...the beast was allowed - 12:7
...he (the beast) was given authority - 12:7
...he (the beast) was then permitted -13:5
...he (the beast) was given authority - 12:7
...he (the beast) was then permitted -13:5
All authority in heaven and earth and below the earth belongs to the Lord our God. Even the evil one is only permitted to do what the Ultimate Authority will allow.
The beast was permitted to have authority among those whose names where NOT written in the Lamb's book of life. (So thankful today more than ever that my name is written in that book!) This reminds me of Job's life. The Lord allowed satan to have his way with Job. Satan also asked to sift Peter as wheat. (Luke 22:31)
It is hard to believe that a loving God will allow this type of action (from the enemy) to come against any of His children. But the truth of the matter is that God doesn't want any of His children to perish. (Karen reminded us of this in her comment yesterday.) He is a loving Father who will do whatever means necessary to draw His children to Himself. He even gives them chances at the very to accept Him.
Shouldn't we be the same way with others around us? Shouldn't we be relentless in our pursuit of those whose names are NOT yet in the Lamb's book of life?
11 Comments:
So true Wendy. I think my urgency to share my faith is definitely escalating as I read Revelation. To think of family and friends who, should the Lord return at this moment, would face unending separation from God. The thing is nobody is forced to choose eternal separation. Nobody suffers this fate by accident. In choosing not to accept Christ, they are still making a choice, one where "they will have no relief day or night" (Rev 14:11)
Today my mind has drifted back to the significance of the wilderness. "And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her..." Rev.12:6 The wilderness can be a place of spiritual refuge and protection. I'm going to think on this more and write my reflections later.
Wondering how your mom made out yesterday Wendy. Continuing in prayer.
Hugs,
Joy
Reading Revelation leaves me with more questions than answers. I have decided to concentrate more on the Hope Jesus gives us and not on the what/when/how aspect.
Fascinating read. What did John see in his vision? I would love to have been standing beside him seeing it too; I think.
Morgen
Yes Morgen, I agree, reading Revelation will always leave us with questions, but I love what you wrote. Instead of letting them confuse, you are choosing to focus on Christ's hope!! Love that!!!
After spending the last hour on the verse I mentioned above, the Lord directed in a totally different way than the one I was anticipating. I thought I'd come back to share the significance of the wilderness, but God has asked me to follow Him there in 2010.
“And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days” Revelation 12:6
The wilderness. A place of spiritual refuge and protection.
I’m feeling the call to flee into a place of wilderness. A place where I must walk alone, where amazing things are hidden and require deep digging.
For the past 363 days thus far, I have been committed to sharing His Word here as I’ve pondered in His presence. I am so thankful to God’s faithfulness and humbled by His invitation to be able to share my heart in this way alongside so many other faithful travellers. It has been quite a journey and has carried me through the seasons of 2009 well. Every paragraph, sentence and word has flowed from a heart seeking Him alone. But now the wilderness beckons.
The treasure in the wilderness? God. The wilderness purifies the soul of everything that hinders our relationship with God and our ability to serve Him. The Lord is asking me the same two questions He asked Hagar in the desert, “…where have you come from, and where are you going?”
As 2009 is drawing to a close, God is asking me to stand on my “red dot”, my current place of location, and take a look at where I am. Just like those mall maps indicate position with a “red dot” proclaiming, “You are here”, the Lord desires that I assess, answer and then accept His invitation and come away. My wilderness experience will become my identity. God is asking me to see Him as all sufficient. The One who supplies. He is protector and provider and will be all the resource needed for the wilderness.
I’m reminded of Deuteronomy 8 where God led His people through the wilderness. A place where God revealed hearts, humbled, increased hunger, fed in ways that thrilled, disciplined and tested. He bought them out, to bring them in.
In to His presence, purposes and promised land. There is so much that God needs to work on, and in me, so that I can emerge pure and prepared for ministry.
