WORD Center Ministries

From Revelation 21:1 through Revelation 22:5, God shows us the zenith of our future; the new Jerusalem. In Revelation 22:6-21, He now takes us back to our present time and says, "In the light of all that I have shown you (the entire book), here is what you need to do." He has given us spiritual disclosure; He will now give us divine exhortation. Let's prepare our hearts for His words.

God of the heaven and the earth, dearest Father, please speak to us in this final chapter of your word. Both in the book of Revelation and in the Bible itself. …

Remember the pattern? First, a panoramic view, then zoom in, then zoom in again for even more details? We were introduced to the sweeping view of the new heavens, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem. Now it's time to zoom in and take a much closer look at the New Jerusalem. 

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. …

We so often hear people claiming they know specific details concerning the end of the earth, either believing they know when it will end or how it will end. Let me be clear, "Do not listen to them!" They are either lying or flat out wrong, probably both.

Truth comes from God through His Word. Period. If you want to gather information about the end of the earth, go to God's Word! The world is not going to end because we humans are bad stewards; it's going to end because God ends it. Period.

In our study of Revelation, we just happen to be on the cusp of heaven's and earth's demise, (along with some more judgments, and some more inhabitants moving into the lake of fire and brimstone) so let's open the book of Revelation!

…

There is a first resurrection and a second resurrection? Two resurrections? There is a "first death" and a "second death?" Two deaths? Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? Lions and tigers and bears!!! Oh, my!!!

Okay. I admit it. This scene might seem a little puzzling, but that's alright. I'll walk you through it slowly and carefully. You'll get it in no time! This part of Revelation might be new territory for some of you, but there is nothing to fear. Except that you might have to let go of a preconceived notion or two to learn what God is teaching us here. …

Food is supposed to be satisfying, isn't it? And, for the most part, it is. We all have favorite restaurants we visit time and again, or a favorite meal we like to prepare and serve to those we love, right? And most likely, we also have the opposite; the restaurant we never want to see again, or the meal we dread, knowing that Mom is it making for supper. Again.

John is about to get a look at the menu for the great supper God is preparing. I can almost see the look on his face. And, take it from me, none of us want to be invited!

…

Wow! The praise from that last scene was good! I hope you have been joining in on the worship as we are journeying through Revelation 19! We are beginning God's Grand Finale! It's the culmination of God's oh, so sweet and righteous plan for His glory! He is getting close to putting all things in their places for the duration of eternity, which never ends!!! So shout out loud and praise Him with all you have in you as we walk through these last few chapters!!! Listen, and maybe you can hear me! I'm singing and shouting and praising and dancing to our God!!!

…

You can’t get away from the fact that God uses two full chapters in the book of Revelation to make sure we understand what He is going to do to Babylon… What’s important to God must absolutely be important to us. So let’s listen to Him carefully.

After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory. Revelation 18:1

After what things? In the semi-expanded context of Revelation 16, John has just seen the seven bowls poured out on the earth; in the more immediate context of Revelation 17, he has witnessed the identification of the great harlot and her judgment. …

Noah, my middle son, used to bring me bittersweet from our woods when he was very little. He would say, “I love you, Mommy! Here are sweetberries for you!” To this day, whenever I see bittersweet I think of how my beloved son, out of his love for me, turned the bittersweet into sweetness.

I am also reminded of how God used His Beloved Son to turn the bitterness of death into the sweetness of Life Eternal with Him—out of his love for us.

Inside the bright red berries is the seed of the plant which brings life—in the case of the bittersweet plant, more bittersweet. …

I believe everything God says in His Word...

Everything in the Bible is written by Him and He used men through His Holy Spirit to write it. I am personally convinced that studying the Bible inductively, one book at a time, is the best way to study His Word. And yet, despite man’s responsibility to diligently study God’s Word, ultimately God must open your eyes, ears, and mind to see, hear, and understand the things He says in His Word.

The Bible is the full revelation of God, Himself, and His ways. There is nothing that can be known about God in this present age that is not taught in the Bible. …

The treacherous trio of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet… the infamous battle of Har-magedon… Awfully famed and familiar? Yes… Always factual and faithful to the text? Perhaps not...

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east. Revelation 16:12

The sixth angel pours his bowl on the great river called the Euphrates. The result? Its water dries up. The dry riverbed is not the end of the judgment though; God has plans for that riverbed and He will prepare it to fully execute His will. …

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.” Revelation 16:1

Consider the previous scene—the smoke-filled temple, into which no one is able to enter until the seven plagues of the seven angels are finished.

