobs, or our families, or our churches, or our minds, or our bodies. None of us will be in control of any of this anymore. None of us will be calling the shots in any area. God is going to rule and reign over every kingdom, large and small. He will be calling the shots for nations, for people, for this entire world.

And He will reign forever and ever. For an unbroken age. For all eternity. Like I said, this is the end. This is the culmination. This is how it will be for all time. God the Father and Jesus His Son, He will reign. No more campaigns. No more politics. No more coups. No more wars. No more control for anyone in anything. "Jesus shall reign where ever the sun, does its successive journeys run. His Kingdom spread from shore to shore, till moon shall wax or wane no more"…and beyond that, forever and ever.

This is it. The seventh trumpet. Jesus should reign in the kingdom of my life right now…why wait?

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Stubborn

Rev 9:20, 21 "But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts."

 
 

So here's the picture. Seven plagues are coming on the earth. One third of the trees and grass are destroyed, one third of the oceans turn to blood and one third of the ships are destroyed and one third of the fish are destroyed, one third of the rivers become poisoned and people die, one third of the sun and moon are diminished so that one third of the daylight is gone, things like locusts and scorpions sting people so that they are in agony and want to die but can't, and one third of all mankind is killed. Do you think that someone would wake up? Do you think that maybe people might start to wonder what is going on? Do you think that maybe someone might say: "We are being punished and we need to repent"? Nope. Not a chance. The rest of mankind kept living the way they wanted to live, continuing to worship inanimate objects, continuing to kill, continuing to steal, continuing in their drug use (that is actually the word for sorceries), and continuing in their sexual perversion.

Stubbornness is a tough thing. Just ask Pharaoh in Egypt when God was nailing that country with plagues. Just ask the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Just ask the Pharisees when Jesus lived. Just ask us. We love to do what we want to do…even if it is wrong. Somehow we get this idea in our brains that our way is best. We know what we are doing and no one or nothing that comes our way can change that. I know, I have been there. Even when our error is clearly pointed out. Even when circumstances come our way that should make us wake up, we don't. We just keep going down the same dumb road that we've determined ahead of time and even an act of God does not crack it.

Webster defines stubborn as: "unreasonably or perversely unyielding". The "rest of mankind" will someday be like this even though God comes down hard on them. Unreasonable. Unyielding. Stuck. Going our own way no matter what. I can think of people who are doing this now. Unreasonably unyielding even though they know what is right. Even though they know that God's word dictates another way. Too bad. And it is too bad. Too bad that the consequences that they experience will be beyond their control. Too bad that the result of their action will bring a heartache and pain that they have not yet experienced. I've seen it in the past and it isn't pretty.

Solomon had a word for those of us who don't listen to advice. He said that we are fools. He said: "…fools despise wisdom and instruction." Prov. 1:7

I know that I have a tendency to be stubborn. I have an inner drive to do what I want no matter what. God help me to listen to other's wise advice and heed. Help me to hear from You and change. Keep stubbornness far from me.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Salvation

Rev 7:10 "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

Salvation. When you look up this word in the Greek it means: Deliverance, preservation, safety. Right now a huge number of people in our society don't think that they need salvation. They don't believe that they need to be delivered. They don't think that they are in danger. But when you take this term in the context of the book of Revelation, deliverance, preservation and safety are exactly what is needed at that time. Just look at what has happened up to this point and look at the response of all men, leaders and slaves and rich and poor and free...they hid themselves in cave and in the rocks of the mountains and begged for something...protection, hiding, anonymity from who? The very One who could give them the safer and protection and deliverance that they needed. They wanted to be hid from the One who sits on the throne and the Lamb. Rev 6:15-17

Isn't it just like that? The very One who extends salvation and deliverance and preservation and safety we run from. We think that we know better so we engage in an act of futile self preservation and run to the caves and rocks and ask them to fall on us. We do the dumb things that God instructs us not to do and then we run from Him instead of to Him. Why? Because it is hard to look and ourselves in the light of pure holiness. It is hard to admit that we fall short of the glory of God. We would rather run away than admit we are needy, rotten, hopeless sinners.

Yet God who is on the throne and the Lamb who died for us is there. Waiting. Extending deliverance. Extending preservation. Extending safety. Extending salvation to us forever. And the thing is, He is the only One who can do it. Our works can't win salvation for us. Another religious system can't do it. Salvation belongs only to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb. That is it. That is who we have to run to. "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12 Jesus is it. No other way. "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6

No matter what people want to think or believe, Jesus is the only way. Salvation belongs to Him alone. Going to any other source is just running to the caves and rocks and getting crushed.

