GOD MOVES US INTO HIS NEIGHBORHOOD!

Posted on September 12, 2018 by randscallawayffm
Revelation – Jesus IS Coming Back!
 
John 1:14 The Message (MSG)
“The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish.”
 
God sent a part of the Three-In-One, His Son, Jesus Christ to earth as a way for people to come back to Him. Jesus came to us as baby to a virgin named Mary. He grew in wisdom. He wiped tears from the faces of the brokenhearted, healed the sick, gave sight to the blind and made the lame walk. He came to the aid of those abused. His visit lasted only 33 years. He who was without sin became the Lamb of God who was sacrificed for our sin.
Jesus, who was God, “moved into the neighborhood” of mankind on God’s created earth. His purpose was to seek and save the lost without God and be the Savior (redeem us) and Lord (righteous guidance) of all who received and followed Him. Those who follow Him become brothers and sisters as children of God.
 
It is revealed to John that this will happen again! Only this time God moves us into HIS neighborhood to be with Him forever! “God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They’re his people, he’s their God.” THIS time we will go to Him! His neighborhood is without pain, suffering, tears from crying, all evil, no death and the mourning of death.
 
Revelation 21, The Message
Everything New
 
I saw Heaven and earth new-created. Gone the first Heaven, gone the first earth, gone the sea.
 
2 I saw Holy Jerusalem, new-created, descending resplendent out of Heaven, as ready for God as a bride for her husband.
 
Revelation 21 Gods neighborhood
3-5 I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: “Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They’re his people, he’s their God. He’ll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good—tears gone, crying gone, pain gone—all the first order of things gone.” The Enthroned continued, “Look! I’m making everything new. Write it all down—each word dependable and accurate.”
 
6-8 Then he said, “It’s happened. I’m A to Z. I’m the Beginning, I’m the Conclusion. From Water-of-Life Well I give freely to the thirsty. Conquerors inherit all this. I’ll be God to them, they’ll be sons and daughters to me. But for the rest—the feckless and faithless, degenerates and murderers, sex peddlers and sorcerers, idolaters and all liars—for them it’s Lake Fire and Brimstone. Second death!”
 
Revelation 21 newThink about it…imagine it!
“He’ll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good, tears gone, crying gone, pain gone–all the first order of things gone.”
 
“Look! I’m making everything new.”
 
If this isn’t enough to get us to find and follow Christ, then what is? But wait, there’s more! Read about WHERE we will live….the neighborhood is amazing…just like God!
 
The City of Light
9-12 One of the Seven Angels who had carried the bowls filled with the seven final disasters spoke to me: “Come here. I’ll show you the Bride, the Wife of the Lamb.” He took me away in the Spirit to an enormous, high mountain and showed me Holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God, resplendent in the bright glory of God.
 
12-14 The City shimmered like a precious gem, light-filled, pulsing light. She had a wall majestic and high with twelve gates. At each gate stood an Angel, and on the gates were inscribed the names of the Twelve Tribes of the sons of Israel: three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, three gates on the west. The wall was set on twelve foundations, the names of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb inscribed on them.
 
15-21 The Angel speaking with me had a gold measuring stick to measure the City, its gates, and its wall. The City was laid out in a perfect square. He measured the City with the measuring stick: twelve thousand stadia, its length, width, and height all equal. Using the standard measure, the Angel measured the thickness of its wall: 144 cubits. The wall was jasper, the color of Glory, and the City was pure gold, translucent as glass. The foundations of the City walls were garnished with every precious gem imaginable: the first foundation jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate a single pearl.
 
21-27 The main street of the City was pure gold, translucent as glass. But there was no sign of a Temple, for the Lord God—the Sovereign-Strong—and the Lamb are the Temple. The City doesn’t need sun or moon for light. God’s Glory is its light, the Lamb its lamp! The nations will walk in its light and earth’s kings bring in their splendor. Its gates will never be shut by day, and there won’t be any night. They’ll bring the glory and honor of the nations into the City. Nothing dirty or defiled will get into the City, and no one who defiles or deceives. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will get in.
 
Revelation 21 live with Christ**Our Lord, God and the Lamb, Jesus Christ is the Temple. There is no need of anything or anyone else. Evil cannot get in. We are safe forever in God’s witness protection paradise forever.
Be sure, be very sure your name is The Book.
 
Dear Heavenly Father,
What a day that will be, like the song ringing in my thoughts this morning. There are not many words to be added to this prose other than, Thank you. Thank you for saving my soul. Thank you for saving our souls. It is You we adore and worship. It’s all about You and only You. May our eyes stay tenaciously focused on the goal to move into your neighborhood some glorious day!
In Jesus Name, Amen
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FINAL HURL

Posted on September 11, 2018 by randscallawayffm
Revelation – Jesus IS Coming Back!
 
Just when you think you have it all together, you forget where you put it. Right? Just when you think you have it under control, all your ducks in a row, something happens to disrupt it. “It” is called life. As children of God, life must be lived knowing God is always in control. To think that He is not is to live life walking on the edge of disaster with insecurities, anxious thoughts and troubled minds that lead to questionable and sometimes destructive actions.
 
No matter what happens in our small part of our world or to the world at large, GOD is in control. We may not and probably won’t understand it at the time, but He is in control. What others do to hurt us is not unseen by God. What we say and do to others is not unseen by God. God is in control. God knows. God knows before we know.
 
Revelation 20 its all about God
In our next passage of the revelation of Jesus Christ, we wonder why God would unleash Satan, the Beast, and his cronies when all seemed “under control”. But “Satan will be let loose from his cell, and will launch again his old work of deceiving the nations, searching out victims in every nook and cranny of earth…” Satan will begin one more war against God and his people. But, God is in control, leading Satan to his final, forever torture, “for ages without end.” We don’t have to know why. God knows.
 
Revelation 20, The Message
A Thousand Years
20 1-3 I saw an Angel descending out of Heaven. He carried the key to the Abyss and a chain—a huge chain. He grabbed the Dragon, that old Snake—the very Devil, Satan himself!—chained him up for a thousand years, dumped him into the Abyss, slammed it shut and sealed it tight. No more trouble out of him, deceiving the nations—until the thousand years are up. After that he has to be let loose briefly.
 
