Tag Archives: Revelation

Permanent vacation?, April 23, 2018

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Bible Reading Plan – www.Bible-Reading.com; The Story, Chapter 31; You Version Bible app Engaging God’s Story Reading Plan Days 204 through 210

Who doesn’t like vacations, right? Maybe your favorite place is sitting in a boat drowning worms to catch the biggest wide-mouth bass in the lake. Maybe you like to stand knee deep in that cold mountain stream with your favorite fly fishing gear. Maybe you just like to lay on the beach and listen to the waves crash against the sand and enjoy the warmth of the sun on your skin. Maybe you like to get to the mountains when the snow settles on the peaks and test your skills on those thin strips of fiberglass under your feet as you speed down the slopes between the trees. Perhaps your favorite vacation is just getting away from the telephone and email and curling up with a good book knowing you don’t have to face the boss or the constant stream of customers for the next few days.

Whatever your favorite vacation, most of them are for the same reasons. We want to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and live for just a little while in something of a paradise. We ponder what Eden must have been like and our mind and body push away from this polluted, entangled world and we experience that beautiful, peaceful, stress free time away from the norm of everyday existence we call a vacation.

The problem for us, vacation ends and we come back to that same old life. Bills to pay. Co-workers and customers we would like to avoid. The same health issues we ignored for just a moment while we enjoyed our vacation. The neighbor that moved in and you wish they hadn’t. That blissful time ends and we go back to life before vacation. And knowing the vacation is ending always makes vacation dim just a little, no matter how bright it is while we’re there. We always have that little snag in the back of our brain that says this Eden just won’t last, bud. It will all be over soon and you’ll be back in the same old grind. Enjoy it while you can.

But this week we read John’s Revelation on the Isle of Patmos. The risen Lord came to visit and remind John and us that he would return to take us home to live with him forever. John sees a lot of things in his time with the angels and Jesus on Patmos that we don’t understand. He didn’t understand it. Jesus told him to write down everything he saw and was told. And he said everyone who read it would be blessed. Not everyone who understood it would be blessed. And that’s a good thing because I don’t know anyone who fully understands John’s Revelation.

Once we stand in front of Jesus at the end of time, we will look back at each verse and we will say, “Oh, yeah! That’s what that means.” But until then, the book is clouded in mysticism and symbolism and vague references that we just can’t understand because we are not meant to know the time or the day of his coming. We are just to be ready for it. But the revelation also gives us some clues about that last movement of God’s word. Remember, we started in Genesis with God enjoying a face to face relationship with Adam and Eve. He walked in the Garden of Eden with his highest creation and talked with them. There was an intimacy in their relationship that was lost when Adam and Eve decided they knew better than God and launched out on their own path, disobeying his command to avoid that tree in the middle of the garden.

We saw in the second movement of God’s word how he raised a nation from Abraham to show us how to maintain relationships with each other in community and with him in worship. Israel is that nation. But they failed in the mission God gave Abraham to spread the news of that relationship and showing the other nations how to embrace him in as God.

So he came to earth in human flesh. God incarnate. Jesus. The third movement. The cross. He came to show us grace and truth in perfect harmony. He demonstrated through his perfect son, Jesus, how to live in harmony with the Father. He taught us to worship. He taught us to prayer. He gave himself as the perfect sacrifice so we can have life in him.

The fourth movement began in an upper room in Jerusalem at Pentecost. God returned in the form of his holy spirit to live not just among us, but in us. The movement of the church began. Those 120 who gathered in that upper room reached out to complete the task Jesus gave them as he ascended into heaven. Go. Make disciple. Teach them everything I taught you. Baptize them in names of the Father, Son, and Spirit.

We still live  in the movement of the church. We still have the same task Jesus gave those gathered around him on that day he was seen rising in the clouds. We still have the command to Go. Make disciples. Teach what we have been taught about him. Baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit. The task hasn’t changed. We’re still in the church movement expected to use the power of his spirit to do the work he told us to do.

But there is a final movement in God’s word. That revelation that is so hard to understand…except for the end of the story. Those last two chapters are pretty clear. We might not know what the new heaven and new earth will look like. We might not understand how a new Jerusalem can appear. We might not be able to comprehend how all of this golden streets and gates of pearl and unfathomable beauty can take place. But we can all agree that whatever John saw when he got a glimpse of heaven was beyond description.

There is coming a time and everyone who listens to God’s spirit knows the time, whether individually or collectively, is not far away, when we will be ushered into his presence. Those who believe in him will spend eternity in a place more beautiful that the most wonderful place you have ever been or imagined. We will live in a land without pain or sorrow or misery or evil or anger or any of those negative things that plague us on this side of the grave.

