Thurs.’s Devo - God’s Last Words

Read: Malachi 3:1-4:6; Revelation 22:1-21; Psalm 150:1-6; Proverbs 31:25-31 Malachi is the last voice before a 200 year period of silence from the prophets. He tells them to “Look!” because God is sending his messenger and then the promised one will suddenly come to his Temple. This messenger was John the Baptist who prepared the people’s hearts for the coming Messiah. John was like a blazing fire that refines metal and a strong soap that bleaches clothes. Their hearts had been hard like metal and their works had become filthy. All sorcerers, adulterers and liars and those that cheated their workers, oppressed widows and orphans and deprived foreigners of their justice would be put on trial. They were the scribes, pharisees and religious leaders. John called them vipers and hypocrites. Jesus called them white washed walls. They scorned the law and failed to obey them themselves. They cheated the Lord in their tithes and offerings and kept most of the people’s sacrifices for themselves. He explained their thought process. They had looked at the evil people and saw how they had prospered. They compared the rich to themselves and what they had gained by following the Lord and decided to join the arrogant and get rich. It didn’t look like God was punishing the rich so he surely wouldn’t punish them. They didn’t know about the book of remembrance that recorded all the names of those who remained faithful to him. These faithful ones would be God’s people and be spared; God would make a difference between the righteous and the wicked. The arrogant and wicked would be burned up and consumed. But the ones who feared God’s name would be set free. They would tread upon the wicked. He gave them two names to remember: Moses and Elijah. Moses was the law and Elijah was the prophet. The law and the words of the prophets would turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. If they didn’t turn they would be cursed. In Revelation, the angel showed John the river of life or the living water. It flowed from the throne of God down main street and on each side of the river were twelve trees of life. Each tree bore a different fruit with a fresh crop each month. The leaves of these trees would be used to heal the nations. The curse was lifted completely off of all who lived there and bore the name of the Lord on their heads. There was no darkness or night because the glory of the Lord shined on them. John was instructed not to seal up these words because it was getting near the end. God said to let the sinner continue to sin and the righteous continue to do good because the judge was coming to repay and reward. He would have the last say. The blessed will be invited into the city to eat the healing leaves from the trees of life. The sorcerers, immoral, murderers, idol worshipers and those who loved lies would have to stay outside the city and stay in their state of sickness and decay. Malachi invited us to “Look!” and the Spirit and the bride invite us to “Come!” The living water of Salvation, healing, hope, and life is offered freely to anyone who wants it. Thank you Father for the grace you have given your people to endure this year of testing and uncertainty. You never left us or forsook us but were a light to our path and a covering over us. Lead us into this next year with wisdom and discernment. May we not forget the lessons we learned in the fire. Hallelujah! We anticipate 2021 with great joy! Amen! Come Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people.