John then hears a loud voice from the smoke-filled temple. We cannot know for sure whose voice John heard because there have been so many “loud voices” in the book of Revelation—a voice like the sound of a trumpet in Revelation 1:10, a strong angel in Revelation 5:2, many angels around the throne, the living creatures and the elders in Revelation 5:12, an angel with the seal of the living God in Revelation 7:2, the great multitude out of the tribulation in Revelation 7:10, an eagle flying in midheaven in Revelation 8:13, another strong angel in Revelation 10:3, a loud voice from heaven in Revelation 11:12, loud voices in heaven in Revelation 11:15, a loud voice in heaven in Revelation 12:10, and four different angels in Revelation 14:7, 9, 15, and 18.

…

God provides His children with a no-fall zone for their steps. And, as most precepts found in the Bible, there is God’s sovereign part and there is man’s responsibility…

The Sovereignty of God…

When my grandchildren were smaller, they were not allowed to go anywhere they wished. Rather, their destinations were determined by their parents and grandparents. When I was with them, they needed me to hold their hands (almost all the time) in order to avoid disaster. The number of times they were saved from crashing face first into the ground could never be counted! …

Three angels down… three to go… or is it four?

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man having a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. Revelation 14:14

After John watches three angels give three messages to the world, he views someone that looks like a human, or an angel, sitting on a white cloud. The human-like person has a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Some people believe the human-like person is actually Jesus, mainly because he has a golden crown on his head. …

My dog barks… at bunnies, at deer, at turkey, and coyotes, and bobcats, and… squirrels!

In our neck of the woods (and we do live in a forest reserve) the squirrels come out to feed early-morning and are done by noon. That means my dog QaraShem barks from early morning to noon… every day… loudly… and insistently…

He sees the predator and tries to sound the alarm for the “wolf-pack” namely—me, by his barking. When I don’t respond he will find one of my slippers, one of my socks, or one of my rogue Aquafina bottles around the house, and run into my presence daring me to chase him back to the source of the alarm—the squirrel he sees through the window.

…

As we continue to observe a major interlude in the seals, trumpets, and bowls (the one before the seventh trumpet judgment begins), we again encounter heinous treachery. In reality, deception is nothing more than a trick, a sham, a fraud, a pretense… but it can be lethal… and in this case, it will be…

Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon. Revelation 13:11

Here is another beast, different than the beast described for us in the first half of this chapter. …

We are still observing the interlude before the seventh trumpet judgment (which is the same as the seven bowls judgments).

And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. Revelation 13:1

John sees a dragon standing on the sand of the seashore (the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan) and a beast coming up out of the sea (the beast is different than the dragon). …

Ever had a mad dragon (one who was “flooding at the mouth”) chase you? In times of trouble, the only real assurance we can have is that God is in control… During the Great Tribulation, the Jews who flee to the wilderness will know that their God is most certainly in control… They will know that they are safe as long as they stay in their place of refuge…

And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth. …

Interested in the happenings of the Great Tribulation? Well, take a seat, because you are definitely in the right chapter…

And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.…

The second woe is past and there is a grave call to pay attention because the third woe is coming quickly! Listen! The sounding of a loud trumpet… Loud voices in heaven… The announcement of the ages is taking place!

Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” Revelation 11:15

Once again (as we saw before the seven trumpet judgments) we can see an overview or a summary of what is about to happen.

…

What do 42 months and twelve hundred and sixty days have in common? Probably nothing on our own Gregorian calendars, but do the math on a Jewish calendar and you’ve got a match!

...And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. Revelation 11:3

There are two time phrases in the first three verses of chapter 11—forty-two months and 1,260 days. Are they related? They are on a Jewish calendar. (Try to do it on a Gentile calendar and it doesn't work.) …

There are angels… and then there are angels…

I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire… Revelation 10:1

We are now in a pause, or interlude, between the sixth and seventh trumpet. But John is not resting; he continues to see more and more of the Revelation of Jesus Christ…

John tells us he sees another strong angel. He has been watching the seven angels who are given seven trumpets. …

Three angels are about to sound their trumpets and it is not going to be lighthearted music by any stretch of the imagination. The trumpet blasts will each signal the entrance of a judgment that is deemed a woe, each woe worse than the previous. The intensity of the judgments in Revelation continues to increase incrementally.

Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. Revelation 9:1

When the fifth angel blew his trumpet John saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth. …

Why are all these catastrophic events going to take place? Because mankind has decided throughout the ages that humans are in charge of themselves. Mankind denies that God even exists, much more that He reigns over us!

The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way. Revelation 8:12

The fourth angel takes his trumpet and sounds it. …

The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed. Revelation 8:8-9

That's a lot—just do the math on those fractions. The first trumpet sounded, and although death wasn’t mentioned, a third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned, all the green grass was burned.

Then the second trumpet sounded and something like a burning mountain was thrown into the sea. …

Have you ever been some place where there was absolute silence? I don’t know if it would even be possible to find such a place, but if it were, wouldn’t it be frightening? At the very least you could probably still hear your heart pounding in fear because you could sense that something was wrong… very, very wrong… you could feel in your being that something was about to happen… and whatever it was—was going to be terrifying…

The interlude is over and John is about to direct our attention back to the breaking of the seals. …

Knowledge without understanding is dead—knowledge and understanding without wisdom can be dangerous .

Legos are amazing. Our boys played with them more than any other toy they ever owned. When we put Legos in front of each  of our sons as babies, they had no knowledge of them. They were gaining knowledge, facts, truth or information about Legos. They discovered they were different colors, had bumps on top, holes on the bottom, and smooth sides. They also learned they came in many shapes and sizes. They acquired some knowledge, but had no understanding or wisdom regarding Legos.

…

Sometimes we see an example of behavior that stops us dead in our tracks because we recognize the extent of sacrifice and the enormity of devotion in someone… See anything below that you want to emulate?

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. …

We have probably all heard this phrase dozens of times, sadly, even from pulpits and pastors, “Some people are so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good.” May I ask you how you react to that thought? Are you in agreement or do you stand up firm and established in God’s Word against the notion that a saint can think too much about the things of the Lord?

Is it possible to be too heavenly minded… is it possible to think too much about things above?

The third chapter of Colossians talks about the conduct of those who are raised up with Christ (all true believers). …

A remarkable group will come out of the Great Tribulation—the Great Multitude. They will come out of the Great Tribulation… but into where? Into the innermost court of heaven where the Great God of the Universe sits perpetually on His throne… into the presence of the Glorious Majesty Who will usher them into eternal safety and everlasting life… into the arms of the Great Shepherd… The Lamb, Himself…

Six seals of judgment were broken in Revelation 6, but now Revelation 7 shows us an interlude—a parenthetical insert, if you will. …

God’s midnight hour is almost upon us…

The nations are definitely in an uproar! The entire world is devising ways to rid themselves of the gracious yoke of God on their lives. Right now, it is still individuals and groups who are working hard at delegitimizing God’s beneficial authority over mankind, but soon—very soon—the global network of humanism will be solidified and then things will get worse… much, much worse…

Psalm 2

Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing?

The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!”

…

A great earthquake takes place! The sun becomes black; the whole moon becomes like blood; the stars fall to the earth; mountains and islands are moved out of their places; people—all people—want to die… Why? Because they know Who is causing all this… they know why He is causing it… and they know they deserve it…

I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair… Revelation 6:12

John looked when Jesus broke the sixth seal; there was a great earthquake and the sun itself became black as sackcloth.

…

It’s no secret that sometimes it takes more than a casual glance at the Bible to understand it, but it is also true that (to those who will seek Him in His Word) God will make His secrets and mysteries known…

Isaiah 65:1… I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, “Here am I, here am I” to a nation which did not call on My name.

To whom did God say, “Here am I, here am I”?  To which nation is He referring?

Compare it with Isaiah 64:7… …

I know I am not saying too much about each of these judgments and that is for two reasons. First, there is not really a great deal of information given in chapter 6 regarding any of these judgments. We could do more word studies and cross-references, but remember that we are trying to stay at the top of the mountain—we are just doing an observational overview. That is what I want you to walk away with after reading this series. I want you to have an overview of the book of Revelation (with a few choice nuggets thrown in for good measure, of course!) …

There are things which are about to take place… and take place quickly… the time is near for them to begin…

A new song is sung to the Lamb in Revelation 5 because He is worthy to take the book and open its seals. You are going to find out that the book, or the scroll, contains judgments against His creation—mankind, specifically. When the seals are broken on the scroll—His wrath will be finally and fully poured out on all ungodliness and all unrighteousness.

