THE LORD OUR GOD IS TRIUMPHANT

While Revelations is very hard to read and interpret, it is full of vital information for the end times. The basic information being Jesus Christ is Lord and He is triumphant over evil. I have heard Christians say they did not want to study Revelations because it was to depressing. In reality, it should be a source of comfort and inspiration to us.

In Chapters 20-22: the battle of Armageddon has been fought and won. The tribulation is over and Satan has been bound for 1,000 years. The tribulation saints are going to serve with Jesus for these 1,000 years.There will be peace under the Messiah. A new temple will be built during the Millennium but it will not be there after. For:
"the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. (21:22)

There will be people from the Millennium who will decline a faith relationship with Christ. Satan will use these people for his last resistance for eternity. Then there will be the White Throne Judgment where if your name is not written in the book you will be tossed into the Lake of Fire along with Satan where the beast and the false prophet are.

Many times I have heard people say they are going to hell because all their friends will be there and they will par te. There won't be friends or parties there. It will be a place of torment for ever.

Earth will be destroyed and a new Earth and a new Jerusalem will be created. All things will become new and God will dwell with man. Doesn't that make chills of joy and happiness run through you.
"He which testifieth these things saith, "Surely I come quickly
Amen. Even so come Lord Jesus. (22:20)

Last January we started with "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) Seven ladies committed to reading the Bible through in a year and posting our thoughts for others to read. We have had over 40 followers who have joined us and encouraged us along on our mission. Now we have come to the end. We have finished the Book and: WE WIN WE WIN WE WIN!!!!
Oak Hill Ladies 7 Satan 0.

"MAY THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOU ALL. AMEN"
(22:21)

Faithful and True

My last post of the entire year and of this blog...and God gives me the joy and pleasure of having the chapter with one of my TOP favorite verses in it and I am sure you can probably guess why.  Here it is:

"Then I saw heaven opened and there was a white horse.  Its rider was Faithful and True, and He judges and makes war in righteousness."
                                 ~Revelation 19:11

Indulge me for just a moment on this verse...God is God and He could come back to the earth ANY way He wants to because He can do ANYTHING.  So, having said that, don't you think it says something special about the place of horses in His creation if He chooses to come back on one of them?  The book Heaven is for Real (which I HIGHLY recommend by the way) is a book about a little boy who almost dies during surgery for a burst appendix and he takes a trip to heaven and spends some time with Jesus and His angels.  If you read the book, you will see that there are A LOT of things that take place to make the validity of his story rock solid.  Well, once his mom and dad figure out a few years later what had happened during that surgery and they are uncovering the events slowly, the FIRST thing that he tells them about his encounter with Jesus is this (are you ready?):  JESUS HAS A RAINBOW HORSE!!!!  When I was reading this at about midnight one night, I about came unglued because I felt like my intense love of horses and how special I think they are was finally validated!  So, here's what I think happens...Jesus turns to His rainbow horse on that VERY SPECIAL DAY and says to him, "Go WHITE, we are going back today!"  This just makes me absolutely CRAZY!!!!

Okay, back to the Scripture. :)  My HCSB Study Bible has this to say about Chapters 17:1 to 19:5:

"This section is a postscript to the bowls of wrath, expanding the reader's understanding of Babylon the Great, her relationship with the beast, and the scope of her just and final judgment."

 In Chapter 17 verses 1-6, one of the angels who had the bowls gives the meaning of the previous vision of the AntiChrist beast that was to reign for 1,260 years, and then was to be destroyed.  In verses 7-18, the angel explains the mystery of the woman, and the beast that had seven heads and ten horns.  As with most of Revelation, these verses bring up a lot of controversy and a lot of different interpretations.  A few things to think about here though:

• What effect to the descriptions of evil in this book have on us?
• How can we best fight evil and promote good?

Jeremiah 51:7 states "Babylon was a gold cup in the Lord's hand, making the whole earth drink.  The nations drank her wine; therefore, the nations go mad."  Hmmm...sounds familiar doesn't it?

Chapter 18 verses 1-3 proclaims the fall of mystical Babylon.  Verses 4-8 tells us about a voice from heaven that warns God's people about taking part in her plagues.  Verses 9-19 proclaims the lamentation over her fall.  Verses 20-24 calls the Church to rejoice because of her utter destruction.  A few key things to consider here:

• The "merchants of the earth" great wealth came from the exploitation of others and the complete indifference to people's needs.
• There are MANY parallels between "the merchants of the earth" and Western society...what can Christians do about this?
• Babylon stands for any political system that opposes God.  It represents political power, decadence, and hatred of God's followers.

Ezekiel 27:31 reminds us that "They shave their heads because of you and wrap themselves in sackcloth.  They weep over you with deep anguish and bitter mourning."

Chapter 19 verses 1-5 proclaims the joy at God's victory over Babylon.  Verses 6-10 announces the great and awesome marriage of the Lamb.  And verses 11-21 are a vision of the Christ going out to destroy the beast and his armies.

Some things to consider and think about here:

• These hymns of praise should be used by us today in our worship and prayers.
• The white horse is a symbol of victory, power, and triumph.

Ephesians 5:25-27 states this about the marriage of the Lamb:  "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word.  He did this to present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless."

I think this is a quote worth reading about ALL of Revelation:

"To comment in detail on this severe and vivid poetry would be like trying to analyze every note in a piece of music:  we wouldn't hear the tune.  It is best simply to read it, perhaps aloud, and sense how tragic, how poignant, how catastrophic and inevitable is the collapse of a world power which overreaches itself."
                                               ~Stephen Travis

So as I am about to hit the "button" to send my very last post of this amazing year we have had together, I cannot help but say ONE MORE TIME thank you...thank you for the insights...thank you for the laughs...thank you for the tears...thank you for the time you spent on this...thank you for the hard work...thank you for the friendships becoming closer...thank you for the journey...I love you ALL more than words could possibly ever express!!!! 

