It is probably best advice – to start writing things down – and also for our collective young people to write things down – they say that it helps with memory and that helps with everything else.
A friend recently told a story of a little one, who when they were made to write things out, they calmed down, it reinforced good memory, all the good stuff for education and for living and for success in life…
Us making notes, and like me making “to-do” lists for myself – well that helps immensely – and gives the comfort that we DID write it down and we will probably remember but if not we have the notes… What a relief!!! Even electronic typing is good and actually really good because I can find the notes later as opposed to losing my paper!
Friends and I were also talking also about handwriting in the olden days – with big swoops and such – and I remember once learning and can attest that it is cathartic to write – pouring energy in. I also head a theory that you could tell someone’s generosity or stinginess by the size of the tails on the letters – cursive of course – well I don’t know about that – but I do know that it is nice to get a letter or card these days – those folks ARE generous because they took the time to write and also pay the stamp!
I know I learn well by taking notes and then am at ease because I know I have the notes to rely back upon – not just passwords but flow plans for my thoughts and my clicks for software. It is also a recommendation for my people at work – a fellow supervisor told me that if this was college they could say: “where are your notes, I’m only saying this once…” We don’t do that – but do help with repetition…
Well – written down – well how could we not think of Jesus being our written down Word – Written UP Word – the Word made Flesh – Alpha and Omega. And the Word not just contained in the bible but springing forth from the bible Word – shared FROM Him. Imagine how the Lord of lords is servant to serve by both coming to earth humbled as human – and to be written and rewritten out as everlasting Word – each stroke of Himself in penmanship and in printing press and in sign language and in spoken Word – His continuous pen never ending and never running out of ink or energy or Spirit.
Even the end of our physical bible in Revelation is where we see there are GOING TO BE chapters and chapters ahead – of life forever – the end is the beginning and if Jesus never ends, we won’t either… Forever remembered because He wrote our names down… Forever realized because He is the Author of Life in LOVE.
Jesus is Written Word – and He will never forget us nor be forgotten – He does LOVE and LIVE forever.
Amen for us to begin again.
Amen
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Psalm 121 NKJV
God the Help of Those Who Seek Him A Song of Ascents.
I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.
——–
Revelation 3:7-13 NKJV
Letter from Jesus written by John: “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 on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them 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 them my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
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Revelation 21:1-6 NKJV
All Things Made New
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.
The end of March is the dawning into spring, and longer days, warmer temperatures, and LIGHT… The weather in March goes out like a lamb, gentle and growing.
And the light? Our hope is not just in the now, our hope is forever for Eternity. The LAMB of the Lord is Jesus, and the LAMB as our NEW LIGHT never goes out.
The Glory of the New Jerusalem is our scripture for renewal, from John writing in Revelation: But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). (Ahhhh wonderful… Read more of Revelation 21 below)
This weekend, I treated myself to flowers both for the spring and super warm temperatures on Saturday, and for the decompression of the successful driver’s test pass for my daughter, whew! Fabulous! (Another new season for our family with all drivers…)…
I saw the pansies, which can tolerate cool temps, and impulsively bought a flat, refilled my flower boxes in joy, and also gifted some to a friend for her spring birthday. And then again Sunday, after the birthday party, driving home I saw a roadside stand with opened pussywillow soft fuzzy buds for sale. So nice. Seemed appropriate to pair with the fuzzy fleece from my Sunday sermon still sitting in the car. Treated myself to another iris for transplanting too from that inexpensive roadside stand… And then at a big farm stand, I bought strawberry plants, to renew that hope in me of growth and fruitful yummy strawberries… I also got bags of soil and cleaned up the yard and picked daffodils. My favorite flower is the “Forget-me-not”, never seem to be able to grow those, well I got those too… beautiful even if the flowers are but temporary for the season and for life.
It’s that excitement and hope of the spring flowers and growing season that renews energy in me and in us. We live in cycles of seasons, and cycles of life. Some things die away, others are made new… We need to keep cycling until we get home. Meanwhile we will enjoy as gardeners working the soil on earth, watching renewal. We will enjoy as children of God, the Life He breathes into us. We know that we too will pass away but He won’t – and we have life in HIM.
