When my kids were still at home, there were certain buttons when pushed just right that would unleash my wrath. I learned it from my Mama. My mama had buttons when I was growing up. When I pushed them, you could almost see the steam come from her ears. I bet you have a trigger for your wrath. Something specific that just sets you off and makes you turn into a raging lunatic.
Did you know God has a trigger for his wrath? And the bad news is, we each have our own special way of pushing it. God’s wrath arises when the buttons of sin are pushed. We know that, but do we understand it? Do we really understand WHY God is so enraged by our sin? I could never understand this until my children became young adults and I stood from a distance and watched them struggle with sin. I didn’t want them to hurt like that. I didn’t want them to get stuck in that bondage. I didn’t want them to create that future regret they would have to carry with them. What they were doing wrong wasn’t about me and my rules – it was about them. It was about their future.
God knows what sin does in our lives. He knows the pain it will create. He knows the separation it will bring. He knows the regret we will one day carry because of it. It’s not all about his rules, it’s about our future. Sin has consequences, and those consequences are not God’s desire for his children.
Each one of us have a divine purpose and good plan for our lives. God has seen that plan from the very beginning and specifically handcrafted each one of us to perfectly fulfill our unique purpose. It pains him to see us get stuck in bondage along the way and forfeit the goodness he has for us. He wants so much better for us, but he will not force it on us.
Our sin causes us to miss out on God’s aligned goodness. It creates a separation between us and him. Sin grows a divide – and that divide is the distance between how we’re living and how we COULD BE LIVING. That distance is NOT God’s will for us. We’re creating messes he didn’t design for us. We’re causing wounds that will affect us and those we love. And this sin in our lives is making us go further and further down the path leading to a way of living that falls far short of God’s good plans for us.
That’s what sin really does. And that’s why God hates it so much. It enrages him that his beautiful creation gets tangled up in temporary pleasures that will hurt her. It enrages him that his masterpiece would get caught in a trap and be held in bondage. It enrages him that the life he has planned for his chosen one would be traded down for a lesser than, settled version that misses the mark set for her.
It’s his button. And eventually, that button being pushed over and over again will unleash his wrath. Scripture calls it God’s cup of wrath. It’s good for us to decide right now we really don’t want that!
We last left off in our study of the book of Revelation with the Antichrist and the mark of the beast. Yuck – not a fun topic, but a necessary one. What we learned is this Antichrist is a fake imitation of our Jesus. He’s a knock off version backed by Satan, sent in the time of Tribulation to fool the people still left on Earth. He will show up with miraculous signs and people will love him. Worship of this Antichrist will become the means of survival. To eat, you must get his mark. To get his mark, you must worship him.
And to this, we are told in Revelation 14: 9-10, “Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand must drink the wine of God’s anger. It has been poured full strength into God’s cup of wrath.”
God’s wrath is poured out on this world. It comes in 7 bowls described in chapter 16. As each bowl of wrath is poured out,

My friends are sending me those priceless back to school photos. Just this week I saw Ava’s first day of pre-school and Grayson’s move-in day at college. And while it seems a lifetime will separate those two photos, us older moms know just how fast it all goes. We only have these kids home with us for a short time, then they’re gone.
The year will come when there are no back to school shoes to buy. No school supplies to stress over. No first day send offs. And please, listen to me … THAT’S THE GOAL. The goal is to raise those babies and watch them fly right out of the nest. The goal isn’t to keep them home forever. Mama, you’ve got to let them go. This is success.
All too often I hear from mom’s who are struggling to let their grown man child be a man. They’re holding on to this fully capable young woman as if she’s still a little girl who needs her pigtails tightened. You’re only holding them back! They aren’t mean to live with you forever, that’s why battles ensue when they become teenagers. This is them separating from your home. This is natural.
Gosh, I really wish someone would have told me that when I had teenagers. THIS IS NATURAL. They’re separating from your home. They’re like the little bird that’s decided the nest is limiting their life and they’re mad they’re still stuck in it. And the more mama bird tries to make them stay in the nest, the more disgruntled they grow.
Proverbs 22:6 MSG, “Point your kids in the right direction – when they’re old they won’t be lost.” But guess what, there will likely be some stupid wandering years before they’re old.
You have a job here. Your job is to point them in the right direction. You can’t force them, and you can’t do it for them. And you can’t hold on so tightly to them that they can’t take a step without you.
Mama, if you’re in the “wandering years” with your child, please know this:
1. You’re not alone.
2. This is somewhat normal.
3. This won’t last forever.
And I believe there are two things you absolutely must do.
1. Let life be their teacher.
2. Pray circles around them.
I’ve raised three kids, somewhat successfully. I was not perfect, and neither were they. Their wandering years lasted longer than I had wished and sometimes have gone a lot further off track than I ever imagined. BUT GOD!
Let me tell you, our God is faithful and he loves our kids even more than us. God is big enough to point and not force. Guide and not steer. And he is so patient through those wandering years because he already knows they will come back. And God lets life touch them. God doesn’t run in and rescue every time and make all the consequences go away. But he never leaves. He never turns away. He is always there.
AND THIS IS OUR GUIDE TO PARENTING. Look how God does it and repeat that display of love.
Let life touch and teach them. Don’t make consequences go away. Don’t shield them from life. Don’t fix it for them, just as God doesn’t fix it all for us. Our job is to simply be present. Be faithful. Listen. Offer strength. Offer guidance. Remain steady. Never stop loving them.
And if you really want to help your child, you pray!
James 5:16, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” That’s a formula. Righteous person with earnest prayers for wonderful results. Before you disqualify yourself thinking you have to go out and find some righteous person to pray for your child because you alone could never be a righteous person, remember it is your belief and trust in Jesus that makes you righteous, not your works. As a believer, you are that righteous person, and your prayers have great power to produce wond...

