Tag Archives: wrath

Be alert and remember (Mark 13:14-27) Septeber 7, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 105-107

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Mark 13:14-27
Jesus: On the day you see it, whoever is in Judea should flee for the mountains. The person on the rooftop shouldn’t reenter the house to get anything, and the person working in the field shouldn’t turn back to grab his coat. It will be horrible for women who are pregnant or who are nursing their children when those days come. And pray that you don’t have to run for your lives in the winter. When those days come, there will be suffering like nobody has seen from the beginning of the world that God created until now, and it never will be like this again. And if the Lord didn’t shorten those days for the sake of the ones He has chosen, then nobody would survive them.
If anyone tells you in those days, “Look, there is the Anointed One!” or “Hey, that must be Him!” don’t believe them. False liberators and prophets will pop up like weeds, and they will work signs and perform miracles that would entice even God’s chosen people, if that were possible. So be alert, and remember how I have warned you.
As Isaiah said in the days after that great suffering,
The sun will refuse to shine,
and the moon will hold back its light.
The stars in heaven will fall,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then you will see (as Daniel predicted) “the Son of Man coming in the clouds,” clothed in power and majesty. And He will send out His heavenly messengers and gather together to Himself those He has chosen from the four corners of the world, from every direction and every land.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Having seen combat and the results of combat, the things men can do to other men, these words of Jesus terrify me. I know too many people who have not come to know Jesus as their personal Savior yet and I believe the days are getting short heralding His return. The signs He gave us in the verses we considered yesterday happen with increasing rapidity every day. Those birth pangs the earth experiences show His coming is close at hand.

Yet so many today discount those prophecies. They say it’s just a lot of stories. Marx said religions is just something to calm the emotions of the masses. I wonder what He would say about the alignment of the things we are witnessing today with the signs Jesus gave His disciples in Matthew 25 and Mark 13. More earthquakes this week in Oklahoma that could be felt from Nebraska to Texas. We can blame it on fracking and the oil industry, but I just don’t think the earth is so fragile that we could do that kind of damage to it. The nuclear blasts in the 1930’s and 1940’s didn’t create earthquakes that large, so why would we think fracking could do so much damage? It doesn’t make much sense to me.

We don’t have the power to destroy the earth the way the climatologist and the ecologists think we do. Yes, we pollute it. Yes, we cause damage to it. Yes, we are not very good stewards of God’s creation. But it seems every time we think we have done some horrific thing to the planet, the planet heals itself as if God is showing us that we just can’t break it ourselves. But He can. It’s His to do with as He wills, and the signs are growing stronger.

Many refuse to believe it, though. So what will happen? Things will get noticeably worse. Jesus said it would. Christians will be hated more than they are now. We will be blamed for the failing economy. We will be blamed for the increasing violence. We will even be blamed for the climate changes our failure to stop the capitalist movements to make more money. Somehow, it will all be the Christians’ fault. And we will feel the brunt of the world’s wrath because of it. We will suffer because of the world’s false accusations.

But Jesus is returning. He’s coming back and when He does, something dreadful will happen to those who have pointed the finger at the wrong people. Those non-believers will feel the wrath of God. Jesus says there will be suffering like no one has seen since the beginning of the world. When He begins to defend His children.

Think about that for just a minute. No suffering like that since the beginning of the world. Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Not as bad as this. The Nazi annihilation of the Jews. Not as bad as this. The hurricanes like Andrew, Katrina, and Ike. Don’t hold a candle to the suffering God will pour out. Sodom and Gomorrah. Nope, not like the suffering that’s coming. Even the flood in Noah’s day will pale in comparison to the suffering the world will endure at the end of time.

Jesus gives us warning. We’ve read the words many times. They are available for anyone to read and hear in almost every language now. No one has an excuse. The time is ripe for His coming. All the signs are playing out before our eyes. I don’t want anyone to miss their opportunity for salvation, but many are asleep and just pretend it isn’t going to happen.

But Jesus said, “Be alert and remember how I have warned you.”

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.

The final harvest (Revelation 14:6-20) December 29, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Revelation 14:6-20