Someday in Home of Heaven, ALL things will be made new. They will spring forth like we have never seen before. The city walls with the names of the apostles of the Lamb, the gates with the tribes, the peoples and nations of those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life…
Our Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, will reign in Heaven with our Lord God Almighty. Our Lamb, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, will bring in the NEW city, and God Almighty and the Lamb will BE the LIGHT.
All tears wiped away, all things made new. New life, new forever, new yet never-changing LIGHT of the LORD.
Let us hope into Forever, and keep going and keep growing now too.
Amen
————
Revelation 21
All Things Made New
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
The New Jerusalem
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.
Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
The Glory of the New Jerusalem
But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Recently I decided it was silly not to purchase more bowls and little plates and silverware that I found that matches my main set – sure I have yardsale forks that I got for a quarter but we in our house have a fondness for “our real forks” – lightweight and good – and less fumbling thru the drawer around cheapo ones that I usually take to work… Plus I got 2 more ice tea spoons in my pattern – LONG STORY – but those are just awesome to use… Well, it was a little splurge I decided to go for – and easy to get them (even though they are now “vintage”) through some online selling – really easy – and I negotiated the price and shipping too. So, I’ve added 12 forks to my collection and 2 cool ice tea spoons. The bowls? Well they disappear everywhere, not to mention ones (RARE) that broke – yes I managed to break some… These bowls are so useful, just the right size and yeah… I negotiated and paid $3 each – cheaper than when I originally got them probably at the outlet itself, ummm over 30 years ago. Silverware was probably more expensive than the outlet I was at, but like I said now it is “vintage” geez… I don’t REALLY need these things for any supper sit down – I don’t try to match usually – but occasionally it is nice to sit down to a nice Easter meal with everything attempted matching – just nice – and whom are we – yeah whom am I to be so human – but I am. I really am… I am human and picky and yeah – and we may try to blame our modern society but we also buy into that human-worldly visual lifestyle as well, our comfort zones of stuff and yeah… There is one fringe benefit of our humanness however, it is that we have a Lord who understands and Who forgives humanness – and Jesus said there is nothing that tempts us more that He will allow – yes Jesus understands and even better, One Who brings us one day to HIS SUPPER!
Nothing whets my appetite for HIS SUPPER than reading the book of Revelation and knowing that there is an end to the chaos and madness of the world we see and have yet to experience (whew!). Jesus will set all into place – a place for Him to be King – and place settings set for Him and for us, for the “Supper of the Lamb”, because Jesus and His Holy Bride (that’s us as the church) will be sitting down to dinner, yeah… I won’t care what kind of place setting I have then – I won’t be looking at the food even if I were looking at Jesus. So, in making myself unworldly now, it would be best to follow Jesus’s Breadcrumb trail and snack slowly on it – not devouring a whole handful – but take it in like popcorn, one kernel at a time.
Jesus, Our Daily Bread… and MORE…
King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus, His Supper, we will explore.
Someday when we walk through HIS DOOR…
Someday we implore…
And we will hear the angels ROAR:
“Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
Amen
“Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.”
—
Revelation 19 excerpts NKJV
Heaven Exults over Babylon
After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!” Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!”
And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Christ on a White Horse
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
If there is ONE thing to understand in the intricate complex Book of Revelation, it is the same TRUTH from the whole bible and all of life’s twists and turns: THE LAMB OVERCOMES. GOD’S GOT THIS.
JESUS IS THE LAMB, THE “LORD OF LORDS AND KING OF KINGS”
“…and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
You think we live an intricate complex life? Well we DO, and yet so how much MORE COMPLEX is ALL of time, all of life, all of evil twisted plots, people, pawns… How much MORE is God to be God and we are not. FOR HIS WAYS ARE HIGHER THAN OUR WAYS.
If the book of Revelation states these grandeur complex stories of all of time portrayed in complex representations, remember simply that: THE LAMB OVERCOMES.
When other people marvel at “the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.” Remember that JESUS IS LORD. JESUS OVERCAME AND OVERCOMES.
John, writing the prophecies of Revelation, was carried away in the Spirit to see this, so that we know the Truth: GOD’S GOT THIS…
Our walking through the Lamb’s mentions in the bible reminds us of Jesus’s Sovereignty from before time began, He was and is and is to come. Let us let Jesus handle our life TODAY.
Amen
—
Revelation 17, 18:1-8 NKJV
The Scarlet Woman and the Scarlet Beast
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”
So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And on her forehead a name was written:
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.
