Hope for All Seasons

I went to the Woman to Woman Conference Friday night and all day Saturday at the Hickory Metro Convention Center. The theme was Hope for All Seasons and the keynote speaker was Anne Graham Lotz. (One of my very favorites!) This post is what she covered Friday night.

1 Peter 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

In today’s world we put our hope in so many things: the stock market, the company we work for, our health, our ability. When any of it fails – we lose hope.

Sometimes we lose hope because of the day after day same old same old problems. We pray about them, we try to fix them, but they never go away.

Biblical hope is confidence. Our hope rests in God’s plan, God’s person and God’s purpose.

The 1^st century Christians were losing hope in God. Jesus hadn’t returned yet and there was a crazy man ruling who demanded they bow down to him and call him god. When they wouldn’t he burned them at the stakes, fed them to the lions and nailed them to crosses.

God gave the Apostle John the vision to write the book of Revelation to give them hope. Today it’s one of the last books we look at when it should be the first. It’s meant to give us hope!

God’s plan is revealed in Jesus. It was all about Jesus since before the creation of the world. The key to understanding the book of Revelation is to focus on Jesus.

We have hope in the world because Jesus is in charge. When it looks like the world is falling apart it’s really just falling into place. (Study prophecy – you’ll see!)

Revelation says “blessed is he who reads this”. And really we are blessed anytime we open our Bibles. God knows our problems and He will help us manage them so that we can bring Him glory. And we bring Him glory as we become more like His Son.

Revelation 1:8 says He’s the Alpha and the Omega. The beginning and the end of the alphabet. He is all wisdom. He knows everything about us and has known our names since before we were born.

John was suffering for his testimony. Sometimes we think when we are suffering it means God doesn’t love us. But remember, John was the disciple that Jesus loved yet he was in exile for doing something completely in God’s will. Sharing Jesus to others. His suffering ended up bringing glory to God through the writing of the last book of the Bible. God allows us to suffer for a greater purpose. We need to understand this; know that our lives will never be trouble free and deal with it!

John, even though he was alone on that tiny island, was “in the spirit” on “the Lord’s Day”. When we are going through trials we need to stay in the Word. Stay close to God. Don’t complain. Show others that we are trusting that God has a plan for our life and He will use this for our good and for His glory.

We lose hope because we keep trying to get Jesus to make our life the way we want. When He doesn’t do what we tell Him to we get upset! We need to rest in His plan. We need to have a submissive spirit and just ask Him to let us know what to do next.

In Revelation 1:13 Jesus was dressed in the robe of a high priest. Right this minute He is our high priest and praying for us by name. The golden sash around His chest was like that of a King’s. He held seven stars in His right hand representing the seven churches (us). We are in His right hand because He wants to use us. His word is double edged. We need to be in the word to use it.

John fell at His feet like a dead man. Dead men don’t talk back. They don’t argue or give excuses. No more struggling against His will. 

No matter what happens in your life, focus on Jesus and continue to praise Him for who He is and what He has already done for you. Accept His purpose in your life. Read the Bible to know His will and then do it! Surrender!

Jesus put His hand on John and said “Don’t be afraid” because He knows we are sometimes afraid to surrender because of what He might ask us to do. But the better we know Him the more we will want what He wants! God’s will is good and pleasing and perfect. But we won’t get it until we surrender to Him.

 

Prophecy Conference Night 1

John and I went to a four night prophecy conference that a group of Baptist churches in Taylorsville, NC hosted. The speaker was Dr. Jimmy DeYoung, a radio favorite of mine.

The first night he talked about understanding Revelation by studying it chronologically.
In Revelation 1:1 God gave the revelation to Jesus who gave it to an angel who gave it to John.

I’m not one of those people who think about angels being around us all the time, but Dr. DeYoung says they not only played a big part in Christ’s first coming; they’ll also play a big part in the second coming. Angels deliver 14 of the 21 judgments in Revelation. He also made the comment they are often in church because angels come to hear every teaching about God. And apparently there are millions of angels!

Chapter 1 of Revelation tells us about the person and power of Jesus Christ. Chapters 2 and 3 are the last words of Jesus to the church. (The 7 letters to the 7 churches.) Chapter 4 is the Rapture of the church. Starting with chapter 5 is the 7 years of tribulation before Christ returns. The church is not mentioned in chapters 5 – 18 because they are no longer on earth.

