Category Archives: Revelation

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Worship: Warming Up For Heaven

Read Revelation 4

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

Thoughts… When you read John’s awesome, breathtaking description of God upon his throne, it only makes sense that the continual activity of heaven is the worship of the Almighty. What else can the angels, elders and all living creatures do except to fall before the Creator and worship?

That, too, is what you and I will do when we get there. One second in God’s presence and we will be overcome with worship. Our eyes, our minds, our mouths, our hearts, our bodies—every fiber of our beings—will be completely and irrevocably undone when we finally gaze upon him who loves us more than we can comprehend, and infinitely more than we deserve, and we, like the other occupants of heaven, will fall before the throne and join the chorus singing,

“Holy, holy, holy,
is the Lord God Almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come.”

That day is coming—sooner that you think. Finally, freely and fully, you will be able to express your love and devotion to God without earthly limitations. Until then, you have opportunity to worship God in the community of the saints as you gather to praise him in church. When you lift your voice in song, you are practicing what you will be doing one day in heaven.

So lose yourself in the wonder of worship now. You are only engaging in the activity of heaven. If you are bored with worship now; if don’t like the style of worship now; if you see worship as the warm up act for the sermon now—then you are not going to enjoy heaven all that much.

The next time you have opportunity to worship, imagine yourself before the throne of God with all of the redeemed—and cut loose with your praise. The details of the worship service do not matter—the song selection, the style of music, the worship leader, the skill of the musicians. Worship is not for you anyway; it is for God.

So express yourself as best you know how and give all the glory and praise to God. Make it your aim to bring a smile to your Heavenly Father’s face.

You are going to do that some day in heaven. Why not perfect your worship in the here and now!

Prayer… Father God, you are worthy of praise. All glory and honor belong to you. You are holy, and you alone deserve my worship.

One More Thing… “The Scotch catechism says that man’s chief end is ‘to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.’ But we shall then know that these are the same thing. Fully to enjoy is to glorify. In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him.” —C.S. Lewis

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A Tale Of Two Churches

Read Revelation 3

“To the church in Philadelphia…To the church in Laodicea…”
(Revelation 3:7 & 14)

Thoughts… To paraphrase the unforgettable opening line of Dickens’ classic, A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of churches, it was the worst of churches.”

Throughout the centuries, Biblical scholars have interpreted the letters to the seven churches in Revelation in a variety of ways.  Some have suggested that these letters are written literally to seven contemporary churches throughout Asia Minor during the time of John’s imprisonment, describing real conditions that existed in those churches.  Others suggest that these seven churches represent eras of church history, with the last two, Philadelphia and Laodicea, concurrently representing the condition of the church at the end of time.

I lean heavily toward the latter, but however you wish to interpret, the message to these last two churches is clear, and quite applicable to the church in our day:

One, God assesses the condition of his church far differently than we do.  What we consider weak, ineffective and unattractive in a church, God treasures because of that church’s fidelity to his Word.  Size, slickness and sizzle do not impress God if his Word is not being honored above all else.

On the other hand, what we might consider attractive, powerful, and impacting in a church because of its bigness, buildings and budget, God may assess as way off the mark because Biblical truth has been neglected or compromised, all in the name of cultural relevance and church growth.

That leads to the second thought:  Beware of all the bells and whistles when evaluating the church.  If these last two churches do represent the condition of the church in the last days, it is rather obvious that many of today’s churches are indeed the church at Laodicea.  Don’t get caught up in the personality cult and celebrity worship of TV preachers or the hype of the mega-church.

Ask yourself:  Does my church honor God’s Word above all else?  Is my pastor and are my spiritual leaders truly people of God—full of the Holy Spirit, evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit in their lives and passionate about fulfilling the purposes of God for the church without compromise?  Is this a church with whom God is well pleased?

If so, then you’ve got a great church.  If not, start praying!

Prayer… Father, purify your church, that we might be the Bride of Christ, pure, spotless, and ready for the return of the Bridegroom.

One More Thing… “God evaluates by character not charisma.”

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Prescription For A Cold Heart

Read Revelation 2

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
Remember the height from which you have fallen!
Repent and do the things you did at first.”
(Revelation 2:4-5)

Thoughts… Like the love of a husband and wife that grows cold through the years, so a church can grow cold in their love for the Lord. That would certainly hold true for individual believers as well.

You can do all the right things—go to church, sing in the choir, give in the offering, teach a Sunday School class, participate in an outreach, share your faith—yet not be head-over-heels in love with Jesus like you were when he first redeemed you. Your actions are there. Your head is there. But your heart isn’t! It’s not like you hate God, or are angry with him. It’s not even that you ignore him or are indifferent to him. You just have not kept loving him as the number one priority.

Here’s the deal: God wants your heart more than anything else. So what can you do if passionate love for the Lord has waned in your walk with him? Jesus gave John the cure in verse 5:

First, you must remember what it was like when Jesus first found you! Remember the passion, the energy, the willingness, the excitement you had for the Lord in those days. You were consumed with him. Jesus calls you to literally bring that back to mind and dwell on it until you long for the thrill of those days once again.

