One Trumpet, One Throne, and Two Amazing Witnesses

In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. Revelation 11:13

Everyone is wondering about it. Are we in the end days? Are we nearing the end? The answer is yes, and I'll give you one of the biggest measuring sticks we can use to know: Israel. Now, I'll be the first person to tell you that the Bible gives us a ton of measures to useprophecies-by which we can know that we are in the end times. The Bible is our ultimate lens through which to look at current events, and if we do, then we'll have confidence because we see everything that's happening as what it is-fulfillment of God's eternal plan.

But Israel, I'm telling you, Israel is a special measurement. We can look at what Israel is doing and how the various nations relate to them as a gauge to tell us that the end times are upon us.

Why Israel? Why are they singled out? Simply put, it's because God chose them.

But isn't that a bit dated? I mean, Israel rejected God. You're right, Israel rejected God, but God hasn't rejected Israel.

In fact, Paul tells us in Romans that God has hardened Israel's heart for a time until the fullness of the number of Gentiles comes in. Jesus tells us the same thing in Matthew 24:14, saying, And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

In other words, the only thing holding up Israel's salvation is ours. When the nations have heard, that's the end. Then God lifts the Gentile believers out of the way and, here, in our verse today, we see the moment that salvation will come to Israel.

You see, in the Great Tribulation, many disasters will be poured out that result in nothing more than people shaking their stubborn fists at God. This earthquake, however, is different. This one brings a new reaction-a giving of glory to God by all.

Let me say that again-ALL! It means the totality of Israel will finally get it, the blinders will be lifted, and all of Israel will glorify God.

Israel is the measure for the end times. Why? Because God chose them. He brought salvation to the gentiles through them, and in the end, He's going to bring salvation back home to them.

Prayer Lord God,

Thank You for being faithful! I take so much encouragement from Your faithfulness to Israel. Please help me to be just as faithful to You in these end times!

Amen

All Aboard

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

All over the world right now, do you know what season it is? It is farming season.

As I travel to different places, sometimes I really get to see this in action. The fields are all plowed up as winter turns into spring, opening up the ground to receive the seeds. The farmer sows the seeds into the ground and spends the summer tending to his crop. Then, finally, after months of work and waiting, what happens? Of course, the crop becomes ripe and it is time to harvest and go to market!

And every year without fail, the farmers receive income from their harvest that is proportionate to what they sowed in the springtime. Why? Because they cannot reap a large harvest unless they sow a lot of seed. If they sow sparingly then they will reap sparingly, but if they sow generously then they will reap generously.

This is a law of nature that God established in the way He created the world, and it is a principle that also governs our finances, along with other areas of our lives.

If we withhold what we have from others, selfishly hoarding it for ourselves then we will eventually find what we have dwindling. Our fear of lack will actually lead to lack. However, when we sow into others with our finances, time, love, gifts, and more, then we will receive back in kind according to what we have sown.

This principle is easy enough to understand, so why do we have a hard time following it? It is because the real issue is in our hearts. The issue is whether or not we love others as we love ourselves and trust God to be our provider. Because if we love others and we trust God then the natural extension of those things is cheerful generosity.

When we go on a business trip, we expense everything we pay to the company we represent. Why would it be different in the kingdom? When we sow our finances into building God's kingdom, He keeps a record and is faithful to make sure we reap according to how we sow.

Let's be a people who trust God, love others, and sow generously.

Prayer Father God,

You are my provider, and I repent for not loving others as I love myself and for not trusting You with my finances. I put my trust in You today! Please give me courage as You show me opportunities to be generous with the seed You have given me to sow.

Amen

Head-On Collisions

But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 1 Corinthians 11:3

Have you ever wondered what the Bible really says about women submitting to men? There's a lot of tension out there where submission is concerned, but I want to help us all set the record straight today.

When God created everything, He looked around creation and He's like, Well, everything looks good. But you know what? It's not good for man to be alone. I need to create a help-mate. I need to create a helper because man needs a lot of help.

And men like this verse because we know we need a lot of help. But a lot of women don't like this verse. They're like, I don't want to be his helper. I want to be my own woman.

