Slow to Anger

Slow to Anger

Revelation 14: ¹⁷ Then I saw another angel come out of the temple in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle.

¹⁸ Then another angel, who is in charge of the fire, came from the altar. He shouted in a loud voice to the angel who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sickle, and cut the grapes from the vineyard of the earth, because the grapes are ripe!” ¹⁹ So the angel swung his sickle on the earth, cut the grapes from the vine, and threw them into the wine press of God's furious anger. ²⁰ The grapes were squeezed out in the wine press outside the city, and blood came out of the wine press in a flood two hundred miles long and about five feet deep.

 

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A neighbor gave an uncharacteristic shout to stop playing in front of his house. A stray ball hit the window but it did not break. This neighbor was usually docile and in the past, never minded us playing.

 

• We had done something that crossed the line of patience.
• Patience had finally run out and the neighbor was furious.
• We could no longer play in front of that neighbor’s house because patience turned to wrath.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, saw another angel who had a sickle. But this time it was to cut down grapes that were growing. These grapes seemed to be filled with the wrongdoing of humanity. They had reached a limit and GOD was furious!

 

My Observations:

• GOD is slow to anger, BUT HE still gets angry.
• GOD is extremely patient, but one day HIS patience will run out and HE will pour out HIS fury.
• GOD has given humanity plenty of time to turn from their wicked ways, and one day HE will be furious.

 

No one likes to talk about the wrath of GOD. I mean, we usually want to mention HIM as “gentle” or “forgiving” or “loving.” HE is all of the above. BUT GOD is also “jealous”, “just” and “supreme.” HE can and will judge mankind based on their relationship with HIS SON, JESUS, who is the Savior.

 

All have sinned and fall short of GOD’s glory. This means we all deserve GOD’s wrath. We are saved from HIS wrath by “active” belief in JESUS. Not just the knowledge of the story of JESUS, but allowing HIM to guide our lives as we surrender to the HOLY SPIRIT. I am grateful GOD is slow to anger and recognize, HE will get angry!

 

Challenge

• What does the writer say about GOD’s fury?
• Have you ever tried someone’s patience and saw him or her run out?
• If you are testing GOD’s patience with you, will you consider turning your ways over to HIM by believing in HIS SON, and surrendering your life to HIM so HIS anger will not be poured out on you?

Time has come

Time has come

Revelation 11: ¹⁵ Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The power to rule over the world belongs now to our Lord and his Messiah, and he will rule forever and ever!” ¹⁶ Then the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones in front of God threw themselves face downward and worshiped God, ¹⁷ saying:

“Lord God Almighty, the one who is and who was!
We thank you that you have taken your great power
    and have begun to rule!
¹⁸ The heathen were filled with rage,
    because the time for your anger has come,
    the time for the dead to be judged.
The time has come to reward your servants, the prophets,
    and all your people, all who have reverence for you,
    great and small alike.
The time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth!”

¹⁹ God's temple in heaven was opened, and the Covenant Box was seen there. Then there were flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

 

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Knowing I had the job was comforting, but the changes in the organization had not been announced. I was one of many who were starting a new division in the company. I could act like an entrepreneur in the company, while being paid as an employee.

 

• I could not wait for the time for us to get started.
• I could not wait for the time for us to be empowered to do what we wanted to do.
• I could not wait for the time to be rewarded for my hard work.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, heard the seventh and final angel blow his trumpet. JESUS, the Messiah, was announced as the one who is in “power.” He then wrote down what the twenty-four elders were saying about the power JESUS has.

 

My Observations:

• GOD had a formal ceremony to announce JESUS being placed in power.
• JESUS has the authority to judge you and me.
• People may react to JESUS being placed in power, in a negative way, BUT GOD is sovereign and has declared HIM to be revered.

 

People want power. I mean, look at how people act during election time or when a king or queen dies. People act horrible. The worst comes out and power struggles increase over race, gender, age and may other divisions that keep disunity at the forefront. BUT GOD has a solution. JESUS!

 

At the right time, JESUS will be announced as the Savior everyone should have placed his or her belief in. At this time, it will be too late to change sides over to the winning side. JESUS will look at every word spoken, every thought acted out. HE will judge some and reward others who follow HIM to their best ability. JESUS rules!

 

Challenge

• What time, described by the writer, sticks out to you?
• Have you ever seen a human ceremony, like a coronation or inauguration?
• Will you seek JESUS as your Savior today, knowing HE has been placed in authority and will show HIS power when HE returns soon?

Stayed With

Stayed With

1John 2: ¹⁸ My children, the end is near! You were told that the Enemy of Christ would come; and now many enemies of Christ have already appeared, and so we know that the end is near. ¹⁹ These people really did not belong to our fellowship, and that is why they left us; if they had belonged to our fellowship, they would have stayed with us. But they left so that it might be clear that none of them really belonged to us.

 

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Frustrated at the world around me, I wanted “everything” to change. I decided to explore the things I was told I should not do. When the world did not explode, I tried more and more. Soon, I stopped going to church and labeled “them” as hypocrites.

 

• I could easily leave church without being missed.
• I was gathering in a church for my own reason.
• I wanted to be part of a group, but wanted to have “fun” so  I went to another group.

 

John reminds everyone about the teachings about the Enemy of CHRIST. He then stated that many enemies of CHRIST have appeared. This set of enemies pretended to love JESUS by saying HIS name, yet when persecution arose, the fake people left.

 

My Observations:

• GOD knows that people who follow JESUS will be persecuted by those who do not believe.
• Staying with GOD means I will do it through easy times and difficult times.
• Facing difficulties with servants of GOD means I “belong” to HIM.

 

Saying “The end is near” to people who do not believe in CHRIST, sounds ridiculous. I mean, weren’t these words written thousands of years ago? Yes! The return of CHRIST has remained imminent since HIS resurrection. GOD took the focus off of the date of the return by not providing it.

 

HE wants us to “remain” in HIM and “abide” in HIS ways. Staying with GOD means I will not try to leave HIM when difficulties or persecution arise. It also means I will not leave other people who serve the LORD and are going through tough times too. I am glad GOD never leaves us.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think the writer mentions “the end is near?”
• When times are difficult, do you want to leave GOD to find some relief somewhere else?
• Will you stay with GOD and remain focused on HIS love, even when times are difficult?

News Ahead of Time

Matthew 24: ¹⁵ “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— ¹⁶ then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. ¹⁸ Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. ¹⁹ How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! ²⁰ Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. ²¹ For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.

²² “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. ²³ At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. ²⁴ For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you ahead of time.

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“You better make some calls” a friend told me. The company was about to go through a reorganization which is a fancy word for firing people at random. I was prepared. I made a few calls and secured a position!

• I have been blessed to have warnings I could react to in enough time.
• I have been blessed to see things coming that I could be prepared for.
• I have been blessed to hear the words of warning so I could ask for help before it was too late!

JESUS warns me about HIS imminent return but am I listening? I mean HIS description of HIS return does not sound too inviting if I were to actually read what HE is saying. False saviors, false prophets and the Anti-Christ were spoken about in JESUS’s message to the disciples and me. What should I be doing?

• GOD says to me “Have enough compassion for the world so they will not go through this horrible time.”
• GOD says to me “Prepare people for MY return on a daily basis.”
• GOD says to me “I have told you ahead of time so do the same for others.”

Instead of complaining about the leadership I need to pray for those around me to not be dullened by rhetoric of society. JESUS gives me full warning of the things that are to come. Its up to me to heed those warnings.

• What do you talk about daily?
• Do you find yourself in discussions that are about today’s leaders?
• Can you stop focusing on empty discussions and open your mouth for GOD today?