Bible Reading Next Year

January 1st gives Christians a new opportunity to once again begin reading through their Bibles in the upcoming new year. There are several Bible reading plans out there that you can follow. You can even buy One Year Bibles where the Scripture portion for each day is already marked. If you have never read through the Bible, I challenge you to do so. It is very rewarding.
However, the older I get, I now find it more rewarding to read smaller portions and meditate on those passages longer. The goal is not to just check it off our daily list and blow through the Bible in a year. The goal is to be nurtured with God's word...to read it slow....meditate on it [which, in essence, means to chew on it], and digest it slowly. When we slow down and read smaller portions we have a better opportunity of hearing God speak.
This past year (around May) I started posting some devotionals daily on chapters taken from the New Testament of which many of you now read. I don't post on the weekends for two reasons. One is for me. I already have a heavy preparation load as it is [3 sermons per week, plus the Sunday School Class notebook that we are building here at Sand Hill]. So the weekend off gave me time to mediate over my studies for Sunday. Plus, the weekend off gave you time to mediate over your own particular Sunday School Lessons etc. This year we'll continue that pattern with a 5 day reading, weekend off. Now I do have other devotional material that I read seven days a week, and I hope you do too. This blog devotional is not meant to substitute your devotions, only to supplement them.
So, with that said, here's our plan for the next year and years to follow. It is a one chapter a day reading plan that mixes up NT and OT throughout the next four plus years. At the beginning of each month I'll lay out the months reading for you, but it basically works like this. Thursday, January 1st, we begin with Genesis 1. Friday the 2nd, we read Genesis 2. Weekend off. Monday, January 5th, we resume with Genesis 3, and so forth. A chapter each day...weekend off. That means we will finish Genesis early March. We'll then have a few passages from Psalms and Proverbs. Then we go to Exodus. Then Matthew. And we keep alternating. I'll lay it out for you each month. But again, the goal is not to blow through the Bible. The goal is to let the Bible soak into you. And again, this is not to substitute your own devotional readings, just to supplement it. Looking forward to a New Year and hearing God speak through His Word. God bless each of you and have a Happy New Year!
Bro. Royce

Glimpse of Heaven

Revelation 21-22. I couldn't sleep, so I'm blogging pretty early today. Thus, I'll take this time to finish Revelation, and tomorrow I will give you the details on our new Bible Reading plan for next year. It will be a Monday through Friday plan with weekends off, but more on that later.
Today, what a fitting way to close out the old year by reading these last two chapters of God's Word. Here we, along with John, get a glimpse of heaven. Let's peek through the gates together as we catch A Glimpse Of A Place Called Heaven.

I. HEAVEN IS A GENUINE PLACE: 21:1-3

Heaven is a as real as that computer screen of which you are reading this from. In fact, there are really three heavens! That's right! First, there is the atmospheric heaven--the sky. The place where the birds fly; the air above us. Then, there is the astronomical heaven - -the starry heaven. This is where the stars and the planets reside. Then, there is the third heaven. This is the place where God lives. The place all the saints of God dream about. This is the place we long to be. This is the place we call home! This was the place where both Paul (2 Cor.12) and John (Rev.4:1) were caught up to, and now John is revealing to us that which was revealed to him. Heaven is a real place!

II. HEAVEN IS A GLORIOUS PLACE: 21:1-7; 9-26

Never has there been a city described like this city! To attempt to describe its glories is to exhaust all the adjectives and descriptive language known to man. Paul must have had this in mind when he said, "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Cor. 2:9.

III. HEAVEN IS A GUARDED PLACE: 21:4-27

A. Guarded For The Saved: v.8, 27. - "To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,", 1 Pet. 1:4. Heaven is an exclusive place! Really, it has been created for a select group of individuals! Only those with the proper credentials will be allowed within the gates of that city! In fact, the entrance requirements are so strict that there is only one way to get in! If anyone tries to get in another way, they will be forever banished from that city! There is only one Door, John 10:9, and His name is Jesus, John 14:6.

The only way to get into Heaven is through faith in Him! The Bible says, "You must be born again.", John 3:3; 7. This means that you must trust Jesus and Jesus alone to save your soul. Religion will not save you. Going to church will not save you. Being good will not save you. The only thing that will save you is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, [Acts 16:31]. Are you saved? Are you sure that if you died today that you would be granted access into Heaven? If there is even the shadow of a doubt in your mind, then I beg you in the name of Jesus, please get this settled today!

B. Guarded From Sorrow - Please understand that nothing from this world will enter that world! In fact, in these two chapters there is an extensive list of "No more" things. Notice a few of them:

1. V. 1 No More Sea - Division and separation

2. V. 4 No More Sadness - Tears; He who washed away our sins, will wipe away our tears.

3. V. 4 No More Sleep - Death; no cemeteries or funeral homes.

4. V. 4 No More Sorrow

5. V. 4 No More Suffering

6. V. 22 No More Sanctuary - Temples

7. V. 23 No More Sun - Not needed!

8. V. 25 No More Sundown - No night

9. 22:3 No Scourge - No curse there!