Well, maybe you missed it, but when God created you as man's help-mate, He puts you in select company. The only other person in the Bible of whom that same word is used is God, as in, I will lift up my eyes to the hills-from whence comes my help? (Psalm 121:1). Listen, this is an honor and it's who God created you to be.

But we need to understand something about this, because a lot of people have looked at this and somehow understood that women are inferior. They're not. Holy Spirit is not inferior to Jesus. Jesus isn't inferior to Father God. They have different roles, but they are equal, and each role is equally important.

Listen, we don't go to extremes-neither chauvinism nor feminism. Woman was not created from the feet of Adam to be stepped on and treated as inferior. Nor were women created from his head, leaving part of his brain missing, as if men are inferior. Women were created from his-what?-from his rib, from his side, proving women to be of no greater or lesser value, but equivalent, a complement, a help-mate, an equal partner.

The problem is that sin comes along and mars who men and women were created to be and they both start thinking that they have to take care of themselves and dominate each other instead of serving and blessing each other.

The cure for this curse is the cross. You've got to come under the covering and protection of that yoke in order to make it to Heaven, in order for your sins to be forgiven, and in order to become who God made you to be-a man who raises his wife up into her callings, and a woman who helps her husband become all God intends for him.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your example of godly submission! Please teach me to be like You in my family, leading as a spouse and a parent through love and service as we learn to become all that You made us to be!

Amen

Better Jobs

Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God...knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:22,24

Is your job worth it? Is it worth all the effort and long hours you put into it? Do you ever get thanks from your boss, any kind of reward for your labor?

Most of us probably think the answer to these questions is no. No, Bob, I don't get any-

thing for all the work I do, but I do it anyway. I work my tail off for this company and I never get anything to show for it.

I have two things to say to us today that will help us where the workplace is concerned. First, I think most of us have to shift our paradigms of work expectations. We think we are working above and beyond when really we are only meeting the basic expectations for our positions.

If all we do is show up on time, leave on time, complete our assigned tasks on time in a satisfactory manner, and contribute nothing to the negative aspects of the workplace, then we are barely breaking even. We do these things and then expect a five-star review from our boss when we are only doing three-star work.

We have to find ways of going above and beyond the basics of what we were hired to do if we expect to be considered excellent. Otherwise we should not be surprised to receive little thanks or recognition, as we are merely meeting expectations. I will not go out of my way to thank an employee for average.

However, assuming that we think of ourselves rightly at work, yet still receive no credit or reward, here is our comfort: God will reward us for our faithful service, for we have been serving Christ Jesus the whole time.

And what is the reward He will give us? Inheritance.

Wait. Inheritance means someone died and gave me something they earned during their lifetime. Who was that?

Jesus. That's right, Jesus died so that you could receive an inheritance from your FatherGod. Can you imagine how glorious an inheritance from God might be? Yeah, me neither, but one thing I do know-I know it changes the way I go to work in the morning.

No matter who my boss is-good or bad-I know I work for Christ Jesus, and He will give me the inheritance as my reward.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You that You are really the one that I serve when I go to work and You are a just boss. Please help me to be a good employee, and thank You for my reward.

Amen

Fender Mender

There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself. Proverbs 11:24-25

There are a lot of great churches and ministries out there, but let me tell you one church that was not exactly a model church-Corinth.

Why was the church in Corinth so bad? Well, because you could really sum up many things they did with one word-selfishness. And in their marriages, families, fellowship, spiritual gifts, giving, and everything else, they put themselves first before others. They thought the Christian life was all about themselves, instead of it being about Christ and His love for His entire body.

One particular area that Paul needed to address was that of giving, and I think we need to learn from what he says, too.

Now, this isn't about me. I don't have any beef. I don't have an agenda in teaching on this other than this: I want our church-that's us, not the buildings-to be ten times more effective in ministry than Corinth was ever known for being.

I'm saying that I want you in your life to be blessed all the more because of your faithfulness to God where your finances are concerned. And let me remind you of what God gave for you-everything, I mean everything! So we should not be bashful now in talking about what we give back to God.

But in case you didn't notice, let me say it again, that I want you to be blessed because of your faithfulness. Because, yes, there is a great big blessing for us when we're faithful to give as the Lord instructs us.