After Christ returns, there’s the 1000 year reign, then the Great White Judgment where the unbelievers are sent to the lake of fire. Then the eternal heaven and the eternal earth.

http://www.prophecytoday.com

Part 3 on what Revelation has to say about Heaven

Near the end of her book "A Visioin of His Glory" by Anne Graham Lotz she says, “After reading Revelation are you convinced Jesus Christ will reign in the world at some future time, but you don’t know what difference that makes in your life today? And she ends with a challenge: not to place our hope in the things of this world, but to keep our focus on Christ in every aspect of our lives.

David was anointed by God as king over God’s people 14 years before he even sat on the throne. Saul tried to destroy David during that time. There were 400 men who feared Saul. They were distressed and discouraged in their daily lives because of his authority. Then they heard about David. They heard that he was God’s anointed king. They heard that one day he would sit on the throne in Jerusalem. They heard he was a courageous, compassionate leader; undefeated in battle. So they gave up everything and put their hope in David.

1 Samuel 22:2

David, as a king in exile, became a rallying point for God’s people. His leadership in their lives, even before he ruled from the throne in Jerusalem, radically changed their perspective of the present as well as of the future. David gave them hope. They became David’s mighty men. And when he was crowned king of Israel, they reigned with him.

In one sense, Jesus is God’ anointed king in exile. The enemies: Satan, Self and Sin – reign supreme on His earthly throne of authority. Like King Saul, often their power and authority cause us to be discouraged and distressed. But, we’ve heard about God’s anointed one. About His compassionate leadership – and we chose to put our hope in Him. To give Him our loyalty, to make Him our priority and one day we will reign with Him.

The angel’s words to John are a personal challenge as the vision of the glory of Christ draws to a close.

Revelation 22: 6-7

Do you believe that? Do you believe not only that, but that His Word, the Bible, in its entirety is trustworthy and true? That the prophecies still to come will come? Because God said so. Even if you don’t understand everything in it, will you make the decision to believe God’s Word? God does not lie. Take it by faith.

So if we do believe it, the challenge is to live it. Keep His Word and live as Jesus commands us to.

The promise of blessing to those who “keep the words of the prophecy in this book” is given directly by Jesus Christ. The promise specifically regards Revelation, but generally it applies to the entire Bible. To keep the word means read it, study it, apply it and obey it. Keep it in our heart, on our minds and our lips.

And the blessing we receive is a growing, confident, fully committed hope in Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 1:1

Staying focused on Him and His Word gives us a stability as everything else in the world around us seems to collapse. There is no other foundation to build our life on. No other purpose higher to live for. Nothing more important then to know Him. And He’s revealed in the Bible.

To worship God literally means to attribute worth to Him. And we do this by making Him our first priority, obeying what He says, praising Him for who He is and what He has done. You would think after this vision John would only worship Christ, but look at what happens.

Revelation 22: 8-9

It’s so easy to let other things crowd Jesus right out of His rightful place.

Next – Revelation 22:10 – 12

When all is said and done (and Revelation is the last book in the Bible) God has nothing more to say. Those who reject Him will be judged. If Heaven is refused, that only leaves hell. If the revelation of Jesus Christ from Genesis to Revelation hasn’t brought a person to a humble confession of sin and repentance from sin and conversion to Christ thru faith, nothing else will. If God’s message is rejected there is no other message. Time is running out for nonbelievers. Believers have little time to spread the word.

Jesus said in John 9:4 “as long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work.” When night comes: either by the Rapture or death, our work on earth will be over. If we knew it would happen in 5 minutes – before it does would we wish we had told 1 more person? Taught Sunday School? Opened our home to Bible study or a neighborhood prayer group? Gone on a mission trip? Made ourselves available to serving in church? Written a note of encouragement? Given money to missions? Visited the sick?

Revelation 22:12

Revelation, The Vision of His Glory, motivates us to use every moment we have left. It keeps our focus on the big picture so we don’t grow weary in doing good. We live for His rewards, not earthly ones.

The Bible is really an entire book of instructions and one of the last minute instructions He gives us is –

Revelation 22:14-15

Our robe is our right standing before God, given to us at the cross of Christ. We are given this robe as we are forgiven for all our sins. Past, present and future sins.

Small sins; like gossip and white lies. Medium size sins like losing our temper and even big sins like stealing and adultery. All are forgiven.