Everyone who believes in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins knows from those last two chapters in John that Jesus is coming back to sweep us away. Paul tells us it will be in the blink of an eye. He will suddenly appear. Time will be no more. It will all be over. We will be with him forever. How fast do you blink? That’s the speed in which his coming will happen. Will you have time to make things right when he comes? In the blink of an eye? Maybe a little preparation is in order.  

You can find me at richardagee.com. I also invite you to join us at San Antonio First Church of the Nazarene on West Avenue in San Antonio to hear more about The Story and our part in it. You can find out more about my church at SAF.church. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed it, tell a friend. If you didn’t, send me an email and let me know how better to reach out to those around you. Until next week, may God richly bless you as you venture into His story each day.

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.

Amen (Revelation 3:14), June 14, 2017

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  1. Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
  2. God, the faithful and true witness, the Amen.
  3. Scripture
    1. Revelation 3:14
    2. To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.

  1. Devotional
    1. God, the Amen, the faithful and true witness.
    2. The word amen (“So be it; truly”) is a declaration of affirmation found in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. It is found in Jewish, Christian, and some Muslim worship as a concluding word or response to prayers. Common English translations of the word amen include “verily” and “truly”. It can also be used colloquially to express strong agreement, as in, for instance, amen to that.
    3. Go anywhere that is even slightly religious and you’ll hear the word. AMEN.
      1. Not limited to Jews or Christians
      2. Almost every religion around the world uses the term or something akin to it.
      3. A declaration of affirmation of something someone has said or done
      4. Agreement to words spoken or actions taken
      5. God calls Himself the Amen
    4. We see the word 30 times in the Old Testament; 52 times in the New Testament
    5. Jesus uses the word in a way no one else does
      1. Jesus uses amen before He speaks affirming what He is about to say, not what someone else has said
      2. Only time it’s used this way in all of scripture. Every other time amen is used initially, it is used to affirm someone else’s words
      3. Some translations render it, truly I say; in truth I say; verily I say
      4. He affirms His own statements, a huge faux pas in Jewish culture unless you are God because then who can test you or fault you
      5. He affirms His statements because He can, He is the Amen
    6. We hear the word a lot in our churches, to end prayers, after supplications, even in what some might call the “amen corner” of the congregation
      1. Do we then go out and live what we have just affirmed, though
      2. When we use the word amen and affirm the words spoken and declare with the speaker, “So be it,” do we follow with our action or just mouth the words and let that suffice?
      3. God is the Amen, the faithful and true witness
      4. What He says, He will do
      5. His “So be it!” means something. We can count on Him to carry out His promises
    7. Today, you might have an occasion to speak that commonly used word, Amen. God called Himself the Amen. When you use that word, remember you in essence take a vow before Him that you will take action affirming the words just spoken. Worship the Amen today, the faithful and true witness.
  2. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

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.

Alpha (Revelation 22:13), June 13, 2017

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  1. Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
  2. Alpha, the name that puts God first in everything.
  3. Scripture
    1. Revelation 22:13
    2. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
  4. Devotional
    1. God calls himself the Alpha and Omega
    2. Wikipedia information
      1. Alpha (uppercase Α, lowercase α; Greek: Άλφα Álpha) is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 1.
      2. It was derived from the Phoenician and Hebrew letter aleph – an ox or leader.
      3. Letters that arose from alpha include the Latin A and the Cyrillic letter А.
      4. In English, the noun “alpha” is used as a synonym for “beginning”, or “first” (in a series), reflecting its Greek roots.
      5. The letter alpha represents various concepts in physics and chemistry, including alpha radiation, angular acceleration, alpha particles, alpha carbon and strength of electromagnetic interaction (as Fine-structure constant). Alpha also stands for thermal expansion coefficient of a compound in physical chemistry. It is also commonly used in mathematics in algebraic solutions representing quantities such as angles. Furthermore, in mathematics, the letter alpha is used to denote the area underneath a normal curve in statistics to denote significance level when proving null and alternative hypotheses. In zoology, it is used to name the dominant individual in a wolf or dog pack.
    3. Why bring up the information from Wikipedia?
      1. It gives us more insight into the name of God
      2. Think about the name and how the earliest writers described Him and understood Him
      3. The letter meant ox or leader, the strongest of their animals, which could plow their toughest fields, pull their heaviest loads, yet came alongside them to help them with those tasks when asked
      4. Leader – the one who provides the resources to get tasks done. The one who provides the guidance for which tasks need to be completed in the first place. The one who protects, provides, cares for, and guides those in His charge.
      5. First, preeminent, not just the first in a series of events or a line of objects, but first in everything
      6. Even as the term has been co-opted in math and science, you see the power and prominence of the name, alpha radiation, the first particles released; the thermal expansion coefficient of a compound, how much energy it releases, the dominant individual in a pack.
      7. Alpha – first in all things
    4. The God we serve is first.
      1. He will accept no other place in our lives
      2. Worship Him today
      3. Remember to keep Him as Alpha in your life
  5. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

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.

