8. Numbers and Voices (Overview, pt. 3)

A Numerical Study Of Voices

From The Revelation of Jesus Christ

THREE VOICES FROM THE TEMPLE/THRONE

One of the paintings of John located at the monastery of John on Patmos

Revelation 16:1 - Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls* of the wrath of God on the earth."

Revelation 16:17 - And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 

Revelation 19:5 - And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.  

SEVEN VOICES FROM HEAVEN

1.      Revelation 10:4 - And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. Revelation 10:8 - Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, "Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth."

2.      Revelation 11:12 - And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

3.      Revelation 12:10 - And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 

4.      Revelation 14:2 - And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 

5.      Revelation 14:13 - And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. 

6.      Revelation 18:4 - And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 

7.      Revelation 21:3 - And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  

TWENTY ONE GREAT (Greek: MEGA) VOICES

1.      Revelation 1:10 - I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet

2.      Revelation 5:2 - And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 

3.      Revelation 5:12 - Saying with a LOUD VOICE, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 

4.      Revelation 6:10 - And they cried with a LOUD VOICE, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 

5.      Revelation 7:2 - And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a LOUD VOICE to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 

6.      Revelation 7:10 - And cried with a LOUD VOICE, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 

7.      Revelation 8:13 - And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound! 

8.      Revelation 10:3 - And cried with a LOUD VOICE, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. 

9.      Revelation 11:12 - And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 

10.       Revelation 11:15 - And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 

11.  Revelation 12:10 - And I heard a LOUD VOICE saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 

12.  Revelation 14:7 - Saying with a LOUD VOICE, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. 

13.  Revelation 14:9 - And the third angel followed them, saying with a LOUD VOICE, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 

14.  Revelation 14:15 - And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a LOUD VOICE to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 

15.  Revelation 14:18 - And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 

16.  Revelation 16:1 - And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. 

17.  Revelation 16:17 - And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 

18.       Revelation 18:2 - And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 

19.  Revelation 19:1 - And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God: 

20.  Revelation 19:17 - And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a LOUD VOICE, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 

21.       Revelation 21:3 - And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Revelation: Is Jesus Coming Quickly?

Is The Time of Revelation “At Hand”?

Why is it that several times in the Revelation does it appear that the events will take place “shortly” (1:1), that Jesus will be coming back “quickly” (Rev. 22:7, 12, 20) and that the time was “at hand” (1:3).

We know that the Bible is without error or mistake. Otherwise, if we say the Bible or the author was in error, then there would be nothing that we could be sure of at all. We rightly know that the Bible is not dishonest and does not “shade” the truth. But if there is more than one way to read and interpret a passage and at the same time retain its veracity and accuracy, and also still retain the holiness and inerrancy of the Scriptures, and keep its consistency with other parallel passages, then that will be the proper and appropriate interpretation of the passage. That especially applies with the words in relation to the timing of Christ’s return and the fulfillment of the Book of Revelation.

It is a matter of God’s perspective and purpose versus our own perspective and purpose that God used words that may imply “immediacy” of Christ’s return to ensure readiness of the believers, but those same words can also mean “imminence” or “suddenness” so as to retain the accuracy of the prophecy.

In relation to perspective and purpose, a helpful but admittedly incomplete analogy can be in thinking of how parents and children will view a long car trip. A child will ask, sometimes as soon as he or she begins a trip, “are we there yet?” or “how much longer will it be?”

When Melissa and I would make that trip from our home in Brownsville to Grandma and Granddad’s house in Weatherford, the journey of 10 or 12 hours would sometimes seem overwhelming to our children. In fact, the younger the child, the shorter the attention span (we measured it to be somewhere between a millisecond and a nanosecond). The more mature the child (or in some cases, the parent), the less tedious the wait. So, what was our response to the proverbial question “how much longer? It was of course the proverbial euphemistic answer, “Just a little bit longer.”

Now the purpose is NOT to lie or be dishonest with our kids, but to give them encouragement; we really did not want to frustrate the little ones. The purpose is to let the child know that in the long-run, and in the grand scheme of things, it will in fact only be “a little bit longer.” The purpose is to keep the child from the agony of anticipating something that really won’t be as long as what he or she would imagine once the end of the journey has come. And, by saying “just a little bit longer” actually served the purpose of making the trip seem only “a little bit longer.” The anticipation of a soon arrival helped make the journey enjoyable (especially for the parents!)