Okay, today, we bite the bullet and we talk about the really really really uncomfortable stuff. The stuff that makes my skin itch and my eyes twitch. The stuff you’ve likely never heard me talk about before because even while we study the book of Revelation, I really like to find the hope and the highlights.
Today, we talk about the Anitchrist. What it is and what it isn’t. Is this a threat to us, or are we promised to be in the clear?
First, let’s understand what the word anitchrist means. In english, the pre-fix “anti” means ‘against’. However, this word was originally spoken in Greek. In Greek, the prefix “anti” has additional meanings. It can mean ‘against’, but it also means ‘instead of’. Yes, antichrist, INSTEAD OF CHRIST.
So now understand, when John writes in 1 John 2:18, “Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist (capital A) is coming, and already many such antichrists (little a) have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come.” This Antichrist to come (capital A), is the one people will choose instead of Christ. Already, there are many antichrists (little a’s) who choose and promote something instead of Christ.
And with this, we must be so careful. Anything we choose instead of Christ is extremely dangerous.
Now it’s easy to dismiss ourselves believing we know better and would never choose anyone but our Jesus – but really, examine yourself. Is there anyone or anything you turn to for guidance instead of Jesus? Hello, the google and ChatGPT. Has that become your go-to? Tarot cards, stars, crystals – that’s not Jesus. I’m not saying using ChatGPT for a little help is wrong – I’m saying it’s extremely dangerous when it becomes your main source of guidance and answers. It’s NOT JESUS.
Is there something you turn to for strength instead of Jesus? Are all those self-help books more important than God’s word in your life? Is your husband or your best friend the one who gives you strength? Uh oh, I hate to tell you this, but honey, that’s a problem.
Is there something you’re counting on to save you instead of Jesus? Your good works, your success, your money, your stuff.
There are all these little antichrists (little a) running around in our lives. The things we choose instead of Jesus. How does God feel about that? Oh, God is very clear. Deuteronomy 4:24, “The Lord your God is a devouring fire; he is a jealous God.” Not jealous as in petty envy, but rather jealous as in passionately devoted and desiring exclusive love and worship. Our Creator knows when we begin choosing anything over him, we’re in trouble. There’s a line in a Lauren Daigel song that gets me every time. It says, “I will always live in wonder of the fact that I awaken jealous love.”
You awaken jealous love. A love that is passionately devoted to you. A love that desires your exclusive choice. God the Father, Jesus Christ the son, and the Holy Spirit are one. When you choose something instead of this trinity, you choose an antichrist. Something instead of.
Now, when John is being given the clear visions of the Tribulation to come in Revelation, he sees a beast. This beast is who we refer to as the Anitchrist (captial A), we’ve been warned about. It’s not pleasant to read about, but it is necessary. Jesus says YOU NEED TO KNOW, that’s why he is revealing this to us.
Revelation 13: 1-7, “Then I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God. This beast looked like a leopard, but it had the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion! And the dragon (remember, that’s Satan) gave the beast his own power and throne and ...

You know the devil is your enemy, right, but do you know how he attacks you? Do you know what his game is? Girl, you have to know the battle tactics of the enemy of your soul, the one who comes to kill, steal and destroy every ounce of God’s goodness in your life. You have to know his strategy so you know how to fight back.
We’ve been reading in Revelation where Satan is often called the dragon. Jesus told us our enemy is like a lion. He’s prowls around and he attacks. But did you know when scripture calls him devil, it doesn’t mean some sort of ferocious beast? In Greek, devil is diabolos which means slanderer.
Slanderer. This is one who commits the crime of making false spoken statements damaging a person’s reputation. That’s who your enemy is. He’s a total criminal who lies about you. Now, who is he lying to? Oh, this is about to get good. Check this out!
Revelation 12:11, “For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth – the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.”
The devil, diabolos, the slanderer, is slandering us in the courts of Heaven. At the throne of God, the devil stands and tells constant lies about us to damage how God sees us. He literally accuses us day and night. Think about that.
“She’s not good enough. She can never get it right. She can’t be trusted. She’s not worthy. She’s too weak. She’s too far gone. Don’t you remember what she did? She should never be forgiven for that. Look what a mess she’s made again.”
That is what is happening. This is the devil’s battle tactic. This is his strategy. He will just keep talking bad about you, pointing out all your flaws, all your failures, and everything that is your fault. You see, John is shown the future during the time of Tribulation when Satan is thrown out of Heaven, but that time has not come yet. Satan still has access to the throne. And he uses his access to try and convince God that you’re not worth saving.
And you know what I think happens as a result of him accusing us before God day and night? I believe his demons, the 1/3 of the angels that chose to follow the revolt of Satan, then go out repeating what they’ve heard their master saying. They whisper in your ear those accusations.
Girl, you’re not good enough for this – Just quit.
You’re not important – No one really cares about you.
That’s is too hard for you – Don’t even try.
God can’t really love you – He’s mad at you.
Have you heard them? Of course you have. Now, what are you going to do about them?
God shows us what he does. He ignores it. He is absolutely unshaken by everything the devil has to say about you. He’s unbothered by it all. God knows his thoughts about you. He KNOWS and he will not be convinced otherwise. The Lord says in Jeremiah 29:11, “FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” The NKJV says it like this, “For I KNOW THE THOUGHTS I think toward you.” God’s thoughts about you and plans for you are not disturbed by the slanderous accusations of the devil.
So why are yours? Why are your thoughts about you disturbed by the whispers of the demons? Why are your plans affected by the fear they spread?
There’s no one that can keep pestering and asking like a 3 year old. We’re hosting our annual Poppy and Franny Camp this month for our 3 year old grandson, Maverick. So far in less than 1 week, we’ve completely mastered potty training, we’ve broken our addiction to screens, and we’re discovering he is one incredible tiny human with a world of potential in him.

You were created with the unique capacity for joy. It’s God’s gift to you. You can seek joy, experience joy and give joy. The problems in our life come when our joy gets twisted. When we desire ungodly things for our joy, then we sin. When we seek joy from things of the world over things from God, then we lose our way.
Really think about it – can you see how every evil in this world comes from a twisted joy? When our pleasures and desires get off track our lives will follow.
The first twisted joy was in Satan himself. He was an angel created specifically to lead the praise of God, but he began to find joy in receiving his own praise. He was given great honor, then he found joy in having the honor for himself. He was placed in a position of leadership, but his joy grew in becoming the leader. And this twisted joy became the first and greatest evil in the world. Every act of evil since has flowed from the same source – a twisted joy.
Why do people commit adultery? A twisted joy.
Why do people lie, cheat and steal? A twisted joy.
Why do people chase more money? A twisted joy.
Why do people fall into addictions? A twisted joy.
Why do people spend hours every day mindlessly scrolling, consumed by a continual feed of nonsense? A twisted joy.
And the enemy of your soul absolutely LOVES that twisted joy. Why? Because it is bringing you to the same hopeless darkness he dwells in. It separates you from God.
In Revelation 12: 3-4, we read a line that sounds like a villain straight out of a children’s story book. Listen to this. “I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth.” But, this isn’t a story book, this is God’s divine word. Every word is here for a divine purpose and willed by him to be preserved for us. Every word is alive with the power of his spirit, sharper than a two-edged sword.
So, what is John telling us that God is showing him? In scripture, the dragon is Satan himself. Yes, the one who rose up in pride with his twisted joy, that’s the dragon. The heads and horns and crowns all signify specific things, but we’re not going to get lost in them today. Instead, we’re going to focus on these stars he sweeps away with his tail. What are these stars? They are God’s angels. Many times throughout scripture angels are called stars.
Let’s read it again now that we understand the dragon is Satan and the stars are angels. “I saw a large red dragon … His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth.” And this is how we know Satan led a revolt in Heaven and 1/3 of the God’s angels followed him.
How could that possibly happen? Twisted joy.
Let’s be clear … God has never and will never create an evil being. God creates good and beautiful beings with the capacity for joy, then he gives them free will. In their free will, they can choose their own source for joy.
If the angels in heaven who stand in the presence of God can be led into a twisted joy, never be so arrogant to think you can’t be as well. 1/3 of the angels were fooled and followed Satan, finding their joy in his pursuits of power. And those angels became demons. They were thrown to this earth to dwell here and be Satan’s minions for acts of evil.
Are they real? Absolutely they’re real. They are fallen angels, created by God with the capacity for joy, but used their free will to chase joy all the way to hell.
And that’s a warning to every one of us today. We can chase joy all the way to the pits of hell. We can pursue things that bring us temporary pleasures and leave us forfeiting the fullness of life we were created for.
Satan is always looking for an opportunity to twi...