The Meaning of the Woman and the Beast
But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
“Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.
“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”
The Fall of Babylon the Great
After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”
And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.
Of the unknowns of our future, there is this major KNOWN: We WILL be SINGING in Heaven. We will hear SINGING, we will know who is SINGING, and we will add to the SINGING. AND we will all know WHOM we are singing about and for.
We sing the song of the Lamb who OVERCOMES! “Sweet Victory in Jesus” – is a hymn that fills my head whenever I see a great craft display on my windowsill that says VICTORY in Jesus – of the displacement of the tomb with the victory of Easter. “O GLORIOUS VICTORY, THAT OVERCOMES THE WORLD.”
There will be trials in our future, and in the greatest of hard times, yet the book of Revelation states there will be people who have to endure more punishment surely than we endure right now, these people to be martyrs for their faith in Jesus. And they also will be singing in Heaven, singing of Jesus overcoming: “they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.”
The Song of the Lamb, sung with thankfulness surely, will be great and marvellous… and the singing will surely be of admiration of victory – both over sin and death and in anticipation of final victory over evil.
God’s strength in people overcomes the worst of times. And there should be some serious singing in serious healthy fear of the wrath of God. . God’s wrath overcomes the worst in evil. God’s wrath is not to be ignored. I believe that we can overcome fear with singing, we can celebrate JOY with song too.
What an interesting balance of life.
Just and true are God’s ways. To fear God in a healthy way is to give Him the credit for His Sovereignty over all. And us? We should be assured that we will be singing when all is come and done and begun again.
Amen
—
Revelation 15 KJV
And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
I LOVE doing family history work – and yet it is not simply to learn of older things – it is to connect my current cousins together and we remember us as family. Cousins are like brothers and sisters whom you don’t fight with. Cousins are fun.
I recently got back from my uncle’s funeral and we did have such an enjoyable time reconnecting. – and we looked at family trees (as I am updating now) – and we like to see that we are all included – and our spouses and our kids and the spelling of our names – etc etc… We want to be remembered and to remember. I was looking back at funeral photos – and seeing our cousins together and loving each other. Even cousins who never met – already have the love. (I loved seeing my kids meeting their cousins for the first time – of the same age.) Yes, we have so much to learn from each other including that we HAVE each other!!!
Well, isn’t it a blessing that the LORD KNOWS OUR NAMES AND OUR LIVES AND OUR FAILINGS AND STILL FORGIVES US.
Here is the Lamb scripture of the day – we see in the book of Revelation that the many in Heaven are known – and that the Lamb gives so many opportunities to get His Word out there. We work at it – being known like with our cousins – and the Lord? WELL, THE LORD HAS THE CATCH ALL PLAN: John saw: “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”
YES! EVERY NATION EVERY TRIBE EVERY TONGUE EVERY PEOPLE.. THe Lord won’t forget anyone – everyone will have the chance to hear. These “saints becoming” as a friend always says, will include those who need to hear the gospel and then have to live in bad times with the beast abounding – there will be people martyred for their faith – and this is going to require people who stand strong for the Lord: Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
May we now stand in the knowledge of this and in our own knowledge of faith and not take it for granted. And may we regard people of faith “Cousins in Christ” – our brothers and sisters whom we don’t fight with – may we learn their names and meet them – may we love them even if we never will meet them until up in Heaven…
I don’t know about you – but I am going to be busy the rest of my life AND eternity talking to all my cousins in christ… (Can’t wait but no rush)…
Lord come quickly and send that angel to proclaim your Word. In the meantime – let us help share the love.
Amen
—-
Revelation 14 NKJV
The Lamb and the 144,000
Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
The Proclamations of Three Angels
Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”
And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
Reaping the Earth’s Harvest
Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
Reaping the Grapes of Wrath
Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.
“I Remember, I Remember, You have always been faithful to me.” that’s what Lauren Daigle sings, and was in my head as I woke up. It’s really good to listen to praise music because I really believe it tramples down the negative thoughts. And the recall of music is a God-given gift. Singing PRAISE reminds us of His Faithfulness.
