DAY #365: Revelation 22:1-21

In this last devotional reading for the year, it is fitting that we hear from from Jesus himself words of assurance: “Look, I am coming soon!” The word “soon” (taxu) means that his coming will be quick and without delay. It may not be “soon” according to human timing (after all, John wrote this two thousand years ago), but it is certain to occur; it is imminent. Jesus clearly told his followers, “So be prepared, because you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. You also must be ready all the time. For the Son of Man will come when least expected” (Matthew 24:42, 44).

Once again overwhelmed, John wrote that he fell down to worship the angel who had given him the inspired glimpse of the future. But again (as at 19:10), the angel prohibited John’s worship, telling him to worship God. God alone is worthy of worship and adoration. He is above all creation, even the angels.

The angel told John what to do after his vision had ended. Instead of sealing up what he had written, as Daniel had been commanded to do (Daniel 12:4-12), John was told, “Do not seal up the prophetic words you have written, for the time is near.” John’s prophecy was to be left open so that all could read and understand.

This message was needed immediately by the churches of John’s day, as well as believers across the years until Christ’s return. Daniel’s message had been sealed because it was not a message for Daniel’s time. But the book of Revelation was a message for John’s time and is relevant today. As Christ’s return approaches, there is an increased polarization between God’s followers and Satan’s followers. We must read the book of Revelation, hear its message, and be prepared for Christ’s certain return.

When Christ returns,He will bring a reward that would be given to his people, according to their deeds. The believer’s true reward is God’s presence and power through the Holy Spirit. Later, in eternity, believers will be rewarded for their faith and service. No act of mercy will be forgotten; no true believer will be abandoned.

Although all God’s people will be saved and will enjoy the reward of eternity with him, a number of rewards seem to be given to individuals, according to what they have done. God will look at each individual’s heart; thus, it may be that a quiet saint praying daily beside her bed will receive even greater reward than a flamboyant, well-known preacher. It may be that the woman who used her gifts to the fullest extent will be rewarded more greatly than the one who believed but was too afraid to reach her potential. God will not bestow his rewards in ways that we humans might. Each believer’s job is to serve God to his or her fullest potential with a heart that is right with him.

Next, Christ repeated the words he had spoken at the beginning of the Revelation: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End”. The Creator began and will end time itself.

This passage includes the seventh and final beatitude in Revelation (the others were in 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7): Blessed are those who wash their robes. This picture symbolizes those who seek to purify themselves from a sinful way of life. These people had been dirty with sin, but Christ had cleansed them through his death on the cross. They had accepted his salvation by “washing their robes.”

This passage is also a call to the believers to strive daily to remain faithful and ready for Christ’s return. They do not need to be saved over and over; but they should continue to “wash their robes” and so remain clean and ready.

Those who do so can enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. Entering the city indicates joining the redeemed people in eternity. In Eden, Adam and Eve had been barred from any access to the tree of life because of their sin (Genesis 3:22-24). In the new earth, God’s people will eat from the tree of life because their sins have been removed by Christ’s death and resurrection. Those who eat the fruit of this tree will live forever.

Verse 14 describes those who will live in the Kingdom of God for eternity; those who cannot be there are described in verse 15. They are characterized as dogs—a term used in Scripture for something impure or unclean. The emphasis is that nothing evil and no sinner will be in God’s presence to corrupt or harm any of the faithful.

Jesus again spoke, describing himself as the ultimate fulfillment of everything that had been promised. Christ had sent his angel to show John all that would come to pass, so that the message could be given to the churches.

Jesus is both David’s source and the heir to his throne. As the Creator of all, he existed long before David. As a human, however, Jesus was one of David’s direct descendants (Isaiah 11:1-5; Matthew 1:1-17). As the Messiah, he is the bright morning star, the light of salvation to all (2 Peter 1:19). In Numbers 24:17, Balaam declared, “I see him, but not in the present time. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel.”

The meaning is simple: JESUS IS WORTHY. Jesus is worthy of your life, your time, your treasure, your hopes and dreams. Jesus is worthy.


SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

As we end 2009, I want to encourage youe you to be faithful to the most imporatnt job we have - sharing the Good News with others. The most wonderful truth in the world, the most amazing truth in the world, the most marvelous truth in the world is this: God wants to have a relationship with me. That is almost too inconceivable to believe – that God would want a relationship with me.

We were made to be friends of God. The Bible says that you were created so that God could love you. You were made to have a relationship. That’s why you’re here on this earth. God made you to love you.

But there’s a problem. Something went wrong in that relationship. My sin. And your sin. And there were times in my life that I decided I was going to do what I thought was best not what God thought was best. That broke the relationship. Destroyed it.

But God did not leave it at that. He took the initiative and He came to earth in human form, in the person of Jesus Christ, to show us what God was like, to show us how much He loves us, to stretch out His arms on the cross and die for us so that the bridge could be built back to God and that relationship could be restored. That’s incredible, really wonderful, marvelous news.

The Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 2:5 “Jesus Christ is the bridge between God and man.” And in Romans 5:11 “Now we rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done in dying for our sins making us friends of God.” It is the marvelous truth that God has sent His Son to die for us.

If I were to summarize the Bible in one word, if I were to summarize Christianity in one word I would not use the word “religion”. I would not use “ritual” or “rules”. I would use the word “relationship”. Because that’s what the whole Bible and all of Christianity is about. God wants a relationship with you. As mind blowing as that is, God made you to have a relationship.

One day a man came to Jesus and said, “Lord, what’s the most important commandment?” We all know the Ten Commandments. Jesus didn’t quote any of those. He said, “Let me give you the two most important ones. Love God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength. That’s the first one and number two, Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love God, Love your neighbor. He’s talking about relationship. If you’ve got your relationship with God in order and you’ve got your relationship with other people in order, you are doing what God put you on earth to do.

Life is essentially about relationships. The most important thing in your life is not money, status, success, pleasure, fame. It’s people.

There are two problems. One of them is relationships are very fragile. They can be damaged easily so they have to be cultivated and nurtured. No good relationship happens accidentally. It’s intentional.

The second problem is nobody ever teaches us how to build good relationships. You certainly didn’t learn it in school. So most of us really aren’t that good at it. We just kind of stumble into relationship building.

T, on this last day of the year, I want to implore you to build relationships with unbelievers. Look at what 2 Corinthians 5:18 says - “God has restored our relationship with Him through Christ, and He has given to us this ministry of restoring relationships.”

You are given a ministry of restoring relationships. Once you accept Jesus Christ, once you step across the line, you have a new life assignment. You are to become a bridge builder. Every Christian is called to be a bridge builder in life. Every Christian. A Christian, of all people, should be interested in relationships more than anybody else. Once God has restored the relationship to us, He expects us to go restore relationships with other people and help them restore a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The greatest thing you can do for anybody else is introduce them to Jesus Christ – sealing their eternity, knowing that they’re going to heaven.

We have the greatest news in the world. All my sins can be forgiven, I get a new purpose for living, I get a home in heaven and God becomes my friend. What could be better than that? Name me one thing that is better than that. It’s better than a cure for any disease because it has eternal implications, to know that you’ve helped somebody settle their eternal destiny, there is no greater achievement in life, no greater epitaph than “He/She was a bridge builder for Jesus Christ.” We do have the greatest message in the world. But you have to earn the right to share it. You have to build the bridge. If you just walk up to people that you don’t even know and start talking to them about the Lord most of them are going to go, “What planet did you get off of?” You need to earn the right to be heard.

Going forward into 2010, will you do that? Will you be a bridge builder for people to receive Christ? I pray so. God bless you guys. I love you. Look to the COV website - www.covsanramon.org - for instructions on how to follow my blog for 2010.

Pastor Mike

DAY #364: Revelation 20:1- 21:27

At Armageddon, the beast and the false prophet had been thrown into the lake of fire. Then Satan was locked away for a thousand years. Upon his release, he immediately goes on the offensive against Christ and his people. But his end will be like his followers—he too will be cast into the lake of fire.

Satan had been locked up for a thousand years so that he could no longer deceive the nations. But at the end of that thousand years, Satan will be let out of his prison (this is planned by God). Immediately, Satan will deceive the nations from every corner of the earth. The unbelievers still on the earth after the battle of Armageddon will have lived through the thousand-year reign of Christ, but as soon as Satan is set free, they will be deceived and ready for battle. This reaction demonstrates that Satan will not repent. It also shows that people rebel against God no matter how long or how many chances they are given to repent. The source of rebellion against God comes not from the environment or even from Satan himself but from within the human heart.

The names Gog and Magog symbolize all the nations of the earth that join together to battle God. Noah’s son, Japheth, had a son named Magog (Genesis 10:2). Ezekiel presented Gog, of the land of Magog, as a leader of forces against Israel (Ezekiel 38–39). This comparison is used in Revelation, as is so much other Old Testament prophecy, because of the similarity of evil forces battling against God’s people and God’s cataclysmic victory. Gog represents the aggregate military might of all the forces opposed to God. Many say that the battle Ezekiel described will occur at the end of human history, but there are many differences between the events described in Ezekiel and the final battle of Revelation 20. Regardless of when this battle will occur, the message is clear: God will deliver his people. No enemy will be able to stand against his mighty power.

