Category: Good Life Journal

Scripture

Vs 1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” …

VS 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

Vs 4 ^‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Vs 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”

Vas 6 He said to me: “It is done …”

Vs 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut …

VS 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.

Observation

John is “revealing” the ultimate end here.

Heaven and earth are made new.

God and His people live with each other.

Ultimately, Creation is as it was intended to be in the beginning …

No death … no pain … no gates …

God and people in unhindered relationship … with glory filling all of creation!

Application

It’s “Advent” … the time of “waiting” for “Emmanuel” (God with us).

Christmas time is awesome to remember the coming of God to “dwell with us”.

I love everything about this season.

But I’m in a second “Advent” today … and every day until Jesus’ “Second Coming”.

During this time of “waiting”, do I get consumed with wanting to “go to heaven”?

If I am consumed with this question … (as it seems so many Christians are) … then I am being too short sighted.

Ultimately, “going to heaven” is NOT the goal!

Ultimately, God will dwell with me here … in the new heaven and new earth!

Do I think God’s going to destroy this earth, but I get to escape this destruction because I’ll be in heaven with Jesus?

Well, if I believe John, (and I do!), then this earth is not going to be destroyed, but made new!

This is amazing!

Why do so many Christians think, “the earth is not my home” or “I’m just passing through”?

John makes that sort of thinking nonsensical!

The earth is my home now … and eternally … but it’s the earth made new!

The way John talks about the ultimate end reminds me of Jesus saying,

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

And of Paul saying, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has passed away, the new has come!”

The end is not a destruction or annihilation of earth, but a transformation and purification of it!

(Noah and the flood, and the promise of God, makes so much sense with this sort of thinking, as well!)

And I love John’s description of “No Gates” in the new creation and of “Glory” filling the space!

This makes me think of Paul saying all of creation will be “set free”! Yes! Yes! Yes!

What a Day it will be!

Not destruction, not annihilation, but Redemption!

With this thinking that John gives me, I can embrace life today, in this Second Advent, with an eager anticipation of welcoming heaven “here” and life with God, not a fearful trepidation of avoiding hell “there” and abandonment by God.

Prayer

Thank you again, God, for your word

It will never pass away

Thank you that you are of God of renewal and redemption

Help me, Spirit, to live with this in mind every day

In Jesus name

Amen

Journal Rev 20 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

 

Scripture: “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it.

 

From his presence earth and sky fled away…and no place was found for them.

 

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.

 

Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life.

 

And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done…” Rev 20:11-12

 

Observation: Process and procedure. “Line by line, precept by precept.” All things orderly even at the End of Time, the Judgment Seat…

 

Application: I broke this passage down so that I could slow my reading down. If I read out loud, I hope that I would read each sentence slowly as well.

 

There are several men who will say they are Revelation or End Time scholars. I am not one of them. I have read deeply into Revelation commentary and am familiar with this dispensation, that dispensation, and the other dispensation theories. Still, trying to wrap my mind into one thing, one direction, I cannot.

 

For me, breaking the sentences down separately, assists in clarifying the biblical facts involved:

• All men will stand before the Throne. I notice that the prophecy doesn’t differentiate the salvation status of men here. Therefore, I must consider that the statement stands properly factual: All men stand before the Throne.

 

This understanding would then cause me to reevaluate what redemption/salvation means physically: If I am “saved”, do I get to skip the line? Bypass the throne? Maybe not…

 

• There are things that happen with heaven and earth fleeing from His Presence:

o   “For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” Matt 5:18, c. also Luke 16:17

o   “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Mk 13:31

• Books are opened, apparently to pass judgment upon men.
• A single Book is produced after this, the Book of Life.
• Judgment happens.

 

There are, and I stress, theoretical positions that would/could interpret this differently, such as the saints (believers in Jesus) would escape the judgment side of this presentation, saying something like, “Believers have a different presentation to attend.” I don’t think that is true and at least is not consistent with the Scripture in Rev 20:11-12. But, like I said, I am not a Revelation scholar—all I can do for myself is read the Testimony plainly.