As of this moment I'm not exactly sure what the full extent of this "call of the wild" will mean, but I know the Lord is going to purge some activities from my life. Christ entered His wilderness full of the Spirit and came out in the power of the Spirit. Father, my prayer is that I may do the same,
Joy
Wendy when I read your post this morning I thought of what yesterday's reading said in Rev. 9:20, "But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God." I think from what we have read this whole year, that God allows things in our lives to draw Him to Himself. Satan was given permission to test Job, he was allowed to sift Peter as wheat, but look what happened! I know in my life all the things that have happened drew me to God and because of the relationship I have now, I would not want to change anything if it meant I would not know God in the same way.
I have a relative that I thought of immediately this morning in these verses. Health problems, unemployed for a year now with no prospects of a job, bitter, prideful, very stubborn and I could go on. Could God have allowed all these things in this person's life so they will turn to Him? I think so, but instead I see the opposite, more bitterness and anger towards the world, God and everything around them. They still refuse to see God. I prayed for this person today, as I do often. I know that God is bigger than anything else! I want so much to just yell sometimes, "can't you see?!" My heart wants so much for these lost loved ones to know Him. I keep praying for them and praying for wisdom. I SOOO much want them to know what we know. They will never be the same! :)
You ladies have a marvelous day!
Love,
Brandee, TN
Wow, Wendy. Immediately after reading your comments, I went back and circled all the references to "was allowed, was given, was permitted" and noted in the margin "who is really in charge; not the beast!" :) Hallelujah!
Morgan,I imagined the same thing...what would it have been like to be standing with John and recording the book of Revelation. Again, ... WoW!
Joy, I too feel that God is calling me to a different walk this coming year. I need to prioritize once again...a deeper walk this year. I may encounter resistance but I am to "endure persecution patiently, remain faithful" (Rev13: 10b)..."endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining the faith in Jesus"Rev 14:12.
As I have mentioned before, I work for/with adamantly anti-christian leaders. Yet, it's been a year of true spiritual growth for me in spite of it all. If I remain faithful to my God, He is faithful to strengthen me and give me what I need to make it through.
In the next few weeks, I will be taking a large step of faith and embarking on an exciting journey. My schedule will be busy, yet focused. I have one last class to take before graduating with my specialist degree. I will have night class for one night a week and yet teaching the first in-depth Bible Study with our church community the next night. I am so excited about the Bible Study, I am certain this is what God wants me to do. Rather than worry about how I am going to handle the other class, I am stepping forward in faith that He will give me what it takes to do both and to do them well.
I know I say it often, but really I can never say it enough. I am so thankful for the journey we have traveled this year. This blog group has made me accountable in an exciting way. I've grown closer to Him and why wouldn't we? His Word will not return void!
Have a wonderful and blessed day!
Nancy
Very good posts to read-oh, thank you ladies! You really get me thinking more and more! Wendy, what you said, "relentless in our pursuit of those whose names are not yet in the Lamb's book of life." Yes, we need to have these people around us on our daily prayer list. Never giving up. Never thinking it is not possible. Letting Christ come out of us so that they want the light that we have. Time. God's time. We have to remember, nothing is impossible with God! Never give up hope on those people that seem like they want nothing to do with God. Keep loving them.
I'm LOVING Revelation. I'm seeing how powerful the enemy is, and to what lengths he will go to draw us away. Who does he pursue?
*all who keep God's commandments
*all who keep their testimony for Jesus (12:17)
*Names written in the Lamb's book of life
*God's holy people
*those who keep themselves pure
*those who tell no lies and are without blame.
Just like back then, today-the enemy opposes all of us who love and serve our Father. Those of us who put our faith in God. In one verse look what is said about the enemy: (!) "This great dragon-the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world-was thrown down to the earth with all his angels." (12:9)
Satan is given 4 names in this one verse which shows me how bad he really is:
dragon-a monstrous character as the enemy of God and His people
serpent- shows his deceptive character, like how he was in the Garden of Eden
Devil- he is a slanderer and a liar
Satan-means adversary. "Your adversary the Devil...walketh about, seeking whom he may devour," (I Peter 5:8).
"for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time." (12:12)
"This means that God's holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful." 12:10).
Willingly, we take up Jesus' cross of daily self-denial, (Luke 9:23). We serve an awesome God that NEVER will leave us, never will forsake us, never, never will give us more than we can handle.