This vast army of people, led by Satan himself, went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God’s people and the beloved city. The unbelievers attacked the believers. Before a battle can even ensue, however, fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them (Ezekiel 38:22; 39:6). God totally destroyed this entire army. All of Satan’s followers were destroyed in an instant.

The Devil, Satan, the one who had been let free and had betrayed all the nations, received his just punishment. He was thrown into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. The evil trinity was gone forever. Satan’s power is not eternal—he will meet his doom. He began his evil work in mankind at the beginning and continues it today, but he will be destroyed and never a threat to anyone again.


At the judgment, the books will be opened. These books contain the recorded deeds of everyone, good or evil. Everyone’s life will be reviewed and evaluated. No one is saved by deeds, but deeds are seen as clear evidence of a person’s actual relationship with God. Jesus will look at how we have handled gifts, opportunities, and responsibilities. God’s gracious gift of salvation does not free us from the requirement of faithful obedience and service. Each of us must serve Christ in the best way we know and live each day knowing the books will be opened.

Next, John saw a great white throne with someone sitting on it. He did not identify the one on the throne. Throughout Revelation, it is God who is pictured as sitting on a throne (for example, Revelation 4:2; 7:10; 19:4). Daniel had a similar vision (Daniel 7:9-10).

With the appearance of this one on the throne, the earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. This is the great and final judgment, the place where the books will be opened, including the Book of Life. As seen in Revelation 3:5, this is the heavenly registry of those who have accepted Christ’s gift of salvation. All people will be judged according to the things written in the books, according to what they had done. No one will be forgotten at this final gathering.

Believers will be judged—not to see if they merit eternal life, for their names will already be in the Book of Life. This will be a judgment for rewards. Believers’ works cannot save them, but their deeds are important to God. The deeds with which believers build their lives do matter (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). Unbelievers also will be judged according to their works, but, of course, no works, no matter how good, will be able to save them.

And death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. And anyone whose name was not found in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. God’s judgment is complete. As Paul said, “The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:26). Isaiah had foreseen this day: “He will swallow up death forever” Isaiah 25:8). The lake of fire is the ultimate destination of everything wicked—Satan, the beast, the false prophet, the demons, death, Hades, and anyone whose name was not written in the book of life. This is the second death. They died the first time physically; this time their death was spiritual. The lake of fire was prepared by God for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Those who refuse to believe in Christ will share the Devil’s judgment.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

Let me make very clear this truth - you must get this; The Bible says, “The dead are judged according to their deeds.” You, as a believer in Christ, you’re not going to be there for this judgment. You know why? You’re not the dead. You’re the alive! God has made you alive in Jesus Christ. When the Bible talks about the dead it’s talking about those who don’t know Him.

Jesus talked about this in John 5:24 “I assure you, those who listen to My message and believe in God who sent Me, have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins. They have already passed from death into life.”

If there are any doubts for you regarding your salvation, You can settle this issue that’s going to be talked about at the Great White Thrown Judgement now or later. Right now you can settle the issue of passing from death into life by saying “Jesus Christ, I want to enjoy Your life for the rest of eternity.”

So believers are not going to be standing in the great long line going up to the Great White Thrown worrying, wondering “Did I really trust Christ? Did I really mean it? Or did I do some bad things in my life,” and you take another step forward and worry some more. You take another step. Billions people in that long line.

You’re not going to be in that line because you’re the alive. You’ve already passed from death into life. And the truth is that’s not only true of us who are believers, it’s true for anyone in our lives that we can help to find Christ. That is the power for me behind sharing the gospel, the good news of Christ. I don’t want anybody I know to be in that line. I don’t want anybody I know to worry about their salvation. I want them to know that their name is already in the book of life, they don’t have to face this judgment at the end of time.

If I depend on what I have done, my works, I'm truly and eternally dead. I’ll be there for this Great White Throne of Judgment. It doesn’t matter how many good works we’ve done, they’re not good enough. They can’t be good enough. Not to be allowed into a perfect heaven with a perfect God. The slate could be clean except for one sin in your whole life and it would be enough to judge you at this Great White Thrown.

But if I depend instead on what He has done, I'm truly and eternally alive and my name is in the book of life because of God’s grace. It’s not something to be proud of, glory in, in myself. It’s something to praise Him for, it’s something to invite other people to. We have passed from death into life.

We don't live our Christian lives afraid of what might happen someday. We live it appreciative of what He’s already done for us. He’s already given you eternal life. The quality does change when you get a new body. No doubt about that! But as a believer we’re already living the eternal life that He’s given us. What great news!

DAY #363: Revelation 18:1-19:21

After reading through chapter 18, we focus on chapter 19 this morning. Chapter 19 is a passage on praise and worship of Jesus Christ.

This passage of scripture is the only place in the New Testament where the word hallelujah is found, and it occurs in verses 1, 3, 4, and 6. The word is derived from a combination of two Hebrew words, halal and Jah, meaning “Praise Yahweh” or “Praise God.” The word can be found in the Old Testament, especially in Psalms 113–118, known as the Hallelujah psalms.

The song in Revelation praises God for his just and true judgments. He is praised for avenging the murders of his people. The punishment of the evil adversaries of God and his people is cause for praise in heaven. God has punished the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and he has avenged the murder of his servants.

The twenty-four elders and the four living beings joined with the vast crowd in praise to God, who was sitting on the throne. They fell down in worship, indicating a position of total humility and subservience to God. They cried out Amen, affirming what God had done.

Later in this passage, the vision shifts again. Heaven opened and Jesus appeared, this time not as a Lamb but as a warrior on a white horse (symbolizing victory). Jesus had come first as a Lamb to be a sacrifice for sin, but he will return as a Conqueror and King to execute judgment (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10). Jesus’ first coming brought forgiveness; his second will bring judgment. The battle lines had been drawn between God and evil, and the world was waiting for the King to ride onto the field.

Although Jesus is called “Faithful and True,” “Word of God”, and “King of kings and Lord of lords”, these verses imply that no name can do him justice. He is greater than any description or expression the human mind can devise.

His eyes were bright like flames of fire. Christ’s many crowns symbolize his ultimate authority. He has a name written on him, and only he knew what it meant. Although many possibilities have been proposed, most likely this is a name that the believers were not meant to know, at least not yet.

The believers who had come out of the Great Tribulation had “washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white” (7:14). Christ himself, when he rides to the earth on the white horse, will be clothed with a robe dipped in blood.

Accompanying Christ are the armies of heaven, referring to all believers who have been taken to heaven (in the Rapture, which will have occurred at some point prior to this although believers are divided as to when this will happen). Here the believers will be returning to earth with Christ as part of his vast army. They will be dressed in pure white linen. Some suggest that this army will be angels because Christ had spoken of returning with his angels (Matthew 24:30-31). Most likely, however, this army will be believers because Revelation 17:14 says that the victory will come through the Lamb “and his people.”

The picture of Christ ruling with an iron rod (or scepter) describes him beating down the nations. This is not a king’s scepter that is merely symbolic of power; instead, it is a club with which he will destroy them. The psalmist had written of the Messiah, “You will break [the nations] with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots” (Psalm 2:9).

Lastly, Christ is pictured as treading the winepress of the fierce wrath of almighty God. The winepress image appeared in 14:19-20; it describes God’s great wrath against those who had rejected him. Here, God’s fierce anger is directed at all of sin personified. At this point, God will totally destroy sin and evil. A winepress is a large vat where grapes are collected and then crushed. It is often used in the Bible to symbolize judgment (Isaiah 63:3-6; Lamentations 1:15; Joel 3:12-13).

Most of the world will be worshiping the beast, the Antichrist, whom they believe has all power and authority. Then suddenly out of heaven Christ and his army will appear. On his robe and thigh (easily seen, for he is on a horse) was written this title: King of kings and Lord of lords. This title indicates God’s sovereignty. It is used elsewhere in Scripture, always indicating God’s absolute sovereignty over all other kings and lords (see 17:14; Deuteronomy 10:17; Daniel 2:47; 1 Timothy 6:15).


The beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to fight against the one sitting on the horse (Christ) and his army (the redeemed). The battle lines had been drawn, and the greatest confrontation in the history of the world was about to begin.

The two armies sat facing each other—the beast and all the kings of the earth versus the rider on the white horse and his redeemed people. Suddenly, the battle was over. There was no fight, for, in a second, the end had come. There was no need for a battle because the victory had been won centuries earlier when the rider on the white horse, Christ, had died on a cross. At that time, Satan had been defeated; here at Armageddon, he is finally stripped of all his power. Satan’s beast (the Antichrist) was captured, along with his false prophet who had deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast.

The beast and the false prophet were captured and thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. This is the final destination of all evil.

With the two leaders captured (the Beast and the false prophet), the army was left to be destroyed. Christ, with the sharp sword of his mouth, kills the entire army of rebellious kings and soldiers in one fell swoop. His sword of judgment falls and destroys everything. The vultures, who had been called ahead of time by the angel, gorged themselves on the dead bodies. With no one left on the planet to bury these dead, they were abandoned to the carrion birds to devour.


SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

Pretty heavy and vivid stuff today. As I contemplate the events that unfold in this passage, I am struck with one singular thought: DECIDE TODAY: Who am I going to live my life for?

Never think that the choices that you make to love Jesus Christ and to serve Jesus Christ go unnoticed. It might in this world but in eternity there is that moment when the doors swing open and the whole world gets to see and glory in what God has done.

This is one of the end time events. This is one of the things God is going to do at the end of time. Remember this week when you make the right choice, the bride is being made a little more beautiful. Even guys can understand what it’s like to have a beautiful bride. One day, our Lord will be seen in the majesty and Glory that is only His.

Until that day, stay faithful. Until that day, persevere. Until that day, do what is right. Love, forgive, show compassion, be merciful, serve. Do not get tired of doing what is right and noble and just.

"So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith." Galatians 6:9-10 (MSG)

DAY #362: Revelation 16:1-17:18

Once again, like so many other passages form Revelation, I'll focus on just one aspect of this passage.

Chapter 16 starts out by telling us that a mighty voice shouted from the Temple. Isaiah had heard a similar voice, “What is that terrible noise from the Temple? It is the voice of the Lord taking vengeance against his enemies” (Isaiah 66:6). This was probably the voice of God commanding the angels,“Go your ways and empty out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth"

The outpouring of these bowls occurred in rapid succession, one right after the other, but the effects of each seem to have lingered. For example, the malignant sores that people get here still affect them during the fifth plague (16:10-11), along with the sunburns they received during the fourth plague.

When the first angel poured out his bowl, everyone broke out in horrible sores. This compares with another of the plagues on Egypt—the plague of boils (Exodus 9:10-11). These sores affected everyone who had the mark of the beast (13:16) and who worshiped his statue (13:14-15). God’s wrath was only upon the unbelievers.

The second angel poured out his bowl. This time the sea became like the blood of a corpse, killing everything in it. During the second trumpet, a third of the water of the sea had become blood, killing a third of the sea creatures (8:8-9). This time, the entire sea turned to blood (see also Exodus 7:20-21).

The third angel poured out his bowl of God’s wrath, and this time the rivers and springs—the inland waters—also turned to blood. During the third trumpet judgment, one-third of the rivers and springs were turned bitter so that they were undrinkable (8:10-11). In this bowl judgment, all the inland waters were affected, leaving people with nothing to drink. Water, a basic necessity for human life, was gone.

After a brief interlude, the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun. This intensified the sun’s heat so that it scorched people with its fire. The fourth trumpet had caused the sun and the moon to stop giving light for portions of the day This fourth bowl was much more serious. This is a picture of a solar explosion that reaches out and scorches the earth with fire.

The people on earth were burned by this blast of heat. They knew that these judgments had come from God, and they cursed him for sending them. But still they refused to recognize God’s authority and repent of their sins. The contrast with those protected is unmistakable: “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. . . . they will be fully protected from the scorching noontime heat”.

The fifth, sixth, and seventh bowls deal with Armageddon. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast. This bowl was directed on the controller of the inhabitants of the earth—the beast, the Antichrist, who had been placed into power by Satan. His “throne” was merely an imitation of God’s great throne in heaven (4:2-11).

When the fifth bowl was poured out, the Antichrist’s kingdom was plunged into darkness. This was not like the partial darkness that had occurred during the fourth trumpet (8:12). This was total and complete darkness—like the plague visited upon Egypt (Exodus 10:23). Some take this “darkness” to refer to the total depravity and evil that comes from the leadership of the Antichrist. Others see it as a scientific phenomenon that after the flaring up of the sun (as described in the fourth bowl), the sun virtually burns itself out and is dark. Whether physical or merely spiritual, this “darkness” caused great anguish among the people of the earth; they were in abject fear of this total physical and / or spiritual darkness. They were also still suffering pains and sores—probably from the boils in the first bowl and the burns of the fourth bowl.

When the sixth angel poured out his bowl, the great Euphrates River was dried up. In comparison, the sixth trumpet also mentions the Euphrates River and describes an invading army of demons (9:14-21). If the Euphrates River dried up, nothing could hold back invading armies. The kings from the east have been identified in many ways. In 16:14, the kings from the east are joined by “the rulers of the world,” drawn together to the battlefield, a coalition that would bring its armies to the final battle against God Almighty and his hosts.



SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

What shall I say? There is only one thing to say - REPENT. Get right with God. Do a 180. Turn from your sin and make peace with God.


Remember when you were a kid and you touched a hot stove. Your parents told you don’t touch the hot stove. But you went ahead and touched it anyway and it burned and you decided not to do that again.

God’s done that for us. It’s a lot of what the scripture is, God saying don’t do this. He cares about us. He doesn’t want us to hurt. These verses are telling us right up to the end men battle against God. We’ve all touched the hot stove of sin, every one of us. We’ve all gotten burned by sin, every one of us. God has offered healing and restoration to every one of us. But there are some, many, who touch that hot stove and it burns. And God says, “Don’t touch that hot stove.”

And they say, “Who are You to tell me what to do? I will too touch the hot stove!” And they touch it again. And it burns again. God says “Don’t! Don’t touch the hot stove.” And they say stubbornly, rebelliously, “I’ll do what I want to do. I’ll run my life the way I want to run it. It’s my life.” And they put their hand on that hot stove and they leave it there. And they say “I am in control! This is my life. Not ‘Thy will be done’ but my will be done. Not Thy kingdom come but My kingdom come.” And the book of Revelation is one of the greatest tragedies in all of human history. God says right up to the end there will be those with their hand on that stove saying stubbornly to God, “My way!”

What does it take? All these tragedies, all these bowls, all this wrath that’s poured out from God on the world. If people don’t listen to that, what does it take?

It takes a cross. That’s what brings people to Christ. Look at the cross. Focus on it. The most significant event in human history is right there – that and the resurrection of Christ. That’s the hinge point of all of human history. What you and I do about that cross changes what happens at the end of time. Either my will be done or Thy will be done. Either wrath or an incredible experience of the grace of God throughout eternity. If you and I aren’t won by the grace of God we won’t be won by anything.

You read through Revelation, chapters 14, 15, and 16 and no doubt there’s some dark chapters here. But don’t miss the incredible hope. These chapters are not about destruction – these seven bowls of wrath – they’re not about blind destruction that come on this world. They’re about certain justice. Two truths to remember. When life is unfair remember God is telling us one day evil will be finished. Without a doubt. God says, It is done. One day evil will certainly be finished. And don’t forget that one day as believers in Christ, we will overcome. Absolutely, certainly without a doubt we will overcome all the injustice, all the unfairness, all the things you look at in this world and think God, why? We’ll understand it all. One day, Revelation 14, the sealed 144,000 are going to stand on Mt. Zion in heaven and praise God for eternity. One day, Revelation 15, the martyrs will be standing in glory, even those who’ve lost their lives for their faith in Christ praising God for all eternity. And one day God’s judgment over evil will be finished, will be done.

Don’t worry about it. You will overcome. Don’t worry about it. Evil will be finished. Don’t worry about it. When life isn’t fair God is. And I can trust Him.
Pray for the Bassard family.

DAY #361: The Hope of Heaven

Good Morning. It's very early. Sometime before 3am. I can't sleep as I think about my friend and ministry partner these past five years - Pastor Dave Bassard. As you will hear in our worship services this morning, our beloved Worship Pastor died last night. The family needs their privacy for now, so please direct any questions you might have to the Pastoral Staff and Elders.

In light of Dave's death, I thought I would share some things that I have been thinking about these past several months. Thoughts about heaven and thoughts about eternity. I pray they will bring encouragement to your heart.

When I say the word “heaven” most of us kind of put that in an “I’ll think about that later” category. In our minds we have three boxes of importance of thinking about things. The first box is Urgent. The second box is Not Urgent. The third box is After I’m Dead. And heaven is in that third box. Because of that we just don’t think about it much.

That is a huge mistake. Because there is no greater truth that the truth of heaven to give you perspective in life today, especially in those times when you face problems and you’re going to make it through. There’s no greater truth than the truth of heaven to give you the strength to make it through the tough times of life this next year. There’s no greater truth than the truth of heaven to help you see the great kind of life that God wants you to live. There’s no greater truth than the truth of heaven to reduce anxieties in everyday life and show you significance of everyday life.

There is a goal and a place called heaven that when you and I look towards it, it can make this next year into something we never dreamed.

The Apostle Paul made a pretty good impact on this world without ever making a New Year’s resolution as far as I know. This is what he had to say about this goal of this place called heaven. Philippians 3:14 “I strain to reach the end of the race and to receive the prize for which God through Christ Jesus is calling us up to heaven.” The Message paraphrase says it this way, “I’ve got my eye on the goal. God is beckoning us onward to Jesus. I am off and running and I’m not turning back. Let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything that God has for us.” Do you want everything God has for you this next year? The joy that God has for you? All the significance in life that God has for you? Do you want the peace that God has for you? Paul says if you want everything that God has for you, focus on this goal, this place called heaven.

