The Holy City

I hate housecleaning. I postpone it until it is absolutely necessary. If you were to come visit unexpected, you would find piles of random items everywhere: stacks of mail, groceries, the grandchildren's toys, books, more mail, tools, electronics in pieces. But once in a while, usually when company is expected, I clean up. 

Yesterday, I finally put old photos in new frames and rearranged them in my dining room. I even dusted the shelves. It was a thing of beauty. There was something rejuvenating about discarding the broken frames, selecting the best photos of family, and placing them in order together.  

Maybe in a small way, this was the joy of God as He was able to put His creation back in order. He had already defeated evil. Now onto the process of getting His world in order.

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, (Revelation 21:1) 

As God first created the world, now He recreates it. 

“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. (Revelation 21:3)

This is what God always wanted, to dwell with us. There was a long process to get there and He had patiently waited for it to play out to the end.  God will tenderly care for His people now that He can bring them into their final home. He will comfort them, provide for them, stay near to them.

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”  He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” ...

He said to me: “It is done... To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.  Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. (Revelation 21:4-7) 

The earth has been destroyed and so God brings from heaven a new, even more glorious creation. He describes it to John so that we can know how magnificent it will be. 

One of the seven angels ... said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he ...showed me The Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel...

The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. (Revelation 21:9-11, 21-23)

God is creating a city so enormous, so stunningly beautiful, we can't imagine it. But as His image-bearers, we understand in a small way the joy of creating things, comforts for ourselves and for others we invite into our homes. He is not only creating for us and our joy, but I can feel His joy as well, His anticipation of a time and a place where He can dwell with His children and there will be true peace.  

The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:24-27)

Beloved, I can only imagine what this will be like. Thank You for pulling back the curtain so that we can see it, if only dimly. I am delighted with Your delight to be with us for eternity. Help me to look forward to it and past this dark chaotic world. Let the anticipation of Your perfect glory inspire me to follow You more closely every day. 

The Battle Between God and Satan

The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11) 

When Jesus came to earth as a baby, God sends His angels to announce it, proclaiming it is good news. There will be great joy for all people. Our Savior has come. 

At Christ's first coming, it is good news. At the second, the news is good and bad. It is bad news for Satan. His time of terror has come to an end, even if only for a while at first.  

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:1-2) 

Christ has come and Satan has been defeated, captured and securely bound. He will no longer lead astray, deceive, and seduce the nations.

They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years... They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4,6) 

Those who belong to Christ will be resurrected. They will enjoy of time of peace, purpose, and joy because Christ will have restored His earthly kingdom and He will reign. Earth will have a perfect king, who rules with perfect wisdom and love. The future all our hearts long for will come true.  

But this is not the end of the story. There is one more chapter before the happy ending. Satan is permitted to return. 

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations...and to gather them for battle...they are like the sand on the seashore...But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. (Revelation 20:7-9) 

God bound Satan. Then He releases him. Why? What does this tell us about God? What does this tell us about humanity? Because after living in paradise, multitudes side with Satan and battle against the kingdom of God!

• God is ultimately in control. He can bind Satan, and He can release Him. Satan does have power, but it is limited by God alone.

• God provides second chances. Indeed, multiple chance to repent, to turn to Him, to change our ways.  But there will be a limit. There will be a time of judgment. Was this a second chance offered to Satan, after he had seen the beauty of a kingdom where Christ is king? Was this a second chance given to God's subjects, to choose evil and reject Him? Was this to remind us that we are never satisfied but always looking around the corner for the better deal? I am not certain of these answers but I am sure I want to choose Christ. Always.
  

• God can take the deceiver out of the world, but our hearts are still wicked. It is inside us. We desperately need a Savior to atone for our sins, and also to heal us from sin forever. We cannot do it on our own power. Left to ourselves, we march against God in defiance, wanting our own way. We want to be king! That is why we must cast our crowns before Him who will reign forever and ever.

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it... And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened...The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books... 

Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11,12,15) 

We will be judged by our deeds, but our deeds will not save us, even if it seems the good outweighs the bad. Only if our name had been written in the Book of Life by Christ Himself because we surrendered to Him in humility.

God longs to give us our heart's true desire: an eternity of peace and joy. But that only exists with Him, inside His kingdom. He has provided the way, the door in Christ. 

Will you enter it?

Beloved, thank You for saving me! Heal my heart of pride, self-centerness! I submit to Your mercy and to Your correction. I want to stay inside Your Kingdom forever because You alone are the Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father, Wonderful Counselor, our God-Hero. 

The Sharp Sword of His Mouth

This morning I reflected on how differently the armies of heaven announce the first and second coming of Christ.

The angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth
to those with whom God is pleased.”
(Luke 2:13-14) 

At the First Coming, the angels announce peace on earth. God's mercy had come to us, in the flesh, as a gentle baby, to atone for our sins. Contrast with that the announcement of His Second Coming:

A great multitude in heaven shouting:
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
for true and just are His judgments.
He has condemned the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.
He has avenged on her the blood of His servants.”
(Revelation 19:1-2) 

The next time time Jesus comes, it will be in power to judge and condemn the people of earth. He will take revenge on those who tortured and murdered His servants. He comes on a white horse with the armies of heaven following Him. He will wage war. He will destroy His enemies and cast them out of the earth. 

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose Rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and wages war. The armies of heaven were following Him... Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. (Revelation 19:11, 14, 15) 

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the Rider on the horse and His army. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet ... The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 

The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the Rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. (Revelation 19:19-21) 

It will be a blood bath. 