If you’ve ever walked on a beach and seen the different indentions and holes – tiny holes from sand crabs, big foot prints, whatever …and the tide comes in and washes all of it away – no matter what it’s from or how big it was. That’s what Jesus’ blood did.

Obviously Christians still sin – we just hate doing it now, and sin doesn’t keep us from being God’s children. But, it will break our fellowship with Him. That’s why we still confess our sins daily and repent. We’re agreeing with God that what we’ve done is sin and we turn from it. Instead of sugar coating it, like calling adultery “an affair” or lying an “exaggeration” or pride “self-esteem” or murder “the right to choose”…

Daily confession of sin keeps us in a right loving relationship with God. We don’t run hide behind a bush like Adam and Eve did when they heard Him coming!

We’re about at the end of the book. And what we’ve learned from reading the book of Revelation we must share –

Revelation 22:16-17

Every one of us comes into contact with people who don’t know Christ. We are put where we are in life to be able to help someone. The book of Revelation makes us aware that we could be standing before Jesus at any second and we need to act before it’s too late. Think about whom you know – who’s not saved. Invite them to “come.”

Revelation 22:18-19

At the very beginning of history God told Adam not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil for when he die he would surely die. And Satan said to Eve, “Did God really say ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?” And as he cast doubt on God’s Word and His Goodness, Eve responded, “God did say ‘You must not eat the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden and you must not touch it, or you will surely die.”

She added to God’s Word. And it had a devastating impact on her and her husband and her children and every generation since. At the very end of God’s revelation of human history He warns against repeating the same sin. His Word, the Bible, conveys His thoughts and ways and will and not one word is to be tampered with.

People add to His Word and take away from His Word all the time. They pull verses out of context. They ignore the ones they don’t like. They say this part of the Bible is true, but this part isn’t. But, none of this affects God’s truth.

And the book ends with Revelation 22:20-21

Because we know He is coming, we need to be prepared. We need to stay faithful to His Word, faithful to worship, faithful to His work, faithful to confess our sin and stay in a right relationship with Him. Faithful to witness and warn and watch. Faithful to live our lives like we know He’s coming back for us!

Part 2 on what Revelation has to say about Heaven

Next John sees the river.
Revelation 22:1

The river symbolizes the eternal blessing of God. And it flows from the throne. The source of all blessing has been, is and forever will be the authority of God and the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

So the river of blessings flows when Jesus Christ is in full authority in your life, when you have completely surrendered yourself to Him, when His will is your will, when you deeply desire what He wants more than what you want, when you deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Him, when you live in a right fellowship to the throne…that’s when the river flows!

Jesus promised this when He said, “whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” John explained, “By this He meant the spirit, which those who believed in Him were later to receive.” When you receive Jesus Christ by faith as your Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live within you and when the spirit of the Lord is Lord of your life – the river runs freely within you to fill your life with blessing and to flow from you as a source of blessing to others. But the spirit must be Lord of your life. Then we are not only filled, but we overflow to others!

If something in our life is blocking this, we need to figure out what it is, repent and ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with Himself. As He fills our life, we are promised we will be fruitful. Revelation 22:2.

If we are filled with the Holy Spirit there will be outward evidence: love, joy, peace, patience, self-control, gentleness, kindness, goodness and faithfulness. Just like a tree doesn’t struggle to produce its leaves, we don’t struggle to produce these fruits. That’s why they are called gifts of the spirit! Anne says instead of focusing on whether we feel we have enough joy or self-control – just focus on our relationship with Christ. If our relationship with Him is right – the fruits will come.

And not only will His fruit be evident in our character, but also in our service. Note the last part of Rev. 22:2 – “the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” We are saved to serve and blessed to bless!

People who think they will be bored in heaven will find themselves pleasantly surprised! Anne says that the presence of the water shows we’ll still get thirsty, the presence of the fruit that we’ll still get hungry, that the leaves that are the healing indicate we’ll still have needs to be met, but these will also be met when we abide in Christ.

And then will be freedom – Revelation 22:3

When Adam and Eve sinned, it caused “the curse”. Not only did it affect them, but their descendents, animals and the earth. They were cursed to live separate lives from God and also to die. Cursed to struggle thru life. Now that curse will be gone. Plants won’t die, flowers won’t fade and people won’t die. We will be free from sin and suffering and death.