Faithfulness is remembering Jesus remembers us. God set a whole process in play from before time. Satan knew he had/has “limited time” and nips at our heels all the time here on earth. “He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” He causes chaos to followers of Jesus, yet we are to remember the ultimate Sovereignty of God, remember His Faithfulness to defeat Satan forever. Already we have the blood of the Lamb covering us and forgiving us. WE KNOW THIS, WE SHOULD SING OF THIS! “You were there, always there, with me…”
Here is a short poem:
That dragon, satan, was downward hurled as the Wrath of the Lamb has been unfurled. Our testimony should be fresh not canned, that we TRIUMPH by the BLOOD of the LAMB
What a blessing we will sing in Heaven forever. Let us sing now, so not of old condemnation but of mercies fresh each morning…
I REMEMBER I REMEMBER!
Amen!!!
—
“I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER, YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FAITHFUL TO ME. ” Lauren Daigle
Fear is on my chest, the weight of the world on me
Everything is crashing down, everything I had known
When I wonder if I’m all alone
.
I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER
You have always been faithful to me
I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER
Even when my own eyes could not see
You were there, always there
.
I will lift my eyes even in the pain
Above all the lies, I know You can make a way
I have seen giants fall, I have seen mountains move
I have seen waters part because of You
.
I remember I remember
You have always been faithful to me
I remember I remember
Even when my own eyes could not see
You were there, always there
.
I can’t stop thinking about
I can’t stop thinking about
I can’t stop thinking about
Your goodness, goodness
. (repeat)
I can’t stop thinking about
I can’t stop thinking about
I can’t stop thinking about
Your goodness, goodness
.
I remember, I remember
You have always been faithful to me
I remember I remember
Even when my own eyes could not see
You were there, always there, with me
—-
Revelation 12 NIV
The Woman and the Dragon
A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”
When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus
The Lamb gets things going, we are talking about Jesus OF COURSE,
beginning of the end, from Revelation trumpeting angels to riders on each HORSE.
.
Jesus present from the beginning of TIME,
will also help start the earth and heavens UNWIND.
.
Seals to be open, scrolls to be READ,
angels and trumpets resounding, and bowls poured with DREAD.
.
God does not want anyone to perish, but live INSTEAD,
we know that now and will witness this surely AHEAD.
.
Revelation scriptures note sections of time we might fear and DREAD,
because it means God is going to judge the LIVING and the DEAD.
.
Don’t follow evil or worship anything else behind or AHEAD,
Read up and know JESUS SAVES all who choose Him INSTEAD.
.
THE LAMB SURELY HAS CONQUERED,
OUR FUTURE HE ALREADY SECURED.
.
Amen to PRAISES,
Jesus is our Lord and Savior who RAISES.
.
AMEN
Revelation 6 – New King James Version
First Seal: The Conqueror
Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
Second Seal: Conflict on Earth
When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.
Third Seal: Scarcity on Earth
When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on Earth
When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs
When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
Sixth Seal: Cosmic Disturbances
I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
—
Revelation 8
Seventh Seal: Prelude to the Seven Trumpets
When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.
The scripture emailed to me, Jeremiah 17:7-8, this morning is so true: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.”
We have anxious times and we are told to stay close to Jesus – what does this mean? to ask Him direction, to know He is in charge, to know things get better even if they get worse first, to know simply to TRUST. Put our roots in His Word in His Living Water – meditate on Him as it states in Psalm 1. We are to know that there are others even more in danger physically and politically by worshiping openly – we can’t even imagine their lack of freedom of religious expression. There are known examples of people who trust the Lord – we see them around us – and there are those who worship in secret trusting the Lord for the long term – and we should know there are multitudes that will be and are saved by the Lamb, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world – Jesus. These multitudes are mentioned in the book of Revelation 7:9-17, multitudes that no one could count – who are also mentioned in the prophecy of Isaiah – the many many people who plant themselves like Psalm 1 trees into the Word and TRUST in Jesus won’t wither and die but be reborn in new life. ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’
Let us STAY CLOSE TO THE LAMB. Let us not wither in the trials of this life but keep moving WITH Jesus. Never alone, always remembering Him on the throne. Keep close and we will OK: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.” Jer 17:7-8
KEEP THE FAITH – FAITH IS BELIEVING IN GOD AND HIS ALMIGHTY POWER.
WORTHY IS THE LAMB. STAY CLOSE TO THE LAMB.
AMEN
—-
Revelation 7:9-17
The Great Multitude in White Robes After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”
Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ – ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”
Psalm 1 NIV
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prospers.
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Isaiah 49:8-9 Restoration of Israel
This is what the Lord says: “In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’
In the theme of Lambs for this month’s writing “March goes out like a lamb” – we find many scriptures of both the gentleness of lambs and the fierce strength of the perfect Lamb, Jesus.
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain”… “who conquered the grave.” are praise song lyrics that ring TRUE. This is the Easter season and we are to remember that Jesus conquered the Grave and negated Sin and defeated Death – and Jesus is found worthy to finish all the rest of prophecy in the book of Revelation. Here is where Jesus is seen by apostle John in a transported state to a heavenly place – Jesus stood worthy as the Lamb.
“in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain” – Yes Jesus died but rose – the Lamb was slain but standing – and worthy to start the cascade of the remaining steps – with the breaking of the seals – and to complete the work that will then bring about the arrival of the New Jerusalem.
We are not to worry about today, let alone tomorrow or forever. We have been told of the future and that Jesus is worthy of our praise because He came and will come again. And through the Holy Spirit, we can trust God is ever present and Jesus, the Lamb Slain, has been found worthy from before time began – and will be found worthy forever more.
What will we do in Heaven? We will be in Awe – and we will Praise – “Worthy is the Lamb”… “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
Amen
—
Revelation 5 (NKJV) – recorded by John the Apostle
The Lamb Takes the Scroll
And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.
So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”
And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
Worthy Is the Lamb
Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll,And to open its seals;
For You were slain,And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.”
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.
Oh the smiles at work yesterday, St Patrick’s Day awesome. We hid tiny resin gnome leprechauns all around the building for finding, sharing… People did pursue them. We had a fair number of people wearing green too. We still got our work done, don’t worry. I helped hide them and take pics, people expect that of me so I embrace the days of fun. I love the people. My family raised me that way, it’s ingrained and encouraged. Also doing one’s day job is so important, we do good stuff at work.
I saw a newspaper article interview with my dad, he said: “I enjoy working with people, I enjoy living and I enjoy helping others. I’ll never understand people who ask me what the payoff is, as though they’re expecting me to point to a large bank account. What I do has nothing at all with a personal return other then a deep sense of satisfaction out of knowing I helped someone somewhere.” (AMEN TO THIS!)
So in our spiritual lives, shouldn’t we also continue to be an encourager as well? There’s no leprechaun’s pot of gold in heaven, there’s going to be something so much better! The NEW JERUSALEM!!! AND “the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb” are there.
I encourage us all to read and reread Revelation 21 for hope to go thru the days that aren’t so golden and those which are – and wow appreciate not just the opulence in the heavens coming to us, but be in awe of God with us – REALLY RESTORED with us. And Jesus the Lamb will be with us all, as the Bride of the Lamb. “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.”
For our Lamb portion of March Weather, the warmth yesterday and calm after the storms was palatable. The spring coming is palatable. So how about the future we have? We need to find Jesus finding us. He will never let us go, but life is best when we look directly at Him. We need to accept the new life Jesus offers as forgiveness, grace, mercy, hope, rest, life. This is worth more than a pot of gold – this is everything.
The Lamb’s Book of Life holds our names, our Shepherd wants us with HIM.
Amen and thank You to the Lamb Jesus !!!
—-
Revelation 21:9-27 NIV
The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
It’s not going to be THAT fierce of weather today, but enough force of wind this afternoon will remind us that we are in late winter. March ROARS IN like a LION they say, and yet out like a lamb in gentleness…. Hmmmm… We know a Lion that is also a Lamb…
YES, Jesus ROARS in like a Lion too, both Him and His Word. Genesis speaks first of Lions in scripture, and scripture itself is the ROAR into lives, bringing Jesus directly to us. The Rescue is like a Lion Who takes what is His – and WE ARE JESUS’S – we are His.
In Genesis 49:9-12 Jacob is speaking about his sons, specifically JUDAH, who is the namesake of the tribe of Judah (1 of 12) and the land settled including Bethlehem where Jesus was born from. Jacob speaks of Judah as a LION – and speaks of Jesus coming through that Land as the Ruler: “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.”
Oh yes! Jesus is the ROAR into today and the fierce ruler of today and tomorrow. Jesus is the Lamb Slain who will lead us through today, this month, and always. The Lion of Judah is Jesus, Worthy. The Nations will all be obedient to Him one day – so let us start now with our own obedience and TRUST HIM. No one on earth or in Heaven but Jesus is Worthy.
The Scroll and the Lamb – Revelation 5:1-5 written by John sees this LION of Judah, Jesus, Who is a Lamb slain for the sins of the people of the world. John sees a revelation of Jesus when He comes again: Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Let us take this month of Lions and Lambs and be wary of whom we find worthy – may we find ourselves in Jesus’s Care as He ROARS into our lives.
Please pray for a woman whom I don’t know, the pain and defiance on her face, WOW, she was standing with 2 arm brace type canes in awful pain just entering physical therapy and there was no interaction you could have with her, with the exception that stated she HAD to talk to our physical therapist. I tried to offer her a chair and the PT aide tried to offer her the heat pack, but she stood solid in seriousness unparalleled defiant focus. I still see her face this next morning. Prayers and mercy were my thoughts rather than being put off that I could not interact to distract.
PRAYERS were and are our last resort and FIRST resort, only to be supercede by PRAISE to God that we DO have Him to pray to, for His intercession and mercy. Praying without ceasing is urged to get us through the day, even in our wordless groans. Hopefully those prayers are not always for our pain, but also for good reasons and for each decision we make. Thank God for His forgiveness in those bad decisions we also might make in missteps.
Grace is God’s example to us, we ask forgiveness and Jesus says we must GIVE forgiveness too. Grace given to those suffering in pain without choice must be unparalleled in God’s Hands. God must and is definitely and defiantly and decidedly going to still love those who can not utter praise at the moment. We should too, no matter how awkward or upsetting. When we forgive, it takes the weight off our shoulders. Forgiveness takes a God-sized task off our burdened shoulders weighing us down. Jesus said let me carry that. We really can give up things and people and situations to God for His judgement, and be grateful for His mercy on us. Remember, God goes before us and knows the valley of shadows we encounter, SO KEEP MOVING.
And please pray for MANY friends (and all those we don’t know) who are going through tough times, thanks. I know a few choice scriptures:
1) The Lord put this verse in front of me, on a bracelet: Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God”.
2)James 1:2-12 which came to mind in a conversation yesterday for someone a mess:
Trials and Temptations: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. …. Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation–since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business. … Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
3) and the thought that followed- no matter how good we are, amassing treasure in heaven over earth, we WILL cast our crowns down to the feet of the Lord, when we see Him. May we be in spirit, like John, and praise God, for we can approach but never gain His Worthiness of PRAISE. This is Revelation 4 given to John: The Throne in Heaven – After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.””
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
4) a favorite: Psalm 23 KJV
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
An array of trash and treasures this past weekend… too many thoughts jumbled but they do relate back to counting our blessings – and storing up treasures in Heaven not on earth…. And relating this all back to Ezekiel’s warnings to the King of Tyre…
We are to enjoy our stuff while here on earth as we live. Just don’t get hung up on amassing treasures in earth over those in heaven. A treasure to one is trash to another, and vice versa. There are treasures in little things, like memories, like the smile from 80’s south of the border bumper stickers, still usable, so I stuck one on my “beater car” over a scratch.
Then there are valuable not precious, and precious not valuable…
The precious items we have, are worldly precious and yet the heavens appreciate preciousness too. Heaven’s preciousness is in valuing worshipping God, creator of all. And the gemstones mentioned in the Bible, especially in the New Jerusalem that the Lord will bring for forever *see Book of Revelation*, acknowledges that we are to understand treasures, God has treasures to share. It’s the hoarding to make one seem god-like which becomes the flaunting easily corrupted by evil (like the King of Tyre in Ezekiel). Wealth is wasted if not directed appropriately. There are blessings in good living – and the excess, we can share the rest….
I recently saw a museum for a great collection of gemstones, and yet the burden of these millions of dollars of gems and jewelry requires extra security, resources and what do you do with them, except look! It’s a marvel that they even exist, the world so intricate and vast. Pockets of particular wows. This collection is of broaches and necklaces. No one wears this collection of gems now. There are times that we see in Hollywood that jewelry is lent out for gala events, but this collection likely will stay local. Museums help maintain what normally could be hoarded is displayed. Interesting dilemma that wealth brings, it also corrupts individuals, it’s perhaps our brokenness to NOT hold treasures in collective sharing, but amass them to hold power. Power that is fleeting.
So in Ezekiel’s time, the King of Tyre was known for acting as a god himself, and God, our real and only God, said: ‘because of your wealth your heart has grown proud’. God saw the precious stones were adorned on him as a baby but his arrogance and greed was wickedness. The wickedness did him in, and God will see that the King of Tyre will lose his worldly empire.
The description of the gems and the cherubic existence but influenced by wickedness could certainly be read as if also talking about Satan’s fall from grace, fall from the garden. Satan will also lose his world empire that he meddles in now, won’t it be eternal separation that will finish Satan, and evil will meddle no more. We know this war is won, but we still battle in matches each day, until the Word of God is taken into each heart.
That is the treasure that will grow and appreciate – the treasure of the Word – the blessings of no burdens – the hope of Heaven – the salvation from sins. Evil always will lose, for God and worship is Who we choose…
Amen
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Ezekiel 28:1-19
The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘In the pride of your heart you say, “I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas.”
But you are a mere mortal and not a god, though you think you are as wise as a god. Are you wiser than Daniel? Is no secret hidden from you? By your wisdom and understanding you have gained wealth for yourself and amassed gold and silver in your treasuries. By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud.
“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you think you are wise, as wise as a god, I am going to bring foreigners against you, the most ruthless of nations; they will draw their swords against your beauty and wisdom and pierce your shining splendor. They will bring you down to the pit, and you will die a violent death in the heart of the seas. Will you then say, “I am a god,” in the presence of those who kill you? You will be but a mortal, not a god, in the hands of those who slay you. You will die the death of the uncircumcised at the hands of foreigners. I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.
Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’”
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Yesterday we had an earthquake and an aftershock. Everybody is fine which is great. My phone exploded. A friend texted from Florida, Facebook was crazy, but my favorite event was that my daughter CALLED ME seeing if I was okay. Yay, my daughter was worried about me and reached out. I loved that. God tilted the system just enough for the slide of rocks to worry us and stir up LOVE.
TILT.
Now, a full-blown tilt of a pinball machine is what I have experienced growing up. I rarely have done it, but it’s from shaking it too much and you have to unplug the machine and plug It back in. But in the old days you really had to wait for the manager of the pinball arcade to do that unplugging and plugging back in, AND for them to give you your quarter back. You then could restart. Another example, sometimes bowling alley situations had to get restarted, because the ball would get stuck or the pins just froze. I remember that button often worked, but sometimes the manager had to go back to the back. RESET THE TILT.
Now, personally, sometimes my dreams early in the morning will get stuck. Resetting fruitless dream threads bring God to wake me up to say ‘ick’… reset… TILT the system and restart. Go back to sleep or stay awake, either way it’s the Mastermind of God restarting your system, clearing your mind, and saying ‘whew’ that craziness can stop. TILT, because Love has no evil in mind. God instructs angels, I’m sure, to send a cat to wake you, sometimes lately with a cough or a hot flash I readjust and reset. I’m glad sleep is set for restoration. Naps too. REST THROUGH THE TILT.
One last interesting personal thing about the earthquake, I did not notice until I got home, but Mastermind the game box must have been jostled out of my cabinet, pushing the door open, or more open, slid onto the floor and spilled a couple pieces. That is my only explanation of why it was out. Yes, normal gravity would do that too… Precarious stacking gives way, like sliding plates… ah, where is this in the scripture? NOT this minor inconvenience but a warning of times to come? The whole interesting thing about our world is that the Lord Himself is holding it together and the ‘loosing’ of the forces holding it together is natural prophetic fulfillment… Things are going to get worse – things don’t slip by accident but by design. TILT is prophetic but done in love, and Jesus pretold to us to not let it worry us, but for us to keep working to the last minute that the BIG reset of the system goes on. MORE THAN JUST A TILT.
Did I feel the earthquake yesterday? Nope. I was driving both during the earthquake AND during the aftershock… What timing!!! So I was doing my normal thing and kept going… That’s what our Mastermind Lord wants us to do in life: keep going, keep working… We can keep asking our Manager Lord to reset the system and help us in restoration.
He has. He can. He Will.
God is our All in All. Mastermind yes, but always with LOVE in mind. Don’t let the world distract you – shaken or not shaken – keep working for the Lord.