Jesus will decisively concur evil. There will be no prolonged battle. Victory will come in an instant. What will Jesus use to accomplish this? The sword of His mouth! With His words, He created the heavens and the earth. With His mouth He will speak to evil and it will be cast out. God's Truth overcomes lies. God's light overcomes darkness.

It will not be pretty. It sounds incredibly gory actually. But it will be GOOD.  

In His first coming, Jesus provided a way, a door, into the kingdom of heaven. He purchased it at great price, by His own suffering and blood. He offers it to all of us. Just by saying yes, He will cleanse us from our sin and provide the Holy Spirit who will continue to stay near and transform us. The Spirit will make us ready to meet our King face to face. 

But before Christ meets His bride, the Church, He must make a place suitable for her. He must wipe out all evil. And so when He does, the waiting is over and the heavens sing... 

“Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and His bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.”
(Revelation 19:6-8)  

Beloved, I too will be shouting praises in heaven when evil is conquered and You are victorious. But until then, remind me to continue to submit to the Spirit as He transforms me. Remind me to continue to pray for family and friends to say yes to You and Your kingdom. You are good in Your mercy and in Your judgment. You are good and I trust You. 

Come Out!

Growing up, I could see New York City from our street corner. The lights sparkled, especially when the daylight dwindled in the fall. My parents would bring us to Radio City Music Hall to see the show. As we walked on the streets, my mother used to say the sidewalks were paved with diamonds. Indeed, they did glitter in the night as they reflected the lights.

Last trip together into NYC with mom

We continued the tradition with my daughters. We would visit at Christmas time to see the tree at Rockefeller center and enjoy the Christmas lights and excitement of the city.

We have lived our whole lives at the outskirts of New York City, the largest, richest, most powerful city in the world. As a culture, we enjoy her gifts, but we ignore her sins. She attracts the  homeless and poor, greed and corruption, filth and immorality. We step around these things when we visit. We look away from the beggar, cross the street when we see the unsavory. But we keep coming back. We try to be close, while keeping our coats clean.    

What does God instruct us regarding the culture of sin around us? 

“Come out of her, my people,
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
for her sins are piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes."(Revelation 18:4-5) 

Scripture tells us to leave. Not to live in suburbia and visit occasionally, but to separate, come away. To stay close is to partner in these sins. Sin is seductive. It is devious. It is contagious. When we remain close, we will become contaminated.

"For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
(Revelation 18:3) 

Immorality, greed, and power are never satisfied. These sins multiply and grow more deeply embedded. They become normalized and accepted. Evil invites us to it's revelry but it hates us will destroy us. Wickedness tastes delicious even though it is deadly.       

"Your merchants were the world’s important people.
By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.
In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,
of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.” (Revelation 16:23-24) 

God sees all and He will surely judge the wicked. Quickly, totally it will be destroyed. Let's not allow His delay to fool us. 

“In one hour your doom has come! ...
With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again." (Revelation 18:10,21) 

The world will mourn the destruction of evil but God's people will rejoice. God will show Himself faithful and His judgment is good.

"Rejoice, you people of God!
Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her with the judgment she imposed on you.”
(Revelation 18:20) 

Beloved, I want to be a part of it, the excitement, the lights, the fun. It cunningly masks the immoral. It draws me too. I am not immune. I too can be seduced by immorality, greed, power and pride. Allow me to see the truth, that You alone are joy and peace. Let me take seriously Your call to come out.  

Are We Drunk by the Wine of Her Immorality?

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” (Luke 1:26-28) 

Consider the contrast between the Mary, virgin of Nazareth and the great prostitute of Babylon described in chapter 17 of Revelation.

One of the seven angels who had poured out the seven bowls came over and spoke to me. “Come with me,” he said, “and I will show you the judgment that is going to come on the great prostitute, who rules over many waters. The kings of the world have committed adultery with her, and the people who belong to this world have been made drunk by the wine of her immorality.” (Revelation 17:1-2) 

I could see that she was drunk—drunk with the blood of God’s holy people who were witnesses for Jesus. (Revelation 17:6) 

Together they will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because He is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. And His called and chosen and faithful ones will be with Him.” (Revelation 17:14) 

And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world.” (Revelation 17:18)

What is the difference between the great prostitute of Babylon and Mary, the virgin of Nazareth?

• The prostitute is rich. Mary is poor.
• The prostitute controls the nations and martyrs the people of God. Mary has no control beyond her own personal choice. She can't even control the reaction of her fiance Joseph. An angel must intervene.
• The prostitute blasphemies God. She loves her sins and wears them like a royal robe. Mary trusts the Lord and is obedient to His will.
• The prostitute is full of obscenities, impurity and immorality.  Mary magnifies the Lord and is grateful. 
• The prostitute will war against Christ and His followers. Mary was willing to risk everything to bring Christ into the world. 
  

Reading about the great prostitute of Babylon is horrifying. I want to figure out what country the angels are talking about. Is it my own? When will this happen? How can I and my family stay safe?

Those are not the important questions. Like Mary, I have no control beyond my own person choice. I must focus on that: 

• Will I refuse the comforts and riches of Babylon when they require my allegiance to anything else besides Christ? 
• Will I stay alert to seduction of the culture and its immoral things and refuse them? 
• Will I trust the Lord and stay obedient to His word even when it costs me? 
• Will I praise Him and be grateful even in the suffering? 
• Will I side with Christ against the things of this world?    

