Wrath Undone

Revelation 15 & 16     Kathy Carlson
 
For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:9

The images depicted in chapters 15 and 16 of Revelation are unsettling to say the least.  They set me on edge and awaken in me a fear of wrath and a holy fear of our God who parcels out wrath in the exact measure due.   We are flooded with the idea in Western Christianity that God is a god of love.  Messages that include the idea of a day of reckoning and punishment for sin are few and far between.   When I consider the hyper-positive messages of preachers who pack out stadiums with a be-positive, grin and think better thoughts mentality- it’s no wonder that reading the outcome in Revelation for those who (after every possible opportunity) have hardened their hearts against God seems like foreign territory indeed.

For those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ, whose future is secure, there is no need to fear the wrath of God.  It will not touch us.  God’s wrath has been executed perfectly and fell in full measure on Jesus the day He drank of the cup of wrath on our behalf on the cross at Calvary.  He took on the full penalty for ALL sin and bore the entirety of God’s wrath so that we could be spared.  Believer do you struggle to believe that God is content with you?  Do you wonder if He is adding up your errors and sins and gritting His teeth and setting His jaw against you?  Maybe you can readily believe that you don’t deserve the level of wrath being parceled out in the descriptions in Revelation 15-16, but do you in the deepest part of your heart believe that you are deserving of any measure of God’s anger and displeasure?  Beloved, to believe that God is in any way angry with you is to believe a lie.  To believe you will suffer His wrath in any way in this life or in eternity is a wrong belief. 

But for those who allow sin to prevail and gain their very souls – a fierce punishment awaits.   To turn God away is to incur His wrath because He is compelled by love and holiness to punish sin.  The very thought of what it is to suffer the impact of God’s wrath makes me fall to my knees in intense prayer for those who have not received by grace the gift of salvation through Christ that satisfies the penalty for sin.  This is the task set out before those who have put their faith in Christ.  To maintain a heart like that of the Father- be willing that none should perish.  Go and tell of the Good News of the gospel of Christ to those closest to you as well as the stranger on the street.  Pray, pray and pray some more that all would receive salvation through the grace of God.

Not The God That I Know

Revelation 15 & 16     Tim Anderson

This is perhaps the most (in my lifetime) that I have ever engaged myself in reading and thinking about God’s wrath, and I must admit that it is all hard for me to fathom – because this “wrathful God” is not the God that I know.

I think about the times in my life when I have sinned the most, and thereby distanced and separated myself from God - and then I think about how He dealt with me.  I do know that He did so in a much more gentle and loving fashion than what we have seen in our text throughout Revelation.  My discipline was more like someone who loved me was letting me fall on my head, gently thwarting my way – until I came to my senses and turned back to Him.  OK, sometimes it was not quite so gentle, but it was certainly nothing like these plagues that we read about, or the wrath that Jesus took on our behalf!

I don’t think I will ever truly be able to comprehend a God who can be so loving and wonderful, and yet so wrathful.  Why all the wrath?  Why did he have to take it out on something/someone – so it all fell on Jesus?  Like I say, I just can’t comprehend it.  Suffice it to say that I’m down with letting this be one of life’s great mysteries.  Thanks be to God that, because of His plan, I don’t have to experience this wrath myself.

Omni-wrath

Revelation 15 & 16     George Badeaux

Revelation chapters 15 and 16 speak quite boldly and graphically about God’s wrath.  Wrath is an aspect of God’s nature that can be difficult for us to understand.  In fact, we may even avoid the subject because we don’t like to think about it.  Or, as in my case, we may find ourselves being critical of God’s expression of His wrath.  There have been quite a few times, after reading a scripture verse, when I would find myself thinking, “Wow, God, that seemed harsh.”   Of course, I knew I was wrong and God was not.  But I think this is all too common among believers.  So let’s take a closer look.

The wrath of God: first of all what is it?  One definition is that it is “the necessary, just, and righteous retribution against sin.”  All three aspects are important.  It is necessary.  It is just.  And it is righteous. 

