Author: missionspaul

It’s not just about prayer.
Revelation 15
It’s about presence. Your presence.
That is what will usher in the kingdom of God.
Here we are on the brink of 7 plagues that John sees coming into the world.
The power of God carried by the 7 Angels in chapter 8 was brought about by the prayers of the saints. Here the people of God are not praying, they are standing. They have overcome the enemy, the false worship and remain marked by the Spirit and not the beast.
We underestimate the effect of remaining. Of standing. Unmoved, undeterred, focused.
This week I went to a long lost friends church building, I have not seen him for 14 years. His church building is not what it used to be. It is now full of car wrecks and parts. But the same prophetic text that was there on opening day was still hanging behind the scraps of metal. Acts 18: 9-10 “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” If only he had kept that message in his heart. If only he had done not, kept on, not swerved, but stayed. I so wish he had remained standing. I learnt this week that he died a broken man 7 years ago.
Where would any of us be without Jesus?

I was lost but Jesus found me/ found the sheep that went astray/Threw his loving arms around me/Drew me back into His way.
Yes I’ll sing the wondrous story/ of the Christ who died for me/Sing it with the saints in glory/gathered by the crystal sea.

Your presence can be enough. Remain standing. Overcome.
I’ll see you by the seashore my friend.

The vision of John is definitely set in a violent context where many of his Church members are experiencing persecution and martyrdom. He has also revealed the 144,000 as the martyrs of the Israelites and the great multitude on chapter 7 that no one could count. But here in this chapter everyone who dies within the Christian faith, not just as martyrs, are blessed.
Revelation 14
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labour, for their deeds will follow them.”
I’m thinking today of an old lady called Margaret, who passed away last week and of who I will be conducting the funeral for next week.
I know she is blessed today!
It’s not just the martyrs who are blessed but John sees and states that from that moment on it is all who die, even of a natural death, if they die as a Christian they are blessed. A Jewish text speaks not of martyrdom when it states, “at the time of man’s departure, neither silver nor gold nor precious stones nor pearls go with him, but only the Law and good works.”
Our money is left behind, our material possessions etc. But not our achievements, not our work. Our accomplishments are taken with us when we enter into the Lord’s rest.
Margaret though resting from her work is now benefiting from being blessed by the rewards of that work.
Make sure you are doing the works of the Lord.

666 so what?
Revelation 13
It is a mark of allegiance that is publicly seen, everyone knows who you are walking with, you have given over your heart to the beast, v8; materialism and greed are all important to you, v17.
So what?
But this is not you, it never will be, for you have another mark that is publicly seen, you are “marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance,” (Ephesians 1:13-14)

The dragon, the beast and the false prophet.
A satanic trinity, involving Satan, the Anti-Christ and a ‘voice/breath’ of evil. The Anti-Christ is probably not one human being, there seems to have been many in every generation, but there will be a final one for sure. The false prophet is probably a general spirit throughout the world.
So what?
Remind yourself today, the beast is fatally wounded, the promise of a “crushed head” (Genesis 3:15) happened at the Cross. Christ and the beast were slain, the beast is still alive though wounded. Yet Christ is alive victorious!

The Evil Ministry
Is to blaspheme God, v5-6; persecute and kill Christians, v7-8,15; deceive the world, v4,11; and receiving worship, v15.
So what?
Our ministry, of Christ, our response is certainly not that of a certain small group of Pakistani Christians who last week burnt alive 2 Muslims mistakenly thinking they were the jihad bombers. How dreadful a response!
But no matter what comes you way, it is patience, endurance, faithfulness, waiting for God to intervene and He will. Leave the vengeance to God.

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He’s finished!
2 signs. The one of the birth of Christ and the other, the downfall of the devil.
We know off by heart many Christmas stories but do we know this one in Revelation 12?
We do not need to wait till Easter Sunday to announce that the devil is defeated. This Christmas story tells us.
He has many names, ancient serpent, v9, bringing us back to the beginning of Eden; he leads the world astray, v9; and he accuses us, God’s people, v10.
But no more!
As John describes what he sees, the dragon losing the battle in heaven and falling from it, this has an enormous benefit for us. Namely that Satan is not in heaven anymore, therefore, with no access to God, he cannot accuse us before the Judge. Who can accuse us? Who can bring a charge? Who condemns? Not him. Not anymore.
So because his power to accuse is disabled, what does he become? The deceiver. But John sees how God’s people will not fall prey to this either. How? The blood of the Lamb! Their witness and their sacrificial life, v11. What can the enemy do to us?
There is victory in heaven and also on earth.
Will he stop trying? It appears at this stage of the Revelation he doesn’t.
He pursues the woman, but as Isaiah prophesies, she soars on wings like eagles.
Where does he go next? To her offspring.
To those beyond Christ, to the followers, to you and me.
The conflict continues and the Revelation isn’t over …

Who was and who is!
Revelation 11
Remember, this is a vision, a dream, a very large picture full of everything, not a time-line, but a collage of events. It may not be ABC it could be BCA, depending how John was looking at the picture.
Everything that John saw applies today. It has something to contribute to your day, your moment now. The end of the world will contain these events but I am saying the events of the end of the world is also now.
So embrace these truths today and live the moment.
God: Who was and who is, v17
The God then is the God now, this means …
1. He limits the trampling of His people, v2.
2. He gives power to prophesy, to be anointed lights in the darkness, v4.
3. He gives power for signs and wonders on the earth, v5-6.
4. He allows His witnesses to walk the path of Christ, their voice of conviction silenced and the enemy appearing to have won, v7-10.
5. He vindicates His own, v11.
6. He raptures His own, v12.
7. He is not to come, He has come, v17.
8. He judges and He rewards and He opens, v18-19.