4-6 I saw thrones. Those put in charge of judgment sat on the thrones. I also saw the souls of those beheaded because of their witness to Jesus and the Word of God, who refused to worship either the Beast or his image, refused to take his mark on forehead or hand—they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years! The rest of the dead did not live until the thousand years were up. This is the first resurrection—and those involved most blessed, most holy. No second death for them! They’re priests of God and Christ; they’ll reign with him a thousand years.
 
7-10 When the thousand years are up, Satan will be let loose from his cell, and will launch again his old work of deceiving the nations, searching out victims in every nook and cranny of earth, even Gog and Magog! He’ll talk them into going to war and will gather a huge army, millions strong. They’ll stream across the earth, surround and lay siege to the camp of God’s holy people, the Beloved City. They’ll no sooner get there than fire will pour out of Heaven and burn them up. The Devil who deceived them will be hurled into Lake Fire and Brimstone, joining the Beast and False Prophet, the three in torment around the clock for ages without end.
 
Judgment
11-15 I saw a Great White Throne and the One Enthroned. Nothing could stand before or against the Presence, nothing in Heaven, nothing on earth. And then I saw all the dead, great and small, standing there—before the Throne! And books were opened. Then another book was opened: the Book of Life. The dead were judged by what was written in the books, by the way they had lived. Sea released its dead, Death and Hell turned in their dead. Each man and woman was judged by the way he or she had lived. Then Death and Hell were hurled into Lake Fire. This is the second death—Lake Fire. Anyone whose name was not found inscribed in the Book of Life was hurled into Lake Fire.
 
Revelation 20 controlWhat we read and do understand…
God was in control, is in control and will always be in control. God is our Creator. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord. So, repent of self control and let us humble ourselves before the Throne of His Presence. May we learn to live with flexible Spirits, moving with the flow and rhythm of His will no matter what is happening around us. Above all, may our names be written in the Book of Life as one who said yes to God and His Son, Jesus Christ!
 
Love God. Love Others like He loves us.
Don’t fall for Satan’s hate.
 
Revelation 20 book
If you do not know Christ as Savior, bow to Him now and ask for forgiveness for your sin with a humble heart ready to follow Him. Then your name will suddenly appear in the Book of Life. It’s promised. God does not lie.
 
I am an “out of control disciple” who believes God is in complete control of what is best for me.
 
Dear Heavenly Father,
We pray for humans who are troubled and anxious simply because we cannot seem to let go of what we think we can control. Help all of us to lay it all down at your feet. Help us to live life with wisdom, insight and understanding with flexible Spirits because of You living in us. Our eyes are keenly focused on You. Thank you for all You have done, are doing and will do.
In Jesus Name, Amen
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GOD

Posted on September 10, 2018 by randscallawayffm
Revelation – Jesus IS Coming Back!
 
Life on earth brings trials, hurts, abuse, circumstances beyond our control, with situations too hard for us to comprehend much less handle and solve…on our own. We need help. We need a Savior. We need God.
 
Remember how it feels when that check comes in to pay off debt? Remember how it feels when someone you love is at the point of death then all of a sudden there is a miraculous turnaround and they respond to medication? Remember that moment when someone who was once full of hate is now full of love? Remember when you lost that job but found a better one later? Remember when a loved one you have spent years praying for their salvation finally repents and is saved by Jesus Christ and they begin to transform in and with God’s love?
 
What is our first response when God steps in? It depends on who is most important…ourselves, other people we admire or God. When life turns from bad to good, I literally shout Hallelujah! I sing a song of praise. So that’s why I am enjoying the beginning of our next passage of the revelation of Jesus Christ. Read and be blessed. Shout Hallelujah for all God has done, is doing and will do. It’s all about God! Here’s a peek…
 
Revelation 19, The Message
 
The Sound of Hallelujahs
19 1-3 I heard a sound like massed choirs in Heaven singing,
 
Revelation 19 hallelujahHallelujah!
The salvation and glory and power are God’s—
his judgments true, his judgments just.
He judged the great Whore
who corrupted the earth with her lust.
He avenged on her the blood of his servants.
 
Then, more singing:
 
Hallelujah!
The smoke from her burning billows up
to high Heaven forever and ever and ever.
 
4 The Twenty-four Elders and the Four Animals fell to their knees and worshiped God on his Throne, praising,
 
Amen! Yes! Hallelujah!
 
5 From the Throne came a shout, a command:
 
Praise our God, all you his servants,
All you who fear him, small and great!
 
6-8 Then I heard the sound of massed choirs, the sound of a mighty cataract, the sound of strong thunder:
 
Revelation 19 singHallelujah!
The Master reigns,
our God, the Sovereign-Strong!
Let us celebrate, let us rejoice,
let us give him the glory!
The Marriage of the Lamb has come;
his Wife has made herself ready.
She was given a bridal gown
of bright and shining linen.
The linen is the righteousness of the saints.
 
9 The Angel said to me, “Write this: ‘Blessed are those invited to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.’” He added, “These are the true words of God!”
 
10 I fell at his feet to worship him, but he wouldn’t let me. “Don’t do that,” he said. “I’m a servant just like you, and like your brothers and sisters who hold to the witness of Jesus. The witness of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
 
A White Horse and Its Rider
11-16 Then I saw Heaven open wide—and oh! a white horse and its Rider. The Rider, named Faithful and True, judges and makes war in pure righteousness. His eyes are a blaze of fire, on his head many crowns. He has a Name inscribed that’s known only to himself. He is dressed in a robe soaked with blood, and he is addressed as “Word of God.” The armies of Heaven, mounted on white horses and dressed in dazzling white linen, follow him. A sharp sword comes out of his mouth so he can subdue the nations, then rule them with a rod of iron. He treads the winepress of the raging wrath of God, the Sovereign-Strong. On his robe and thigh is written, King of kings, Lord of lords.
 
17-18 I saw an Angel standing in the sun, shouting to all flying birds in Middle-Heaven, “Come to the Great Supper of God! Feast on the flesh of kings and captains and champions, horses and their riders. Eat your fill of them all—free and slave, small and great!”
 