Wed.’s Devo - Our Future Home

Read: Malachi 1:1-2:17; Revelation 21:1-27; Psalm 149:1-9; Proverbs 31:10-24 Malachi means “God’s messenger” and he probably lived during the days of Nehemiah (about 450 B.C.). God’s message through Malachi was that he loved them and had always loved them even though they had a hard time seeing how he loved them. He reminded them of Jacob and Esau. Jacob had earnestly wanted the birthright and the blessing and went after them and received them. Esau had despised his birthright and only wanted the blessing. God hated Esau and cursed his posterity. He blessed Jacob’s and they were the descendants that Malachi was speaking to. Edom was Esau’s inheritance and though it planned to rebuild, its foundation was wicked as Esau so God would not let that happen. God rebuked the priests of Israel who despised the name of God and offered defiled food on His altar. They offered blind, lame and sick animals that they didn’t want. If they didn’t stop, God was going to bring a curse on them. It would be passed on to their posterity and they would see their priests with poop on their faces, figuratively. He reminded them of the purpose of the Levite family. They were to bring the people life and peace by teaching them the Torah. In the beginning the Levites revered and honored God and his covenant and did what they were called to do. His job was to instruct the people in the knowledge of God. They were to lead people out of sin but the priests of Malachi’s day led the people into sin. God spoke to Judah and rebuked them for following the sins of Israel. They married women who worshipped idols, they made a big display of their offerings so others would see them, they were unfaithful to their first wives. God made them one with their wife and wanted godly children from their union so he wanted them to remain faithful to them. He told them that to put away their wives was to overwhelm he with cruelty. In the original text it is not “divorce” it is “the putting away” which are two different things. They were putting away their first wife with no provision or writ of divorcement. That entitled her to nothing and didn’t free her to remarry because there were no legal papers. That is why Jesus said that to put your wife away was to cause her to commit adultery. Moses clearly told them that if they want to leave their wives they had to do it legally and free her from the contract, then she could remarry. What they were doing was to leave her destitute and God hated it. In Revelation, John is shown the new heaven and a new earth. The new Jerusalem came out of heaven and was so beautiful it looked like a bride. It was the presence of God coming to live among his people in a physical, tangible way. God is the Beginning and the End and this was the new city for the people of God. The unrighteous who chose sin over righteousness and the beast over God would be thrown into the lake of fire. John was taken to see the bride. He was taken to a great, high mountain and showed the holy city of Jerusalem. It was full of the glory of God and sparkled like a crystal. The city wall was broad and high and had twelve gates that were guarded by twelve angels. The name of the twelve tribes were written on the gates - three on each side of the wall. On the twelve foundation stones were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The angel held a gold measuring stick to measure the city, it’s gates and its wall. It was a square with all of his measurements 12,000 stadia. That number meant that the exact number of Old Testament and New Testament believers were accounted for. The walls measured 144 cubits which stood for the people who sacrificed their lives for the building of God’s kingdom. The foundation stones were the stones that were in the priest’s ephod and stood for the tribes of Israel as well as the apostles of the church. The twelve gates were made of pearls and the main street was pure gold. The Lord and the Lamb were the temple and their light lit the whole city. All the nations would bring their glory and honor into the city and no evil would be allowed. Only those whose names were written in the Lamb’s Book of Life would be allowed in the city. Lord, we live to be the temple of the Holy Spirit here on earth and one day live in your holy city. Thank you for giving us a glimpse of your glory and our future.

Tues.’s Devo -The End!

Read: Zechariah 14:1-21; Revelation 20:1-15; Psalm 148:1-14; Proverbs 31:8-9 It is important to understand that prophecy in the Bible was for the nation then and looked forward to an event in the end times also. Zechariah was shown a day when Jerusalem would be taken and destroyed. God would stand with his feet on the Mt. of Olives. It would split making a valley just like he split the Red Sea in Moses’ day. Mt. Olive is the place where Jesus agonized the night before his crucifixion. It is the place where the battle was won and now would be the place of his glory. He describes an earthquake that would swallow up the enemy but save his people. There was an earthquake in Uzziah’s days (Amos 1:1) and there was an earthquake in Jesus day while he was on the cross (Matthew 24:7.) On that day, the light from the sun will be affected and not shine yet there will be light. Only God knows how this could happen but it reminds me of Genesis 1 when there was light before the sun and moon and stars had been created. Living waters will flow from Jerusalem and the Lord will reign as king. Jerusalem will be restored to her promised place of importance never to be destroyed again. The other nations will experience a plague that will rot their flesh, eyes and tongues. The will be filled with the fear they put on others. They will turn on each other and all the wealth will be confiscated. Their survivors will got up to Jerusalem each year to worship the Lord during the Feast of Tabernacles. If they don’t come, they will be punished. Jerusalem will be cleansed and holy to the Lord. In Revelation, Satan is bound in chains for a thousand years in the bottomless pit. Then, he would be set loose for a little while. God’s people will be given positions of authority and the right to judge. The martyrs that died during the Tribulation will be resurrected and come to life to reign with Christ for a thousand years. The ungodly will stay asleep in the ground until the thousand years is over then they will be brought out for judgment. Satan will be unloosed to go out and deceive the nations and gather his people for the battle of Armageddon. God will destroy them with fire and throw the devil, the beast and the false prophet in the lake of fire where they will be tormented eternally. Then God sat on the Judgment Seat and opened the books and everyone who had ever lived stood to be judged. All were judged according to their deeds. Death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire along with those whose names were not written in the Book of Life. Lord, we praise you for you are our Father and our Judge. Thank you for eternal life and the choice to eat from the Tree of Life.

Mon.’s Devo - The Good News!