Beloved, send Your Spirit. I am weak but Your Spirit is strong. Help me to be like Mary. Continue Your work to sanctify me while I wait for Your victory!

Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

He will come like a Thief!

There are ten days until Christmas. 

The good thing about the holiday is you know when it is coming. I can plan ahead, purchase what is needed, prepare my home. I know how many days I have left.

The second coming of Christ will not be like that. It will be unexpected. Even with the signs He has given us, we will not know the exact day or the hour of His coming. Or the day when He will announce from heaven that He has had enough.

Then I heard a mighty voice from the temple sanctuary saying to the seven angels, Go and empty out on the earth the seven bowls of God’s wrath and indignation. (Revelation 16:1 AMPC) 

Why is God doing this? Why is He punishing the people of the earth? 

 “You are just in these judgments, O Holy One,
    You who are and who were;
for they have shed the blood of Your holy people and Your prophets,
    and You have given them blood to drink as they deserve.”
(Revelation 16:5-6)

God will bring justice. He would prefer forgiveness, but the remainder of the people on earth refuse Him, no matter what punishment He brings to them. 

People were severely burned (scorched) by the fiery heat, and they reviled and blasphemed the name of God, Who has control of these plagues, and they did not repent of their sins [felt no regret, contrition, and compunction for their waywardness, refusing to amend their ways] to give Him glory. (Revelation 16:9 AMPC) 

Beloved, help me to feel contrition and deep regret for all my sins. Help me to amend my ways to follow You! Let me not put off until tomorrow what must be done today. 

I need not know when You are coming. I need always to be ready to greet You, clothed in Your righteousness alone. Let me not be trapped by my pride, my self-rightousness, or selfish, sinful desires. You alone deserve all my devotion and my praise.  

Behold, I am going to come like a thief! Blessed (happy, to be envied) is he who stays awake (alert) and who guards his clothes, so that he may not be naked and [have the shame of being] seen exposed! (Revelation 16:15 AMPC)

His Ways are Just and True

I am preparing for Christmas. The house is decorated. The gifts are bought. The cards are mailed. Final plans to celebrate are being made. There is a growing excitement of celebrations, and children's vacations. 

In a similar way, John sees God and His angels preparing for His final judgment. The angels are gloriously attired. The golden bowls are ready, filled with God's wrath.  The people of God sing His praises.

Great and marvelous are Your deeds, Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are Your ways, King of the nations.
(Revelation 15:3) 

God is preparing to totally destroy everything He has created. All of the earth and sea and even the heavens. His people who are praising Him remind us this destruction is not random. It is not wrong or unjust. All His ways are good, therefore even His wrath and judgment are good.   

Who will not fear You, Lord, and bring glory to Your name?
For You alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before You,
for Your righteous acts have been revealed.
(Revelation 15:4)

The problem is there are many who do not fear Him and who refuse to bring glory to His name. Those who refuse to obey the Lord have been causing chaos. They have been causing suffering and death. God had warned and disciplined. Now God’s wrath is completed. The time has come for judgment.

And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed. (Revelation 15:8)

God created the earth as a place to commune with men. His intent is to restore. But before the new creation can be built, the old one must be destroyed. 

God will fulfill His original desire, to dwell with us forever and ever. To fill the earth with His glory and power as holy smoke fills the temple. How do we prepare for His coming again?

We remind ourselves His deeds are marvelous, just and true. We worship and fear Him. We trust He will accomplish His new creation where we will dwell with Him forever.  

Beloved, as we see the work of evil men and women in the world, it is easy to despair, to think justice will not be served. But You alone will bring true justice. All the nations will worship You. You alone are Holy. As we wait, You are preparing. Remind me again and again.  

He is the Lamb

Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads. And they sang a new song before the throne (Revelation 14:1, 3). 

Few animals are more gentle and harmless than a lamb. A lamb is a sheep less than one year old. In his John's vision of heaven, this is how he sees Jesus.

Actually most of the photos of lamb on the internet are lamb not as a furry friend, but as dinner. Lambs nurse at their mother's breast and eat grass. People eat lamb. 

Jesus came to us at Christmas as a baby, small and helpless. When John the Baptist first introduces Jesus to Israel, John calls Him the Lamb of God (see John 1:36). Jesus is "gentle" God. Jesus is "come close to Me" God. Jesus allowed predators to ravish Him. Just like a lamb.

But instead of needing a shepherd, Jesus is the shepherd, leading a congregation of followers. And they worship Him. 

“Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” (Revelation 14:7) 

We are instructed to fear and worship the Lamb. 

This is why it is hard to do. Jesus seemed gentle. He looked like one of us, a man. His glory was hidden in His human form.  This is what Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 1:22-24: For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 

This is why we are easily deceived by powerful charismatic evil men (and women) who tap into our desires. We all want to be led by a competent, strong leader. But we also want what we want. 

At the end of the age, the Lamb will reveal Himself as Lord of heaven and earth. He will send His mighty angels to execute the wrath of God on those who have chosen this evil path.

“If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of His wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” (Revelation 14:9-11) 

We discover the Lamb is not gentle or harmless. Instead the Lamb is good, just, and faithful. He is the powerful King of all kings. He will not allow evil to flourish forever. He will end evil. 

Ending evil is not being hardhearted, judgmental or wrong. Ending evil is good. Maybe this is why people love the movie Die Hard and claim it is a Christmas movie. We all long to be rescued by the good guy and cheer the death of the bad guy.    