God hates sin! I believe we have tolerated sin for so long we don’t even realize how much He hates it. …

1 John 3:13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.

Will the world actually hate true followers of Jesus?

Matthew 5:11 Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

Matthew 10:22 You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

Matthew 24:9 Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.

Mark 13:13 …

John is speaking…

I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. Revelation 5:1

This takes place in the same throne room but it is a new scene, one which immediately follows the previous chapter. In other words, it is a continuation of Revelation 4.

The book is actually a scroll (the Gutenberg Press had not yet been invented). The scroll had been written on both inside and on the back. On this rolled up scroll were seven seals. The seals did just that—they sealed the scroll so that it could not be opened to reveal what was written in it. …

And to the final church, Jesus says…

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this… Revelation 3:14

Jesus describes Himself as the Amen, the One Who is true. And when it is all said and done, He alone is the faithful and true witness about what has been done. He is the Beginning of the creation of God and He will be the One Who brings it all to a halt. His judgments are righteous and true.

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. …

Jesus continues...

To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: “I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” Revelation 3:1

How does Jesus describe Himself? He is the One Who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, which we know are the angels of the churches. Jesus says that He knows all about their deeds and that they had a name, or reputation, that they were alive, in other words, a flourishing church. …

...Jesus is still speaking…

And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you…” Revelation 2:12-14

Look at the church in Pergamum. Wow! Satan’s Kingdom is ruling over their city, he is in their midst—but they were faithful even when other Christians were being murdered right around them! …

Revelation 2-3 records Jesus, Himself, talking directly to the churches, telling us what He is pleased with, what He is displeased with, giving us promises and warnings. These are things we need to know in order to bring Him Glory as we are part of the church today.

Jesus begins by saying, “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One Who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One Who walks among the seven golden lamp stands, says this…” Revelation 2:1

Who is speaking? We can know it’s Jesus because Revelation 1 told us He is the One Who holds the seven stars in His right hand and the One Who walks among the seven gold lamp stands. …

Dear Heavenly Father, God, please open our eyes as You unveil this before us, as you reveal these things that must shortly take place. Please open our eyes and unplug our ears. Please give our minds understanding and knowledge, because we need it—we want to hear what You have spoken.

Are you ready for the Revelation of Jesus Christ? Good! Let’s begin!

Revelation 1, Verse 1. “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him…” The revelation, or unveiling, that God gave to Jesus of the things which are about to take place.…

IMMANUEL... “With us—Is God!”

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

In one of the most dynamic of all examples of dual or layered prophetic fulfillment, we, at this point of history, can see Isaiah’s prophecy with both a near and a distant fulfillment. It was fulfilled literally (near—present time of Isaiah) in the days of Ahaz and it was fulfilled literally (distant—far in the future from the time of Isaiah) in the person of Jesus Christ.

…

Psalm 2: 1-6 Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!” He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

God is referred to as “He Who sits in the heavens”. …

This is the prayer that I have placed before God as we begin to observe Revelation. Will you pray, as well?

Oh, Most Holy God, Creator of the universe, Jehovah, our God, I come to You and I ask You to remember and to think upon the promise that You have given Your children, that Your Spirit will lead us and guide us into all truth. Father, You wrote the book of Revelation for Your bondservants. You gave the Revelation of Jesus Christ to Him so that He could show His bondservants what was going to take place quickly. …

This is pretty amazing…

1 John 5:1-3. Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.

God says that I can know I love the children of God through these two criteria: If I love God and if I observe His commandments.

John 12:48 He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.

…

Our youngest son (a 23 year old man) took our 6 month old puppy for a walk in the woods today.  The puppy was on a lead because he has not proven himself to be anything but disobedient at this point in his little self-absorbed life.  That lead proved to be life-saving today for our fluffy little rebel.  Caleb, our son, first led our pup on a path through a thick part of the woods on WORD Center Ministries property and then out along the edge of an open meadow next to a neighbor’s field.  The puppy started growling and barking like a confident full-grown dog because he sighted another animal in our neighbor’s field.  …

Usually when I see a shadow, I see the real object at the same time.  When light comes into my living room through our bay window and casts a shadow of one of my chairs onto the floor, I know right away that the shadow is a picture of a chair because I can see the chair it is imitating.