Read: Zechariah 12:1-13:9; Revelation 19:1-21; Psalm 147:1-20; Proverbs 31:1-7 I love that God puts the formation of the human spirit up there with stretching out the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth. He compares Israel to an intoxicating drink and an immovable rock. The nations that gather against it will only be hurting themselves. God will defend Judah and make the least of them great and mighty. He will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will mourn that they didn’t receive Jesus like a father mourns for his firstborn son. All Israel will mourn individually because salvation is personal. God will open a fountain of cleansing for Israel and Judah and they will be baptized and cleansed of their sins. Idol worship will be erased and false prophets were not tolerated. No one will pretend to be a prophet who isn’t. God will purify them through fire and He will call them his people. In Revelation, Babylon had fallen so the crowd of believers in heaven shouted praises to God because his judgments are true and he had avenged the murder of his servants. The twenty-four elders also praise the Lord. Then the crowd shouted that it was time for the wedding feast of the Lamb, because the bride was now ready and dressed in white linen. All the good deeds of God’s people had been finished. The angel blessed those that would be invited to attend the ceremony. When John fell down to worship the angel, he quickly stopped him. He was only a servant, only God and his son are worshipped in heaven. He explained that the essence of prophecy was to give a clear witness for Jesus. That is the reason the angle was showing John what was to come. He wanted us to get a clear picture of Jesus and his majesty. Next a white horse stood whose rider’s name was Faithful and True. He judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were flames of fire and on his head were many crowns. He was given a secret name that only he understood. He wore a bloody robe and his title was the Word of God. His armies wore pure white linen and rode on white horses. A two-edged sword came from his mouth and he struck down nations and ruled them with an iron rod. From him came the wrath of God. On his robe was written King of all kings and Lord of all lords. The angels called the vultures to come and gather for their banquet. They were called to eat the flesh of kings, generals, and strong warrior, of horses and their riders and all humanity that did not have their robes made white through the blood of the Lamb. But first, the war had to be fought. The beast and its army fought Jesus and his army. The beast and the false prophet were captured and both were cast into the fire. Their army were killed by the sword from the mouth of the one on the white horse. Then the vultures had their banquet. Glory to God! God, your plan is great and marvelous. May we endure till the end.

Sun.’s Devo - Babylon Has Fallen!

Read: Zechariah 10:1-11:17; Revelation 18:1-24; Psalm 146; 1-10; Proverbs 30:33 God told the people to ask him for rain in the spring because it was him that sent the rain, not their false gods and false prophets. The people wandered like lost people because they had no shepherd that led them in the way of truth. God was mad at the religious leaders who had led his people astray. He was going to send his army to punish them. He would send his cornerstone, his son through the tribe of Judah to be their Shepherd. God’s army would even take down the enemy’s horsemen which means the spiritual principalities over them. God would restore both Judah and Israel. Then God’s people would become mighty warriors and their hearts happy. Their children would be happy and they would rejoice in the Lord. They would know God’s voice and obey him. They would become exiles for the time being but they would turn back to the Lord in their exile and one day return again to Israel. They would fill Israel but the ones who exiled them would be crushed. God told Zechariah to go and care for the ones who would be killed during this time of restructuring. Some would be sold, traded and abused by their own people. Zechariah went to comfort those who were oppressed. He took two shepherd staffs and named one “Favor” and the other “Union.” He got rid of their three evil shepherds in a month. According to Drusius, the three leaders could be John, Simon, and Eleazar. They were three leaders of factions in the Jewish war. Zechariah became their shepherd but became so impatient with their rebellion and lack of unity that he turned them over to their fate. He took his staff called Favor and cut it in two showing that God had revoked his covenant he had made with the nations. Zechariah then asked them to give him his wages for leading them if they wanted to. They did, and gave him thirty pieces of silver. He threw it to the potter and proclaimed that this was the value they had given the Lord. He told his other staff, Union, and cut it in two showing the bond of unity between Judah and Israel was broken. Then he told Zechariah to go play the part of the worthless shepherd and show them what kind of shepherd they will be given. One who doesn’t care if they are dying, nor look after their young, nor heal the injured nor feed the healthy. Instead he would take the wealth of the wealthy and cripple them. It is easy to see that the thirty pieces of silver was to show how they would sell Jesus for this same amount and because they rejected Jesus, they would be given a system of corrupt priests and leaders. It is also easy to see how America has done the same thing and been given leaders who haven’t cared for us but have used us as their slaves while they got rich. In Revelation, another angel came to pronounce that Babylon had fallen. Babylon was depicted before as the harlot. She had been the home for demons and hideout for every foul demon. All the nations had fallen because of her. Everything that she had imposed on the earth would be doubled back on her: death, mourning and famine, until she was completely destroyed by fire. When the angel announced her demise, the whole earth became bright with the glory of God. The people who participated with the whore will look on her demise with terror and cry out and mourn for her. She had made them wealthy and now their sources were dried up. Notice that it says they made money from human slaves. These are the child traffickers of today that are about to be taken out of the earth. Their whole industry will go down and it will affect so many who benefitted from their incredible sins. God tells us to rejoice because he does this for us. God, you are so good!!! Thank you that when it looks so bad, you have a plan of redemption and salvation. We have no need to fear.

Sat.’s Devo - Victory!

Read: Zechariah 9:1-17; Revelation 17:1-18; Psalm 145:1-21; Proverbs 30:32 God gives a message to all the nations who were enemies to him and Israel. He prophesied their fall. I see this as the leaders of the mountains of influence in America. God wanted them to know that He was watching closely to ensure that no more foreign oppressors overran his people’s land. He told Zion to rejoice because it was their victory time. He was destroying all the weapons of the enemy. He was going to free their prisoners from death. He was calling them back to a place of safety. God was coming with His weapons to bring salvation. This weapon was going to come lowly and riding on a donkey. God’s weapon was Jesus! We always look for a big physical cure but the battle has got to be won in the spirit first. In Revelation, one of the angels came to get John to come with him to see what was going to happen to the great prostitute. She was in the wilderness sitting on a scarlet beast that had seven heads and ten horns. Blasphemies against God were written all over the beast. The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and had beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls. She held a cup full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality. Her mysterious name was written on her forehead: Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World. She was drunk on the blood of God’s holy people. John was amazed and the angel was perplexed that he was so shocked. He told John exactly who she was. The beast represented a kingdom that was once alive but wasn’t now. It will come up out of the bottomless pit and go to eternal destruction. The seven hills represented the seven nations in power, five of them had already fallen and the sixth was reigning at that time. The seventh kingdom was yet to come but his reign would be brief. The scarlet beast was the with king that would be destroyed like the seven before him. The ten horns were 10 kings yet to rise to power but they would only reign with the beast for a short time. They will align their armies with the last kingdom and together wage war against the Lamb and the Church. The kingdoms and all the people will rise up against the prostitute, Babylon and take her down. Lord, you know all things and everything has been orchestrated from the beginning of time. Thank you that you have put us on this earth for this time in history to carry on your work on the earth. May we carry our baton to the next generation in victory!

Fri.’s Devo - Hope for America and Israel - Merry Christmas!!!!

Read: Zechariah 8:1-23; Revelation 16:1-21; Psalm 144:1-15; Proverbs 30:29-31 God is love. He can not being who he is and he loves Jerusalem. He had to discipline her for 70 years but he is passionate about his city and his holy mountain, Mt. Zion. He show Zechariah the future Jerusalem when she will be filled with people young and old. It might look impossible from where Zechariah was sitting but it was not impossible from where God is sitting. Read verses 6-13 as if Judah is America and Israel is the Jewish nation and it will bless your socks off because this is exactly what God is saying to us. We have to complete the building of the Temple of the Lord in our hearts, in America and in the world. That is our mandate. Then God answered the question that the people from Bethel had come to ask Zechariah that we read yesterday. God’s answer was to turn their fasting into rejoicing. Instead of mourning over the first fall of Jerusalem, they were to rejoice over the victory and blessing that God was sending. People from all over the world will come to Jerusalem to be blessed and to hear from the Jew the good news. In Revelation, we see the seven bowls being poured out on the ones who have the mark of the beast and who worshipped his statute. The first bowl produced malignant sores, the second turned the water in the sea to blood and killed everything in the sea, the third turned the fresh water to blood killing everything in the fresh waters. Since the people had shed the blood of God’s people and prophets, they would have blood to drink for their reward. The fourth bowl was poured on the sun causing it to burn everyone with blasts of heat. This caused many to blasphemy the name of the Lord as the refused to repent. The fifth bowl was poured out on the throne of the beast and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. They also cursed God and refused to repent. The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the Euphrates River and it dried us so they could march their armies to the west on dry land. Three evil spirits let from the mouths of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet. These evil spirits will work miracles and go out to gather the world for battle against the Lord on the great judgement day. He interjects an encouragement: he is coming as a thief in the night for those who are evil but he was telling his remnant so they would be ready. The demonic spirits and all their armies on the earth will all gathered at Armageddon. The seventh angel will then pour out his bowl into the air. A shout from the Temple in heaven will shout “It is finished!” Thunder will crash and lightning will flash and a great earthquake will shake the earth. The city of Babylon will split into three sections and the cities of many nations will crumble. Babylon will get what she deserved. Every island will disappear and the mountains will be leveled. A terrible hailstorm will rain down 75 pound hailstones. After reading about those hailstones it is nice to read the first line of our Psalm: “The Lord is our Rock!” Lord, we know that you have written the end from the beginning for not only the end of times but for the times we are living in. May we be diligent about building the temple of the Holy Spirit within us and your kingdom on the earth and not give in to fear or despair. You are in control!

