Evil Disguises Itself A Something Good

Revelation 17:17-18 -    For God will put a plan into their minds, a plan that will carry out his purposes: They will mutually agree to give their authority to the scarlet animal so that the words of God will be fulfilled. And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”

John was taken by an angel to see what he described as a battle between the kings of the world and the city of Babylon…which the angel described as a notorious prostitute. The evil in the world would use her as long as she could provide them with what they wanted.  But they would discard her and ravage her as soon as she had lived out her usefulness to them. 

What a great reminder that evil disguises itself as something good for us until it has no more use for us. Then it reveals its true self and destroys what it had taken control of.  Evil takes the form of what looks the best to us at the time we think we need it.  Instead of relying on God…who is always in total control…we are tricked into trusting some earthly thing for a time.

John’s message is clear…if we allow evil to trick us….destruction of something in our life will follow.  God will ultimately use it for good in the end…but the consequences of our choices may stay with us till we die. One other negative is that God’s timeline of re-purposing the choice we made is not always easy to wait for.

I have been tricked many times by satan’s ability to convince the soul that something evil is really not evil at all. When I am weakest….he is right there tempting me with a choice that looks good at the time…but has proven time and again to be a destructive thing to my faith. Thank God that he will use all of my bad choices for good…some I have seen re-purposed for good…and some I must use faith to wait  patiently on him to reveal his plan.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are in control of all things.  Forgive me for not looking close enough at some of my decisions and seeing the wolf beneath the sheep clothes that tricked me into a wrong choice. Thank you for the promise that you will use every one of those choices for good in your timing. Help me to see beneath satan’s lies and discern who he really is before I make a decision.  Help me to wait patiently to see how you are going to use my wrong choices to bring about your ultimate good. Amen.

Watch...And Be Ready

Revelation 16:15  -  “Take note: I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are awaiting me, who keep their robes in readiness and will not need to walk naked and ashamed.”

John watched as the 7 angels were given permission to pour the flasks of judgment upon the earth. Everything from horrible malignant sores…rivers, oceans and other water sources turning to blood….other water sources being dried up completely….heat from the sun scorching the skin of all men left at this time….the creatures being thrown into the deep of the earth….to earthquakes, lightning and thunder announcing the last moment of life on earth as we know it…was poured out of the 7 flasks.

God’s message to me came much later than my usual early morning time with him.  The snooze button on my alarm is way too close to the dismiss button… so I found myself choosing between writing and church.  Opting for church …I realized on the way to meet with my church family which scripture God was using to remind me from this bleak story of the end of our world as we know it.

I wasn’t ready this morning…I let the temptation to hit the snooze button lull me into a complacency that became a vivid life lesson of what might happen if I do not take the words of Revelation 16:15 seriously. If I am not ready for the surprise return of Christ and this moment of time when His father will unleash his judgment on the world …I might just find myself dealing with some of these horrible outcomes.

If I want to be truly ready there is not a moment that I am alive that I can afford to be complacent anymore.  Time is closer than it has ever been…I need to be watching and serving so God will find me ready to go whenever he calls me….whether it be the next moment in time…or years from then.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are coming again to judge the earth and rid it of all evil forever.   Forgive me for the times that I have let life create in my spirit a false sense of security. Help me to be acutely aware of every task you need me to do for you…and keep my heart ready to embrace you at any moment you might appear.  Amen.

Only God Can Give Us Peace And Courage To Make The Right Choice

Revelation 15:2-4 -   Spread out before me was what seemed to be an ocean of fire and glass, and on it stood all those who had been victorious over the Evil Creature and his statue and his mark and number. All were holding harps of God,  and they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:

John sees another pageant unfolding in the next part of his vision. Seven angels came down from Heaven with 7 flasks in their hands. The flasks contained the last 7 plagues that God would use to show his deep anger to those that followed the beast and received his mark. Those that had been victorious over the beast were given the honor of singing songs of praise and playing harps to accompany the great choir.

I have always loved to sing...music seems to take me quickly to a place of inner peace and comfort. These victorious believers must feel that inner peace too…for they are able to sing praise and worship God in a moment that terrible things will be unleashed on those who are left…those that chose to follow the beast.

God offers that inner peace and confidence to us even now.  The choice to believe in him gives us access to courage and the peace that passes all understanding that Paul talks about in Philippians 4:7.  It says… “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” He is our way to the strength we will need to make choices for him when the time comes.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you hold the key to peace and courage in times of great stress and trial. Forgive me for the times that I get going so fast that I forget to stop and ask for your guidance and wisdom to give me direction.  Help me to hold so tightly to your hand that I always remember to look up and let you guide me through the pathways you allow me to walk.  Amen.

Cling To The Positive Promises Of God

Revelation 14:12 -13 -  Let this encourage God’s people to endure patiently every trial and persecution, for they are his saints who remain firm to the end in obedience to his commands and trust in Jesus.”    And I heard a voice in the heavens above me saying, “Write this down: At last the time has come for his martyrs to enter into their full reward. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for now they shall rest from all their toils and trials; for their good deeds follow them to heaven!” 

John’s vision continued with a glimpse of the glory of heaven and the reward awaiting those that endure to the end. He heard an encouraging voice from heaven give two of the keys to standing strong to the end….obedience and trust.