Hallelujah! That sounds like the place I want to go! How about you?
The classic Bible commentator Matthew Henry, anticipating that some would unduly mourn his passing, wrote these words of comfort and assurance: "Would you like to know where I am? I am at home in my Father's house, in the mansions prepared for me here. I am where I want to be--no longer on the stormy sea, but in God's safe, quiet harbor. My sowing time is done and I am reaping; my joy is as the joy of harvest. Would you like to know how it is with me? I am made perfect in holiness. Grace is swallowed up in glory. Would you like to know what I am doing? I see God, not as through a glass darkly, but face to face. I am engaged in the sweet enjoyment of my precious Redeemer. I am singing hallelujahs to Him who sits upon the throne, and I am constantly praising Him. Would you like to know what blessed company I keep? It is better than the best on earth. Here are the holy angels and the spirits of just men made perfect. I am with many of my old acquaintances with whom I worked and prayed, and who have come here before me. Lastly, do you want to know how long this will continue? It is a dawn that never fades! After millions and millions of ages, it will be as fresh as it is now. Therefore, weep not for me!"

Sing with me:
"What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see. When I look upon His face; the One who saved me by His grace. When He takes me by the hand, and leads me through the Promised Land; What a day, glorious day, that will be!"

The Millennium

Revelation 20. This chapter gives us details of what will happen after Christ returns (ch.19). We'll follow Harold Willmington's outline to highlight this chapter.
1. The Great Chain: 20:1-3

• The Prisoner: 20:1-2. An angel captures and chains Satan for 1000 years.
• The Prison: 20:3. The devil is confined to the bottomless pit for 1000 years.

2. The Great Reign: 20:4-6

• The Resurrection of the Just: 20:4a. Those martyred during the Great Tribulation are now raised from the dead.
• The Rule of the Just: 20:4b-6. They now reign with Christ for 1000 years.

3. The Great Revolt: 20:7-10

• The Adversary: 20:7. After 1000 years, Satan is released from his prison.
• The Apostasy: 20:8. He then goes out and deceives the nations.
  
• The Attack: 20:9a He and his armies attack Jerusalem.
  
• The Annihilation: 20:9b-10. Satan's henchmen are consumed by the fires of heaven (9b) and Satan himself is consumed by the fires of hell (v10).

4. The Great Throne: 20:11-15

• The Judge: 20:11. The Savior is seen sitting on His throne.
• The Judged: 20:12-13. All the unsaved throughout human history are now judged.
• The Judgment: 20:14-15. To be thrown into the lake of fire forever.
  

Climatic Conclusion

Revelation 16,17, 18, 19. Yesterday's reading was chapter 16. Today's reading is chapter 17 with the weekend's reading consisting of chapters 18-19. Due to the Christmas holidays and spending time with family, I'm not blogging in depth on these chapters, but I do want to give you the basic thought in each one.
16:1-9: First four bowls of wrath, but no repentance.
16:10-11: Another bowl, and still no repentance.
16:12-16: An empty Euphrates: Invitation to Armageddon.
16:17-21: The earth shakes; hail falls.
17:1-18: Religious Babylon Destroyed.
18:1-24: Commercial Babylon Destroyed.
19:1-6: The Heavenly Hallelujah Chorus.
19:7-10: The Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
19:11-16: The Glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ.
19:17-21: The Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty.
These chapters present a climatic conclusion for this age. Chapters 20-22 will be the grand finale.
I hope this helps in your reading for yesterday, today, and over the weekend. We will close out Revelation next week, and then begin a new Bible reading plan for the new year. Details coming soon! God bless and have a great weekend!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Two Songs and The Bowls

Revelation 15. Contents of this chapter: Two songs, then the seven bowls of wrath. As the seven angels prepare to pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath (15:1), [which will be the climax of His wrath], a great choir composed of the victorious martyrs will sing the song of Moses, which was the very first song in Scriptures, commemorating God's bringing of His people out of Egypt; And they are singing the song of the Lamb, celebrating His bringing of them into His millennial Kingdom (15:2-4). Thus, this chapter contains the first and the last songs in Scripture.
The song of Moses was sung by Israel after God miraculously delivered them through the Red Sea. Note the comparison of these two songs:

• The Song of Moses was sung near the Red Sea. (Exodus 15)
  

• The Song of the Lamb is sung near the glassy sea (Rev.15:2).
  

• The Song of Moses dealt with rescue.

• The Song of the Lamb deals with rescue.
  

• The Song of Moses was sung by those brought out of Egypt.