19-21 I saw the Beast and, assembled with him, earth’s kings and their armies, ready to make war against the One on the horse and his army. The Beast was taken, and with him, his puppet, the False Prophet, who used signs to dazzle and deceive those who had taken the mark of the Beast and worshiped his image. They were thrown alive, those two, into Lake Fire and Brimstone. The rest were killed by the sword of the One on the horse, the sword that comes from his mouth. All the birds held a feast on their flesh.
 
 
Think About GOD…excerpts from our passage…
–The salvation and glory and power are God’s
–God’s judgments are true and just
–God is the avenger
–God is the One and Only to be praised
–God is the reason for our Hallelujah’s
–God invites us to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb
–“These are the true words of God.”
–Jesus is the “Word of God”, KING of kings and LORD of Lords who fights for God, putting an end to the Beast and False Prophet and all who worship evil…forever.
 
It ALL about God…and not about us. God created us, loves us, abides with us and saves us.
 
Can I get an Amen and Hallelujah???
 
Revelation 19 praise to GodDear Heavenly Father,
This journey through your revelation is mind boggling at times but brings extreme joy and praise with hallelujahs to follow. You are God and we are not. We humbly submit to Your will, Your time, and Your solution to our circumstances. We repent of our selfishness and surrender to Your Son, Jesus. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit. Prepare your church, your people, your Bride so we are appropriately dressed for the Wedding Supper. Hallelujah. All praise to You!
In Jesus Name, Amen
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ENOUGH!

Posted on September 9, 2018 by randscallawayffm
Revelation – Jesus IS Coming Back!
 
When do we have enough? When are satisfied with what is? How far will we go to get what we think we need and want? When will it all stop being that important and of value to obtain?
 
Better question, perhaps, is what is so valuable in our eyes now that we cannot live without? Compare that to what God has in store for us. Now ask this question again. What is so valuable to me now? Will it have value to God? Will it raise His value of me to have and to hold it?
 
Humanity needs God. But many go after anything and everything but God to be satisfied and complete. There will be a time when all we think is valuable will be worthless and useless. There will be a time when the traffic of humans will be no more. There will be a time when God steps in and says, “ENOUGH!”
 
Before the Hallelujahs, God’s final judgement of sin provides an act of justice for all who believed and were martyrs for believing. This passage helps us see a glimpse of the final clean up of His Created world in which many of his created destroyed with their sin and selfishness. Those who believe are warned to get out of the way.
 
Revelation 18, The Message
Doom to the City of Darkness
18 1-8 Following this I saw another Angel descend from Heaven. His authority was immense, his glory flooded earth with brightness, his voice thunderous:
 
Revelation 18 babylonRuined, ruined, Great Babylon, ruined!
A ghost town for demons is all that’s left!
A garrison of carrion spirits,
garrison of loathsome, carrion birds.
All nations drank the wild wine of her whoring;
kings of the earth went whoring with her;
entrepreneurs made millions exploiting her.
 
Just then I heard another shout out of Heaven:
 
Get out, my people, as fast as you can,
so you don’t get mixed up in her sins,
so you don’t get caught in her doom.
Her sins stink to high Heaven;
God has remembered every evil she’s done.
Give her back what she’s given,
double what she’s doubled in her works,
double the recipe in the cup she mixed;
Bring her flaunting and wild ways
to torment and tears.
Because she gloated, “I’m queen over all,
and no widow, never a tear on my face,”
In one day, disasters will crush her—
death, heartbreak, and famine—
Then she’ll be burned by fire, because God,
the Strong God who judges her,
has had enough.
 
9-10 “The kings of the earth will see the smoke of her burning, and they’ll cry and carry on, the kings who went night after night to her brothel. They’ll keep their distance for fear they’ll get burned, and they’ll cry their lament:
 
Doom, doom, the great city doomed!
City of Babylon, strong city!
In one hour it’s over, your judgment come!
 
Revelation 18 depression11-17 “The traders will cry and carry on because the bottom dropped out of business, no more market for their goods: gold, silver, precious gems, pearls; fabrics of fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet; perfumed wood and vessels of ivory, precious woods, bronze, iron, and marble; cinnamon and spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine and oil, flour and wheat; cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots. And slaves—their terrible traffic in human lives.
 
Everything you’ve lived for, gone!
All delicate and delectable luxury, lost!
Not a scrap, not a thread to be found!
 
“The traders who made millions off her kept their distance for fear of getting burned, and cried and carried on all the more:
 
Doom, doom, the great city doomed!
Dressed in the latest fashions,
adorned with the finest jewels,
in one hour such wealth wiped out!
 
17-19 “All the ship captains and travelers by sea, sailors and toilers of the sea, stood off at a distance and cried their lament when they saw the smoke from her burning: ‘Oh, what a city! There was never a city like her!’ They threw dust on their heads and cried as if the world had come to an end:
 
Doom, doom, the great city doomed!
All who owned ships or did business by sea
Got rich on her getting and spending.
And now it’s over—wiped out in one hour!
 
20 “O Heaven, celebrate! And join in, saints, apostles, and prophets! God has judged her; every wrong you suffered from her has been judged.”
 
21-24 A strong Angel reached for a boulder—huge, like a millstone—and heaved it into the sea, saying,
 
Heaved and sunk, the great city Babylon,
sunk in the sea, not a sign of her ever again.
Silent the music of harpists and singers—
you’ll never hear flutes and trumpets again.
Artisans of every kind—gone;
you’ll never see their likes again.
The voice of a millstone grinding falls dumb;
you’ll never hear that sound again.
The light from lamps, never again;
never again laughter of bride and groom.
Her traders robbed the whole earth blind,
and by black-magic arts deceived the nations.
The only thing left of Babylon is blood—
the blood of saints and prophets,
the murdered and the martyred.
 
 
Think About It…
 
Who are what are we hanging onto so tightly, that is so valuable and worth giving all we have to get and keep it? Look around right now. What do we need most? If all is to be wiped away, what is left? WHO do we cling to? Who are we living for? Our honest and sincere answer is a matter of life and death.
 
“Everything you’ve lived for, gone!
All delicate and delectable luxury, lost!
Not a scrap, not a thread to be found!”
 