 

Is that why it is the Hope of Salvation and not the Fact of Salvation? “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.” (1 Thes 5:8), and “…Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev 7:10b). Is it more proper to say that salvation is given, it is not obtained?

 

My hope is found in the redeeming blood of the Lamb. My shame will be found in the books, recounting my sin. My salvation will be found declaring, humbly but with great shouting, that Jesus died for my Sin to be forgiven.

 

Prayer: Reading Nehemiah today. He prayed. He prayed to God privately, silently, in all ways reaching out to the Holy One, full of wisdom and grace.

 

Father, I want to be steadfast in pursuing you, but not arrogant in presenting my musings as your Word. Help me to be confident in You.

 

AMEN.

Ricky Two Shoes

Scripture – 

Revelation 19:9-10 – And the angel said to me, “Write this:  Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”  And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that!  I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus .Worship God.”  For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. 

Observation – 

There will be rejoicing in heaven for the saints who have endured and are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.  An angel told the apostle John that those who are invited are blessed and that is the true word of God.  John falls to worship the  angel upon hearing this but the angel quickly rebukes him to say he is just a servant like John and the other brothers who have remained steadfast in holding to the Word. Only God is to be worshipped.  Jesus’ words are divine, true and reveal prophecy.  

Application –

Sometimes I get invited to a wedding  because I’m related or it is a friend of the family.  The one marriage supper that counts and requires to hold true to the testimony of Jesus is the marriage feast of the Lamb, when Christ comes for His bride the church.  God’s word is true and he tells us those that stay awake will receive that invitation and are blessed.  This requires me to know the Word and be discerning to follow Jesus and not be led astray by the world or false prophets.  If it is not in the Bible I can’t allow myself to follow culture.  Likewise I can’t  ignore any teaching that is in the Bible.  Like Christ I am to follow his example and be a servant.  Jesus died on the cross for my sin and on the 3rd day the rose to overcome death.  He alone is worthy of all my worship.  

Prayer – 

Father,

Thank you for the truth in your Word and loving me so much that you sent Jesus to save me so I can be reconciled to you.  Let the power of the Spirit give me strength and discernment to follow you faithfully in love and love others to extend your glory.  

Journal Ps 133-136 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

 

Scripture: Behold—how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!

 

It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!

 

It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion!

 

For there (dwelling in unity) the Lord has commanded the blessing—life forevermore. (Ps 133)

 

Observation: Unity has blessing from God. Therefore: What is unity and how is it practiced?

 

Application: Looking up synonyms in the handy-dandy Microsoft Thesaurus, I find that “agreement” is one synonym.

 

But, interesting enough, so is “unison”…and then “harmony.” Musically, unison is all singing the same note. Harmony is singing different notes blending from the same scale. Unison gets a single strong sound. Harmony gets a richer sound from separate notes. Either way, the sound is in one accord, no bad notes.

 

Other synonyms are, united; in complete agreement; of one mind; like-minded; with one voice; undivided.

 

I see disagreement in the churches all around. I know them broadly as denominations. Many denominations formed because they have latched upon a single precept in the Scriptures and rode it (and are riding it) hard. But it doesn’t have to be denomination driven, it can be a single conviction.

 

There was a couple that visited a local church. On Sunday, after the meeting, they came to the pastor and suggested that he preached harder and more pointed on the “necessity of being baptized as a requirement of salvation”—basing the argument/position upon Mark 16:115-16a:

“And (Jesus) said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes AND IS BAPTIZED WILL BE SAVED…”

 

This is a stretch in the wrong direction. In fact, there is this guy in the Scriptures, who wrote,

“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel (and not with words of eloquent wisdom), let the Cross of Christ be emptied of its power…” 1 Cor 1:17

 

(Before the uproar, yes, baptism is a function that should be engaged and done—but to be sure, it is not a requirement or validation of salvation or redemption. I have a short study available to those who want to delve a bit deeper, maybe even challenge my findings. At the end, please base opinions and resulting convictions on the Scriptures, not feelings. Acts 17 refers to Berea, listening to Paul and Silas: “Now these Jews (in Berea) were more noble that those in Thessalonica; they received the word in all eagerness, (taking it upon themselves to) examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things (that was being preached) were so…” Acts 17:11)

 

Does “dwelling in unity” mean that there isn’t or should not be, disagreement? Of course not. Conflict is inevitable among men. Thankfully, we have conflict resolution process as a part of training to be a disciple.