"We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who always was, (11:15).
Thank you for your Word dear Lord. Thank you for talking to us and drawing us to you. May we each today hear your voice and follow your lead, keeping in your will for us. Give us boldness to tell others about you, so that we can further your kingdom. Amen.
Everyone~have a blessed day! love, lori
PS How's dear Fay? Praying for her.
Joy, I landed on the same red dot as you today!
"there she would be cared for and protected from the dragon for a time, times, and half a time." Rev 12:14
I find that so tender, and so soothing!
Thank you Jesus, for protecting us all. For clothing us in the whitest of linen and welcoming us as your bride. For having chosen us before the world began...for our white stones.
This week between Christmas and New Years has always been one of my favorites...an organizational Nellie, I love packing the old year up and welcoming the new year in. New calendars, new planners, new spiral notebooks (:)!) all waiting for the uncharted territory of the coming year. The wilderness.
It is my fervent prayer Lord of all creation that you unclutter my head, my heart and my life. Fill my planner with divine appointments for me to keep so that I might share my faith and your glory. help me Lord, to demonstrate to others the tender protection you offer to all of your children. As Karen has stated and Wendy has restated, we know Father God it is your wish none of your children should perish. Holy Spirit, lead me to those I might relentlessly pursue on your behalf for the glory of the kingdom to come. Amen!
Love prayers and blessings to all today! ((((Fay))))
Liz
AK
I spent time in Revelation 14: 6-13 this morning intrigued by another chance given to unbelievers, to "FEAR (respect/honor) God and worship him...who made the heavens, the earth , the sea, and all the springs of water." that are given near the end of time....
(perhaps to also give encouragement to those believers that are still clinging on to their hope in Jesus to get through the tribulations)
6"And I saw another angel flying through the sky, carrying the eternal Good News to proclaim to the people who belong to this world-to EVERY nation, tribe, language, and people. 7 "Fear God," he shouted. "Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge. Worship him who made the heaven's, the earth, the sea, and all the springs of water.
Have you ever seen an ariplane fyling over head with a banner attached announcing or advertising something. Or the Good Year Blimp flying overhead with a message going across it's screen?
Now picture this angel flying over head proclaiming the GOOD NEWS to EVERY tribe, nation, language, and people! And the shouts of the angels that follow denouncing those who worship the beast and bear his mark upon their foreheads and hands.
It's interesting to note that the capabilities for this mark are already in place. Have you ever seen the comercial when someone walks up to the bank teller and she scans his forehead for info?
Technology just keeps moving at a faster rate and pace. Thirty years ago when I was in college the most advanced thing we had were electric typewriters!
HOWEVER....
As Morgen said, we need to keep our eyes upon Jesus and our faith strong...not so much on the what, when and how. For then we will be ready, depending on God's strength to endure whatever is to come.
I also have found encouragement and strength on this journey through God's word in 2009 with all of you!
Love from Debbie in Illinois
WOW has it really been a year. I know that as I grow more is made visible and I have seen so much this year... but know there is much more to see next year. Thanks for all the revelations you all have helped me to see.
Lynn - OR
"This blog group has made me accountable in an exciting way."... part of Nancy's post today.
and Lynn's: " I know that as I grow, more is made visible.."
What encouraging thoughts to ponder and move forward with as many continue or may be first joining this Bible/blog journey in 2010.
I'm bursting at the seams for being able to have this newfound blessing, to freely visit a website that keeps me coming back and learning more about Him:) Such encouragement, joy, and love shared between all who come, truly His Spirit lives here.
Krista
Ladies,
Everything you wrote was a blessing.
Joy, I pray that your time in the wilderness still includes this blog. We glean so much from your insights and ponderings.
The verse that caught my attention was Rev 12:14. And she was given wings so she could fly. It shows the power of our God who equips us with what we need - when the time comes. Not any sooner, but in His time.
It is also amazing that with all the technology we have now it IS possible for the entire world to see the two witnesses. Just a few years ago this would have been an impossibility. It again proves the truth of God's Word.
We serve a great, great God!
Have a goodnight, ladies!
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