Second, you must repent! You have forsaken your number one priority: To nurture a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. To neglect that is a sin, an offense to the One who loved you so much that he gave his life to redeem you. Allow sorrow over grieving him to fill your heart. Ask him to forgive you, and then make a 180-degree turn in your present behavior so as to live in congruence with your prayer of repentance.

And three, return to the things you did at first. Rediscover the joy and thrill that you once knew in walking with Jesus. Go to church with an attitude of anticipation. Enter into worship with joy. Express your love to God with passion. Share you faith with the lost. Serve the poor. Give generously. Act like you are in love with Jesus, and soon you will feel love for Jesus like you did at first.

The Lord wants your love more than anything else. Love him first. Love him early and often. Love him again as you did at first. Love him above all else, and everything else will fall into place.

Prayer… Jesus, I do love you. However, I have taken you for granted. I have often been more engaged in doing things for you than in loving you. Forgive me. With the help of your Holy Spirit, I will keep my love for you as the first and highest priority of my life.

One More Thing… “If you continue to love Jesus, nothing much can go wrong with you, and I hope you may always do so.” —C.S. Lewis (in a letter addressed to a child one month before his death)

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Double Blessing

Read Revelation 1

“Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy,
and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart
what is written in it, because the time is near.”
(Revelation 1:3)

Thoughts… John promised God’s blessings upon those who read and acted upon the words of his prophetic revelation. The same double blessing applies to all of God’s Word—both Old and New Testaments alike.

Today, when you read the Bible, there is a blessing that will be upon you. You are not just reading another book, you are reading God’s Book. You hold in your hand the very revelation of God himself, inspired by God, revealing God’s nature, God’s will for all of mankind—which includes you—and God’s plan for the ages.

To all who read with an open heart and a humble spirit, God’s favor will rest. But there is another, even greater blessing: It is for those who not only read the Word of God; it is for those who act upon it. Divine blessing awaits those who translate their belief into behavior.

As you read this portion of Scripture, the Revelation of John, what behavior is required of you? Simply this: Since this prophecy concerns God’s plan for the end of time, you must seek to apply it in readying yourself for Christ’s return.

So then, how do you actually live such a ready life? First, you must live with an end-time perspective. Verse 7 says, “Look, he is coming with the clouds…” Jesus is coming soon, and everything you think, say or do ought to be lived in the light of his return.

Second, you must realize that you have been redeemed to be both a king and a priest in God’s eternal reign. Verses 5-6 remind us, “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father…” You are going to rule and reign with Jesus in the eternal kingdom soon, so you ought to act like a king and priest now!

And third, until then, you must patiently endure trial and tribulation. In verse 9, John reveals himself as “your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus…” John was able to endure great hardship—harder than you will ever face, most likely, because he knew what was coming. When you know the end of the story—that you win—you can put up with anything in your present circumstances.

Reading and receiving the blessing promised in this book requires you to adjust your beliefs and your behaviors to it. So develop an eternal perspective, act like the priest of God’s kingdom that you are, and patiently endure difficulty, and you will be handsomely rewarded for it!

Prayer… Dear Lord, I have read the opening words of your Revelation of end-time events. Now bless me, I ask. And even more, strengthen me to put it into practice this day—and everyday until you return.

One More Thing… “Looking forward to the eternal world is not…a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do.” —C.S. Lewis

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The End Is Just The Beginning!

Read Revelation 22:1-21

“And they will reign forever and ever.”
(Revelation 22:5)

Thoughts… Today we come to the end of the Bible, and in this chapter, the description of the beginning of the rest of eternity. As beautifully alluring as John’s words are, they certainly cannot capture what it will be like in God’s presence for all eternity.

But we do know that no longer will there be the taint of sin’s curse (verse 3). We know that evil will no longer be permitted in God’s recreated world (verse 15). We know that God himself will physically be among us (verses 3-5). We know that in God’s eternity, we are invited to experience the full satisfaction of our beings that only God can supply (verse 17).

And we know, even though time no longer exists there, that a billion years into eternity we will be no closer to exhausting God’s love and grace than when we first begun. The end will just be the beginning of dwelling with God himself in the perfection of his glorious presence.

And all we can say is what John said, “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!”

Prayer… Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

One More Thing… “One should go to sleep as homesick passengers do, saying, ‘Perhaps in the morning we shall see the shore.’” —Henry Ward Beecher

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It Is Finished—Part III

Read Revelation 21:1-27

“It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—
the Beginning and the End.”
(Revelation 21:6)

Thoughts… The Great Finisher—that’s who God is. What he begins, he finishes, and what he finishes, he finishes well.

It Is Finished—Part I: In Genesis 2:2 we read that “on the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work.” For six days, God had created the universe, and after he had finished each day’s work, he pronounced, “It is good.”

Especially good was God’s divine artistry with the earth itself. It was the perfect environment for his highest creation, man. It was a place so amazing that God himself physically strolled with man and woman every day in the wonder and beauty of the divine creation.

But then man messed it up by rebelling against God, choosing to sin instead of trusting their Creator. So by and by, God had to step back into to recreate what man had corrupted….

It Is Finished—Part II: That’s where Jesus comes in. The Bible calls him “the second Adam.” And Jesus, the second member of the Holy Trinity, God’s Son, became a man, lived a sinless life, and died the perfect sacrifice to redeem what man had lost—a right relationship with Creator God.

When he hung on the cross, paying the awful price for the sin of the world, he breathed his last breath and said, “It is finished.” And as indescribably painful, physically, emotionally and spiritually as that was, it was good.

But that’s not all…

It Is Finished—Part III: After Christ’s sacrifice, there was still a world with whom this Good News needed to be shared. There was still an opportunity that had to be given for sinful man to repent, experience redemption and be brought back into that perfect place God had originally intended in the Garden.

Sadly, much of the world would stubbornly reject this great redemptive “do-over”. Satan, the god of this world, had blinded the eyes of sinful man. So after the appropriate time had been given for repentance, God brought judgment upon sin, Satan, and stubborn, sinful humanity. Everything that had stood in rebellion against this gracious, patient God was cast into eternal punishment. And the sin-corrupted earth—what was once God’s most perfect creation—was destroyed by God’s holy fire.

Then the God who finishes what he begins, said once again, “it is finished.” And what is revealed next is so good that it defies description: a new earth. Read John’s description slowly, and as best you can, picture in your mind what God has in store for you:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, ‘Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.’”

Best of all, once again, you and I will walk personally and physically with God himself. As Adam and Eve once had unhindered, uninterrupted fellowship with their Father Creator, so shall we.

And if you have any doubts about the truth of this promise, hear the words of the Great Finisher himself,

“And the one sitting on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new!’ And then he said to me, ‘Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.’” (Revelation 21:6)

Blessed is the one who hears God say, “it is finished” for the third time. And it will be good!

Prayer… Father God, I can only imagine what my future home will be like. And best of all, I will be able to commune in perfect fellowship with you just like Adam. Until that day, I will faithfully love, serve and obey you, and long for your appearing.

One More Thing… “If our Creator has so bountifully provided for our existence here, which is but momentary, and for our temporal wants, which will soon be forgotten, how much more must He have done for our enjoyment in the everlasting world!” —Hosea Ballou

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Millennium

Read Revelation 20:1-15

“I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been who
given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those had
been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and
because of the word of God. They had not worshiped
the beast or his image and had not received
his mark on their foreheads or their hands.
They came to life and reigned with
Christ a thousand years.”
(Revelation 20:4)

Thoughts… At the end of the earth’s time, after the battle of Armegeddon, the most amazing epoch of human history will be ushered in—the millennium.

It will be a time when Satan will be bound for a thousand years and thrown into the bottomless pit (verses 1-3). He will no longer be able to deceive the nations, manipulate institutions to do evil, and tempt people into sin. Imagine that—a world without the devil’s manipulations. That is a perfect world—heaven on earth.

It will also be a time with the people of God rule the earth with Christ’s authority (verses 4-6). The will judge—what they will judge is unclear. It may mean sitting in judgment over all created beings, or it could mean having authority over the nations that have survived the great tribulation. Whatever the case, they will reign with Jesus Christ on Planet Earth for one thousand years.

Then at the end of the thousand years, Satan will be released from the bottomless pit for a short season (verses 7-9). How long that season will be is unclear, but it will be long enough to deceive many people from among the nations over whom the saints have been ruling and reigning during this millennium period.

Amazingly, after living in the perfect conditions of peace, prosperity, health and happiness during the thousand-year reign of Christ, some people will still turn back to Satan. Such is the power of his deception (he truly is the “father of lies” as Jesus called him) and the power of sin in the heart of unredeemed humanity. As C.S. Lewis pointed out, “the damned are, in one sense, successful, rebels to the end; that the doors of hell are locked on the inside.” The millennium will be not all that unlike the Garden of Eden—perfect in every way, and yet man still chooses sin.

Perhaps that is the main purpose of the millennium: for God to test the hearts (free will) of those who came out of the great tribulation—to see if they would truly love and serve him and choose righteousness when given an alternative.

At the end of this season, however, God will quickly dispatch Satan, this time for good, into the lake of fire (verse 10). And then the final judgment begins—the Great White Throne judgment. This will be a time when the wicked are judged, from all of human history, and they, like the beast and the false prophet, like Satan himself, will be cast into the Lake of Fire for all eternity.

And last of all, both death and the grave will be tossed into that eternal lake as well (verse 14). Sin’s worst consequence, man’s worst enemy—death itself—will be banished forever and ever.

So ends the millennium, wrapping up all the loose ends of sin and its consequences. And now, we are ready for the great “do-over”. Chapters 21-22 will describe life from eternity forward as God originally intended, now recreated for those who have loved him, this time without the possibility of Satan, sin, and suffering.

To be continued…

Prayer… Lord Jesus, how grateful I am that I have been redeemed, and as such, I have no fear of the final judgment and no part in the second death. Your blood has fully and forever covered my sin. Now I am safe and secure for all eternity.

One More Thing… “Satan, as a master, is bad; his work much worse; and his wages worst of all.” —Thomas Fuller.”