Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Revelation 8
Set – Psalms 111; Revelation 8
Go! – Ezekiel 20-21; Psalms 111; Revelation 8
Revelation 8
1 When the Lamb cracked open the seventh and final seal, a great silence filled all heaven penetrating everything for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw seven heavenly messengers, the ones who stand before God, receive seven trumpets.
3 An eighth messenger came and stood before the altar carrying a golden censer. He received a large portion of incense to complement the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that sits in front of the throne. 4 From the hand of the eighth messenger, the smoke of the incense mixed with the prayers of God’s people and billowed up before God. 5 The messenger filled the censer with fiery coals from the altar and cast it upon the earth, causing a great commotion of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
6 The seven heavenly messengers raised the seven trumpets and prepared to sound them.
7 The first messenger sounded his trumpet, and a blast of hail and fire mixed with blood was cast down to the earth. As a result, one-third of the land was set ablaze, one-third of the trees were burned, and all the green grass was scorched.
8 The second messenger sounded his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, with bright flames of burning fire, was cast into the sea. As a result, one-third of the sea turned into blood, 9 one-third of the living sea creatures died, and one-third of the ships were obliterated.
10-11 The third messenger sounded his trumpet, and a great star called Wormwood dropped out of heaven, flaming like a torch as it fell on one-third of the rivers and the springs. As a result, one-third of the waters turned bitter like the herb wormwood so that many people died from the poisonous bitter waters.
12 The fourth messenger sounded his trumpet, and one-third of the sun, one-third of the moon, and one-third of the stars were darkened. As a result, one-third of their light flickered and failed. For one-third of the day, the sun did not shine; and likewise for one-third of the night, the moon and stars did not give their light.
13 Then I saw an eagle flying through midheaven, and I heard it cry with a loud voice.
Eagle: Woe, woe, woe—horror, disaster, and calamity—to the earth dwellers! The rest of the trumpet blasts from the last three messengers are about to sound.
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
Pray that you will not be around when the final days arrive. These words describe a small piece of what happens as seen from My throneroom. It does not describe the devastation that people left behind will feel as the fury of My wrath touches the earth. I’m not sure you can really grasp what it would feel like to see a third of the earth destroyed or a third of the water animals die in a single blow or a third of the light from the sun and moon suddenly disappear in a flash.
That’s what will happen in that fateful time. I will begin to pour out My wrath on a sin-scarred world that continues to disavow My presence and power. So I will show those who remain the justice side of holiness. Because I am holy, I will not allow sin into My presence. Only those washed in the blood of My Son’s forgiveness can approach Me. At the time of My Son’s coming into your world again, it will start the outpouring of My punishment for the evil made resident by those who failed to bow to Me.
That day hasn’t come, yet. You still have time choose Me over the evil of the world. You still have time to give yourself to Me, put away your selfish desires, and follow My commands. You don’t have to suffer the destruction that is coming. You can live with Me throughout eternity if you choose. But you must make the choice before I come again. Before it’s too late. When I come again, the sides will have been decided by each individuals choice in this life.
My desire for humankind, My highest creation, is that each individual rebukes the pull of Satan’s selfish ambitions. My desire is that each person recognizes that I have already decided the fate of that father of lies and all who follow him are already doomed. My desire is that all come to repentance and know Me through the salvation provided by My sacrifice on the cross in My human death. My desire is that each one comes to understand the hope of eternity with Me through My resurrection on that first Easter morning.
I will not hold back My wrath much longer. The end of time is as sure as the constant march of the sunrise and sunset. But I will come again. You’ve heard the description of what it will be like if you choose the wrong path. Don’t be among those. Choose My side instead.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.