Let’s understand a little more clearly who God is by understanding various aspects of His nature.  He is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent.  He is all-powerful or has power over all things.  He is everywhere and “everytime.”  He is all-knowing.  And He is all-good, or He is the greatest good, completely good, and the source of all good.  And I even want to add my own made up words: omni-just, omni-righteous, omni-great, and omni-love.  It is important for us to understand that God is not inconsistent within Himself.  None of these “omnies” conflict with each other.  God’s expression of His wrath will never conflict with His love or goodness or righteousness or any other aspect of His nature.  On the contrary it is an expression of those very things.

An aspect of God’s character that has been important for me to come to understand better is His goodness.  I have come to accept that He is so good that I just don’t even have an inkling of the magnitude of the greatness of His goodness.  It is so great, I can’t comprehend it.  Now imagine turning away from this omnibenevolence.  It may help to imagine a beggar turning away from the warm-hearted offer of assistance from the richest person on earth because of dislike of the color of his hair, or because of being distracted by some worthless trinket in the trash.  When we turn away from God to something else, anything else, the magnitude of the offense is millions of times worse (actually more than millions of times).  To turn away from God, to refuse His love, is incomprehensibly offensive.

One thing we can understand is a person responding with righteous indignation to an evil done.  But God … God responds with omni-righteousness, omni-indignation … with wrath.

When we sin, we deserve His wrath.  If we have not put our trust in Jesus, we should fear His wrath.   But if we have put our trust in Him, because of His omni-goodness He not only made a way, but paid the price to satisfy His omni-justice so that His omni-wrath does not destroy us.  Instead, He lavishes grace on us and wraps us safely in His omni-loving arms.  Oh, I love those arms wrapped around me, where I am held closely to His heart - safe from His wrath.

Wrath

Revelation 15 & 16     Joel Keller

This blog is not designed to be a study, so I won't pretend to have a clue about much of what is written in the Book of Revelation.  I think more than I talk.  I like to ponder things. I've been pondering the wrath of God described in Revelation 16.  I know we (I) get caught up in day-to-day things like working, making enough money to live, recreation, planning for our future, etc.  But these mundane (although important) things wane in their significance in light of people's eternity.  I don't want anyone I know to experience the wrath of God; I would not wish that upon anyone.  Yet, that is the reality for individuals who do not know Jesus Christ, God's only acceptable Sacrifice for our sins.  We don't hear much about the wrath of God, hell, fire & brimstone.  We would be wise to give wrath some serious thought.

This is not meant to be a "downer" as we begin another week.  But He has quickened to me, once again, the gravity of each day we spend on this earth.  For me, it goes back to the very core of being missional in the way I live my life.  I know that You, Holy Spirit, are speaking to me all day long.  The question is: am I listening; am I actively listening for/to that still, small voice?  Or am I consumed (more like distracted) by the day-to-day stuff to the point where I miss what God is saying/doing in my daily activities? These thoughts all came about as a result of thinking about the wrath of God.  He is inviting you & me into a love relationship with Himself.  And He longs for us to share that with our family, friends, and sometimes strangers...that they would be protected from His wrath.  Every knee will bow.  Better to consciously choose that path today & live in communion with Him, rather than live in fear of wrath to come.  If we are in Christ, we need not fear the wrath of God.  Let us live lives that are pleasing to Him, being watchful for opportunities He will bring our way.  Enjoy your week!

Superheroes

Revelation 12:1 - 15:4     Eric Boberg

I was watching a documentary last week on Superheroes. According to the chronology, superheroes are a relatively recent invention. Superman, as we know him, the first real superhero shows up in 1938. His mission was to "fight for truth justice and the American way." Batman and others follow in 1939. But the whole comic book concept doesn't really take off until World War Two. Superheroes are mostly an American invention. Sure the Greeks and Romans had their gods and goddesses and the Norsemen had similar legends, but the notion of secret identities, transformational powers and costumes is new. As is moral purity; Greek and Roman gods had moral failings while early American super heros were basically pure.