So for just a few minutes, instead of saying “I’ll think about it later” just for a few minutes would you focus on this goal and think about what a difference it could make this next year.

Paul pictures it like a race. The Bible often pictures our life like a race. He says heaven is like the ultimate finish line of life. What if I said, “I want you to run a race. I want you to run it well. I want you to do your best to win that race. I’m not going to tell you where the finish line is.” That would be pretty difficult. Yet that’s the way a lot of us try to run the race of life. We don’t really know where the finish line is. If you don’t know where the finish line is you either run a frantic race or a frustrated race.

If you run a frantic race you get up every morning. You run as hard as you can as fast as you can because maybe the finish line is that day. You just don’t know. Some of you ran your life this way this last year. You’re just worn out. You think, “I don’t know if I can do that again this next year.” You don’t have to. You don’t have to live life that way. That’s what the ultimate finish line of life in heaven does for us. It gives us something to look forward to.

Some of you may have lived a frustrated life this last year. You may have run your race like we would if we didn’t know where the finish line was. You just sit down and say, “Since I don’t know where it is, I’ll just wait until somebody shows me.” God shows us. He tells us here’s this ultimate finish line, this hope of heaven that you and I have to look forward to. We need finish lines. And the hope of heaven is the ultimate finish line.

Folks, heaven is an incredibly vibrant place. The Bible tells us that heaven is a material place. It is a lot more like earth that you and I imagine and a lot less like earth than you and I imagine. It’s a material place the Bible says. The Bible says that there’s going to be a new heaven and a new earth. That everything we’ve experienced here is just multiplied there. It’s perfect there.

Can you imagine, if you’re a surfer, riding a perfect wave every single time? That’s what heaven will be like. If you love nature, can you imagine a perfect sunset, a perfect waterfall? Can you imagine perfect relationships for every single relationship? That is the joy of heaven that we look forward to.

Heaven is the home that we all long for. The Bible often talks about heaven as being this home that we look forward to. Hebrews 11:16 says, “They were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland.” And Philippians 3:20 - it says, “But our homeland is in heaven.” That’s our ultimate home.


Psalm 16:11 says, “You have made known to me the path of life. You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” A place of eternal pleasure, eternal joy. One of the ways that you and I make it through the realities of this life, the suffering and the struggles of this life, even the evil that we have to face in this world is to realize this isn’t all there is. This isn’t the best that it can be. I look forward to something better.

We watch a bunch of middle aged men, smelly from fishing, sitting around a campfire on a commercial on TV clicking their beer glasses together saying, “It doesn’t get any better than this.” I hope it does! I hope it get better than that! It does! It does get better than this.

Sometimes you need to grab on to that truth and recognize this isn’t all there is. Sometimes that’s the only thing that makes what we’re going through in this world make sense. It does get better than this. This is not the end of the road. There is an eternity that we look forward to.

Some of you next year, just a practical thing that you can do, take a little card and write that on it - “It does get better than this”. Stick it in your pocket so you can pull it out when you need it. If you’re stuck in a traffic jam 680 or 580, pull it out – “It does get better than this.” You’re smiling and everybody around you wonders why. But you have a different thought. Or you’re in a line at the airport – “It does get better than this.” Or maybe you get some news from the doctor and you’re hoping for good news but it’s not. It’s bad news. There are going to be moments in our lives this next year when we need to remind ourselves “It gets better than this.”

This is not the end of the story. There is a day that we look forward to, a goal that we look forward to and a place called heaven.

You take your best day this next year, the day when all the cars part for you like the waters of the Red Sea and you just drive right through. And when everything in your schedule goes perfectly and you got done more than you ever thought you’d get done. Your relationships are just exactly like you’d want them to be. That day, you pull out the same card and remember. “It gets better than this.” The best day that you’ll ever have on this earth and it’s multiplied joy beyond that in heaven. Even on our best days, there is something in all of us that knows this isn’t all there is. There’s a longing for something more. There’s a waiting to be home.

I love what the preacher Vance Haffner said in his old age about longing for heaven. He wrote, “I’m homesick for heaven. It’s the hope of dying that’s kept me alive for this long.”

I wish I had more time to write, but I'm sure you're wondering when I'm going to land this plane. Let it suffice to be said that heaven is a glorious place, a joyous place. But, one last thing that is on my heart - there's a problem for many people we rub shoulders with. They are unprepared for heaven,

Philip Yancey writes, “A strange fact about modern American life is that although 81% of us believe in the afterlife according to George Gallup, no one talks much about it. Christians believe that we will spend eternity in a splendid place called heaven. Isn’t it a little bizarre to simply ignore that truth and act as if it doesn’t matter.” It does matter. Heaven matters in every day life.

It caused C. S. Lewis to write “If you read history, you’ll find that the Christians who did most for the present world were those who thought the most of the next world.”


Folks, if you have any doubt at all, if you’re wondering at all if you’re going to make it to heaven, if it’s a case of worry for you - if you hate talking to your children about heaven. If the thought of them asking a question about heaven terrifies you, you know you’re facing this anxiety in your life. You feel unsettled about the truth of heaven. There’s a couple of good reasons that we may feel unsettled.

Sometimes we feel unsettled because to us it seems so unclear. How do you know who gets in? How do you I know how you get in? Don’t you have to wait until you die and get all the books settled and figure it all out?

God sent Jesus Christ to this earth to give us the message. He sent Him to give us the message that it does not have to be unclear. We don’t have to be unsure about the hope of heaven. 1 John 5:11-12 “This is what God told us. God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life. But whoever does not have the Son of God, does not have life.” It couldn’t be more clear than that. Jesus came to say, “I want to show you the way to heaven, to eternal life. I’m the way to eternal life.” God knows that some of us don’t like to ask for directions. So He came to us. Before we even asked He said, “Here is the way to get to heaven. It’s through Me. It’s through Jesus Christ.”

Some of us have this picture in our mind of waiting in this long line that snakes up to the pearly gates of heaven and we just step one step at a time up to Saint Peter who has this book. In this book is all the good things we’ve done, all the bad things we’ve done. If we’ve done more good than bad, if it balances out right he’s going to say, Come on in. Each step we take we’re sweating more and more, hoping that somehow we make it in.

But we’ve got the wrong picture. Because heaven is a perfect place. Because it’s perfect even one imperfection will keep you out. It does keep us out. If you have even one bad thought, one wrong action, one sin in your life your entire life that’s enough to keep you out of heaven. It’s not a matter of balancing the books. Someone needed to wipe the slate clean for you to let us in.

That’s what Jesus did. That’s why Jesus came to this earth. That’s why He died on the cross. To wipe your slate clean. To offer you forgiveness. That’s why He’s the way. So the idea of the long line? You don’t have to stand in that line. Jesus gives you a fast pass out of that line. A different way in. You can know for sure, based on what He’s done. Heaven is a gift of God’s grace.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “I mean that you have been saved by grace through believing. You did not save yourselves, it is a gift from God. It is not the result of your own efforts, so you cannot brag about it.” It’s not based on what I’ve done. The more we base our thoughts on whether we’ll get into heaven or on what we’ve done the less sure we’ll be. The more we recognize it’s what Jesus did, the more security we’ll have.

If there were any gift I could give you, as we begin a New Year, it would be this - the gift of being sure that you’re going to heaven. If you’ve never trusted Christ with your life what better way to start the New Year than say to Him, “I want to trust You as the way to heaven.” If you have trusted Him but you’re still struggling with doubt because you’re basing it on what you’ve done, what better way to start the New Year than to say, “God, I’m going to trust Your promise. Not my feeling, not my thoughts. I’m going to trust Your promise today that I can be sure I’m going to heaven.” Would you like to know for sure that you’re going to heaven, have no doubt about it? You can. Based on God’s promises.

For those of you who are sure about your etenal destination, let me ask you this - who's going to heaven beacuase of you?

Many of you remember the moving final scene of the Steven Spielberg’s movie Schindler’s List where Oscar Schindler, the Polish businessman who used a portion of his fortune to put the names of Jews on a work list that would keep them from going to concentration camps. Faces, - those who escaped certain death because of his action – as he looks into their faces he has a moment of clarity. He sees things as he’s never seen them before and he’s talking to his friend, and says, “If only there could have been more. If only I could have done more.” His friend says, “There are 1100 people here. There are generations here because of what you have done.” But Schindler says, “It could have been more. That car – I could have sold it and it would have meant ten more people. Ten more people on that list. Ten more lives saved.” He ripped the swastika pin from his lapel and says, “This pin! It’s gold! That’s two people. At least one person this pin could have been.” He had a moment of clarity when he realized the difference between what we value on this earth and what is valuable in eternity.

I would pray for me and I would pray for you that this coming year, we would focus all our energies on helping people get to heaven.

In the coming days and weeks, pray daily for Cathy as she grieves the passing of her beloved. Pray for the Bassard children and grand children. Pray for them to live for the Lord and follow the Lord.

