Caught Off Guard
Thank You, Father, for an exceptionally productive day yesterday. All the pieces and parts are ready for Sunday and I got some much-needed work done in our yard barn. Thank You, too, for a good night’s sleep.
Revelation 1:7 (<<click green)
Lord, I truly believe that this verse illumines a key truth. When it says “everyone will see [You]” and “all the nations will mourn for – because of – [You] ”, it is making it clear that we – all of humanity will know it is You. There will be no guessing or wondering, we will know.
We may run from You, say we don’t believe in You and ignore You. We can say You don’t exist and that Your are not who You claim to be…but down, down deep in our soul we know the truth. We can deny it all we want, but it doesn’t make it any less true.
When You come “with the clouds of heaven” the entirety of humanity will see You and instantly know when You are…and we will morn. The Amplified Bible spells it out when it says,
“all the tribes (nations) of the earth will mourn over him [realizing their sin and guilt and anticipating the coming wrath].”
Lord, I don’t’ know where I will be when this event takes place but I can say this with great assurance, “I know now who You are.” I will not be caught off guard. I will not be unprepared. I will be ready! Help me, Lord, to diligently be about Your work that I may show many others the way into Your kingdom so they will know You now as well. Amen.
June 9th, Fri, 6:40 am
A Priest in God’s Kingdom
I would ask that Your hand be upon my shoulder this day, Father, as I prepare for our worship services Sunday. Help me to be attentive to detail and most importantly to listen as You guide and direct me. Amen.
Revelation 1:6 (<<click green)
So what does it mean to be a priest in Your Kingdom, Lord? The idea of Your people being “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” goes all the way back to the beginnings of the nation of Israel. (Exodus 19:6 NIV) There were individuals who carried out certain tasks for worship but Your intent from the start was for us all to priests – not just the person standing behind the pulpit.
While poking around in regards to this verse I came across an article that Dr. Kelly Kapic had written for Ligonier Ministries. He makes some excellent points pertaining to our responsibilities as priests. Here is a majority of what he had to share,
“When God called Abraham, He made it clear that from this man a great nation would arise… the goal was gracious inclusion rather than hard-hearted exclusion… God’s people are never to forget that they are blessed in order to be a blessing (Genesis 12:1–2).”
All believers carry out two vital ministries as part of the royal priesthood.
First, in our priestly role, all Christians are to live sacrificially for others. We are people of the cross. Jesus laid down His life for sinners in desperate need of grace and love. As imitators of the crucified Lord, we now offer ourselves to Christ through sacrificial acts of love done in behalf of our neighbors, even the neighbors who consider us their enemies. We can be truly “honorable” through our works of grace and mercy, hoping that these very people may one day “glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12). We do not make atonement for others, but through our lives, we point them to the Lamb of God who alone can bring reconciliation between a holy God and sinful humanity (v. 21).
Second, we are faithful in our priestly role as we offer intercession on behalf of others. Paul makes a similar point when he urges Timothy to offer “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings” for ”all people, for kings and all who are in high positions” (1 Timothy 2:1–2a). Part of living as the chosen people and a holy nation is that we are set apart to be instruments of God’s grace and reconciliation in this world. And this begins with prayers. We pray not just for those we love, nor even just for God’s people, but for the world, including dangerous emperors (1 Peter 2:16–17). How do we love our neighbor? We intercede for them, asking for the light of God’s mercy to overcome the looming darkness. Jesus did this even as He hung on the cross (Luke 23:34). You and I cannot change or save our neighbor, but the triune God can.
Jesus is the perfect Mediator who makes intercession on our behalf, offering Himself as the perfect and final sacrifice so that we might enjoy peace with God. We who have received mercy (1 Peter 2: 10) are now His chosen vessels to be instruments of His grace and love to the world. This is what it means to live as part of the royal priesthood.”