Live Like You Can Not Die

Satan is angry! He is mad because he can read the calendar as well as anyone else. His time is coming to an end. He takes his anger out on God by attacking the crown of His creation. He has sought to destroy life from the beginning, he is "the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan." Although our salvation was secured long ago at Calvary, the dragon is enraged by his defeat and makes war upon the saints. He stirs the hearts of and minds of man against God, and for themselves. Rebellion and unparalleled evil are the order of the day....

Counterfeit Trinity- Satan wants to be God. He wants to be worshiped. It is pride that caused him to believe he could take God on......and his "lifted up heart" that gave him the audacity to think he could get away with it. In Revelation 13, we find the counterfeit trinity that Satan has put in order: The Beast, the Dragon, and the false prophet. So, Revelation is kind of a picture of a defeated foe waging his last desperate efforts against his enemy. He makes a final attempt to escape his coming doom when he raises two beasts....one from the sea, and one from the land. The people say worship the beast and say, "Who is like the beast, who can make war against him?" He is certainly powerful. The second beast, the false prophet, performed signs and wonders for the whole world, and caused them to worship the first beast. He even appears to experience a miraculous healing from a fatal blow, mirroring the miracle of the resurrection. This beast openly blasphemes God, seeking to take power of the world through government to further prevent the spreading of the gospel, going as far as to force a mark of the beast on all of humanity to buy, sell, or trade.

A Song only the Redeemed can sing! Revelation 14 shows the Lamb of God, surrounded by 144,000 redeemed of the earth, singing a song that cannot be learned by any other. Music seems to be the language of the soul, it comes out when spoken words fail us. When I am at the end of my rope, when life and circumstances threaten to overwhelm me, I sing. Sometimes, it's a song that I've never heard before....one I make up on the spot. You know what I mean? Something tells me that the song described here in Revelation will be sung from the hearts of saints, the words driven by the lives they led!

We also learn that the eternal gospel will be preached to every last person on earth. Those who choose to worship the Beast have a horrifying future of torment from fire and brimstone, day and night, with no rest. Then, a harvest happens. It seems that the patience of saints will at last come full circle. The grapes are ripe, and are harvested to the great winepress. The thing about God, is that every event is perfectly timed and carried out. Remember when we read through the old testament, and there were countless times that God told his servants to "wait" until time had come to full measure??? He's perfect, and so is everything He does.

Exodus? It's all tied together. It's all one story. It's the history of the ages. Like, Natalie mentioned, it's His-story. There are so many parallels between events in the Bible, it's countless really. We can't possibly recognize everything. In the Beth Moore study we did on the book of Revelation, she points out the comparison of the Moses Exodus and the Final Exodus in Revelation 15. She mentions the songs of deliverance by Moses and by the Lamb. One song is sung over the Red Sea, and one over the Crystal Sea. One song is sung over Egypt, and one is over Babylon. The song of Moses is how God brought them out, the song of the Lamb is how He brings them in. One overcomes Pharoh, one overcomes the Beast. There were plagues in Egypt and there are plagues in Revelation. There the cloud filled the temple, and here the smoke fills the tabernacle. Amazing!

Destruction. Revelation 16 includes many signs and wonders, but certainly not from God. The spirits that proceed from the mouths of the beasts and dragon are preparing the armies for battle of Armageddon. The seven angels pour the bowls of wrath. The proclamation that, "It is done!" and an earthquake like no other ever before, land disappeared and mountains gave way under hail the size of boulders....and the people curse God.

And, so it has been from the beginning. There is a choice to make. You cannot serve two masters.

It's time to live like you cannot die.

The Three Woes

How many times have you heard the expression "woe is me"? "Woe" in the dictionary means a condition of deep suffering from misfortune, affliction, ruinous trouble, calamity. I would say magnify that by ten thousand and you might get a glimpse of what we are reading in today's chapters.

The First Woe A star from heaven (an angel) was given the key to the bottomless pit and when it opened demonic locusts came upon the earth. They were to hurt men that do not have the seal of God upon their foreheads for five months. These locusts were more like scorpions. I remember when we lived in the country we had a brick wall near our back deck, and there were a lot of scorpions there. Once one got into the house, and I unknowingly stepped on it. It was like the sting of a hornet. I about had a "hissy fit," and it gives me chills now to think about it. Can you imagine the horror these locusts brought? The king of these locusts is called in Greek and Hebrew - the Destroyer.

The Second Woe Four angels are loosed, and an army of horsemen of two hundred million (beyond numbering) kill a third of the human race. These weren't regular horses, like Mindy's though, they had heads of lions - fire, smoke and brimstone came from their mouths. Their tails were like snakes. Horror upon horror - but the people did not repent.

Then John sees a mighty angel holding a small open scroll. He announces that time shall be no more or as one commentary says, Time as we know it is about to be ended . . . that there is to be no further delay that Antichrist is about to burst upon the scene." There will be a final showdown between good and evil - and the final victory will be won.

He tells John to take and eat the scroll. It is sweet to his mouth, but bitter in his stomach. William Barclay says, This may mean that a message of God may be to a servant of God at once sweet and bitter - sweet because it is a great thing to be chosen as the messenger of God; but the message itself may be a foretelling of doom, and therefore, a bitter thing."