““O Heaven, celebrate! And join in, saints, apostles, and prophets! God has judged her; every wrong you suffered from her has been judged.”
 
“The only thing left of Babylon is blood—
the blood of saints and prophets,
the murdered and the martyred.”
 
Dear Heavenly Father,
You are God and we are not. We know and believe there will be a day when you will declare, ENOUGH! May we cling to You, abide in You and live for You reflecting Your glory. May we stayed focused and ready for the day when all the getting and obtaining is over and what remains is only You. I look forward to that day.
In Jesus Name, Amen
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DOES THIS SURPRISE YOU?

Posted on September 8, 2018 by randscallawayffm
Revelation – Jesus IS Coming Back!
 
“How can life get much worse?” “Just how bad will things get?” “How much more sin and degradation will God tolerate?” “How much more can evil invent and dish out?” I have heard these statement and more with a similar theme. We see the horrible actions of humans to other humans in real life, not just in the imaginations of movie producers, and shake our heads in disgust and sickness. Our hearts are broken.
 
Revelation 17 surpriseDoes this surprise you? Sin, unrestrained, is on a rampage now and in the future. BUT, God will step in. Life will get worse before it gets better. We must not take up residence in the middle of the revelation of Jesus Christ’s return and final battle with our enemy. Who walks out in the middle of the movie?
 
While we walk through each passage of John’s vision of things to come, don’t let it surprise you. Today we are reminded to “Don’t drop your guard. Use your head.” Don’t let anything surprise us. No matter what happens, God is in control. Nothing in our lives or in lives to come passes His notice. God will bring justice as only He can provide.
 
We will be tempted in all kinds of ways to turn away from God and compromise our lives through disobedience and distractions. If do not use our heads and let down our guard sin will quickly present itself in all kinds of ways. It will begin in small ways at first and then our disobedience will escalate to sin that seems out of our control. Suddenly we will be controlled by others. We are captured and bound by our own sin and satan who led us there.
 
Does this surprise you?
 
Those who turn their focus and attention to evil “will be dazzled when they see the Beast that once was, is no longer, and is to come.” Does this surprise you?
 
What distracts us now from living God’s ways? What takes our focus off Him and onto things or people? Is our name in The Book of Life? It is if we have accepted, believe and follow Jesus as Savior and Lord. His salvation cannot be taken from us. Does this surprise us? It can if our focus is blocked by distractions.
 
“Don’t drop your guard. Use you head.” Need help?  Ask God for wisdom (skills for living life well with Him), and He will give it. He promised. Does this surprise you? It shouldn’t. He is God and we are not.
 
As we read the continuing saga of things to come, stay focused of WHO WAS, IS AND IS TO COME. It’s not over, yet.
 
Revelation 17, The Message
Great Babylon, Mother of Whores
 
1-2 One of the Seven Angels who carried the seven bowls came and invited me, “Come, I’ll show you the judgment of the great Whore who sits enthroned over many waters, the Whore with whom the kings of the earth have gone whoring, show you the judgment on earth dwellers drunk on her whorish lust.”
 
3-6 In the Spirit he carried me out in the desert. I saw a woman mounted on a Scarlet Beast. Stuffed with blasphemies, the Beast had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, festooned with gold and gems and pearls. She held a gold chalice in her hand, brimming with defiling obscenities, her foul fornications. A riddle-name was branded on her forehead: great babylon, mother of whores and abominations of the earth. I could see that the woman was drunk, drunk on the blood of God’s holy people, drunk on the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
 
Revelation 17, don't hide6-8 Astonished, I rubbed my eyes. I shook my head in wonder. The Angel said, “Does this surprise you? Let me tell you the riddle of the woman and the Beast she rides, the Beast with seven heads and ten horns. The Beast you saw once was, is no longer, and is about to ascend from the Abyss and head straight for Hell. Earth dwellers whose names weren’t written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will be dazzled when they see the Beast that once was, is no longer, and is to come.
 
9-11 “But don’t drop your guard. Use your head. The seven heads are seven hills; they are where the woman sits. They are also seven kings: five dead, one living, the other not yet here—and when he does come his time will be brief. The Beast that once was and is no longer is both an eighth and one of the seven—and headed for Hell.
 
12-14 “The ten horns you saw are ten kings, but they’re not yet in power. They will come to power with the Scarlet Beast, but won’t last long—a very brief reign. These kings will agree to turn over their power and authority to the Beast. They will go to war against the Lamb but the Lamb will defeat them, proof that he is Lord over all lords, King over all kings, and those with him will be the called, chosen, and faithful.”
 
15-18 The Angel continued, “The waters you saw on which the Whore was enthroned are peoples and crowds, nations and languages. And the ten horns you saw, together with the Beast, will turn on the Whore—they’ll hate her, violate her, strip her naked, rip her apart with their teeth, then set fire to her. It was God who put the idea in their heads to turn over their rule to the Beast until the words of God are completed. The woman you saw is the great city, tyrannizing the kings of the earth.”
 
Revelation 17 Jesus
Dear Heavenly Father,
You are God and we are not. You loved us first, you love us still. I love you with all my heart, mind and soul. We are assured that we will live with you forever. Lead us away from the temptations of following anyone but You or to be distracted by the events and people of our time. Show us Your will and your ways continually as we focus our eyes on you, ready to be and do all you intended for us as your people.
In Jesus Name, Amen
 
***IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS A REVELATION OF JESUS AND HIS TRIUMPHANT RETURN. BE OVERCOMERS WITH HIM!
 
Revelation 17 no surprise
All of these and the hundreds of other prophecies about the rise of the antichrist serve to do at least two things: Warn of what is coming so we will not be taken by surprise.
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THE CUP

Posted on September 7, 2018 by randscallawayffm
Revelation – Jesus IS Coming Back!
Revelation 16 airplane girl
Just before take off a little girl was running around, up and down, the aisle of the plane. People were complaining as she run into them. The flight attendant told the mother she was going to have to restrain her child. The mom settled her into her seat with a strong warning to behave while tightly buckling her in for the journey. The feisty little girl was smiling broadly. Her exasperated mother asked why in the world she was smiling and even giggling. The defiant little girl said, “I may be buckled down but in my mind, I’m still running around!”
 
Are there people in and out of the church who are like this little girl? Are there people who look good and have it all together with God to the outside world, but on the inside of their hearts and souls are still “running around”, living as the world dictates to them? We find in our passage today that God will pour out the Cup of His wrath on those who refuse to follow Him, who continue to run from Him.
 
“Keep watch! I come unannounced, like a thief. You’re blessed if, awake and dressed, you’re ready for me. To bad if you’re found running through the streets, naked and ashamed.”
 
God knows our hearts well…better than we know them. Are still “running around” bumping into people, hurting them with our actions, making life difficult for others and worse still…refusing God? Who we think we are hiding from? This is God!
 
Revelation 16, The Message
Pouring Out the Seven Disasters
16 I heard a shout of command from the Temple to the Seven Angels: “Begin! Pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on earth!”
 
2 The first Angel stepped up and poured his bowl out on earth: Loathsome, stinking sores erupted on all who had taken the mark of the Beast and worshiped its image.
 
3 The second Angel poured his bowl on the sea: The sea coagulated into blood, and everything in it died.
 
4-7 The third Angel poured his bowl on rivers and springs: The waters turned to blood. I heard the Angel of Waters say,
 
Righteous you are, and your judgments are righteous,
The Is, The Was, The Holy.
They poured out the blood of saints and prophets
so you’ve given them blood to drink—
they’ve gotten what they deserve!
 
Just then I heard the Altar chime in,
 
Yes, O God, the Sovereign-Strong!
Your judgments are true and just!
 
8-9 The fourth Angel poured his bowl on the sun: Fire blazed from the sun and scorched men and women. Burned and blistered, they cursed God’s Name, the God behind these disasters. They refused to repent, refused to honor God.
 
10-11 The fifth Angel poured his bowl on the throne of the Beast: Its kingdom fell into sudden eclipse. Mad with pain, men and women bit and chewed their tongues, cursed the God-of-Heaven for their torment and sores, and refused to repent and change their ways.
 
12-14 The sixth Angel poured his bowl on the great Euphrates River: It dried up to nothing. The dry riverbed became a fine roadbed for the kings from the East. From the mouths of the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet I saw three foul demons crawl out—they looked like frogs. These are demon spirits performing signs. They’re after the kings of the whole world to get them gathered for battle on the Great Day of God, the Sovereign-Strong.
 
15 “Keep watch! I come unannounced, like a thief. You’re blessed if, awake and dressed, you’re ready for me. Too bad if you’re found running through the streets, naked and ashamed.”
 
16 The frog-demons gathered the kings together at the place called in Hebrew Armageddon.
 
Revelation 16 cup of God's wrath
17-21 The seventh Angel poured his bowl into the air: From the Throne in the Temple came a shout, “Done!” followed by lightning flashes and shouts, thunder crashes and a colossal earthquake—a huge and devastating earthquake, never an earthquake like it since time began. The Great City split three ways, the cities of the nations toppled to ruin. Great Babylon had to drink the wine of God’s raging anger—God remembered to give her the cup! Every island fled and not a mountain was to be found. Hailstones weighing a ton plummeted, crushing and smashing men and women as they cursed God for the hail, the epic disaster of hail.
 
Think About It….
When I read about The Cup of wrath I am reminded of another Cup, the Fourth Cup at the Table of the Lord on His last night on earth before He offered up his life as a sacrifice “poured out” for our debt of sin. He told his followers, “I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” What a blessed thought! (There is much significance here with the cup.)
 
Revelation 16 cup of Jesus
We have a choice of two cups…The Cup of God’s Wrath or the Cup offered to us in communion with our Savior. It’s pretty simple, cut and dry.
 
Jesus paid it all…and yet, people still refuse this wonderful, incredible gift of salvation, freedom to be all God created us to be. God provides a way out of the misery, injustice, pain and suffering we bring upon ourselves because of our own sin. And yet, people refuse. We will suffer for our faith and in our faith because we live in a fallen world, but God sees us through it all. He will also pass the cup of judgement to those who refuse to follow Him and wreak havoc on his people. The revelation causes us to commit. What cup will it be? From what cup will we be drinking from forever?
 
“Done!” The last bowl is poured out. “Great Babylon had to drink the wine of God’s raging anger–God remembered to give her to cup!”
 
In my heart and mind, I am not still running around, I’m running after my King, Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord.
 
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your salvation. Thank you for helping us over all the hurdles of this race to You. Sometimes the journey is hard, confusing and takes patience and wisdom, but You are quick to respond for you are always with us, abiding in our hearts. Continue to guide us as we walk with You.
In Jesus Name, Amen
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THEY SANG

Posted on September 6, 2018 by randscallawayffm

Revelation – Jesus IS Coming Back!

When I am happy a certain song comes to mind and I sing it. When I am sad, a different song comes to mind. When I am seeking God in troubled times, a song that gives me peace echos in my thoughts and I sing it. Since the beginning of time God has used music, chants, psalms, harps, cymbals and trumpets to bring Him praise, heal our hearts, alert us to trouble ahead and encourage our being. He also uses songs to bring us to attention. But most of all, the song sung by the saints not bullied into beastly worship, was all about God…

“You and you only are holy, all nations will come and worship you, because they see your judgments are right.”

Revelation 15 the lambThis song of righteous praise to our Creator and Father God herald the beginning of God’s wrath to those who worshiped the world and everything in it. God’s wrath is poured out instead of God blessings as we normally think of “pouring out”. There will be a time when enough is enough. The beast and the worship of him is over. Those who worshiped him and cursed God will have to pay a stiff price.

Then I think of Jesus Christ, God’s only Son who paid a hefty, torturous price for me…for us. What else would we expect for those who still mock Him, run from Him, try to be God themselves and bully others who believe into thinking He is not real, alive, active and powerful?

Yes, the wrap up of God’s wrath is the beginning of the end of the new beginning. Let’s push on…

Revelation 15, The Message
The Song of Moses, the Song of the Lamb
15 I saw another Sign in Heaven, huge and breathtaking: seven Angels with seven disasters. These are the final disasters, the wrap-up of God’s wrath.

2-4 I saw something like a sea made of glass, the glass all shot through with fire. Carrying harps of God, triumphant over the Beast, its image, and the number of its name, the saved ones stood on the sea of glass. They sang the Song of Moses, servant of God; they sang the Song of the Lamb:

Revelation 15 power over evilMighty your acts and marvelous,
O God, the Sovereign-Strong!
Righteous your ways and true,
King of the nations!
Who can fail to fear you, God,
give glory to your Name?
Because you and you only are holy,
all nations will come and worship you,
because they see your judgments are right.

5-8 Then I saw the doors of the Temple, the Tent of Witness in Heaven, open wide. The Seven Angels carrying the seven disasters came out of the Temple. They were dressed in clean, bright linen and wore gold vests. One of the Four Animals handed the Seven Angels seven gold bowls, brimming with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. Smoke from God’s glory and power poured out of the Temple. No one was permitted to enter the Temple until the seven disasters of the Seven Angels were finished.

Revelation 15 kingdom comeWhat song are you singing today? Sing it loud and strong if it brings God glory and praise! Sing it all day long if it fills our hearts with love and dispels all hate. Sing it with your whole heart, mind and soul as a love song to God.

Yes! May we “pour out” His song of blessings and truly live the Song of the Redeemer for now. Now is the time to sing!

“Mighty your acts and marvelous, 
Oh God, the Sovereign-Strong! 
Righteous your ways and true,
King of the nations!”

Rejoice…Jesus IS Coming Back!

Dear Heavenly Father, 
We are walking through the revelation of you and your coming back to claim your own with joy and peace because we know you and believe what you say. Thank you for helping us to know, to love, to change and transform. Continue to work out your salvation in and through us.
In Jesus Name, Amen

And I’m singing…

The sky shall unfold
Preparing His entrance
The stars shall applaud Him
With thunders of praise

The sweet light in His eyes, shall enhance those awaiting
And we shall behold Him, then face to face

O we shall behold Him, we shall behold Him
Face to face in all of His glory
O we shall behold Him, yes we shall behold Him
Face to face, our Savior and Lord

The angel will sound, the shout of His coming
And the sleeping shall rise, from there slumbering place
And those remaining, shall be changed in a moment
And we…

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NOTHING WASTED

Posted on September 5, 2018 by randscallawayffm
Revelation – Jesus IS Coming Back!
 
We feel good when a meal is prepared and eaten heartily with nothing wasted after consumption. We feel success when we can use products that deliver what they promised so nothing is wasted. There is satisfaction when we use all we have been given to manage with nothing wasted. Most of us do not like to waste food, gas for vehicles, or things that have purpose. As God followers, we desire that our time on the tasks God has invited us to be and do with Him not be wasted. Guess what? It’s not.
 
Satan tries to tell us daily that what we have done or are doing is a waste of time. Are these some of the thoughts you have had? (Maybe it’s just me, but I doubt it.)
 
People are not hearing what you say about God, so why bother.
 
You tried it once, why try again?
 
God is asking the impossible of you, so back out now.
 
Doing this is a waste of time. Who really cares or notices if the restrooms are clean and the trash is taken out at church?
 
Why invite someone in your neighborhood you know won’t come with you to church? It’s a waste of time to ask.
 
Why spend all these hours in preparation for Sunday when only a few will appreciate the work? I could be doing fun stuff.
 
They won’t really care if I don’t show up…It’s a waste of time.
 
Why are you stepping into a ministry no one else will do? This is such a waste of time and energy of your giftedness and abilities. (We were actually told that by humans.)
 
The above thoughts are brought to you by Satan. Now, read and hear Truth. In our passage today, God reveals to us, “None of what they’ve done is wasted; God blesses them for it all in the end.” That’s for us, too!!!
 
Revelation 14 God wasted no oneNONE of who we are and what we do in Jesus Name, called by God’s invitation to do it, is wasted. Nada, none, zilch. It all counts for His glory. Nothing goes beyond HIS notice. That’s WHO we do it for in the first place…not for our glory or the comfort of others. We do it, by God’s Holy Spirit in us, unto God, for God, with God as an offering of worship to God! Most people notice when you are doing what you do for God. It is Christ in us that draws people to Him!
 
If you hear nothing else in this vision of the revelation of Jesus Christ, get this; NOTHING IS WASTED.
 
Be encouraged with courage to keep doing what God has invited you to be and do, knowing nothing is wasted. God uses ALL for His glory.
 
One more thought…
God uses all of our life experiences for the next wonderful task He is getting us ready to do with Him. Nothing, absolutely nothing in our lives is wasted.
 
Revelation 14, The Message
A Perfect Offering
14 1-2 I saw—it took my breath away!—the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, 144,000 standing there with him, his Name and the Name of his Father inscribed on their foreheads. And I heard a voice out of Heaven, the sound like a cataract, like the crash of thunder.
 
2-5 And then I heard music, harp music and the harpists singing a new song before the Throne and the Four Animals and the Elders. Only the 144,000 could learn to sing the song. They were bought from earth, lived without compromise, virgin-fresh before God. Wherever the Lamb went, they followed. They were bought from humankind, firstfruits of the harvest for God and the Lamb. Not a false word in their mouths. A perfect offering.
 
Voices from Heaven
6-7 I saw another Angel soaring in Middle-Heaven. He had an Eternal Message to preach to all who were still on earth, every nation and tribe, every tongue and people. He preached in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory! His hour of judgment has come! Worship the Maker of Heaven and earth, salt sea and fresh water!”
 
8 A second Angel followed, calling out, “Ruined, ruined, Great Babylon ruined! She made all the nations drunk on the wine of her whoring!”
 
9-11 A third Angel followed, shouting, warning, “If anyone worships the Beast and its image and takes the mark on forehead or hand, that person will drink the wine of God’s wrath, prepared unmixed in his chalice of anger, and suffer torment from fire and brimstone in the presence of Holy Angels, in the presence of the Lamb. Smoke from their torment will rise age after age. No respite for those who worship the Beast and its image, who take the mark of its name.”
 
Revelation 14 keep on
12 Meanwhile, the saints stand passionately patient, keeping God’s commands, staying faithful to Jesus.
 
13 I heard a voice out of Heaven, “Write this: Blessed are those who die in the Master from now on; how blessed to die that way!”
 
Revelation 14 nothing wasted
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “and blessed rest from their hard, hard work. None of what they’ve done is wasted; God blesses them for it all in the end.”
 
Harvest Time
14-16 I looked up, I caught my breath!—a white cloud and one like the Son of Man sitting on it. He wore a gold crown and held a sharp sickle. Another Angel came out of the Temple, shouting to the Cloud-Enthroned, “Swing your sickle and reap. It’s harvest time. Earth’s harvest is ripe for reaping.” The Cloud-Enthroned gave a mighty sweep of his sickle, began harvesting earth in a stroke.
 
17-18 Then another Angel came out of the Temple in Heaven. He also had a sharp sickle. Yet another Angel, the one in charge of tending the fire, came from the Altar. He thundered to the Angel who held the sharp sickle, “Swing your sharp sickle. Harvest earth’s vineyard. The grapes are bursting with ripeness.”
 
19-20 The Angel swung his sickle, harvested earth’s vintage, and heaved it into the winepress, the giant winepress of God’s wrath. The winepress was outside the City. As the vintage was trodden, blood poured from the winepress as high as a horse’s bridle, a river of blood for two hundred miles.
 
Revelation 14 follow
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this encouragement today. I know that when you come we will be judged by what we have done and by what we did not do. Transform us with courage for this journey. Train us to only listen to Your Voice. May all we are and then do be an offering of praise and worship to You.
In Jesus Name, Amen
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BEASTLY WORSHIP

Posted on September 4, 2018 by randscallawayffm

Revelation – Jesus IS Coming Back!

Worship. We “lifers” (grew up in the church) remember hymns of worship. Coming from Oklahoma we had a little gospel thrown into the mix. This caused division in our idea of worship in my home church. My own parents were appalled and said, “We can have a piano and organ…but guitars?” They were uncomfortable and I didn’t know exactly why. We had a choice to sing from the hard back hymnals or the paperback gospel books. (No overheads at the time!) It seemed to me as a child that smiling gospel singers where more fun than solemn hymn singers but that was my child-like impression.

THEN, during my “youth group” years choruses hit the big stage and a whole new war of worship opinions began to roll out in the church. Yikes, sing a scripture chorus in place of a hymn? “What is the world coming to?” (Now, I’m kind of laughing out loud.)

WHO was/is right? No one.

Before jumping into the next installment of John’s vision, let us remember where John was when he had this revelation of Jesus Christ. He was IN WORSHIP! John had worship on his mind and is preeminently concerned with worship. John is responsible for a circuit of churches on the mainland whose primary task is worship. Worship shapes the human community in response to the living God! If worship is neglected or perverted, our communities fall into chaos or under tyranny.

Our times are not favorable for worship. We have points of disagreement. Where does that come from? The world is hostile to worship. The Devil hates worship. As The Revelation makes clear, worship must be carried out under conditions decidedly uncongenial to it. Some Christians even get killed because they truly worship God.

This next passage is not easy reading but look closely at WHO is being worshiped. It is the BEAST, not GOD. It is not about what we sing or what we do in worship. It is about GOD and only GOD. Worship is our heart’s , response to God living freely in us. Worship is being grateful for all God has done in us and for us while abiding with us. Worship is not the song we sing or the instruments we play. Worship is our heart’s response to our living God.

The Beast enters into our worship when we debate what we do, what song we sing and how we respond to God. Now, I’m tearful. For my heart has been broken by those in God’s church who came only to “feel good”, to sing only the songs they knew were “right” and “holy” and to put down others whose response was different than their response. Holiness comes from God washing us white as snow by the blood sacrificed by Jesus Christ, His Son. Worship is our response to His Redemption of us. WE have nothing to do saving our souls. We realize that it is God and God alone who saves us and calls us His own. The Beast, and the Dragon (Satan) who gave him authority hates our worship of God alone. Everyone who did not know God and worship Him, worships the Beast.

Revelation 13 beast.jpgRevelation 13, The Message
The Beast from the Sea
1-2 And the Dragon stood on the shore of the sea. I saw a Beast rising from the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads—on each horn a crown, and each head inscribed with a blasphemous name. The Beast I saw looked like a leopard with bear paws and a lion’s mouth. The Dragon turned over its power to it, its throne and great authority.

3-4 One of the Beast’s heads looked as if it had been struck a deathblow, and then healed. The whole earth was agog, gaping at the Beast. They worshiped the Dragon who gave the Beast authority, and they worshiped the Beast, exclaiming, “There’s never been anything like the Beast! No one would dare go to war with the Beast!”

5-8 The Beast had a loud mouth, boastful and blasphemous. It could do anything it wanted for forty-two months. It yelled blasphemies against God, blasphemed his Name, blasphemed his Church, especially those already dwelling with God in Heaven. It was permitted to make war on God’s holy people and conquer them. It held absolute sway over all tribes and peoples, tongues and races. Everyone on earth whose name was not written from the world’s foundation in the slaughtered Lamb’s Book of Life will worship the Beast.

Revelation 13 war with the saints9-10 Are you listening to this? They’ve made their bed; now they must lie in it. Anyone marked for prison goes straight to prison; anyone pulling a sword goes down by the sword. Meanwhile, God’s holy people passionately and faithfully stand their ground.

Revelation 13 worship leader from hellThe Beast from Under the Ground
11-12 I saw another Beast rising out of the ground. It had two horns like a lamb but sounded like a dragon when it spoke. It was a puppet of the first Beast, made earth and everyone in it worship the first Beast, which had been healed of its deathblow.

13-17 This second Beast worked magical signs, dazzling people by making fire come down from Heaven. It used the magic it got from the Beast to dupe earth dwellers, getting them to make an image of the Beast that received the deathblow and lived. It was able to animate the image of the Beast so that it talked, and then arrange that anyone not worshiping the Beast would be killed. It forced all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to have a mark on the right hand or forehead. Without the mark of the name of the Beast or the number of its name, it was impossible to buy or sell anything.

