Meaning, Purpose, Fulfillment and Satisfaction in Life - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in
Revelation 19:6-8,

"'Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.' (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God's holy people.)"

This doxology, given by what John said sounded like a great multitude, was like a deafening roar of rushing water. It begins with "Hallelujah!", as an expression of praise and joy (as opposed to its often use as an injunction to praise God, which follows). It attends the anticipation of the betrothal of the Lamb (Jesus Christ) with his bride (the church).

In this explosive outburst of effusive and unrestrained worship and praise, the observation is made that the bride, the church, was given "fine linen, bright and clean" to wear. John makes the comment that the fine linen represents "the righteous acts of God's holy people."

These "righteous acts" point to the work, the activities that God has given his people to pursue. It is within the pursuit of these "righteous acts" we find meaning in life, purpose in life, fulfillment and satisfaction. It is here we find contentment and gratification, enjoyment, happiness and pleasure.

These "righteous acts" do not bring us eternal life and do not make us members of the bride of Christ. These "righteous acts" are given to those who are already members of the bride of Christ. Becoming a member of this bride comes from embracing Jesus Christ in faith. Those who have done so are then given things to do which bring meaning to life. We participate in something that is bigger and beyond us, something that brings purpose in life like nothing else: participating in God's grand agenda!

Those of us who have embraced the Lord in faith share in things to do in this life that the Lord has asked of us. I am certainly convinced that we will have the same in the age to follow. We won't be wallowing in boredom in the resurrection, looking around for things to do - we will have those things that will continue to provide meaning, purpose, fulfillment and satisfaction for an eternity!

A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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God Observes; We Give Account - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 18:4-7,

"Then I heard another voice from heaven say: '"Come out of her, my people," so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Pour her a double portion from her own cup. Give her as much torment and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself.'"
It is unmistakable that God observes the affairs of mankind. He is watching and he is noting. Here we see God's action against "Babylon" as a result of these observations.

People who have no fear of the Lord assume their actions, activities, the things they say and do will bear no consequence if they perceive they have not been caught in real-time for them. Nothing could be further from the truth. We read here of a history of ungodliness and sinfulness, indicating that while the wicked lived their lives, God was watching. Now God acts. Nothing is going to go unaccounted for.

Proverbs 15:3 reminds us that God is watching, "The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good." This should bring pause as we consider how we live our lives. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Paul observes in Romans 14:12, "So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God."

We will all give account in the end - God holds us accountable for the life he has given us, what we have done with it. How thankful I am for the wonderful gift of forgiveness for things I have done in this life and the standing of righteousness I have before him that he has provided me! He simply asks me to embrace him in faith.

Forgiveness given and righteousness provided - through the sacrifice Jesus made of himself as he took my punishment on himself for those things I really wish God was not aware of.

However, he is aware of those things... every last one of them!

A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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What Can An Hour Bring? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 18:10,

"Woe! Woe to you, great city, you mighty city of Babylon! In one hour your doom has come!"

The account of the destruction of this "Babylon", a great economic powerhouse that had led many astray from God, is marked by several things I see here. Among them, the first is the rapidness with which her judgment is completed (an hour!),  the second, the visceral impact her destruction had on those who profited from commerce with her, also, the ferocity of the judgment God brought on her. It is the first two that capture my attention this morning.

Whether the "hour" or "day" is a literal hour or day or not, what we read certainly provides an account of a very rapid destruction of this city by heaven:

"Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her." Verse 8.

"Woe! Woe to you, great city, you mighty city of Babylon! In one hour your doom has come!" Verse 10.

"Woe! Woe to you, great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls! In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!" Verses 16-17.

"Woe! Woe to you, great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!" Verse 19.

I can't help but notice the impact of her destruction upon all who profited from her:

"When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry..." Verses 9-10.

"The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore—" Verse 11.

"The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn and cry out..." Verses 15-16.

"When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, 'Was there ever a city like this great city?' They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out..." Verses 18-19.

It is a chilling account of what happens when you trifle with God...

A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

King of kings and Lord of lords - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 17:12-14,

"The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."

"Team Cain", represented by the beast and these ten kings who give their power and authority to the beast, wage war against the Lamb. The Lamb, of course, is Jesus Christ.

I love how the angel characterizes the outcome of this war waged against the Lamb by these kings, "the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings", verse 14. It is as if the angel said, "What else would you expect? Of course the Lamb triumphs in this war waged against him! After all, he IS Lord of lords and King of kings!"