Thurs.’s Devo - The Branch

Read: Zechariah 6:1-7:14; Revelation 15:1-8; Psalm 143:1-12; Proverbs 30:24-28 When Zechariah looked into the spirit again he saw four chariots coming from between two bronze mountains. The first was pulled by red horses, the second by black, the third by white and the fourth by powerful gray horses. These are the four spirits of heaven that stand before the Lord and go out to do his work. The chariot with black horses were to be sent north (Babylon), the white horses were to go to the west (Medo-Persia), and the gray horses to the south (Egypt). Even though it doesn’t say it, I assume that the red horses would be sent to the east. God brought attention to the horses going to the north to Babylon because judgment was coming to Babylon. Babylon suffered desolation two years later. Zechariah was told that three men would come from Babylon bringing gifts of silver and gold. He was to meet them at Josiah’s house and receive their gifts. He was to make a crown of the silver and gold and put it on the head of Jesus, the high priest’s head and name this man “the Branch” because he was going to build the Temple of the Lord. He will not only be a priest, but a king. He was the picture of what Christ would be. At a later date, two men had been sent from Bethel to ask Zachariah if God wanted them to continue to fast in the fifth month for the destruction of the Temple. Zechariah told them to ask the people who the had fasted to during those 70 years in exile because God said they fasted to themselves, not him. He reminded them again what God says is an acceptable fast. It is to judge fairly, show mercy, and kindness to one another - not to oppress widow, orphans, foreigners, and the poor or to scheme against one another. Their ancestors had refused to listen and that is why they went into exile. In Revelation, God showed John the overcomes that had not bowed to the Anti-christ or taken his mark. They were singing praises to God. God’s Tabernacle in heaven - his holy Temple was thrown open wide and the seven angels who were holding the seven plagues came from the Temple. They were clothed in white linen with gold sashes across their chests. They were given each a gold bowl filled with the wrath of God and were sent to pour out the seven plagues on the earth. No one could enter the Temple due to the smoke from God’s glory and power. Lord, your plan is too wonderful for me to understand but I trust you with all my heart. I want to be an overcomer who chooses to praise You in the midst of all the adverse circumstances on the earth. I know that you work all things for our good.