What I find most interesting about the whole superhero phenomenon is that we as a culture have a craving for salvation and justice to come from some place outside our often seemingly mundane existence. We want to imagine, when our backs are against the wall and all hope seems lost, that someone with supernatural powers will come to our aid and save us.

It's as if God has written these large themes on the hearts of even the most unchurched. Along with all of mankind's craving for truth and justice, there is a longing for a savior. As C. S. Lewis points out we cannot yearn for something that does not exist. The fact that people thirst reflects that they naturally need water and that there is no other substance which satisfies that need.

Another theme in comics and movies is that battle is often so large that even the most powerful superhero will have difficulty accomplishing the task. There has to be a great struggle for there to be a great story. Superheroes need super villains.

Here in the book of Revelation we experience the great and awesome power of God, but we also experience great and terrible evil in the form of the Dragon and then the Beast.

Revelation 13:5-8 New International Version (NIV)
5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.

Here is evil on a epic scale. World domination is always the goal of all top notch super villains  No need to rob a bank when you can control the whole world…. Still the victory of the Evil One is only temporary. And as Bob pointed out last week Revelation could be summed up in two words: We win! So, good will triumph over evil and all will be made right in heaven and on earth.

But a larger question comes to mind, one that I'm sure requires many many books not just a few paragraphs. The question is why? Why has God chosen to set us in a universe that is so large and dangerous, with evil and villains that we can never expect to overcome in our own power?

The only answer I can come up with is this. It is probably impossible for us  to fathom this side of heaven the immense value God places on love and the process of overcoming. Great lessons cannot be learned, great character cannot be built and eternal foundations cannot be laid without great struggle.

As the last part of Revelation 13:10 says in an almost understated way:

"This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints."

Revelation 12:11 is more graphic:

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."

The story is about overcoming. We overcome evil and discouragement in our personal lives, just as God overcomes all evil in heaven and on earth.

Superheros have come a long way from their comic book origins. But for all the millions Hollywood spends on special effects and production, their popularity can not properly be explained unless there is something a about the concept that resonates deep in the human spirit. It could be an open door.

Next time you hear someone talking excitedly about the latest greatest superhero movie, consider that they might really be looking for is truth, justice and Salvation.

Revelation Song

Revelation 12:1 - 15:4     Kathy Carlson

Revelation 14:1-5

It’s a thing of great beauty to ponder the New Song that will fall from Heaven to declare the worthiness of the Lamb when He stands in victory on Mount Zion.  Those who have followed the Lamb wherever He goes (14:4) have the set aside honor of joining a thundering voice from the heavens in a song only they are allowed to learn.  Those who have patiently endured, who have shown wisdom and faithfulness in the severest of testing and trials are rewarded with a song only they can sing. 

While my heart longs to participate in the song of the 144,000, in a sense those who love Christ, who have faithfully followed the Lamb wherever He leads (even today), have a song to sing to the Lamb that only their heart is shaped and formed to offer.  I think of the many times during worship when the lyrics of a song speak directly to a personal experience of God’s faithfulness.  Or being touched while worshipping in song thinking of a time when He has ministered to the deepest, most private need of my heart.  But there is a place that the lyrics of others, even the Word of God does not fully express everything I feel for Jesus.  The love and adoration I have for Christ falls outside the parameters and limits of words. The songs I offer up on this side of heaven are but a shadow of the song I will one day sing before the throne.  I can’t wait until I receive the gift of a new song which will perfectly express it all- everything He deserves to hear and every way He deserves to be praised and I can join all of heaven bursting out in a new song for the Redeemer.  What a thrilling day to come! 

Until then...I drink deeply of the beautiful songs of praise to Jesus...below is a link to one such song.  Enter in, worship the Lamb, blend in your own heart’s song in worship to the King of Kings.  Be blessed.

New Life Worship: Great I Am  http://youtu.be/J5CWGi82N7k

YouTube - Videos from this email

Doing Battle

Revelation 12:1 - 15:4     Tim Anderson

When I’m walking through the woods and hunting is slow, I sometimes fantasize about being attacked by a pack of wolves, or a bear.  Would I win?  Would I even survive?  Better to go out doing what I love and testing my strength than dying a decrepit old man, I reason.

