Revelation 14 - 07.11.24

SCRIPTURE: Revelation 14:9-11 NLT

“Then a third angel followed them, shouting, “Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand must drink the wine of God’s anger. It has been poured full strength into God’s cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name.””

OBSERVATION 

John saw three angels flying through the sky of heaven. 

The first angel said, “Fear God, for the time has come when HE will sit as Judge.”

Francis Chan wrote a book called “Erasing Hell”. It seems somehow our world has done a fairly good job of erasing the concept of hell.

Even among professed Christians-Pew research shows a surprising disparity regarding belief in the concept of heaven and hell and why someone might be headed for hell or not make it into heaven.

This portion of scripture brings front and center what Jesus said,

“You can enter God’s Kingdom ONLY through the narrow gate [Jesus]. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.

But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 NLT)

APPLICATION 

Choose wisely-The consequences last an eternity.

Reading the book “A Voice in the Night” had the most profound effect on me. Pastor Sithole had come from a long line of witch doctors when one night a Voice [God] spoke to him in the most remote poverty-stricken jungles of Africa, telling him to get up and leave his village. He knew he had to follow that voice and his adventures took him so far beyond anything he ever could imagine existed to become an agent of hope and a transforming presence in a continent that was war-torn and spiritually oppressed.

One of the things I will never forget in his book, is how he so vividly describes an occurrence where God gave him a vision of hell and suddenly how the people before him became such an urgent matter to share the gospel with. He couldn’t bear to think about them suffering and burning in this unspeakable way. He was experiencing their pain.

This was a part of my drive to share the gospel.

In addition, Pastor Levi shared a stunning message on Following Jesus.

His message included an unforgettable part about believers being compared to Titanic survivors in the boats “rowing away” from ALL the drowning people. These Titanic survivors could hear the cries of those who were drowning.

““I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 

HE cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, 

while every branch that DOES bear fruit HE prunes 

so that it will be even MORE fruitful. 

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. 

No branch can bear fruit by itself; 

it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

(John 15:1-2, 4 NIV)

PRAYER

LORD Jesus,

You saved us SO that we would be Your disciples and witnesses.

I am in a season of pruning and refining. Help me Lord to receive and learn and grow and mature. Help me to stay close to You. Have YOUR way. Thank YOU for giving me such a gift as loving people to stand with me and pray for Larry and I in this season. 

We are strengthened and deeply encouraged. 

Father, help me to not get distracted and to keep my focus to be about Your business. 

Keep this memory about “hell” front and center in my heart and etched in my mind—so that I will be sharing Your Good News every chance I get. 

Forgive me for not being more bold to share with the young man at the grocery on Sunday.

You gave us this gift of Salvation TO Share-not to selfishly “row away”.

Here I am Lord. Send me.

In Jesus Name, amen

Tina L Kudelka

Proverbs 31 - 7.10.24

Scripture

“ Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy.” (Prov 31:8,9, NKJV)

Observation

Proverbs 31 is famous for guidance for women to become the perfect wife and mother. It is recorded as advice given to King Lemuel by his mother. Some Bible scholars speculate that King Lemuel was Solomon, and this was advice given by Bathsheba. But this remains speculation, as there is no evidence for this. All scripture is God-breathed and given by God, so the author of these verses is the Holy Spirit, as is the rest of the scripture (2 Tim 3:16). 

In this verse we are called to speak out and defend the ones who cannot speak, and defend the cause of the ones “appointed to die” (verse 8, NKJV). Whenever I read this verse, I can’t help thinking of the defenceless babies in the womb who are terminated by choice. God is our defence and he defends us. In turn, God expects us to plead for and defend the destitute, the poor and the needy (verse 9).  Throughout the Bible, we see God’s commandment to plead the cause of the poor and ensure justice. “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow” (Isaiah 1:17). In Jeremiah 5:27, the prophet calls out the sin of the people in “not pleading the cause of the fatherless, and the right of the needy”. In Psalms 82:3, we are commanded to “Defend the weak and the fatherless, uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed”. Zachariah 7:9-10 says “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor”.

Application

God expects us to be a light in the dark world he has placed us. True Christianity is caring for the widow and the orphan (James 1:27).  We are called to not just mind our business and turn a blind eye when injustices happen to others around us, but to do everything in our power to help defend and execute justice for the oppressed, the defenceless and the poor. I learned this early in my life, during my late-teens in college. My classmates chose to bully the smartest girl in the class, out of nothing but pure jealousy. In spite of God’s prompting in my heart, I chose to ignore this and not speak out in her defence, because I didn’t want to offend the majority. God allowed me to go through the same treatment from the same classmates later, which was very painful. I later understood that this was a chastening from God which led to a character transformation in me.

Prayer

Dear Father, I thank you because you are my defence, my shield and the lifter of my head (Psalms 3:3). I can face this world, because you are with me, shielding me and protecting me. In you, I am more than a conqueror (Rom 8:37). You are in me, and He who is in me is greater than He is in the world. Show me how I can be your light in the place you have planted me in. Open my eyes and show me the areas where I need to speak out and defend the cause of the defenceless. Show me how I can shine the light you have given me, and not hide my light under the bed (Luke 8:16). Use me for your glory and to accomplish the purpose for which you created me. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

- Asha Chacko George

Revelation 12 - 7.9.24

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation 12:1-6

“A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of 12 stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in labor and agony as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: There was a great fiery red dragon having seven heads and 10 horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.  His tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth.  And the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she did give birth he might devour her child. But she gave birth to a Son - a male Who is going to shepherd all nations with an iron scepter - and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.  The woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared by God, to be fed there for 1260 days.”

OBSERVATION:  As the time draws near for Jesus’ return, Satan is intensifying his efforts to destroy all the people on earth who choose to follow Jesus rather than the man of lawlessness.  ( 2 Thes 2:3).  God made a covenant with Abraham that all the people on earth would be blessed through his offspring, (the children of Israel, and the Messiah). 

Revelation 12-16 describes events that will take place during the great tribulation.  The time frame appears to be 1,260 days, or 3 1/2 years. 

The pregnant woman is a remnant within the nation of Israel.
The great fiery red dragon is Satan.
The Son is Jesus Christ. 

UNDERSTANDING:  Ever since Satan rebelled against God and led Adam and Eve to sin in the Garden of Eden, there has been a great conflict between good and evil that has been impacting all human beings, as well as the earth where we live (Genesis 3:16-18/ Isaiah 14:12-15).  However, God began immediately to unfold his redemptive plan, informing Satan that Jesus Christ will eventually “strike (his) head”, even though the evil one will be allowed to strike Christ’s “heel”. (Genesis 3:15). (Gene Getz).
Though Satan’s power has been limited because of Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, he continues to battle against God’s people.  Focusing on the Jews, he will wage war against them, only to once again be defeated. 

PRAYER:  Thank You Lord that we are able to rely on Your strength and protection.  Thank You that we are able to be victorious over Satan and his evil cohorts.  Thank You for providing all that we need to be able to walk worthy of the great calling we have in the Lord Jesus Christ.  I pray I will continually draw on Your strength and wisdom by putting on the armor of God, and relying on the power of Your Word through prayer, and when my adversary, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for anyone he can devour, I pray that I will resist the devil by submitting to God, and by continually drawing close to You, Lord.

- Robin Orefice.