Some things in this life are a mystery. Most of the things yet to come are most certainly a mystery. Agreed?
But have you ever thought about what a mystery really is? A mystery is something that absolutely cannot be understood without being revealed. You can’t figure it out. You can’t manage or measure it. It is either revealed to be known, or it is not revealed and it’s left in the unknown. Some mysteries are revealed by God – other mysteries are intentionally left in the unknown.
In Revelation chapter 10, there’s a part of what John sees and hears in visions of the Tribulation to come that he is told, “Keep this secret and do not write it down.” Well, isn’t that just a humdinger? There are absolutely certain things in alignment, however we are NOT to know them. It is to remain an unknown mystery. This is the part where God says, “You’re going to have to trust me here.”
An angel speaks to John and says in verses 6-7, “There will be no more delay. When the seventh angel blows his trumpet, God’s mysterious plan will be fulfilled. It will happen just as he announced it to his servants the prophets.”
It’s a mystery, but it’s a plan, and it’s God’s plan. God isn’t just making this up as he goes. It has been laid out since before the beginning of time. The delay of fulfilling this plan has been for one purpose – saving me and saving you. Saving more souls from the Tribulation to come. He’s been giving us time to come to him, time to get it right, time to surrender our lives fully to him.
2 Peter 3:9-10, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. (This is when Jesus comes to get his believers. The rapture, when we are snatched up and saved from all that is to come. This is the fulfillment of 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then, we will be with the Lord forever.”) – Now, back to 2 Peter 3, verse 10 – Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.” (And that’s the coming of the great Tribulation we’ve been reading about in Revelation.)
Verse 11, “Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live. (Now, we bring it back to how we’re living right now. We can’t stay stuck in this extreme fear of the Tribulation or in an inactive faith where we just watch the sky for Jesus to come get us. Now, we must be LIVING. We’ve been told enough of what is to come and now we’re expected to be living accordingly.)
Verse 14, “While you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.”
Our job is not to figure it all out – our job is to live lives that are pleasing to God as his plan unfolds.
What we see in chapter 10 is God has a plan, it is a mysterious plan which we have no way of knowing unless it is divinely revealed to us, and some parts of that plan are simply NOT revealed. Without our understanding and without our knowing, God is going to fulfill his plan perfectly and it will happen exactly as he has said.
Now, chapter 11 shows us something about God’s pl...

God does all things right. There’s never a time he gets it wrong. There’s never a detail he overlooks. There’s never a promise left unfulfilled.
He can be fully trusted to get this right. Yes, I’m talking about your personal “this”. This thing that still isn’t fixed in your life. This thing that still hurts and still doesn’t make sense. This thing that feels so unimaginably cruel and unfair.
GOD CAN BE TRUSTED TO GET THIS RIGHT.
There will come a time in each of our lives when absolutely nothing else in our entire existence will matter other than our faith in Jesus. Everything else will be gone and over, and the one thing that remains is an eternal destination solely based on our relationship with Jesus. Either he knows us, or he doesn’t. Either we surrendered to him, or we didn’t. Either we call on his name, or we don’t.
For every soul that sought Jesus, we have the promise of experiencing God’s divine plan unfold and coming to see everything made right. Yes, everything. For the one who chooses Jesus, this life is the worst we will ever experience. For the one who chooses something other than Jesus or simply makes no choice at all, this life is the best they will ever experience.
Every challenge, every trial, every difficulty ever faced in this life has come upon us with the permission of God. Yes, it first had to pass through the hands of God to touch our lives. He may not have orchestrated it, but he allowed it. He allows these things because he can use these things. Difficult times in our lives produce eternal good. It’s on our knees we find a faithful God who will always rescue us.
We all want the mountain top experiences in life, but if you’ve ever been on top of a mountain, you know absolutely nothing grows there. It’s desolate with nothing but hard rock. And that’s why God allows us to have those mountain top, monumental moments in life, but he doesn’t let us just stay there. We don’t grow there. Where we grow is in the valley.
In the valley is where the mountains look overwhelming sometimes. In the valley is where we can feel lost or stuck. In the valley is where we come to our low points.
But my sister, don’t miss the fact that in the valley is where growth happens. Trees, grass and flowers grow in the valley, not on the mountain top. And God knows that’s where we grow too. So, he allows valleys where we’re surrounded by the shadow of death. Not to destroy us, but grow us.
In our study of Revelation, we last left off with those souls who haven’t surrendered to Jesus facing the great Tribulation. The believers are rescued from all the terror that will come on this Earth. We’re already in Heaven, gathered around the throne. We’ve been saved from the crushing and chaos of the Tribulation time to come. But, this time of tribulation is an opportunity for those who haven’t believed before to come to Jesus now. It’s their deep dark valley in the shadow of death where they can grow and turn to God.
And sooooo many will. Scripture says they will be a vast crowd, too many to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language. Although they didn’t trust in Jesus before the rapture, they come to Jesus in the terrible times of Tribulation. You see, here’s the truth – they waited for life to get worse before calling out to Jesus in faith. And life, got worse … so much worse.
If we wait to call out to Jesus, there’s so much worse coming our way. The unimaginable times of Tribulation are promised. They’re coming. It’s real. You think our world today is bad … oh mercy, what is to come is unspeakable. For the ones who refuse Jesus, it only gets worse. And the reason it gets worse is because God knows tribulation brings us to him.

