The title of today's post has a two-fold meaning:
Let me say thank you. It has been a my honor and a complete joy to "lead" our crew across the finish line. You have taught me so much and I love you all in the name of Jesus. We have been through a lot together. I feel like I have friends from one end of the globe to the other. See you "next year" as we turn our Bibles over and open them to Genesis 1.
As far as today's reading, it was hard to pick passage to focus on. I choose this one:
- We have ultimate life victory through Jesus Christ and will live with Him forever and ever.
- Today is our VICTORY Day!
We have made it. Our journey is complete. The year is over, 365 days have passed us by. I can hardly believe it. It seems like it was just yesterday that we started this journey. Tomorrow's stage is set and we are off again on another journey. I can't wait!
Let me say thank you. It has been a my honor and a complete joy to "lead" our crew across the finish line. You have taught me so much and I love you all in the name of Jesus. We have been through a lot together. I feel like I have friends from one end of the globe to the other. See you "next year" as we turn our Bibles over and open them to Genesis 1.
As far as today's reading, it was hard to pick passage to focus on. I choose this one:
Then I heard what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder.
(Remember from the Old Testament that God's voice sounded like Thunder?)
Praise the LORD! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to Him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb and His bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white line to wear. For the fine linen represents the good deeds for God's Holy people.
Revelation 19:6-8
(Remember from the Old Testament that God's voice sounded like Thunder?)
Praise the LORD! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to Him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb and His bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white line to wear. For the fine linen represents the good deeds for God's Holy people.
Revelation 19:6-8
This is special to me today because I may not personally meet you or see your face until we sit down for this great feast. We spent 2009 preparing ourselves. Let's continue the preparation.
P.S.
Make sure you check out Read Thru the Word for some important information about our 2010 journey.
P.S.
Make sure you check out Read Thru the Word for some important information about our 2010 journey.
26 Comments:
Wendy,
I love happy endings.
It was exciting to read these last few chapters of Revelation after going through all the judgments. And when it described Jesus riding on that white horse I am reminded of the movies when the hero shows up. Only this time, He is the Real Deal. On verse 19 I love how He fought against the armies and it says He is sitting down. No need to get off the horse. No effort at all. He defeats them just like that. My Hero!
Again the reference to no more tears caught my attention. I had a question a couple of days ago why there would be a need for us to cry in heaven. After reading this though, the reason isn't important anymore. It doesn't matter because it says in Rev 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes and there will be no more death, or sorrow or crying or pain. (I'm not big on pain.) All these things are gone forever.
I also love how there will not be any need of the sun or moon but we will live in His glory. Shekinah glory.
I remember reading once that the last 3 chapters of Revelation can be likened to the 1st 3 chapters of Genesis. Here we again see the river and the tree of life. The curse is lifted. The 1st 3 of Genesis and the last 3 of Revelation are perfect bookends to each other. Amazing.
Happy new year, dear sisters!
We did it ladies! Day by day, month by month ~ and now it’s been one whole year! What a joy it has been to share God’s Word with each one of you! Thank you, thank you, sweet Wendy, for leading us! As I ponder over this last book of Revelation, I find it so fitting to our entire year. This book contains more hymns of praise, more words of reverence to the Lamb, the Father, and the Spirit-than any other NT book. Truly, this is a day to celebrate and adore the true Trinity. What an honor it’s been to share this experience with each of you. Morning after morning we share each others’ delight’s as we open up new treasures given to us by our Father. As we wait for His return, we seek to know Him more and more each day. That’s my goal this year. I want to wake up each morning anticipating the dialogue that I’m going to have with Him. I want His Spirit counseling me all day long. I want to be so filled with Him, that He is the first person on my mind that I go to, to talk to regarding all of my joys, sorrows, & worries.
Did you all notice, “All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children,” (21:7). This is my focus this year. To walk each day in victory. Day by day until I’m naturally living victoriously, allowing Him to guide me along. Transformed. I know how much He’s changed me this year. Aahhh…I can’t wait to see what He has in-store for me during 2010!
Our light will shine for others to see and what will they notice about us? (from Beth Moore)…
Love never fails
Joy cometh
Peace rules
Patience waits
Kindness tenders
Goodness does
Faith fights
Gentleness bows
Self-control stops
God’s Spirit is in us-alive and active. May we each wake up in an immediate pursuit to seek Him, in His precious Word. Love to you all, Lori
See you tomorrow!
Amen, Amen! "Everything you have heard and seen is trustworthy and true." (Revelation 21:6) All that we have read and learned this year is trustworthy and true. It is God's love letter to us. He has/is equipping us for the journey and has given us everything we need for living a godly life (2 Peter 1:3). It has been so wonderful to get to know each of you through this study and to grow closer to Christ together.