The perspective also is that for an adult, who has made many trips before, 10 or 12 hours is in fact actually only “a little bit,” when considering how wonderful the destination will be and in perspective that the length of time the adult has experienced. A day’s journey for a person of 40 years is 1 out of 14,610 days. But from the perspective of a 4 year-old child, a day’s journey is 1 out of 1,461 days, and when you discount the number of days that the child can’t remember from infancy, the perspective of a day is even greater than that of his 40 year-old father. That’s why years go by so quickly as we grow older, and Christmas always seems to never get here for a child. It’s a difference in perspective.

It’s more important to God and His revelation to humanity that we know the certainty of His return than the time of His return. The purpose and perspective of believers is of greater worth to God that we be ready whenever it is that He returns than for us to know the exact hour of His return.

In fact, if the early believers had known that it would have been 2,000 years in the future before some of the things would be fulfilled, their urgency would not have been nearly as great and their despair in the tribulation they experienced might have overwhelmed them. And as we will see, some of the things prophesied in Revelation and certainly in the New Testament passages did actually occur in their lifetimes and throughout the history of the church. That is what Jesus was referring to when He commanded John to write “what you have seen” and “the things which are.”

Jesus is Coming Shortly, Quickly

The Time of Revelation Is Shortly

So let us look at words such as “shortly,” “quickly,” “time is at hand,” KJV (or in the NKJV “the time is near”)

“shortly” “quickly” “speedily”

“Shortly” Greek: tachei tacei 

an adverb translated shortly (4), quickly (2), speedily (1)

Related English words: tachyon-A hypothetical subatomic particle that always travels faster than the speed of light.

Revelation 1: - The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,

Re 22:6    And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. 

Are there passages that it means something other than “right away”? The answer is, Yes!

Luke 18:8    I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Here Jesus used the analogy of endurance of prayer and how the woman actually wore down the unrighteous judge by her long-suffering and patience. But when justice came, it came speedily.

Romans 16:20    And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.

Paul is clearly referring to Satan being defeated, but it did not come right away. Rome persecuted the Christians for hundreds of years after this writing.

“quickly” Greek: tachu tacu  

an adverb translated quickly (12), lightly (1)

Revelation 3:11 - Behold, I am coming quickly! This is Before the Tribulation.

Revelation 22:7 - "Behold, I am coming quickly! This is also Before the Tribulation.

Can quickly be conditional? In other words, can God say He is coming quickly and because of action by people, choose not to come? Yes, that is seen in the book of Revelation

Revelation 2:5 - Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent.

Revelation 2:16 - Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

Other related words can also mean “fast” or “swift,” rather than “soon.”

2 Peter 2:1 - But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 

“time is at hand” (kjv) “the time is near” (NKJV)

kairos (time) engus (is near) Greek: kairos eggus

an adverb translated: nigh (13), at hand (6), nigh at hand (4), near (4), from (1), nigh unto (1), ready (1)

Revelation 1:3 -  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. 

Revelation 22:10 - And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. 

Jesus used this phrase regarding His crucifixion, saying “My time is at hand” (Matt. 26:18). When combined with time or kairos, it can simply mean “at any moment.” Obviously, by the time of John’s writing the Revelation, salvation was nearer than the writings of Paul, who wrote in Rom. 13:11, “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.”

Jonah. So is it possible that something could be “near” and going to happen “quickly” and yet doesn’t happen? We have seen this in the Old Testament. In the story of Jonah, Jonah preached the message that God told him to preach. What was that message? “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” (Jonah 3:4). Yet because they repented, God did not overthrow them at that time. Did that make Jonah a false prophet? No, it showed that God responds to the response of people and their repentance.

Moses. Not only will God respond to people, He will respond in prayer. In Exodus 34, God was going to bring judgment on the people of Israel, but because of the intervention of Moses, God “turned around” or “repented” in what He was going to do.