What if I could warn you in advance of a choice you have to make, and that choice will either make your life or ruin your life – wouldn’t you want me to reveal to you the information I know?
What if I could save you so much trouble and heartache, simply by warning you of what will happen if you make the wrong choice?
What if you took that knowledge and you used it to make the right choice now to completely avoid all that potential trouble?
Did you ever date the completely WRONG person? If someone could have somehow revealed to you how that relationship would turn into something so bad, would you have listened? Maybe you were warned, and maybe you married them anyway.
Have you ever simply made the wrong choice – gone the wrong way – trusted the wrong person – then you were left with the consequences of those choices? That wasn’t fun, now was it?
Wrong choice mean negative consequences. We know that. We’ve learned that. But here’s what you need to also know: NO CHOICE HAS CONSEQUENCES TOO.
If you stay in this neutral ground with God – remaining open minded and non-committal – kinda believing, but kinda still living your own way – just leaving the offer of Jesus on the table but not completely claimed, you will face consequences. And Jesus is lovingly and patiently warning you, “My girl, you don’t want the trouble that will bring. Let me save you from all of that.”
That’s what the book of Revelation is. It’s a love letter from your Savior revealing to you the terror he wants to completely save you from. And because he loves you, he wants to make is very clear, YOU DON’T WANT WHAT IS TO COME WITHOUT HIM.
Yesterday’s episode may have been an eye opener to understand the plan of God and the order of Heaven that is to come. It can all be so confusing, especially since over the years each religion has put their own spin on things. I don’t pretend to know all of this. I’m trying to study it and come at it free from the restrictions of any specific religion. I’m just like you, seeking to understand what Jesus is warning me of, while being content in not knowing how or when. I’m not a Bible scholar, but I’m most certainly seeking the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit to heed the warning and pass it along.
The rapture is the coming of Jesus from heaven where the believers who have already died will be raised, and the believers who are still alive on Earth will be snatched up. Do you know what rapture actually means? It means extreme happiness and excitement. We’ve failed in our sharing of this exciting news. JESUS IS COMING, and he’s coming to save us from the trouble of this world that is to come.
After the rapture comes the great tribulation. This is the most unbelievable terror you can imagine. It is a complete absence of all peace. It is every nightmare unfolding. But every soul who has made the choice to believe in Jesus as their savior is saved from this reality. Where are we? We are gathered around the throne praising God already.
May I be honest for a moment? I’ve always had to fake my excitement about that. I get excited over the streets of gold, over the eternal paradise void of all trouble and sickness. Oh I love thinking about a never ending adventure with Jesus, a non-stop party and celebration, but getting excited over this continual signing of praises at the throne was a little hard for me. Like really, won’t that kind of get old? I haven’t been overly excited about that … until my experience last night.
I’m currently in Colorado hosting a BIG Life Retreat. Yesterday we went to the lake and had the most beautiful baptisms. One precious soul, Tonya, committed her life to Jesus for the very first time, and two more, Heather and Brenda, recommitted their lives fully.

Today, we have been given the gift of time. Yes, time to live, but also time get it right. God is being patient with us. He’s literally holding back what must happen next to warn us of the dangers of living this life without him.
After avoiding the book of Revelation for my 49 years of existence, I’ve started a deep dive into the very scriptures that once only confused and terrified me. Remember, the Greek word for revelation is apocalypse. Now of course, apocalypse has come to have a doom and gloom fear based meaning, but that world really meant “a revealing”. What is being revealed in the final book of our Bible is Jesus. Jesus wants us to know him and he wants us to know HE IS COMING.
We’ve spent the past 2 weeks studying the first 3 chapters of Revelation and we’ve come to see Jesus’ words to his church back then still apply to us today. We’re still his people and he’s still teaching us how to live this life. Now, here’s something radically interesting, the word “church” is mentioned 19 times in those first 3 chapters. Church means God’s people. Then suddenly, we’re not mentioned again AT ALL until chapter 22.
You know what happens in those chapters where we’re not mentioned … the most horrific of things you can imagine. The doom and gloom all happens there. And God’s people are NOT even mentioned. Do you know why? BECAUSE THAT SIMPLY ISN’T FOR US.
JESUS HAS SAVED US FROM ALL THIS WORLD MUST FACE!
I have the gift of faith. Blind faith. I don’t need to see it to believe it. I don’t need to understand it to be sure of it. Faith comes naturally and easily to me. Because of that, so does confusion. Since accepting Jesus at 15, I didn’t really know what I believed, I just knew I believed. The problem is, I couldn’t then lead anyone else into faith because I had no clue what God’s word really said about what is to come. And when you don’t know, then you don’t realize how big of a deal your salvation truly is.
I knew I was saved, but I really didn’t know what I was saved from. Jesus wants us to know. He wants to reveal himself and what he’s doing for you. That’s the entirety of the book of Revelation. THIS IS WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR YOU. HE’S SAVED YOU.
It’s a work of the enemy to keep us fearful and confused so we dismiss ourselves from the life changing awareness of Jesus’ unmatched gift for us. You have to know what happens without a life covered by the seal of the lamb. You have to know what can happen to a life caught up in worldly pursuits without the blood of Jesus. That’s why you read Revelation. It’s not to be avoided.
Remember, back in the very beginning of the book in the opening chapter, John writes in verse 3, “God blesses the one who reads the words, who listens to these words and obeys what it says.” There are blessings waiting for you in studying what Jesus told John to write. And today we’re about to discover the biggest blessing Jesus is revealing.
Chapter 4, after John has written to each of the 7 Churches Jesus’ clear instructions about how they are to clean up their living and get it right, Jesus says to John, “Come up here, and I will show you what MUST HAPPEN AFTER THIS.”
Underline those words. MUST HAPPEN AFTER THIS. God has a plan and Heaven has an order. It’s important to understand the order so you know where you fit in and where you don’t. It’s important to know where YOU WILL BE, and that’s really the big question.
WHERE WILL YOU BE?
Jesus shows John the future where angels are gathered around the throne of God and day after day and night after night, they say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty – the one who always was, who is,