But have you ever been sitting somewhere and seen a shadow approaching, yet were unable to see the source of the shadow?  If you couldn’t see where that shadow was coming from you would probably pay close attention to it, either from curiosity or from fear.  …

The Glory of the Lord fills the Tabernacle

At the end of Exodus we see God filling the Tabernacle with His Glory—so much so that Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because of the cloud that had settled on it. God had come to dwell in the midst of His people. Exodus 29:43; 40:34-35

The Glory of the Lord leaves Israel

Later, at one of Israel’s many points of disobedience, God’s Glory left the presence of Israel. Eli, God’s priest, had two rebellious sons who took the Ark of the Covenant into battle against the Philistines. …

Why does the world have to hate Christians? It’s simple— it is because we smell like cauliflower!

Jesus said that the world (unbelievers) would hate His followers because they hated Him. John 15:19-25 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. …

Jewish weddings and marriage customs in Biblical times can give us a stunning picture of the Bride of Christ and her wedding to Him.

In today’s marriages, who usually chooses the bride?  The groom does.  In Biblical times that was not the case.  The father of the groom chose the bride.  Jesus is the church’s bridegroom, and God is His Father.  If you are a believer, God chose you in Christ before the foundation of the world.  Ephesians 1:4  God the Father chose those that would come into the church.  God the Father chose the bride for His Son, Jesus Christ.  …

1 Corinthians 15:1-8  “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the…

Jehovah-Mekoddishkem is the Hebrew Name for God which means “I AM the Lord Who sanctifies you.”

Leviticus 20:8 “You shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you.”  God wanted the children of Israel to know that they were set apart from the world (and unto Him) and that it was He Who set them apart!  God gave them a sign that would remind them that He was their God and they needed to be set apart unto Him.  That sign was the Sabbath.  For six days they were to work, but on the seventh day there was to be complete rest.  …

When God created His universe, the first instruction He gave to man was to “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”  Genesis 1:28  Why?  Why did God instruct man to have lots of children and scatter over the face of the earth?  Because God created man for His Own Glory.  Isaiah 43:7  Glory is a great word!  The Hebrew word for Glory is “kabowd” and refers to the substance of something, its weight, splendor or reputation.  …

One year a visiting student raised his hand and asked me a question during a workshop on 2 Peter. He asked, “What is the most common sin a Christian commits?” Without hesitation, I replied, “Independence from God” He was quiet for a moment, and then asked me what I meant. I continued, “Independence from God is running your own life, taking your own steps, looking your own way, listening to what you want. That is the most common sin that any of His creation commits. Man says, ‘We don’t need God, we can do it ourselves.’”…

The first time I visited Israel, also the first time I traveled overseas, it was by myself, and it was 1997, a year of great unrest for Israel.  I went into El Al Terminal as a novice and naive traveler and was interrogated for three excruciating hours by three exasperated agents.  Two were very, um, shall we say, “stern” with me.  The third wasn’t smiling, but at least she wasn’t yelling at me!

Don’t get me wrong--I was not at all upset with any of them, nor with El Al.  I believe El Al is probably the safest airline in the world and because God’s people, the Jews, are the most terrorized people in the world, I condone and bless every one of their measures (at least the ones I know about) in providing safety for every one of their passengers.

…

While God created light by simply speaking it into existence (He is God, you know!), it took mankind thousands of years to simply display that light from within a ‘luminari‘, i.e. the light bulb.  Light bulbs have three main parts:  the glass bulb on the outside, the thin filament wire which carries electricity (the heat of which glows and makes the light), and the metal base which connects to the actual source of the electricity.  Do you see any interesting similarities to mankind’s relationship with God?  …

I recently read a blog about the wrath of God as it concerns the gospel message which elicited the contender (Jude 3) in me because of a very predictable first response.  A young man wrote... well, you can read it for yourself...

“Hi, ... I agree completely that the gospel includes the fact that God hates sin. It also includes the fact that He loves the world. Both are true and both are necessary. To concentrate on one aspect only is unbalanced and is an incomplete gospel. To overemphasize one side in response to the other side being overemphasized is just as wrong. …

Can’t you just see Charlie Brown and his gang, holding hands around a “Charlie Brown” tree, and singing in perfect unity? My three boys and I watched it every year—the annual Charlie Brown special. I can remember watching it myself as a child. It gave me such a warm fuzzy feeling when, after they had treated Charlie Brown so horribly, they realized the “true” meaning of the “holiday”—LOVE!!! They held hands and sang an inspiring and emotional rendition of “Silent Night, Holy Night.” Ahhhh! Does it get any better than this?

…