Set – Revelation 14

Go! – Revelation 10-14

Revelation 14:6-20
6 I saw another messenger flying through midheaven. He carried an eternal gospel, bringing good news to all the citizens of the earth—every ethnicity, nation, language, and people.
Heavenly Messenger (with a loud voice): 7 Fear God. Give Him glory, for the time of judgment has arrived. Worship the One who fashioned heaven and earth and created the seas and the springs.
8 Another messenger, a second, came along.
Second Messenger: Fallen, fallen is Babylon, the great city! She has intoxicated all the nations with the wine of the wrath of her sexual perversion.
9 Another messenger, a third, followed.
Third Messenger (with a loud voice): Those who worship the beast and its image, and all who receive its mark on their foreheads or on their hands, 10 will be forced to drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured out undiluted into the cup of God’s anger. And they will face the torment of fire and the agony of sulfurous flames before the holy messengers and the Lamb. 11 The smoke of their torment will rise throughout the ages for eternity. Day and night will come and go without pause or cessation. There will be no end to the torture experienced by those who worship the beast and its image and by those who receive the mark of its name.
12 Here is the patient endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and remain faithful to Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice call out from heaven.
A Voice: Record this: “Blessed are the dead who have died in the Lord from now until the end.”
Spirit: Yes, they will rest from their labors because their deeds remain with them.
14 Then I saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like the Son of Man, a golden wreath atop His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. 15 Another messenger proceeded from the temple and called with a loud voice to the One who sat on the cloud.
Heavenly Messenger: Take Your sickle and reap the harvest, because the harvest of the earth is full and ripe and because the time to harvest has come.
16 Then the One seated on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth gave up its harvest.
17 Just then another messenger proceeded out of the heavenly temple. He also had a sharp sickle. 18 Then another messenger (the one with authority over fire) came out from the altar, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle.
Messenger of Fire: Take your sharp sickle and gather together the clusters of grapes from the vines of the earth, for the grapes are ripe and ready for harvest.
19 So the heavenly messenger swung his sickle over the earth, gathered the fruit of the vine from the earth, and threw it into the great winepress, which is the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside of the city, and blood flowed from the winepress. The blood ran deep. It reached as high as the bridle on a horse and ran for the distance of about 185 miles.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Have you thought much about the wrath of the Father when He finally comes to take His faithful home? That last verse you heard today is an indication of just terrifying and how terrible His wrath will be for those who decide to go their own way. When I return to harvest the earth, I will do so as swiftly as a sickle cuts a swath through wheat. One pass and everything in its path is gone.

John saw the results of that harvest. The blood of the guilt poured from the metaphoric winepress he saw in his vision. The blood ran at the depth of a horse’s bridle for 185 miles. Did you ever think about how much blood that was or how many people that might represent?

If the river was only ten feet wide and the bridle was about six feet high, the volume of blood from just the city of Babylon, the great city of God’s wrath represents more than 150,000,000 people. That will be the first city of all the cities on earth that will feel the wrath of the Father when He sends Me to bring My followers home. It will be an awful day for those not protected by the blood of My forgiveness.

I’ve told you that narrow is the path that leads to eternal life and few find it. Not because the Father and I don’t want you to find it. I make it plain for all to see. Few find it because few are willing to sacrifice their selfish desires for My will in their life. The narrow path to eternal life with Me means obedience to Me, not the cry of the world. It means staying focused on Me. Listening to that still, small voice Elijah heard. Walking in the light I give you each day. Living for Me instead of yourself. It’s contradictory to the path the world tells you to walk, but that’s why so few follow it.

Are you ready for My final harvest? Follow Me and you will be. 

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.

Avoid the coming wrath (Revelation 10), September 5, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Revelation 10

Set – Ezekiel 28; Revelation 10

Go! – Ezekiel 25-28; Revelation 10

Revelation 10
1 Then I saw another extremely powerful messenger descending out of heaven. He wore a cloud wrapped around him, and a rainbow was covering his head. His face shone like the sun, and his legs blazed like columns of fire. 2 In his hand, he held a little scroll that had been unrolled. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left foot on dry land; 3 then he shouted with a voice that sounded like a roaring lion. When he cried out, the seven thunders answered with their own rumbling voices. 4 As I was about to record the thunders’ answer, a voice from heaven stopped me.
A Voice: Seal up all the seven thunders have spoken; do not write it down!
5 Then the messenger, whom I saw standing on the sea and on the dry land, raised his right hand into heaven 6 and swore an oath to the Eternal One—who always lives, who created heaven, earth, the sea, and all that is in them.
Heavenly Messenger: Time has run out. 7 Whenever the days arrive and the seventh messenger sounds his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished just as He announced to His servants, the prophets.
8 Again, the voice I heard from heaven addressed me.
A Voice: Go. Take the little scroll that is unrolled in the hand of the messenger standing both on the sea and on the dry land.
9 I then went to the messenger and asked him to give me the little scroll.
Heavenly Messenger: Take it, and eat it. Although in your mouth it will be sweet to taste, sweet as honey, it will become bitter when it reaches your stomach.
10 I took the little scroll from the hand of the messenger and ate it. In my mouth, it was sweet like honey, but my stomach became bitter after I swallowed it.
Heavenly Messengers (repeating): 11 Once again, you are to prophesy about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I gave John a most difficult task. Many of the things he saw as I showed him how the future would unfold were more than he could take. He describes how it took the touch of My angels to give him the strengths to continue at times. He saw the glories of heaven that overwhelmed his senses with indescribles scenes. He wrote the letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor describing the conditions of the eras of the ages that would come before My coming again.

John saw the pouring out of My wrath on the unsuspecting masses of humanity that failed to call Me Lord. The plagues and punishment that came to humankind because of their apostacy was beyond the measure of his understanding as he watched in horror. Nothing could stop the movement of My armies as they marched across the world to do My bidding in the destruction of those who failed to follow Me.