• The Song of the Lamb is sung by those brought to heaven.
  

This song in heaven is the praise to God for His answer to their prayer, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" Rev.6:10. God is now about to avenge in this climatic judgment of these seven golden bowls full of His wrath. It seemed earlier that Anti-Christ was winning. But in the end, the true Christ wins! Your circumstances at this moment may appear as defeat and despair. But take comfort in God's promises. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom.8:35-39.

God Always Warns

Revelation 14. The events in chapter 14 are not in chronological order but are panoramic with the details to follow later. Remember, all this has been revealed to John from an eternal perspective. John is caught up (4:1) into heaven and is seeing all of this from an eternal viewpoint. Think of it like this. You are watching a parade, but you're watching it from a helicopter high in the sky. You can see the beginning of the parade, and you can see the end of the parade. But the bystander on the street only sees one float at a time pass by. We're on the street. John is in heaven. So don't try to put all of this in chronological order. Let's just study it the way God gave it to us and make note of where the time frames are. For instance, the pronouncement of doom upon Babylon in verse 8 is not presented in detail until chapter 17-18.

One thing we'll highlight today is the three angelic warnings:
1. The Preaching of the Everlasting Gospel: 14:6-7
2. The Warning That the Babylonian Religion Will Eventually Be Destroyed: 14:8
3. The Worshipers of the Anti-Christ Will Be Judged: 14:9-11

Tim LaHaye sums it up for us:
"We can only conclude that those who are thus harvested and pressed into the winepress of God's wrath are the incorrigibles, who stumble over all kinds of divine warnings against following Anti-Christ. This tragic picture of the culmination of all things is another indication of the depravity of the human heart. With such supernatural warnings one would think that the ungodly would fall down and worship Jesus Christ, but nothing could be further from the truth. This is another reminder to us that when people reject the Lord, their problem is one of the will, [not the intellect]."
Psalm 14:1 bears this out: "The fool has said in his heart, 'there is no God...'" Notice, the fool-the atheist- says in his heart, not his mind. In his mind, he knows there is a God, but from his heart, that is from his volition, he refuses to believe. Again, it's a problem of the will, not the intellect. It's good to understand this when you are witnessing to someone who refuses to believe, because it's not a matter of presenting enough convincing evidence. It's is a matter of his or her will. They flat out refuse to believe. But they, just like these in the Tribulation, will have warning after warning before God judges. God always warns before He judges!

Satan's Counterfeit

Revelation 13. Time nor space, on a blog-devotional like this, will allow us to fully develop this chapter or any of these chapters of Revelation. Again, if you are in the local area, I invite you to join us on Sunday nights at Sand Hill Baptist where we are preaching through Revelation chapter by chapter. With that said now, this chapter focuses on the Anti-Christ. You will remember that Anti-Christ began his career as a peacemaker riding in on a white horse (Rev.6:2). Daniel tells us that he confirms a covenant (of peace in the middle east) for seven years (Dan.9:27). This covenantal protection would permit Israel to rebuild the Temple. But in the middle of this seven year period, the Anti-Christ will break that covenant, and set himself up as god in the temple (see Dan.9:27 and 2 Thess.2:1-12). Once Satan presents his great "masterpiece", the counterfeit Christ, to the world, what will happen next? We'll use Warren Wiersbe's outline to tell us:
1. First, there will be wonder. 13:3
The seven heads represent seven kings of the seven kingdoms. Anti-Christ or "the beast" is one of these seven kings, and at this point in the Tribulation, he is mortally wounded. He descends into hell, and then he ascends from hell indwelt by Satan himself in what appears to be a miraculous resurrection (13:12). Do understand that Satan tries to imitate and counterfeit everything God does. The Anti-Christ is a counterfeit "incarnation" with a counterfeit "resurrection". And thus the world wonders.
2. Second, there will be worship. 13:4
Worship is the one thing that Satan has always wanted (Isaiah 14:12-17; Matt.4:8-10), and he will receive it through "the beast". The second "beast", described in this chapter, will organize and promote the worship of Anti-Christ, making it the official religion of the world. Again, we see Satan's counterfeiting: The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ; the second "beast", is a counterfeit of the Holy Spirit who glorifies the first beast, which is, of course, a counterfeit of our resurrected Lord. Thus Satan has an unholy trinity: Satan, Anti-Christ, and the Second Beast.
3. Third, there will also be words. 13:5-6.
Satan will make "the beast" a great orator, whose addresses will blaspheme God, His name, His tabernacle (heaven), and the saints in heaven. And yet his words will mesmerize huge crowds.
4. Fourth, there will be war. 13:7-10.
God will permit Anti-Christ to war against His people. Do understand that the church will be in heaven at this time. And when Revelation refers to saints, it is referring to Tribulation saints, those saved during this time. But there is a note of application here for us.
John says, "if anyone has an ear, let him hear." Reach up on the side of your head and grab your ear lobe. Do you have an ear? Then this applies to you, as well as those tribulation saints. You see, even before the seven year tribulation comes, you and I go through tribulations daily, weekly, even yearly. Difficult marriages, family problems, loss of jobs are all forms of tribulation. We have marital, financial, emotional, relational and yes, even spiritual tribulations. There are times when we are just spiritually dry. But he that has an ear, listen up. John says, "I don't care if you miss everything else, don't miss this! The forces against you are soon going to be done away with: The beast, the persecution, the problems, will undo themselves." That's why you and I need to read Revelation over and over again. It's not about trying to figure out who the Anti-Christ is or trying to decipher the mark of the beast. Revelation is written to give us hope and to bring us back to the fact that life is short and we'll be in heaven soon. That's the message to us: Life is short. The Lord is in control! We're going to heaven! In the end, we win! That's what this book is about. Praise God!

