Week 25, Day 2: The throne scene
Today’s Reading: Revelation 5:1-6:17
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
A door standing open in heaven. Chapter 4 begins John’s vision of things in heaven. John sees a door in heaven standing open, and he is able to look in! This chapter, although a vision and uses symbolic images, really should cause us to long to be there. To be able to witness these things for ourselves. The majesty and awe of heaven will be beyond our imagination. To be in the midst of God’s glory and see the things of heaven – wow! Rom 8:18
In verse 10 we are told that the 24 elders fall down before the throne and cast their crowns before the throne. Consider the image here. Paul said in 2 Timm 4:8-9 that there is a crown of righteousness laid up for him and for all who have loved the appearing of Jesus. I believe these crowns represent the reward given to those who have been faithful in their service. These 24 elders have received their reward, and yet they cast it down before the throne. Why? Because He is worthy! “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.” No matter what you have sacrificed in this life. No matter how much you suffer or go through in your service to God, He is worthy. And when we get before His throne we will say “worthy are You our Lord to receive all the glory, honor & power.
Again, chapter 4 should excite us to think about what heaven will be like.
Week 25, Day 1: The messages to the seven churches
Today’s Reading: Revelation 3:1-4:11
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
Have you ever considered what the Lord would write to you if He sent a message addressed to you about your labors? Certainly all of God’s word is intended for our instruction and encouragement but what I am referring to is a message that analyzes and critiques your work. What would such a message say? Would it praise you for doing a good job or would it say you are lacking much? These are some of the question I think about when we come to the message to the seven churches of Asia in Revelation chapter 2. Here are seven groups of Christians whom the Lord is directly addressing regarding their service.
But again, if you consider why this letter was given to us; we are to learn and grow through the messages to these churches. Our times may be different but when we consider what the Lord noted about these churches, we can easily see applications for us today. Consider this brief summary of what is said to the churches in chapter 2:
Ephesus – Praised for testing what men taught them. But they had left their first love.
Smyrna – Praised for undergoing tribulation and remaining faithful. Told they will endure much tribulation, they must overcome through faith.
Pergamum – Praised for holding fast to His name even though they dwell where “Satan’s throne is”. But they also allow false teachers among themselves.
Thyatira – Praised for their love, faith, service & perseverance. Their deeds have increased more than at the beginning. But they tolerate Jezebel (immorality taught and encouraged by her).
When we look at the messages given to these churches I hope that we see warning for each one of us in our conduct and what we allow to go on within the Lord’s church. I hope when we finally do receive that the message telling us how we have done, that we recieve a good report. The time will come at judgment that we will be told how we did. But for now we have the opportunity to consider what has been said in God’s word, repent when & where needed and continue to improve in those areas where we lack.
The things the church should be doing can be seen in what the seven churches of Asia were praised for and what we should fight against is also presented here. Let us consider carefully and be on our guard.
Week 24, Day 5: Full of Joy
Today’s Reading: Revelation 1:1-2:29
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
Here is the Saturday post, to make up for the missed post earlier in the week! Lord willing, I will get back on a more reasonable posting schedule starting Monday of next week. This has been a “meeting week” so we have been pretty busy. I am sorry to make the posts so late in the evening.
John close his second epistle by saying that he he had more that he wanted to tell his audience, but that he wanted to wait until they were face to face so that their “joy may be full” (2 John 1:12). This verse struck me, as it relates an attitude that we should all have as Christians. We should want to be able to be with our brethren, and spend time with them. It should be a great blessing to us to be able to associate with brethren under all kinds of circumstances. Even though John had to write to these brethren and warn them of various situations, and even problems, he still wanted to be with them and deliver the rest of his message to them in person. It seems to me that he longed for the opportunity to spend time with them!
Unfortunately, today many Christians can’t seem to make time to spend with fellow Christians. They seem to enjoy the company of their worldly friends much more than the company of their Christian friends. Perhaps they think that their Christian friends are just too boring. Or maybe they see Christian friends as stifling the things that they think to be fun. This seems to indicate a tendency to indulge in worldliness, rather than finding the joy and excitement of being a Christian!