Luke 13:6-9. God’s judgment which would have come quickly can be delayed by the favorable response of people. This is seen in Jesus’ parable of the fruitless fig tree found in Luke 13:6-9

He also spoke this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?' But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.' "

Thief. Besides “quickly” “at hand”, are there other Scriptures that would lead us to interpret that we should define Christ return as “imminent” rather than “immediate”? Yes, the passages which say that Jesus will come as a “thief.” Matthew 24:43-51 indicates that the long delay requires the people to be diligent to be ready in any hour. The parable is found in the context of when the end of the age will be.

But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The analogy of a thief is surprising since it compares the arrival of Christ to that of a criminal. Yet the subject of the parable is not Christ, but rather the enduring readiness of the believers. And it is used elsewhere in Luke 12:39, 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4, 2 Peter 3:10, and Revelation 3:3, 16:15. Like the battery, we should be ever ready.

Revelation and the Olivet Discourse

The Olivet Discourse

While we are on the subject of timing, we will briefly look at the Olivet Discourse, given on the Mount of Olives two days before Jesus died, found in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. (We will revisit these passages when we approach Revelation 4 and following chapters.) It seems like that some of the answers Jesus gave indicated that the disciples would see some of the fulfillment of his prophecy in their own lifetime. And they did!

In order to understand the answers Jesus gave, we must pay attention the questions. For instance, notice:

   In Matthew, His disciples ask Him three questions that they thought were related but we now know are different:

1) “Tell us when will these things be?”

3) And what will be the sign of Your coming,

4) and of the end of the age?"

   In Mark, we see the disciples (Peter, James, John and Andrew) privately asking Jesus the same first question, but a different second question:

1)  “Tell us when will these things be?

2)  And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”

   In Luke, the disciples’ questions are identical to Mark’s, but different than Matthew’s second and third questions:

1) “Teacher, but when will these things be?

2) And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”

Question #1 of “when will these things be?” needs to be clarified. “These things” refer to Matthew 24:2, Luke 21:6 and Mark 13:2. What are “these things”?

Matthew 24:2 “Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone (of the buildings of the temple) shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Mark 13:2 “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Luke 21 - ⁵ Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, ⁶ "These things which you see--the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.”

I was able to take this picture in 2004. I cannot wait to
return this summer, ten years later!

History and archeology show us the temple of Jerusalem with its beautiful stones was destroyed in 70 A.D., just as Jesus prophesied nearly 40 years earlier (The stones cast down can still be seen at the foot of the Temple mount in Jerusalem, see photo at the right). Therefore, the first question in Matthew and the two questions in Mark and Luke are different than the final two questions in Matthew. All four questions require four distinct answers. The first two questions are most clearly answered in Luke and the final two are most thoroughly answered in Matthew.

Remember, all three gospels were written prior to 70 A.D., before any of answers were fulfilled. As indicated in their questions, the disciples understandably thought that all four questions were related and would be fulfilled at the same time. If Jesus’ answer seems to combine the four questions, it’s not an error in the Bible, which is 100 percent accurate, and the Bible’s answer proves that it is accurate although not as exact as we would wish it to be.

Reading it now nearly 2,000 years later, it is not as defined as we wish it would be. Even Jesus, veiled and fashioned with the limitations as the Son of Man (see Philippians 2:6-8), He relinquished for a time some of the attributes of omniscience of being the Son of God. At the time of His speaking He did not know all of the details, although His Heavenly Father did, as Mark 13:32 states, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

Furthermore, in Acts 1:7-8, Jesus basically tells them that it is not any of their business to know when the time will be, only that their business is to be busy about the Father’s business.

“It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Since the two questions in Mark and Luke surrounds the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D., the fulfillment of some of the prophecies occurred in the lifetime of some of the apostles, including John, the author of the Revelation. The answers to questions three and four (found in Matthew) have not yet been fulfilled. Notice that Jesus says that various signs will take place, but “the end is not yet.” What end? The “end of the age” that the disciples (Question 4) had asked about. Some signs were fulfilled before John’s death, and there will be some signs at His coming for the church (the rapture) and some at the end of the age (His Second Coming to the earth, seen in Revelation 4-22).

What are some signs that have already been fulfilled?