The King's Heralds

Revelation 10. We've seen six trumpets thus far. Now there is an interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpet, just as there was an interlude between the sixth and seventh seal (7:1-8:6). This interlude, which begins at 10:1 and runs through 11:14, prepares us for the seventh trumpet (11:15-19). In this parenthetical interlude, there are two sets of forerunners to the Second Coming of Christ: 1) A Powerful Angel- 10:1ff. And 2) Two Witnesses- 11:3ff. These two sets of forerunners [one angelic and two human] are two sets of heralds of Christ's Kingdom. In the Bible, the King is always preceded by His heralds. Remember, John the Baptist was the herald to Jesus' first coming.
And, in addition to these two sets of forerunners in Revelation, you and I are heralds to Christ's Second Coming. 'We are ambassadors for Christ', according to 2 Cor.5:20, 'given the ministry of reconciliation, that is God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.' -2 Cor.5:18-19. When our United States Ambassador goes to a foreign country, he goes on behalf of the president. He represents the (king) president and brings the words of the president, not words of his own opinion; but words of his superior, his boss--the Commander in Chief. And by the same token, you and I represent our King. We are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven representing the King of Kings, proclaiming His Word, not our opinion. And His Word states that He is coming soon. And His Word is the Gospel that saves. His Word is the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matt.4:23). And we are to share this saving Gospel with a lost world, as His soon return is drawing nigh.

Hell On Earth

Revelation 9. The final three trumpets summon three woes to call attention to the severity of the last three judgments (8:13). The bowl judgments, that are yet to come, will be even greater in intensity. We will look at just the fifth trumpet. As the fifth trumpet sounded, "a star fallen from heaven to the earth", apparently a demon, unlocks the "bottomless pit", releasing demons like locust with the sting of scorpions. In the Bible, locust are always associated with judgment. And for five agonizing months they will torment those without God's seal (v.4-5). Their victims will want to die, but death will elude them (v.6). They will commit suicide, but they will not be able to die. Their torture is not fatal. This will be as close as you can get to hell on earth. For in hell you continue to die, but you never die. That is how it will be from this point on during the tribulation.
The judgment of God is real, and it is coming. This section of Scripture is not a place of amusement. And as these judgments increase in intensity, man becomes even more wicked. He refuses to repent (v.20). But the good news for the child of God is "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus..." (Rom.8:1). If you are reading this, and you are not a child of God, then you need to place your faith in Jesus Christ today! You don't want to be left behind in what we are reading today. For you see, it only gets worse. "One woe is past, behold two more woes are coming..." (v.12). It only gets worse!

The Power of Prayer

Revelation 8. Now the seventh seal is opened (8:1), and there is a moment of silence for about half an hour in heaven. These judgments that are about to follow are so terrible that the angels stood breathless in silent wonder.
1. The Pause: 8:1
2. The Prayers: 8:2-4
An angel offers up much incense on the golden altar to represent the prayers of the saints. God holds up the entire process of judgment while He receives and weighs the prayers of His own. John Phillips says, "What a potent force is prayer! The saints go into their bedrooms, close the doors, kneel down and pray. They spread out before God their petitions and God hears. The prayers are placed in the scales of judgment. In some mysterious way not explained to us, prayer changes things. This is true in every age..." And remember, these are prayers for God to avenge. Remember 6:9-11? "How long O Lord...until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" These prayers are mingled with the incense of the priestly prayers of the great angel himself (an angel which may represent the Lord Jesus Christ our High Priest). If the burning incense of this passage is symbolic of the prayers of the saints imploring God to act, then the image of the angel hurling that fiery censer to earth is a symbol of answered prayers. The time has come for God to act! Yes, prayer changes things. Yes, God answers prayers. May we never underestimate the power of prayer. May we never neglect this great privilege.
3. The Preview: 8:5-6
A sample of the frightful punishment to come.
4. The First Trumpet: 8:7
One-third of the trees and grass are burned by hail and fire mixed with blood.
5. The Second Trumpet: 8:8-9
One-third of the marine life and ships are destroyed by a burning object that falls into the waters.
6. The Third Trumpet: 8:10-11
One-third of the fresh waters are poisoned, killing many people by a falling object known as "Wormwood".
7. The Fourth Trumpet: 8:12-13
One-third of the sun, moon, and stars are darkened. And now the warning is: Look out for the next three. You think these first four were bad; the judgments brought on by the next three will be far worse.