Romans 8:20-21

Revelation 22: 3 (again) and 5

We will rule with Christ in the universe, we will convey knowledge of Him everywhere and we will never grow tired in well-doing. Our work will flow from our worship and we will serve Him perfectly. And as we serve Him we will experience blessed fellowship.

Revelation 22:4

1 Corinthians 13:12

The entire goal of a Christian’s life is to know God. So we put time and effort in to prayer and reading the Bible and applying what we learn from Bible study. We try to live obediently and serve humbly. To be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. But, during our lives it will be incomplete. Only in heaven, when we see Him face to face and serve him there, will we know Him fully.

So one great thing about the book of Revelation is – on earth and in this life we do face death at some point, but as believers, this earth is not our home. Death does not have the final word. We will walk thru the gates of pearl and live with our Lord forever.

What the book of Revelation has to say about Heaven

Since I just finished teaching the book of Revelation from Anne Graham Lotz' book, "A Vision of His Glory, Finding Hope in the Book of Revelation" and also just finished 4 blog posts about Heaven and Hell, this seems like an appropriate time to post from my Revelation study.

When you think of the word “home” what does it mean to you?

Hopefully, it’s a place of love, acceptance, comfort and security. A place where your needs are met. A safe haven. A place where there’s a light left on for you and a warm hug at the door.

No matter if our home here on earth fits that description or not – we’re really not “home” yet and when we get to our real and eternal home it’s going to be so much better.

Jesus promised He is preparing a home there for us. That in His Father’s house are many rooms. 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind conceived” how good it will be.

Revelation 21:1-2
Jesus is preparing a place for us to live with Him. And He’s been working on it for over 2000 years. Revelation 21: 11 says its brilliance is like a precious jewel.

Remember God preparing our first home here on earth? After the first 5 “days” of creative work He planted a garden in the east, in Eden and put man there. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground. Trees that were pleasing to the eye. He created flowers and mountains and lakes and oceans and birds for us to enjoy.

But, our new home will be even better. “No eye has seen, no mind conceived…”

This new home – Heaven – The New Jerusalem – will be presented to His believers.

Revelation 21: 7-8
The invitation has been extended to everyone, but when it’s been rejected by some people – the door shuts.

Revelation 21: 27
The impure, the “evil doers” are ones who don’t know Christ. They may have been “religious” in their life times, but they never established a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through faith.

John 14:6
If you belong to God through faith in Jesus Christ, then you will be welcomed into His heavenly home, which He has prepared for you.

At the end of the 1000 year reign (the millennium) when Satan is cast into the lake of sulphur, the old heaven and earth as we know it will be destroyed.

2nd Peter 3: 7, 10
And Revelation 21:5 says God says, “I am making everything new!” You know if you live in an old house – no matter how much you repaint and clean and fix it up – it’s still an old house. Sometimes you just need to tear it down and start over! The planet earth is old! Its air is polluted, the water is polluted – we’re using up our natural resources. God’s going to give us a new heaven ad a new earth. And God’s going to live there with us.

Revelation 2: 3-4
Heaven is not only our home, but His! We will be with our loved ones and Jesus forever.

John alluded to this when he said in Rev. 21:1 “There was no longer any sea.” Anne wrote that the sea separates people, countries and land from each other. In Heaven there will be no separation. There won’t even be the separation of night and day because –

Revelation 21:23
Our heavenly home will glow and radiate light from within. There will be no darkness at all. God’s promises are true and we can count on them.
Revelation 21:5

As John goes on to describe Heaven he seems to emphasize it’s a literal, specific, physical place.
Revelation 21: 15

Heaven can be seen and felt and measured!
In Rev. 21:12 and 18 he sees the great, high wall made of jasper. The wall as described is 200 feet thick. And remember jasper is a stone like a diamond. The city and its streets are made of pure gold, as transparent as glass. That’s in Rev. 21: 18 and 21. He goes on to describe the foundation of the city.

Revelation 21:14, 19
The 12 foundations of rock have more than gems embedded in them. Each one is also engraved with the name of one of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. So John saw his own name engraved there. He saw that all of his life’s work did have eternal value!

He describes the gates in Revelation 21:21

Pearls are formed when a small grain of sand becomes embedded in an oyster, irritating it. To soften the irritation, the oyster coats the grain of sand with a smooth layer of what is called mother of pearl. As long as the oyster can feel the irritation, it continues to coat the sand with layers of pearl, making the pearl bigger and bigger.