Luke 21: ⁸And He said: "Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.' Therefore do not go after them. ⁹But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately." ¹⁰Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. ¹¹And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. ¹² But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. ¹³But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. ¹⁴Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; ¹⁵for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. ¹⁶You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. ¹⁸But not a hair of your head shall be lost. ¹⁹By your patience possess your souls. ²⁰"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. ²¹Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. ²²For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. ²³But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. ²⁴And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 

Now, we know that everything shown above has already happened (people have come in the name of Jesus, there have been wars and commotions, nations have risen against nations, they have laid hands on believers, put to death, etc.) The times of the Gentiles has not been fulfilled.  

Will some of the things happen again? Absolutely and with even greater intensity in the Tribulation! The “times of the Gentiles” trampling on Jerusalem began in 70 A.D. and will be fulfilled according to Rev. 11:2 during the three and a half year Great Tribulation. The fulfillment came with “some of you” being put to death, namely James and Peter, and numerous other disciples, but definitely not John.

Neither John, nor Paul, nor Peter, nor even Jesus at the writing of the Gospel of Mark knew exactly when the end of the age would be. But they knew what the command was: “Be Watchful” (Rev. 3:2).

Biblical clarity needed for the church

Christians are often more swayed by the world and do not seek out Biblical reasons for right and wrong. Here are 10 Biblical reasons why Christians should oppose homosexual marriage:

 1. God the Father created man and woman and declared it was very good—Gen. 1:27, 31. God declares marriage as a divine union, not merely a civil union.

 2. God the Son, Jesus, defined marriage as between a man and a woman—Matt. 19:4-5

 3. God the Spirit makes a man and a woman one flesh, according to Malachi 2:15, to procreate godly offspring. Gen. 2:23-24 says a mother and father are to procreate a female and another mother and father procreate a male and together they are to become one flesh.

 4. Religion, by its very nature, dictates morality for its adherents. The Bible, especially the New Testament, determines what is right and wrong for Christians.

 5. The world and societal norms are never to determine what is right and wrong for Christians.

 6. The Bible (1 Cor. 5:9-13) says the church is not to accept fornicators, including any sex outside of a married man and woman which includes homosexuality, any more than we would accept those who worship idols, covetous people, abusers, drunkards, or extortioners.

 7. Homosexuality is never affirmed in the Bible.

 8. Homosexuality is repeatedly condemned in Old and New Testament.

 9. All are born sinners. There is no justification for sin due to inclination, including premarital sex, extramarital sex, polygamy sex, incestual sex, animalistic sex, non-consentual sex (rape) and gay/lesbian sex. However, there is no homosexual DNA gene. Numerous people have switched to and from homosexuality as well as desired both due to sin nature, not genetic morality.

 10. The New Testament says marriage is to reflect a husband as Christ, the wife as the church.

Happy New You!



Happy New Year,
from Times Square, New York

There are many in our church ready to say goodbye to 2013. So much change, turmoil, sorrow and heartache. A new year always promises us a new beginning, but like a new car, a new year will soon lose its new car smell. A ding, a scratch, a stain will surely come into 2014, just as it has in every year in the past.

But that is no reason to be “Debbie Downer” about the new year. The promise for the Christian is that Christ “makes all things new” (Rev. 21:5). One of my life verses is 2 Cor. 5:17, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.”

But can we truly have that, even in the midst of “when sorrows like sea billows roll”? Those very words were penned by a man who had lost his daughters, but had the blessed assurance that through Christ, he would see them again.

Jesus described the Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew 13:52 as like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old. Parables like this one let us see what it must have been like for the disciples who were often dull and not understanding, because I

cannot tell you everything that this parable means, but certain one thing is true. When we are born again, or born from above, or born anew (all of those are good translations of Jesus’ words to Nicodemus in John 3), we have a similarity to who we were (things old) but are also to our new creation (treasures new). It is like that for this life and for the life to come.

A new testament, a new covenant, a new commandment (John 13:34), a walk in “newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). Don’t try to put new wine in old wineskins. In other words, don’t try to wear the clothes you wore as a baby! Those old clothes don’t fit anymore, and the things that made us “happy” in the old life won’t fit anymore either. We are in Christ to put on “the new man” (Eph. 4:24), created according to God in true holiness.

I cannot promise you 2014 will be a “Happy New Year.” In fact, something will happen that will soon drown out the New Year’s eve whistles and buzzers and dim the light of the dropping ball. But in Christ, I can wish you a “Happy New You.” How can we become new? By baptizing ourselves, immersing ourselves into the “newness of the Spirit” (Rom. 7:6) which only God can give. Commit yourself to have personal quiet times alone with God and His Word each day. Join a Bible Study fellowship (a LifeGroup).

