Author: Ben Bourland

“But I have this [one charge to make] against you (church at Ephesus): that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love].  Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God’s will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lamp stand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent.” Revelation 2:4-5 ->me: In John’s vision, after Jesus lays His hand on Him and tells him not to be afraid, Jesus asks John to write down His words as a message to the seven churches mentioned earlier.  These words He has for Ephesus are tragic but I have found myself here.  Going day to day being a good Christian, standing up for what is right, doing lots of good works…but, my heart is not doing it out of a love for my Savior…it is just doing it.  Jesus gives 3 ways for the Ephesians to turn this around, 1) Repent – turn 180 degrees and fall with my arms wrapped around His legs. 2) Remember – hearken back to the way it felt the first time I realized the gravity of what He had done for me, and keep that memory on the forefront of my mind moving forward.  3) Do the things you did at first – those things I did that were birthed out of the this new love I had for Him.  The consequences for the church are dire if they don’t turn things around…their lamp stand will be removed (the church destroyed?).  I think of all the churches that are leaving aspects of the word of God behind to placate to the lost world they exist in; these churches are at risk.  My call here is to love my God and then do what I can in my own church to nurture the spirit of “First Love”.

“In His right hand He held seven stars, and from His mouth there came forth a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full power at midday.  When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as if dead. But He laid His right hand on me and said, Do not be afraid! I am the First and the Last,” Revelation 1:16-17 ->me: I can say a lot about the sharp double-edged sword from the mouth of Jesus and the brilliance (strength) of the light of His face but today my focus was drawn to “In His right hand He held seven stars (the messengers of the seven churches)” and “He laid His right hand on me and said, ‘Don’t be afraid'”.  Here Jesus holds the 7 stars representing the messengers…who by the way get some strong criticisms urged against some of them in the next couple of chapters -> They have their defects, but the Strong Son of God has not abandoned them.  Rather He holds them still in His hand.  Thank you God for this image!  Even though I am such an idiot sometimes you still hold me still in your hand; a place nothing can be picked from.  Then, with the same hand, He comforts John who has fallen down at Jesus’ feet out of the physical effects of the tremendous vision…so, not only can Jesus hold the entire church in His hand, but at the same time and with same hand He takes action for the needs of the individual.  Both truths are important.  God is never too busy to come to my side, lay his right hand (favor and protection) on me and comfort me.

“His feet glowed like burnished (bright) bronze as it is refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.” Revelation 1:15 ->me: This verse might seem random but of the 3 verses I spent time on today (each verse has so much to be studied!) this one helped me to see an application that the Lord has for me to move forward with.  As I was looking up explanations of the ‘feet…like burnished (bright)bronze as refined in a furnace’ there were many theories and tries at explanation of this Greek word ‘chalkolibanon’.  It is never used before this point in scripture and the only other time is in 2:18.  In both places the context given is not enough for us to confidently arrive at an interpretation.  CHALKOS = copper | LIBANON = frankincense…hardly any alloy that we can think of (even though most interpretations of the bible give us Burnished Bronze.  The only clue we have is that ‘it is refined in a furnace’ meaning that it is likely metallic.  At this point you are probably saying the same thing I am…”why does it matter?”  Through my study today I felt the Lord telling me that I didn’t need to know and it is not pivotal to defining my theology…at least not yet.  So I learned today that it is ok not to understand everything that John writes in this book.  He not only is trying to recount what he saw using human and earthly descriptions but also, in some cases, he might have been writing down verbatim what God or an angel told Him to.  I will have all eternity to ask for the meaning of various symbolisms and words used in God’s book.  Until then I will rest in the leanings of the Spirit within me and not get bogged down in the mysteries.

“I was in the Spirit [rapt in His power] on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a great voice like the calling of a war trumpet,” Revelation 1:10 ->me:  In the three verses I studied today (1:9-11), John recounts the experience of being called to write down what he was about to see and instructed send it in letter form to the seven churches (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea).  In verse 9 John talks about the fact that he is no different than all of those he is surrounded by; he takes no superior position and even talks about suffering right along side his ‘brothers’.  I picked verse 10 today because it struck me that this is the only time the expression ‘the Lord’s Day’ is used in all the New Testament.  Most think it is the same day we use – the weekly celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.  Also the fact that he was in a state ‘in the spirit’ where he was open to the vision the Holy Spirit gave him.  I’d like to think that when I keep the Sabbath holy and allow myself to fall into the Lord’s presence (through worship and prayer), this is when I might be most open to hear from Him…now that I think about it, it was in deep prayer on a Sunday afternoon with Marianne when she received a vision from the Lord about our church, a day I won’t forget.  It was so vivid to her and to this day I can even remember almost every detail of what she recounted.  I’ll have to ask her again but I think it was so vivid it might not be a hard throw to say it was as startling as a trumpet behind her.

“Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth shall gaze upon Him and beat their breasts and mourn and lament over Him. Even so [must it be]. Amen (so be it).  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord God, He Who is and Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty (the Ruler of all).” Revelation 1:7-8 ->me: Clouds are often mentioned in the Old Testament in connection with divine activity.  This is Jesus returning in triumph.  When this happens, everyone who scoffed at His name, did not take to heart the truth of why Jesus came, or especially the Israelites (Jews) who killed him; will realize at that moment the mistake they made by discounting Him.  Reading John here, when he says ‘Even so, Amen’ – can sound harsh at first – not very Christian.  However, the over throw of the wicked means the triumph of good and the vindication of Christians who had suffered so much.  So, I don’t see it as much as a slam down on those who will mourn as much as it is the final stamp of the victory that Jesus completed on cross.  Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet.  God was before all things and will outlast all things.  God is called ‘the Almighty’ 9 times in Revelation but only 1 other time in all the rest of the New Testament.  This verse gives expression early in the book to the conviction that God IS sovereign.

“…May grace (God’s unmerited favor) be granted to you and spiritual peace (the peace of Christ’s kingdom) from Him Who is and Who was and Who is to come, and from the seven Spirits [the sevenfold Holy Spirit] before His throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful and trustworthy Witness, the Firstborn of the dead [first to be brought back to life] and the Prince (Ruler) of the kings of the earth. To Him Whoever loves us and has once [for all] loosed and freed us from our sins by His own blood, and formed us into a kingdom (a royal race), priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the power and the majesty and the dominion throughout the ages and forever and ever. Amen (so be it).” Revelation 1:4-6 ->me: John sets out to legitimize what he is about to write.  The ‘One Who was, is, and is to come’ is God the Father. The seven Spirits really translates to ‘the sevenfold spirit’.  Most agree that John means the Holy Spirit but the 7 part is disputed.  I would like to think that John is referencing the 7 modes of the Holy Spirit from Isaiah 11:2&3 -> The Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, reverent/obedient fear, and judge of the heart.  Finally Jesus who is a witness to the things of heaven and God the Father Himself, as well as the only One Who has conquered death to live forever, and Who is Ruler over every King.  The same Jesus Who has rescued us from our enslaving sin.  In sprit, we already sit with Jesus in heaven.  John leaves us in no doubt that what he reports is well attested.

“Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who reads aloud [in the assemblies] the word of this prophecy; and blessed (happy, to be envied) are those who hear [it read] and who keep themselves true to the things which are written in it [heeding them and laying them to heart], for the time [for them to be fulfilled] is near.” Revelation 1:3 ->me: I started studying here at verse 3 last night and there was so much that was going through my mind about it that I could not justify quickly writing up a QT verse and snippet – So this is the conclusion of yesterday’s QT thoughts.  Apparently this verse is the first of 7 beatitudes written in Revelation (1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14).  If I were to paraphrase this verse it would be “Blessed are those who not only preach this book of Revelation in Church but blessed are those who hear the preaching and take the teaching to heart by heeding the warnings and instruction of the word of God.”  John regards what he penned as Holy Scripture; he not only calls it prophesy (a revelation of something previously hidden, but that ‘will’ happen) he also warns messing around with or meddling with its contents at the end of the book in 22:18-19.  It is also a reason that blessings can be called down on those who preach and hear it.  John is not looking to just stimulate interest with this book, he is looking to influence action in us who read and hear it.  Holy Scripture is a guide to conduct as well as the source of doctrine.  I am nervous…There is so much imagery in this book that is going to require study and the activity of the Holy Spirit within me.  I pray that the Lord would be merciful by giving me a divine peace and contentment with what I don’t understand as well as clear direction when I read the passages that suggest action.

“[THIS IS] the revelation of Jesus Christ [His unveiling of the divine mysteries]. God gave it to Him to disclose and make known to His bond servants certain things which must shortly and speedily come to pass in their entirety. And He sent and communicated it through His angel (messenger) to His bond servant John, who has testified to and vouched for all that he saw [in his visions], the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 1:1-2 ->me:  Yep, that is right folks – I am throwing down the gauntlet and going through the book of Revelation.  There is a lot of commentaries and schools of thought on this book.  From whether the writer was actually the same John who wrote the Gospel (the son of Zebedee) or whether you take a Preterist, Historicist, Futurist, or Idealist view of the book.  I plan to bathe my QTs in prayer and ask the Lord for the direction of the Holy Spirit when I read and study.  Yes, you get to come along with me on this ride.  Tighten your seatbelt!

“Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.  And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6&19 ->me: Today I have been discouraged but unnecessarily so.  I need to hear these 2 verses that set my heart right and keep me from not only losing faith but being excited to see God work.  There are 16 of us going to Mexico in October to build a house for an impoverished family and we have less than 2 months before we leave.   We are trusting God to provide the funds necessary for the materials for the house, our airline fares, accommodations, and food for 4 days.  We have a ways to go before the trip is funded and today it was weighing on me (for the first time really).  I was fretting and had anxiety about this just as Paul tells me not to.  Paul says that God will ‘liberally’ supply our every need according to His riches in the glory of His Son!  Paul says that we pray and petition (to make specific requests) with thanksgiving!  Meaning we thank God for what He will do before He does it!  Thank you Lord God for the reaffirmation that you are in control and when we are seeking your face and dwelling in your temple you will give us what we need when we need it.

“My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.  The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.  For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:12-14 ->me: I have reached the end of Ecclesiastes.  What a great book!  These last few verses struck me.  First, the Preacher warns of trusting too much in the writings outside of what the Lord has spoken in His word (Revelation 22:18-19).  He warns of spending too much time and putting too much stake in reading books and literature outside of God’s word for there is an endless amount that has and will be written.  I have become careful to make sure that what I read is supported by the word of God; in fact I read very little outside of the bible and several commentaries (which I still search the Holy Spirit for its truthiness).  Second, the Preacher culminates after saying ‘all has been heard, this is the end of the matter’ with the fact that we should ‘fear’ and ‘keep’; in that order.  Fearing God is the realization of God’s unchanging power and justice. It delivers from wickedness, self-righteousness, and leads to a hatred of sin.  This then leads to a ‘keeping of His commandments’; conduct is derived from worship.  A knowledge of God leads to obedience.  The reason for Fearing and Keeping -> because God will evaluate and judge everything (good or bad) that I think, do, and feel; there is nothing hidden from Him.