When I sleep, sometimes my dreams are rather crazy and violent – but I must admit that even John (the revelator) has me beat when it comes to amazing and horrible detail.

When I read the Bible, I naturally incline toward Old-Testament ways of doing battle for God – against God’s enemies (I’m talking about hand-to-hand combat here).  That comes more naturally for me than loving does, and turning the other cheek – the way Jesus taught us to do (just being honest).

So when I read deeper into Revelation and consider the prospect of doing direct battle against Satan and his demons – sick as it may sound, I’d enlist for that.  Better to go out that way than on some chopping block, right?  But alas, the Bible says we will not know the hour or the day.

Still, something in me says (and believes) that end times will not happen in my lifetime. So if I can’t do direct battle with God’s enemies (as I would prefer), what can I do?

At least twice in our reading for this week, John says something to this effect:

This calls for patient endurance on the part of the

people of God who keep His commands and remain

faithful to Jesus.

So while I go about this thing called life – I can live patiently as I wait for him; I can endure the hardships that come my way; I can keep His commandments, and I can be faithful, loyal and true to Jesus, no matter what – till the end.

But in doing so, am I not also “doing battle” against the enemy in so many indirect ways?

The opportunities for what I call “indirect battle” against Satan and evil (in general) are there everyday - in our work, our family relationships, our friendships, and probably most of all, the time that we are alone (what we do when no one is watching). 

Let's keep in mind that whether direct or indirect, whether in our lifetime or later – the battle is, nevertheless, waging/raging on – and we are called to fight and resist.

Best of all, isn’t it a rare privilege to know, right up front, that we get to win!

The Word of God and Prayer

Revelation 12:1 - 15:4     George Badeaux

Two things stand out as I read Revelation 12:7-12.  First, the throwing of Satan (and a third of the angels with him) out of heaven has major impact on the earth.  And second the term “they overcame.”

Remember in chapters 2 and 3 how blessings were foretold over and over for “he who overcomes.”  Here in verse 11 we learn, "they overcame (Satan) because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony.” 

Without the blood of the Lamb we have no power over Satan and his demons.  But with the blood of the Lamb we do have power over them.  Yet it is not our own.  It is power imparted from the Father, by His Spirit, because of Jesus.  We participate with God as He expresses HIS power in us.

The word of our testimony likely includes two main types of testimony.  First is the testimony about God Himself: His goodness, His greatness, power, holiness, love, etc.  And part of this includes recounting stories of His action in the world.  The second kind of testimony is our own personal testimony.  This includes our faith and trust of God, our story of salvation, and the results of God changing us from the inside out.

These two things, the blood of the Lamb and our testimony, are foundational in spiritual warfare.  Also foundational are the Word of God (the sword or the Spirit) and prayer (Eph.6:10-20).  And these 4 things are not only foundational, they are also the big guns.

Satan has been thrown to earth.  Spiritual war is underway.  We cannot choose to sit out.  We are in the battle, whether we want to be or not.  Let us battle effectively.  Let us first turn to God through prayer, trusting Him to act.  Let us trust completely that the power of the blood of Christ works in us and is sufficient.  And let us speak.  Let us speak the Word of God and speak our testimony.  The power of the truth of God’s Word and the truth of changed lives can tear down strongholds of lies that hold people captive.  The battlefield is primarily in the mind.  How will they know if we do not speak?

One final thought.  We have been given authority on earth, but not in heaven.  Fear not to speak the truth, in humility, into a battle here.  But avoid trying to battle spirits in the heavenlies.  That battle is not ours.  And never battle in pride.  It is not your strength.  It is God’s.

Let us be those who overcome!