 

An example is the “noble brothers of Berea” mentioned in Acts 17:10-11:

“Now these Jews (Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word (spoken to them by Paul and Silas) with all EAGERNESS, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so…”

 

Here is the “down and dirty” concerning me: I am profoundly lazy and would rather rely on my “feelings” rather than my informed reasonings from study. Whatever I am taught I can “feel” the statements and principles fall into a framework I am adopting—but I am realizing that “postulates” or “theories” are not fact. Did the founding Church principles/doctrines arrive to the Believers in full blown publishing? Nope—they had to be argued/discussed over three centuries before settling on basics.

 

Point? Even the smallest disagreement can be disconcerting to unity. Best way for me to handle it?

1. Make sure I am arguing to get to biblical facts and not to be “right.”
2. Agree to disagree but make every attempt to reconcile properly.
3. Don’t pull rank.
4. Don’t set aside disagreements for the appearance of Unity.
5. Work hard for the fact of unity, not the façade of unity.
6. Let love for the brotherhood and the Fear of God pave the way forward.

 

Prayer: Lord God, this certainly reveals my heart and not exactly in a good way. I lay myself at the foot of the Cross.

AMEN.

Ricky Two Shoes

 

Journal Rev 17 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

 

Scripture: Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with who the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk…

 

And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast…” excerpts from Rev 17:1-8

 

Observation: Two points catches my eye: 1) Why is sex and sexual immorality aligned with unrighteousness and evil? 2) Another reference to God’s Sovereignty in election.

 

Application: Getting this out there so there is no misunderstanding: I am not sexually pure and haven’t been in a while. That being said, I am not exercising condemnation on anyone; I can’t—you must get in line behind me.

 

That is the difference in Judgment of evaluation versus Judgment of condemnation. Condemnation is God’s prerogative and never Man’s. If Man condemns, he is setting himself up to be like God and is an exercise in Original Sin.

 

Back to the original premise, why has Sex been associated with Sin and continues as prophecy for the future?

 

I fear I don’t have a good, solid answer, biblically speaking. I am sure that someone, somewhere, some biblical scholar like John Piper or Wayne Grudem or even an old tinker like John Bunyan has a good answer. It would be good to find.

 

Having fallen victim to sexual sin back when, it has marked me from that time forward. Still does. I speak in confession to my wife often. Images, insinuations, etc. I see in the media and on the streets in clothing (or lack of it) makes me turn my eyes and avoid contact—part of having a “covenant with my eyes…” (“I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin…” Job 31:1) Like all men who want to be godly, I fight temptation and sexual temptation is insidious. Jesus clarified, “But I say to you, that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart…” (Matt 5:28a).

 

Somehow, illicit sex or sexual provocation is directly challenging the Most High. I found this reference in Deuteronomy, “Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart…” (Deut 15:9a). The context is about giving in the Jubilee and caring for the poor, but having unworthy thoughts struck me. It is also tantamount to despising authority: “…and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.” (2 Pet 2:10)

 

Other verses scanning through Deuteronomy, filtering for eyes (Oh, thank you Lord for ESV.org) brought to my attention here that “eyes” (or otherwise, what is seen) is different over the “heart” (or what is felt); in other words—evidence is more significant than intent.

 

I need a Savior daily. Man needs a Savior daily. Why? Because temptations are encountered daily and succumbing to sin happens daily. The “great prostitute” referenced in the above passage seems to be intent on making sin mainstream—and the worshippers of the beast, people who do not have their names written in the Book of Life from before Creation are the targets.

 

Prayer: Lord God, thank you that you are Sovereign. You instruct me to preach the Gospel to the world, but you have graciously not made it my responsibility to “convert” people.

 

Let me focus on “walking worthy of the Gospel” in all aspects of godliness while doing your commands in parallel. I know this is a clumsy sentence…

 

AMEN.