This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep His commands and remain faithful to Jesus. (Revelation 14:12) 

Right now, we still have time to choose Jesus. To "not choose" is to side with evil and reap their reward. 

Who have you chosen?

Beloved, I have chosen You but I am not good at patience or endurance. Please help me! Give me courage. Strengthen me to face the suffering. Fill me with Your Spirit to obey Your word. Praise God that even when I am faithless, You remain faithful.     

He will Return in Glory

In His First Coming, God became flesh. Jesus was hidden, first in Mary's womb, then in a stable in Bethlehem, then in Egypt, then in Nazareth. At first He was revealed only by God's power: by angels, by the stars, and by the Spirit to Anna and Simeon (see Luke 2).  Jesus was revealed to all people as a young man. Those who recognized Him were convinced by His signs. Old Testament prophets predicted all the things He did, including details of His birth.

But after His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, the angels promised His followers that He would return again in Glory. Not as a baby, but descending from the clouds (see Acts 1).

He will come again in Glory!

Revelation 13 instructs us, in the dark time before Christ's return, others will come to deceive us, to control us, to enjoy power over us. They will imitate Christ's miracles. And many people will follow these counterfeits.

The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. (Revelation 13:2-3) 

Because many will believe them. First they will gain influence and eventually they will amass real power. They will be able to throw Christ followers into prison, to restrict them from the market place, to kill them. 

Honestly this is terrifying to as I sit in my warm house with my coffee and full refrigerator. We live a comfortable, sheltered life in New Jersey, but history tells us many dictators have risen in times past who demanded complete allegiance and even worship, starving and murdering their subjects with a carelessness and glee that can only be called evil. This last dictator will come from Satan himself and have power beyond what mere humans can perform in order to deceive many.

Whoever has ears, let them hear.
“If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go.
If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed.”
This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.
(Revelation 13:9-11) 

While many will believe the beast, what should our response be?

First, we must remember what is true. All of Revelation is to instruct us on what we should see when He comes again. Although we cannot fully understand and even biblical scholars disagree, we must trust He told us enough for us to recognize the signs. God has told us all we need to know. He will be faithful. Christ will come on the clouds and all will see Him at once. He will not return as a man.

Second, we must be faithful as well. We will have hardship and we must endure it with patience and with expectation that God rewards those who stay the course.  

The beast will be a man given power but it is not of God.  

Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon... Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. (Revelation 13:11, 14) 

Beloved, thank You for warning us. By Your Holy Spirit, please give us courage and patience to endure. Give us discernment to see through the deceivers who seek to lure us astray. We can turn off our phones, our TVs, stay home in our beds but we cannot escape the evil in this world because it is also in our hearts. Help us recognize it and repent! 

We know You always stand ready with open arms for us to return. You are mercy. Amen.

His Blood and Our Testimony

I haven gotten back to reading fiction novels. I am fascinated by how the author weaves the story, describes the characters and presents their back-stories. 

For plot twists, nothing beats scripture. Turning to Revelation 12, we find an extraordinary character conflict, between a pregnant woman and an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns. What kind of a lopsided battle is that? 

We are not told specifically who she is. Some say she is Mary. Others say she is Israel. In either case, her Child is Jesus. And the dragon is Satan.

She gave birth to a Son, a male Child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her Child was snatched up to God and to his throne. (Revelation 12:5) 

The Baby the woman gives birth to is a powerful ruler. Good news! We expect she will be safe, but then the Child is snatched to heaven. The Child, the powerful ruler, has left. We, who live on the earth, remain to be pursued by Satan. What are we to do? Who will defend us?  

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of His Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death. (Revelation 12:10-11)

We don't have to defend ourselves. Christ has already been victorious because He took the curse of sin on His own body and paid the penalty by His blood. Because we believe Him, because He has changed our hearts and our lives, the victory has already been won for us. He has saved us and He is our Lord, our Shepherd, our King. Satan will continue to pursue us, to accuse us, but we are not longer bound by our sin.  We do not even have to fear death because we are confident of a better life after death where we will live forever in God's glorious kingdom. 

Jesus, who came as a baby, is the Christ. He has Redeemed us. He is our King.

This is our testimony. We do not have to battle the dragon. We only have to hold fast to our testimony of who Jesus is and what He has done on our behalf. That is our weapon! It is the only one we need.

Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus. (Revelation 12:17)

Beloved, what if instead of trying to battle my sin, I simply speak the truth to myself, that You have already won the battle? I feel weak, like a pregnant woman in a struggle with an enormous red dragon, but the King of Kings and His angel armies are on my side. Because of Your victory, the word of my testimony has power when I hold it fast. 

Beloved, thank You for Your protection of me. Even though I cannot see You with my eyes, I can be confident in Your power and faithfulness. I trust You.  

He has Work for Us

Mothers know about the hard part of Christmas. Someone has to make the holiday happen. There are decorations to display, presents to buy and wrap, cookies to bake, cards to write, meals to make, houses to clean. The joy is not without some sweat. 

Like the Christmas chores, there is work required to accomplish God's plan, to prepare for His Second Coming.  

I will appoint My two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies... They have power ... to strike the earth with every kind of plague (Revelation 11:3, 5-6). 

What is the work to prepare for His Second Coming and who must perform it? Jesus has already accomplished His part and is seated at the right hand of God. The work is for us. It is to testify of His truth, with our words and our lives. 