Revelations 20-21 were such great books to read! God's home will now be with His people (21:3), all the tears will be wiped away (21:4), there will be no more death, crying, sorrow or pain (21:4), and nothing evil will be allowed to enter (21:27). As we said at Arise! Cry Out! for MITI last month, Jesus is the Victor! He is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Rev. 22:12).
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! (Rev. 22:20)
See you all tomorrow as we begin again :) I know God is going to reveal even more to us as we pursue Him even further!
Happy New Year!
Brandee, TN
Wendy! Once again WOO HOO!
Thank you, my dear sister in Jesus! So excited to one day see all the fruit for His glory and purposes from the "crew" reading through the Bible!!
May His special blessings be yours!!!!!!! Gal. 6:6 -- Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
I posted today about this journey.
Love you! Praying for your mom's knee surgery!
Sharon
Yahoo!
alongside of you sweet sisters, i have for the first time ever, read the whole Bible! i am so happy! and enriched...
i am so relieved that today's completion reading was uplifting... i've had a hard time finding solace in the solemn, scary revelation readings thus far...perhaps this time next year i will have a new perspective that comes with re-reading God's Word with new eyes or a more understanding heart?
i want to thank you wendy for being my tour guide through this sometimes daunting trip. i appreciate so much your insights, and those of our fellow travellers.
i am eager to see how having once read through this awesome book changes my second read through, now that i have some idea of where we are going!
i have grown much. i have learned i still have so much to learn.
i am humbled to be part of this great group of readers. thank you.
i am ecstatic that God connected us, and that He continues to teach me through you all and His Word. i hope to continue this journey with you, and live a life worthy of my calling.
happy new year,
amy jane
Well girls...we done did it!! I'm so thankful to the Lord who kept me faithful over 365 days of walking in His Word. And, I'm so thankful for each one of you. Wendy, the Lord used you to call me to follow Him through the pages of the Holy in 2009. Then, to add to this blessing, He gave me such precious fellow traveller's. I love each one of you so dearly. This journey has been breathtaking...and yes, victorious.
My blog post today is far too long to even try to capture in a comment here today. I hope some of you will click on my name and come for a visit as I shared reflections and God's new call. I found today's writing to be the most difficult of the year. I hate, HATE goodbye's. Tears fill my eyes. I think of how precious each one of you is to me. I have messages and e-mails and comments saved from this past year that I will treasure forever. The support you gave me during one of the most difficult years of my life will never be forgotten. You are all written on my heart. Thank you seems like too small a word. OK...really crying now :)
Keep seeking His heart girls and one day I look forward to meeting you all and giving you a big hug.
Until then,
Joy
I'm so excited to see you will be doing this again in the new year. I will be honest and admit I started this journey with in in 2009 but didn't finish. I just read over you post and will take your suggestion and ask for people to pray for me as I go through this and to keep me accountable. I have such a thirst for God's word but struggle to make time for it.
You ladies who have done it have encouraged me to try again. Thank you! Looking forward to starting this journey with!
Wendy,
I've never commented on here before, but I want to thank you so much for taking us on this journey through God's word.
I have never read through the entire bible until now. I have learned so much, but I know there's much more out there to be learned. I can't wait to start again tomorrow!
Thank you again Wendy for taking us on this journey.
Happy New Year!
April, FL
First, I must give honor to God.Thank you Lord for directing my path and ordering my steps. I never would have begun this journey let alone finish it without God intervening.All praise to him.
And,to you Wendy and all my sisters in Christ. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You. It is wih your insights, your openness, your inspirations that I finished what was started.
May God bless and keep you all in his ever loving and protected care.
Highly Favored
Wendy,
And dear faithful sisters and readers,
I could not have made it all year without your prayers and comments. You made the Bible so real for me!! Made it fit into our lives today, not just what happened 2000 years ago.
Thank you! All of you. Love you.
Debbie in southern Louisiana
Wow! I did it! I was reading on the train this morning on my way to work and when I finished I was so excited. I was doing the "happy dance." Really, in my head, not actually, I was telling myself "do the happy dance, do the happy dance" I didn't want to scare everyone on the train and actually do it. :)
I can't believe this year is over. I am looking forward to going back to the "beginning" tomorrow. I am so blessed to have been a part of this and am looking forward to what God is going to do next year!
Kim
Oh, God is SO good!!!
What a TRIUMPHANT morning! :)
My tears have flowed freely this morning as I read through all of your posts. We've closed the last chapter, read the last word. We, with God's help, did it!!
How we have grown - as a group and as individuals. What blessing have been poured out as a result of God's anointing on us all. I am deeply, deeply grateful and humbled.
Last fall I was at a class and asked to recount a favorite journey. This is the journey I celebrated. For no matter where I have traveled physically this has been my favorite journey EVER.
The spiritual filling and the connections with all of you have inspired me, fueled me, challenged and supported me. What delight-full company you have been!