Ricky Two Shoes

Journal Rev 16 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

 

Scripture: [Seven bowls, full of the Wrath of God, given to seven angels to pour out, one after another. The following is after the third bowl…]

 

“And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, ‘Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. For they (the inhabitants of the earth, wearing the mark of the beast and worshipping its image) have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink.

 

It is what they deserve!’

 

And I heard the altar saying, ‘Yes, Lord God the Almighty—true and just are your judgments!’” Rev 16:5-7

 

Observation: What is the difference between now and the coming judgment? Does God execute wrath like this today?

 

Application: I retreat to the tried-and-true theological position of…”I don’t know. It is a mystery…”

 

However, while there may be some who would assert that God executes wrath on the ungodly today, I think that the New Covenant covers more of Grace and Mercy on and for our world.

 

The difference, I think, is God showing his Power over creation, afflictions, etc., to draw attention to his Glory and to his Mercy. In the case of Revelation 16, this is just down and out judgmental Wrath. Note: this paragraph is unsatisfactory to me, but I think directionally accurate.

 

At the time of the mark of the Beast and of worshippers of the Beast, is there room for repentance and of drawing in humble adoration of the Son? I don’t think so (according to the Scriptures). So, what is a Beast worshipper to do?

 

They hide from the Wrath of the Lamb.

 

Prayer: Father, is there a practical word, a lesson to be wrestled from Rev 16? Yep.

 

Repent now, don’t wait until later.

 

AMEN.

Ricky Two Shoes

Journal Rev 15 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

 

Scripture: [Angel song…] “And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

‘Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty!

Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!

Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name?

 

For you alone are holy; all nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed…” Rev 15:3-4

 

Observation: Angels sing this. Why don’t I hear this from my mouth?

 

Application: I have referred to the Gospel as being a Jewel, a mental figure that has many facets to it, but all part of the same Jewel.

 

This is different that the false idea of “all paths lead to God”; it is that, because of perceptual limitations (He is Creator, I am created…), I can only deal with one concept at a time (so to say), probably based on what I put value upon concerning my bias of God’s character.

 

For instance:

• Is God Love or is He Holy? The Sunday School answer is Yes on both counts but on a practical basis, which one do I lean into daily?
• Am I more of a “saved, going to heaven” mentality, or a “I don’t deserve your salvation, but I am grateful” position?
• Do I think that God will certainly take my affliction from me, or am I thankful that God has given me the opportunity to serve him in my affliction, the point being, “What do I think of the most?”
• Do I fear God, or do I love God? Again, what do I think of the most? And does it make a significant difference to my walk with the Savior?

 

Reading Revelation, a significant portion of the narrative indicates that all of Heaven has an emotional reaction to God and to the Lamb: Fearful, full of wonder and praise; loving but not sappy. Heaven is full of “grown up” expressions of love—best that I can express/describe it. “I wuv you, Daddy” is not really found here. Shouting or speaking firmly and emphatically, not whispering, is the default volume setting.

 

Describing what the scripture says about husbands to my wife was eye-opening for her. She expected that what she was looking for (“I love you, darling, forever…”), was what husbands were looking for. Being honest, I wouldn’t turn that expression away (being as insecure as I am). But this is what the scriptures say to wives,

“…and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” Eph 5:33b

Respect is what husbands long for, even if they don’t know it.

 

I am part of the Bride of Christ; how do I convey respect to the Bridegroom, to the Bridegroom’s Father? I think, as the scripture shows, speaking of what He is, the greatness of Him, glorifying his Works and his Ways, specifically and with great fervor—just like the Angels singing the Song of Moses.

 

Last thought this morning: I recall the scripture, “So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order.” (1 Cor 14:39-40) If I consider the environment in Revelation as the example of “decent and orderly”, then I am so under-performing to the saints bearing witness, not to mention the heavenly host, and the Trinitarian God himself. (c. Heb 12:1, Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us run…”)

 

Prayer: Father, from my perspective, the transition from a child to an adult in your Kingdom happens from looking into the mirror privately; it is not the “clarion call” to “come join me”…it is the call to repent. Difficult because “repent” is so confrontational and is not “touchy-feely.”