144,000

Revelation 7. Chapter six closed with a question: "Who is able to stand?" Who will be able to stand the wrath of the Lamb? Who will be able to live through that dreaded time? Chapter seven gives us the answer. It will be the 144,000 Jewish evangelist. Four things to note about these evangelist:
1. Sealing the Evangelist: 7:1-3
"Don't start till we've sealed the servants..." God's angels will prevent further devastation to the earth until they have placed the seal of God on their foreheads. That seal would be the Father's name (see 14:1).
2. Identity of the Evangelist: 7:4-8
These are 144,000 Jewish evangelist, 12,000 from each of Israel's 12 tribes, and they will evangelize the whole world, in fulfillment of Matthew 24:14. Think of these as 144,000 Apostle Paul's going throughout the world with such boldness, proclaiming that the King is coming!
3. Message of the Evangelist: 14:6
Their message is exactly what Jesus preached: "the gospel of the Kingdom". These 144,000 will go out and proclaim the everlasting gospel to a world that will soon end.
4. Result of the Evangelist: 7:9-17
John then saw a vast multitude from all the nations, too numerous to count, standing before Christ's throne rejoicing in their salvation; Salvation that they now enjoy forever as a result of their response to the Gospel that was preached by these Jewish evangelist. These are the ones saved in the tribulation, yet martyred for their faith.

Something to note:
The next time two people come and knock on your door and claim to be a part of the 144,000, turn to Revelation ch.7 and 14 and ask them which tribe are they from? Ask them are they Jewish, and they have to be male virgins according to chapter 14. Then point them to 7:9-10 and show them that there's not just 144,000 in heaven...there are so many gathered before the throne that John couldn't even number them! This will bring the "JW" discussion to a hurried end. But you know what? We're witnesses for Jehovah. Why aren't we urgently getting the message out?: "Jesus is coming soon! Trust in Him for salvation! Today is the day of salvation!" Let's be about the Master's business till He comes! Amen!

The Seal Judgments

Revelation 6. The scene was heaven in chapters four and five. Now beginning at chapter six, the scene returns back to earth. In chapters four and five we were immersed in worship. In chapter six we are now introduced to the wrath of the Lamb. We've left the praise and shouting of heaven, and we're about to enter the pain and suffering on earth during the tribulation. Chapters four and five were scenes of joy. Chapter six begins a series of judgments.
In chapter five we saw that Christ was the only One found worthy to open the scroll--the title deed to the universe. The seven sealed scroll is now in the hands of the One worthy. He will open the seals one by one, and as He breaks each seal, it unleashes a new demonstration of God's judgment on the earth during the seven years of tribulation. The first four seals are grouped together and are often called "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse".
1st Seal: The White Horse of Deception: 6:1-2
Many commentators jump to the conclusion that because this rider is on a white horse, that he is one of the good guys; perhaps even Jesus Himself. But if this is Jesus then He's traveling in bad company. No. This rider is the false Christ. This rider is deception. He's a man of false peace and deception. This is the one that will bring strong delusion and deceive many -2 Thess.2:9-12.
2nd Seal: The Red Horse of Destruction: 6:3-4
The false peace is short lived because this horse represents war. The peace is broken and now the planet becomes stained with blood.
3rd Seal: The Black Horse of Destitution: 6:5-6
This rider is commanded to leave the luxuries of the rich untouched (oil and wine), but the staple goods (wheat and barley-food of the poor) will be weighed out a pinch at the time. This will be a time of famine, shortages and starvation.
4th Seal: The Pale Horse of Devastation: 6:7-8
This rider is death. Death will claim one quarter of the population. It will be by sword, famine and beast. And not necessarily beast in the sense of lions and tigers. But little furry beast that carry disease: rats, rodents etc. Bird flu and West Nile virus. These will be beast under the microscope.
5th Seal: The Martyred Saints: 6:9-11
Here we see the persecution of those that have gotten saved during this horrific time known as the seven year tribulation.
6th Seal: The Day of Wrath: 6:12-17
The Day of Wrath has come. The Day of the LORD has arrived. There will be such a cataclysmic upheaval on this earth that men will hide themselves in caves and cry out for the rocks to fall on them...for the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?
Chapter seven will answer that question tomorrow.