John is told to measure the temple which shows that persecution will come, but God will protect his faithful ones from the demonic terrors that come to the earth.

Now appear Two Witnesses sent from God to preach and witness for 3 1/2 years (most commentaries say they are Elijah and Moses because they bear a strong resemblance to these two prophets). They will be hated and cruelly slain, and then taken up to heaven after their unburied bodies lay in the street for 3 1/2 days.

The Third Woe The seventh trumpet sounds and introduces earthquakes, lightning, thunder and voices, showing that the end of time has come. The heavenly chorus sings The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our God and of his Christ, and He will reign forever and ever." Yet here John is not ready to describe the actual coming of the King of Kings.

A side note: This brought to my mind the beautiful music of what we call The Messiah. The words to the Messiah were actually written by Charles Jennens taken from the Psalms and the Book of Common Prayer and sent to Handel in 1741. Handel immediately realized that a great work of music could be made from Jennens' words. Upon George Frideric Handel's reading of God's word, he was overcome in his spirit by its power and began to compose this beautiful work in his home in England in 1741. Several sources close to him record that Handel was so caught up in God's Spirit during the 24 days it took him to write Messiah that he actually locked himself within his study, refusing food, writing music among periods of crying and moaning in that same Spirit.

One of his servant's testimony is that at the end of this three week period Handel burst out of his study with tears in his eyes and the Messiah script in his hand declaring, I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself seated on His throne, with his Company of Angels. At the end of his manuscript Handel wrote the letters SDG - Soli Deo Gloria, - To God alone the Glory.

The first London performance of the Messiah took place on March 23, 1743, in the presence of King George II. When he heard the words, 'The kingdom of this world . . .' the King rose to his feet and remained standing until the end of the number. That is why today when the music is played, people rise and remain standing.

There is one more thing to relate from these chapters: A woman (Israel) brings forth a child (Christ) and the great dragon seeks to destroy the woman and her child. The Child is caught up to heaven and the woman flees to the dessert, where God has prepared a place for her. There is then war in heaven in which Michael and his angels fight with the great dragon and his angels. The dragon is defeated, the accuser and deceiver of men, and is thrown down to earth. Evil never gives up, and so pursues the woman, but she escapes on the two wings of a great eagle - the symbol of God's everlasting arms.

Note: William Barclay relates that when men came to allegorize Scripture, Hippolytus saw in the eagles' wings the symbol of the "two holy arms of Christ outstretched upon the Cross." Amen.

Suspense!

Does anyone else ever skip ahead and read the end of novels? I'm possibly the worlds worst about this. I simply can't stand the suspense. And, on occasion, I MAY have read the end of a book in the bookstore or library to try and decide if I actually want to get the book. I mean, if the ending isn't good, why bother reading the whole thing? In fact, otherwise perfectly good books and movies have been ruined for me by a bad ending. What constitutes a good ending? Well, a conclusive end for one thing. An answer for all the questions raised and all loose ends tied neatly in a bow. The hero should come out on top, justice should be served, those who are in love should be happy and together...essentially I want a "Happily Ever After." I don't appreciate tragic endings. There are too many of those in real life. Fortunately for us, God also enjoys a good ending, and has one planned for the end of His Story (or History...ha did you get that!).

After giving John the task of sending letters of warning to the Seven churches, he then goes on to show him WHY those churches needed that warning. John was given a glimpse of heaven, God's throne room. There are distinctly similar descriptions of God's throne room given elsewhere in scripture. The thunder and lightning and noise were seen by the Israelites at the base of Mount Sinai as God was meeting with Moses. Ezekiel and Daniel both also give similar accounts from their visions. As Amy mentioned yesterday, we have to keep in mind as we read the descriptions John gives of what he sees, there is nothing on earth to match what he is trying to describe. To take his descriptions literally paints a very odd, scary twisted view of God...like maybe Picasso actually got it right or something. THAT ladies and gentlemen, would be a BAD ending! If we take them figuratively, as they are meant, and trust that God's mind and creativity far surpasses our own then we can feel the power, might, and absolute glory that emanates from his thone...and get goosebumps from the worship going on there. We have to keep this lovely image in our minds to stand the tragedy that follows.

God, seated on His throne, holds out a scroll. Scholars suggest that this is the "destiny of earth," and for a minute, John is in agony that no one will be able to come and bring the ending to pass. Ladies, here we see our hero enter His glory...the glory prepared for Him at the beginning of time. Jesus Christ, our slaughtered lamb, walks in to show us what will come to pass. As He opens the seals on the scroll we see God's power unleashed on earth.

The first four scrolls set loose four horsemen who bring about the conquering of nations and peoples, removal of peace, drought and famine, and finally death. People debate over whether some of what is described here is already in motion. I don't have a good answer. We certainly see shades of it going on in our world today. The world now seems so volatile, and peace has long been gone in many areas of our world. We have not seen the death of 1/4 the worlds population however, that much is certain. What we have to remember is that the exact timing is not the thing we are meant to remember. We are meant to remember who is in control of this story...

The fifth seal shows us the martyrs, and their cries to God for justice. They are given a white robe, which earlier in Revelation we read symbolized the clothing of a victor, and told to wait a little longer. The sixth seal unleashes natural disasters the likes of which we have never seen. Between the sixth and seventh seal we have an interlude- the "eye of the hurricane" if you will. We see the sealing of the 144,000 servants of God on earth and the arrival of a great multitude from every nation, tribe, people and language in heaven. What a glorious sight to witness their worship! It gives me goose-bumps just reading about it.