It is like yesterday, when we had our December MomCo meeting. There was decorating, buying and wrapping and baking. There was greeting and teaching and child care. Afterwards there was the un-decorating and the inevitable dish washing. It was a lot of work.

Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the public square (Revelation 11:7-8). 

But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet (Revelation 11:11)

In addition, there was the attach of the enemy when the technology failed and stalled the meeting and threatened to destroy some of the best parts. But we prayed and the Spirit in power resolved the problem. 

Each of us used the spiritual gifts given to us by God and it was a great meeting.  We went home exhausted but pleased. 

I'm sure Christmas in each home will end up the same way. We will work hard, the enemy will attach us, God will intervene with His blessings.

There is work to be done and it will not be easy. It will not be without opposition. But God has given us the power to do it and He will give us joy. He will bring the victory in the perfect time. 

This Advent, I have dedicated myself to write these devotionals, day by day. The coming days, as Revelation reveals the battle between good and evil, will not be pleasant, but it is necessary.  I want Christmas to be easy but, as an adult, I need to understand nothing good is easy. God empowers me to do the hard things.

Beloved, allow me to embrace the hard work of serving You with joy and peace. You have not asked me to do anything You have not already empowered me to do. If I want to be Your maidservant, and I do, then I must be ready to face opposition and hardship. Let my heart be like Mary's and reply to every opportunity You present to me with her words   “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

Jesus will Bring the Victory

When my daughters were young, I had a hiding place for their gifts in the very lowest part of our basement. It was important for them not to find them until Christmas morning. 

God gave us the most important gift we will ever receive 2000 years ago and He hid it in a Baby, born in a stable to a poor young woman. She named Him Jesus. Most of His young life was hidden from the world until He began His public ministry.  At that time, God revealed Him and affirmed Him publicly.  Jesus fulfilled the words of the prophets over and over again but many did not believe in Him.

There are words of the Old Testament prophets that have not yet been fulfilled. These wait for the Second Coming of Christ. God has kept them hidden until just the right time. 

Here in chapter 10, we are told there will be no more delay. Everything hidden will be revealed.

Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. And he swore by Him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, 

“There will be no more delay! But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as He announced to His servants the prophets.” (Revelation 10:5-7)

Our eternal God created the heavens, the earth and the sea. Then created man to care for it. Instead, we have decided we would rather try to be God than obey Him. God knew this from the beginning and always had a plan. He told part of the mystery to His prophets, but always kept part of it hidden. At His perfect time, He will reveal it all. He will accomplish His plan.

Jesus will bring the victory.

I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour.  (Revelation 10:10)

Victory will be sweet but also sorrowful because God's desire, and ours, would be that all people will turn to Him. But they will not. 

Beloved, I know Your desire is to make heaven crowded. Prepare me, use me in Your purposes. I offer my life to You.

Jesus Gives Us a Choice

Christmas shopping has never been my favorite thing. As I wandered through the mall, I saw so many stores, so many options, but still I could not find what I wanted. So instead I returned home, and as so many of us do now, and I searched Amazon for exactly what I wanted. Of course, I found it, in several sizes and colors. 

Today we have so many options, a vast selection of goods and services. They are all available at our fingertips and will be delivered before the end of the week to our doorstep.

This masks the reality of eternity. In eternity, there are only two options. Good or evil. In the first eight chapters of Revelation we have seen what good looks like. Here we see evil.

I saw a star (angelic being) that had fallen from heaven to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit (abyss) was given to him (the star-angel). He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke like the smoke of a great furnace flowed out of the pit; and the sun and the atmosphere were darkened by the smoke from the pit. Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power [to hurt] was given to them, like the power which the earth’s scorpions have. They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but [to hurt] only the people who do not have the seal (mark of ownership, protection) of God on their foreheads. They were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment and cause them extreme pain. (Revelation 9:1-5 AMP) 

I think following my heart's desire is good. But in reality, straying from God's will is not good. It is the opposite of good. It is evil. And evil's intent is to hurt me. It may promise pleasure but the pleasure leads to intense pain. We will in the end, long for release, but it will not let us go. 

This here, in a metaphysical sense, describes all addictions: to drugs, to sex, to gambling, to power, but also to shopping, to food, to gossip, to pleasing other people. It is killing us, but it is so hard to stop. 

However, God is in control. He limits the power of evil to hurt us. He will mark His servants for protection. In the end, He continues to invite us to reach out to Him. He can save us. How will we respond to Him?

They did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries (drugs, intoxications) nor of their [sexual] immorality nor of their thefts (Revelation 9:21).

We want what we want. We love our sin too much. We don't want to let it go.

There are only two options. God's peace or Satan's torment. We will chose our master. Do not be deceived. To not choose is to choose torment. 

Will you choose God?

Beloved, You remind me of my choice here. It is one I choose day by day, moment by moment. By the power of Your Holy Spirit in me, help me choose You. Help me to come to You with each desire. Strengthen my self control to recognize the choices and choose You. You alone are our Peace. 

 

Jesus is to be Feared

Because my two daughters are teachers of young children, I have heard a good deal about Gentle Parenting. Gentle parenting is a parenting style that emphasizes empathy, respect, understanding, and setting healthy boundaries without using punishment. While some of that is good, I think it is important for children to understand punishment, because let's face it, punishment is part of the world we live in. 

Drive too fast, or go through a red light? You will receive punishment. Break a rule of your community association? You will receive punishment. Fail to meet your commitments at work? You will receive punishment. Maybe not all the time, but eventually, it catches up with you.