John was known as the disciple who loved and to see the mass destruction of so many because of their failure to listen and follow the pleas of My prophets was traumatic for him. But he also understood the cause of the punishment and destruction as he saw My holiness and the glory of My presence. John understood why things will unfold as they would, but like Me, he felt the pain of the judgment that would fall upon humankind.

He heard the messenger’s words and the answer of seven spirits that sounded like thunder, but the words were too ominous to write down. They will complete the mystery that voices the sounding of the seventh and final trumpet that heralds the end of time. Words you do not want to hear because the outpouring of My final wrath will be more than those who remain can endure. The wailing and gnashing of teeth discribed in the scriptures only begins to touch on the torment the souls of those lost to Me will endure.

My words are still true. My prophecies still come true. My salvation is still available to all who will accept it, though. All you need to do to escape the coming wrath is believe in Me for salvation and follow the commands I give you. My commands are not burdensome. They just ask you to give Me Lordship, control, ownership of your life. I ask you to let Me remove the selfishness from the core of your self and replace it with love for Me. 

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.

His wrath is sure (Revelation 8), September 3, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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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.

Justice and wrath, the flip side of mercy and grace, it’s coming (Hebrews 12:14-29), July 16, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Hebrews 12:14-29

Set – Isaiah 24; Hebrews 12

Go! – Isaiah 22-24; Hebrews 12

Hebrews 12:14-29
14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, since no one will see God without it. 15 Watch carefully that no one falls short of God’s favor, that no well of bitterness springs up to trouble you and throw many others off the path. 16 Watch that no one becomes wicked and vile like Esau, the son of Isaac, who for a single meal sold his invaluable birthright. 17 You know from the stories of the patriarchs that later, when he wished to claim his blessing, he was turned away. He could not reverse his action even though he shed bitter tears over it.
18 You have not come to the place that can be touched (as Israel did at Mount Sinai)—to a mountain crowned with blazing fire, darkness, gloom, and a windstorm— 19 or to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of a voice—a voice and message so harsh that the people begged not to hear another word. 20 (They could not bear the command that was given: that if even a beast touches the mountain, it must be stoned. 21 The sight was so terrible that even Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”)
22 No, instead you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to heavenly messengers unnumbered, to a joyful feast, 23 to the assembly of the firstborn registered as heaven’s citizens, to God the righteous Judge of all, and to the spirits of all the righteous who have been perfected. 24 You have come to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant between God and humanity, and to His sprinkled blood, which speaks a greater word than the blood of Abel crying out from the earth.
25 See that you don’t turn away from the One who is speaking; for if the ones who heard and refused the One who spoke on earth faced punishment, then how much more will we suffer if we turn away from the One speaking from heaven— 26 the One whose voice in earlier times shook the earth now makes another promise: “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens”? 27 The phrase, “Yet once more,” means that those things that can be shaken will be removed and taken away, namely, the first creation. As a result, those things that remain cannot be shaken. 28 Therefore, let us all be thankful that we are a part of an unshakable Kingdom and offer to God worship that pleases Him and reflects the awe and reverence we have toward Him, 29 for He is like a fierce fire that consumes everything.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Have you every noticed what happens when My messengers, the angels come to visit the earth? People fall on their face. The ground shakes, earth trembles as they touch the ground. Fire consumes the things they touch. Armies find themselves defeated at the hands of a single messenger of Mine. Men and women are always awed by the power they wield and the magnificence of their presence.

My messengers, though, hold little power compared to Mine. I created each of them, just as I created all else in the universe. All in heaven and earth came about because I spoke it into place. The Israelites glimpsed My power at Mt Sinai in the fire and smoke and thundrous voice as I spoke to them in the desert. They saw a token of My power when I rescued them from their enemies and when I rescued some of My followers, like Daniel and David, from those who tried to destroy them.

Some saw Me create new eyes from a little mud. Some saw Me make limbs straight and whole. Some watched as I raised others from the dead. Some witnessed My power when they saw Me alive and communing with them after a brutal beating and death by cruel crucifixion. When I come again, the earth and heavens will tremble at My coming.

The demonstrations of My power are real. Some will try to tell you My word is only a collection of stories. But you’ll find that as archeologists make new discoveries to try to disprove My word, they only serve to find new evidence that My word is true. The things of the past being true, you can trust My promises for the future are just as true. I’m coming back. Until then, it’s best to do what I ask.

I am a God of mercy and grace, but a time will come, when you will see the other side of grace, justice. Those not for Me are against Me and will feel the wrath I have held back to extend My mercy as long as possible. I am a God of mercy and grace, but I am a holy God. As such, I will deal with those who have not set themselves apart for Me. Remember My words in Hebrews, without holiness, you will not see Me. Take advantage of this era of mercy and grace before I decide it’s time to unleash My wrath. It won’t be long.

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.