 

Yet even the call to “repent” is supposed to be given in love, gentleness, and with understanding and persuasiveness. It is never, “I have arrived, repent your own bad self…”

 

If not for your atoning work, I would not be able to walk in your ways. I deserve your Wrath always; it is by your Blood that I can walk in the newness of life but having to kill the old man inside me every day.

 

Redeemed, and always being redeemed.

 

AMEN.

Ricky Two Shoes

Scripture

 

Vs 12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

 

Vs 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

 

VS 14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand.

 

Vs 15 And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.”

 

Observation

 

There are two “callings” happening here … one for the “saints” (me), and one for the “son of man” (Jesus).

1. A “call for endurance” for the saints to keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
2. A “calling with a loud voice” for the Son of Man to “reap, for the hour to reap has come”.

 

And there is an incredible “status” of those in these “called” positions.

The “saint” is blessed and at rest. (“Blessed indeed that they may rest from their labors”.

The Son of Man is working.  (Put in your hand the sickle and reap”.

 

Application

 

How often do I, or “Christian culture”, or more specifically “Church culture”, get these callings completely backwards?

 

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard church leaders and pastors talk about “reaping a harvest for the Lord”!

Or even “doing the Lord’s work”?

 

But in this context, what does that even mean?!

 

Who is to do the “reaping of the harvest”? … The Lord! … Jesus, the Son of Man, is the one with the sickle in His hand!

And what is the harvest? … People? … Both Saints in the faith and the victims of His wrath with be “harvested”.

 

But it’s not my job to do the harvesting!

(The parable of the wheat and the weeds makes so much sense in this context.)

 

What am I to do? … Be blessed & rest! … Sure, there is an “enduring”, but it’s an enduring in keeping faith and commandments.

Faith in the work of Jesus, not my own.

 

Jesus has come as “The Sower” … He will come again as “The Reaper”.

 

What am I to do in the meantime? … Pray! …It’s what Jesus asked me to do!

“Pray to the Lord of the harvest.” (Matt 9)

 

The harvest will be plentiful. And the laborers will be few.

I am to pray for laborers to go “into the harvest”.

But it is the Lord that does the harvesting … the final judgment of salvation or condemnation.

 

I can even be eager for this harvesting … “Come! Lord Jesus, Come!”

But I must never mistake His role for mine.

 

Prayer

 

Thank you, God, for your Word again

Help me see you for who you are

You are the ultimate Judge … the Harvester

Help me fulfill my role … keep my faith and your commands

Thank you, Spirit, you call me blessed

In Jesus name

Amen

Journal Rev 13 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

 

Scripture: “And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months (about 3.5 years).

It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling (that is, those who dwell in heaven).

Also, it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it (the beast), everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

 

If anyone has an ear, let him hear.” Rev 13:5-9

Observation: Again: I am not a Revelation scholar, but every now and then there is a clue to the Gospel found…

 

Application: Concerning the beast: “And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation…”

Consider what Jesus said to the disciples: “…But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth…” Acts 1:8

 

It appears to be similar, but in opposite directions. No point, just interesting. The Holy Spirit may make a point later—this is part of the objective in Journalling—making notes…

The other interesting thing is the latter part of Rev 13:8, “everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

Just another note I keep for the “Election-deniers.”

Sorry, folks. I have a bee in my bonnet today.

When this Journaling for the Good Life website began, my assignment wasn’t to teach as much as it was to demonstrate what journalling could be. Having experience in personal journalling, I decided to continue by “preaching to the Face in the Mirror” but putting that “preaching” on electronic paper. My process was to keep as much as I could in the first person, that is, talking to me and not directly to anyone else. I did a bunch of “I’s” and “me” and whenever I started to write “you” or “we”, I tried to change it.

I welcomed folks to see how I struggled and wrestled with the Word of God. I looked to be a reader of the Word and tried very hard not to “read into the Word”. While there may be an avenue to “interpret” passages available, I did not take advantage of it so that I could read what God’s testimony was and perhaps implied, but to not stretch the facts of the Word/what the Sentence plainly said. I recognize that I am fairly accomplished for a layperson, but that is no reason to set on my laurels or hand a “Theologian” shingle on my office doorway. Everyone should be personally wrestling with the Scriptures, from the Pastor to the new recruit and that frequently if not daily.