What kind of irritation would have been necessary to form the pearls that make up the gates to our heavenly city where they are so large they can fit into a wall that is 200 feet thick? It must have been severe suffering. People have suggested that the pearl gates will be a reminder to everyone who goes in and out of the city of the suffering and great price Christ paid for us.

So it will be beautiful. And it’s a home. But, who else will live there?

Revelation 21:23
The Greek word used here for temple is the same as Most Holy Place – where God dwelled in the temple the Israelites built. Back then only the high priest could enter this area once a year to make atonement for the people. We are told in the book of Hebrews that today we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus. We have access to the presence of God when we approach Him by faith and prayer. In our heavenly home we will not just have occasional access to His presence; we will be in the Most Holy Place and live in His presence.

Heaven will not only be beautiful – it will be totally, permanently happy.

Revelation 22:1

I’ve been teaching the book of Revelation for about 5 weeks now. I’m using Anne Graham Lotz’ book, The Vision of His Glory and I love this part about Revelation 22:1. It’s concise and tells you exactly what you need to know!

Revelation 22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb

The river symbolizes the eternal blessing of God. And it flows from the throne. The source of all blessing has been, is and forever will be the authority of God and the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

So the river of blessings flows when Jesus Christ is in full authority in your life, when you have completely surrendered yourself to Him, when His will is your will, when you deeply desire what He wants more than what you want, when you deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Him, when you live in a right fellowship to the throne…that’s when the river flows!

Why Does God Put Up With It?

I’m still teaching Revelation and I have to say I asked myself, why does God go through all of this? In the end, why will Satan be allowed to rule, then be removed, then come back until he is finally disposed of for good?

I think on a smaller scale, looking back at when the Israelites wanted a king “like the other nations.” God didn’t want them to have a king. He was supposed to be their only ruler. But He let them have one – Saul, who was awful.

They had to see for themselves. We were given free will, with all of its consequences, so we would know for ourselves that God’s way is best and come to Him freely.

Revelation 3:7-13

Here is something else I learned while teaching from Anne Graham Lotz’ book The Vision Of His Glory that I thought was really great:

Revelation 3:7-13
To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Jesus is revealed as the One “who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut and what He shuts, no one can open.”

Jerusalem is known as the City of David and heaven is referred to as the New Jerusalem. “The key of David” represents acceptance in and free access to heaven. And Jesus holds the key. He is the one who determines who can come into heaven and must stay out. He opens the door to those who receive Him by faith and shuts the door to those who reject Him.

In the next verse, Jesus says He knows they have little strength. They’re a little church and pagans surround them. But, He says they have kept His Word and haven’t denied His name.

The other door Jesus controls is opportunity to service for Him. Even if people haven’t done much in the past. If they have kept His Word and are loyal to it, He will open the door of opportunity to more and maybe bigger service to Him. And at that point it doesn’t matter how small or inadequate we feel. An open door of opportunity from God implies the command to walk through it. His grace is sufficient and His strength is made perfect in weakness.

He doesn’t tell us we can do something – we just have to try harder. Or that we’re perfect for the job. Instead He acknowledges that on our own, we couldn’t do His command. But, He says He’ll work through us if we just make ourself available to Him in obedience and dependence.

If we say to Him, “But I don’t have time, strength, education, money or ability, He tells us in Revelation 3:11, “hold on to what you have”. We have Him! We have His Word. We can walk through the open door, holding on to that.

God will never command us to do something He is unable or unwilling to do in us and through us. And our motivation to serve Him? Revelation 3:11 also says, “I am coming soon.” Time to serve Him on earth is short. In Revelation 3:12 Jesus promised, “Him who overcomes, I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. I will write on him the name of my God.” The pillar represents strength, the temple of God is His presence and His name written on us is His identification with us. It is a promise that our obedient, dependent service will be so rooted in His presence and His person that others will see only the strength and identification with God – not how inadequate we are.

More thoughts from “A Vision of His Glory”

Rev.2:12-17 To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.

Lotz writes about this in "A Vision of His Glory", “Jesus is saying with the double-edged sword of truth – you are surrounded by intelligence. You are surrounded by “religion”, but look at me. I’m the truth. The Bible is my Word! It is true on both sides of the sword – heaven and hell, salvation and judgment, God and the devil. It is the truth and you can’t accommodate truth to the world around you or it ceases to be truth!”

