Revelation 13

Some thoughts on Revelation.

I remember as I was going thru Old Testament books, kinda being in the same frame of mind as now. 

Seeing scripture thru the lens of Jesus and His plan of salvation.

I remember how, when I saw books like Job, 

this was taught with me in mind for so long that it's no wonder I missed it's core message of redemption. 

Keep in mind that God's Word will be vastly perceived different as to who reads and when. For example, can the average 20/21rst century American believer living in intense apostasy as well as strong delusion perceive the Old Testament in a similar way as let's say the remnant of Israel or the early first, second century church. 

Let's face it, how often are today's believers referred to the book of Job when they find themselves in difficult situations? 

Some are quick to accuse me of finding it improper to gain strength from Job when suffering life's difficulties. 

I've not said this. But many miss the strength given to the one who faces persecution, finds here, and that strength isn't in the fact that another (Job)  went thru it. 

The strength is in the redemption God gives to those who trust in Him completely. 
That's what Job, and Psalms, the entire OT is about. 

As I conclude my 3rd trip thru God's Word, seeing it thru the lens of Jesus and salvation (as opposed to me and my struggling) 

Why, after having 65 previous books speak joy & hope into my life, would I think this pattern might end as I read Revelation. 

Well, PTL, it didn't end. 
Does Revelation have fantastic imagery, yes! Does it have unimaginable occurrences, yes!  is that all it is, no!  Is it hard to understand, no! 
Chap 13 has awesome frightening images many will debate for decades. 
Please tell me how, by hitching my wagon to any popular interpretation, will this further the cause of Christ. 

Thessalonians also speaks of this time as well as an accompanying of strong delusion, one where as everything is read in Scripture tends to nail down ones dogmatic views thereby missing it's truths. 

I began this book dreading it. I knew of the many discussions one could have over its content and I so much desired to avoid any of this. 

I'm half way thru this book now and I must confess, I wasn't planning on seeing the clear message of grace and mercy of God as well as, I wasn't planning on seeing the magnitude and significance of this thing called the church along with the undeserved grace as to which it was given to me. Salvation I mean. 

Folks, if when reading Revelation, you don't grasp the cost, many in days of old, as well as many in different areas of the globe as well as many not yet born, if you don't grasp the cost there salvation will cost them, the very same salvation so freely and effortlessly given to the blessed American believer, 

If the reader misses that, 

then I suppose squabbling over whether there there will or will not be a rapture, or haggling over what the beast represents, or bickering over what a thousand years means will have to suffice till we find our home in Glory. 

I'm all for discerning the content of Revelation and strongly caution any reader who spiritually interprets it all. 

Given the ease as to how quickly one can be fooled, I consider greatly these thoughts. 

I'm not sure how long I have yet on this earth but I'm forever grateful and humbled to be given a clearer perspective of our salvation and what it cost to receive, from Him who gave it along with what I was spared in its offering. I pray as long as I live, others might see this power of salvation displayed in me. 

I've not arrived at this point yet, Lord forgive me! 

Random rambles - what's wrong with?

Sometimes I just like to post random thoughts. This happens most when I read or watch mainstream news. 

It's not that I keep looking for things. They just happen because examples are all over the place.

What I mean is, mixed up language in the mainstream when it comes to applying a Christian spin on current events.

Whether it's a religious figure calling a politician, un christian simply because he wants to build a wall or

A talk show host crediting God for the death of a supreme Court Judge

Whether it's presidents quoting scripture, bakeries not making a cake, reality stars praying, sports stars at a bar thanking the man upstairs or pointing up after a play, schools not permitting verses on t-shirts or court houses not displaying ten commandments..

Something is off?

Last week i heard two Christians discussing how Peyton Manning said, in front of tens of thousands of people, that he was gonna drink a lot of beer, than he thanked (the man upstairs)

The subsequent crashing sound immediately heard after this comment was preachers all over this country falling off their chairs, collectively. 
Hope none of them were hurt.

The next sounds that were heard were Christians rushing to there twitters to explain such comments.

In the discussion i heard,the conclusion was, it was wrong for him to say what he did because he is a "role model." 

Now it's my turn to fall off a chair. 

Whenever and wherever the Christian flag is flown over current events in the mainstream media, it makes little sense.

That's hard to spot when so many Christians, after seeing a 3 second clip of a praying politician are quick in saying "see, this is a Christian nation."

How did the lines between media and advertising an pop culture and the church (language) become so blurred?

