Unshakable
Who is ready for an uncomfortable question? Here is where my mind pictures a room full of people and no one raises their hand. Fortunately, you can read the question in the privacy of your own home and percolate on your answer. That’s where I found myself, at home in my prayer chair, when I felt this being asked of me and, in turn, pondered my answer. Is my faith UNSHAKABLE, that no matter how uncomfortable life may become, no matter the cost, will my trust in Jesus remain? All of us want our answer to be “Yes!” to that question. Yet, we find ourselves in uncertain times where what should be a simple answer doesn’t feel so easy. Even more so if we read through a variety of social media posts from people we know and those we don’t, or watch news outlets, or read articles and see what’s happening in the world. For me, this is where it got personal; there has been a slow yet steady thought that’s been building in me and has made me uncomfortable. I need to be prepared for the possibility of losing relationships. I need to be prepared to be unfollowed, unfriended, no longer invited, included, or called friend. Dare I say disliked, disregarded, even hated, or accused of being a someone I know I am not. While scripture supports this being a possibility, I still find myself feeling frustrated or even angry at times. There is an underlying message designed by the enemy to shake me, to shake you. A message in the world today that says I am supposed to feel shame, labeled a danger, or a hater for not agreeing or supporting things in the world. But God…despite the chaos, deception, and unstable world we see around us, we should ultimately be seeking the only unshakable truth there is: a foundational truth for every sincere believer. Jesus is worth everything. Which leads me back to the question we asked ourselves earlier: Is my faith UNSHAKABLE, that no matter how UNCOMFORTABLE life may become, no matter the cost, will my trust in Jesus remain? Will it be easy? Doubtful. Will I tremble and cry? Likely. Will I be alone? No. There are many today standing firm in faith and remaining unshakable to God’s Word. There were many throughout the Bible that set the example for us. They followed Christ regardless of their loss, suffering, or sacrifice. The Scriptures remind us that to be like them, we may have to be uncomfortable while we serve our God who is unshakable, and pray for the courage to be the same. Philippians 3:7-8 “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ” 1 John 3:1 “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” Bottom line, I don’t want to be uncomfortable. Who really does? I do, however, want to be unshakable. And based on the Bible, it’s rare to have one without the other. Lord, thank You for all the guidance and wisdom you offer. Thank you that in a changing world, Your word does not. Help me share truth with people I disagree with despite being uncomfortable, help me be courageous and kind while doing so. May I be bold and not conform to the world, help me be unshakable in representing You. Let me be so uncomfortable with the idea of Your wrath and live my life accordingly. Let me be unshakable in my identity in You no matter how many false labels the world tries to apply. May I be willing to be uncomfortable in speaking Your truth, even at the risk of loss. Let me be unshakable in remembering who the real enemy is, knowing that just because the world approves of something does not mean You do. Let me be unshakable in my obedience to You above all else. In Jesus Name. Amen. This weeks playlist: Natalie Grant – More Than Anything (Official Lyric Video) – YouTube More Than Anything Natalie Grant Kim Walker-Smith – I Say Yes | Live (Lyrics) – YouTube I Say Yes Kim Walker-Smith So Will I (100 Billion X) Lyric Video – Hillsong Worship – YouTube So Will I Hillsong Worship
Imperfectly Perfect
The photo at the beginning of this devotional is in one of my journals. There was a time in my life when that photo served as a regular reminder that life could be enjoyed and wonderful without being perfect. Let’s be honest though sometimes we just want perfect, not imperfectly perfect. In conversation with someone I love deeply we were discussing life’s imperfections. As we were chatting, I could see the hurt in their eyes and hear the hurt in their voice. The more we talked however they began to use “always and never” statements. In that moment I felt the Holy Spirit say, “that’s not truth. All the good is not void because of some bad. There are sweet perfect moments amidst the imperfection of life.” I shared this confirming word with my loved one. Guess what happened? Silence and a frustrated stare. The truth affirming word wasn’t received. Wouldn’t it be wonderful, if when a word from the Lord came it could be like “Boom, mic drop!”? We instantly receive it and believed it in our hearts. Don’t get me wrong, there may be times that’s the case but when we’re hurt, when we’re grieving for what could’ve been or what we thought would’ve been “perfect” we can miss what God has to say. Transparently, I’ll share I remember praying and crying during one chapter of life that felt overwhelming imperfect. It was a time when my dream of what I thought would be perfect was shattering. At the time I was angry, so angry that I screamed at God, “Why??, Why can’t it just be Hallmark????” Its ok to giggle here. I mean Hallmark!? But, please tell me I’m not alone in grieving for and even feeling cheated by what I thought would’ve been “perfect”. Here’s the thing though, brace yourselves Hallmark lovers, Hallmark movies aren’t real nor are they perfect. These movies usually have unfulfilled or broken relationships, a parent or spouse who has died, a workaholic, a business closing, etc. These movies are imperfectly perfect. They have trials, struggles, worries and yet always have happy endings. That’s where they are as close to real life as it gets. We have trials, struggles, worries, and yet if we believe and follow Jesus we are guaranteed a happy ending, a perfect heaven. Let’s not miss what God has to say, reminding us that this is an imperfectly perfect life, where the trials and struggles grow our faith, where we’re told not to worry God’s got it all under control and best of all the promises of heaven is our perfect happy ending. “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” Matthew 6:27 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33 Lord, thank you for having the perfect place in store for us. Thank you for being able to handle our questions and even our misplaced desire for what we think would be perfect. May we seek You more in those moments and allow You and Your word to fill us with hope in your perfect eternity knowing that anything from this imperfect world will fall short. May In Jesus Name. Amen. This week’s playlist: Riley Clemmons – Broken Prayers (Official Video) – YouTube Broken Prayers Riley Clemmons Bryan & Katie Torwalt – Praise Before My Breakthrough (Lyric Video) – YouTube Praise Before My Breakthrough Bryan & Katie Torwalt Hope Darst – Promise Keeper (Official Lyric Video) – YouTube Promise Keeper Hope Darst Written January 19, 2020 Updated August 31, 2021
Jesus’ Return!
Satan knows his fate; he won’t give up easily. But nothing will stop Christ the King’s return to earth. In this installment in our Back to the Future series, we will explore Armageddon in more detail, including Christ’s victory over the Antichrist. We will also look at what is happening in Heaven during the final part of the Tribulation. We will see God’s final fulfillment of His New Covenant to Israel: their national salvation. And finally, we will explore what happens after Christ’s victory but before His setting up of the Millennial Kingdom. Armageddon Through the Antichrist and the False Prophet, he gathers his allies for war against Israel at a place we now call Armageddon (Revelation 16:12-16). Armageddon is in the valley of Megiddo, about 60 miles north of Jerusalem. The valley of Megiddo has not been a stranger to battles. “Over 200 battles have been fought in the region, from 1468 b.c. (with Pharaoh Tuthmosis III) to 1917 (with Lord Allenby of the British)”. (Enduring Word) Satan’s posturing doesn’t concern God. He has expected it and even planned it. He supernaturally cleared the Antichrist’s way to Israel by drying up the river Euphrates to gather the nations for judgment (Joel 3:2, 12). God will not be mocked. The Psalmist describes God’s reaction to an attempt to defeat God like this: “The Lord “laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain (Psalm 2:4-6). As the Antichrist gathers his troops at Armageddon, Babylon is attacked and destroyed by the Antichrist’s enemies (Revelation 18:21). At this point, the Antichrist begins to move south towards Jerusalem, intent on destroying the Jews once and for all. Jerusalem falls again under Gentile control (Zechariah 12:1-3, 14:1-2; Micah 4:11-13), but not for long, as Jesus is not far behind. Celebration in Heaven As the Tribulation’s end is near, a great celebration in Heaven occurs (Revelation 19:1-10). The heavenly hosts rejoice over the righteous judgment of Babylon and the avenging of those saints who have died at her hands. A voice from Heaven urges those in Heaven to rejoice and be glad for the marriage supper of the Lamb to His bride. The Bible applies the symbolism of marriage to Christ and the Church. Christ is the bridegroom, and the Church is the bride. God, the Father, initiated the betrothal of the Church to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2). There was a betrothal period in Jewish marriage, during which the bride and groom remained apart until the wedding ceremony. The Father decided when the son would go get his bride for her presentation and the wedding ceremony. Similarly, the Church and Christ remain apart during the Church Age. God alone decides when He will send Jesus for His Bride. This sending and Christ’s return for the Church is what we call the Rapture. This is when the Church will be presented to Jesus (John 14:3). The wedding will occur after the Rapture, probably at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The final supper is a symbolic meal that signifies the end of the ceremony. John sees Heaven celebrating the Church’s eternal wedding to Christ in Revelation 19:7-9. National Salvation of Israel John the Baptist’s message to the Israelites at Christ’s First Coming was repentance and of the coming Kingdom (Matthew 3:2); however, the Nation of Israel rejected their Messiah and the Kingdom He offered (Acts 2:22-23). Because of this rejection, God partially hardened until all the Gentiles who will be saved are saved ( Romans 11:15, 25). Jesus was heartbroken over His rejection by His own people, and in Matthew 23:37-39, he lamented that Jerusalem will not see Him again until they accept Him as their Christ. The Old Testament also points to this eventual reconciliation but says that before Christ goes to them, they must first confess their sins, humble their hearts, and seek God’s face (Leviticus 26:39-42, Jeremiah 3:11-18, Hosea 5:15). They cry out for Messiah. At that time, forgiveness for sin and impurity will flow through the land like a fountain (Zechariah 13:1-2). God will give them a new heart and a new spirit, and they will be God’s people, and He will be their God (Ezekiel 36:24-28). At last, they will call on His name and be saved! (Zechariah 13:9). Christ’s Glorious Appearing and Return to Earth Israel sees their prayers answered with Christ’s return. When they see Him, they will mourn and weep bitterly over their rejection of Him (Zechariah 12:10-14, Zechariah 13). But just as God promised, He saves Israel supernaturally from its enemies and its sin (Jeremiah 31:34-35). The New Covenant is finally fulfilled for Israel! Jesus’s Second Coming will be spectacular. He will come back to earth in the same way He ascended to Heaven, but unlike His ascension, every eye will see His return. Jesus describes His return in Matthew 24:29-31. He says: “But immediately after the Tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. Jesus’ return is also described by John in Revelation 19:11-16. “And I saw Heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe
Focus
Focus. It’s a simple word really. Focus. We all know what it means but as you may know, definitions are kinda my jam. Focus, when peeled back and defined is “a center of activity or attention; directed attention.” Does the definition resonate a little more than the word itself? One morning not too long ago, I was awake at 1:30 a.m. My activity was centered on praying and petitioning over people I love. Praying that God would pursue them. Relentlessly. That they would surrender and focus on Jesus as the only One that can fill any void they keep desperately trying to fill with other things or people. Have you ever been there? In the middle of the night praying hard for those you love. Praying that God would make a big move in their lives and get their attention. There is a constant battle for our focus to be off Jesus, to grab our attention on all that’s wrong in our own lives and the lives of those we love. How we participate in the battle is key. We must be intentional about where we place our focus and what we give our attention to. It’s ultimately up to us, no one can make us dedicate our focus or give our attention unless we allow it. And as much as we would love to control where our loved ones place their focus and direct their attention, we can’t. There are numerous stories throughout the bible of battles, distracted focus, and paying attention to the wrong things. So, how do we keep our focus where battles are won? We focus on the One who does have control, we focus on praying, unceasingly. We fight for what matters, the truth of the gospel. We focus on surrendering ourselves to trust God and his Word. We focus on remembering He loves those we pray for even more than we do. This picture is one I scrolled across in my middle of the night ponderings. It immediately clicked. Think of an army. Think about the focus they must have… They focus on a battle plan. They focus on the mission. They focus on how to accomplish it. They focus as a unit. The battle plan- pray and petition. The mission- believe God, His strength, and His Word as true and applicable. The how- trust God knows exactly the how and when to accomplish all that needs to be in their lives. The unit- ask those in our inner circle to link arms with us to pray with us and for our families. As we readjust our focus and redirect our attention, let’s take just a minute and give praise that we know who is in charge of our army, who the ultimate victor is, that we know the author of scripture is alive and who has an unwavering focus of the eternal kingdom…Glory be to God!! 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing” Deuteronomy 20:4 “For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory” Psalm 62:8 “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge” Ephesians 6:10-12 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” Lord, thank You for never losing focus, for always having the ultimate battle plan. Thank you for the gift of prayer. There is comfort Lord in knowing you want to hear from me. May my focus be on You Jesus. Help me keep my focus and attention on only the battles You call me to. May Your will be done in the lives of those I love, we both want them to choose you. May I focus on your word and let the truth of it help fight the battles. And if my focus falters and my attention becomes distracted gently call me back to Your truth. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen. This week’s playlist: Rescue Lauren Daigle Yes He Can CAIN Weapon Vertical Worship Written September 19, 2019 Updated August 23, 2021
United
United and it feels so good… Ok, ok, that’s not the lyrics. If you don’t know the song reference, I’ve just totally dated myself. That was my feeble attempt to start this devotional with humor. As it’s true, when we feel connected, joined together, being united does feel good. There’s not much of that feel-good going on in the world. Turn on any news station or scroll on any social media platform and the lack of unity is almost a daily topic. However, as believers, we should be asking ourselves what and who exactly are we united with? This is a critical question to continually take our pulse on as the world has a plethora of all the ways it calls for “unity”. We should be looking to the One, the constant unchanging source of truth for what and who we are to be united with. To be frank, it is not the world. We are called to be united as the body of Christ. We cannot be united with Jesus and represent His truth if we are united with worldly views and behavior. With that in mind, I went to the two most used apps on my phone. The Bible and the dictionary. For those of you that aren’t familiar with me, I am a lover of definitions. So naturally, I looked up the word “united” to get a better sense of the word. Here’s what I found. Webster’s Dictionary: “made one: combined; relating to or produced by joint action; being in agreement” NIV Bible: “to bring together, forming one body; agreement, harmony Strongs Greek Concordance: “congenital, united with” Then I decided to see how the worldwide web defined the word. Duck Duck Go: “combined into a single entity” Google: “joined together politically, for a common purpose or by common feelings” Interesting, huh? As believers we shouldn’t be focused on being united with anything more than Christ and his word. A cause, political party, or person should never hold more importance or passion than being united with Jesus. We’re warned throughout the Bible of the lack of unity we see happening. Luke 12:52-53 “From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” Romans 16:17-18 “I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the minds of naive people.” This next one is a showstopper. In John 17, Jesus is praying for his disciples and future believers. (I encourage you to read this entire chapter!) v14- “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.” We can’t be united with something that hates us. Jesus is clear the world will hate true believers because we won’t or shouldn’t be cooperating with the world by joining in rebelling against God’s word. Believers take to heart, we represent Christ and should try to live a life pleasing to him, remembering Who we are united with, that we are ultimately serving an audience of One. Let’s remember this especially when we disagree about world events, politics, medical practices or any of the other multitude of topics that arise. There really is only one form of unity Jesus calls us too. 1 Corinthians 1:10 “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” Acts 20:28 “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” Ephesians 4:3-4 “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called in one hope of your calling.” May we remember being united with Jesus and His word is most important. May we remember who the real enemy is. May we remember Jesus is still King, sovereign, in control, and should be trusted. May we remember we serve and answer to an audience of One. May we remember we should be more concerned with which side someone is on, as it relates to heaven or hell, ultimately being disciples for the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Lord, may my actions match my words. May I stand united with You and Your truth. Help me be more focused on sharing your gospel, your grace, your offer to be with you. May I seek your wisdom and be open to your gift of discernment Lord, especially in the days ahead to know false unity when presented with it, help me recognize the enemy’s lies and stand against them. In Jesus Name. Amen. This week’s playlist: Citizen of Heaven Tauren Wells Give Me Jesus Jeremy Camp Make Us One Jesus Culture Written November 4, 2018 Updated August 18, 2021
Bowl Judgments of Revelation
We have seen God’s wrath unleashed on earth in a series of two sets of judgments, each set progressively worse and more devastating as time goes on. Here, we will explore the third set of judgments, the bowl judgments, and their worldwide effects. Finally, we will take a look at the fall of commercial and political Babylon. Three Angels and a Voice from Heaven In Revelation 14:6-13, John sees three angels, each bringing a different message from Heaven relating to what is in store for the earth’s inhabitants. The first angel’s message is one of Good News; this angel preaches “an eternal gospel to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people” (Revelation 14:6). This message is another attempt by God to convince those left behind to repent and accept His Son. It also fulfills Jesus’ prophecy of Matthew 24:14 that “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” The second angel announces the fall of Babylon. Babylon, generally, represents man’s rebellion against God stemming from the incident at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). “Prophetically, ‘Babylon’ sometimes refers to a literal city, sometimes to a religious system, sometimes to a political system, all stemming from the evil character of historic Babylon.” (Walvoord) We saw in Revelation 17 that Babylon referred in that chapter to a one-world apostate religious system and also to a city. The third angel’s message concerns those who are following the beast (the Antichrist). This angel warns that if anyone “worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or hand” he will drink the cup of God’s wrath for eternity. It is evident that there is a connection between worshiping the beast and receiving a mark. No one will casually take the mark. If someone gets the mark, they have rejected God and chosen to follow Satan. The mark will be an eternal choice. Revelation 14:10-11 leaves no doubt that there will be suffering in hell, and it will be eternal. John then contrasts those who worship the beast and take his mark with those saints who persevered during this time through keeping the commandments and their faith in Jesus Christ. A voice from Heaven says of these Tribulation saints who are martyred, “they may rest from their labors, for the deeds follow with them.” (Revelation 14:13). This eternal rest is very different from Satan’s followers, who receive eternal torment. Final Reaping on Earth; Three More Angels God’s final wrath is pictured through a grain harvest and then a grape harvest. The grain harvest represents the bowl judgments, and the grape harvest represents the Battle of Armageddon. In the parable of the tares, Jesus also uses the idea of a harvest to explain His Second Coming and the final wrath of God (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43). In Revelation 14:14, John sees someone like a son of man sitting on a white cloud. This is a picture of Jesus that we first saw in Daniel 7:13-14. In John’s vision, he has a victor’s crown on his head and carries a sharp sickle representing quick judgment. God gave Jesus authority to execute all judgment (John 5:22, 27) because He is the Son of Man. An angel then comes out of the temple and appears to Jesus, appealing to Him to reap because the earth’s harvest is ripe. The reaping is of the ungodly people of the world; they will be gathered and judged. Jesus then begins to swing His sickle and reap the earth. John then describes another harvest, but this time an angel swings the sickle, not Jesus (Revelation 14:17-18). A second angel comes from the temple with a sharp sickle and then is joined by another angel from the altar calling to the angel with the sickle, “Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe.” (Revelation 14:18). Then the angel swings the sickle, gathers the clusters, and throws them into the great winepress of the wrath of God. The grapes are trodden, causing blood to flow from the winepress all the way up to the horses’ bridle for a distance of 200 miles. This vivid description represents the final Battle of Armageddon outside of Jerusalem. The Seven Bowl Judgments Revelation 14 generally describes the end of all things, but Revelation 16 goes back and describes them in more detail. John sees seven angels with seven plagues which are the last of the judgments. Before we are told the details of these judgments, we are given another description of Heaven in Revelation 15. John sees “something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name” holding harps and singing the song of Moses, the victory song of Israel after their deliverance at the Red Sea from the Egyptian army (Revelation 15:2-4). Here, this song also represents the delivery of the saints by Christ from sin and death. Next, out of the temple come the seven angels with the seven plagues who are given seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God (Revelation 16:2-21). These bowls of judgment are the third woe of Revelation 11:14. See the illustration below. There are similarities between some of these judgments and the judgments on Egypt during the time of Moses. The first bowl is similar to the plague of boils in Exodus 9:8-12; the second bowl to water turning to blood in Exodus 7:14-25, and the fifth bowl to the darkness of Exodus 10:21-29. Also, like the Egyptians in Exodus, the judgments cause the inhabitants of the earth to harden their hearts; they still refuse to repent. We see too that where the second and third trumpet judgments of Revelation 8 cause partial contamination of the seas and freshwater, the second and third bowl judgments