In today’s world it is so easy to accommodate the different beliefs. New age religion is an example. It’s all over the place. Everything is about tolerance and those who preach straight from the Bible are looked down on.

People work to make God into what they want Him to be. And if someone calls them on that they say something like “Well, how could your God let a child die? My God would never do that.” And because some Christians don’t know how to answer that or they feel like they have over and over, but it doesn’t seem to do any good – they let it slide. They accommodate to others. Their faith turns “private” “personal”. And that’s not what Jesus told us to do or be. He told us to be lights and salt. To spread the Gospel.

So the Christians at Pergamum had some failures. But, Jesus did applaud them for their loyalty and faithfulness to Him. He even named one of the believers who had been faithful even to death. For those who have been criticized for their testimony of Jesus, this section is an encouragement. Jesus tells them He knows what kind of society they live in. Where Satan rules. He knows what it’s like and He thanks them for remaining loyal and faithful. But then He tells them He has a few things against them.

He mentions the people teaching of Balaam and the people who hold to the teaching of the Nicolations. These groups apparently distorted, diluted and denied the truth of God’s Word. They caused people to stumble and doubt it.

Today these are people who are false teachers. They profess to give out God’s Word while destroying people’s faith in it. Think religion classes at a lot of universities. Think some churches who are more worried about numbers and attendance then preaching the truth. I stumbled across a website called Rapture Ready.com and it had a letter to people who will be left behind and who go on line trying to figure out what had just happened. One of the things it said is that the Sunday after the rapture the churches will be packed. And some of the well-known “Christian” leaders will be scrambling to explain the whole thing away.

Jesus warned us about false teachers. We are responsible personally for knowing the Bible and whether what they are saying fits or not. Jesus in this section isn’t warning the false teachers. He’s warning us about them. I love to listen to Christian radio. And I learn a lot from it, but even there you have to be careful. Some speakers and preachers, to be more entertaining, start embellishing some things, watering down others, so that people will enjoy listening to them.

Jesus says in Rev.2:16a again, “Repent Therefore!” He says Stop! Stop embellishing God’s word. Stop allowing seeds of doubt to be planted in your mind!”

Remember how Satan began his deception with Eve in the garden? He said, “Yes, but did God really say…” He caused just a little doubt about God’s word.
Lotz wrote here, we do not stand in judgment over God’s word. God’s word stands in judgment over us. We may not understand everything in the Bible, but we can accept it as the inspired, authoritative, inerrant word of God. Why would God allow something to be in the Bible if He doesn’t want it there and then call it His word?

Thoughts from “A Vision of His Glory”

Here are some thoughts I had from reading Anne Graham Lotz's views of Revelation 1:12a in the book The Vision Of His Glory when the apostle John turned around to see Jesus: “I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me.”

The turning around to look at God can mean wanting not just to hear the word, but to see and know the person behind the word.

Lotz asks if when we read the Bible, do we read it to familiarize ourselves with facts? Or grow in our knowledge of the truth? Or so we can live by and obey it so we might be blessed? These are all good intentions, but the ultimate purpose of God’s Word is to reveal God so we can know Him personally.

Lots of times we focus on the hands of God. What He has or hasn’t done for us. What we want Him to do. Instead of focusing on the face of God – simply who He is.

Finding Hope in the Book of Revelation

I’ve read Anne Graham Lotz’ book, The Vision Of His Glory
several times. But, I am finally writing up a Sunday School lesson from it.

For all those who haven’t studied the book of Revelation because they think they won’t understand the symbolism or it’s too frightening to think about the end of the world. Read this book. It explains so well that Revelation is meant to give us a fresh vision of Jesus Christ. As King. And that it is meant to give us hope in trials.

Reading this book along with the Bible is a great way to study Revelation.

The Alpha and the Omega

John and I went to another church today to hear Dr. Ron McManus speak. He is a worldwide church consultant for the General Council Assembly of God.

His message was on chapter one of the book of Revelation and he talked about how Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. Not only the beginning, but also the end. He has seen our tomorrows. Dr. McManus said something I thought was really good.

“Jesus tells us if we will let Him, He will walk us through all of our tomorrows.”

The second thing I took away that I want to think about every day is; whatever we are going through right now we need to stand and praise Jesus in the midst of it.