The opening of the seventh seal causes their to be silence in heaven for about a half an hour. The solemnity of that time after all the worship must have been astounding. It calls forth the seven angels who blow the seven trumpets of God's Judgement. We read about the first four today. The first calls forth hail, fire and blood. (Which combines the fist and seventh plagues on Egypt.) The second trumpet brings about what sounds like the eruption of a great volcano that causes mass destruction. A third of the sea becoming blood and a third of it's living creatures dying is similar to what happened to the Nile river and it's fish in the first plague on Egypt. The third trumpet causes a great star to fall and contaminate a third of the fresh water on Earth. The fourth trumpet echoes the ninth plague on Egypt where there was darkness.

We stop here for today...but the story continues. Hang in there. Try to stand the suspense! The End is totally worth it! And remember Who is writing the story....

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

John, the last living of the twelve original disciples of Christ, is the writer of Revelation. He was exiled to the island of Patmos by the Romans because of his witness to Christ. He is all alone waiting and wondering what should happen to him. And finally the Word comes to him. He is called to write what he is told and what he sees. John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day when he heard a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last.” When John turned to see the one speaking, this is what he saw:

Seven golden lampstands
One like the Son of Man
Clothed in a garment to his feet and golden band around his chest
Head and hair like wool, white as snow
Eyes like flames of fire
Feet like fine brass
Voice like rushing waters
Right hand held seven stars
Out of his mouth was a double-edged sword
Shined like the sun

Verse one of Revelation tells us that the things written were sent and signified, meaning we cannot fully comprehend the vision. The things John saw were described by symbols to the best of his ability. This makes me think about some of the dreams I have had that I wake up and try to tell. The words just cannot describe it because it doesn’t make sense. Jesus knows that we are human and have finite minds. Only through a true intentional search for truth can we receive revelation of Him. The word of God is all about revealing himself to people. From the very beginning to the very end, the point is the Revelation of Jesus Christ. John was very intentional on that Lord’s Day when his creator spoke to him.

Chapters 2 and 3 is the message Jesus wanted John to send to the seven churches in Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. To each one Jesus wanted to point out their strong points and/or weaknesses. The main message to Ephesus was “you have forsaken your first love.” They had lost the passion. Christianity had become routine. The good thing was that they did not tolerate false teaching. To Smyrna, do not fear the suffering to come. Be faithful and the crown of life will be given to you. To Pergamos, “Repent!” This church was compromising by holding to doctrine of Balaam. Thyatira is commended for its works, but they had accepted sinful behavior. Those who keep to the work of Christ will be given power of nations. Sardis was a church who had made a great name of itself but was called “dead.” They were called to repent. Those who overcome with be given garments of white. To Philadelphia he recognized their faith and perseverance. He wanted to encourage them. He states that he opens doors that no one can shut. And finally was the church of Laodicea. A very independent church and repulsive to the Lord. They too are called to repent. This church was rich and felt fulfilled. This is a danger we must be aware of in our own lives. Each letter to each church is not just to the churches during the time John was writing. The message is for the whole church, the body of Christ.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Postcards

In these days of instantaneous electronic communications, hand-written correspondence is becoming more and more uncommon.  When is the last time you received a long, hand-written letter from a friend?  When is the last time you received a post card from a family member who was traveling to a fun destination for vacation?  The reality is that we can snap a photo with our mobile device and upload it to facebook or type a quick message for all the world to see.  It's faster, easier, and cheaper than taking the time and spending money on postage for a personal, hand-written message. And let's be honest, most of us get cramps in our hands from writing because we do it so infrequently these days.  A hand-written letter is much more personal, thoughtful, and meaningful.  Other than the actual written message itself, a hand-written note communicates to the recipient that someone thought about them and cared enough to spend the time, effort, and cash to send a letter.  It's a one-on-one message that tells someone they are special and loved.

The brevity of the books of 2 John, 3 John, and Jude brought postcards to my mind.  The authors of these very short books of the Bible thought carefully about what they wanted to write.  They were thinking of the recipients and chose the words to be meaningful and fit within a minimal amount of papyrus. In 2 John and 3 John, the author specifically mentions that he does not want to use paper and ink.  He clearly preferred to visit face-to-face with the recipients, but wanted to let them know that he was thinking of them.  Of course, both John and Jude had some choice words of encouragement and exhortation to share.

Keep Walking
John reminded the recipients of "the" command from the beginning:  they are to love one another.  As they walk in love, they are walking in obedience to God.  "Walking" requires action.  It means that we are to allow God's love to motivate us, care for others, and cover us as we go about our daily lives.  Many times, this is easier said than done, but God requires our obedience and His Spirit to guide us.  John provided a good example for us as he commended the believers for welcoming and providing for missionaries of the gospel.  Lastly, John instructed the believers not to imitate evil (gossip, pride), but to imitate good as it is from God.  Interestingly, he provided two examples of leaders that provided examples of good and evil.  One was worth imitating, the other... not so much.

Beware of Deceivers

John warned of teachers who did not acknowledge that God came to earth in the flesh as Jesus Christ as it is a core belief of the Christian faith.  It was common practice for "missionaries" to travel from town to town and stay in the homes of the local people.  John warned his fellow believers not to welcome people who did not believe in Jesus Christ or allow them to stay into their homes.  In other words, he told them not to support them or their "ministry" because of false teachings.  In my opinion, this is just as practical today as it was 2000 years ago.  Financially and otherwise, we need to only support ministries and missionaries who teach and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Godlessness will be Punished
In the opening sentences, Jude tells his recipients that he actually wanted to write about and celebrate the salvation they shared.  Instead, he was led to spend his time differently and write words of a strong warning about corrupt, godless people living among them.  Jude reminds the recipients of the historical reality of God's punishments for those not following His ways.  Jude warned against immorality, denying Christ, disbelief, and slander.  He reminded them that the people living immoral lives are "unclean" and nothing good will come from them.  They will receive eternal punishment.