I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course.
Pastor Mike

DAY #360: Revelation 14:1 - 15:8

The message is proclaimed to everyone—every nation, tribe, language, and people; therefore, no one can have the excuse that they did not know the gospel message. As Paul said in Romans, “They have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God” (Romans 1:20). This is a key theme of Revelation—whenever there has been a time of judgment, there has been a preceding time of warning, when people are given the opportunity to repent. However, those who refuse want nothing to do with God; their punishment is justified.

A second angel followed the first angel, shouting that Babylon is fallen (Isaiah 21:9; Jeremiah 51:8). In the Old Testament, Babylon was the name of both an evil city and an immoral empire—a world center for idol worship. Outside that city, Nebuchadnezzar had built a great statue to himself and had required everyone to worship it (Daniel 3:1-6; compare Revelation 13:14-15). King Nebuchadnezzar had reached the apex of power and pride, only to find himself judged by God (Daniel 4:28-33). The Babylonians had ransacked Jerusalem and had taken many of the people of Judah into captivity (2 Kings 24 and 2 Chronicles 36). Just as Babylon had been Judah’s worst enemy, the Roman Empire was the worst enemy of the early Christians. John, who probably did not dare speak openly against Rome, was applying the name “Babylon” to this enemy of God’s people (Rome)—and, by extension, to all of God’s enemies of all times. “Babylon” is the name given to the civilization that was seduced by the beast. This world system is filled with idolatry, corruption, and sexual sin, a wellspring of ungodly religion, government, and economics.

The angel’s words here are a prediction: the actual fall of the city would not occur until the judgment of the last bowl. God would judge this evil power because she seduced the nations of the world and made them drink the wine of her passionate immorality (see also 17:2). This draws from the prophecy of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 51:7). This pictures the godlessness and sinfulness of those who have been lured away from God into a world system that fulfills their lusts and passions but ultimately destroys them. Ultimately, God will destroy this evil and judge the people.


SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

What a way to start our final week of the year - the day after Christmas - God's unyielding judgment against the world and against sin and against rebellion. What do we take away from this passage? Time is short and it grows shorter by the day. We must wake up. We must get on with it. We must see heaven and hell. We must see the destination that awaits those who reject Christ. I saw some nephews yesterday I hadn't seen for a few years. I know it was awkward and I know I probably put them on the spot, but who know when I would see them again - who knows when I would have another opportunity to share with them? So, I took the chance to talk with them about spiritual things.

Ephesians 5:15-16 reminds that time is short and to use our time wisely. My prayer for you today is that you would do just that with the family and friends and co-workers and neighbors in your world and life.

DAY #359: Christmas 2009

Today, I'm posting my message that I preached last night at our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. It's the message of the Prodigal Son. Not your typical Christmas message I know. The reason I wanted to preach about the prodigal son at Christmas is two fold;

1)The Prodigals story is my story, and my guess is it is probably many of your’s as well. God has taken so many of us who have blown it big time and redeemed us – restored us. I want to look at his story again to remember where it is He saved from and to remember our primary job as Christians is to help others discover His love, His redemptive power, His restoration for themselves.

2) At the core of the story – is the truth that you can always come home. It is never to late to come home to God’s love.The word “home” is a very powerful word. I was reminded of its power this week as thought back to one of the last times that Sharon , the kids and I went to visit my mom. My mom was living in a care facility because of her progressive battle with Alzheimer's.

We talked about Christmas -we sang Christmas songs, and throughout the day, I was reminded vividly on that day that the next time my mom would really get to celebrate Christmas would be in her new home in heaven. I miss my mom and all the wonderful memories we had. But there is a profound sense of peace – knowing that we will celebrate again together in heaven – our real home!

Let’s read the story of the prodigal son. Read Luke 15:11-32

Jesus tells this story and in doing so He’s trying to paint a picture of the character of God. Two things about God’s character that I think it’s important for us to understand as we talk about coming home to God.

1. God is patient enough to not give up.

This story tells us that God is patient enough to not give up. It breaks my heart to hear people say, “I’m so messed up! God doesn’t want to have anything to do with me. You don’t know how many times I’ve walked away from God. So many times I can’t even count. God is done with me.”

God is never done with you – even if you think you’re done with God. He will never give up on you. That is hard for us to grasp, because we give up on people, and we in our puny little brains think well, God must be the same way. Wrong!


Luke 15: 20, we just read this – but here it is again - “…While he (the son) was still a long way off, his father saw him…” What is the picture of God’s character here? He is waiting – patiently for our return to Him. As a father, I pray it never happens – that any of our kids walk away from the Lord or that there ever is a break in our relationship. But, I know it can happen. I’ve seen it countless times. As a father, I guarantee there would not be a day that goes by that I wouldn’t be hoping, waiting, praying that this would be the day my child return. That’s what is happening here. The father saw him, because he was looking for him scanning the horizon – praying – Lord turn my sons heart toward home.

The Bible says this in 2 Peter 3 “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Underline “everyone”. He wants everyone to come to repentance. What does “repentance” mean? Repentance is kind of a churchy, theological word that simply means this: Turn around. Do a 180. Come home. He is patient. He wants everybody to come home.

Do you remember the movie Forest Gump? At the end of the movie Forest takes Forest Jr to the first day of school to the bus stop. He watches his son get on the bus. The best words in the whole movie were “I’ll be here when you get back.”

Some of us today need to see God in that light. You’re in a distant land or you’ve disconnected and you need to see God, that He’ll be there. He’s waiting patiently. Some of you aren’t runaways but you’ve jumped on a short bus ride called Disconnect. He’s not going to give up on you.

2. The other thing we learn about this story that Jesus told is that God is passionate enough to show extreme love.

This story is probably my most favorite story of all the Bible. And my favorite verse in my favorite story is verse 20 “The father saw him a long way away and he ran to his son.” Underline the phrase “he ran”. It’s the only time in the Bible where God is pictured as running. What makes this even more interesting is that in this culture, during this day, men wore robes. So running in a robe, like a long dress, is difficult… from what I’ve been told. For him to pull that robe up and run with his bare legs showing in that culture was unheard of. It would be like a dad today running down the street in his underwear or something like that. It was just unheard of. But this was extreme love. This dad didn’t care. (Much like you who are dads who wear colored socks with short pants and loafers. You don’t care what other people think of you! Or you don’t have somebody in your life who loves you enough to tell you how stupid you look!)

Why did he run? Because he was passionate enough to go to extremes to say to his son he loved him regardless of his past. Then it says in verse 20 he threw his arms around him and he kissed him. This is extreme love. He just came out of a pigpen. He throws his arms around him and kisses him.

And notice there is no lecture. He doesn’t say anything about the boy’s past. And in the absence of words he says a lot. In the absence of words he says everything. God communicates in silence. Those of you waiting for God to talk to you before you change, that he’s going to talk to you verbally or He’s going to match up some clouds for you or double your bank account and that type of thing. God speaks in silence. One of the things that I’ve learned is I never have to question whether God loves me or not. In not saying anything, He says everything.

In my moms final weeks of life, she had a hard time talking. Most of the time, she doesn’t recognize me. But there were times she would remember – and her whole body is in her face, she’s trying to communicate, and she can’t. Her lips began to quiver and then tears would come. As she began to cry - I know enough about my mom. We had a great relationship when I was growing up. I love my mom very much and I know she loves me. Those tears communicate, “Michael Patrick Pedlowe, if I could jump out of this decaying body every neuron in my soul wants to hug you and love you and tell you I’m proud of you.” I don’t need the words to know what’s going on. Extreme love – that’s the kind of love that God has for us!

Let’s get to the SO WHAT? What does this mean to me? How can I come home?
Since it was Jesus’ story about how to come home let’s just follow the steps of the son.

#1. Come to your senses.

Verse 17 “When he came to his senses.” My father’s hired help eats better than me and has a better life than me. He came to his senses. In the New Century version it says, “When he realized what he was doing.” This first point is the wake up call. For some of us it’s the “Ah-ahh! That’s what I need to do.” Sometimes it’s surrounded by pain and it’s not the “Ah-ahh!” it’s the “Oh, no!” A wake up call.

As I was preparing the message this week – it was painful. You see, I love to preach – it is what God created me to do. But many times it is painful, because I’ve got to work the message out in my own life first. So, I did that again for this message.

I started thinking about the lost son – the prodigal and I thought, I’m not this runaway. I’m not out there in this distant land. I don’t go to Vegas and blow my money and live an immoral lifestyle. But I am an occasional drifter. I know as a pastor I’m supposed to be a professional Christian. And I love God. Don’t question that. But I drift occasionally. I don’t consciously wake up in the morning and say, “Ok, today I’m going to drift.” But there are times when I just don’t pay attention to God. And I allow my soul to starve. It just happens. There are times when my times with God go unattended. And my spiritual life goes shallow.

Then God gets a hold of me somehow – through a worship song, through the tenderness of my wife, through one of my children and boom it’s lie Pedlowe get you head in the game – snap out of it man.