Better than Christmas (Revelation 22:20), May 25, 2017

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  1. Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
  2. This is better than Christmas…maybe. It depends on who you believe.
  3. Scripture
    1. Revelation 22:20
    2. The Anointed One: Yes. I am coming soon.
  4. Devotional
    1. I enjoy watching my grandkids as special days start to approach.
      1. Birthdays
      2. Christmas
      3. Start counting very early
      4. Anxious for its arrival
    2. We sometimes do the same with
      1. Vacations
      2. Weekends
      3. New jobs
      4. Retirement
    3. Jesus talks about an event without a date
      1. He says He is returning soon
      2. His disciples have been looking for that day since He ascended into heaven a few days before Pentecost
      3. Some did some things Paul and others warned them against
        1. Sold all their belongings
        2. Stopped working
        3. Sat and waited
    4. We’re not to stop everything and just sit in a room and wait
      1. We have a task to complete
      2. Told us to teach
      3. Share the message
      4. Make disciples
      5. We should be growing in grace and becoming more like Him
      6. That takes work and can’t be done by sitting and waiting for His return
    5. Also says He will return at a time we don’t expect
      1. Only the Father knows the time and day of His return
      2. Comes like a thief in the night
      3. Promised to return
      4. Wants to give us every opportunity to come to Him
      5. His delay is not failure to keep His promise
      6. Opportunity to see His grace and mercy at work
      7. Wants all to come to know Him as Lord
    6. He will come
      1. Soon is relative when thinking about eternity
      2. But He is coming soon to claim His own
      3. Be ready
  5. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

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.

Who Am I? (Revelation 22:16), May 24, 2017

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  1. Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
  2. People spend a lot of money trying to figure out who they are and what they should be doing. Jesus was pretty clear about His own identity.
  3. Scripture
    1. Revelation 22:16
    2. Jesus:  I, Jesus, have sent My messenger to show you and guide you so that you in turn would share this testimony with the churches. I am the Root and the Descendant of David, the Bright Morning Star.
  4. Devotional
    1. The self-help industry is huge
      1. 2014 estimated $10 Billion business
      2. Books
      3. Coaches/mentors
      4. Programs
      5. Across all disciplines
        1. Business
        2. Health
        3. Relationships
        4. Mental acumen
        5. Spiritual growth
    2. We want to know who we are and how to get better because we don’t like the way we are right now
      1. Improvement is good
      2. Obsession over finding something you are not is not so good
      3. There is a place to find  help in knowing yourself and the path you should take
      4. Jesus gives us the answer to following the right path
    3. “I have sent my messenger to show you and guide you
      1. Holy Spirit knows what’s best for us and how our lives should progress through the journey of life
      2. He was there at the creation, the beginning of all things
      3. He will be here at the end, when time stops
      4. His task from the Father and Son
        1. Teach
        2. Guide
        3. Convict
        4. Convince
        5. Comforter
        6. Advocate
    4. John tells us in His letter the words Jesus spoke about this messenger that will help us through this life.
      1. God’s presence with us and in us
      2. He is the best helper we can get
      3. Better than self-help because we don’t know the path God wants us to take unless we ask and allow Him to guide us
      4. Doesn’t tell us what next year will be like or even tomorrow
      5. Gives us the next step to take on the journey
    If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

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.