Hypocritical Christianity

Revelation 3. Here we see the worst of the seven churches-Laodicea. This church represents apostate churches that have existed down through history. And of course, this church typifies the modern church, a church that is not only disappointing to Jesus, but down right disgusting to Him; So much so that He will spew it out of His mouth. Why? Because it is lukewarm, like the local water supply that was piped into the city. Some churches make Jesus weep. Others make Him angry. But Laodicean churches make Him sick. If they were hot, they would be on fire for Jesus. Saved and serving! If they were cold, they would be lost, but as least they would be reachable. But they fit in neither category. They are lukewarm. They are neither genuinely saved, nor do they openly reject the gospel. Who are they? They are hypocrites. They claim to be saved but are not. They profess, but do not possess. You see, the one thing God hates more than "lack of faith" is "hypocritical faith". That's the worst kind and hardest to reach. Why? Because they say, "I am rich and have need of nothing..." They thought their spiritual wealth was like their material wealth. But all they were rich in was spiritual pride. Rich in spiritual pride, but bankrupt in saving grace. Physically they could see, but spiritually they were blind. Woe to the Laodicean Church. Woe to the Laodicean Christian; Because Laodicean Christianity is hypocritical Christianity.

Who Do You Love?

Revelation 2. Today and tomorrow we'll see Christ's messages to the churches. The first one is Ephesus. Perhaps no church in history had as rich a heritage as the congregation at Ephesus. The gospel was introduced into the city by Paul's close friends Priscilla and Aquila in Acts 18. They were soon joined by the dynamic preacher Apollos, and thus these three laid the groundwork for Paul, and he spent about three years ministering there (Acts 19). Ephesus means 'desired one', and this was one of the most desirable of all the churches throughout church history. Why? Because it was characterized by evangelism and fundamentalism. In fact they probably helped start the other six churches mentioned here in chapters two and three. And Jesus commends them for their work and dedication.
But here comes the turn around word "nevertheless" in 2:4. This hardworking, separated, dedicated, enduring church suffered from heart trouble. This fundamental church had become the 'formal' church. They got so busy doing the work of the Kingdom, they didn't have any time for the King! The Greek here is emphatic: "Your first love you have left!" Notice, He doesn't say they lost their first love, but that they left it. I tell couples whose marriages are on the rocks that you don't fall in love. You fall into a hole. Love is a choice! And if you don't fall into love, then you don't fall out of love. It's a choice. Love is a choice-positively and a neglect-negatively. If you don't nurture that love in a devoted relationship, i.e. you neglect it, then you will drift away and leave your first love. Remember what Jesus asked Peter in John 21? "Peter do you love Me? Feed My sheep." Not Peter do you love ministry....but Peter do you love Me? If you love Christ, you'll do ministry. But if you love ministry, you'll end up leaving your first love. That's what Ephesus was guilty of. Don't you be! Don't let your love grow cold for Jesus.

Revelation

Revelation 1. The remaining chapter by day devotionals this year will be in the Book of Revelation. It would be difficult to explain all of the prophetic views in a short devotional like this, but I will tell you where I stand. These devotionals will be from a dispensational, pre-millennial view, with the rapture of the church occurring before the seven year tribulation, and Christ's return coming before His millennial reign (Rev.19-20). If you are in the local area, I encourage you to come to our Sunday night services. We are in a series of sermons in Revelation and would love to have you join us.

When studying Revelation, one of the first things to note is the title. It is "Revelation" (singular), not "Revelation(s)" (plural) that you hear so many people say. It is "The Revelation of Jesus Christ". The time is around AD 95, and the Apostle John is the sole survivor of the original twelve disciples. Now an elderly man, he has been banished to Patmos, a small island in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Ephesus, for his faithful preaching of the gospel. While on Patmos, John receives a series of visions that describe the future history of the world. The visions reveal Jesus Christ as divine Shepherd who is concerned about the condition of the church, as the righteous Judge who will punish the wicked, and as the triumphant King who will establish His Kingdom for all eternity.

Revelation is the one book in the Bible that comes packaged with its own outline. This becomes the key to understanding the book. That outline is found in 1:19. Jesus commands John to write

1) The things which he had seen (ch.1) [past]
2) The things which are...(ch.2-3) [present]
3) The things which will take place after this (ch.4-22) [future]
This three fold division of the book produces a three fold purpose:
1) To give believers a renewed vision of the risen, ascended, and ruling Lord (ch.1).
2) To call for repentance and renewal (ch.2-3).
3) To reveal God's future plans (ch.4-22).

Revelation is also the one book that comes packaged with a promise for reading it. 1:3 says that the one who reads and hears the words of this prophecy will be blessed. So for today and the next 21 days, join us in reading Revelation. You'll be blessed and glad you did.