God does not want us to mope through life, bemoaning the things that we give up to be faithful to Him. He wants us to be a joyous people. Several times in his writings, Paul tells us to rejoice, even telling us to “rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). If we cannot enjoy time with brethren now, how do we think we will be happy in heaven? If we think our brethren are sticklers now, dampening our “fun”, then how do we think heaven is a place we want to be? We should want to take advantage of every opportunity we can to spend time with those of “like precious faith” (as is so often prayed in our assemblies) so that we can be encouraged and edified by them. If that is the case, then our joy will be made full, just as John hoped for himself and his audience in this epistle!
Week 24, Day 4: Loving God
Today’s Reading: 2 John 1:1-13; 3 John 1:1-14
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
It is not uncommon for people today to make the claim that they love God. In fact, the vast majority of people (at least in the United States) would probably claim that they love God. But, the problem lies in the expression of that “love.” John tells us what is necessary to show a love for God. In 1 John 5:1-3, John examines the need for us to not only love God, but to love one another. Remember, in our last post, we saw the need to love our brethren, and the consequences of hating our brethren. Interestingly enough, John combines a love for our brethren with a love for God, telling us that both are expressed in the same way: by being obedient to the commands of God. This is where things get very troublesome for many people in the religious world. They want to claim a love for God, but they don’t want to do anything to show that love. How can a person love God and then not abide by His instructions, or commands? And yet, most of the religious world balks at the idea of being obedient to God’s will. They will do things, and claim that they are done “in the name of Jesus”, but they will not be the actions or activities that Jesus has asked us to do. Showing our love for Him is very easy: simply be obedient to all that He has required.
Perhaps we can draw a parallel between this and a fleshly relationship to help us to understand this concept more clearly. If a husband continually claims to love his wife, but refuses to do the things she asks him to do, he shows that his love is in word only, and not in deed. This is what most people are like when it comes to their love for God. But, we need to be the type of people who love not in word only, but also in deed (1 John 3:18). We need to do what God has commanded. We shouldn’t be looking for excuses as to why His commands do not apply to us. We should not be trying to dismiss any “works” out of hand simply because we have a misguided idea about “earning salvation”. We can never earn our salvation, and yet that does not excuse us from being obedient to all of the commands of God!
So, we leave you with the question: do you love God? The only way that you can express that love is to be obedient to His commands, and they are not burdensome (1 John 5:3).
Week 24, Day 3: Blinded by Darkness
Today’s Reading: 1 John 4:1-5:21
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
First, you will notice that I missed yesterday’s post. Evidently I am not back in the swing of things after turning the posting duties over to Chad for a week! I will try to write a post on Saturday to make up for my oversight.
There are an interesting couple of verses in 1 John 2:10-11. John writes that the one who loves his brother abides in the light. But, he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness. This one does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes. This concept reminds me of a lake inside a cavern that I once visited. The lake was full of trout, but the trout had become blind. They lived for so long in the darkness that their eyes had become useless to them. They, however, probably never even knew that they were blind. They went about their lives just the same as if they could see. The same thing is true about those who hate their brethren. They are in darkness, and they don’t even know that they are in darkness because their eyes are blinded by the darkness. Quite often, those who hate their brethren do not even realize that they are in the darkness. They come to worship. They sit in the pew. They participate. But, they have such hatred for one called a brother that they in reality have no relationship with God. Often, they don’t even consider that their relationship with God has been hampered in any way. They think they are justified in their hatred. They think that God will overlook their hatred. But, they are really like the fish who have become so blinded by the darkness that they don’t even realized they are blind. They function in almost every way, except to correct their destroyed relationship with their brethren.
We need to make sure that we truly love our brethren, so that we can be in the light. That is the only way that we can have a relationship with God. If we are not in the light, then we are not where He is. If we walk in darkness (even if we don’t realize it) we are separated from Him. If we find it hard to love the brethren here, we certainly won’t have to worry about it when this life is over!