June 8th, Thurs, 8:45 pm
Love in the Center of It All
Father, the day is ahead and there is much to be done. I would pray that You would guide my thoughts and my actions. May I squeeze as much from it as I possibly can. May I bring glory to You through it all. Amen.
Revelation 1:4-6 (<<click green)
Here I am, Lord, at the beginning of the book that speaks of the end. For those who have had any exposure to teachings from this book we think of many horrific and terrifying things – and those will come as we move forward. Even our own culture paints the apocalypse as being that way, full of evil, death, and destruction.
Lord, You will be our judge, there is no doubt about it. But first and foremost we have to get it in our heads that we were not created to be judged – we brought that upon ourselves – it was our choice, it has been our actions that have made judgement a necessity. In all of our existence from the beginning of time until the end of time, we have been created to be loved. Love is at the center of it all!
As we begin reading these verses we don’t see anger or judgment or condemnation. In the first words of John’s letter to the seven churches we see, “peace”, “grace”, and “love”. John 3:17 tells us,
“God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”
God, You love us…period. The hymn “To God Be the Glory” has a line that clearly states Your intentions towards us,
“The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.”
Peter in his second epistle addresses the question of scoffers who say, “What has happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again?” v4 and he answers the question in verse 9,
“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”
Lord, as I begin my journey into this book, help me to look at all that will transpire through Your eyes and with Your heart. May I be a man after your own heart as I interact with people of all races and creeds, for You love them all. Amen.
June 7th, Wed, 8:23 am
No Baby Out with the Bathwater
Father, I woke from a very deep sleep and am having a hard time getting my eyes to open. Help me to be alert to hear what You have for me this day. Amen.
Revelation 1:1-3 (<<click green)
I knew this was coming and I admit I have struggled. I seriously contemplated going to another passage of Scripture. But Jesus… this “revelation” is from You.
Revelation is most assuredly a book of prophecy. But right up front, prophecy deals with more than just future events. Prophecy deals also with proclamation…and proclamation of very important things in regard to who You are, Lord.
I guess from there is where my hesitancy arises. So many have spent countless hours trying to figure out the “who’s, where’s, and when’s” of Revelation. I have heard it said that it is possible to become “so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good.” But, as the old saying goes, Lord, I don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
The prophetic, futuristic elements are important but equally important is proclaiming how knowing these things should impact my life in the here and now and how I should embrace the entirety of Revelation to more fully know You… that is what is important. This morning, Lord, I claim verse 3 as Your promise to me.
“God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.”
June 6th, Tues, 6:35 am
Power and Authority
Father, waking up this morning I see (and hear) the might of Your creation. Peals of thunder and pouring rain remind me that You alone are in charge of this world. I cannot slow it down, I cannot stop it. I can only stand in awe of Your power and might!
Jude 25 (<<click green)
”All glory, majesty, power and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.”
I had read this portion of Scripture yesterday and knew I wanted to look at it again today but hadn’t done so prior to my opening prayer, Lord. Once again You had set my mind down the best path!
“A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E, attitude, attitude, attitude!” That is a phrase that has often been repeated in our home over the years, and what an attitude we have! As a whole mankind has this mindset that we are all powerful, we can do anything we set our mind to, nothing can stop us. Many believe that we have put God in his place on a shelf, in a box marked “Useless Things of the Past.” Oh, but we could not be more wrong!
As I wrote of the storm, I cannot control it. Thinking of the death that awaits us all, I cannot stop it. I can amass great wealth but a fire or a flood or a turn in the world market can quickly bring it all to an end.
King David understood the reality of who we are.
“Our days on earth are like grass
like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
The wind blows, and we are gone –
As though we had never been here.” Psalm 103:15-16
But You, Lord? The last half of the 25th verse of Jude tells us who You truly are. We claim power and authority but they are Yours alone. We exist on this speck of dust but for a breath – but You are eternity!! Thank You, Almighty God, for providing a way – Your death on the cross – for me to be with You, in Your love, for eternity.
“All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Amen!
June 5th, Mon, 6:28 am