Contend For The Faith

Jude. "Our spiritual communities are as susceptible to disease as our physical bodies. But it is easier to detect whatever is wrong in our stomachs and lungs than in our worship and witness.... As much as we need physicians for our bodies, we have even greater need for diagnosticians and healers of the spirit. Jude's letter to an early community of Christians is just such diagnosis..." [from Eugene Peterson's "The Message", introduction to Jude].
Alarmed by the presence of false teachers in the church, Jude is compelled to unmask them and their deadly ways, and to exhort believers to stand firm for the way of truth. Contending for the faith is not just a good idea; It's imperative when the work of God is undermined by false philosophies and destructive heresies. Jude's whistle-blowing prevented disaster in the early church. False teachers were exposed.
A modern day whistle blower is John MacArthur. In one of his most recent books, "The Truth War", John expounds on this little book of Jude, and in doing so, exposes some of the false teachings and false philosophies infiltrating the church today. If you want to go deeper in your study of this little, yet all important book of Jude, I encourage you to read MacArthur's "The Truth War." He makes application of it today, exposing movements like the "Emerging Church" that are greatly affecting the Body of Christ. In these perilous last days, may we always 'contend earnestly for the faith.'

Acting Like The World

3 John. This is the last of the three epistles written by John, and it is the most personal of them all. It was written to Gaius and has a very personal, intimate tone in this brief letter. In addition to commending Gaius for his hospitality towards the traveling Christian missionaries, John also address two other men. He condemns the self serving ministry of Diotrephes, and he congratulates Demetrius for his good testimony.
Diotrephes had become what we would call the "church dictator". He was a dominant personality who wanted control. He had usurped authority, run people off, expelled people from the fellowship, and had rejected the apostolic authority of John. And John was so aggravated with him that he was coming to pay Mr. Diotrephes a visit. When John gets there, he and Mr. Diotrephes are going to have a "little prayer meeting", if you know what I mean.
Unfortunately, Diotrephes is a picture of some folks in church today. They sit on the front row but act like the world. They sit on boards, chair committees and the such, and they throw their weight around, all the while, running people off from the church. And here's the problem. Like Diotrephes, they "love to have preeminence." The Greek of this literally means "to be fond of being first." Like Diotrephes, they want to be in charge. They are self-serving, self-centered, domineering, manipulating, and it's "my way or the highway." The species of first century Diotrephes is by no means extinct today. Sitting on the front row and acting like the world. Fond of being first. Wanting preeminence. Let me remind us all that there is only ONE who can have preeminence in the church, and that's the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Head of the Church. Look at your hands. Any nail scars there? No. There's only One who died for the church, and it's His Church!
Thank God for John calling this man out and exposing his true nature. May God raise up more John's in these last days to expose church dictators that hinder His church.

Don't Believe Everything You Hear

1 John 4. In 3:1-9 John wrote about Pure Love. Then in 3:10-24 John wrote about Practical Love. Now in 4:1-21, John writes about Perfect Love. And perfect love requires discernment, which will be John's topic early on in this chapter. Perfect love requires that we test the spirits so that we won't fall victim to those who would seek to lure us away from the simplicity of the Gospel. How do we test the spirits? John gives us four tests.

1. We Will Know False Teachers By Examination: 4:1
'test the spirits'. Does their words and lives line up with the Word of God?

2. We Will Know Them By Their Confession: 4:2-3
Note the verse carefully. It doesn't say, "confesses Jesus Christ has come to the earth..." but "that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh...." i.e., in a human body -the incarnation- that which the Gnostics denied. Remember, the Gnostics denied the full humanity and deity of Christ. Most cults today will acknowledge Jesus as a man, but will not acknowledge that He is God.

3. We Will Know Them By Their Identification: 4:4-5
We are of God. They are of the world. Notice the pronouns in these verses: "you", "they", "we", "they".

4. We Will Know The Spirit of the anti-Christ By Their Corruption: 4:6
If they were of God, they would listen to someone who preaches the Word of God. But they are corrupt and do not want to listen to the truth of God's Word. They want to hear a popular, positive message without any mention of their sins.

Dear Christian, we are living in the last days. Paul said that in the last days that "the time would come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables..." 2 Tim.4:3-4. We're living in a day when cults will come to your door and acknowledge Jesus as a good Man, but deny that He is the only Begotten Eternal Son of God. So may we be like the Bereans who "were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." Acts 17:11. Don't believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everybody who talks and writes about God is from God. So, test the spirits.

1 John 3

1 John 3. No devotion posted today. But do read 1 John 3 and pay close attention to the incompatibility of sin in the believer's life.