Persevere
Just as John encouraged his recipients to "keep walking", Jude also encourages his recipients to continue walking in the truth and love of the Lord.  He encourages them to build themselves and others up in the faith, showing mercy to others who are struggling, but hating sin.  Although the godless will be separated from God on judgement day, those who have faith and hope in Jesus Christ will be united with God on judgement day.

Just as John and Jude were carefully penning words to their recipients, God was thinking of each of us when these "postcards" were written.  He carefully chose these words and addressed these letters to us.  We are special and loved, sisters!

But you, dear friends, 

build yourselves up in your most holy faith 

and pray in the Holy Spirit.  

Keep yourselves in God's love 

as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ 

to bring you to eternal life.

~Jude 20-21

We want to hear from you!!!

Ladies, we know you are out there! (Or at least we hope you are!) The quiet ones who have been steadily reading along with us over the course of the year but haven't been commenting. As our year of reading the Bible together draws to a close, please let us know what God has done in your life through our time together! It would mean so very much to each and every one of us who have written this past year. I know we all feel that ultimately, even if we are the only ones, God has certainly been glorified. But if He has done anything in your life we want to be able to give Him the glory and celebrate with you. If you only made it through a book, or the New Testament, celebrate that!! Every little bit you read was more than if you didn't.

Please comment here and tell your story.

We love you all and can't wait to hear from you!

WHAT IS RIGHT??????

As I started to study this book, I found it filled with controversy. So I began checking some of it out. First, there is some controversy over who wrote 1John. Some scholars believe the same person wrote the Gospel of John as well as 1,2, and 3 John. While others believe the Gospel of John and 1 John was written by the same person but one or two other authors could have written 2 and 3 John. The argument for it being John the Apostle is:
1. Writer claims to be an eyewitness to Jesus.
2. He speaks with an air of authority.
3. The writings similarities seem to be the same.
Secondly, there is controversy over 1 John 5:7. There are those that believe that this verse was added to the KJV after it was written. The newer translations leave it out. The older versions, also, do not have it. Judge for yourself as I give you these three different versions.
NIV For there are three that testify;
RSV And the Spirit is the witness because the Spirit is the Truth.
KJV For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father,
the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one.

Now. lets get down to the "meat" of the Chapter. John writes in 1 John 1:4 his reason for writing, "and these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full." In several verses he calls them, "My little children" which would indicate that they are new Christians. He gives them some basic instructions for being a Christian.
1. God is light.
2. We walk in the light.
3. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.
4. We all are sinners.
5. If we confess our sins, we will be forgiven.
6. Love not the world or the things therein.
He also warns them of antichrist which is whomever does not teach of Jesus. There are preachers out there now who do not preach the gospel. DO NOT let them deceive you. We must guard against false teachers. Today, more than ever we need to watch because they are out there trying to lead you away from God. That is why we need to be grounded in the Word.We must guard against Bibles who change words and change meanings Revelation 22:29 clearly states what will happen to those who do.
"And if any man shall take away from the words of the Book
of this prophesy, God shall take away his part out of the
book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things
which are written in this book."

We are nearing to a close of our blog. I hope seven new people will take this on and that we all will continue to study the Word. Which Bible is the best? That you will need to decide for yourself. Pray that God will give you the answer and will guide you in your studies.

I feel the need to add to this. There are many different kinds of Bibles out there and not all of them are the same. Some are very wrong in that they leave out very important parts. For instance, one Bible leaves out the blood. We know that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness and our faith is in vain. I was told that the NIV leaves out 64,000 words. My personal preference is the King James Version. I have heard people say that they choose another Bible over the KJV because it is hard to read. May I suggest that in reading the Bible. you pray for God to guide you and give you understanding of His Word.

Peter...you just gotta love him!

Jaybrena did a GREAT job of introducing us to the first letter Peter wrote and reminded us about some key things about Peter from his time with Jesus.  She also reminded us that Peter was such a "open mouth, insert foot" kind of guy.  Peter just makes me chuckle so many times throughout the New Testament!  And there is SO much we can learn from him!  Here are some key quotes from The Legacy Bible:

"The counsel that Peter gave to the first-century believers (and to us) rings with hope...We don't have to imitate Peter's struggles; we have plenty of our own.  But his example of faith, love and hope is worth imitating."

"The second letter addressed a different problem:  false teachers and the effects of their teaching on Christians.  Peter knew that the survival of these churches was threatened more by internal decay than by external pressures...Peter's second letter warned of several errors and called for Christians to evaluate the truth of the teaching they heard...Two thousand years later, false teachers still abound and the church is still not safe from their influence.  But with God's strength and Peter's wise guidance forever in the Scriptures, we will always know where to turn for 'everything we need for life and godliness.' (2 Peter 1:3)"

We at Oak Hill have seen the devastating effects of the power that Satan can do to a church through "internal decay".  As with ALL of Scripture, the words of Peter are still just as relevant to the church today as they were 2,000 years ago.

There are a couple of things I want to point out from this book that I think are profound:

• In Chapter 1, Peter gives us an important progression for our spiritual maturity starting in verse 5.  We are to start with faith and then add goodness, then add knowledge, then add self-control, then add perseverance, then add godliness, then add brotherly kindness, and finally add LOVE.  This is a VERY important "recipe" for spiritual growth and one that we could possibly miss if we are not careful.  Peter tells us that if we possess these qualities in INCREASING MEASURE, they will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our spiritual lives.  This seems to be VERY important doesn't it?  So we need to apply this "recipe" to our lives!