Salvation. We all need it. And someday every man, woman and child will realize it. We need to run to the Source of salvation now. All the time. Daily. He alone delivers in the present and for all eternity.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Come and See

Rev 6:1,3,5,7 "Come and see."

Here is another call to John. It is kind of similar to the call that he received at the beginning of chapter 4 where he was told: "Come up here and I will show you things." The invitation was still being extended to him. The four living creatures who had heads full of eyes and had different faces were telling him to "Come and see" what was happening when the seals were broken by the Lamb.

The cool thing about this is that John was being let in to see what God was doing. He was told to come...to move from one place to another, and see, discern, understand what he was about to see. To think that God would invite a man to come to the door of heaven and then to watch was about to take place is amazing. And I believe that this invitation was given to John not just so that he could see and understand what was going to take place, but he wrote it down so that we can understand what God is up to.

The book of Revelation is a tough book. Some people shy away from it because it is hard to grasp what is written. The thing is, I think that God wants us to get it. I am convinced that God gave us this book to figure out what is going to happen at some point in time in the future and to get ready. God is not playing a game with us. This is not a giant puzzle for us to figure out. My philosophy in going through this book will be to read it for what it says and believe it. Sure, there are words that are used that are descriptive that John can't explain what he is seeing any other way other than to bring it down to our level. In those instances take the picture. But there will be other times that things are plane...easy to understand...real.

For example in chapter 6 John tells us of the seals. What is going to happen when the seals are opened? Things like a Conquerer and a loss of peace on the earth, and people who are killing each other, and significant economic inflation, and mass death, and persecution of believers, and earthquakes, and probably meteors falling to the earth. This is not allegory, this is truth and it is going to happen and it is going to be horrible. So, get ready.

I believe that we are beginning to see the precursors to some of this stuff now. The United States along with Europe is financially ruined. When you are talking about being trillions of dollars in debt, there is no way that we can sustain our lives as we know it. Money will have to be printed, inflation will have to skyrocket, and we will be hurting. Then I look at what is happening right now in the UK. Riots for no good reason. Kids are taking to the streets and destroying property, some people have died. Why? Because it is there. There has been a huge breakdown in the moral fiber of that society that will be echoed in the U.S. and around the world. I hate to say it, but things are not going to get better and we better be ready for it. Just take a look at 2 Tim 3:1 and we will see what it will be like...actually what it is like right now.

So the invitation to John to come and see is an invitation to us to come and understand and get ready. Am I?

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

“Glory to God Forever”

Rev 5:12 "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!"

Sunday we sang a song written by Steve Fee. The name: "Glory to God Forever". The lyrics: "Before the world was made before you spoke it to be, You were the King of kings…and now You're reigning still enthroned above all things, angels and saints cry out, we join them as we sing…Glory to God forever."

Let's see. The One who created all things and who made all things exist through His will is the One who gets glory and honor and power. And the One who was slain also receives power and honor and glory and riches and wisdom and strength and blessing. It is obvious that yesterday's verse was talking about God. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Gen 1:1 And it is obvious that today's verse is talking about Jesus, the Lamb that was slain. And they both get the same thing…glory and honor and power. How does that work exactly, if Jesus is not equal to God the Father? How does that work if Jesus is not God, as some claim? And how do you explain this: "And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever." Who is this One who lives forever and ever that the elders worship, an activity reserved for God alone? "Do not be afraid, I am the first and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore." Rev 1:17,18 And this One that lives forever and ever is the same One that sits on the throne who lives forever and ever in Rev. 4:10 who the twenty-four elders also worship. Same One. Same God. Same Jesus. And then go back to 1:5,6…to this One who loved us and shed His blood for us, who made us kings and priests before His God and Father, "to Him be glory an dominion forever and ever". I am seeing a pattern. It is unmistakable. Jesus is God.

I know that laying out the fact that Jesus is God is not something that I have to write about in my journal. This is something that I firmly believe. Yet it is amazing to see how prevalent this teaching is throughout Scripture and it reaffirms my faith.

And beyond this, we are back to this glory thing. God the Father receives it. Jesus His Son receives it. It is the word "doxa". And it means: the most exalted state, preeminence, magnificence, excellence. It is the highest of all honors. It is highest of all recognition. It is the highest praise that can be offered. And the Triune God gets it. No one else. Nothing else. It is reserved solely for God. That is why seeking glory on this earth is futile. That is why looking for recognition is an empty pursuit. That is why any praise that I may get on this earth needs to be reflected back to the One who alone is worthy of glory and honor and power.

