Monday, June 28, 2010

TO SEE YOU AS YOU ARE

I would like to share a poem written by my daughter (with her permission) who is serving on the mission field. Yes, I'm a proud mom--of all my children! I am really blessed to have such a loving husband and wonderful children and grandchildren, all of whom love the Lord.

North, south, east, west
Persuasion from all sides;
Words, pictures, places, people
Too much meets the eyes.

Question why, question how,
Panic breeds within;
What if this, what if that
Debating not to contend.

All the while You’re waiting
with love, mercy and grace;
Wanting to communicate
and establish the pace.

But while I’m divided
in heart, thought and deed,
I’ll sink until I’m drowning
in fear, despair and need.

I must choose a master
once and for all:
The world and its cares
or my sweet Savior’s call.

How can I turn away
from the love sacrificially displayed;
Why do I disregard
the heavy price that was paid.

O Lord I’ve been a fool
to think I could breathe alone;
Forgive and purify this child
until her independence is all gone.

Finally in Your hands
a willing piece of clay;
I can rest in Your love
and guidance day by day.

True peace surrounds my soul
no longer from afar;
You say it takes the pure in heart
to see You as You are.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Truth Framed in Creation's Beauty cont.

This will be the last of the scripture cards for a while. The picture of the garden tomb was taken on our trip to Israel many years ago. The raccoon was photographed by a friend who graciously allowed me to use her picture.



Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Truth Framed in Creation's Beauty cont.

The picture of the waves was taken by my daughter in the Bahamas. The picture of the cross was taken by my husband at the sunrise service for Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, our home church, this Easter.



Saturday, June 19, 2010

Truth Framed in Creation's Beauty cont.

The following pictures were taken by my daughter while on a missions trip to Brazil. She is in fact in Brazil again for the summer. You might want to check out their website at www.realitydiscipleship.org.



Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Truth Framed in Creation's Beauty

I think the first picture was taken by my niece on a vacation out west. The second was taken by my husband in Miami.



Sunday, June 13, 2010

He Giveth Perfect Peace

I am going to be on vacation for a couple of weeks, so I thought I would share with you some original poetry and some new scripture cards. I hope they encourage you in your fellowship with the Savior and strengthen you through the truth of His word.

As I think of meeting Jesus face to face before His throne,
My heart is filled with wonder knowing heaven will be my home.

In light of all its beauty, the thoughts come rushing in—
How could He have left to come to earth, become my sin?

The Word declares it gave Him joy to think of my salvation
As He silently endured the stripes, the shame, the degradation.

Though I would fail Him many times, He set His face like flint.
He rose victorious from the grave and home to heaven went.

And now before the Father He is ever interceding
To help me fight temptation when the devil is deceiving.

Such love, such grace, such mercy to a sinner such as I
Is beyond my understanding no matter how I try.

All He asks is that I love Him and accept His gift in faith.
Then share the truth with others while His coming we await.

My life is full of choices made I wish I could forget--
Of sin and selfishness and pride; I owe Him quite a debt.

His precious blood has washed me clean; my heart can be at rest.
My sins have been removed as far as east is from the west.

My days on earth were numbered while as yet a babe unborn.
So when the Father calls me home, it’s not the time to mourn.

It’s time for joy, a time for praise, a time for celebration—
A heart that’s pure and worship born of holy adoration.

Though we may part for just a while, His purpose to fulfill.
The blessings will be worth it when the future is revealed.

So trust in God the Father, in the Savior, His dear Son;
Take comfort in the Spirit, the Almighty—Three in One.

Until my race is over, my prayers will not cease;
I’ll keep my eyes on Jesus; He giveth perfect peace.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

ANGELS AND ETERNITY

It seems to be quite obvious that the holy angels take delight in serving God and honoring Him with praise and worship. Throughout eternity it seems that the angels and mankind will live in fellowship with at least equal standing before God.

Luke 20:36 “Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.”

There is a section of scripture in Romans that emphasizes the position of believers in eternity as being joint-heirs with Christ. This would seem to make us no longer “a little lower than the angels.”

Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Taken in context with a verse from 1Peter and a verse from Revelation, the indication is that just as angels are subject to Christ, they will be subject to His joint-heirs.

1 Peter 3:21–22 “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.”

Revelation 3:21 “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”


Until that time comes, scripture indicates that the angels are quite interested in the affairs of men. They rejoice over every sinner that comes to know Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Luke 15:7 & 10 “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance….Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

According to Peter, the angels are interested in the amazing process by which Jesus has provided for the redemption of mankind and will eventually redeem the earth from the curse of sin. I think they are trying to figure out how He could love us so much and why we would ever choose to reject this most precious gift.

1 Peter 1:10–12 “Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.”

I hope you enjoyed our journey through the scripture in a study of how angels are interacting with events on planet earth—in the past, present and future. It gives me great comfort to know as the times grow darker and the enemy gains in power and authority, that just as with Elisha, more and mightier are those aligned with us than those that are against us.

The cry of my heart—“Come Lord Jesus!”

Monday, June 7, 2010

USHERING IN THE KINGDOM

After yet another time of praise and worship in heaven by both angels and humans, the Lord Jesus comes bodily to earth for the second time to destroy His enemies and take His throne.

Yet another angel appears in the heavens to invite the birds of prey to the great supper of the corpses of the armies of Antichrist.