There is a way of living that Jesus finds absolutely repulsive. So repulsive, he says he will spit you out.
Did you know that you are in the mouth of Jesus? He speaks your name at the throne of God. He defends you against the endless accusations of the enemy. Scripture even says he himself prays for YOU.
But beware, there is a way of living that makes Jesus spit you out. What we will discover today is we dangerously tiptoeing that line without even realizing it.
The first 3 chapters of the book of Revelation include 7 letters Jesus instructed John to write to the churches. Remember, churches are God’s people. We are God’s people … these letters are to us. This is after the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, and he has appeared to John with very clear messages.
We’ve studied 6 of those 7 letters, now we read the final letter. Let’s first read it a portion of it together. Revelation 3: 14-17:
“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:
“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.
We’ve learned so far in our study that the way Jesus introduces himself at the beginning of each letter is important. Here, Jesus says “I am the beginning of God’s new creation.” With Jesus, we become a new creation. The old is gone and the new has come. Jesus is saying, “Remember, you don’t have to be who you used to be when you are in relationship with me.” He’s saying, “You don’t have to do what you’ve always done. My girl, I am the one who makes you totally new.”
Jesus not only doesn’t want to hold your past against you, he wants to separate you from your past. He has no intention for you to dwell in what happened or what was. He’s offering NEW to you. Brand new. Not the fixed up, refurbished, polished you on the outside with the same old crap on the inside. Nope, he wants to make you new from the inside out.
I love that Jesus doesn’t take us in as a rusted out old model to just give us a new paint job and then send us out on the roads of life to break down. What good are shiny pretty cars sitting on the side of the road unable to go anywhere? Jesus says, “I will make you NEW!” You won’t come out as a spiffed up version of who you used to be, you will be made brand new!
You get to be a new creation.
And Jesus is reminding his people that ONLY happens through him. That surgery doesn’t make you a new you, that just fixes a little rust on the outside. That new job, that new house, that new car, that new husband … none of that makes you a new you. That’s all the equivalent of putting new tires on a 1972 Camaro with an engine missing it’s transmission. It’s a complete waste.
No matter the rust you have on you, no matter the flat tires you’ve been running around on, no matter the cracks in your windshield or your motor that always runs hot and overheats, Jesus wants to come into your life and make you brand new! Not fix you up enough to get you through. Nope, NEW!
Have you let him make you new? That sounds good, but you know what that requires? That requires a complete surrender. That requires a continued open hand way of living that says, “Jesus, not my way, but yours.” And that surrender isn’t a one and done kinda deal, it’s a continual surrender day after day after day. A walk of faith that makes you continually new in Jesus.

I used to only pray for open doors. God, open the doors of opportunity for me to walk in. Eventually, I started believing every open door was MY door and I wandered my way right into some unholy messes.
Do you realize Satan can open doors too? Do you understand just because you CAN do something doesn’t mean you SHOULD. Just because the opportunity is in front of you does not mean it’s God’s best for you.
Now, I pray for God to close doors just as much as he opens doors. I’m so grateful for the doors God closes so I’m kept out of the rooms I simply don’t belong in. Closed doors are a gracious gift from a loving God who sees where it leads and knows what isn’t right, what isn’t good, what isn’t fruitful, and what isn’t in his preferred future.
Did you know God has a PREFERRED FUTURE for you? The one who sees the future, the one who holds the future, has a preference for you. And if you will pursue the doors he has opened and stop trying to beat down the doors he has closed, you will walk in his preferred future.
But, you don’t have to. You will not be forced to walk in that preferred future. You can walk your own way into a future of destruction and disaster. You can walk your way into a future of unnecessary stress and overwhelm. You can walk your way into the plans the enemy of your soul has for you – plans of defeat and despair. Plans of a little life with no way out. YOU DON’T WANT THAT!
Lord, please open the doors to your best plans for my life, and please close the doors that do not lead to your preferred future for me. I trust the position of your doors. I trust them enough to walk through the ones you open, without hesitation – and walk right past the ones you have closed, without complaining.
Jesus tells John to write a letter to the church in Philadelphia. This is the 6th church and the 6th letter in the book of Revelation. If you’ve been following along in our study for the past 2 weeks, you likely notice a patterN in these letters from Jesus. Jesus identifies a specific quality of himself as a reminder to his people, he recognizes what they are doing right, then he corrects them in what they are doing wrong.
This letter to Philadelphia (not Pennsylvania but modern day Turkey) is different. Jesus has nothing negative to say to these people. They’re doing it right. There’s no correction! And what they are doing right is what we need to get right! Let’s look at this, because Jesus is speaking directly to us today.
Let’s begin in Revelation 3: 7 where Jesus first reveals a specific quality of himself to his people. “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open.”
Jesus says, I ALONE HOLD THE KEY. If I open it, no one can close it. If I close it, no one can open it. And because Jesus is holy and true, we can trust he knows which doors should be opened and which doors should be closed.
When we really trust Jesus, we can walk through his opened doors with confidence. We don’t have to second-guess. We don’t have to stress. Walk right in and know this is leading to his preferred future for you.
But that also means when we really trust Jesus, we can face a closed door and not question. We don’t have to stand there wondering. We don’t have to grow discouraged. And we’re certainly not supposed to stand there complaining. Hey, the longer you stand disappointed over that closed door, the more delayed you are in walking through the open door he prefers for you.
Are you going to trust him or not?
Trust means faith to confidently walk through open doors, and the same faith to confidently walk right on by the closed ones.

Is your life busy, yet not fulfilling? Do you look good on the outside, but on the inside you’re hurting? Do you have every reason in the world to be happy, yet deep down there’s a longing for something more and you just can’t seem to find it?
I’ve always heard we’re each born with a God shaped hole that only he can fill. A career won’t fill the hole. A bigger house won’t fill the hole. New boobs and a flat tummy won’t fill the hole. A new husband won’t fill the hole. You can spend your whole life chasing after that thing that is missing and still be lacking if you’re not in relationship with God. This is God’s space.
Stop for a hot minute and consider this: You’re not supposed to feel whole, fulfilled, content and happy without the fullness of God. You simply aren’t made that way.
I’ve learned you can be in the middle of chaos and uncertainty with people acting like total jackwagons all around you, but when that God shaped hole within is filled with the fullness of God, you can be completely unbothered. I mean simply not bothered by the burdens and worries. Unbothered by the uncertainties and threats.
I’ve also learned you can be in the middle of absolutely everything being so sweet and beautiful and still feel alone. You can be on the biggest and best family vacation and battle a deep unhappiness within. You can be walking in success and have everything you’ve ever dreamed of, but if that God shaped hole within you is empty, then you’re living in poverty on the inside.
That’s what was happening to the people of Sardis. Sardis was a city filled with easy money. Major trade routes ran right through their town, so businesses were booming and money was plenty. In fact, Sardis is where modern money began. This is where the first coin was minted. Money started in Sardis … and money had created a major problem for it’s people.
To these people with all their money, luxuries and comforts, Jesus has John write a letter to them. That letter is found in Revelation 3: 1-6.
Let’s begin with verses 1-3, “Write this letter to the angel of the church or Sardis. This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars: I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive – but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.”
Here’s a fact: When we have luxuries, over time we become soft. When we don’t have to do it ourselves, we become lazy. When everything is easy, we get worse.
The people of Sardis were soft, lazy and growing worse. On the outside they looked so alive with these wonderful, full lives, but Jesus knew on the inside they were dead. That God shaped hole in them was not only empty, but it was completely bombarded by layers of material objects and outer appearances. They just kept layering on more things, more luxuries, more riches, easier living, all while that God shaped hole within them was painfully empty. On the inside they were dead.
I imagine they felt much like we do. We tell ourselves the bigger house will make us happy. We just need more room. Then we get the room and we want to fill the rooms. And now there are just more rooms to clean.
We tell ourselves a new job will make us happy. So we spend our days miserable in the old job waiting for the new job, then we finally get the new job and find out it kinda sucks too. They actually want you to WORK for your paycheck – how dare they!
A baby will make us happy,

