Tag: QTVOTD

“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8 ->me: Today was one of those days where Marianne and I shared the space of our office to do our quiet times and as usually happens we shared some of what God was revealing to us in the word.  Marianne is in 2 Timothy right now and a verse out of one of the commentaries I read referenced 2 Timothy 1:7, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”  This was in reference to the first mentioned type of person who will reap the Second Death -> the coward.  This is the person who in the last resort chooses self and safety rather than Christ and the power they could have through Him.  So Paul tells us in 2 Timothy that we have His strength in POWER, LOVE, and SELF-CONTROL.  When I come into those places in my life where I am distracted by the things of this world (career, busy-ness, illness, materialism, etc.), I don’t always turn to the One Who can give all that I need to be Victorious.  My Victory in Christ is all that should matter…my life in eternity with Him is the only hope and safety I should have my eyes set on.  Why do I get so down, why do I get so frustrated, why do I lose hope…because my eyes are not fixed on the Author and Perfecter of my faith.  Today is a great day to remember 2 Timothy 1:7.

“And He Who is seated on the throne said, See! I make all things new. Also He said, Record this, for these sayings are faithful (accurate, incorruptible, and trustworthy) and true (genuine).  And He [further] said to me, It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I [Myself] will give water without price from the fountain (springs) of the water of Life. He who is victorious shall inherit all these things, and I will be God to him and he shall be My son.” Revelation 21:5-7 ->me: Wrapped up in these 3 verses is the hope and rest we can find in our God.  First, He emphatically says “See! I make all things new!” – Our God is never wrong or hopeful, He knows exactly what will happen and His work is direct push to complete all that He said He will do.  Second, He is the Beginning and the End – There is nothing else that comes in between, nothing else that will steal away from His plan.  Third, He promises here that He WILL give abundantly and without grudge all the living water a person needs when they thirst for Him.  Unless a person feels the need, they will not feel the satisfaction.  Lastly, He says that the victorious will get all of these things…how am I victorious?…I am victorious through the Lord Jesus Christ Who has already conquered Death and Sin.  If Jesus is in me and I in Him then I am already victorious…I am already His son.  This verse also spoke to me today – 2 Corinthians 4:16.

“Then I heard a mighty voice from the throne and I perceived its distinct words, saying, See! The abode of God is with men, and He will live (encamp, tent) among them; and they shall be His people, and God shall personally be with them and be their God.  God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish (sorrow and mourning) nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4 ->me: John uses the same words here as the prophets used in Lev. 26:11-12 and Ezek. 37:27.  Both God’s presence and His glory will live with His people.  His people will be from all nations – Gal. 3:28.  One of the coolest prophesies I found that I had not heard before was from Ezek. 48:35 – The City will be called “THE LORD IS THERE”.  In this place everything in Solomon’s “under the sun” is gone (passed away).  Nothing less than God will be the consoler of His people.  His concern for us is infinite.  Here is what I am still working on – Living in a way that has this paradise in mind.

“Then I saw a great white throne and the One Who was seated upon it, from Whose presence and from the sight of Whose face earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.  I [also] saw the dead, great and small; they stood before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is [the Book] of Life. And the dead were judged (sentenced) by what they had done in accordance with what was recorded in the books.” Revelation 20:11-12 ->me: This vision of the throne is awesome and scary at the same time.  My mind goes to the Lincoln Memorial in DC, that really big marble chair with Lincoln sitting in it.  The countenance and demeanor of God’s face cause the sky and earth to fly away.  Every person who had ever lived now stand before the throne with their life run through and played back (recorded in books) for evidence in sentencing.  Then there is this beautiful book, The Book of Life.  Every name in that book has sentence that has already been carried out…by Jesus.  I believe the sequence of events here is what will happen -> first, everything (actions, thoughts, things done in secret, everything) will be played out and reviewed.  Then after that the Book of Life is opened and if your name is found, there will be a voice that says “Redeemed!”.  Redeemed has become the tag I put after my name on Twitter (@benbobenbo) because it signifies the hope and rest I lay at the feet of Jesus; the one who wrote my name in that book in His own blood.

“And they swarmed up over the broad plain of the earth and encircled the fortress (camp) of God’s people (the saints) and the beloved city; but fire descended from heaven and consumed them.” Revelation 20:9  ->me:  Here we see the final act of God to extinguish evil.  As the hordes of godless nations surrounded God’s people and they city they are in God sends fire from heaven to consume the followers of the great deceiver in a quick moment…no battle, no war, just a quick judgement executed by a holy and pure God.  What keeps going through my mind is not the swiftness in which God doles out justice in this passage but all the opportunities He provided leading up this moment; the many instances of grace to allow a people turned from Him to acknowledge His Son as the One True solution to their problems.  Some might look at this and see a wrathful God anxious to pour out a consuming fire, but what I see is the final stoke of a loving God after so many years, opportunities, and signs that point to Him as the only Hope.  Directly succeeding this is the hurling of the dragon (satan) into the lake of fire where he will stay with the beast and the false prophet forever and ever.  Knowing what comes ahead I am again reminded of how much work there is to be done.