Next on the scene is the angel in possession of the key to the bottomless pit who takes authority over Satan and imprisons him in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years. After the thousand years he will be released to make one last attempt at overthrowing the Lord Jesus, and—in one of the most astonishing prophecies presented in scripture considering the righteous rule of Jesus during that time—he will be able to gather an army numbering as “the sand of the sea” from all the nations. This is when Gog reemerges for one last time to join him in this attempt. There is no battle to speak of; God destroys this army with fire from heaven and Satan is cast into the lake of fire never to emerge again.

John then tells us that another angel that participated in the last seven judgments presents himself to introduce John to the “bride, the Lamb’s wife.” The intriguing part of this introduction is that he is referencing the New Jerusalem descending from heaven to earth. Point is made that all that are written in the Lamb’s book of life are welcome to enjoy the city; this would include all believers from all times—not just those identified as “the church.”

Now we come to a very intriguing couple of verses in connection with this last “angel.”

Revelation 22:8–9 “And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.”

The plain understanding of this verse indicates that this “angel” is one of God’s earthly prophets, a brother and fellowservant of John. Though we tend to interpret references to angels to be supernatural beings in the heavens that are God’s special ministering servants on behalf of man, the term is inclusive of any individual doing God’s bidding as requested at any given time.

The book of Revelation closes with one more intriguing verse and angel, and I am going to quote from my journal in closing.

Revelation 22:16 “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.”

Jesus identifies Himself by name. He tells John that He has sent His angel/messenger to testify (give evidence, bear record, witness) to him (John) all the things that have been revealed to him during the revelation. John, in turn, is to share these things with the churches.

Again, the subject comes up regarding the signifying angel and Jesus and their identities. After reading through this book many times, it is obvious to me that God has used Jesus, real “angels” and redeemed saints to communicate with John throughout the duration of this revelation. I’m not sure I will ever be able to correctly distinguish between the angel and/or saint in given instances.

When I checked all the New Testament uses of the word for angel, every single instance was the word “aggelos”—a messenger; especially an “angel,” by implication a pastor—angel, messenger (except for Luke 20:36, which uses “isaggelos,” angelic—equal unto the angels). All the uses of the words “messenger or messengers” utilize the Greek word “aggelos.”

I’m not sure it really matters that we identify the speaker. What is important is to understand the message of the messenger—and in every case we know that this “messenger” is sent/provided by God. Every word is inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Friday, June 4, 2010

REAPERS OF THE HARVEST

The next angels on the scene are shown reaping a harvest resulting from God’s wrath. These angels are also referenced in the gospels. Matthew is clear in telling us that the “tares,” the impostors in the kingdom, will be harvested before the “wheat,” true believers are ushered into the kingdom.

Matthew 13:30 “Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”

The Lord Jesus is very specific in clarifying the meaning of His teaching when He interprets this parable for His disciples.

Matthew 13:37–42 “He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

Finally, as we reach chapter 15 we are introduced to the seven angels that will dispense the seven last judgments representing the culmination of God’s wrath before Jesus returns as King of kings. As referenced in an earlier post, the angels are presented in possession of the seven final judgments, but one of the living creatures presents each with a vial of God’s wrath to mix with those judgments. The first six judgments seem to follow in fairly rapid sequence. The sixth judgment appears to provide a pause to allow the forces of Satan to gather the armies of the world together in preparation for battle with Almighty God. Once the final judgment is poured out, the stage is set for the return of Jesus to destroy the Antichrist and False Prophet and their armies and establish His kingdom.

One of the angels involved in pouring out the last seven judgments then approaches John and carries him into the wilderness to explain the destruction of Babylon, the kingdom of the Antichrist. In Revelation 18:2 yet another angel appears to announce the fall of Babylon as a done deal, and I can’t help but wonder if it is the same angel who made the announcement that its destruction was imminent (Revelation 14:8). Emphasis is given to this declaration by the appearance of another angel casting a millstone into the sea illustrating the truth that Babylon would never arise again. Satan will never again be able to establish a wicked kingdom on planet earth once the Savior has taken His earthly throne.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

DECEIVING SPIRITS AND MESSENGERS OF HOPE

It’s at this point that John introduces the beasts from the sea and the earth more commonly known as the Antichrist and the False Prophet. These two beings are obviously men, but they are empowered by the dragon that was identified as Satan previously. Scripture declares that God is going to allow Satan great leeway in the exercise of his power at this period in time.

Revelation 13:13–14 “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast….” (in reference to the False Prophet)

2 Thessalonians 2:8–9 “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders….” (in reference to the Antichrist)

I think that is an area in which many people are deceived by false prophets today. The ability to do signs and wonders does not verify one as a true prophet of God. Scripture is clear in telling us that Satan and his ministers often appear as an “angels of light” in the guise of righteous ministry. Paul warns us of this very truth.

2 Corinthians 11:13–15 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

The apparitions of the Virgin Mary so venerated in the Catholic church today I believe fall into this category. Scripture is clear in its teaching that the holy angels and the Holy Spirit all present themselves in light of bringing honor and glory to Father and Son and no one else.

John 15:26 “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:”

John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”


The next angel we meet is flying through the heavens boldly proclaiming the gospel to all on planet earth (Revelation 14:6). He is immediately followed by another angel proclaiming the destruction of the city of Babylon. Right on his heels appears another angel warning the people on planet earth not to take the mark of the beast. All three of these angels are proud messengers of God basically declaring that God is still in control and His plan is unfolding just as He purposed. They are also reminding the people who find themselves enduring the terrible events associated with God’s wrath that His grace is still available to those who will choose to place their faith in Him.