The Beginning of the End

Scripture:
Revelation 1:1-8 (NASB)

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Devotional:

Revelation, whose revelation and what is revelation?  Who is this letter for anyway?  Surely not me and not today.  Revelation is to take something hidden or unknown and to make it known.  It is to enlighten those who otherwise have no knowledge of.  So we can start by understanding that John received a vision or prophesy about things to come.  This letter was written for all believers.  Revelations is not for a select or elite group.  Luke 11:28 states “But He said, On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.’” 

The next question to ask ourselves is who is giving John these visions of the future.  The direct and simple answer is God.  God revealed these things to Jesus who passed them on to John through an angel.  What authority does the revealer have?  Revelations 1:8, “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” God who is Jehovah our redeemer is the one with ultimate authority.  God is the creator of all things.  Genesis 1:1 (NIV), “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

 You might be wondering what does this have to do with me today.  You might be asking why and does it really apply to me.  I have heard it said that we are in the beginning of the end times.  People believe that Jesus’s return is near.  Certainly there is evidence to support this.  Signs are everywhere.  However, in the Bible there are scriptures to support that the beginning of the end started over two thousand years ago. 1 John 2:18 (NASB), “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.”  Also Acts 2:16-17 (NASB) states the following.

but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:
‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams;  

After Christ ascended into Heaven He sent a “suitable helper” to all believers starting with the Apostles.  God the Holy Spirit is among us and has been since the Apostles first received the Holy Spirit so many years ago.  I do not necessarily believe we are close to the end.  I think it will be several generations at least before Jesus returns and the end times are in full force.  I have several different reasons for believing this and can elaborate on them in a later.  

Regardless of which of these stages we are in we must be prepared.  That makes this passage and the entire book of Revelations relevant to each one of us.  Jesus said in Mark 13:21-33 (NIV), “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.”  Jesus also says His return will be like a thief in the night.  No one knows.  All we can do is wait, watch, and be ready.  We are told what signs to look for.  Certainly those signs seem to be evident, but then they have always been there since the beginning.  

I urge you not to be caught off guard.  Be ready, reach out to everyone you can so that they too will be ready.  OK how do we become ready?  Grow in your relationship with Jesus…

Just A Simple Thank You

Just A Simple Thank You

Scripture:
Luke 17:11-19 (NIV)

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him and he was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Devotional:

Have you ever done something nice for someone?  Have you gone out of your way for someone?  Only to have them ignore you and not even acknowledge your good deed.  There have been times when someone is trying to pull out onto a street.  Only they are having trouble getting out because of traffic.  I let them in and they race off without even a nod from them.  There have been times I would open or hold a door for someone only to have them whip past without even looking toward me.  It is as if they don’t look at me I don’t exist.  Most of the time though when I hold open a door I get a smile and a word of thanks.

If doing for others is only for acknowledgement or to receive thanks I think we missed the boat.  One out of ten people returned to Jesus to give Him thanks.  Jesus healed knowing only one would return.  Jesus didn’t heal the men so that they would all come back to give Him thanks. 

What is our focus?  Are our tasks motivated on praise or thanks back to us?  Is the focus on us?  Instead our focus should be on others.  We should focus on God and what pleases Him not our own gratification.  Getting a thank you is nice, but shouldn’t be why we do something.

Next time don’t get upset if you do not receive a thank you.  Just know you did it for God.  Also when someone does something for you don’t forgive to give thanks.  You are not only giving them thanks but you are thanking God.

So thank you God for all you have done and given.     

Getting To Know Him

Scripture:
Colossians 1:15-20 (NASB)

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

Devotional:

Have you ever wondered who Jesus really is?  Do you question His existence, what He said and did?  Some people do not believe the Bible is truth.  What is amazing is that they can read an article on the internet and automatically believe every word.  They don’t even bother checking the article for validity, but it must be true.  The Bible has how many copies that have been virtually unchanged over centuries.  There are more facts to support the truth of the Bible than any other writing.

So who is this Jesus?  Matthew 16:13-16 (NASB):

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

The Bible is clear in several passages who Jesus is.  Peter calls him “The Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Paul in Colossians states that Jesus is the first born of all creation and the invisible image of God Himself.  

If you want to know God and know what God looks like all you have to do is look upon Jesus.  If you want to know Jesus, and God, better the best place to start is in the Bible.  Next you can pray.  You don’t have to fall on your knees.  You can just talk with Jesus.  You can speak aloud or just think thoughts.  However, whenever, and wherever you pray doesn’t matter.  The best way to get to know someone is to talk with them and spend time with them.  Read the Bible and pray will help you begin a beautiful relationship with our Lord and Savior.  Salvation isn’t about a list of what to do or not to do.  Instead it is about a relationship with Jesus.  I urge you to get to know Him better…

Running In Fear

Scriptures:
1 Kings 19:1-8 (NASB)

Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.” He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, there was an angel touching him, and he said to him, “Arise, eat.” Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you.” So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.

Devotional:

I have often wondered how Elijah could defeat so many profits and priests of false gods and still fear for his life from one woman.  Here is a man who stood on a mountain and called down fire from heaven.  Here is a man who stood alone facing off four hundred fifty prophets of Baal.  Then the very next day he takes of running for his life.  One women who threatens him sends him packing.  

Have you ever stood upon the mountain in victory?  You are standing on top of the world.  Nothing could be better.  For a moment you are experiencing heaven on earth.  The next minute you are at the bottom.  Depression and despair seem to be overwhelming.  You don’t know how it happened but there you are.  The good news is that even in our despair and brokenness God is with us.  When Elijah was sitting under the juniper tree God came to him.  God fed him and gave him rest.

In our lowest moments God is there waiting.  He will help us through.  We are not alone or abandoned.  Looking back over the years I can see the low points in my life.  Each time God was there.  I couldn’t necessarily see it.  Sometimes I even wanted to deny my relationship with God.  In the end God was patient, loving, and caring.  He provided for me and helped me through.  No matter what we face or what we do, God is with us.  Jesus died upon the cross for us.  The Holy Spirit fills us.  We are never truly alone.  We never have to face our depressions, fears, and demons alone.  We don’t have to run in fear.  Our enemies will never be able to prevail.  God is always with us.  We might not see it at the time but look back and see God’s miracles in your life.