In fact that's what it says in our verses today; did you notice? Go back and read it again. Let it really soak in.

Now, that's some good news, there. There are those who scatter, who spread it, who share it. And you know what? A lot don't. It's kind of getting hard in this culture and recession to find sharers.

Yet God's Word says it's the ones who are sharing who are increasing the more. But the ones who are hoarding, who are holding on, find that strategy unfulfilling. In fact, it leads to poverty.

Why listen to God's Word for what He says about giving? Because there's poverty in disobedience, but blessing and increase in obedience.

Prayer Father God,

Thank You for providing for all my needs and for teaching me how to be faithful with all You have given me! I choose to loosen my grip on all that You have given me and ask that You show me where to share.

Amen

Lost in Passion

Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18

What's the problem? It's my body. I can do with it whatever I want to!

Our culture is trying to justify their extramarital sexual relationships as somehow okay. You know, God's Word on the matter should be enough for us. He said it. We do it. But there are reasons behind His instructions that are for our good, and I'll give you three of them.

First, unguarded passion leads to pain. Paul had just finished telling the Corinthians that fornicators, adulterers, homosexuals, and sodomites will not inherit the kingdom of God. This is pain to the most extreme degree-eternal pain-but it's not the only pain that comes with unguarded passion. The pain now is the hole we're trying to fill with all those relationships, but no one can fill that hole except Jesus. Trying to fill the hole with relationships only deepens it as we break our heart over and over again.

Second, unguarded passion has a powerful progression. Do you remember the first time you held hands? It was pretty exhilarating that first time, but not for long after that. Soon you put your arm around the girl. Then there's the first kiss, and of course that only revs your engine for more. If you never put up guards, you will quickly find yourself going all the way. And when you've gone all the way, you're as confused as ever, because it wasn't the fulfillment you were looking for.

Third, unguarded passion leads to perversion. The Corinthians tried to justify their sexual hunger by comparing it to their hunger for food. When I want food, I eat. When I want sex, I go get it.

Paul responded, saying that God will one day do away with both food and your stomach, but your body and what you attach to it remains forever because you are the temple of God. Are you really going to go join yourself to a harlot? Are you really going to join yourself to someone who's willing to give themselves to you without first committing to a lifelong marriage?

There is ruin on the road of unguarded passion. Don't waste one of the greatest gifts God has given you. Guard yourself, choose Jesus, be whole, and be blessed.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Your Word is very clear on the values I should hold regarding my sex life. I repent for the ways I have violated Your plan for my sexual relationships. Please help me stay on the right path and experience the blessings You have for when I follow You!

Amen

Going All the Way

And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction. 1 Corinthians 7:35

The world is out to get you. If you give it the chance, it will hang a noose around your neck and drag you away from the life God wants to give you.

There are four nooses in particular where marriage is concerned about which I want to warn you.

Noose number one is the lie that singleness is a second-rate life. If you are single, do not settle for anything less than God's best for your life. This means to reserve sex for marriage, date only Christians, and refuse to lower God's standards because we want to be married so badly. God has good plans for you, single person, but you will only receive them if you trust Him enough to wait for Him to work.

Noose number two is the lie that time heals. Trying to let time heal things is really just avoidance. It's a scab over an infected wound that will only get worse if we don't deal with the problem, and the longer we wait, the worse it will be. If the problem is too big to handle between the two of you then get help, and then work to create a safe environment in which both of you feel safe to communicate when something hurts.

Noose number three is the lie that ...words will never hurt me. Proverbs 18:21 says, Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Words can either hurt or heal. Your words can kill your marriage, or they can resurrect it; it all depends on what you choose to say.

Noose number four is the lie that your marriage is none of my business. Hello? Look, in Joshua 7, where the Israelites could not stand before their enemies because one man had taken things devoted to God as his own, saying it was just his business. Marriage is devoted to God, a covenant made in His presence, and what you do with it affects the rest of us.

Don't let the world wrap these lies around your neck and destroy your relationships. Instead, pursue God and let Him lead you into the blessed marriages and lives He desires for us.

Prayer Father God,

Thank You that You have a good plan for my life! I want the best that You have for my marriage, so I ask for You to come work in my life now and help me to be the best husband/wife/ single person I can be.

Amen