Barred from the gate (Revelation 22:14-15), May 23, 2017

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  1. Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
  2. Today’s words remind me of the pictures I’ve seen of those high end nightclubs. I’ll tell you how in just a moment.
  3. Scripture
    1. Revelation 22:14-15
    2. Jesus: Blessed are those who wash their garments. In the end, they have rightful access to the tree of life and will enter the city through its gates. 15 The dogs, the sorcerers, those who commit immoral acts, the murderers, the idolaters, and all who love and practice deception must remain outside the gates for all eternity.
  4. Devotional
    1. I’ve never been to a club, but if the most popular are anything like depicted on TV shows and some documentaries, they remind me of these words of Jesus.
      1. Someone larger than the average NFL linebacker stands at the door
      2. A line stretches around the corner filled with people wanting to party
      3. The linebacker keeps the number of people inside just below the maximum allowed by the fire marshall
      4. Some of the more attractive or that look like special partiers are pulled out of line to enter ahead of the crowd
      5. Anyone the linebacker thinks wouldn’t add to the atmosphere of the party inside is barred from entering the door
    2. Heaven will be more selective than those nightclubs
      1. At the end of time there will be a judgment
      2. Those who believe in Jesus will have their names written in the Book of Life, authorization for entry
      3. Those not found worthy because of their unrepentant heart, their unforgiven sin will be barred from entry
      4. Jesus gives us a short list of the kinds of characters barred
        1. The dogs,
        2. the sorcerers,
        3. those who commit immoral acts,
        4. the murderers,
        5. the idolaters,
        6. all who love and practice deception
    3. Jesus has something much better than the NFL linebacker
      1. Remember the Garden of Eden
      2. Angel blocked the entrance to keep Adam and Eve from returning
      3. Pillar of fire blocked the Egyptian army from reaching the Israelites before they reached the Red Sea
      4. Jesus has a legion of angels at His disposal to block the unforgiven from the entrance
    4. Those who enter will live eternally without evil destroying the kingdom
      1. All evil banished
      2. All will be finally separated from the broken world in which we live
      3. All there will be surrounded by nothing but good
      4. No tears, no dying, no evil
      5. Only God’s presence, His holiness, His grace
  5. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

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.

What will your check look like? (Revelation 22:12-13), May 22, 2017

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  1. Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
  2. Everyone likes payday. What will your check look like when Jesus comes?
  3. Scripture
    1. Revelation 22:12-13
    2. The Anointed One:  See, I am coming soon, and I will bring My reward with Me. I will pay back every person according to the deeds he has done.  I am the Alpha and Omega, the First One and the Last One, the beginning and the end.
  4. Devotional
    1. I don’t know anyone that doesn’t like payday.
      1. Gets confusing
        1. Retirement comes on one day
        2. Part-time work on another
        3. Consulting work comes at odd times
      2. Never get the days straight and it just appears since most of them are direct deposit into my accounts
    2. We like to get paid what we expect to be paid
      1. First check was a disappointment
        1. Taxes
        2. Social security
        3. medicare/medicaid contribution
        4. Insurance
      2. Seemed like other people got more of my check than I did after working for two weeks
      3. Tax Freedom Day this year was April 23, the day the average American earned enough to pay his or her taxes
      4. Jesus told a parable about some workers in a vineyard who agreed to wages and then thought they had been gypped because they didn’t get more than what they agreed
      5. We’re like that sometimes
        1. Put in extra effort
        2. Come up with more efficient ways to do things and reduce the time required and reduce our hours
        3. Want recognition, award, strokes
    3. Jesus is coming back
      1. We have a payday coming
      2. We will receive what we earned
      3. Payday based on our deeds Jesus says
      4. I used to wonder how our whole past could be recorded for all to see
      5. With the advent of video, iPhones, security cameras everywhere, digital storage, I’m not longer surprised that our whole life could be stored somewhere
      6. Jesus knows our deeds
      7. We’re just now smart enough to think He could really know everything
      8. He can play it back for all to see
    4. Payday is coming. What will your check look like?
  5. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

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.

What does it take to make you happy? (Revelation 22:7), May 21, 2017

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  1. Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
  2. What does it take to make you happy? Think about that for a second.
  3. Scripture
    1. Revelation 22:7
    2. The Anointed One:  Look now, I am coming soon! The one who remains true to the prophetic words contained in this book will truly be blessed.
  4. Devotional
    1. What does it take to make you happy?
      1. Harvest Ministries says this about the word blessed:
      2. So what does it mean to be blessed? The word blessed Jesus used in the Sermon on the Mount is from the Greek word makarios, which means to be happy or blissful, but it also means a self-contained happiness. The Greeks called the Island of Cyprus “the happy isle.” They believed that because of its geographical location, perfect climate, and fertile soil that anyone who lived on Cyprus had it made in the shade. And the term they associated with the island was makarios. They believed everything you needed to be happy was right there on Cyprus.
      3. If only…
        1. Lived on Cyprus
        2. Lived in the right neighborhood
        3. Had more money
        4. Had a different job
        5. Had a different spouse
    2. World says something here can make us happy
      1. All these things around us can make us happy
      2. They don’t
      3. They take time away from us
      4. They add responsibility and worry
      5. They make us want more because we find they just don’t satisfy
    3. Jesus tells us how we can be happy, though.
      1. Right here in Revelation 22:7. “The one who remains true to the prophetic words contained in this book will truly be blessed.”
      2. Just keep the words in the book
      3. What have they said?
      4. Follow Him
      5. Remain faithful to Him
    4. The Greeks thought you could be happy and blissful if you could move to Cyprus.We can’t all move to Cyprus, but our happiness is independent of our circumstances. It is self-contained, meaning that regardless of what is happening to us externally, we can be truly happy internally. We can be genuinely blessed as followers of Jesus Christ.
    5. So you want to be happy? You want to be blessed? Just follow Jesus.
  5. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

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.