Part of my personal wrestling and writing had to do with taking logs out of my eye. Much of what I wrote I have been exposed to before…but it had gotten sterile like the Rev 2 Ephesian church—knew a bunch of stuff and maybe even practiced it, but feeling like I was going through the motions, losing my first love.

I write to stir myself up.

Please forgive me for taking up your time like this. I must keep writing; I think it serves a purpose in the furtherance of the Gospel and my helpfulness in this local church.

Prayer: Lord God, if I could pray in tongues in this written tome, I would. Help me to humble myself and walk worthy of the Gospel.

AMEN.

Ricky Two Shoes

Scripture – 

Revelation 12:10-11 – And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power of the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers 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.

Observation – 

Satan has been thrown down out of heaven by Michael and the other angels because Jesus has victory in his death and resurrection.  Salvation, authority and the kingdom of God is alive with Jesus and in us through the Spirit.  Through the finished work of Jesus on the cross and our confession we have eternal life with God.  To be with Christ is to have faith and stand for Christ and not be ashamed no matter the cost.

Application –

I must remember that the victory in Christ has already been won.  Jesus died on the cross and rose on the 3rd day to defeat death and give me a bridge to be reconciled with our holy God.  Jesus has all power and authority in heaven and on earth.  Satan is on the prowl now on earth and he is deceiving and accusing many.  I am covered by the blood of Jesus and must not only know Jesus but share my testimony to make him known

to people who are lost, confused and hurting.  I need to preach the gospel to myself daily and be in the Word with other believers to equip and encourage.  My life is not mine but His who paid for me.  I need to live not for self but for Him even if it costs my life.

Prayer- 

Father,

Thank you for sending Jesus to overcome death and make a way for salvation with you.  Let me focus on your heavenly Kingdom and give me strength to love you and my neighbors.  Use me to share my testimony to extend your glory!

 

Journal Rev 10 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

 

Scripture: “And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land, raised his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, but that in the Days of the Trumpet Call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.” Rev 10:5-7

 

Observation: What is the mystery of God? Can anyone know outside of the Trinity or is it just the Father that knows….

 

Application: The verse prior said,

“And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write…but I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down…’” (Rev 10:4)

 

Let’s review: “I heard the thunder say something important,” says John. “So you did, just don’t write it down, I don’t want it published; keep it under seal until I say to release it…”

 

I wonder why God is mysterious. He even testifies of Himself:

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deut 29:29)

 

What is it about me that I want to know about the secret things of God? I don’t want to be left out; I want to be “in the know…”

 

Creator and creature: Man chafes at this. This reaction is indicative of the Original Sin: I think that, knowing good and evil (Gen 3:5), I can be on a par with God.

 

God keeps secrets. Must; God is Omniscient and Eternal—He sees all of creation as a gestalt, nothing limits Him. Me, on the other hand, I am limited by tons of things that I know and tons more that I don’t know. Man is not equipped to know God’s secret things—my head would blow up…

 

Take this testimony for example:

“So then, He has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills…” and,

“But who are you, O man (created), to answer back to God (Creator)…has the Potter (Creator) no right over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?” and,

“What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, IN ORDER TO make known the riches of his Glory for vessels of mercy…” (Ro 9:18-23)

 

Mysterious, isn’t it? Why does God prepare and choose some to be vessels of mercy and prepare others for vessels of wrath? Man cannot know; we are not privy to God’s mysterious thoughts, only that he does this.

 

“It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.” (Prov 25:2)

 

Here’s a question for the Mirror: Should I search out the things that God has revealed? Or should I expend effort to search out the things God is keeping close to the vest?

 

I know that I have grown up in a generation that put a lot of effort in the training and effort to preach the Gospel, and perhaps not as much to understand the riches of the Gospel.

 

Prayer: Father, thank you for allowing what I read this morning in Revelation 10. I must admit (and as you already know) that I only understand Revelation dimly…I do not have any frame of reference other than my imagination and what you, Holy Spirit, cause me to see.