Week 24, Day 2: Walk in the Light
Today’s Reading: 1 John 2:1-3:24
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
John writes that “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5) This simple verse explains why God’s expectations for us is so high. He cannot, and will not tolerate sin in our lives. We cannot be with God if we are not pure and holy, just as He is holy. This is why John continued to say that we must walk in the light if we are going to have fellowship with Him. If we say that we have fellowship with God and we continue to walk in darkness, then we are liars.
This passage is quite problematic for those who believe that we don’t really have to change our actions when we become Christians. Some think that it too demanding to believe that God wants us to give up all the sin in our lives. They believe that God, being merciful, does not require that we really give up the things in life that we enjoy or find too difficult to give up. But, John’s writings are very clear that God expects His people to change their manner of life. They can no longer continue to walk in darkness, but rather must change their ways to walk in the light. Can we honestly believe that we “walk in the light” if we continue in the same manner of life as those who are in darkness?
John does not write supposing that we would be perfect once baptized (1 John 1:8). However, he does indicate that he expects us to have a particular “manner of life” that righteous. This is conveyed by the idea of “walking” in either light or darkness. If our manner of life is to walk in the light, then we will strive every day to do what is right, and will change any action in our lives that we find contrary to the word of God. If we stumble, we can ask for God’s forgiveness. But, stumbling does not define our manner of life. We must dedicate ourselves to walking in the light, and never accept that it is acceptable to walk in darkness. So, every day, commit yourself to walking in the light. Don’t ever give up!
Week 24, Day 1: Doubting Thomas
Today’s Reading: John 21:1-25; 1 John 1:1-10
Some thoughts from Friday’s reading…
We often hear about “doubting Thomas”, and we are often hard on him for requiring the proof of seeing Jesus, and putting his fingers into the holes of Jesus’ hands and feet. But, perhaps we need to reconsider our harsh judgment, and examine what John records for us in a bit more detail.
Thomas heard the testimony of the other disciples, but was unwilling to believe it until he saw the evidence for himself. Once he saw the Lord for himself, he readily accepted that this was Christ and that He had been raised from the dead. Jesus did not rebuke Thomas for wanting to see the evidence, but rather said that those who believed without seeing Him would be blessed. Jesus did not, however, say that He wanted people to believe without evidence. In fact, if we follow the context, the very next thing that John writes about is the evidence that was supplied in the very epistle that he was writing. The things that he wrote about were for the purpose of providing evidence for those who would never have the benefit of touching the holes in Jesus’ hands and side.
Thomas could have accepted the testimony of the other disciples. He probably should have accepted that testimony, and believed in the resurrection of Christ. But, he required more evidence. We need to require evidence before we believe. God has provided ample evidence for belief in two basic ways: the revelation of the created world, and the revelation of the written word. We can examine the evidence that has been left for us and conclude that Jesus is indeed raised from the dead, and that He has left us with commands that we must follow if we are to be faithful to Him.
There is nothing wrong with asking for evidence. In fact, more people in the religious world should do just that. They should ask for evidence to support claims of modern day healing. They should ask for evidence to support doctrines that are so prevalent in the world today. The sad fact is, that there is no evidence to support those things. We should accept those things that have evidence to support them, and do away with all the “religious” practices and beliefs that have no supporting evidence!
Week 23, Day 5: Unity with the Father
Today’s Reading: John 19:1-20:31
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
Chapter 17 of John contains a prayer by Jesus for the disciples to have unity. In this prayer Jesus ask that the disciples be one as He is one with the Father (17:21-22). I want to take the opportunity to point out a few verses here and ones that we have already read that point to the deity of Christ. Deity meaning that Jesus is God. As stated in these verses, Jesus is one with the Father. Also verse 5 speaks about the Father glorifying Jesus with Himself with the glory He had with Him before the world began. Jesus shared glory with the Father before this world was started. My question to those who deny the deity of Jesus is would God share His glory with another? In John 5:23 Jesus spoke of all the people honoring Him even as they honor the Father. Knowing that God is a jealous God who will not share His people with other so called gods (Exo 20:4-5), is it then consistent to say that God would allow people to honor Jesus as they honor the Father? These things only make sense if Jesus is deity?