Peace vs Fear

Revelation 12:1 - 15:4     Joel Keller

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.  And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death."  Rev.12:10,11

Beasts, angels, the great dragon, a war in heaven between good and evil; it reads like the script of a science fiction screenplay.  But it's real.  Every fiber in my being knows there is a war being waged for the souls of men, women & children - a glimpse of things to come in this cosmic battle that will usher in the end of time as we know it. The details of this war are too great for me to comprehend.  But I know the end of the story.  It's only by the Holy Spirit that we can know these things will certainly come to pass.  It comes only by revelation (as does our salvation).  Pray - today - that your friends, neighbors and loved ones will hear His still, small voice - today.  Not so much that they would understand this heavenly battle, but that they would know there is a God in heaven who loves them.  He sent His Son to die for them.  That comes by revelation.  

I know these events are coming soon.  This script in Revelation will unfold, and it will all happen to fulfill this great prophecy.  That will happen, regardless of where we stand in our spiritual lives.  Let's be certain we are on the winning side.  We can know these things without a doubt (John 1:12,13), and live our lives in peace - absent of fear of things to come.  The things depicted in this great book will come about.  We will all be a part of it.  Let us be determined to be on the side of the Lamb of God, and rest in that knowledge.  Let us add our testimony to the multitudes' who will worship the Lamb for all of eternity.

Not Wasted or Ignored

Revelation 8 - 11     Peter Nordell

As I read the passage from this week my initial reaction was from Revelation 8, the early verses. In several places in the word of God there is mention of the prayers of the saints and the incense those prayers are to God. I know that God does not need our prayers, that he knows our needs before they can be uttered and that the Holy Spirit is praying for us.

This passage shows us that the angels take the golden censor  with all the prayers and brings them to the throne room of almighty God. I do not understand the hurling of the censor to earth but only that our prayers are not wasted or ignored, but that they are saved by the God of heaven and earth.

I am looking forward to Pastor Bob helping all of us understand some of the ideas and themes through the rest of these chapters. God Bless us all. 

There my soul will be satisfied...

Revelation Series     Joel Keller

Good Morning Family.  As I said on yesterday's post, we're taking a break from being tied to these (challenging) chapters in the Book of Revelation.  It's been so good for me to see the different perspectives from a wide spectrum of people in our local body. That in itself - the diversity in our small body of Communitas - is a telling picture of the Body of Christ.  We need each other to fully understand the Kingdom of God.  We teach each other through our lives, our trials, our successes and failures.  We cry with each other; we laugh with each other.  That is God's design.  We are a family.  And I want to express my love & affection for you, our Communitas Family.  Thank you.  (*Sorry, Bob Colbenson; I know you "hate" the warm fuzzies).

I needed a break from these chapters in Revelation 8 - 11.  They're difficult.  I want to share a song that is dear to my heart.  I want to encourage you to get to a quiet place, turn the volume up, use the "full screen" option...and simply allow the truth of these words & music wash over you today.  This song is not disconnected from our studies in Revelation.  In fact, it's a culmination of the very things we're pondering.  Each time I hear this song, especially on this YouTube video, it moves me to worship in my heart.  It moves me to a deep sense of gratitude, knowing that we are somewhere on that time continuum in Revelation; time is winding down.  These events will surely come to pass. We know the end of the story; and it's good news.  My prayer is that you will enjoy this song & that it moves you to worship the King of Kings.  Come Holy Spirit, as we listen to this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btHtiRfhP-8

Soon by Brooke Fraser (Hillsong United)

New Invitation

Good Morning Fellow Bloggers & Communitas!

Our fearless leader, Dr. Bob Evans, is in northern Manitoba this week having a much-deserved break.  We will be taking a break from the Book of Revelation on Sunday the 13th.  Therefore, we've decided to take a break from our normal blogging too.  We don't want to get too far ahead of Bob's preaching.

I want to invite you to blog on anything to do with the Book of Revelation.  It might be questions, general comments, or anything you want to discuss.  We want to take a break from being tied to the specific text of the week, so use your imagination.  *Please invite your non-blogging friends to contribute over this next week too; it should be fun.  If no one sends me anything...I guess we'll take a couple of days off!  But...please feel free to send your entries to me.  Here is my email address:

jkgrey@gmail.com

Thanks for your input; have a great week!