Romans 13:11 says “Another reason for right living, for coming to your senses, is you know how late it is. Time is running out. Wake up. Don’t miss out on that closeness you can have with God.” You can come home and be intimate with Him.

The second thing the prodigal did that we need to do…
2. Come clean about your sin!

The prodigal says, “I’m going to say ‘Father, I have sinned.’” That’s coming clean. This is where you expose to God your sin and ask for forgiveness that you know He’ll give. You admit who you are and what you have done.

It saddens me that I meet a lot of people that are more concerned with getting caught than getting help. Come clean. The Bible is so clear about this. Proverbs 20:8 “People who cover over their sins will not prosper. But if they confess and forsake them they will receive mercy.”


The third thing the prodigal did that we need to do…
3. Come home to God’s Love!

Verse 18 “I’ll set out and go back to my father.” You have to move – get off dead center. Remember “He’s waiting for everyone to come to repentance” means to turn around and come home.

Runaways can always come home. When you do just imagine God’s presence, His joy, His face. Ephesians 3:12 says, “Because of Christ and our faith in Him we can now come fearlessly into God’s presence assured of His glad welcome.” Underline the phrase “glad welcome”. You can be assured that God’s saying, “Welcome back! I’ve been waiting for you. Welcome home!”

The natural result of these three steps is the fourth one.
4. Come celebrate a fresh start!
Celebration is the result of being connected with God. When I am connected with God, it gives birth to an attitude of celebration. I live in the real world with you. I understand pain. But what I’m talking about is the celebration that rises above your circumstances. It’s a joy that is deeper than just your normal happiness. When any one of us comes to our senses, comes clean, comes home – we need to celebrate.

This coming home that Jesus referred to in His story ends with a celebration. It ends with a celebration. Verse 22-24 “But the father said to his servants quick, ‘Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fatted calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of my was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”

I want to close by reading you a little story that comes out of readers digest It’s a story about the game that all of us know called Hide and Seek. We’ve all played it.

“ Hide and Seek – what a great game. I loved it as a kid. Did you ever have a kid in your neighborhood who always hid so good that nobody could find him? We did. After a while we’d give up on him and go off leaving him to rot wherever he was. Sooner or later he’d show up all mad because we didn’t keep looking for him. He’d say, “It’s Hide and Seek, not Hide and Give up!” We’d all yell about who made the rules and who cared for who anyway and how we wouldn’t play with him any more if he didn’t get it straight and who needed him anyhow and things like that. Hide and Seek and Yell.

Now, as an adult, I write this, and the neighborhood game goes on. There’s a kid under a pile of leaves in my yard just below my window. He’s been there a long time now and everybody else is found and they’re about to give up on him. I considered telling them where he’s hiding. Then I thought about sitting the leaves on fire to drive him out. Finally I just yelled out my window “Get found kid!” I scared him so bad, I think he wet his pants, but either way, he started crying and ran home to tell his mother. It’s hard to know how to be helpful sometimes.

I think adults play hide and seek – just not for fun. Most of us probably don’t even know we are playing it. A man I know found out last year that he had terminal cancer. He was a doctor and he knew about dying and he didn’t want to make his family and friends suffer through that with him so he kept it a secret and he died. His family and friends were angry that he didn’t need them, didn’t trust their strength and he didn’t say good-bye. He hid too well. Getting found would have kept him in the game. Hide and Seek grown up style. Wanting to hide. Needing to be sought, confused about being found.

Come in from the game – come to your senses, come clean – admit who you are and what you have done, come home and watch the celebration that happens.

Merry Christmas. I love you guys.
Pastor Mike

DAY #358: Revelation 12:1-13:18

The woman here in chapter 12 represents much more than a woman. Pictured as a superhuman figure, she was clothed with the sun and had the moon under her feet. She was also wearing a victor’s crown, a crown of twelve stars.

This woman represents the faithful people in Israel who had been waiting for the Messiah who would be born from among them (Isaiah 9:6-7; Micah 5:2). They had recognized and had accepted the Messiah when he had come. Later in the chapter, this woman will represent all believers—Jews and Gentiles.

God had set apart the Jews for himself (Romans 9:4-5), and that nation had given birth to the Messiah, who would “rule all nations with an iron rod.". In this part of the vision, John saw that this woman, Israel, was pregnant and awaiting delivery of the Messiah. When Mary gave birth to a tiny baby in Bethlehem, the entire universe took notice, for this event held cosmic significance.
This picture also symbolizes the nation of Israel agonizing for centuries as it awaited the coming Messiah, the deliverer, who would destroy evil and usher in God’s eternal Kingdom.

John also saw a large red dragon, who was Satan. Satan was originally created for God’s glory. But Satan arrogantly rebelled against God because he desired to be like God instead of giving glory to God (1 Timothy 3:6; Jude 6). After Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden, God had promised to destroy Satan and his demons and reestablish his own Kingdom. Speaking to the serpent, God had said, “You and the woman will be enemies, and your offspring and her offspring will be enemies. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15).

The offspring who ultimately crushes Satan’s head is God’s promised Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus demonstrated his power over Satan through his miracles and exorcisms (Matthew 12:28-29).

Although a great battle had been won, the war was not over. Since Eden, Satan has been the avowed enemy of God and his people, as pictured in John’s vision. In the end, Satan will fight against God’s people and will wage a final war against God. At that time, Satan will be decisively defeated.

This dragon is pictured as having seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. These are not supernatural, heavenly crowns, as the crown of twelve stars on the woman’s head; instead, these heads and crowns symbolize nations over which Satan has control. Throughout Revelation, the number seven signifies completeness, so the seven heads and seven crowns could picture the totality of Satan’s control over the earth. The dragon has authority only in this world. The “ten horns” allude to Daniel 7:7 and 24. The ten horns, or ten kings, are also mentioned in Revelation 17:12.

The huge statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s vision also had ten toes (Daniel 2:41-42). It is unclear whether these ten kings will be actual kings and nations or even the exact number ten, but Revelation 17:12-14 says they will make war against Christ. As the King of kings, Christ will conquer them.

As a shepherd defends his flock, so Christ will defend his church against those who attempt to destroy it. The iron rod pictures Jesus as the ultimate warrior.

The wilderness represents a place of spiritual refuge and protection from Satan, probably not meant to be literal because this chapter is mostly symbolic. In this place prepared by God, he cared for her for 1,260 days—the same number noted for the trampling of the holy city, the ministry of the two witnesses, and the rule of the beast. God would care for his people during the entire time when evil would be in control in the world. In the wilderness, God’s people would be hounded by the people on the earth (those who would follow the beast), but God would watch over them. Many would be martyred, but God would care for them. The word translated care is literally “nourish.” The woman will be provided with food miraculously, just as Elijah was cared for in the wilderness by God (1 Kings 17:2-4). God also provided manna in the wilderness for his people (Exodus 16:4).

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

Maybe the most asked theological question today is - "Why is there evil in the world?" Revelation 12 gives us the answer.

SATAN IS REAL

He’s not just some unknown personality. He’s a real person. Not just some philosophical idea. He’s a real spiritual being. Evil is more than just a force. It has a face. That face is the face of Satan. Satan is real. Revelation 12, as you read through it, has no less than seven different descriptions of this real being that causes evil to exist in this world.

There’s part of me that doesn’t like to talk about Satan. I would always rather talk about Jesus. Yet the Bible tells us not to be ignorant of his schemes. And because he is real, because he exists, you must also understand he opposes EVERYTHING God does. He opposes everyone who follows God. You must get this.

In John 10:10, Jesus describes the vastly different works of himself and Satan. Jesus tells us in that verse that the thief (Satan) comes to kill, steal and destroy. But Jesus said I have come to give you life and life to the full. Life that is full and meaningful.

In that verse, Jesus tells us about the mindset of Satan. He wants to kill any desire you have for God and living for God. He wants to steal your joy and rob you of God's peace and purpose. He wants to destroy your marriage and family and kids. He wants to wipe you out.

Hence the truth found in 1 Peter 5:8-9 (ESV) "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world."

Today, be aware of how Satan seeks to destroy your life. How he works through temptation and distortion. Fight him. Resist him. Be on your guard. Stand firm. Stand in the gap for those who are weaker in the faith.

DAY #357: Revelation 10:1-11:19

I want to focus on the meaning and message of chapter 10 today. We see John that saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. While this description sounds much like the description of Christ in 1:13-16, most likely, it is not Christ, for he is never called an “angel” anywhere else in Revelation. Also, he would not speak with an oath, as described in 10:6.

This angel is a very powerful, high-ranking angel who has come down from heaven to announce the final judgments on the earth. The cloud usually described the presence of God in the Old Testament (Exodus 13:21; 40:34; 1 Chronicles 5:13-14). The rainbow had been a promise to Noah that God would not destroy the earth again with a flood (Genesis 9:8-17). The angel’s face shone like the sun, much like the face of Christ at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2). The feet like pillars of fire could recall the pillar of fire in the wilderness (Exodus 14:20).