• I also love the way Peter makes it abundantly clear in Chapter 1 verses 16 and 18 that he WAS THERE and WITNESSED all of the things he was teaching about concerning Jesus.  This is HUGE because almost all writings that are considered to be TRUE and CLASSIC writings were written hundreds of years AFTER the events occurred and those who were writing these things were NOT witnesses of what they were writing about.  This lends INCREDIBLE validity to the Scriptures!

• Peter also address the fact that God does not keep time as we keep time in Chapter 3 verses 8 and 9.  To me this can be somewhat discouraging because I do not know about you, but I am READY for Jesus to return.  He is so much more merciful and patient than I am because I want Him to just come on, but HE wishes that ALL would believe in Him and so He tarries and has not come yet.  This means there is STILL time!  We can still do our part to lead people to the Lord!  We need to be busy doing our Father's business!

• I also have to chuckle at the comment Peter makes toward the end of Chapter 3 in verse 16 as he addresses the fact that Paul's writings are difficult to understand...BUT they are important.  I have thought this same thing in my mind many times as we have read through Paul's letters!  I just love the fact that Peter is just honest enough to come right out and say it.

I can hardly believe that we have just over a week left in this journey together.  Next Saturday will be my last post.  My life has been forever changed from meeting with the Lord everyday in His Word and I pray that you feel the same way about your life!  Let's keep Peter's final command in mind as we close our time reading what Peter says to us in the Scripture:

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To him be glory both now and forever!  Amen."
                                            ~2 Peter 3:18

Let's keep growing in Him my brothers and sisters in Christ!

Dear Friends...

Have you ever wanted to invent a "slap" button on your computer? Tell me I'm not the only one in the world who gets "those" emails...or "those" phone calls....or "those" comments. Have you ever entertained thoughts of moving to Australia or possibly checking into how much it would cost to move someone else there? Have you ever heard/read words that make your pulse race, your throat clench, or your neck develop a rash??? Would I seem less "spiritual" to you if I admitted that I have actually experienced these thoughts?

What do we do with these things? We can chalk these thoughts up to just having a bad day, or even blame the other person's poor judgement. Or, we can be honest with ourselves. The truth is, we are responsible for how we respond. There is a difference in a "reaction" and a "reply". As we read the first letter from Peter this morning, I can't help but recall where he came from. He was one of the first disciples chosen, he was in the inner circle of three closest to Christ, he saw the transfiguration, his name was changed by Christ Himself. Yet, he also denied three times, the Christ he proclaimed just a day earlier. Peter was a passionate man. He reacted quickly in the boat when he saw Christ on the water. He was full of emotion! I wonder if he often put his foot in his mouth? I also wonder if, like me, he wished he hadn't opened his mouth at all, sometimes! Quite frankly, I'm thankful for the new invention of texting. You can actually have a conversation, and think before you speak! A simple change of wording can make all the difference. What if we thought more before we spoke in face-to-face conversations as well?

Peter says that, "it is God's will that by doing good we silence the talk of foolish people." Do you think that he often struggled to do the right thing? Of course he did! And, so do I! He knew the value of a testimony. He knew full-well the dishonor that comes from a scarred reputation. That's why I think his is such a powerful life to study. Who better than a broken man to tell me of my Healer? Who better than a man who failed his test, to tell me of his testimony? Who better than a man who made a mess, to share his message? His trial became his triumph, when this victim became a victor!

That's why I pay close attention when Peter says, "Dear Friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us." We are often more concerned with wrongs of others, than our own. We need to work on our response!

My little sister used to try and tell on our brother when she was wronged. The trouble is that her report was a little skewed: "Mama, he hit me back!!!" (Just as information, I was often cast in the role of judge, as the oldest sibling growing up in our family .....my quest for justice began at an early age, but I was rarely blameless! hahahhaaa!) Have you ever thought about how you sound when telling on the brothers and sisters in Christ who are around you? I wonder if our report sounds skewed to the Father? I have a feeling he knows all that we are guilty of, as well. I am very thankful He sees us through the eyes of grace and mercy.

Forgive others today. Practice more grace. We need each other.

"Just Live It"

James, the brother of Christ, wrote this letter to Jewish Christians who lived outside of Palestine. Some of them were tempted to let their "intellect" pass for their true faith. It is easy to say we have faith, but true faith will produce loving actions toward others. James' argument is this: faith should transform us; the world should see a remarkable difference in our behavior.

When we receive God's Word into our hearts, it will change our thinking. Once our thinking has changed, then we need to become doers of the Word. This is where "works" becomes an issue, and James emphasizes the importance of works in the Christian life throughout the rest of the book. This letter could be considered a "how-to book on Christian living."

James discusses the "heroes of faith" in chapter two including Abraham and Rahab. He points out that both were justified by works. Some people say that this contradicts Romans where Paul says we are "justified by faith." (Romans 3:28) However, the issue of justification by faith is not the issue of this book. James assumes we know that we have been born again by faith. He assumes we know we have received the righteousness of God without works, but we cannot dismiss the significance of works - for our works become the greatest witness we have to the world around us. (quote by Rose Weiner)

So, I started thinking about the different "works" I have seen at Oak Hill. Here are a few that you will recognize:

The Mission Team that traveled to Nepal to trek and share the gospel

The 2,000+ cans of food given to Rushton's Hope started by the children in Awanas

The unselfish gift of Solomon's Porch and the work that went into the completion of it

The various Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets and gifts given to needy families by Sunday School Classes and individuals

The offerings given to Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong by our church families

The building of a ramp by men in the church for a stoke victim

The innumerable plates of food and dinners taken to people that are sick or hurting by individual church members

The numerous book bags and school supplies given to needy children in the Griffin area

The weekly visitation by our Hospital Visitation Team

The visits and phone calls by our Deacons to Oak Hill visitors and members

The wonderful Sunday School Teachers who prepare to teach every week

I know you can add many more to the above list, but you get the idea. Wouldn't you rather see a testimony than hear one? The world thinks the same way. They hear evangelists on television and radio, and they are waiting for us to be that example before them. They are waiting for us to be living witness known and read by all men. They want to be able to examine and scrutinize our lives and still see Jesus Christ in every word and every action. So, be a doer of the word and not a hearer only.