Joel Keller

Revelation Song

Revelation 8 - 11     Kathy Carlson

Revelation 14:1-5

It’s a thing of great beauty to ponder the New Song that will fall from Heaven to declare the worthiness of the Lamb when He stands in victory on Mount Zion.  Those who have followed the Lamb wherever He goes (14:4) have the set aside honor of joining a thundering voice from the heavens in a song only they are allowed to learn.  Those who have patiently endured, who have shown wisdom and faithfulness in the severest of testing and trials are rewarded with a song only they can sing. 

While my heart longs to participate in the song of the 144,000, in a sense those who love Christ, who have faithfully followed the Lamb wherever He leads (even today), have a song to sing to the Lamb that only their heart is shaped and formed to offer.  I think of the many times during worship when the lyrics of a song speak directly to a personal experience of God’s faithfulness.  Or being touched while worshipping in song thinking of a time when He has ministered to the deepest, most private need of my heart.  But there is a place that the lyrics of others, even the Word of God does not fully express everything I feel for Jesus.  The love and adoration I have for Christ falls outside the parameters and limits of words. The songs I offer up on this side of heaven are but a shadow of the song I will one day sing before the throne.  I can’t wait until I receive the gift of a new song which will perfectly express it all- everything He deserves to hear and every way He deserves to be praised and I can join all of heaven bursting out in a new song for the Redeemer.  What a thrilling day to come! 

Until then...I drink deeply of the beautiful songs of praise to Jesus...below is a link to one such song.  Enter in, worship the Lamb, blend in your own heart’s song in worship to the King of Kings.  Be blessed.

New Life Worship: Great I Am  http://youtu.be/J5CWGi82N7k

YouTube - Videos from this email

The Seventh Seal—Wow!

Revelation 8 - 11     George Badeaux

Revelation 8:1 “When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.”

This is stunning!!!!  Until now we have read of grand spectacular events: an angel with a voice like a trumpet; and flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder coming from the throne; and four living creatures with six wings and full of eyes who do not cease day and night to say, "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME”; and another angel who cried out with a loud voice; and a great multitude which no one could count who cried out with a loud voice.  And then silence. 

And not just for a minute or two.  If we experience silence for even a few minutes this is a long time for us.  This was silence for half an hour.  Just imagine that drastic change, and what this silence might mean.  This seventh seal is very, very important.        

Then seven angels are given seven trumpets.  Each angel in turn will blow his trumpet.  The trumpet blasts seem to say, “These next events are not random, coincidental events.  They are from the hand of God!”  Through the first six trumpet blasts God sends catastrophic event after catastrophic event to the earth.  Then at the end of chapter 9, John writes:

“The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;  and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.” 

This refusal to repent is also stunning.  And very sad.

Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet…

We hear a wonderful proclamation and

“the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth."  And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened ; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

My response is…

Wow! Our God is a mighty God.

Sorrow!  Seeing such hardened hearts is extremely sad.

Thank you!  Thank you God for the promise of rewards and a heavenly home with you.

Justice!  Your justice is perfect Lord.  Thank you for Jesus!

Worship!  Thinking of these grand events of God, I stand in awe and worship.

Wow!

Our God is an Awesome God

Revelation 8 - 11     Karen Downing

Now that we are in the heart of Revelation, I feel that I am in a time of self examination and repentance. 

In the past, I can admit it now, these verses scared me. Now I am seeing a very big God, one who doesn't fit in the box I had previously put Him in. He is awesome in a way that out-does the definition we put on that word today. He's bringing justice to the world and as we all know, someone is going to pay the price. 

So here I am, on my knees, thanking Jesus for paying my price. I am a sinner deserving of death and damnation, but He ruthlessly pursued me and then saved me. I now rest in His healing arms, knowing that He is Lord, God Almighty, King of Kings, the Holy One. But my repentance doesn't come out of fear; it is out of reverence and humbleness, and a need to be faithful.