Children must be taught to fear punishment. So must us adults. 

Revelation reminds us that God is not only love, but He will also punish those who do evil and refuse to repent. 

When He (the Lamb) broke open the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour [in awe of God’s impending judgment] (Revelation 8:1 AMP). 

Wild fires give us a sense of doom

There was a hush in heaven, everything stopped in silence as the Kingdom of God considered the impending judgment of the earth. Because it was going to be a spectacular sight. There would be peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Then hail and fire mixed with blood. Then something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, thrown into the sea. 

We need to not only worship Jesus. We must learn to fear Him. Because there will be extreme punishment. It may seem like we are getting away with living life as we please but eventually it catches up with us.

Jesus, who loves us, clearly wants us to know when He returns, there will be frightening events in nature. He is the One in control, Master of the Universe, causing them all. And His intent is to bring all the peoples of the earth back to His Kingdom of light and peace. First He appeals to us gently, patiently, and lovingly. At Christmas He came as a baby in a manger. But when He comes again it will be with fire. 

He invites us to love Him, but He warns us to fear Him. We must fear the punishment. Because it will come. 

Then I looked, and I heard a solitary eagle flying in midheaven [for all to see], saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe [great wrath is coming] to those who dwell on the earth (Revelation 8:13 AMP)

Beloved, honestly, I am uncomfortable with this side of Your character. But watching my toddler grandchildren reminds me that fear is just as good as love. Continue to remind me that fear is a an aspect of Your mercy! Because bad things happen when we have our own way, when we are not alert to Your voice. I pray with David:  

Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
For great is Your mercy toward me,
And You have delivered my soul from the depths
(Psalm 85:11-13).

 

He is Savior

Salvation. What does that mean? One definition I found was: Salvation is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. 

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
(Revelation 7:10)

Our sin has dire consequences. Often they are not immediate so we are lulled into thinking there are no consequences until they befall us. Not only our sin, but the sins of those around us, who lived before us, affect our lives in countless ways.

At the end of this age, when Christ comes again for judgment, He will separate us into only two groups, those who will be with Him and His kingdom, and those who will not. None of us are worthy to be in the presence of God. Our only hope is to wash our robes and have them made white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:14) 

Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
(Revelation 7:12) 

What is our response to this great, generous mercy of God? It is to praise Him and thank Him for all He is. He is glorious. He is wise. He is powerful. He is seated on the throne of Heaven. He is eternal.

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
‘He will lead them to springs of living water.’
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”
(Revelation 7:17)

Even more than that, He is tender. He is near. He provides. He leads us to a good life. His desire is to gather us to Himself. But we must hear His voice and follow Him.  

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. (John 10:27) 

Jesus is the way of salvation, protection from harm and a dire situation. The problem is often we can't see we need protection. We think we're ok. We are in control. We have enough money, power, charm, knowledge to take care of ourselves. We don't need an invisible God to do anything for us. We want follow our heart's desires. We want to be free to control our own lives. We don't need His advice or His protection. 

Beloved, this is Satan's lie. We must not believe it. Allow the concerns of this life and the reality of certain death to remind us of our limits and our need for a savior. You stand ready to deliver us from the power of sin and eternal death. You invite us to Your Kingdom of peace. We must turn to You, follow You, thank You, praise You.

He brings Justice

In our country we are blessed that the government seeks to provide justice for our citizens. Laws are created and procedures are followed to assure each person in each situation is treated fairly. But it's not perfect. 

Only Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, the King of Kings, will provide perfect justice. Final judgment starts here in chapter 6. 

I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” (Revelation 6:1) 

In the last chapter we saw those who follow Jesus will reign with Him. Here we see what that means. As Jesus opens the seals on the scroll, His purpose is executed by the four living creatures. It is not something He does all alone but He works together with His creation. In His first coming, it is the same. He became a baby working through Mary. He accomplished His will using Joseph, the shepherds and the magi. They also agreed and served the Lord to accomplish His purposes. This is what it means to reign with Christ.

We also can agree to serve the Lord today to accomplish His purposes. He is still using us as we listen and obey Him. 

“How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until You judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” (Revelation 6:10) 

The martyrs who were slain because of their testimony and devotion to God are praying for justice. They know only true justice comes from Christ. They are asked to continue to wait.  We too must trust the holy and true God for justice. We must be willing to wait for it to come from Him alone. Justice will not be quick, but it will come.

In His first coming, both Simeon and Anna, true followers of God, rejoiced in seeing baby Jesus because they were trusting God for their salvation their whole lives (see Luke 2:21-40). Their waiting produced joyful worship.  

Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?” (Revelation 6:15-17)

When justice does come, what do the inhabitants of the earth do? All of them try to hide from God because they are not ready. They do not repent. They refuse to worship or obey.

They now understand none of them can withstand God's wrath. Their riches cannot buy their way out.  Their political power and military cannot force their way out. Their charisma cannot their charm their way out. Their poverty and slavery cannot excuse them. They see they stand powerless against Him so they run and hide.

Trying to control God is nothing new. Herod tried it with baby Jesus too (see Matthew 2:13-16). But no one can frustrate God's will. God will have His way. 

Jesus will bring judgment, of that we can be sure. But we have a choice. 

• We can wait expectantly for justice to come from Him. Or we can try to take revenge ourselves.

• When we sin we can come to Him and repent. He will always forgive. He has already paid the price for every sin! Or we can run away and hide. 