I am richer, far richer than I was when we first set out.
Tonight, as celebrations are held all over honoring the old and welcoming the new, I will be thinking of this line from our reading today:
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared." Rev21:1
Lord, make me an instrument for your glory. I surrender my new year to you, O God of creation and life, Word of God, and Holy Spirit. I invite you, I welcome you, I thirst and hunger for you, and I love and am loved because of you. You are the center, the Beginning and the End.
Amen, Amen, Amen.
I can't wait to see what he has in store for us as we begin anew tomorrow:
For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland...so my chosen people can be refreshed. Isaiah 43:19-20
In celebration of one journey ended and another one to begin...with a heart full of love, thanks & gratitude for each of you...all glory be to our Almighty creator, the author of our lives...the love of our lives!
See you tomorrow ~ meet you at Genesis 1:1 :)
Liz
AK
Joy, I will be reading your blog this afternoon. You have been such an inspiration to me! Seems like all our hearts are in the same place today. I took our Pastor's challenge this morning of reflecting on all God's blessings this past year. I pray some of you will hop over to my blog as well and read what I have said. You guys and this journey have been one of the blessings mentioned on my list. What a year it has been and I am truly blessed by our Lord!
Love you all~
"Look's like we made it" (singing Barry Manilow right now)....wowzie...thanks WENDY for being a great leader and keeping us on track. Thanks everyone for your insights! I have read thru the Bible before, but this was a much better scenario for me...I was able to go deeper and gain better understanding with all of your help.
Let's see what next year holds for us, dear sisters!
amen, and amen.
Morgen
I join you all in praising God this morning for our read through the Bible in 2009! What an amazing year, what insites gleaned, what stories we shared of our lives and our walks with the Lord?! Quite a journey and now we are ready to continue on! What an amazing connection I feel with all you sisters in Christ!
I so love natural sun light...and walking in His "sonlght" is amazing. His light shined on this verse for me this morning:
Revelation 21:22 & 23, "I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light." Wow! What a powerful glow...I can only imagine.
22: 13 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." And I add we will Live Happily Ever After with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords..."Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!'
Ready to begin this adventure, this love story, this Good News Journey in 2010. Praying with expectation, hope, and excitement as we go deeper into our relationship with Him!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! "See" you all next year!
Love from Debbie in Illinois
... Thank you Jesus for keeping us faithful to you. Thank you Wendy, for your diligent and beautiful leadership. Thanks to each one posting and sharing insights. What a blessed year this has been...
Revelation 22:17 "The Spirit and the bride say 'Come'. Let each one who hears them say 'Come'. Let the thirsty ones come - anyone who wants to."
Revelation 22:20,21 "... Yes, I am coming soon. Amen! Come Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all."
Happy New Year!
Love
Marianne
Today's reading was so heart warming to me...look what we have to look forward to! I cried as I read it.
I want to copy what David Jeremiah said today in his daily devotion:
A New Resolution
Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am.
Psalm 39:4
According to the USA.gov ("Government Made Easy") website, the dozen most popular New Year's Resolutions are: lose weight, manage debt, save more, change jobs, get in shape, go back to school, drink less, stop smoking, reduce stress in general, reduce stress at work, travel, and volunteer. Any of those look familiar? Since they're the "most popular," they probably do.
Here's a different approach for 2010: Instead of focusing on what's wrong with yourself or your circumstances, resolve this year to focus on God. Instead of making resolutions, resolve to do one main thing: Make your life the subject of gentle conversation between you and God on a daily basis. That doesn't mean in the sense of, "God, I want . . . I need . . . I wish." Rather, "God, I want to reflect Your glory in my life more in 2010 than in 2009. I want to live today in light of the end of my life. Speak to me and empower me to be conformed, gently but surely, more into the image of Christ this year."
That's a prayer God will answer by replacing the weakness of our resolve with the strength of His; a resolution that will not fail.
If our lives and ministry are to count for anything today we must solemnly resolve to make time for God.
Vance Havner
Wishing all of you a Happy, christ-filled New year.
Jan TN
Wendy,
Thank you for your faithfulness and your constant words of encouragement.
Through this blog, I have felt a small portion of having "the great cloud of witnesses" cheering me on in this race called "trying to live a Godly life."
Thank you to each special woman who has journeyed with me. Your hearts are so precious, your words so pure. Thank you for your authenticity and your witness.
You are all precious in my and His eyes.
I also wanted to take just a moment to let you know some exciting news that I mentioned back when we began. The Bible study, "Coffee with the Savior" that God preciously allowed me to pen will be released on January 4th. You can see it at www.cph.org under "New Releases". Thank you to all of you who encouraged me in this journey!
Happy New Year Fellow Travelers! See you in 2010!
Wendy,
Blessings and peace to you and your family as we end 2009. My heartfelt thanks and honor come your way. I am looking forward to 2010!