18 Solve a riddle: Put your heads together and figure out the meaning of the number of the Beast. It’s a human number: 666.

WHO do we worship? No, seriously think about it…
Do we allow the beast to enter our hearts to pull us away from the worship of God to think only of our own comfort? Are we worshiping ourselves at that point?

Could the dragon and the beast be lurking in our churches today?

The beast’s “number” is almost up. Jesus IS coming back for his own. “Meanwhile, God’s holy people passionately and faithfully stand their ground.”

Francis Chan, a well known Bible scholar and preacher, was met by a random church goer who said, “I didn’t really like church today.” Francis responded, “That’s okay, we weren’t worshiping you.”

Worship is an audience of ONE…The One and Only God.

Revelation 13 worshipDear Heavenly Father, 
Wow. The imagery of the worship of the dragon and then the beast hits close to home in our country. We spend a lot of effort getting things right while sometimes missing the point of worship which is our response to You and You alone. O Lord, thank you for your revelation to us today. I love you with all my heart, mind and soul. May the words and meditations of my heart please You and bring you praise! 
In Jesus Name, Amen

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BATTLES BEFORE BLESSINGS

Posted on September 3, 2018 by randscallawayffm
Revelation – Jesus IS Coming Back!
 
I’m going to let you in on a secret not many Christian speakers, preachers, teachers and seminar presenters talk about in public. It is the inward battle with Satan that comes before anything that is done for God’s glory and for people to learn more about Him. I’m pretty sure it is not just Randy and I who have gone through these battles.
 
Satan hates it when we give our lives to God, follow His lead and talk about Him in ways that others find and follow Jesus, too. Satan hates it when we teach children about Him. Satan hates it when we help others find focus and cast their hearts, minds and souls back to Christ. Jesus Christ is his number one enemy. He is extremely jealous of the One who is God’s Son and who reigns victorious in every battle.
 
Revelation 12 God is in controlIt stands to reason that Satan will try everything in his limited arsenal to stop us from Truth telling. Here are some examples. Before a marriage retreat, Randy and I begin picking at each other until we figure out that the evil one is playing with our selfish thoughts. Before a leadership seminar, something happens that challenges our own capabilities and we falter and stammer with our confidence in Christ who leads us, until we figure who is really in charge here. Before a seminar on teaching children, our own children have problems we must deal with in ways we are about to teach.
 
It’s crazy, right? No, it’s Satan. He has and always will be in a battle to draw us away from God, our Creator and Father. His battle with Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is always in motion. It must frustrate Satan to no end when God takes over and defeats Him. So he tries even harder with us who are God’s children.
 
“He’s wild and raging with anger; he hasn’t much time and he knows it.” THIS is probably our key verse for today as we read the next part of the revelation of the return of Jesus Christ. Satan is ramping up his efforts to stop Truth.
 
So, if you wonder why attacks on your heart, mind and soul come just before the blessing of God leading you to help others find and follow him…this is one of the reasons. Be aware, alert and ready for battle. Don’t fall for it. But if you do fall, since you are already on your knees, pray and ask for God’s intervention. He loves it when we ask for His help. Let God battle Him as only He can. Where God guides, He provides all you need to do what He has invited you to do for Him, in Him and with Him. It is God’s work. The battle belongs to the Lord. AND He wins. Every. Time. This vision proves it.
 
Revelation 12, The Message
 
The Woman, Her Son, and the Dragon
1-2 A great Sign appeared in Heaven: a Woman dressed all in sunlight, standing on the moon, and crowned with Twelve Stars. She was giving birth to a Child and cried out in the pain of childbirth.
 
3-4 And then another Sign alongside the first: a huge and fiery Dragon! It had seven heads and ten horns, a crown on each of the seven heads. With one flick of its tail it knocked a third of the Stars from the sky and dumped them on earth. The Dragon crouched before the Woman in childbirth, poised to eat up the Child when it came.
 
5-6 The Woman gave birth to a Son who will shepherd all nations with an iron rod. Her Son was seized and placed safely before God on his Throne. The Woman herself escaped to the desert to a place of safety prepared by God, all comforts provided her for 1,260 days.
 
7-12 War broke out in Heaven. Michael and his Angels fought the Dragon. The Dragon and his Angels fought back, but were no match for Michael. They were cleared out of Heaven, not a sign of them left. The great Dragon—ancient Serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, the one who led the whole earth astray—thrown out, and all his Angels thrown out with him, thrown down to earth. Then I heard a strong voice out of Heaven saying,
 
Revelation 12 real eyes
Salvation and power are established!
Kingdom of our God, authority of his Messiah!
The Accuser of our brothers and sisters thrown out,
who accused them day and night before God.
They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb
and the bold word of their witness.
They weren’t in love with themselves;
they were willing to die for Christ.
So rejoice, O Heavens, and all who live there,
but doom to earth and sea,
For the Devil’s come down on you with both feet;
he’s had a great fall;
He’s wild and raging with anger;
he hasn’t much time and he knows it.
 
13-17 When the Dragon saw he’d been thrown to earth, he went after the Woman who had given birth to the Man-Child. The Woman was given wings of a great eagle to fly to a place in the desert to be kept in safety and comfort for a time and times and half a time, safe and sound from the Serpent. The Serpent vomited a river of water to swamp and drown her, but earth came to her help, swallowing the water the Dragon spewed from its mouth. Helpless with rage, the Dragon raged at the Woman, then went off to make war with the rest of her children, the children who keep God’s commands and hold firm to the witness of Jesus.
 
 
Revelation 12 satan tries
One last thought…
Battles are also provided so that we become stronger, learning the skills to be ready for battle, fit for the task, and willing to go to war with Jesus leading. We must also live what we preach before telling others what it is like to follow Christ, no matter where He will lead us. Yes, God’s knows what He is doing in and through us. Trust Him. Jesus IS coming back, you know!
 
Dear Heavenly Father,
We don’t like to talk about the many times we have fallen for the evil one’s schemes to bring us down. But it is good to let others know You are in control at all times. You never leave us or forsake us. You are Victor. Thank you for leading and guiding us, saving and protecting us. You are good, so good to us.
In Jesus Name, Amen
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