“Then I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those to whom authority to act as judges and to pass sentence was entrusted. Also I saw the souls of those who had been slain with axes [beheaded] for their witnessing to Jesus and [for preaching and testifying] for the Word of God, and who had refused to pay homage to the beast or his statue and had not accepted his mark or permitted it to be stamped on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived again and ruled with Christ (the Messiah) a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4 ->me: Well I am nearing the end of Revelation and this chapter (20) is one of the most contested.  Denominations have been split over pre-millennial, post-millennial, and Amillennial stands.  One thing is clear though -> that God is in control and that satan has no power that he is not given.  Another thing that I read was that John uses the word ‘throne’ 47 times and in all of them except satan’s throne and the beasts throne, all of the instances are in heaven.  So, that begs the question, is the 1000 reign in heaven?  Regardless, this whole verse talks about those reigning who were executed for their faith and stance with Jesus when faced with death.  There is a special place in God’s heart and Kingdom for those who gave all they could (their life) in His name.  What do I give up every day for the Lord?  Do I make the sacrifices I need to in recognition of His almighty power and love?

“And the beast was seized and overpowered, and with him the false prophet who in his presence had worked wonders and performed miracles by which he led astray those who had accepted or permitted to be placed upon them the stamp (mark) of the beast and those who paid homage and gave divine honors to his statue. Both of them were hurled alive into the fiery lake that burns and blazes with brimstone.  And the rest were killed with the sword that issues from the mouth of Him Who is mounted on the horse, and all the birds fed ravenously and glutted themselves with their flesh.” Revelation 19:20-21 ->me: This is so final – Just before these verses there is an angel that calls all the birds of the air together to be ready for “God’s great feast”.  Then it talks of a ‘Braveheart’ like moment where the opposing armies face each other for war.  Then these 2 verses – notice how no battle is spoken of actually occurring…at one moment they are facing each other down and then next ‘the beast and his false prophet are seized and overpowered’…and then all of the rest of the armies of the earth are killed by ‘the WORD of God’ -> Jesus.  When God is ready to dole out justice, His action is swift.  When He goes before me I have nothing to fear – satan has no power to himself.  What he has is only what God allows him to have, and only for a time.  What is even more crazy is that this power spoken of here is something I have through the armor of God -> the Sword of the Spirit (God’s Word).  I have not memorized any new verses lately (sharpening my Sword before battle); something I plan to change starting today.

“From His mouth goes forth a sharp sword with which He can smite (afflict, strike) the nations; and He will shepherd and control them with a staff (scepter, rod) of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath and indignation of God the All-Ruler (the Almighty, the Omnipotent) and on His garment (robe) and on His thigh He has a name (title) inscribed, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:15-16 ->me: These 2 verses from the passage here in Revelation depicting our Savior on His white horse coming with His angel armies is so awesome. Rather than try to take this apart piece by piece I will just tell you what I take away. The Word of Jesus (God) has the power to smack down nations of people and He has absolute authority…He cannot be resisted. In the previous verses it talks about His angel armies behind Him but they have no weapons because their leader alone is the one that conquers. When Jesus returns it will be clear Who He is and the Sovereignty that comes with. Today my prayer of humility and strength continues. This visual makes it very easy to come before my King in meekness and weakness knowing He comes in all power to wage war on those who resist Him. This life on earth is a place to grow strong in perseverance and character as we await my risen King. The knowledge and understanding won’t come without experience and practice standing up to the evil desires and distractions of this world. In this job, God has given me a great training ground but I must not let the evil one use it for his own purposes to sidetrack my life.

“Then [the angel] said to me, Write this down: Blessed (happy, to be envied) are those who are summoned (invited, called) to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me [further], These are the true words (the genuine and exact declarations) of God. Then I fell prostrate at his feet to worship (to pay divine honors) to him, but he [restrained me] and said, Refrain! [You must not do that!] I am [only] another servant with you and your brethren who have [accepted and hold] the testimony borne by Jesus. Worship God! For the substance (essence) of the truth revealed by Jesus is the spirit of all prophecy [the vital breath, the inspiration of all inspired preaching and interpretation of the divine will and purpose, including both mine and yours].” Revelation 19:9-10 ->me: ‘Blessed are those who are summoned’ – this phrase just rings over and over in my head. You are blessed when you are called because you are given access to Jesus (John 6:65). Jesus then gives us access to the Father through the shed blood of His Son. Then when John falls at the feet of the angel (big no no) the angel corrects him – Worship God alone! The meat of the truth spoken by Jesus is the undertow of all prophesy. So, when we listen to the call of the Father and follow His Son we are in the divine plan of God.

“Rejoice (celebrate) over her, O heaven! O saints (people of God) and apostles and prophets, because God has executed vengeance for you upon her! Then a single powerful angel took up a boulder like a great millstone and flung it into the sea, crying, With such violence shall Babylon the great city be hurled down to destruction and shall never again be found.” Revelation 18:20-21 ->me: Tonight I finished chapter 18. The whole chapter is on the final destruction of the harlot -> Babylon (civilized man apart from God). This voice from heaven asks all the Saints and all for heaven to rejoice because God has avenged us by destroying and hurling all the putrid things of this world into the sea like a great stone…never to be heard or seen ever again. This is the final act that cleanses the earth of iniquity, setting up the scene for the reign of the Almighty. What a day that will be when the world is no longer a welcome place for anything other than our God and His heirs. The one thing that this chapter really taught me is that God sees sin and worldly living as corrupting force that until it is gone, will be a threat to all who flirt with her. Such a strong message – a married man should NEVER place himself in a situation where might even be the hint of impropriety — So as the bride of Christ we (I) should apply same logic.