In the light of the events in this picture pray now something of the above for your today.

What does the future hold?
Revelation 10
What will come will reveal what has been held back.
John was going to write down what he heard but was commanded not to. Less is more. Suspense is created. There are things about the end of the world we simply do not know and the reason is this verse, v4.

What will come is a mystery.
Not a secret. But an open secret. God’s plan that was announced to his servants, v7. This is a word meaning to evangelise, to preach. The first 6 judgements are not the last word. God has that. But for that to happen involves the mystery. That means God’s people are involved sharing the good news.

What will come will cost.
John eats the scroll like Ezekiel did but for John though the scroll tastes sweet it then leaves a sourness in his stomach, v10. John and his churches have the privilege of sharing the good news and seeing its benefits. Yet just like John is on Patmos because of doing so so God’s people will suffer for the gospel.

That is what will come.

It’s getting worse!
Revelation 9
This is not us, we are not in this vision for we have the seal of God on our lives, v4.
However, in this terrifying scene of judgment on the earth John shares what he sees.
He sees the destroyer being given permission to wreak havoc on the world. The locusts are not natural for they devour humans, they are demons.
The judgments come from the great river Euphrates, the far east of their world. This is not from hell but from another culture.
Yet the 3 plagues do not bring man to repentance, v18, and God’s purpose looks like it has failed for the time being.
So what?
* The world will increasingly become worse but wherever you are, as God’s child, you are not in the scene of the final world judgments.
* God is in control at the end of the world, he holds the power from the locusts.
* The threat comes from another culture and belief system. Interesting!
* Judgment and the threat of it will not bring man to repentance. Turn or burn is not a good gospel.
* God’s purposes at times MAY LOOK like they have failed, but it is not over till HE says so.

The fact that we are here would indicate that we are not living in this scene just yet. But how far away are we from it? It is getting worse, we must get ready.

Do you remember that prayer?
Revelation 8
Have you ever experienced a silence, do you long to have that today?! I remember in the early years of my 2 children’s life that just after tea was noisy time! The volume was switched to high, speed was everything, the foundations of the house shook at the sounds a little boy and girl were making. Then they were in bed and I remember the silence … it was heaven! Today we see something strange, silence in heaven after much noise of praise and shouts and worship. Then, nothing for about 30 minutes John reckoned. What’s happening?
During this time we have an understanding of the importance of our life here on earth. The importance of our prayers.
How many prayers have you prayed in your life? Do you remember them all? He does! Every prayer goes to His altar, every prayer prayed by every Christian in the name of Jesus is on the altar of God.
Previously the prayers of the martyrs ushered in the actions of the sixth seal and now the prayers of everyone ushers in the actions of the seventh. As soon as the incense (the prayers) rise to the altar, then fire from the altar (the judgment) comes to the earth.
The point is prayer is the fuel driving the will and purposes of God on the earth today.
How long Lord?
Come Lord?
Save me Lord!
Help!

So what?
Well firstly don’t give up praying. Your kingdom come Your will be done!
Secondly learn to pray for the world, for God to move in His world.
By doing so then you will be part of the ushering of God’s Kingdom here today.

Are you in the 144,000?
Revelation 7
Every generation has known a crazy sect who believed they were the 144,000. The claim always proved worthwhile until their numbers reached 144,001 and then they moved to a symbolic interpretation!
Let me ask you not to focus on the numbers but look at this chapter this way:
Firstly let me remind you that when John heard the elder announce “look the lion of the tribe of Judah” he turned and saw the Lamb that was slain. And now he hears a number of 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel and then turns and sees a great multitude who were martyrs.
Do you see the similarity?
A lion transformed into a lamb. 144,000 Jews transformed into a great multitude.
John is writing to his churches who are suffering and he is in effect saying: What you hear may not be what you see. Your reality may not be everything. But he says more:-

Martyrdom is likely to be the result of commitment to Jesus.
Martyrs still need saving through the blood of Christ, their shed blood is not enough.
The end result is blessed: God spreads his tent meaning He lives with them, no hunger or thirst, no scorching heat, there are springs of water and God will wipe the tears.

I love the pastoral heart of John.
And the Spirit still speaks to us today even in our lives which doesn’t face the hardship of persecution but nevertheless we face tough days, the above applies to us. Be encouraged.