Our Advocate

1 John 2. Yesterday we saw that fellowship with God cannot exist apart from confession and cleansing of sin. Today we read that fellowship with God is impossible apart from the advocacy of Christ. Verses one and two are our verses to meditate on today. Notice that John says, "...I write to you, so that you may not sin..." This is a statement of purpose. John's purpose for his readers and you and I is for us to lead holy lives. The verb tense implies committing specific acts of sin rather than living in a pattern of sin. Those in the habit of sinning are walking in the darkness and have no relationship with God. True believers are in relationship with God, but we still sin. We still mess up.
What happens when we, as believers, do sin? What happens when we blow it? John tells us that "we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." And note, he says "with the Father" not "with God". This reminds us that even though sin in a believer's life breaks fellowship with God the Father, it DOES NOT break the relationship. When a person is born again, he becomes a child of God. God is henceforth his Father, and nothing can ever affect that relationship. A birth is something that cannot be undone. A son may disgrace his father, but he is still a son by the fact of birth.
So when we blow it, we have an Advocate. Our attorney is Christ. He is our "Parakletos" (in the Greek). Parakletos (para/klay/tos) means 1) summoned, called to one's side, especially called to one's aid. One who pleads another's cause [or case] before a judge; a counsel for defense; a legal assistant, an advocate. 2) An intercessor.
That's who Jesus is. He's our heavenly attorney before the Judge of all creation. He's the best Advocate you can have. For you see, our heavenly attorney is the Son of the Judge. Thus, through Him I can have fellowship with God. Amen!

Confession

OCCASION:
1 John 1. Let's look at the occasion and purpose of 1 John. The occasion was that the church was being confronted with a developing form of 'gnosticism'. Gnosticism took on many forms but basically denied the incarnation and deity of Christ. The Greek word 'gnosis' means 'to know'. It is where we get our English word 'knowledge'. The Bible student has to understand that much time has elapsed from the time of the cross, ca. AD 30, until now, ca. AD 90. Very few people are still alive who actually lived in Jesus' day; in fact, John is the only Apostle still alive. These false teachers, the Gnostics, were going around proclaiming "we know (gnosis) the truth", but John cries out, "NO! I saw and handled the Truth (1:1ff)". Therefore, John wrote this letter with three basic purposes in mind: 1) To expose the false teachers (2:26); 2) To give believers assurance of salvation (5:13); and 3) To let believers know that they can enjoy fellowship with God and with fellow believers (1:3-4).
APPLICATION:
But in order to enjoy that fellowship with Christ, one must confess his or her sins. (1:5-10). Fellowship with God cannot exist apart from the confession of sin and cleansing from it. What cleanses us? Two things: 1) Confession- v.9 and 2) His Blood- v.7. The word confess means "to say the same words"; thus it means to say the same thing about sin that God says, or in short, "to call sin, sin." You call it what it is: It is sin in your life. Why is confession before God hard? Because genuine confession means that you take sides with God against yourself and you agree with God that this _________ (you fill in the blank) is sin in my life. It's hard to side with God against ourselves, but dear friend until you do, you cannot commune with Him. To enter into His presence and into His fellowship, we must come with clean hands and a pure heart. But here's the good news. He stands ready to forgive, because He desires that fellowship with you.
PRAYER:
So, fill in your blank this morning and pray, "God I know this is sin in my life. I confess it now and ask that you forgive me and cleanse me. I desire to commune with you today. Thank you Jesus for forgiving me and cleansing me of all unrighteousness. In your strong name I pray, Amen."

Patient With Who?

2 Peter 3. Peter's second epistle deals with last days and chapter three concludes on that note. The breakdown of this letter looks something like this:
1. Cultivating Christian Character-- ch.1.
2. Condemning False Teachers---- ch.2.
3. Confidence In Christ's Return--- ch.3.
And today's reading in ch.3 breaks down as follows:

• The Delay of the Lord-- 3:1-9
• The Day of the LORD-- 3:10-18

The verse I want us to meditate on today is verse 9. The scoffers that mock Christ's delayed return (v.3-4) don't understand that God's delay is for their benefit. "God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim.2:4) and He is "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (v.9). But pay close attention to the first and middle part of this verse. God is not slack or late concerning His promised return, as the scoffers accuse, but rather "is longsuffering toward us...." Longsuffering, patient towards who? Towards us. Peter includes himself in the "us". Peter is writing to believers and he, being a believer as well, includes himself in the "us." Dear Christian don't miss this. God is patient with "us" Christians. Why? Because we are slow to get the Gospel out in these urgent last days. God doesn't want anyone to perish, but He has entrusted the Gospel to "us". And yet in these last days, the church is apathetic and lethargic about evangelism, while men and women and boys and girls are lost and are perishing. Thank God for His patience with us, but let us now quickly be about the Master's business of telling others about this Good News, the Gospel. What Good News? The Good News that God solved our sin problem nearly 2000 years ago. God is patient with us in our neglect of this, but as the days roll by, His patience could be wearing thin. It's time to be silent no more.