The Gospel is written a chapter a day

By deeds that you do and by words that you say.

Men read what you say, whether faithless or true.

Say, what is the Gospel according to you?

Witnesses.

In my years as a nurse, I've had the blessing of seeing people live our their faith in dark hours. It never fails to realign my perspective and encourage my heart. There was the spunky 90 year old lady who just had surgery (and was doing better than many people half her age) who asked me if I knew Jesus. Another 97 year old lady (Yes, I said 97) who was dealing with the chronic illness of her husband of 70 plus years, also asked me if I knew Jesus. When I told her that I did, she proceed to talk to me about her faith, and pressed further asking, "So if you died tonight, you know that you would go to heaven?" I assured her I was confident of my salvation, and she smiled and called me her "little sister in Christ." She said, "Satan must rue the day I found Jesus, because I haven't been able to stop talking about Him since." I smile just thinking about her- and pray for her too because her husband has since passed away. Then there is the 40 something father and husband who, as he watches his previously healthy wife on life support, tells me that, "I worry about her, and I want to be here with her. If I could fix her, I would. But it's in God's hands. I know- no matter what- it's in His hands." It brings tears to my eyes. Every one of those blessed souls I come across leaves a mark on my heart. They are living by faith.

It's the same faith we read about today in Hebrews. Hebrews 11 has been called the "faith hall-of -fame." There certainly are some great heroes of the faith in there, starting with Abel, Noah, Abraham, Moses and the prophets. God certainly did big things with their faith- I'm not diminishing it in any way. They are men worthy of the title "hero." But the same faith that lead Moses to tell Pharaoh to "let my people go," and Noah to build the Ark, and Abraham to be willing to sacrifice Isaac is the same faith that leads my patients to trust God with their loved ones. What do they have faith in? I'm sure there is a deep, complicated, theological answer to this- but I like what Hebrews 11:6 says:

"believe that He [God] exists, and rewards those who seek Him."

Do you believe that? It seems so simple, but it really is at the heart of our faith. First of all, do you believe that God exists? And then, do you believe that He rewards you for following and pursuing a life with Him? Do you believe that life is better with God- no matter what it costs you- than without Him?

Most of us would say that we do. I do. But I have to wonder- do I really live that faith out in my day to day decisions? Do I choose obedience when it's hard because I know God has something better in store for me, or do I take the path of least resistance and choose what I think is best for me? Hmmm...

The author here tells us what a life of faith looks like.

*Do not take the Lord's discipline lightly.

*Endure suffering

*Pursue peace with everyone.

*Avoid immorality.

*Let brotherly love continue- show hospitality.

*Remember those who are rejected- prisoners, widows, orphans

*Respect marriage.

*Be free of the love of money.

*Remember your leaders.

*Study to keep yourself from being led astray by false teaching.

It's a long list right? Therefore, since we have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God's throne. Hebrews 12:1-2 HCSB.

I couldn't put it any better or plainer than that.

It's a new year ladies. Everyone is making resolutions. Amy talked to us yesterday about how God has given us a New Law and a New Covenant. He is the God who makes all things new. There is something so refreshing about a new start, a new beginning. It's a new leg of the race. This past year, reading through the Bible with all of you, was certainly a race- and I know without a shadow of a doubt I wouldn't have endured without all of you "witnesses" cheering me on. As we come to the end of this leg of our race, I pray we will keep on laying aside weights and snares and keep running with endurance- because we know He is worth running after. I know this, He is worth more to me today than He was a year ago.

My most recent encounter with a patient involved her telling me of losing her mother just a few short months ago. She battled cancer, and her family recounted of how even up until her last days- terribly sick and in pain- she remained joyful, and stated often "God's in control. He has a plan." She passed into the next life with a smile on her face- she finished her race well, believing in God, and that He would reward her for seeking Him. We are all surrounded by witnesses- some we encourage, some who encourage us, some we never actually meet but are ministered to by their story. We persevere and endure not just for ourselves, but for them as well. Just as they did for us.

A Christian prisoner in Cuba was asked to sign a statement

containing charges against fellow Christians

that would lead to their arrest. He said:

"The chain keeps me from signing this."

The Communist officer protested, "But you are not in chains!"

"I am," said the Christian.

"I am bound by the chain of witnesses

who throughout the centuries gave their lives for Jesus Christ.

I am a link in this chain.

I will not break it."

from

"Jesus Freaks"

New Priest, New Law, New Covenant

In Hebrews 7 through 10 the author is telling us about the New Convenant through Jesus Christ. The former law was weak and made nothing perfect. There was need of a better hope which is in Christ. He came to function as a priest to offer sacrifice for our sins. He did not offer the blood of animals though. He offered His own blood. He was the perfect, and last sacrifice needed which ushered in the new covenant. No more need to sacrifice year after year. He was able to offer it one time for all time.