This powerful archangel was carrying a small scroll that he had unrolled. Two scrolls appear in Revelation. The first contains a revelation of judgments against evil and was unrolled by the Lamb (chapters 5 and 6). The contents of the second little scroll are not indicated, but it also may contain a revelation of judgment.
So large and powerful was the angel that he stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land.

Many of John’s readers may have immediately pictured the Colossus of Rhodes, a statue built in Rhodes, an island between Crete and Turkey. The magnificent statue of Apollo, the sun god, was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It stood about 105 feet high—one foot was on the island and the other foot was on the mainland. It was the greatest statue ever built in the ancient world. Ships would sail in the waterway between the statue’s legs. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 227 b.c.

This angel standing on the sea and on the land indicates that his words would affect all creation, not just a limited part, as did the seal and trumpet judgments. The seventh trumpet would usher in the seven bowl judgments, which would bring an end to the present world. When this universal judgment comes, God’s truth would prevail.
10:3-4 The shout of this mighty angel sounded to John like the roar of a lion. When the angel spoke, the seven thunders answered. This is a picture of the awesome sight of God on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:19). This thunderous reply was spoken by God and must have been understandable, for John began to write down what was said. He was stopped from doing so, however, by another voice that told him to keep these words secret (Daniel 12:4).

The angel lifted his right hand to heaven and swore an oath in the name of the one who lives forever and ever—referring to God. This description highlights the truth that God is eternal and controls all of time—what a comfort for persecuted believers. The oath declares that God will wait no longer. With the sounding of the seventh trumpet, God would bring about the end of history—God’s mysterious plan will be fulfilled. “Mystery” is a key word in the New Testament. The word is almost synonymous with the word “revelation.”

In the Bible, the word “mystery” refers to a divine secret. All of time has been pointing forward to this moment. All prophecy will be fulfilled—everything will occur just as God had announced to his servants the prophets. From the very beginning, God had promised that, despite the peoples’ sin, he would one day defeat evil. From the moment Adam sinned, all of history has been pointing toward this blowing of the final trumpet.

The time of final judgment has come. God would stop giving warnings and offers of repentance. All restraint would be removed, and the Antichrist would be revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:3). The forces of God and Satan would meet in final confrontation, as foretold by Daniel (Daniel 12:1).

The voice from heaven told John to go to the magnificent angel and take the unrolled scroll. So John obeyed. When he took it, the angel told him to eat the scroll.
Some think that this scroll is the word of God, but that is probably too general. More likely, the scroll represents the revelations of God as given to John in this book.

Like the prophet Ezekiel, John would eat this scroll that would taste like honey (Psalm 119:103; Jeremiah 15:16) but would make his stomach sour (Ezekiel 2:9–3:3). This could mean that the scroll was full of words of comfort, as well as gloom. Through the command to eat this scroll, God was confirming John’s prophetic role, as he did with Ezekiel. Receiving the word of God can be a pleasant experience, but it often results in the unpleasant task of speaking judgment on evil. Believers know that victory is sure, but they are pained by the difficulties they must endure and by many people’s stubborn refusal to repent.

John took and ate the little scroll, and it did just as the angel had said—tasted sweet but made his stomach sour. Then the angel gave John another command, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings”. John would prophesy about a world that had turned from God. There would be no distinctions among people—the message would be for all. The only distinction left would be those who had the mark of the beast and those who had been sealed by God. The following chapters contain these prophecies.


SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

Three things we must never forget:

1. God desires all to be saved. And God is willing to wait until the last person repents and comes to Him. I don't always have that particular viewpoint in mind when I am around non-believers. I think sometimes they deserve their judgment. But God doesn’t want that to happen. He says in 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise as some count slowness but is patient toward you not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” Sometimes I just need a change of attitude around non-believers. The fact that God desires for all to be saved and is waiting and waiting for the last one.

2. God holds back judgment for the last one to repent. “For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.” If you notice Revelation 11:13 that many people were killed but a number of people repented and gave glory to God. This is probably one of the last moments in history when people will have the opportunity to repent and believe in God. One of the last moments of history before the bowl judgments and before the return of Christ. God waits until the very last minute for the last one to come before the final judgment.

3. I believe this passage is teaching us to keep on witnessing even in the midst of strong opposition. I don’t know where God has placed you but maybe like the witnesses you are finding yourself in a position of opposition. Maybe you’re finding yourself in a very difficult place, maybe a neighborhood, maybe the work situation, maybe it’s on a soccer field. I don’t know where God’s placed you right now. But I believe that God is calling us like the witnesses and like the true church, the true believers of Revelation 11, we are to continue on witnessing.

In Acts 4 Peter is told not to speak any more of this Jesus Christ. The Sanhedrins told him to be quiet. He says I'm going to continue on. Even in the midst of the persecution, God has me here for a purpose. God has me here for a reason and these are the people God wants me to share with.

I am praying for you. I am asking God to make you bold and courageous and obedient. I am asking God to break your heart with the lostness of your family and friends and neighbors and co-workers, so you will see the need to share with them the love of God.

DAY #356: Revelation 8:1-9:21

Much like the seven churches of Revelation in chapters 2 & 3, there is way to much ground to cover in these passages, so I will focus in on one aspect of the passage.

The Lamb broke the seventh seal, which was the last on the scroll. When the seal was opened, there was silence throughout heaven for about half an hour (Habakkuk 2:20; Zechariah 2:13). This is the silence of breathless expectancy, as all of heaven waited for the hand of God to move. When the seventh seal was opened, the seven trumpet judgments were revealed.

Seven angels were given seven trumpets. The trumpet judgments, like the seal judgments, are only partial. God’s final and complete judgment had not yet come. The Lamb had opened the seven seals to set in motion events of judgment, but angels had been given the power to execute the trumpet and bowl judgments.

Throughout the Old Testament, trumpets had a variety of meanings and purposes. Moses was instructed to make two silver trumpets that would call the people together, move the tribes forward on their journey, sound an alarm, or signify the feast days (Numbers 10:3, 5-6, 9-10). The trumpets herald the arrival of the day of God’s wrath.

Then John saw another angel, not one of the seven, who had a gold incense burner and came to the altar. The angel was given a great quantity of incense, which was used to mix with the prayers of God’s people. The angel acted in the role of a priest, presenting the prayers of the saints to God. The incense symbolized the offered prayers, and the angel was merely the agent. The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of the saints, ascended up to God (Exodus 30:7-9). These prayers are most likely prayers for justice and deliverance, as described in 6:10. God brings judgment in response to the prayers of his people. One of the reasons for the trumpet judgments is God’s answer to the prayers of the saints.

The seven trumpet judgments call forth a series of God’s plagues on his enemies. These judgments affected every part of the world. Unlike the bowl judgments described in chapter 16, the first six trumpets were targeted on just a third of the cosmos and were intended to produce repentance (9:20-21).

The trumpet and the bowl judgments symbolically reenacted the plagues of Egypt recorded in Exodus 7–12. The plagues had two purposes:

They were directed against the gods of Egypt. Every plague was directed at a force that the Egyptians thought was on their side because they worshiped that force. For example, the Egyptians worshiped the sun, so God sent a plague of darkness (Exodus 10:21-29); they worshiped the Nile River, so God sent a plague to turn the sacred river to blood (7:14-24). The first purpose of the plagues against Egypt was to prove the powerlessness of the Egyptian gods.

The plagues were oriented to the cycle of nature. The Egyptians worshiped many gods representing the various forces of nature so that nature would feed and take care of them. The second purpose of the plagues was to show the Egyptians that God controlled nature and that Egypt’s gods controlled nothing. In the trumpet and bowl judgments, the world that these people are worshiping will turn against them. Through these judgments, God will once again bring punishment upon those who oppress his people, just as he did in Egypt.

The plagues showed the helplessness of the people of Egypt, who worshiped false gods. In the same way, through these trumpet and bowl judgments, God will show the people of this world their helplessness and hopelessness without him.

The seven angels who had been given the seven trumpets got ready to blow their mighty blasts. The picture is of these mighty angels raising the trumpets to their lips and then awaiting the signal to blow at the appropriate time. The trumpet blasts have three purposes: (1) to warn that judgment is certain, (2) to call the forces of good and evil to battle, and (3) to announce the return of the King, the Messiah.


The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were thrown down upon the earth. This compares to the seventh plague on Egypt when hailstorms killed anything that was outside (people and animals) and destroyed much vegetation (Exodus 9:13-35). Some have suggested that this could refer to volcanic activity; others say that this is a violent storm, with the fire representing lightning and the blood referring to the color of the sky.

The result is that one-third of the earth was set on fire, along with one-third of the trees and all the grass. Since only one-third of the earth was destroyed by these trumpet judgments, this was only a partial judgment from God. His full wrath was yet to be unleashed. The purpose of this judgment, and all other judgments, was to warn people to repent.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

In this great time of judgment, Revelation 9:20-21 tells us how people are going to respond. “The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands. They did not stop worshipping demons, the idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood, idols that cannot see, hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.”