Justice

Revelation 8 - 11     Kathy Carlson

Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Revelation 8:3-5

I was taken aback during our weekly reading by the fact that the prayers of believers reflect an agreement with God to exact vengeance on those who have hardened their hearts to the message of the Gospel.  When I consider the cry of the Psalmist’s heart time and time again for justice and vengeance, I am reminded that Christ followers have a right to pray for vengeance, for a day of reckoning for the enemies of God. 

Have you ever prayed for justice?  Have you ever cried out to God, mingling your prayers with the prayers of other believers in faith that a bitterly unfair situation would be somehow set right?  Have you ever prayed for the proper punishment would fall on a person who would bring harm to an innocent child?  

As long as I remember I have been concerned with justice.  I am a champion for the underdog, for the mistreated and the downtrodden.  As a missionary in Costa Rica I witnessed the terrible realities of sin in the lives of the girls I served. My heart broke time and time again to see a young woman held captive by a proclivity to sin as a direct result of sin visited upon her by an adult in her life.  There were times I wept with frustration, other times I burned with a fury I struggled to contain.

Our reading for this week marks the beginning of a period of set aside time when the fury (wrath) of God can no longer be contained.  One of the most basic questions a person who is struggling with issues of faith asks is, “If God is truly God, then why would He allow so many bad things to happen?”  

Beloved, Our God is perfect in all His ways.  His fury is righteous and just.  There will come a day of reckoning for every person who has chosen evil and turned God away. The shocking reality that among the survivors of the plagues there was not one who repented (9: 20-21) reveals a level of evil and hardness of heart that is hard to comprehend.  Our God cannot allow such blatant evil to prevail.  He has the final word and a plan to eradicate evil altogether with a perfect punishment that fits the crime.

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.  Romans 12:19 (NLT).

A Song

Revelation 6 & 7     Eric Boberg
When I get to this part of Revelation it's hard not to talk about one of my favorite worship songs that is taken almost word for word from Revelation  7.

Salvation Belongs To Our God

Salvation belongs to our God
Who sits upon the throne
And unto the Lamb

Praise and glory
Wisdom and thanks
Honor and power and strength
Be to our God forever and ever
Be to our God forever and ever

And we the redeemed shall be strong
In purpose and unity
Declaring aloud

Praise and glory
Wisdom and thanks
Honor and power and strength
Be to our God forever and ever
Be to our God forever and ever


I tried very hard to find a suitable YouTube link. There are many versions out there but none I really love. I just can't find the right mix of boldness and freshness coupled with beauty and reverence. Many of them sound too homogenized and packaged; others lack the proper awe and majesty. Maybe it's just me, so if you find a version you like feel free to send it.

However, I suspect one reason I find all the YouTube versions unsatisfying is that I do really love the song. If it was a song I didn't care that much about, I wouldn't be disappointed. There are many songs I have enjoyed watching and listening to a great deal. But still when I sing this song to myself or with the Body of Christ, I feel part of the picture. I feel like one of the multitude that sings these word to God. Even though I don't always sing it well, it still feels fresh and strong and beautiful. I can't sing it without feeling deeply encouraged. I can't get to that place in my mind and spirit by just watching and listening to others sing it. I need to participate.

I believe God gives us songs as a foreshadowing of heaven. There is no other way to explain our spiritual and emotional connection with words and music. And when we can fully participate with our whole being, it can become transformational. We show up feeling terrible, and we leave focused and full of joy. It's a great gift.

My White Robe Washed in His Blood

Revelation 6 & 7     Peter Nordell

Pastor Bob clearly stated the Book of Revelation is about Jesus.  As I read of the seven seals and the horses, I have no understanding of what is going on.

However in chapter 7 I see the great unnumbered multitude from all nations coming before the Lamb crying out, "Salvation belongs to the our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."  They fall down and worship God and the Lamb, and he says to John, "They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." WOW!

That is what I am looking forward to happening - the final verses: "He will be my shepherd and guide me to springs of living water and God will wipe away every tear for my eyes." Praise God for his promises and his grace as I fall down and worship the Lamb of God.