Perhaps I'm reading this into the text just a bit, but one of the astounding realities of the great cosmic war between the spiritual forces of darkness against the spiritual forces of light - is that the spiritual forces of darkness lose, they have absolutely no expectation or hope of winning this war. There may be a battle here or there where they gain an upper hand, but it is always due to the Lord's use of them to bring about the accomplishment of his agenda in one way or another. They are simply pawns used by God for his purposes.

I am reminded of Proverbs 16:4, "The Lord works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster."

Another passage that observes the King of kings and Lord of lords engaged in battle against Team Cain is Revelation 19:11-16, "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords."

The outcome of this battle spells the end to Team Cain, "And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, 'Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.' Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh." Revelation 19:17-21.

Take heart and celebrate! We own the victory- it is ours - brought to us by Jesus Christ! As members of those who have embraced him in faith, we are on the winning team! We are of those who ride with him as he defeats the forces of darkness for all eternity!

A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Who Is The Great Prostitute? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 17:1-6,

"One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, 'Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.' Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. The name written on her forehead was a mystery: Babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth. I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus."

There is no question in my mind as to exactly who this "great prostitute" is. She is here among us today, fulfilling every description provided by John's revelation. Here are the descriptions of her:

She sits by "many waters". Those who study prophecy know that "waters", "sea", etc. often represent the teeming masses of mankind. The "many waters" refer to the prostitute as being near to the various groups of mankind throughout the world.

"With her the kings of the earth committed adultery". This represents an unseemly and inappropriate trade in political power for the services of what this prostitute can provide. "Adulteries" refer to unfaithfulness toward God. As an example, Israel (Israel is not in view here as this prostitute) was often condemned for her "adulteries" by turning from God to false religion (idol worship, etc.). This is exactly what this prostitute can provide, but she can only do it if she is in a position to "barter" in the things of God - in other words, she can only trade in these adulteries if people are deluded into thinking she represents God. This is how "the inhabitants of earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."

This prostitute became fabulously wealthy, "The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls."

"I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus." Verse 6. As a religious institution, this prostitute was in a position to destroy all who might point out her "adulteries" or anyone who might make her feel threatened.

If history is not your strong suit, a bit of time in history books will make this prostitute identifiable. If you haven't figured it out yet, verse 9 provides a strong clue: "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits." Which of the great cities of  the world sits on seven hills?

A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Authority, Structure, Delegation in the Kingdom of God - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 16:1,

"Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, 'Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth.'"

What follows this verse in John's revelation is the account of these seven angels pouring out these seven bowls of the horrific judgment of God on the earth.

For whatever reason, I can't help but think this morning of the passage of the Roman centurion with a paralyzed servant who understood how the chain of command works and is utilized in God's kingdom. He approached Jesus on behalf of his servant to ask for healing. When Jesus offered to go to his house, the centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." Matthew 8:8-9. Jesus' response is an eye opener, "When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, 'Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.'" Verse 10.

Jesus acknowledged the centurion knew some things about the kingdom of God, that it operated on a structure of authority and used a chain of command in its operations and activities. Jesus credited the centurion's understanding of this as being due to his amazing faith.

The thrust of the passage in Matthew 8 is to illustrate the importance and value that faith provides relative to our understanding of the things of God and how his kingdom operates. What we learn of the kingdom of God, thanks to the faith of this centurion, is that the things of God don't just happen willy-nilly. There is structure, with God providing direction from his posture of supreme authority. A chain of command is employed and God's directions are carried out.

This is what we see as "the loud voice" tells the seven angels to go and dispense the bowls of God's wrath on earth. The "loud voice" demonstrates what the centurion knew of the kingdom of God.

It is here in Revelation 16:1 as well as other passages in this book. God determines the times for things to happen and orchestrates them through those who serve him - all done in a tight-knit orderly fashion. Commands and directions are issued and carried out.

This may seem a mundane and unremarkable point, but it helps me understand and appreciate something of the kingdom that those of us who are of faith are headed for. I believe it also helps us understand something of the nature of our God: structure that includes defined lines of authority/responsibility and delegation of tasks. These imply that God has an agenda, that he pursues his agenda, and does so through what we associate with the order we find most often in the way the military carries out its business.

A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Avoid God's Wrath! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in ,

"And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible." Revelation 16:21.

This plague of hail came from God's seven "bowls" of judgment. This bowl also included "lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder," and a massive earthquake. The hailstones  weighed about a hundred pounds each, making it a very deadly plague. We are told with these seven bowls of judgment, of which this is the seventh, "God's wrath is completed." Revelation 15:1.

These judgments of God fell on the people of the world who, rather than responding to God's invitation, rejected God and followed the "the beast".