 

Help me see Revelation more through the lens of the Gospel.

 

AMEN.

PS: Recommended reading: Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God; J.I. Packer.

Ricky Two Shoes

Journal Rev 9 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

 

Scripture: “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshipping demons and idols of gold and silver and stone and wood (which cannot see or hear or walk) nor did they REPENT of their murders or their sorceries, or their sexual immorality or their thefts…” Rev 9:20-21

 

Observation: What kind of sociopaths/psychopaths were these people? Just calling them “sinners” or “enemies of the Lamb” sounds like I am sugarcoating these folks and not calling them out for what they are…

 

They are not agnostics, nor atheists. There is a good possibility they are people of a church or something…

 

Application:  We are six trumpets in and three disastrous plagues affecting and/or killing 33% of mankind; at the current estimate of 7.8 billion worldwide as of 2021, that would be 2.6 billion people slain.

 

And what do the rest of the folks left do? They party…drugs, sex, and rock and roll as the saying went. Add a little Charles Manson here and there…and the picture starts to become clear.

 

But they also worship something, put on their church clothes, bow to an altar, burn incense…do “churchy”, respectable things. Tolerate, inclusion, continue to preach love and deny holiness and stuff like that…

 

(Note: To clarify, these remaining folks aren’t converting to the church of Satan any more than Israel did when they reverted to worshipping the Calf at the foot of Sinai when Moses didn’t come down in a timely manner—they thought matters taken up in their own hands was a worthy and smart thing to do. Stupidos, the lot of them (including Aaron)).

 

To understand the remaining and their asinine responses, I must remember the original Sin.

“(the serpent whispering)…For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you WILL BE LIKE GOD, knowing good and evil…” Gen 3:5

The implication is that “I can make up my own mind. I know what good and evil is, just like God. I don’t have to depend upon God to understand what is moral or not—I CAN DECIDE FOR MYSELF.”

 

This is the Sin that condemned all mankind: I don’t need God. Or like I heard my children say long, long, ago: “ME DO IT!!”

 

I shouldn’t be surprised. I see hurricanes, tornadoes, volcano’s erupting, tidal waves…wars, crime, murders, atrocities galore…and do I see churches busting at the seams? No. This world is being anesthetized…and when the trumpets sound and seals of the Judgment Scrolls opened—when there is no doubt that God is exercising condemning Judgment on the Earth, the inhabitants will be deadened to the Spirit of God.

 

I can write the stuff above because I know I am writing to the Face in the Mirror. I don’t need to preach to myself about the Gospel and get riled up about evangelizing, mission work and the like. What I need is to preach to myself about being fierce with the Face in the Mirror and start doing the things that I did with my First Love.

 

I need to get out of the milk phases of my Walk, and get busy with meat—

“About this we have much to say—and it is hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time, you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE ORACLES OF GOD…you need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.

 

But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained BY CONSTANT PRACTICE to distinguish good from evil…” Heb 5:11-14

 

Prayer: Lord, I am riled up again by your word. My heart is pounding in me because I know I fall short.

 

I want to walk worthy of the calling you have called me to…

 

AMEN.

Ricky Two Shoes

Journal Rev 8 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

 

Scripture: “When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour…” Rev 8:1

 

Observation: Sometimes I have the impression that God throws a curveball just to chuckle at us…

 

Application: Imagine.

 

The Lamb opened the seventh seal. All of heaven is quiet for about 30 minutes.

 

Is it because of astonishment?

 

Is it because of anticipation?

 

Is it because of wonder and marvel?

 

Is it because of hope? Is it because of dread? Is it because of the fearsome presence of the Judge of all or because of the redeeming Lamb?

 

Why would I be struck speechless given the same situation?

 

This is what meditation on the Word is like…If I insert myself into the scripture narrative, what does it then look like to me, to the face in the mirror?

 

Prayer: Lord God, I can still read the Prophecy and be puzzled. All I have are the words of Revelation and the imagination of my mind to cope with.

 

Help me to understand what I need to, not pursue with vigor what I don’t, and rest in what you reveal for my good from the rest of your Testimony.

 

Go, Gospel!!

 

AMEN.