It is a reminder to me that as bad as it will get… we need to concentrate on the positives of our relationship with God to withstand anything else that might ty to harm our physical body. As the psalmist wrote long before John’s vision in Psalms 30:5… “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Two ways to stay strong are to obey God and to trust his decisions for our future.  We may not agree with everything he asks us to do…or feel good about everything that happens in our life….but we can cling to the promises of Jeremiah 29:11.  God’s plans are to prosper us…not to harm us in the future.  He alone can give us hope. 

Father…thank you for the reminder to cling to the positives of your promise to protect our spirits until it is our time to join you in heaven. Forgive me for the times that I forget your power to lift me up and sustain me and dwell more on the negatives around me.  Help me to think more on the prosperous plans you have for my future…so I can continue in obedience and trust you completely with my life.  Amen. 

Stand Strong...God Has Already Won The Victory

Revelation 13:9-10 -  Anyone who can hear, listen carefully:  The people of God who are destined for prison will be arrested and taken away; those destined for death will be killed. But do not be dismayed, for here is your opportunity for endurance and confidence.

John’s vision continued with the revealing of two more beasts. One rose up out of the sea…and one came from the land.  They performed deceitful miracles…and required all that lived to worship them. They eventually marked all their followers with a tattoo on their right hand or forehead….no one without it was able to buy or work.

It won’t be a pretty …or easy time for those that refuse to worship the beast. They will be persecuted terribly….some imprisoned and some will die for Christ. Only those that have their names written in the lambs book of life will be protected spiritually from eternal death and harm. Satan will only have control over the physical part of their existence.  Nothing he does can separate these true believers from God.

I admit…I don’t have the confidence to know for sure I can stand for Christ no matter what.  Perhaps if I keep on studying and praying for guidance and wisdom I will on the day that I need it. Perhaps the thoughts of Paul in Philippians 1:21 should be our mantra…. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Jesus found his strength in quoting scripture during his temptation…so I know that I can find the confidence I need to stand for Christ by doing the same. How about Philippians 4:13… ^“ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” ….or Romans 8:28 … “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

This Thanksgiving I choose to be thankful that I can claim the power of Christ to sustain me through all things …good…or perceivably bad.  He holds the key to my everything…I just have to learn how to speak his name whenever I feel threatened or alone.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you hold the power to help me through anything. Forgive me for the times that I let my flesh weaken my resolve to call on you for help.  Help me to stand strong in these times of turmoil and uncertainty.  Give me new confidence today to know that you are waiting for me in heaven…arms open wide to receive me when I have accomplished all that you sent me here to do. Amen.  

The War Against Satan Will Be Won

Revelation 12:13-14 -  And when the Dragon found himself cast down to earth, he persecuted the woman who had given birth to the child. But she was given two wings like those of a great eagle, to fly into the wilderness to the place prepared for her, where she was cared for and protected from the Serpent, the Dragon, for three and a half years.

John called the next part of his vision a ‘great pageant’  of the things to come. The central character was a lady giving birth being attacked by satan as he was cast out of heaven.  God allows her to grow wings and escape to a protected place…and there he cares for her as long as satan roams the earth.

I may not understand the symbolism or literal meaning of this chapter…but I am sure of  a couple of things it teaches me.  Satan can only attack our physical being…God puts a covering of protection around the spirit of each of his children. I am also sure that satan attacks the weakest of God’s children…just as all animals of prey. They single out the one least likely to run away or fight back.

Paul reminds us that this protection comes in the form of various armor in Ephesians 6:10-13..  It says… “Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you.  Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand safe against all strategies and tricks of Satan.  For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.”

One last thought. This war between God’s children and satan will continue till Christ returns in glory to claim his final victory.  We are guaranteed victory with him in that moment. We may lose small battles along the way…but the closer we stay connected to God …the less damage satan will be able to do to our physical body.  The more we rely on God’s strength…the less the loses will affect our ability to ove God no matter what.

Father…thank you for the reminder that we will win the final battle with you against evil.  Forgive me for the times that I have given up the fight…or not prepared myself for battle properly.  Help me to learn how to wear your full armor so I will be ready and strong for any battle that satan can create against the ones I know and love.  Amen.

Hold Fast To Your Faith

Revelation 11:11-12 -  But after three and a half days, the spirit of life from God will enter them, and they will stand up! And great fear will fall on everyone. Then a loud voice will shout from heaven, “Come up!” And they will rise to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watch.

John records a most gruesome picture.  The two prophets that God considers worthy and strong enough to preach repentance in these last days will be attacked and killed by the beast when their allotted days are up. Their bodies will lay in public view ….while parties of victory happen all around them. No one sees the real victory coming. They all watch in disbelief and horror as the spirit of God raises them to life and whisks them away to heaven for their obedience.

It gives me great comfort to know that evil has a definite end.  I may not be around to witness this moment….I may even have to endure some of the evil coming …but I know that I know that I know that God will bring an end to evil in this world when he sets up his earthly kingdom.

There is another promise in this chapter. The ones who believe in God and hold tightly to the faith he builds in them will be protected from spiritual harm.  They will suffer physically….but none of the physical destruction will take their faith away.  Even physical death will be temporary….God showing his power in the end and raising all believers who hold fast to their faith up to heaven in the end.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you will call me to heaven on the day that you conquer evil for all eternity. Forgive me for the times that I let my faith weaken….seeing and letting the world influence me to give up on your promises.  Help me to hold fast to my faith in you so that I may be included in the number of believers that will someday join you a in a great victory party over evil.  Amen