God’s grace and forgiveness is real. He saves us and gives us goodness we don’t deserve. When we are wrong, he gives us time and space to come back and get it right. As his beloved children, we don’t have to live in unsettled fear of what unknown wrong we may be doing and the lightening on it’s way to strike us. Jesus covers us in grace. We don’t earn his favor and love, but it’s offered to us anyway.
But know this, along with the grace of Jesus comes the space to change. And we are expected to change. God’s grace doesn’t give us license to keep doing wrong. Everything we do has a consequence and God doesn’t come in between our choices and the consequences of those choices. Nope. If you crash your car, then your car is crashed. That doesn’t change. If you charge up your credit cards, then you’re in debt. That doesn’t change. If you never wash the dishes, then you have dirty dishes. That doesn’t change.
Where is God asking you to change, but you’re delaying because you’ve been getting away with it so far? So far you haven’t gotten caught. So far it hasn’t created disaster. So far there haven’t been any consequences. Please understand, that’s not God just letting you continue in the wrong direction … that’s God’s grace allowing you space to change that. If you don’t, there will be consequences and you won’t like them.
You know how you give a child a countdown to respond appropriately? “Little Johnny, I’m going to count to 3. 1 … 2 …” What’s supposed to happen if you get to 3 and that child has not responded with appropriate action? Consequences. And those consequences are not because all of a sudden you hate that child. No, it’s because the only way they will learn is to experience negative consequences for negative behaviors.
Some of us are walking around on a 2.9997 thinking God will never get to 3. Oh, he will. You’re in your grace period, but grace periods do expire. Just how far are you going to push this?
Jesus told John to write a letter to his people in the town of Thyatira. These were people who were doing great and admirable things, but they were allowing a negative influence in their lives. So, Jesus sends them a letter in their grace period. He says to John, “Write this letter to the angel of the church of Thyatira. This is the message from the Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire, whose feet are like polished bronze.”
Now remember, when Jesus reveals a specific image of him, it’s for a reason. He’s telling them my eyes are like flames of fire because they have power and they see absolutely everything. He draws attention to his feet like polished bronze because they are strong and ready to move in battle. Our Jesus is one who sees and one who is ready to move. He’s not oblivious to what is happening, nor is he unable or unwilling to do anything about it.
Revelation 2: 19-29:
“I know all the things you do. I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things.”
So, good job! You’re doing good and you’re constantly getting even better. Jesus sees that. He honors that. He loves that about you!
“But I have this complaint against you. you are permitting that woman – that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet – to lead my servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality.”
What’s happening here is an allowed continued negative influence. The people just looked away, made excuses, and allowed it to continue. And as it continued, God’s people became confused and what was w...

In the very beginning of our Bible, we read about the first woman, Eve, being deceived by the serpent to eat the fruit God had specifically told her not to eat. That serpent was the devil. Deception was his tool. He made what was forbidden look so good that Eve was fooled.
And isn’t that what he still does today? The devil deceives us. He makes the very things that are bad for us look so good and so normal. Yet hiding behind our normal is a great danger.
The question is, where have you been deceived? What are you tiptoeing in that will Satan wants to trap you in? You’re not seeing that danger for what it really is. It’s not harmless. It’s deception and you are the one being deceived into the plan of the enemy who will have you forfeiting the fullness of life you were created for and instead have you trapped in a life of bondage, addiction, perversion and settling.
What is it that you do and then you dismiss it as normal because “everyone else does it”? If everyone else does it, then isn’t it a pattern of this world? God’s word tells me I’m not supposed to do what everyone else is doing. Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his pleasing and perfect will.”
If you’re having trouble knowing what God’s will is and what he wants you to do, then check and see if you’re just doing what the rest of this world does and therefore being blocked by your own thoughts. The rest of the world is on their phones. The rest of the world spends hours scrolling. The rest of the word is checking boxes of obligation, going through the motions, but not fully engaged. God says you will be transformed and changed when you start thinking differently. The devil cannot deceive the mind that refuses to give in to the patterns of this world. And the mind that cannot be deceived is the life that can hear, know and follow God’s pleasing and perfect will.
Throughout the Bible, we see the effects of the deception of Satan. We see it show up in people who become prideful, people who decide to do things their own way, people who want more power and control, people who grow jealous, and people who just do what everyone else is doing. Eve was the first to be deceived, Adam was next. He ate the forbidden fruit because Eve was eating it.
Now, here we are in the very last book of the Bible and the enemy is still deceiving God’s people. He’s still doing his nasty work of making the wrong things look completely normal. That’s what’s happening in the city of Pergamum. So, Jesus tells John to write this letter to his people there. Revelation 2: 12-17:
Write this letter to the angel of the church of Pergamum. This is the message from the one with the sharp two-edged sword: (This means the one with God’s word. The one who knows the truth and speaks the truth. God’s word can cut through the layers of excuses and deception, all the way down to the truth.)
“I know that you live in the city where Satan has his throne, yet you have remained loyal to me.”
This city was under a stronghold of Satan. And my guess is, most everyone living there thought it was all just normal.
“You refused to deny me even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan’s city. But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin. In a similar way you have some Nicolaitans among you who follow the same teaching.”
This is the deception of the devil. He made what was wrong look normal. And Jesus is not pleased.