But there is nowhere to run. Jesus will bring justice on His whole creation. Will we be ready? That's up to us.

Beloved, let me be like Mary, always ready to be Your maidservant. Let me come to You, and to Your children with humble confession and repentance when I sin. Help me to be ready for when You come. I don't want to hide from You. I want to be among those who come into Your light. It is not always easy so fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Again and again and again.    

 

He is the Paradox

We need help. Political unrest, disunity in families, sickness, injustice, all in the last few days, but all that is nothing new. Who can we turn to in these times when no one on earth can help us? Who can right the wrongs? Resolve the problems? Heal our bodies and our hearts?

Who can open the scroll of eternity?

the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals. (Revelation 5:5) 

Jesus our hero. He is our powerful Lion, the everlasting King. He alone can create the happy ending we all desire. He can right the wrongs. He can heal us inside and out. But wait, that is only the introduction. The angel's voice is dramatic, the lights flash and John turns to see our Savior. 

a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. (Revelation 5:6) 

What? Wait, the Lion is really a Lamb! The Lamb of God, and we were the ones who slaughtered Him. He is the one with perfect power, perfect knowledge, present everywhere on the earth. 

We do not need to fear because He was slain for us, so we can be with Him forever serving and reigning.  

 “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain, and with Your blood You purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9-10)

It is the paradox of both/and. Jesus is the Lion and the Lamb. He is power and gentleness. He is justice and mercy.  He is slain and alive. He is of the tribe of Judah and His salvation is for all the nations. He is on heaven's throne and always with us. 

He is the Baby in the manger, yet He is the almighty God. He healed the sick, fed the multitudes, raised the dead and also washed their feet. He came for us and He is coming again. 

And for us too, the paradox. We must fear Him and stay close to Him. He will discipline us and heal us. We will serve Him and reign with Him. We are sinners, and yet, He loves us and saves us. 

You are everything, Beloved. It will take a lifetime and then eternity beyond that, to fully comprehend Your greatness and Your goodness. No one can compare with You. Help me each day understand Your paradox. Let me daily be reminded by the beauty in  Your creation to worship You, to trust You alone. You alone can save.    

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”

He is Holy

Even thought I am retired now, and my life should be my own, still I find it difficult to put God first. I check my phone for texts from friends and family, listen to the news, clean up the kitchen, start the laundry, check what is on TV, have my breakfast. Simple mundane things of life. 

God invites us into His presence and I ignore Him. 

Not so in heaven. The host of mighty angels, living creatures and elders adore Him and sing...

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come." (Revelation 4:8)

Maybe its easier because they are in His presence. He is on His great throne, shining and encircled by an emerald rainbow, on a transparent glassy sea. 

Here our vision is clouded by our own needs, our routines, our self-centered desires and our sin. Now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection of reality (1 Corinthians 13:12 AMPC). If I was there, I could not resist to also sing.

This is why we must gather to worship. It reminds us of who God is and why He is worthy of not merely our voices but our entire lives. 

“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for You created all things,
and by Your will they were created
and have their being.”

The perfectly holy, eternal creator of the universe invites us to sit with Him, to hear His voice, to listen to us. He is like our loving early father who provided for and protected us. He is like our loving mother who nurtured and cared for us. And yet He sits on the throne over all creation. Day by day He gives us our breath. 

And He is coming again.

Beloved, You patiently are waiting for me to answer Your invitation into Your presence. You wish to speak to me, to hear my prayers. My response should be to come quickly. To thank You. To worship You. Because You are holy and worthy of my time and my praise. Indeed, I would have no time, no voice, no strength except by Your gracious generosity. You have given it all to me. 

Help me to see You as You are. Holy Holy Holy.   

He Holds the Key

To be honest, I am not doing this journey back through Revelation because I have wisdom to share with the world. I am doing it because a part of me feels dead. I hear His words here and feel strongly they are for me:  “I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead" (Revelation 3:1). So I am going back and earnestly searching for what He has for me. I must be done asking Him to bless what I am doing and instead humbly open my hands and receive what He has for me, trusting He is good. I believe, Beloved! Help my unbelief!

These are the words of Him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. (Revelation 3:1) 

Nothing is hidden from Jesus. He knows all. He is not far away, He is near. But because He is near, we cannot keep anything hidden from Him. Even when we try to hide it from others. Even when we try to hide it from ourselves.

These are the words of Him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open. (Revelation 3:7) 

When we obey His word and are doing the right thing, we can be assured He is with us, He will protect us, He will save us. When others lie, we can be assured the truth will come out. When He provides an opportunity for us, no one can stop the success. Likewise, when He blocks the way, we fight against it to no avail. 

I hate change. But He changes things and I must trust that He is already in the future I am dreading. I should not fight them, blame them, or run away. It is not them.  I must remember it is Jesus who has shut the door and no one else. And He will open another. It is Him. And He loves me.

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler (author, source, origin) of God’s creation. (Revelation 3:14) 

Jesus created all things. We are His creation. He is the source of all good things. What we make ourselves is nothing. There is nothing we can do that makes us worthy. There is nothing that we do on our own that is truly good. We must come to Him, in humility.  We must trust He delights to give us all good things!

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. (Revelation 3:19)

Beloved, let me receive Your discipline as Your beloved child. Let me repent, return to You in humility. Again and again and again. 

He is Near

Children ask excellent questions. When we tell them about God, they naturally want to know where He lives. Where is Jesus right now as I sit in my chair and type these words? After He ascending to heaven what has He been doing?  What is He like?