There’s three descriptions given here. They are rebelliously unrepentant. They just won’t repent. Just like in Egypt when God brought the plagues, Pharaoh, with every plague that came, had an opportunity to say yes to God. Every opportunity that came hardened his heart to say no to God. It made things very clear where his heart was. There was no doubt where his heart was. That is exactly what’s happening at the end of time. No doubt where people’s hearts are.

Every tragedy that happens, instead of turning to the God that can save them, they harden their hearts and they’re rebelliously unrepentant, they’re religiously idolatrous, they keep serving idols that can’t talk that can’t do anything. In the light of these things happening, that the God of the universe is causing to happen, they continue to resist Him and reject Him. And they are morally decadent which may be the reason they are rebelliously unrepentant and religiously idolatrous. Sometimes our worship grows more out of what we want to do than what we believe. They’re morally decadent. They keep murdering, they keep steeling, they keep being sexually immoral.

It’s the same as in Egypt. The same story on a worldwide scale. While God’s people are being set free, while our inheritance is being given back to us, which is what the book of Revelation is about, at the same moment those who are not God’s people are hardening their hearts against Him. Those who have their hearts too tied to this world they won’t be able to let go of it in the end. It’s like holding on to the rail of the Titanic while it’s going down. Gripping it as if it’s going to somehow be your salvation. That’s the picture that’s here. And they’re holding on tighter and tighter and tighter. And as the ship falls apart around them, they tighten their grip rather than loosen their grip and look for a life raft. That’s exactly what’s happening.

There’s two things from this we must get:

First of all we want to pray for the salvation of those who don’t know God that they’ll come to know Him that they’ll find in Him the hope that they need. It’s God’s desire that none should perish, God’s desire that all should come to Him. We can pray for that. And those prayers go straight to heaven to be in His presence, a sweet aroma before God.

Secondly there’s a personal application here I think. We’re caught up in this world. We happen to live in a country where we’re not persecuted a lot so it’s pretty easy to get caught up in worldly things. We’re believers in Christ and when the end came we know who we’d be with. We’d be with Him for eternity. But how about right now? As you read, as you hear these stories of what’s going to happen to this world in the end, does it cause worldly things to have a little bit less grip on you? That’s one of the things that should happen in our lives as believers. We start to realize, “I'm not a citizen of this earth.” And, by the way, I don't want to be a citizen of this earth. I want to be a citizen of heaven.

Revelation shows us that this world is a shaky place. But if that’s all you get out of the book of Revelation, you’ve missed the point entirely. That’s only half of the truth, the lesser half. Revelation shows us that this world is a shaky place but right along side of that it shows us that heaven is an unshakable place. Heaven is an eternal place. Heaven is a place of hope and you and I have our future assured with Him. And anybody who comes to Him can have their future assured with Him in eternity. As I realize that it causes worldly things a little bit to loosen their grip. I think that’s what God wants to happen as we read these stories, as we read these truths of what’s going to happen in the end.

DAY #355: Revelation 7:1-17

John saw four angels who were standing at the four corners of the earth (referring to the whole earth, the four points of the compass). The sudden silence and the angels holding back the four winds from blowing upon the earth picture God’s protection from harm; they contrast the peace and security of the believers with the terror of those hiding in the rocks. The winds described here picture harmful winds as agents of God bringing destruction. The four angels hold back the winds so that not a leaf rustled in the trees, and the sea became as smooth as glass.

After the redeemed sang their song, these worshiped God and sang to him seven words of praise because of the salvation he had given to all the redeemed. Jesus said, “There is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents” (Luke 15:10). Imagine the great joy of the angels in heaven when they stand with this countless crowd of believers who had repented of sin and accepted the salvation of the Lamb.

One of the twenty-four elders turned to John and anticipated his question regarding the identity of this great crowd in white robes, “Where do they come from?” These people have come out of the great tribulation. They have persevered, standing true for Christ. Some may have been martyred, but probably not all of them. They have been redeemed, for they have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. It is difficult to imagine how blood could make any cloth white, but the blood of Jesus Christ is the world’s greatest purifier because it removes the stain of sin (Hebrews 9:14). White symbolizes sinless perfection or holiness, which can be given to people only by the death of the sinless Lamb of God on their behalf. This is a picture of how believers are saved through faith.

All who have been faithful through the ages were singing before God’s throne. Their tribulations and sorrows were over: no more tears for sin, for all sins were forgiven; no more tears for suffering, for all suffering was over; no more tears for death, for all believers had been resurrected to die no more.


SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

These are difficult passages to do devotional from. But as I read today, I am comforted by two unchanging truths. (1) - The blood of Christ washes clean all who trust in Him for salvation and forgiveness of sin. Washed clean. How unbelievably comforting is that? Washed clean from by actions, thoughts, words - washed clean and made new. How do you put a price on that? I am so grateful Lord.

(2) There is a day when there will be no more cancer, no more chemo therapy, no more Alzheimer's, no more abuse, no more poverty, no more in justice, no more suffering. Oh Lord, help me and all those who know You, stay faithful to the end. Help us endure and persevere.

In your battle today, whatever it may be - stay the course. Stay faithful.

DAY #354: Revelation 6:1-17

The Lamb, Christ, broke open the first seal and with that came the first of four riders on horseback. One of the four living beings called loudly, “Come!” probably beckoning the rider on the horse. A white horse with a rider holding a bow had a crown placed on his head and he rode out to win many battles.

This is the only rider who didn’t bring catastrophe (the others initiated warfare, famine, and death); this rider went out to gain the victory. There is much debate over who or what this horseman represents. Some have suggested that this rider symbolizes the proclamation of the Good News of Christ. They see the white horse as being “good” and therefore the rider on a good mission. Others believe that the rider on the white horse is Christ himself, for Christ later appears on a white horse.

The fact that this white horse and its rider precede three other horsemen who wreak havoc on the earth, however, suggests that the white horseman must represent the lust for conquest. Specifically, the anti-christ's lust to conquest mankind. The result is warfare, famine, and death. This false rule, this destroyer deceives mankind into thinking he comes to bring peace, but it is a false peace.

At the breaking of the second seal, a rider on a red horse appeared. He was given a mighty sword and was sent out to remove peace from the earth. The picture here is of warfare. Throughout history, conquest has led to warfare and civil war. The rider on the white horse went out to “win many battles,” and in his wake came warfare. The color of this horse, red, symbolizes great bloodshed upon the earth.

Christ broke the third seal and a black horse arrived. This rider was holding a pair of scales for weighing food. The words of the four living beings regarding the amount of food for a day’s pay pictures wartime inflation. First-century readers would have interpreted this amount as twelve to fifteen times what they were used to paying. What a person would earn in a day would buy only enough food to feed that person, no one else, not even his or her family. This then would lead to widespread famine, another devastating result of warfare.

Following on the heels of the red horse of warfare, therefore, comes a black horse, which represents the sorrow and desolation of warfare that leaves people without money or food. The Lamb broke the fourth seal, and the fourth living being called a rider on a pale green horse. The rider’s name was Death. Following close behind was the Grave. The drive for conquest by the anti-christ (white horse), had led to warfare and bloodshed (red horse), which had brought famine and pestilence (black horse), resulting in death and the grave (pale green horse). The color indicates the color of a corpse. The four riders were given power over one-fourth of the earth to kill people with the sword and famine and disease and wild animals.

Death by wild beasts would be expected when millions of people have died through war, famine, and plague. The number of one-fourth of the earth, working from present-day numbers, would mean over a billion people would die in this first wave of judgment were it to happen today. Nothing that cataclysmic has occurred in all of history.

After the four horses have ridden off, the Lamb broke the fifth seal. It reveals an altar in heaven, under which are the souls of all who had been martyred for faithfully proclaiming the word of God. They had been killed for standing up for Christ and for his word. The altar represents the altar of sacrifice in the Temple, where animals would be sacrificed to atone for sins. Instead of the animals’ blood at the base of the altar, John saw the souls of martyrs who had died for preaching the gospel.

These martyrs were told that still more would lose their lives for believing in Christ. In the face of warfare, famine, persecution, and death, Christians need to stand firmly for what they believe. Only those who endure to the end will be rewarded by God (14:12; Mark 13:13).

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND TO THESE EVENTS?? 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 (NIV) says, “Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” So what should my attitude be when it comes to the Second Coming of Christ?

BE READY AND BE ALERT. What’s the opposite of ready and alert? Unprepared and asleep. Let me ask you what describes the condition of your life and heart right now? If Jesus came back today, would you be ready? Have you stepped across the line and received Him as your savior and Lord? Have you committed your life to Him? If you have, then you are ready. For those of you who haven’t made that decision, your are unprepared for what the Bible says is going to to happen.

For those of you, which is most of you, are you alert? Are you tuned in spiritually? Are you dialed into God’s will for your life. Are you living out the purpose He has for your life? OR, have you fallen asleep spiritually speaking? Have you wandered off the path – gone your own way?

Will you say to God this morning - I am yours today, tomorrow and the day after, I am Yours. Draw close to the Lord today. Father, draw folks to COV this morning. May the music and message bring a smile to your face. May you do a work in each of our hearts. Don't let us leave COV this morning the same people who came.