What if life gets worse? What if the unimaginable happens to you?
I naively thought following Jesus would insulate my family from the threats of the world … I was wrong. We have a promise, and that promise is eternal life – not easy life, not perfect life, not happy little bubble life. Jesus promises eternal life for those who place their faith and trust in him. Everything before eternity is tainted with human messes and attacks from the enemy.
We just don’t talk about that do we? To sell Christianity, we present a life of overflowing joy … which we do get to experience sometimes. But if that’s all I sell you, then when life hits you’re going to want your money back. Cancel my commitment to Jesus … life got hard anyway.
Life is going to eventually touch each of us. We will hurt. We will lose. We will grieve. But with Jesus, we have a promise that outlasts all of that. And that promise gives us something here and now that makes us wildly rich and ridiculously blessed.
Jesus tells John to write a letter to the church of Smyrna. Smyrna was a rich city with leaders who demanded to be worshiped. If you didn’t worship their leaders, then you were forced to suffer in extreme poverty. The Christians there were under the harshest of conditions with literally nothing. All they had to do was call their leaders Lord and pretend to worship them, but they refused. In faith, they would only offer Jesus their praise. Only Jesus would be called Lord. So, they suffered.
And guess what … Jesus knew they were suffering. This is after Jesus’ crucifixion, so Jesus is now sitting in complete power on the throne of heaven, seeing all of this. Seeing his people being punished for following him. He has the power to stop it. He has the power to change it. But instead, he sends this letter.
Revelation 2: 8-11, “This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive: I know about your suffering and your poverty – but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for 10 days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life. Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.”
So essentially Jesus is telling this group of suffering faithful people, “Yip, I see this and it’s going to get even worse for a period of time.”
They had done nothing wrong. They weren’t being punished. They had absolutely nothing physically, but they had everything spiritually.
If you were to take an inventory in your own life, what do you have physically? Now, what do you have spiritually? Which is most important to you?
Jesus is looking at the uber wealthy of Smyrna, the ones in palaces with the most comfortable and easy lives and comparing them to his followers who have been stripped of everything and live in complete poverty. He calls one of them rich. Who was that? It wasn’t those with physical things … it was those with spiritual things. This is true wealth.
If I’m being honest, that all scares me a little bit. Would I praise God if it meant absolutely everything I have was taken? If I were suffering because of Jesus, would I still serve him? Now what if my family were added to the suffering? Would I remain faithful if it meant my family was threatened with that same pain?
These are the people Jesus is sending this letter to. People with that kind of faith. People with that level of commitment. And to them he says, “You are rich!” They are rich because of what they have...

Did you know you have demon repellent available to you? Like bug spray, the enemy and his evil little workers absolutely cannot pester you when you use what God is going to show you today!
Let’s continue our study of the book of Revelation, remembering this is not a book of doom and gloom and confusing mysteries to remain hidden. No, the very title itself tells us this is a book of revealing. The revealing is coming to John directly from Jesus. Let’s get started today in chapter 2.
Verse 1: “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands:”
Now remember, the seven gold lampstands are seven churches. Does it mean there are only seven churches? No. Seven is a number that represents completion and perfection, so this is simply all of God’s people collectively. This is a letter to one of God’s gathering of people in the church of Ephesus. This church was started by Paul and over the years, it had become influenced by the world around them and lost their way a bit. Jesus has something specific to say to them.
He begins his letter to them by reminding them who he is. He reminds them he holds the seven stars in his right hand. These stars are symbols for God’s angels and messengers. Jesus has powerful command over his enemies with angel armies. He can send out defense and deliverance at any moment. The devil and his demons stand no chance against him. And with that reminder, he says, “I am the one who walks among my people.”
Now imagine that. He’s not sitting in the distance. He’s not watching from afar. He doesn’t create boundaries and then command his angel armies to fight for him in places he’s not willing to go. No, instead, he walks among his people. He’s in the trenches with us. He’s climbing those mountains with us. He’s on the battlefield. He’s in the office. He’s in our homes. He’s near.
And with all the power of heaven and earth held in his right hand, he walks among us, seeing everything, drawing near, ready to move on our behalf. That’s our Jesus. He’s right here.
Now, he says to his people in verse 2-3, “I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.”
Jesus shows us how to have a tough conversation. He shows us you begin by recognizing what is going right. You offer praise first. Remember that when you’re in your next tough conversation where you must discuss things that need to change. First, tell them what you see that’s already good. You can’t come out of the gate complaining, Sis. You can’t begin a conversation with condemnation and finger pointing, and expect it to create the change you hope for.
Half of the lesson Jesus teaches us isn’t in the teaching itself, it’s in HOW he does it. This is how you address necessary changes in someone you love. First, I will recognize what you’re doing right.
Jesus literally knows everything we do. He’s walking right here among us. He sees it all. He hears it all. You can hide absolutely nothing from him.
Yesterday I was in a store in downtown Branson, MO and they had a solid white sticker with Jesus’ head creeping in from the corner and it said, “I saw that.” He did. Jesus really did see that. If that causes a bit of panic, regret, embarrassment, or stirring of excuses, recognize what’s really happening. This is holy conviction. This is God’s spirit within you saying, “My girl, I love you.

What is your vision of Jesus? Do you see him as the humble man in a robe and sandals with kind eyes? Do you see him as the beaten, bleeding, innocent one hanging on a cross? Or how about the image of Jesus we see in the show “The Chosen”? He’s relatable, he’s personable, he’s fun, he’s engaged, and he’s patient. I believe he is all of these things. But, let’s take a look of another image of Jesus he specifically wants us to see.
Jesus himself appeared to John and told him to write down everything he saw. This is how John describes Jesus in Revelation 1: 12-18 –
“When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were life flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look – I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.”
Remember, John knows Jesus. He was with Jesus during his entire ministry on earth. He saw Jesus move and work, and he walked along side him as a friend and partner in ministry. John knew this was Jesus. Jesus the relatable, personable, fun, engaged, patient, humble, kind one who he witnessed hanging on the cross. But now he sees God in Jesus. He sees this glorious being who resembles his dear friend and master, Jesus, but this person is far beyond human.
He sees pure power. He sees divine authority. He sees unmatched brilliance. And Jesus WANTS John to see him. He not only wants John to see him, but he says to John, “Write down what you have seen.”
Jesus knew you would be here today needing this vision of him. He knew you would need to see his power and his authority. He knew you would personally need to see his glory. And Jesus is saying, “John, you have to write this down because one appointed day, 1,930 years from now, my dearly loved and chosen girl will be seeking me, and she needs to see me as more than the brown haired man with kind eyes in a linen robe and sandals. She needs to know I am so much more. Write it down so she knows.”
So, here you are today, as God knew you would be. Now, first think about that. How absolutely wild is it that God always knew you would be precisely where you are right now, struggling with what you’re struggling with, questioning what you’re questioning, needing what you’re needing today. And he divinely aligned the details of today so you could see him.
Now, let’s see him, because that’s what he wants. He wants you to see him as more. He wants you to know of his power, his authority and his brilliance. Slow down, settle in, and envision the glorious being John sees and know THIS is your Savior. We’re given 8 details.
1. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. These are clothes worn by important high ranking people, rulers with great power, and angels representing heaven. So, this is an image of authority in all ways. He’s not meek. He’s not mild. He’s not defeated.
2. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. The color white represents several things. First, white hair, in many cultures, is associate with wisdom. Our Jesus KNOWS. He is not unaware. He is fully aware in every way of every detail. He knows the circumstances and he knows the solutions.