The next two chapters of Revelation pull back the curtain and lets us see. Jesus desires to speak to His people, the church.   

These are the words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. (Revelation 2:1)

Jesus walks among the churches. He is not absent, but near. He is aware of what is happening in a way no one else can be. It is said that there are three sides to every story: your way, my way and the right way. Jesus sees all of it clearly without partiality. He sees not only our actions, but also our thoughts and motivations. Nothing is hidden from Him whose eyes are like blazing fire. He is not far away in heaven. He is right here with us. 

Jesus is in control. He holds those who lead and teach in His churches in His right hand. In a mystery I believe yet will never understand, He give us freedom and controls outcomes at the same time.  

These are the words of Him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. (Revelation 2:8) 

When we are about to suffer for our faith, Jesus assures us He understands our fears and our pain. He went first. He is the Lord of Life and He promises eternal life to those who stay faithful. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. (Revelation 2:11b) Although Jesus speaks to the churches, the responsibility is to each individual to remain faithful. 

These are the words of Him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. (Revelation 2:12) 

A baby lying in a manger is helpless. Jesus standing before Pilate did not speak in His own defense. Now Jesus speaks to us with power like a double-edged sword. He is not silent. His words have power to change hearts, to convict of sin, to motivate us to serve Him. We can read His words to us today because His faithful followers recorded them for us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Today we are blessed because His words, all of scripture in a multitude of translations and languages, are in our pockets.

These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. (Revelation 2:18)

Jesus sees all. There is nothing secret from Him. He will judge all of us, understanding our frailties as well as our selfish desires. He tells us that if we are faithful, in eternity we will also have authority. He has given us free will, and we must choose to have Him rule us, or not. 

While Jesus walked the earth, He was limited as we are in time and space. Now, through the Holy Spirit, He is with all of us. He is comforting and convicting all of us. He hears every sigh. He saves every tear. Even His rod and staff protect and redirect us. Those who trust Him know His redirection, which often is contrary to our desires, is designed to protect us. Those who do not trust Him and reject His word, also reject His protection and the intimate relationship He desires to have with us. 

When Jesus was born, the wise men who came to worship Him were led by the star. Now Jesus holds the stars in His right hand. He is power and authority. All of creation obey His command. 

At the first Christmas, Jesus became Immanuel, God with us, in the flesh. He died and ascended but Revelation reminds us that He never left us. Even today, He walks among His people. He is near.

Beloved, let me trust You and obey, even when I am unsure, even when I am afraid. Allow me to see Your power, even Your judgment, as protection. You are near. You are good. I can trust You. 

He is Magnificent

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. (Revelation 1:1 NKJ)

The revelation of our Lord and King, Jesus, is His unveiling of the divine mysteries and He is showing them to us. There is also an urgency, because this is coming soon. Or this is what He has told the apostle John, who is receiving these visions from an angel. 

Of course, two centuries have past and still these things have not take place. Did we misunderstand? I think there is an urgency because while He is eternal and He has waited, our lives are still short, fragile and uncertain. How often has a death come early and unexpectedly? 

There are two more truths that shine through. As believers, we are His servants. We belong to our Master, we are indebted to Him for our salvation. Paul instructs us: you are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20 NIV). 

And yet, He loves us and wants us to know the secrets of heaven. To that end, He provides visions to John, instructing him to write them down and us to read them together. 

What does John see and hear? He sees a God so glorious he hardly has words to describe it, so he uses poetic language. 

Jesus Christ,
who is the faithful witness,
the firstborn from the dead,
and the ruler of the kings of the earth. (Rev 1:5)

Jesus is trustworthy. He was raised from the dead first, but we will follow. He is more powerful than all the kings of the earth. All of them will obey His orders. 

Someone like a son of man,
dressed in a robe reaching down to His feet
and with a golden sash around His chest.
The hair on His head was white like wool, as white as snow,
and His eyes were like blazing fire.
His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace,
and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters.
In His right hand He held seven stars,
and coming out of His mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword.
His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. (Rev 1:13b-16)

His appearance will be magnificent. His eyes will see all things. His voice will be heard everywhere. His words will work the changes He desires and will defeat those who choose to oppose Him. He will shine like the sun. 

Ella & Zach, safe in his crib

Even as I look for photos, I cannot select one. The description produces frightening images, yet He is lovingkindness personified. How can we grasp this? I prefer to picture Him as a baby, meek and mild. Like my grandson who I pick up and plop in a crib and be confident he will still be there when I come out of the bathroom. But He is not. He is uncontrollable power.  

"Look, He is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see Him,
even those who pierced Him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of Him.”
So shall it be! Amen. (Rev 1:7)

No one will miss or mistake His coming next time. He will not be disguised as a baby. He will not grow to be a man. Instead He will come out of the clouds. He will instantly reveal who He is. There will be no faith required. And everyone will have run out of time.

• It is urgent we become His servants, obey Him, trust Him, because He is powerful and He is faithful.  

• It is urgent we recognize Him and can distinguish Him from the frauds who will try their best to fool us.

Jesus came as a baby in Nazareth 2000 years ago. But let's not be fooled. He is not that now. He is power and light and loves us. He will come again.

Beloved Jesus, You will return for us. Give us wisdom through Your Holy Spirit to recognize You and not fall prey to the imposter. Let us wait with expectation and joy! 

Joy to the world; the Lord is come;
Let Earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing.