Archive for the ‘End Times’ Category
Today’s Bible Reading: Lamentations 1; Lamentations 2; Obadiah 1; Revelation 14 (The Message)
September 2, 2009 Hope In Tribulation
Today’s Bible Reading: Ezekiel 17, 18, 19; Revelation 7
Scripture Focus:
Revelation 7:13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”
14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.”
So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. 16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Observation:
I think it was yesterday that I read about the martyrs in Revelation. Today we read about those who went through the great tribulation and washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, a picture of Jesus washing away their sins. In both cases, God has a special place for them in heaven.
Application:
There are those who have suffered great atrocities, and have even been murdered for their faith. While no one would ever desire such a thing, it is nice to know that God sees and cares about the persecution of believers.
Prayer:
Father God, may I remember those who are being persecuted—remember to pray for them and help them when I can.
Scripture Focus:
14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.”
So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. 16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
August 28, 2009 Overcomers
Today’s Bible Reading: Ezekiel 1, 2, 3; Revelation 2
Scripture Focus:
Revelation 2:11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”’
Observation:
Four of the seven churches are addressed in chapter 2 of Revelations. In each case they are told to listen to what the Spirit is saying, and they are also encouraged to be overcomers. Overcomers get to eat from the tree of life in Paradise, they won’t be hurt by the second death, they are given hidden manna to eat and a new name written on a white stone, and they are given power over nations.
Application:
This life is my temporary testing ground. Compared to eternity, it is very temporary, indeed. Oh, that I would keep the larger picture in mind, and be faithful to God through the hardships that come my way, for only those who overcome will be with God in Paradise.
Prayer:
Father God, may I be faithful to you always. Teach me to overcome the small temptations and trials, so I’m ready if a big one should come along.
Scripture Focus:
August 21, 2009 Confident Or Ashamed?
Today’s Bible Reading: Jeremiah 21, 24, 27; Psalm 118; 1 John 2
Scripture Focus:
1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
Observation:
When Jesus returns the Bible says we will all give an account of our lives. John urges us to abide in Jesus now, so that when Jesus returns, we will stand before him confidently without shame for how we’ve lived our lives.
Application:
I have to admit I’ve mulled over this issue a bit lately. I’m not a spring chicken anymore. I see my parent’s generation declining rapidly and saying good-bye to this world. If God wills, I may have another 30 years of life left—but what is that? It will pass more quickly than my first 55 years have.
Soon I will stand before Him, and how will I feel? Will I feel confident, or ashamed?
John gives us a clue about what will matter on that day.
1 John 2:10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
So here’s the question: Did I love people or things? And how does my life show that I either love people or things?
Prayer:
Father God, thanks for this reminder again today about what matters to you. May I be one who always choose people over things!
August 1, 2009 Heaven Or Hell
Today’s Bible Reading: Isaiah 65, 66; Psalm 62; John 3
Scripture Focus:
John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Observation:
When it comes to spiritual things, there is no middle ground. You either believe in Jesus and have everlasting life, or you don’t, and you’re destined for the wrath of God.
In Isaiah today I saw the same thing:
Isaiah 66:22 “ For as the new heavens and the new earth
Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the LORD,
“ So shall your descendants and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass
That from one New Moon to another,
And from one Sabbath to another,
All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the LORD.
24 “ And they shall go forth and look
Upon the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
For their worm does not die,
And their fire is not quenched.
They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
There is so middle ground except for this: Isaiah 65:2 “I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people.” God’s pleads with us to turn to him, because it’s one or the other, life or death, heaven or hell.
Application:
I want to be like God who reaches out to those who don’t know or follow him. People are headed for hell unless they turn to the Giver of life.
It’s much easier to think of “the lost” as a large, faceless category that I can pray for—sort of like praying for “the poor.” It’s much harder to pray for, or doing something about, specific people I know who are poor or who need Jesus.
Prayer:
Father God, give me a heart that yearns to see sinners like me saved and headed for heaven.
July 2, 2009 Assurance Of Salvation
Today’s Bible Reading: Isaiah 4,5; Psalms 115,116; Jude
Scripture Focus:
Jude 24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.
Observation:
This short book of Jude is full of passion for God, hatred of evil, and a desire for holiness. It ends with this amazing benediction. Jude understands that some will have a fear that they won’t make it, they won’t measure up, and so he praises God (and assures us) that God is able to keep us from stumbling to the point where we turn our back on him. God is able to present us faultless before his throne in heaven.
This is a God who deserves glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever.
Application:
I sometimes feel a little shaky about the idea of standing before God on the Day of Judgment—not because I doubt my salvation, or I’m trusting in my own works of righteousness to “qualify” me for heaven instead of hell, but because I know what an awesome God he is.
Even Isaiah cried out, “Woe is me, for I am undone!” when he encountered a vision of God.
These verses in Jude are comforting to me. He is able to keep me from stumbling. He will present me faultless before the throne of his glory with exceeding joy! I don’t need to worry about what will happen when I see him. It doesn’t depend on me. It depends on Him—and He is able.
Prayer:
Father God, if I depended on myself to get me to heaven and to stand before you faultless, I’d be in big trouble, but I’m depending on you, and you are able. Thank you for the peace of mind that brings!
June 28, 2009 Day Of Judgment
Today’s Bible Reading: Amos 1,2,3; Psalms 80; 2 Timothy 4
Scripture Focus:
2 Timothy 4: 1–2 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
Observation:
There is a day of judgement coming for all people, the living and the dead, when Jesus sets up his kingdom. We can be so short sighted. Often, all we see is today. I like what Steven Covey says, something to the effect of “Act with the end in mind.”
That’s why Paul tells Timothy to preach the word and be ready in season and out of season to bring people into the kingdom and help them grow as disciples. The end is coming, and people need to get right with God.
Application:
Live with the end in mind. When I stand before Jesus, what will he say? “You squandered your life!” of “Well done my good and faithful servant.” ?
Prayer:
Father God, may I live a life pleasing to you today so I can stand tall in the Day of Judgment.
May 21, 2009 The Day of Judgment
Today’s Bible Reading: 1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 4; Psalm 98; Romans 2
Scripture Focus:
Psalm 98 8 Let the rivers clap their hands;
Let the hills be joyful together
9 before the LORD,
For He is coming to judge the earth.
With righteousness He shall judge the world,
And the peoples with equity.
Romans 2:5–11 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.
Observation:
Both Psalm 98 and Romans 2 speak of God’s judgment. In Psalm 98 there is a joyous anticipation of God’s judgment. You get the sense that the righteous are excited about God’s judgment because they know he’s going to straighten things out, make things fair and right.
But what if you’re on the wrong side of judgment? Romans describes both sides of judgement, where God will “render to each one according to his deeds.” Two of the bad qualities God will judge is a self-seeking attitude and disobedience to the truth.
On the positive side are those who patiently continue to do good, the opposite of self-seeking. For them God reserves eternal life.
Application:
The Day of Judgment is coming. I realize that my salvation is by grace alone through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, and that I cannot earn my way into heaven, but the Bible is also very clear that those who are saved will bear the fruit of salvation.
James puts it very clearly: the things we do demonstrate whether or not we have faith.
Prayer:
Abba Father, may my words and deeds today indicate that I’ve been born again and am heaven bound. Amen!
May 7, 2009 Faithful Service
Today’s Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 13–14; Matthew 24
Scripture Focus:
Matthew 24:44–46 “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.
Observation:
The context of these verses is the end times and the second coming of Jesus, the end of the age. Life will not be easy during the time leading up to Jesus’ return. We’re not promised immunity from trouble, but we are asked to be faithful. To continue doing what the Master has called us to do until the very end.
Application:
I don’t have much control over what happens around me, but there is one thing I can do: be faithful in whatever God has called me to do.
Prayer:
Abba Father, please help me to be faithful today in what you have called me to do.
April 26, 2009 End Of The Age
Today’s Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 1; Psalm 140; Matthew 13
Scripture Focus:
Matthew 13:49–50 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
Observation:
One thing is sure according to the Bible. This world, as we know it, is coming to an end. It won’t be so much because we annihilate ourselves with nuclear weapons. It will be due to wickedness upon the earth, when God finally says, “Enough!”
In these verses we read that the angels will come and separate the wicked from among the just and will cast the wicked into the furnace of fire. Jesus is quite graphic about hell. It isn’t theoretical to him. It’s a place of pain—of wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Application:
As Jesus says, “He who has ears, let him hear.” Since we know the truth and God’s way is plain to us from the Scriptures, we have no excuse if we ignore the warning. It’s like staying in an earthquake danger zone when we’ve been warned. We may think we’re getting away with it, but eventually the mountain will erupt.
Prayer:
Abba Father, may I walk judiciously before you all the days of my life. May I be one who has ears to hear, and help me to warn others of the danger ahead.