If Jesus is not one with the Father, then how can Jesus say that all things that the Father has are His (16:15, 17:10)? The things that Jesus says does not reflect that He is just “a god” but that He is God. Nor can these statements be made if Jesus is just a prophet or a good teacher. A man or a prophet cannot make these kind of claims.
Although the emphasis of chapter 17 is not on Jesus’ deity I think several points are made that show this to be true. The emphasis of the chapter is on the need for unity among the disciples. We ought to be one just as Jesus is one with the Father. We ought to be perfected in unity so that the world may know that Jesus is true and was sent from the Father. Too often infighting and division ravage the church and cause it to be less than what it could be. People look upon this and have a reason to criticise God’s word and faith in Jesus. Let brotherly love abound and let the bond of peace help keep us sanctified in the truth.
Week 23, Day 4: They will hate you
Today’s Reading: John 17:1-18:40
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
Jesus continues to prepare the apostles for His departure. The world had hated Jesus. They had mistreated Him and persecuted Him. What do you think they will do to those who serve Him? They would treat them the same way. The apostles were commanded to love one another right before being told that they would be hated by the world. During these times of hardship and pain, they would need each other. They would need to be able to count on each other and know that they had each other’s love. Loving one another would be so critical for them to endure and persevere through the harsh treatment they were going to receive.
In 16:1 Jesus says that He tells them these things so that they may be kept from stumbling. Knowing that hardships are coming helps us to prepare mentally to endure them. Understanding that they hate us because of who we serve should also help us to deal with the persecutions. As Christians we need to prepare ourselves mentally to accept that the world will not view us favorably and will not always treat us well because we are not of the world but are of God. Resolve yourself that come what may, you will continue to serve God and not be suprised at the fiery ordeals that we have to go through. Knowing and accepting that these things will come helps us not stumble when hit by hardships. Our mindset and attitude has a lot to do with how we deal with these things.
Finally, I want to make a comment about Jesus referring to how they hated Him without cause (15:25). Sometimes we hear people say, “why is this happening to me!” Jesus suffered for no wrong that He had done. He committed no sin to deserve the hatred and persecution. When we have bad things happen to us, let us consider that sometimes things can happen without a cause. Yes, hardship can teach us many lessons and cause us to examine ourselve, but let us not become despairing and dwell on why bad things happen to us. Searching for the why has caused many people distress and sorrow when they cannot see the reason. Accept that we will suffer at times for doing what is good and that bad things happening is just a part of life, not necessarily an indication that we are being told by God to change something in our lives.
Week 23, Day 3: Jesus’ departure is coming
Today’s Reading: John 15:1-16:33
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
In the book of John, time wise, we are now less than a week before the crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus knows that His hour has come. He begins to prepare the disciples for His departure. He teaches them about serving one another (washing their feet). He says that where He is going they will follow later. He tells them what is going to come to pass so that when it does occur, they may believe. He tells them He goes to prepare a place for them in the Father’s house and will come again to receive them. He also will not leave them as orphans but will send another Helper to them. Jesus prepared them well for being able to deal with His departure.
There are two things I want to ask you to think about. 1. What blessings has the Lord given us? Here Jesus prepared the apostles for His death and future ascension. He told them of the things that must take place and about all that would be done for them. He gave them the reasons why they should be happy about His departure and what they have to look forward to. What blessings can we say that Jesus has done for us or what we have to look forward to?
2. The other thing I want you to consider is; if you knew your time on earth was at an end, what would you do or say to those around you? Do those plans center around serving God? The follow up questionto this is why are you waiting to do or say these things. Don’t leave things undone.