This book is alot harder to take application from. It is a beautiful description of John being temporarily taken into heaven. He sees God in all of his glory and he also sees many great things. Then there are the 7 seals, that only Christ has the power to open. They describe things to come. It is something I can’t even begin to explain…go read it! :) But I do want to comment on the reaction of the saints, elders, and everyone that is in the presence of God. They worship him…wholeheartedly. They never cease to praise him. They fall on their faces to worship him. They sing him new songs of his Glory. Please realize that even though we cannot see him, our God is the same God they all worship. Their worship should inspire us to do the same. God is 100% worthy of all the worship we can give him!
” Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” Revelation 4:11
The first chapter of Revelation is the introduction of the book, the greeting to the church, and the description of John’s vision of Christ. It is a beautiful picture and worth reading! The second and third chapters are what I really want to focus on. In these two chapters God uses John to describe what kind of character the church holds, and also to share a promise with each one of the churches!
The first is the church of Ephesus, they are faithful to God and have endured through hardship but God tells them that they had abandoned Love. They desired to please God but lost love for him. He asks them to repent. Then he promises to the conquerors that they will eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. It’s the promise of heaven.
The Next church is Smyrna. They have been suffering but God tells them if they are faithful to him they will be given the crown of life. He then promises them that the conquerors that they will not be hurt by the second death.
Pergamum is the next church. Although they live in a very satanic place they hold fast to God. Yet God does say there are some that follow the false teachers. He tells them to repent. And to the conqueror he promises manna, a white stone with a new name on it. According to my study bible a white stone represents admissions to the winner’s celebration, and the new name is a personal message to you from Jesus.
To the Church in Thyatira God says he know the people are faithful and loving among other good things, but He does not approve that they tolerate the prophetess Jezebel. She is a sign of sexual immorality and idolatry. He says He will not burden those who do not follow her. Then he promises the conquerors Authority over the nations and give our hearts the fullness of Jesus.
The fifth church is Sardis. This church has a reputation of being alive but God knows they are really dead inside. He calls them to wake up and strengthen up. But there are some in Sardis have good character and walk with Jesus. Then to the conqueror he promises a permanent place in the book of life, never to be taken out.
Next is the church of Philadelphia. They have little power yet have kept God’s word, and because of that they will be spared from the trial that is coming on the earth. Then to the conqueror he promises a secure place in the presence of God .
Lastly is the church of Laodicea. They are told that they are lukewarm, which is detestable to God, but God says “ Those Whom I LOVE I reprove and disciple, so be zealous and repent.” He Loves them and wants them to come back to him WHOLEHEARTEDLY. And to the conqueror he promises tht they will sit with him on his throne.
These chapters are so full of things that amaze me, and a lot of things I don’t understand! Overall I know that the conqueror is us! To be an overcomer is to be a Christian, so we have some pretty amazing things to look forward to if we follow God wholeheartedly. I also was wondering where you guys were at. God saw some good in these churches, some bad in them and sometimes both. If God examined you what would he call you to repent of? This life is short and we have so much to look forward too with God. Let him e your ruler, conquer this place!
Also if anyone has any extra info on the 7 churches or Revelation in general let me know, I would like to study it more!
So the Ninevites repented and God spared them. Good ending, except for Jonah. He was very unhappy that God had shown the ninevites mercy. He was so upset he said it would be better for him to die than to live! It seemed selfish because he himself had received Gods mercy just a few days before. Despite God being good to him he did not think the ninevites deserved the same, so he left the city and sat on a hill. God gave Jonah a tree to shade him, but the next day tookit away and again Jonah was angry. He was concerned for the plant. God said to him
“you pity the plant for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow,which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left…”
My pastor talked about the sanctity of life this morning and used this verse. God not only wanted to spare Nineveh because of their great repentance, but also because of the 120,000 small children that “do not know their right hand from their left”. God is a merciful and gracious God. But he is also a very loving God. He loves everyone he created, the little ones included. Their lives are important. From conception to eternity He loves.
A second chance was given to Jonah. God again told him to go to Nineveh and preach to the people. This time Jonah went without hesitation. When he reached Nineveh and spoke the message of God to the people of Nineveh, they believed in the word of God. Even the king traded his seat on the throne for ashes. He also directred the entire city, including animals, to fast and repent. This is such a miracle! God changed a city of Pagan worshipers into a city that followed Him, and he did it using Jonah, a reluctant man. It is so great that God’s power is displayed in our weakness. God then saw that the city had turned from their evil ways and he did not destroy them. This chapter started with a second chance and ended with a second chance. That alone should encourage us to come before the throne of God and repent of our sins, because we know he is there waiting to forgive us and give us another chance!
I left out a pretty large portion of chapter 1. God sent a large fish (some believe whale) to swallow Jonah, and that is where chapter 2 starts, with Jonah in the belly of a fish for three days and three nights. Then Jonah began to pray to God. He acknowledged’s God soverigenty in his prayer. The scripture tells us that Jonah cried out to God and he heard him. How refreshing to know that even when we disobey clear commands from God that if we come to him asking for forgiveness, he will hear us and forgive us right then and there. Jonah thanks God from saving him from the death he would have suffered in the sea. God then speaks to the fish and it vomited Jonah back onto dry land. By the graciousness of God Jonah is now willing and ready for another opportunity to follow the commands of God.
I’m compiling a list of Christian blogs so that I can share them on my page. Please, reblog this post if this includes you. :) All are encouraged!
(Source: staypozitive)
Today I read Jonah chapter one and I was happy that this would be my first post because it is so full of information and it is still applicable to our lives in 2011. So the story starts out with a guy named Jonah who has been asked by God to go to a city called Nineveh. Nineveh was the capital of Assyria and it was a large city with a lot of power. The people of Nineveh worshiped false Gods and were known for their cruelty. Jonah had no desire to go and preach to these people so he ignored Gods clear command, and ran in the opposite direction. I feel like that happens so much in todays world. God gives us clear instruction and we do the complete opposite. Our way seems easier, better, more fun, or in Jonah’s case safer, but in the end God’s way is always best.
So Jonah ran, but as he soon figured out, you can’t run from God. We sometimes think we can, but there is no way to escape his loving sight. Jonah got on a boat to Tarshish, and God sent a storm on the seas. The sailors cried out in fear to their gods but when nothing changed they went bellow deck and found Jonah sleeping. They awoke him and cast lots to see who was to blame for the horrible storm that had come upon them, and of course the lot fell on Jonah. The sailors then asked him who he was. He answered telling them he was a Hebrew and that he “feared the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land” At this the sailors grew fearful because they understood who Jonah was talking about. Jonah eventually had the sailors throw him overboard because he knew the storm was a result of him disobeying God. The second they tossed Jonah into the sea, the storm stopped. This showed the men upon the boat that Jonah feared the right God. They all grew fearful of the Lord and made vows to him. This was amazing to me. It reminded me that God does NOT need us. His plans will be fufilled with or without us, I mean He used Jonah’s disobedience for his Glory. He changed a boatful of men into believers. It’s not God is going to suffer for our disobedience, we are the ones who will be tossed overboard into cold water.
God is the only one who is able to make us useable. Don’t run from the opportunities He gives you. Remember he doesn’t need us, he wants us, and even more than that he chose us.