Come to a Discipleship Class on Sunday afternoons, starting at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 12. Worship the Living God who makes all things new each day of the New Year.

And Have a Happy New You!!

10,958 days ago...

                Today’s publication date is exactly our 30^th wedding anniversary (or 10,958 days). If I could go back and tell that newlywed couple a thing or two (or any newly or nearly married couples like my two sons), this is what I’d say.

                

1.       Don’t major on the minors. If you read John 14, you’ll see Jesus saying “Let not your heart be troubled” not once but twice. He’s about to die and yet He says that. Unless you are about to be crucified for the world’s sins, don’t get so worked up about anything. Jesus essentially says, “Don’t sweat the big stuff.”

2.       Listen twice as much as you talk. When you look in the mirror and see two ears and one mouth, think about why God did that! And both are close to the brain, so think when you listen or talk. James 1:19 says, “be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.”  Hurtful words can never be unsaid.

3.       Forgive quickly. Don’t hold grudges. Quick forgiveness doesn’t make you powerless, it empowers you both and takes away the power of the offense. “Hurt people hurt people” so if you have been hurt, you are more likely to hurt your spouse, who will hurt you back. The cycle only ends when forgiveness comes. The center of forgiveness is “give” and unforgiveness costs you more than it does them.

4.       Little things can make a marriage G-R-E-A-T or G-R-A-T-E. My wifee recently did a whole bunch of great “little things.” Deposits in the love bank don’t have to be big but they need to be often. But oh how the not-so-great “little things” can grate on a marriage. Little withdrawals from the love bank come with huge service fees and high interest rates. Jesus said in Luke 19:12-27 to be faithful in small things.

5.       Don’t win fights; instead lose rights. When you and your spouse fight, there won’t be a winner because you are on the same team. It’s like a boxer’s own right and left gloves trying to knock out the guy in the middle. No one wins. Paul says in 1 Cor. 7:4 for you to lay down your rights for your spouse and it goes both ways.

                I don’t have a secret cure for a perfect marriage (unless of course both spouses are perfect and plan to remain that way). But Jesus did say “What God joined together, let no one separate.” If you ever said, “I do,” then knuckle down and kneel down and say to each other, “And I still do.”

Christian Home WeekFall 2013, Black Friday and Good Friday

What motivates you?

John 12:3-8

 

What do you think motivated Mary to anoint Jesus' feet? What motivated Judas to criticize her? 

Some people say, “You can judge the actions of others but you can’t judge their motives.” I am not for sure about that statement because sometimes you really can’t judge someone’s actions and sometimes you absolutely judge their motives. 

You might could think Mary anointed Jesus feet because of guilt, fear, greed, selfishness, or a dozen different other reasons, but to me it seems quite obvious, she anointed Jesus simply out of gratitude and love.  

Judas’s motives in stating that the money could have been used for the poor could have been out of a sincere heart that he cared for the poor, and even though he loved Jesus deeply, he was simply curious on why Mary didn’t think about using the money it cost for the ointment. 

See what I mean? Maybe not always but sometimes you can discern what people’s motivations are. 

What about you?

 

The reason why they call it Black Friday is because it many cases businesses operate in the “red” or with a negative bank balance until the day after Thanksgiving. When shoppers come in and buy for Christmas, finally they make a profit and have a positive bank balance. 

So what does that have to do with motivations and discerning people’s motives in what they do? It depends on what you think about Good Friday. 

What motivates you to do what you do? When you walk by a Salvation Army Kettle and hear a bell ringer, are you giving because you really care about the poor? Do you give out of guilt? Do you give because you want to make the poor happier? Do you want to make God happy? 

To really discern your motivation, you have to go to the cross of Jesus. On that Good Friday, what happened? He died on the cross for you. He gave you eternal life absolutely free. He truly rescued you from a life of sin, followed by an eternity of judgment, condemnation and damnation. He literally became the whipping boy of your sin’s punishment.  