He sat down at the right hand of God, (10:12)
He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. (10:14)
“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” (10:17)
No longer any offering for sin. (10:18)

Now we can have confidence. No shame, no fear, no condemnation.

“We have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh."

Hebrews 10:19-20

In this confidence we should …

“…consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:24-25

This Is A Day Of New Beginnings

This is a day of new beginnings,

time to remember and move on,

time to believe what love is bringing,

laying to rest the pain that’s gone.
For by the life and death of Jesus,

love’s mighty Spirit, now as then,

 can make for us a world of difference,

as faith and hope are born again.
Then let us, with the Spirit’s daring,

step from the past and leave behind

our disappointment, guilt, and grieving,

seeking new paths, and sure to find.
Christ is alive, and goes before us

to show and share what love can do.

This is a day of new beginnings;

our God is making all things new.

-Brian Wren, 1978

Anchor for the Soul

One of my favorite things about reading the Bible this year has been to find new phrases for me that are "hidden gems" packed with so much meaning.  I think my most favorite (for now) is when Job told God, "You have worn me out" (Job 16:7).  I love the honesty of Job when he's speaking to God and he is TIRED.  Another one is from Genesis 1:14 where we learn that God created the sun and moon as "signs to mark the seasons and days and years".  Such detail and purpose in God's creation!  Hebrews 6:19 provides yet another.  Our hope in God's salvation through Christ is an "anchor for the soul".  I've heard this term before, but honestly have never really thought about what it means in the context of the hope we have in Jesus Christ.

Hebrews is packed with theology, promises, and encouragement for believers.  The author of the book is not specifically identified, but current day theologians believe it was written by Apollos or Barnabas.  Both were Jewish Christians and associates of Paul.  The letter was written primarily to Jewish converts in the early church who may have been tempted to return to old, familiar ways in which they had been raised and taught.  Not so different from us today, right?  We may also have learned behaviors, beliefs, or theology that are not correct or are pulling us away from God.

Throughout Hebrews, passages from the Old Testament are used by the author as Christ is shown to be superior to the ancient prophets, to angels, to Moses (the mediator of the former covenant) and to Aaron and the priestly succession descended from him (NIV Study Notes).  The author was using scripture that the Jewish followers would have known.  He was showing them that throughout their history, God had been telling them of the savior, His Son, who is higher than any other being.  The savior had come and is Jesus Christ!  He is the "high priest forever" (Heb 6:20) and the true mediator to God.

Some people would describe an anchor has heavy, rusty, chained, burdensome.  However, in the context of this anchor of hope, we have comfort, security, and steadfast promises.  Christ is our only hope of salvation. Jesus has been where we are, tempted in the trials of every day life.  He can relate to what we are going through and has compassion for us.  Through his perfect human life and death on earth, he became the perfect sacrifice and atonement for our sins.  Certainly worthy of our hope, faith, and praise!

I found this song on youtube.  I hope it will encourage your heart today as you listen to the words from Hebrews.

Anchored
My soul is anchored to heaven’s holy veil
For Christ, the Great High Priest
Died in my stead
Hold fast!
God’s promise will never fail
We are His for Christ’s risen from the dead

No man or angel can keep me from Him
My hope in Heaven is steadfast and firm
Though trials and suffering come
Death cannot win
So we live in light of our great king’s return

In faith my ransom soul will ne’er depart
From Christ my Savior who freed me from sin
Rejoice this confidence is sealed in our hearts
By the spirit who empowers us from within

O wait with patience now all those who long
To join their Savior in heaven's endless days
A glorious time and all join their song
In one loud voice may Jesus Christ be praised

Chorus:
Your steadfast love
Will lead us through the tempest
Grace and strength are ours
Your faithfulness
Will see us through the storm
And give us hope to carry on

HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN

Titus is called a pastor epistle along with 1 and 2 Timothy. This is one of Paul's last writings which he wrote to Titus to encourage and counsel him. Titus, a gentile, was preaching at Crete.

Paul goes into details how Christians are to act. We are to live rightrously. Paul wants Titus to teach his people sound doctrine and not listen to those who would stir up trouble.

Some of Paul's instructions reach out to everybody today. In following Paul's teaching we are adding more bricks to our heavenly road that Natalie spoke of.
1. AGED MEN. Be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith,
charity, and patience. (2:2)
2. AGED WOMEN. Their behavior should be as becometh
holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine.
Teachers of good things. (2:3)
3. YOUNG WOMEN. sober love their husbands and children(2:4)
discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good obedient to their
husbands. not to be blasphemed. (2:5)
4. YOUNG MEN. Sober minded (2:6) good works: in doctrine
showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity. (2:7)
5. SERVANT. Be obedient to their masters. please them in
all things. (2:9)

As we keep reading and applying these instructions to our lives, may we keep adding our own bricks to our highway to heaven.


PHILEMON is the shortest of Paul's epistles. The letter is private in nature to Philemon. Philemon had a slave Onesimus who had stoled from him and then fled to Rome. While in Rome, Onesimus was converted under Paul's ministry. Paul wants Philemon to forgive Onesimus' crime and receive him back as a brother in Christ.

I don't know if any of you ever had anything stolen by a friend. I have and it hurts so bad not because of what they took but because of their actions and losing a friend. It would have been very hard for me to forgive them and let them back in my life. Would I have forgiven them if I learned they were a Christian and repented of their sin. It is easy now to say yes I would have those many long years ago but the truth is I probably wouldn't. God is willing to forgive us for our wrongs so shouldn't we be willing to forgive others who have wronged us. Lord help me to be forgiving to others as you forgave me.