Amen
Daniel 7 NIV – in a dream
“As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.) In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Collosians 1:9-23 a letter from Paul to the Collosians
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
The Supremacy of the Son of God
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Matthew 24 – The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times NIV
Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time.
“So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ – “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
The Day and Hour Unknown “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Revelation 4-5 NKJV – The Throne Room of Heaven
After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”
Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”
The Lamb Takes the Scroll And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
Worthy Is the Lamb Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.
Let me take a moment to explain Christian faith – which I know ‘By Faith’. So, I will not be able to explain all of Christianity religions, as there are hundreds of denominations – yet I can speak to the understanding that our Christian faith is to be understood as a relationship over a ritualistic religion. A defining of deity for Christians would certainly be that we follow Christ, Jesus Christ, and that we respect and understand a Divine Trinity of God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and Holy Spirit, three in One. The Holy Spirit in the world today and inside each Christian who is ‘moved by the Spirit’ always is to point back to Jesus as our Lord and our Savior. Jesus came into the world 2000 years ago in the flesh (Emmanuel – God with us). Jesus Himself walked the earth for approximately 33 years and is recorded in the New Testament for His teachings and also for His miracles and His mercy. The New Testament also includes the Acts of the Apostles (those who followed Jesus closely in Jesus’s time), the early church, the spreading of the teachings to make disciples of Jesus, and the revelation of Jesus coming again. One of the understandings of Christianity is that Jesus did miracles to point back to ‘the Word’ – which means that Jesus wanted to show that He came to do His Father’s Will – and to fulfill the prophesies of His coming – of His death and resurrection – and of Him coming again. Jesus ALWAYS pointed back to God the Father as the ultimate One in control – Jesus spoke of His short time on earth – but also of His sending the Holy Spirit to help each of us in the world.
By Faith, a known of Christianity is that we are ‘not of this world’ but of Heaven. Jesus came to allow us to gain access back to heaven and to eternity with God our Father, but covering all our sins – by ‘covering us with His blood’ to be white as snow and forgiven of sin. The key aspect of Christianity is that we are to understand that with man it is impossible but with God, all things are possible. And thus Jesus came to earth to fulfill both those prophesies of His coming and of His journey – as well as be the ‘fulfillment of the Law’ which means that the Old Testament requirement for adherence to the laws handed down by God to Moses in the 10 commandments. Because we refer to the lack of adherence to the 10 Commandments as the brokenness of the people, God put in a system of sacrificial rituals, in Old Testament times. Because of this broken system – with broken people ever since Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden broke the original sin – ate of the tree that was forbidden for them to eat from – thus distancing themselves from God’s closest companionship – a system of sacrifice was allowed and required to repair the rift. The Plan from the beginning (we say even before the beginning of time) is that God was planning this ‘New Covenant’ – defined and achieved as ‘redemption’ by Jesus entering the world and then being sacrificed as the ultimate sacrificial lamb – a ransom for all sins of all people. Jesus as fulfilment of now both the laws and the prophesies. What does Jesus ask and require of people to receive this redemption? That we love God and that we love one another. The redemption is from Him, the response is the request of forgiveness of sins (old and current), and the relationship is restored between God and us.
Where do we learn this? We are asked to read the Holy Bible – both Old and New Testaments – and we are asked to look for the relationship – as Jesus lives now in our hearts. God is love – and we love because He first loved us.
By Faith – we believe and experience that when Jesus calls to us as our Shepherd, we hear and understand His Voice – because we all know that the world has so many conflicting noisy distractions clamoring for our attention. By faith we also know in Christianity that the evil in the world is created and fostered by the opposite of the Love of God – by a fallen angel named Satan. By faith, we know from the first readings in the book of Genesis, that Jesus as Messiah would come to crush the head and the power of the devil, and the win over sin and death is already accomplished by the ransom of Jesus for our sins. We also know that Jesus will come again into the world, at any time, to complete the purpose of silencing the devil in all ways. We await that day now, just as the devoted in the old testament times awaited the first coming of Christ. We await that second coming.
By Faith – we are in this world and we make the best of this world and we bring God’s best to it by sharing His Love. “Love Wins” may be a catchy phrase – and it is scriptural: ‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.’
By faith – they are to know we are Christians by our Love.
Debbie Upper 