"Glory to God forever."

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

What will it be like?

Rev 4:11 ""You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."

One more thing before we leave doors, look at the first verse: "And after these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven…'Come up here…'". How cool. We deal with closed doors so often. The door of our hearts is closed and God has to come and knock and ask us to open it. We feel like doors of opportunity are closed and we don't move, yet God has placed in front of us doors that no one can shut. And then this one, a door standing open in heaven and the invitation: "Come up here." John saw an open door and he was invited to come in and see what was going on in heaven. What an amazing thing. To walk through the door of heaven and see what God was doing.

And what did he see? Pretty astounding stuff. A throne and One who sat on the throne whose appearance was like jasper and sardius and twenty four elders around the throne with gold crowns and lightning and thunder and voices and lamps of fire and a sea of glass and four living creatures full of eyes with four different faces and wings . I would have to say that the things that John saw when he went through that open door were things that he had never seen or experienced or even thought of before. I am sure that John was not prepared to take in all that he saw. I am sure that we will not be prepared to take in all that we will see in heaven either. I really believe that there will be sights that are indescribable. John was doing his best to explain what he saw, but how do you explain four creatures full of eyes with four faces? How do you describe One who sits on the throne that looks like jewels?

And it wasn't only what he saw that captured his attention, but what he heard. "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty who was and is and is to come." (v 8) These four creatures were echoing how God described Himself in chapter one. Was and is and is to come...this is God's eternality. This is God's faithfulness. It almost sounds like: "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday(was), today(is) and forever(is to come)." And the one characteristic that stuck out? Holiness. These creatures didn't just say: "Holy", or "Holy, Holy". They said: "Holy, holy, holy." This is big. This is huge. This is emphasized. This is who God is. Totally holy. Totally set apart. Totally unlike any of us. Just like John tried to describe what heaven was like, so too is trying to describe what God's holiness is like. We really can't. We really have no idea. We really are unable to grasp the depth of this concept. Sure we can say pure and righteous and just and perfect, but those words are inadequate. When we see it, however, we will know it and we will fall on our faces. And we too will say: "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created." Only God is worthy. Only God can receive glory. Only God can be honored. Only God has power.

It is kind of funny, but yesterday I was informed that I will be given an honor as an attorney in Ohio. Why is it funny? Because it is nothing. I am not worthy to receive spit when compared with who God is. Only He is worthy to get all the honor and credit and recognition. Why? He created it all and He sustains it all and He upholds it all by the word of His power...and He is holy. Just sitting here trying to grasp all of that is impossible. And some day those of us who know Christ will experience all of it. Wild.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Doors

Rev 3:8 ""I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name."

Doors are cool things. I mean they can be plain and just protect us from what is on the outside, or they can be fancy and nice to look at. When Elise and Austin went to Europe, she took pictures of all kinds of doors. We asked her to give us copies, which we framed and now hang in our hallway. Some are square, some are curved at the top, some are metal, some are solid wood, some are carved, some are recessed. The similarity with all of them however…they are all shut. They keep us out of what is inside. We have no idea what the house is like inside because no one has opened the door for us. And those inside stay there. (At least when the pictures were taken.) We are outsiders.

Once again, John begins to write to a schizophrenic church…Sardis. They were alive but dead. Unfortunately, it looks like this was more the rule than the exception back in that day. But then something changes. The next two churches were contrasts. The church at Philadelphia and the church at Laodicea. The church at Philadelphia is a church who had kept God's word…they did not deny Jesus' name in any way. The church at Laodicea was not hot or cold, but just lukewarm…compromising…tasteless…comfortable. God's response to both: To the church at Philadelphia He said: "Because you have kept my command to persevere, I will keep you from the hour of trial…". Now I am not going to get into the meaning of that, except for this one comment. The church that was consistent was the church that was protected. Then to Laodicea He said: "Because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth." Not good.

And then the question that hits my mind: What are we? What am I? Schizophrenic? Consistent? Lukewarm? This is a tough question. I obviously want to be consistent. I want to keep God's word and not deny the Name of Jesus. But then there are times when I am disappointed to see that I may fall into one of the two other camps. Unfortunately, this is the state of the human condition. Just take a look at what Paul said in Romans 7, and we can see that he struggled too. But then this…Rom 8:1: "There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Words of hope. Words to hang on to. Words of truth. And there was always hope for the church that was lukewarm. "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him and He with Me." Rev 3:20 God wants our fellowship more than anything. He does not want us to wallow in guilt, or pity, or condemnation. He, instead wants us to enjoy a meal with Him. How? Open the door. Open my mind. Open my spirit. Let Him in and let Him take over. Not schizophrenic, not lukewarm but consistent…keeping His word, upholding His Name. And all it takes is "a little strength" which God supplies.

And what will I see? Open doors that no one can shut. Not massive things that keep us out or prevent us from coming out, but open doors that allow us to move and work and do what God wants. What doors do I see opening for me? What doors do I see opening for Lake Ridge? I know that we have our issues, but thank God, He is at work. He is giving strength and I see some doors opening. Walk through them. No one can shut them.

Interesting…a contrast in doors…open doors for Philadelphia and a closed door that needs to be opened for Laodicea. The similarity? They both can be opened. No matter what, there is hope. There are opportunities. There is fellowship. No matter where I am, no matter where anyone is, God wants to move in and do amazing work. Open the door and keep it open.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Schizophrenic Church

Rev 2:7,11,17,29 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Seven churches, seven specific messages to each, all given through the Spirit of God. These messages that were given to John while he was on Patmos were commendations for the things that these churches did that were good, but they were also warnings to each. Corrections needed to be made. In summary here are the messages in chapter 2: "Repent, be faithful, repent, repent and hold fast." There is more to come in chapter three, but for now, even though these churches were doing some good things they need to repent and be faithful. (Smyrna was the only exception.)

The churches that the Spirit was giving John a message for seemed to be doing some good things. They were patient and tested false teachers, they endured persecution, they held fast to the name of Christ , they engaged in good works, but they were kind of schizophrenic. They also left their first love, they held to the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which said that it was OK indulge in any fleshly desire and embrace the world's mindset, they committed sexual immorality. Both the good and the bad were happening in these bodies.

As I think about it, I wonder what the Spirit would say to the church in America? I have a feeling it might be exactly the same. Repent and be faithful.

If anyone is a fan of George Barna, his surveys have shown how schizophrenic the church in America is as well. We claim to believe the Bible. We claim to believe that Jesus is the only way to God. We engage in good works, yet we also have a problem with divorce. We also have a problem with pornography. We also have a problem with being generous. We also have a problem with embracing this world's culture. God's message to us: Repent and be faithful.

And more specifically, I wonder what the Spirit's message would be to my church, Lake Ridge? Is it the same? Are we also schizophrenic? I am afraid that we are. I am really struggling right now with some things that are happening in people's lives within our body. We believe the Bible, we preach Christ, we do good works, but we are also struggling with obedience. That is really what it is, isn't it? When the rubber meets the road, living what we claim to believe can be a tough thing. Why? Because the way we live really shows what we believe. Do we believe that marriage is sacred? Hang in there and live it. Do we believe that God will supply all of our needs? Then give. Do we believe that our lives need to be pure and holy? Then shut off the computer.

The message for the schizophrenic church…repent and be faithful.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

For His Glory

Rev 1:5b,6 " To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

For our blessing and for His glory. That is what is happening in Revelation. I think it is important to keep in mind that all of the stuff that I will read and hear are for that purpose…to bring blessing to the readers and hearers and doers, but beyond that, to bring glory to the One who loved us and died for us and cleansed our sins with His blood and (this is wild) made us kings and priest before God the Father. The focus here is Jesus. He is the One who is going to be glorified in what is to come. He is the One who has power and force and dominion forever, in an unbroken age, for eternity.

The things that I am reading and are about to read are extremely profound. As I think about just this verse, it blows me away. Here is a Guy who knows who I am. He knows my deepest thoughts. He knows everything that I do. He hears every word that I say. He knows all about my motives. He knows what a sinner I am far beyond even what I realize. And He hates sin. He despises it. Yet He loves me. He loves me so much He did something that no one else could do to get rid of my rotten thoughts, deeds, words and motives…He shed His blood. He sacrificed Himself. This was not an execution as one person I came across recently said. It was His own willful act. He wanted to do this because Jesus knew that the only way that I would be washed from my deadness (that is actually what this word means…washing a dead person) would be through a totally pure agent. The OT laid out the system of sacrifices and it required a pure, unblemished animal every year. But this was not sufficient to take away sins. (See Heb 10:4) The only thing that could do it was a pure, unblemished, holy, sinless person. And Jesus was that Person. Jesus was that sacrifice. And His blood makes me totally and completely clean. This is how deep His love is for me. "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." There is no greater love. There is nothing that can exceed it. It really is immeasurable.

His love is so great and His sacrifice was so complete that I can now stand before God as a king and as a priest. I am a holy ruler. I am not looked at as a dead sinner, but I am an alive, pure, spotless king and priest in God's eyes. A commander and an interceder. Wow, the position that I have before God right now is unexplainable. It really is not something that I can fully comprehend. Yet it is a position of authority and power. Crazy…a position of authority and power before the God of all creation? Yes.

The question is: Do I realize this? Do I live like this? Do I claim this?

One other question: Why? Not for my glory. Not for my dominion but for the glory and dominion of the One who did this for me. My kingship…my priesthood has to point back to Jesus. All the glory all the power is His.

Friday, August 5, 2011

A Revelation Blessing

Rev 1:3 "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near."

Kind of weird what I read yesterday and then what I was lead to start reading today. Yesterday was centered on "looking forward". Focusing on the future future. Living my life in the light of eternity. Well, the book of 2 Peter was done. I needed to move on to another book. What was I going to study? I went through my NT to see what books I had read and marked up and journaled on and I discovered that I have done them all...except Revelation. Then it hit me: "Looking forward". How perfect. So here I go, digging deeper into Revelation...with much trepidation.

I love this first verse that hit me...a great verse...a verse of blessing. Most of the time when we read Revelation we think about the end times and how it is all going to go down. 2 Peter described the intense heat, the fire, the burning, the destruction of the earth and heavens. Revelation just expands upon that. Is that all there is? Is that all God gave to John to warn us about? Or is there more? Is there something that we need to grab for now and for later? Here it is: "Blessed is he...". The word "blessed" is exactly the same word that Jesus used in Matt 5 in the Sermon on the Mount. It means happy. Most of the time we do not associate happy with the book of Revelation, but this is where John starts with this book. We will be happy if we read, hear and keep the words that are prophesied in this book.

Well, I usually read so I've got the first one going. I am embarking on reading and studying the book of Revelation. God through John has promised blessing...happiness if I read it.

It doesn't stop there, however, it also says hear. I can do this two ways. I can either read it out loud and hear myself read it, or I can listen to someone else read it. Fortunately, I go to
www.blueletterbible.com and there is a part where any portion of scripture can be read to me. So this is what I am going to do. I am going to read it. Then I am going to hear it.

Keep. This word actually means: observe, attend to carefully, take care of, guard. It is a word of obedience, yes, but I think it is more than that. It is a word that almost is like cherish and protect. Interesting, we in the "modern" church almost shy away from Revelation because we are afraid of the different interpretations. We aren't really sure where it is taking us so we don't even preach it, or talk about it, or spend time with it. We don't cherish, protect, guard and attend to it carefully. Instead we ignore it and by doing so, we miss out on blessing. We miss out on "looking forward". The result is a church that is a thousand miles wide and one inch deep. We are all embracing and loving and shallow.

Well, here it goes...an adventure in blessing and digging deeper and looking forward

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Looking Forward

2 Pet 3:14 "Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;"

Therefore. What is it there for? Peter just got done describing the day of the Lord. A day that will bring the destruction of the earth and heavens by fire. Peter is pretty graphic in his description about what is going to happen. He outlines that there will be scoffers…doubters…those who say: "Where is the promise of His coming?" Then it will happen. Just like a thief in the night. "The heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up." (v10) All the stuff that we have built. All of the things that we have worked so hard to get…gone. Then what? Judgment. Then what? New heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells. (v13) Yet God waits. God is patient. He is holding off to see more people brought into the kingdom.

Anyway, therefore. Because of all of this how should we live? Looking forward. Looking for it. Living expectantly. Diligently. In peace and harmony without spot, clean, unsullied and blameless so that no one can accuse us of any wrong.

I think the early church probably live more expectantly than we do in the American church. I say that because these people had a hope that went beyond what they possessed. They proved this by enduring persecution and having to be driven from their homes. They were scattered and they took it in stride because they were living for something that went beyond the here and now. I also know that there are those who are living this way now, who are enduring unbelievable persecution, driven from their homes, thrown in jail, given life sentences, even sentenced to death because of their faith. And how do they endure it? (I just read about persecution in Pakistan…unreal.) They are looking forward. Their eyes are on something more than this eventual burned up world can give. And even though they are going through unbelievably tough times, they still live in peace and no one can accuse them of any real wrong.

Unfortunately, we don't hear a lot about looking forward. We don't focus on what is to come. As a result we can get pretty self absorbed. That is not the way it should be. I know that I need to think more about not the immediate future, but the future future. I need to live in the light of eternity. I need to look forward. When we do this, all of the petty stuff will disappear. All of the junk that we strive for will not be so important. What will be important is how we live…in peace and blameless. Our character really reflects our ultimate hope…it shows whether we are looking forward.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Be Aware

2 Pet 2:1 "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction."

Every day I send the verse that has hit me to the leadership of our church. Usually the subject just says: "verse". I changed that a little today. The subject was: "verse, not encouraging but a warning".

That is what this verse is. It is not encouraging. It is not uplifting. It is not something I really want to sink my teeth into and go out skipping after I have considered it. Instead, it is an extremely serious warning that Peter gave to these people and that he gives to us.

Really, nothing has changed. Peter was referencing what he had finished in chapter one…that "no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy mend of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." (1:20,21) This is foundational. This is God's word that is God breathed. The Holy Spirit moved men to write what they wrote. These were true prophets who gave us what God gave to them.

We still have that. Not guys who write scripture, but guys who give us what God gives to them. They take the word of God and share what He is teaching them. They give truth. They give solid advice. They give from the heart.

But then 2:1 – there were also false prophets when Scripture was written. There were also false prophets in the early church (Gnostics, Judaizers and probably others) who brought in destructive, captivating teaching that even denied who Jesus was. And now, it still happens.

I know that our church was challenged with this a few years ago. A very warm and personable guy who had huge leadership potential had one problem…he denied the Deity of Christ. He said that Jesus was not Jehovah God but a lesser god. This is a destructive heresy. This denied the Lord who bought us. We had to do something about it and we asked him to leave the church.

Even now, this stuff is happening. We have to be vigilant to protect the church. We have to be aware that there are friendly, warm, hospitable people who bring to us false teaching and we have to guard against it. Just look at Rob Bell. This guy was huge in evangelical circles. He had some catchy videos that people were using in churches. He was cutting edge. He seemed to be an up and coming leader in the church…and then he wrote "Love Wins". A destructive heresy that denies the Lord who bought him. How can I say that? Because in it he writes that in the end, everyone will have a chance whether they put their faith in Christ in this life or not. After all, love wins. God would not condemn people to a place of utter destruction…because love wins. The problem with this is that it is not the truth. Just look at the rest of 2 Pet 2. "These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for who is reserved the blackness of darkness forever." V17. Pretty powerful words if love always wins. And the problem is, if there is no destruction then Jesus died in vain. Why would Jesus have to suffer on the cross if we all had a shot in the end? This is denying the Lord who bought us.

So as Peter reminded the early church, so he reminds me…be aware…be vigilant…stand on the truth.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Everything

2 Pet 1:3 "His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue."

This blows me away. God's divine power, His awesome strength, His dynamic ability has done a work in my life…in every believer's life and this is the work: He has given to each one of us everything that we need to live life and to be godly.

As I sit here and think about all of the junk we seem to struggle with: Habits, attitudes, motivation, conflict in relationships, fear, doubt, anything that you can imagine that may be a negative pull in our lives…God has overcome it all. His divine power, His awesome strength, His dynamic ability has given us a gift. He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. We are not empty. We are not wanting. We are not bankrupt. We are victorious. We are conquerors. We are able to rise above. Frankly, we have it all. He has given us not just a few things to live life and be godly. He has not given us just some things to live life and be godly. He has given us everything that is necessary to live life and be godly. This is a "great and precious promise" (v4). This is something that we can claim. This is something that we can throw in the enemy's face when we are struggling, when we are tempted, when we are conflicted, when we don't know if we can make it. We can make it. We will make it. Because He has done it.

How? Through the knowledge of Him who called us by or literally for the sake of glory and virtue. As we get to know God, as we draw near to Him by getting to know Jesus, because Jesus is the exact representation of His nature, we are going to live godly lives and these lives will reflect His glory and virtue. Now that is heavy stuff. It just shows the importance of building my relationship with Christ. It just shows how centered I should be in getting to know Him better, in spending time with Him, in listening and talking to Him. As this occurs a transformation takes place and I will be begin to see the things that God has given me to live a godly life.

That is why it is sad when I or any other believer falls for the trap of being stuck. Stuck in an attitude or a habit or a sin. This is not necessary and it is not what God has called us to. He has called us to live life, live it abundantly and live it Biblically. We have victory. We have everything…literally everything we need for life and godliness.

So get out of that stinking rut and live.