In anticipation of the new year and the new format, I will try to do the three things.
1) something familiar but heard a new way:
12 The city wall was broad and high, with twelve gates guarded by twelve angels. And the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written on the gates. 13 There were three gates on each side—east, north, south, and west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb...19 The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve precious stones:[l] the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.
The names of the twelve tribes of Israel written on the gates. The foundation stones with the names of the twelve apostles. The promise made through Jacob's line gives entrance, but the foundational work of preaching the news to the gentiles was done by the apostles. Both lead into Heaven.
2)Something I did not know:
5 This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.)
I always thought that there was no waiting to enter heaven. Now it appears that martyrs live during the thousand year reign of Christ on earth and the rest of us don't enter heaven until after the 1000 years are over... I need to ponder this!
3) My Nugget:
21 The twelve gates were made of pearls—each gate from a single pearl!
The walls are 216 feet thick and each gate is made of a single pearl! How does a pearl start? Through a "thorn" an abrasive, a pain, "sand" and this abrasive is covered layer upon layer. We are all given trials. We all have our sand in us. Just think of our sand turning into pearls! Whose pearls are the gates of Heaven? Jesus'
Happy New Year everyone! I wish you many blessings in the coming year!
Karen, Basel
Karen, your statement:
"I always thought that there was no waiting to enter heaven. Now it appears that martyrs live during the thousand year reign of Christ on earth and the rest of us don't enter heaven until after the 1000 years are over... I need to ponder this!"
Karen, if you will go back and read verse 20:4 I think that it will help you...it is the Tirb. saints that will be resurrected during the 1000 yr reign... everyone else that was dead...and alive were taken up to be with the Lord at the rapture...right??? Look at I Thess. 4:15-18...15, For this we say to you by the word of God, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 17, then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus shall we always be with the Lord.
If we are with the Lord, we are in heaven, right?
In my Study Bible I have some notes from Bible teachers and preachers, that says the phrase, "This is the first resurrection" is describing the last phrase of verse 4, "they came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years," are the believers who had died since the rapture. The phrase in verse 5, "The rest of the dead did not come to life until after the thousand years" is talking about the unbelieving who were dead. Read 20:11-15 where they are judged at the Great White Throne Judgment...remember for unbelievers ONLY.
I hope this has helped and not confused anyone.
I am so excited to be starting all over tomorrow. Wendy, thank you so much for your faithfulness to the Lord. And thank you to your husband and kids for allowing you the time to be faithful to your commitment. And thank you for the Bible websites to use.
Hope your Mom is mending nicely.
Jan TN
Dear Wendy and friends,
I have not commented before on this blog, but after completing this journey of studying Gods word together I feel I must share a few things. I kept 3x5 cards all year long with scriptures that the Lord had spoken to my heart. What a blessing it has been to look over these messages, He has printed on my heart. Come and listen to what the Lord your God says. Today you will know that the Living God is among you. Joshua 3:9 and 10. Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. Ps. 55:22 So many more and how precious they have all been to me. As I look at the calendar and the scriptures it is amazing how the Lord has carried me through this year. We have had a lot going on and God has been faithful and true. Thank you Lord for this blessing of studying your word. Looking forward to another year of digging in and digging deeper.
Many Blessings,
Pam, Tustin California
My Sweet Sisters,
It is so hard to believe we are at the end.
Wendy, thank you for allowing the Lord to use you in a mighty way reaching so many with your unyielding faith to Him and this study.
The prayers that I have seen offered up and answered have been so sweet. It is only because we stand at His feet and ask. The echo's of rejoice and the praises that ring through the our words must be like hugs to His heart. All of this is possible because of His sacrifice.'
I remember the first time I read Revelations it was as though a light bulb went on in my ADD brain. "We win and will get to spend eternity with Christ."
There is nothing better for my soul than that to ring in a new year.
Thank you ladies for your prayers, support and heart felt nuggets on this journey. Thank you for trusting me to pray on your behalf and to dance in praise with your victories. May the Lord continue to bless each of you as you serve Him.
I look forward to doing it from the beginning this year.
Hugs,
Diane
Wendy, what a blessing these comments are. What a journey y'all have taken. I look forward to tomorrow as I begin to read through His Word with you. Thank you for your faithfulness.
Happy new year!
Hugs!
Susan
Wendy, what a blessing these comments are. What a journey y'all have taken. I look forward to tomorrow as I begin to read through His Word with you. Thank you for your faithfulness.
Happy new year!
Hugs!
Susan
Thank you Jan,
Your comments did help. Happy New year to you and your family!
Karen
Wendy,
Thank you for leading this wonderful journey through the Bible. I had never before read the entire book, but this year I faithfully finished it and am delighted to have done so. Now I am on to the children's version so I can go through it with them!
Geralyn
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