Do you believe that? That you were so miserably sinful that it took the horrific crucifixion of Christ to take away your sins so that you could spend eternity free of guilt? Or do you sometimes think you have to help God out in absolving your sin?  

It is difficult to discern the motives of others, but what about your own? Do you wash Jesus’ feet out of love and sacrificially give to Him or others with pure motivations?

Before Good Friday, you were in the red spiritually. You were so desperately bankrupt that you could never climb out of your debts of sin. But with Christ’s deposit of His righteousness into your account, you suddenly were reconciled in God’s bank ledger.  

You no longer have to worry about “going under” in your account. You have God’s absolute forgiveness because of Jesus going in the red by shedding his blood for you. Your motivation should not be that you want to pay God back, or somehow earn your kazillion dollars He placed in your account…you can never repay the price Jesus paid on the cross. 

But like Mary, you can have a thankful heart. You can give to the poor always even when there is no bell ringer making you feel guilty. You can live your life as a thank you card back to the Lord, not to earn what He did, or to make you look better to others or even to earn a jewel in your crown when you get to heaven.  

You can be motivated because you know you’ve been forgiven, that you are loved. Because you know that you are a child of the King and you’ve been given all the riches of the universe when you were given God’s spirit of adoption in your heart. 

Pray this prayer to God: Abba Daddy, help me to live like a King’s Kid. Help me remember who I am and whose I am. Let every act I do be in the spirit of gratitude and desire to simply love as I have been loved by you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Christian Home Week, Fall 2013 Thanksgiving Day

Martha, Martha, Martha!

Luke 10: 38-42

 

It’s more than interesting that in the Gospels’ depiction of Mary, Martha and Lazarus, two of the narratives include food. The Bible speaks a lot about feasting and the enjoyment of food. At Thanksgiving, more than any other holiday, food and family are the centerpieces of the holiday, perhaps even more than giving of thanks.

Personally, I like Martha. In fact, I think I am married to Martha. My wife loves to serve, prepare, fix food, and of course share her food. There are few and I mean truly few times that I fast from food but I do believe I would fast more if I were not married to a Martha (those who know me know my wife is actually Melissa). Just when I am in the midst of a fast, she not only prepares a sumptuous and savory meal, but she persuades me to eat (she suddenly goes from a Martha to something more akin to the serpent!)

I on the other hand am a Mary (and for those who know me know that my name is actually Tim). I love to sit at the feet of Jesus. I love Bible studies. I am after all an education minister and a writer. I wonder how the story would have turned out if Martha had not prepared the food and Mary and Jesus and the disciples had been sitting there, Jesus speaking and suddenly no one was able to concentrate because their stomachs were growling and their throats were parched.

What if Mary looked around and the table was not set, the aroma of a meal did not waft through the house, and there Martha is, sitting down and listening to Jesus as well. “Lord, do You not care that we are all starving here and Martha is just sitting here.” But instead of Jesus saying, "Martha, Martha, Martha," (although it would be clever to say her name the way Jan Brady of the Brady Bunch would), instead he says, "Mary, Mary, you fix it, because Martha is choosing the better part."

How would Mary respond? I think I know (remember I too am a Mary).  I would be quite contrary. I imagine Mary would jump up and with a loud clanging of the pots and pans in the kitchen, she would start a meal but not with a joyful heart.

But if you would look closely at Martha, she is sitting there but not still. Her hands are fidgeting, her eyes are darting, her foot would be tapping, glancing at Mary make a mess of her kitchen. Her face is toward Jesus, but her mind is distracted and she looks as uncomfortable as Mary is.

I don’t know what Thanksgiving will be like in your family, but if you have more than one person, you’ll notice that there are differences. You may not have a Mary and a Martha, but I do believe that God delights in bringing diversity into families. As a parent of four children, Martha and I, excuse me, Melissa and I have noticed that not a one of them are the same.

Just as you feast at the variety of food at the table, learn to appreciate the differences the Lord has brought to your family’s table. That’s not an excuse to not help out in the kitchen, but neither is it an excuse to hide in the kitchen and forsake listening to the words of the Master.

Pray this prayer to God: Master and Teacher, let me know the times and seasons to sit and the time to serve. Keep me from judging others who are different than I am and let me not only enjoy our differences, but relish them as gifts from You, for which we should be thankful. In Jesus’ name, Amen.