What have you done to prepare? (Revelation 16:15), May 20, 2017

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  1. Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
  2. They tell us home invasion is on the rise. What have you done to prepare?
  3. Scripture
    1. Revelation 16:15
    2. A Voice:  See, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the person who watches and waits, dressed and ready to go, so as not to wander about naked, exposed to disgrace.
  4. Devotional
    1. I remember the days when people didn’t lock their doors at night.
      1. Went on vacation once and forgot to lock the door, but really didn’t worry about it
      2. Then started locking the doors when we left but not when we were home
      3. Then started locking the doors at night
      4. Then started putting gates around our communities
      5. Community watch
      6. Now alarms systems, cameras, guns under mattresses
      7. Prepared for thieves that might try to slip through the gate
    2. If we knew thief was coming
      1. We’d be ready
      2. Doors and windows locked
      3. Cameras recording
      4. Police at the door
      5. Valuables secured
      6. Thief wouldn’t have a chance
      7. Captured and arrested
    3. Thief doesn’t come when we are prepared
      1. Comes when least expected
      2. Comes when our guard is down
      3. Comes at his convenience, not ours
    4. Jesus says He will come like a thief in the night
      1. Be ready
      2. Like the Jews prepared for the first passover
      3. Dressed and ready for a journey
      4. Shoes on their feet, staff in their hand
      5. Everything they need to take packed and ready to go
    5. I attended a funeral just this week for a friend
      1. He was getting ready to take his wife to the hospital for surgery the next day
      2. Instead he had a massive stroke and never regained consciousness
      3. We don’t know how long we have
      4. We don’t know when our next breath will be our last
      5. We may live until Jesus returns to take His bride away
      6. We may be victims of a car wreck or some random act of violence or a freak accident or an illness or any number of things
      7. The message is we need to be ready
  5. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

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.

What does the future hold? (Revelation 4:1), May 19, 2017

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  1. Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
  2. Wouldn’t it be nice to look into the future and know what was going to happen in the next few days or weeks? Then you could prepare for it and maybe even avoid some of the crises that are headed you way. Well, we do not what happens next if we will pay attention to Jesus’ words.
  3. Scripture
    1. Rev 4:1
    2. A Voice: Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.
  4. Devotional
    1. I like Chinese restaurants
      1. Décor
      2. Food
      3. Fortune cookies
        1. Disappointed if they don’t give them to you at the end of the meal
        2. Usually don’t say anything worthwhile
        3. Always want to see what they say, though
    2. We want to know what’s ahead
      1. Card readers
      2. Palm readers
      3. Fortune tellers
      4. Horoscopes
      5. Astrologers
      6. Psychics and mediums
      7. $2 billion industry
    3. Interesting that not a large percentage of those spending those $2 billion spend much time looking into the book that tells them what the future will really be like
      1. Every prophecy laid out in scripture has come true in its time
      2. Read through the Old Testament and watch all those prophecies come to pass the prophets gave the kings
      3. Red the prophecies about Jesus and see them fulfilled in the New Testament
      4. Now Jesus gives this vision to John as he sits in exile on the Isle of Patmos
      5. If all the other prophecies have come to pass, why wouldn’t we think the things Jesus tells John in this book will not take place?
    4. We want to know the future
      1. It’s good to be prepared for contingencies
      2. It’s good to know a little of what will happen so we’re not surprised
      3. It’s good to know God knows what is happening so we are assured He has everything under control
      4. It’s good to know none of the brokenness that continues to fracture this world shakes the Eternal from His throne
      5. It’s good to know God will stand with us and live in us to help us through the roughest times of life when we give ourselves to Him
    5. We don’t need psychics and mediums, palm readers and fortune cookies to tell us about tomorrow
      1. In plain sight for us if we just read God’s word
      2. He tells us what to expect and how to prepare for it
      3. His book isn’t that long, but making it the volume you go to everyday as your number one self-help book, will certainly change you more than anything else you could do
  5. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

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.