People make their choices and then curse God for the inevitable suffering that follows poor choices made. I am reminded of Proverbs 19:3, "A person's own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord."

Why suffer from the hand of God? These judgments of God at the end of the age are inevitable and unavoidable. It seems to me a wise choice to avoid God's wrath whatever the cost. And... he isn't asking for anything any of us cannot provide - our faith and trust in him!

A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

New Worship for a New Day! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 14:1-3,

"Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth."

This "new song" that was sung before the throne of God and his court was surely a song of praise, a song of worship. Worship is to be for God and him only. We don't worship saints, we don't worship Mary, the mother of Jesus, we don't worship angels: we worship God alone. In Revelation 19:10 we see the apostle John mistakenly attempting to worship an angel who upbraided him for it and corrected him, "At this I [John] fell at his feet to worship him [an angel]. But he said to me, 'Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!'"

We find examples of worship throughout Scripture, and particularly here in the book of Revelation as well as Psalms. In all the examples we find, worship is the acknowledgement of both the wondrous acts of God as well as adulation of him for his majestic, magnificent and splendorous character and nature. The "type" of worship has little to do with "traditional" versus "contemporary" and everything to do with expressing our reverence, our awe, our wonder, our veneration at his wondrous acts as well as his character and nature.

Perhaps the signs in front of some churches, in order to protect the understanding of the true nature of worship, might better read, "worship with traditional music" and "worship with contemporary music". You might find me to be splitting hairs a bit here, but the concept of true worship as seen in the Scriptures focuses on God and not on the music. I think that has been somewhat lost in the midst of those who prefer a certain style of music over another.

In any event, I note in our above verses that "a new song" was sung in worship of God. I find that important as we read in other passages of new songs of worship, indicating each new day brings new worship of God as we behold him afresh and new that day.

"Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love." Psalm 33:1-5.

"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him." Psalm 40:1-3.

"Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples." Psalm 96:1-3.

"Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him." Psalm 98:1.

"I will sing a new song to you, my God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you, to the One who gives victory to kings, who delivers his servant David." Psalm 144:9-10.

"Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory." Psalm 149:1-4.

In these passages from Psalms, we find our example of true worship: the extolling of God's great and wondrous deeds and/or his magnificent character and nature. And, importantly, each passage speaks of new worship for a new day!

Yesterday's worship of him just won't do! I believe he is due our renewed expressions of reverence and awe each day! I'm not suggesting we all get into the business of writing new worship songs each day, but I am urging that we all worship our God each and every day with new expressions of worship (music doesn't have to be involved!). Our excitement for God surely should be fresh and new each day!

Is he due anything less from us?

A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Our God of Love is a God of Horrific Judgment! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 14:19-20,

"The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia."

That 1,600 stadia is just about 180 miles! Another way of saying the blood is really going to flow at God's hand. God's judgment is horrific!

We read in Scripture of a wonderful aspect of God, "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." This is true and we, of course, like that.

However, that is not all there is to God. God is both a God of justice, as well as a God of love, as the psalmist observes, "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you." Psalm 89:14. God expresses himself this way through the prophet Jeremiah, "let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight", Jeremiah 9:24. When Moses asked God to reveal himself to him on Mt. Sinai, God said, "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation." Exodus 34:6-7.

Some seem to limit their understanding of God and view him as a lovey-dovey teddy bear. And, yes, he has shown us a love that simply transcends my understanding. However, that is not all that God wants us to know of him as he is also a God of justice - and his judgments are horrific.

Those "grapes" that get thrown into the great winepress of God's wrath are the people who have rejected him. It would behoove us all to be aware that we can respond to his love, as expressed through Jesus Christ, or else we will be subject to God's horrific judgment.
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Me? A Sheep to be Slaughtered? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 13:5-7,

"The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. It was given power to wage war against God's holy people and to conquer them."

This beast was empowered by Satan who also gave him "great authority", verse 2. With this power and authority, he waged war against "God's holy people" and conquered them!

Why was this beast allowed to do such a thing? How was it he was able to conquer God's very own people? God has ultimate authority though out all the cosmos. He has tremendous power beyond our ability to grasp, and certainly well beyond what "the dragon" and his beast and all his minions might have! So, how is it possible this beast was able to conquer God's people? Doesn't God love his own people? Why would he allow such a thing?

The answer is yes, God does love his people. He has a big heart and a big love for his people. We read of it through out the Scriptures as God reveals himself. Where we get off track is our assumption that God's highest priority is our highest priority. Most people naturally feel their life in this age is their highest priority, and, hence, should be God's.

What we may fail to see is that as we read of God's grand program of the redemption of mankind and his judgment of all who oppose him, there may be bigger things afoot than each one of our lives. In the grand scheme of things, as they say, we might find ourselves expendable to God's purposes as he carries out what he is doing in this lost and fallen world energized by Satan his ilk.

This is where passages such as Romans 8:36 (Paul's quote of Psalm 44:22) find their expression in our lives, "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

Certainly God loves us and although I may not understand why I am or a loved one is expendable to him, it is important that I abide in that posture should God so deem I am to be used by his purposes in such a circumstance. He does care for us and nothing will happen to us that doesn't cross his desk. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants." Psalm 116:15.

After all, he gave his Son's life for me, that I might share in his inheritance in eternal life, and whatever sacrifice he may make of me, he will certainly reward me a thousand times over whatever that sacrifice might be.

A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Politics: the Public Expression of Spiritual Condition - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 13:16-17,

"It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name."

I identify Satan, his minions, those of the human family that belong to him as "Team Cain." Team Cain is animated, energized and empowered by the spiritual forces of evil who are at enmity against God. They are opposed to the things of God, his agenda of the redemption of mankind, and, by extension, God's people ("Team Abel") on planet earth. We see the roots of this spiritual war in the previous chapter where we read of a war in heaven where the angel Michael together with godly angels cast Satan and his angels (the bad guys) out of heaven and down to earth, Revelation 12:7-9.

Much of the animosity and conflict that we see in the world today has its origin in this cosmic war of good and evil. and expresses the reality of it. God draws mankind to himself as he builds his kingdom through his agenda of the redemption of mankind, with Satan fighting him at every turn. Of course, nothing can thwart God and all is for naught for the spiritual forces of evil - judgment day is headed their way.

One of the primary differences in the way Team Cain and Team Abel carry out this spiritual strife is that God allows mankind to express his own free will and make his own choices. All come in to this world as lost and fallen human beings estranged from God and have opportunity to embrace him in faith, "Very truly I [Jesus] tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24.

Team Cain, on the other hand does not abide free will. Satan is all about control. He wants to control every aspect of our lives, and here in this passage above we read where those who don't sport his mark are restricted from free commerce in the latter days.

Give that some thought. Give also some thought to my understanding that politics is nothing more than the public expression of people's spiritual condition.

A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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An Age of a Different Nature is Headed Our Way! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 12:5,

"She gave birth to a son, a male child, who 'will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.'"

John quotes Psalm 2:9 here as he describes his sweeping vision. The "She" in this verse is the nation Israel and the son born to her is Jesus Christ. This quote points to the coming reign of Jesus Christ over all the nations of the earth. As a future event, Jesus Christ will firmly rule ("iron scepter") over all the nations of the earth following this age.

In an interesting passage in Jesus' letter to the church in Thyatira, he appears to plan on sharing his rule with the church, "To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—  that one 'will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery'—just as I have received authority from my Father." Revelation 2:26-27.

The Psalm that both Revelation 2:26-27 and Revelation 12:5 quote, Psalm 2, begins with the question, "Why to the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?" It goes on to observe, "The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, 'Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.'" I can't think of a better way to characterize what we see today on the international stage.

Psalm 2 gives God's response to the rebellious nature of the nations of the world: he laughs at them! "The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, 'I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.'"

What we see coming our way following this age is an existence where all of the acrimony, all of the strife, all of the expression of the world's collective sinful nature will all be gone! In its place will be the reign of Jesus Christ himself over all the nations.

I can't wait! How about you?

A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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The Scoop on Satan - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 12:13-17,

"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."

This is the kind of chapter in the book of Revelation that causes me to scratch my head - I do struggle with the symbolism, the cryptic nature of the numbers provided in the account and just what it is that represents what.

The frustration I feel at times when reading this book is driven by the certitude I maintain toward this book, that it is inspired by God, that it is truthful throughout and that God is communicating to us through it. I want to know what it is the Lord is communicating to us - everything that I can. The shortcoming I have in understanding and knowing all that is said in it presents me with my challenge with this book. It is not as though I haven't spent time in the book, or read and listened to others about those things that confound me within its pages, it is that I have little confidence in myself in grasping the material, and I'm not so sure of some of the things I have heard others explain about the book (but not all, by any means).

However, it is clear here that the passage above is speaking about Satan, Jesus, Israel and the church. The dragon, of course is Satan. The woman is Israel, the male child is Jesus and "the rest of her offspring" is the church. Earlier in the chapter we read that Satan attempted to "devour" the Son of God when he was born into the human family through the agency of Israel. Failing that, he turned his venom against Israel who found refuge, "But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth." Verse 16. Failing in that, Satan, in a rage, "went off to wage war" against the church.

So, we see a progression here that follows a war in heaven that we read about in this chapter, verses 7-9. Michael and his angels defeated Satan and his minions and cast him to the earth. When the Son of God arrived, Satan attempted to destroy him. Failing in that, Satan attempted to destroy Israel. Failing that, Satan turned his sights on the church.

This helps us understand John's words, "Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you." 1 John 3:13. Satan has been cast to the earth and he turns his rage against those who participate in God's agenda. This world, the people of this world are animated and energized by the malevolent intentions of Satan who seeks to destroy us. There is no appeasing those of this world, there is no reasoning with those of this world. The weapon we have against Satan's use of the people of this world is the gospel message, from which all believers have made their way from the kingdom of this world (in obeisance to Satan) into the kingdom of God. For those who still belong to this world, even though they may feel they are independent and free, are animated by Satan's intentions.

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8.

A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

There Will Be No More Delay! - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 10:6-7,

"There will be no more delay! But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets."

These are the words spoken by a "mighty angel" that John saw in his vision, who had come down from heaven, verse 1. He held a little scroll in his hand as he stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. Here he proclaims the end of God's delay in bringing his "mystery" to accomplishment.

Certainly this "mystery" is the completion of God's grand agenda of the redemption of mankind and his judgement of all who rejected him. "No more delay" refers to the end of opportunity for any to embrace the Lord in faith, as well as bringing the wicked to their appointed judgment: no more delay!

We live in a time when we feel this "delay" of the Lord. Those of us who have embraced the Lord in faith await our resurrection, as Paul notes in Romans 8:22-25, "We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

Peter speaks of God's purpose in this delay in 2 Peter 3:8-9, "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

God is delaying the end of this age that he might fill the nation he is building with the many souls who embrace him in faith. He wants "everyone to come to repentance" and does not want anyone to perish as he provides the time for fully populating his kingdom, his nation.

Surely we can all live with this "delay" as God builds his kingdom - given its importance. But, as the mighty angel proclaimed, that moment is headed our way when "There will be no more delay!"

A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/ 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

Sweet in the Mouth, Sour in the Stomach - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 10:8-11,

"Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: 'Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.' So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, 'Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but "in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.'"' I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. Then I was told, 'You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.'"

John was told to take a scroll from the hand of an angel and eat it. This follows where John was told not to write everything down. As God's prophet, he was not to tell everything, but just those things God wanted told. Following John's eating of the scroll, he was told, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings."

The reference to eating a scroll comes from the book of Ezekiel, where in Ezekiel 3:3, the prophet was told to eat a scroll. In that passage we are told it was sweet as honey in his mouth, just as John's scroll was in his mouth. However, in Ezekiel 1:1, where Ezekiel was to told to go and speak to the people of Israel, Israel was not on a good footing with the Lord, "The people of Israel are not willing to listen to you [Ezekiel] because they are not willing to listen to me [the Lord], for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate." Ezekiel 3:7.

So too, when John had eaten his scroll, and where the words of the Lord were as sweet as honey in the mouth, as with Ezekiel, the prophecies the scroll contained were devastating to the recipients, as with Ezekiel, and turned John's stomach sour in a figurative sense.

I am reminded there are times when God's people receive his word, finding them satisfying, enjoyable, and sweet to the soul. However, having received them and sensing the Lord's desire that we pass on his words to those around us, we just may find it something akin to turning stomachs sour. There are those who are unwilling to listen to what it is the Lord wants us to speak to them about as we share the gospel with them.  
I have to think this was the case for John as he was to tell of the horrific judgments of God.

A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.

The Presence of Spiritual Beings - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 9:14-15,

"It [a voice from the heavenly altar] said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, 'Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.' And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind."

This passage tells us there are four angels at the Euphrates River awaiting to be dispatched to kill a third of mankind. Certainly they were in place and waiting to carry out their assignment prior to the timing of this vision. Are they there now? When do they get there? How much do we really know of the activities of spiritual beings we are unaware of and yet are possibly around us?

It causes me to think of another passage that clearly expresses a spiritual being that is in place today awaiting further orders at the end of this age, "The secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming." 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8.

This restrainer was in place and holding back the secret power of lawlessness in Paul's day, and he continues his restraining work until he is relieved from his work so that "the lawless one" will be revealed prior to the second coming of Jesus Christ, yet future.

All this confirms to me that there is so much in the spiritual realm that I know so little of, and yet exists around us! It really makes one wonder, doesn't it?

A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.