A sure fire way to tell if Christians began sipping the kool-aid is.. 

if when two Christians who are talking about things like this and one asks the other" what's wrong with (fill in the blank with any topic, issue) "

I've found there's no good answer to the" what's wrong with... " question long ago.

The reason the" what's wrong with "question is so tough is because we think and talk funny.

We talk about the "flesh." 
We say things like "we do this" in the flesh " or" the" flesh "is weak" inadvertently isolating this sin nature. 

It's almost like thinking, if we didn't have this nasty flesh, we'd be ok. 
Not understanding the difference between trespasses or transgressions or original sin and daily sin confuses things also.

We all have a sin nature but it's more part of us than many care to admit.

After raising 3 kids, I used to think that the longest journey any mind can take is the one that goes from "I need to do something"  to "I want to do something"

But I see now that what we "need" & "want"  are linked together, forever.

People are gonna do whatever they want, Christians or not.

We could say, 
"I need /want to read my Bible "
or 
" I need/want to go to a bar "

Imagine a Christian asking another Christian" I wanna go to a bar. What's wrong with that? "

What's the other christian to say?

No christian would ask, what's wrong with reading a Bible, yet that's where we struggle. 

The bar example, that's easy (to them) 

Do ya sense anything screwy yet? 

There's an answer to the" what's wrong with "question, but because we don't understand our sin nature, we don't understand what satan daily does on our behalf, which is to accuse us day & night, before God, that we're sinful along with we categorize our sin and water it down to nothing, answering it is pointless. 

Btw, we get our word : category, from what satan does (accuse) 

Now why do you suppose that is? Because he knew Christians would be asking the "what's wrong with..."  question, long ago. 
We think category or 

"well, going to a bar isn't murder"

Or

baking a cake for a gay wedding isn't as bad as going to a gay wedding

Or

A praying politician is better than a cursing one

And so on.

Odd how accuser & category are the same

Category : 
Origin: 1580–90; < Late Latincatēgoria < Greek katēgoríaaccusation (also, kind of predication), equivalent to katḗgor(os) accuser, affirmer (katēgor(eîn) to accuse

Point is, if the comment is:

I want to go to a bar -

The problem or issue is not in the part that said... "go to a bar"

The problem area is in the "I want"

Keep in mind, the thoughts of this post are being brought to you, courtesy of "the law"  playing at many churches near you.

I am posting like this because day in and day out I see the media's attempt to remind us we're a Christian nation and I have to listen to other believers swoon over the prospect of it being so, while all I get for my efforts is being called a sour puss.

That's ok. 
Back when I was confusing God's Law, I just ignored the media's attempts and that's no better than getting swept away by it. So I have no room to crow.

I've been saying throughout this blog, that if church goers read their Bible's in context, they'd be better at comprehending current events. 
They'd know better how to train there children and you can bet, it ain't with no singing song book or church mouse. 

Hold on a moment while I chase away the echos in my mind of Christians asking "what's wrong with christian children programs?" 

If anyone hasn't guessed, I've been asked that an infinite amount of times, by Christians & non Christians, and there's your first clue, it's a bogus question. 

It's like, mankind's default question as they look to the heavens and yell "what's wrong with...?" 

You can bet that the genisis of that question is in the one asking "did God really say...?" 

I'm all for anyone bringing there faith to a national platform but let's not get crazy on this. 
I can think of many examples of genuine faith in the media. 

My mind goes to the tremendous courage and strength in the lives of Joey & Rory Feek. 
Noone will be asking "what's wrong with" as they read there story. 
But it's worth can not be captured in a sound bite so many miss it. 

The problem (of discerning mainstream) exists because God's Law is preached to believers (those who can't do it) & the gospel is preached to non believers (those who don't want it) 

From this we have Bible illiterate believers vomiting there opinions on Facebook and even on blogs. 

Hey, wait a second! 
Didn't I just condemn myself? 

What gives here? 

The purpose to this blog remains the same. 
When we pray & read God's Word in context, the question isn't 

what's wrong with (fill in the blank) 

The question is :

What's wrong with me. 

Then, as we examine ourselves, we can better pray for those who appear in mainstream media as opposed to justifying there behavior or judging it. 

I'm not saying we shouldn't have or voice our opinions, I'm only saying, let's keep it in perspective, or context of God's complete Word. 

So yes, I condemn myself as I examine my motives for even beginning a blog such as this. 

I often wonder,

 those strong opinions we're having and voicing, 

Why do we have them, where did they come from? 

Questions like that are best answered in the lesser read portions of our Bible's. 

TryReadNit in context!