Have you assumed a surrendered life to God promises an easy life? Have you equated a life for Jesus as a comfortable life filled with all joy and no pain?
Last night, here at our BIG Life Missouri Lake Retreat, we gathered in the family room in our pajamas and we began sharing our stories. Random stories of “I’m a taxidermist, I hula hoop, I used to competitively drive mud trucks and I’m a homeless traveling gypsy. (One of those is me, the others are most certainly not.)
Then Emily shared. Emily is a stunning beautiful blonde who is well put together with a certain touch of class, yet air of your new best friend. She shared how 4 years ago, her 7 year old little boy died in a drowning accident. This unspeakable loss broke her and brought her to a place of such immense pain that she planned to end her own life. She simply couldn’t go on. BUT GOD.
But God has been healing her heart, renewing her spirit, and doing what only he can do … he’s been turning all this intended harm into a work of his goodness that saves many lives. Her testimony is one of faith and promise in the midst of unimaginable loss and grief. She showed us a Jesus that never leaves, with sufficient grace to cover our worst disappointments and disasters.
Emily reminded us a surrendered life to God never promises an easy life. Emily reminded us a life for Jesus does not equate comfort with all joy and no pain. However, that life, given to Jesus, does mean a hope beyond all hopes and a story that brings glory to God.
In the mental hospital as she was fighting for her own will to survive, she met a man who’s child had been murdered. In this man’s immense pain he had lost his faith in God. And this divine encounter, amidst the hardest of circumstances life could ever hand them, allowed Emily to illuminate the path for that hurting Dad’s way back to God.
My friends, maybe your life experience has fallen far short of how you thought it was supposed to be as a beloved daughter of the King. And maybe it’s time to surrender all of that to the only hands who can hold it for you, and let a relationship with God Almighty use all the intended harm in your life for something eternally good now.
As we study the book of Revelation together over the next several days and weeks, remember we are promised God’s blessings for reading, hearing and obeying what this book of the Bible reveals. This is the revealing of Jesus, our judge and our redeemer.
This often avoided last book in your Bible is written by John, and as we discussed yesterday, John personally knew Jesus. He walked this earth with Jesus … literally. John was in the boat on the night the waves were taking them under and Jesus came out walking on the waves, calming the storm. John was serving in the crowd of 5,000 men, plus women and children, who were miraculously feasting off only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. His feet were washed by Jesus. He was the one who knew without a doubt, Jesus loved him. It was John’s entire identity. I’m the one Jesus loves.
So, after 60 plus years of faithfully spreading the gospel, telling nothing but the truths of Jesus, and leading countless souls to salvation, you would assume he is greatly rewarded. Like in my mind, that kind of dedication deserves success. That kind of commitment deserves overflowing blessings and a place of honor. But instead, do you know where John is when he’s visited by this angel of God and told to write the words we read today in Revelation?
He’s in exile on the island of Patmos. I’m an island girl, but this is not the island you want to be on!
The island of Patmos is nothing but a harsh desolate rock covered in thorns where the unwanted were sent into banishment. And this is where John is. John – the one who’s complete identity is being loved by Jesus.

Revelation: In Greek is Apocalypse
We have changed the word apocalypse to mean chaos and catastrophe, however, the original meaning of apocalypse was the “revealing”. So, instead of thinking of Revelation as the chaos and catastrophe to come, instead of fear driven doom and gloom, it is a revealing and unveiling.
The revealing in this book is of Jesus. We’re getting to see Jesus risen and in full power as never before. We get to see him reigning and redeeming as promised.
Does it mean we will understand it all? Absolutely not. Our human minds do not have the capacity to understand the mysteries of God. However, our spirits do. The truths of God are not hidden from us, but instead revealed to our spirit when we seek God.
Jesus says, “Seek and you will find.” He also says, “When you seek God, you will find him.” If Jesus said it, I choose to believe it. If I’m seeking, I will find God … but if I’m not really seeking God, he will remain an untouchable mystery. This applies to the often avoided book of Revelation. When we seek God, our Spirit will come to understand what God intendeds to reveal to us.
And let’s be clear, God WANTS to reveal something to us. What is it? JESUS. Revelation is the revealing of Jesus.
The author of Revelation is John. You know, the fisherman, John, who became one of his 12 disciples. He walked with Jesus for 3 years, he was at the foot of the cross when Jesus was crucified, 3 days later he ran to find the tomb empty, and later that week he had breakfast on the shores of the Sea of Galilee with Jesus, examining his nail scared hands.
John knew Jesus.
He is the one referred to as “the disciple Jesus loved”, and guess who called John this? John himself did, which makes me giggle. “Yeah, I’m the one Jesus loves.” He wasn’t saying he was better than anyone else, he’s simply confident in Jesus’ love for him. He knew their relationship was special.
Can you say that? More on that level of confidence in Jesus’ love later …
John writes the book of Revelation by means of an angel who revealed things to him in the spirit. That angel was sent by Jesus under the instruction of God. How do I know? Chapter 1, verse 1, “This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John.”
See, not so confusing, huh?
Do you know why we’re afraid of Revelation and avoid it? Because that’s precisely what our defeated enemy wants. He does not want you to know of his destiny, nor does he want you to know of the dangers in delayed obedience to God. But, there’s another reason the devil wants to keep you away from the book of Revelation … he wants to steal your blessing!
Verse 3, “God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophesy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to is message and obey what it says, for the time is near.”
It’s a blessing to read this revealing of Jesus. It’s a blessing to hear about the unveiling of the full power and promises of our Savior. It’s a blessing to know chaos and catastrophe are coming, and we are promised to be saved from it all.
There are blessings here for us in this misunderstood and often avoided final book of our Bible. And I don’t know about you, but if there’s a blessing on the table, I want it. If God has offered a blessing, I want to be the girl that grabs it.
My husband taught our kid’s in soccer when they were little. Each year in the very first practice, he would gather all his energy filled tiny players with the attention spans of a gnat, and he would dangle a 20 dollar bill. He would say, “Who wants this?” Oh, all the kids would squeal,

Mark 5: 25-29 “A woman in the crowd had suffered for 12 years with constant bleeding. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. in fact, she had gotten worse. She had HEARD about Jesus, so she CAME up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she THOUGHT to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Immediately the bleeding stopped and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.
Psalm 71: 15-16, “I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power, though I am not skilled with words. I will praise your mighty deeds O sovereign Lord. I will tell everyone that you alone are just.”
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