Ricky Two Shoes

Journal Rev 6 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)

 

Scripture: “When he [Jesus, the Lamb] 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 witness they had borne.

They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.” Rev 6:9-11

Observation: I can get caught up with the attempt to decipher the images or I can recognize certain aspects of the passage(s) that look plain enough to understand…

 

Application: I am not a Revelation scholar; I don’t pretend to be.

I hold an opinion that many of those that call themselves “Revelation scholars” aren’t either. It is the reason that I hold these principles highly:

• I am a plain text reader. Just like what the US Constitution says is what it means, I am currently of the “no more, no less” scholar branch in my life…
• Having “insight” is tricky and difficult to support in a rigid scholarly manner, even if I maintain, “the Holy Spirit showed me…” After all, there are 2,200 years of shoulders to stand upon in the Christian church and I should keep that in mind when I have a “revelation…”
• “I don’t know, it is a mystery”, is a valid position to take (theologically speaking) and it is supported and mandated by Deut 29:29,

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

Therefore, I think I see these things:

1. Recognizing the Sovereignty of God in all aspects of my life is important. It is testified that the martyrs thought and acted so, it should be in my life as well, and just not in my talk. I must refer to the testimony concerning the churches previously: Is losing that embraceable sense (not just verbalizing a flip saying) a part of the issues that those churches had negatively?
2. There is another clue published of God’s Sovereignty in election: “…until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete…” Somehow, God knows who, what circumstances, and when. Logical when I think that God is Omniscient throughout time and space, being Eternal and all that. Surrendering to that principle makes a huge difference in my personal theology.
3. Jesus is our avenger…but will he choose (as only He can) to avenge in this life, or the next? Enduring to the end is a Christian’s mandate, privilege, and reward:

“…if we endure, we will also reign with him…” 2 Tim 2:10

“As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering… 2 Tim 4:5

“It is for discipline that you have to (must) endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” Heb 12:7

 

Considering the above, I am challenged again. I became a Christian in an era where the “Commie menace” was palatable. “Would I confess Christ in the face of a firing squad? You bet I would…” Theatrical, I know and see from my privileged perch looking backward.

There are those in this world who see this “perch” as their reality of the day; martyrs that we never see, never hear about, and hardly pray for.

I appreciate the blessings that God graciously gives; I am aware that these are gifts, not rights. My “right” before God is that I deserve His Wrath, his Justified Wrath. His “Gift” is the Blood, the Propitiation, the Atonement of the Son on my behalf.

I recognize this “Gift” will not be taken away. But I cannot “claim” anything resulting from it as a “right” to possess—it is always a Gift.

Prayer: Father, why do I wander in journalling? Started with Revelation things/principles and precepts and ends with the Gospel.

Probably because all the Trinitarian Plan of the Gospel was placed into action from before Time began, I suppose.

AMEN.

Ricky Two Shoes

Scripture –

Revelation 5:9-10 – And they sang a new song saying,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll and open its seals,
For you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
From every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Observation –
The four living creatures and the twenty four elders fell down before the Lamb and sang a song of praise to the living Jesus. They realized that Jesus is worthy to open the scroll to reveal the events unfolding in God’s judgement and a new heaven and earth. Jesus was crucified and by his blood our sins are washed free when we place our faith and trust in His name. The gospel is for everyone, people from every tribe, language and people group. When we receive the Holy Spirit we are made priests and will reign along with King Jesus.

Application –
I must remember Jesus is worthy of all praise all the time. Jesus gave His own life willingly for my sins and paid my sin debt in full to save me from death to life. Now my response needs to be to love Jesus with all my heart, my mind and soul and to love my neighbors as myself to point others to Him. My faith walk is an active pursuit of a relationship with Jesus where I invest in my relationship with Him by striving to walk more like Him. Jesus met my greatest need for me and my life is changed and I need to share the gospel here and to the nations. We are adopted children of God who are His priests and will reign here and have eternal life with Him in heaven.

Prayer-
Father,
Thank you for sending Jesus to ransom me through His shed blood on the cross. Let me preach the gospel to myself daily, sing your praises and see you are worthy of everything I have to give.