Wed.’s Devo - Two Temples

Read: Zechariah 4:1-5:11; Revelation 14:1-20; Psalm 142:1-7; Proverbs 30:21-23 God’s angle awoke Zechariah as from a dream and asked him what he saw. He saw a gold lamp stand with a bowl of oil on top. Seven lamps were around it and two olive trees on either side. The angel explained that the seven lamps represented the seven eyes of the Lord that searched the whole earth. The two olive trees represented the two anointed ones who stood in the court of the Lord of all the earth. These stood for their high priest, Joshua and their political leader, Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was the prince of Judah that was sent by Cyrus with Ezra to govern the people. He was determined to build the temple and he would finish his job. It would not be done by his own strength but by the Spirit of the Lord. Then the Lord says a very encouraging thing to us. He said for us not to despise small beginnings for God loves to see us begin. It takes faith to start. That is what God is waiting for us to do so he can empower and help us finish the task, whatever it is. When Zerubbabel sets the final stone in place, the people will rejoice and pray for God’s blessing. Zerubbabel’s name means “seed of Babylon.” His Persian name was Sheshbazzar which means “fine linen in the tribulation.” We are all the seed of Babylon until we are saved but after we are saved we are washed clean and made righteous through our trials. It says of Zerubbabel that not even a mighty mountain could stand in his place. God would make his way plain. That is what God promises to do for us also. Next he saw a flying scroll that curse those who stole on one side and cursed those who falsely swore on the other. This curse was going into everyone’s house who were guilty of doing either of these. Then he saw a basket filled with the sins of everyone through the world. The lid was lifted and a woman was sitting in it who’s name was “Wickedness.” Two women came flying in and took the basket. It would be set in Babylon when they built their temple. Satan always copies what God does. God was building a temple in Jerusalem so Satan began building his temple in Babylon. In Revelation, the Lamb stood on Mt. Zion with the 144,000 which had been sealed with the mark of God on their foreheads. The great choir of heaven burst forth sinning the song of the redeemed. An angel flew through the sky with the Good News proclaiming it to every nation, tribe, languages and people. A second angel brought the news that Babylon had fallen and a third angel followed shouting that anyone who worshipped the beast or his statue or accepted his mark would bring the wine of God’s anger. God’s wrath would be poured out on them. This would mark the time of the greatest tribulation for God’s people. Those who died from this time on would receive a special blessing. The next event was the Son of Man seated on the cloud with a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. The command was given to swing the sickle and harvest the whole earth. Those that were ripe for judgment would be trampled in the winepress outside the city and their blood would make a stream about 180 miles long and as high as a horse’s bridle. Lord, thank you for you write the end from the beginning. You have this all planned out and we can trust your goodness and your love.

Tues.’s Devo - The Beast, the Dragon and the False Prophet

Read: Zechariah 2:1-3:10; Revelation 12:18-13:18; Psalm 141-1:10; Proverbs 30:18-20 An angel took Zechariah to meet two other angels. One was on his way to measure Jerusalem and the other came to tell Zechariah that one day Jerusalem would be filled with people. The Lord would protect the city and his glory would be in the midst of her. God had sent his people to Babylon but he was calling them home so he could destroy the nations who had plundered them. God told Zechariah to rejoice because He was coming to live among them and many nations would join them. Jerusalem would once again be his chosen city. Then the angel showed him Joshua who was the high priest. Satan came with him to accuse him. God shut Satan up and rebuked him. The angels took Joshua’s dirty clothes off him and put new clean clothes on him and put a clean turban on his head. He told him he would be given authority over his Temple and he would walk with him if he followed God’s ways. Joshua was a symbol of Jesus, the High Priest that was to come. Joshua was a symbol of the people of Israel that would come back to the Lord and God would wash their sins away and give them a new start. The sins of the whole world were removed on the single day that Jesus died on the cross. They point to the day when Israel will turn and see Jesus as their Messiah in the end. In Revelation, the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. A beast rose out of the sea with seven heads and ten horns and ten crowns on its horns. Every head had blasphemies against God written on it. This beast looked like a leopard, had feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. The beast got its power from the dragon. One of the heads had a fatal wound on it but was miraculously healed. He worshiped the dragon which caused the people on the earth to worship both. The beast was given the authority and power to say anything he wanted to against God for 42 months. He waged war against God’s people on the earth and ruled the nations. The heathen worshipped the beast. Another beast came from the earth and he had two horns but spoke like a dragon. (This is the False Prophet.) He had power over the first beast and required all the earth to worship the first beast. He did astounding miracles and made fire come down from the sky. With his miracles, he deceived the world He ordered the people to make a statue to the first beast and gave life to this statue so that it could speak. If you didn’t worship the statue, you were killed. He also required everyone to take a mark on their right hand or on their forehead. No-one could buy or sell without the mark. The number that represented his name was 666. Lord, you are the only one we will worship or bow to. Thank you that you never leave us or forsake us.

Mon.’s Devo - Red Horse and the Red Dragon

Read: Zechariah 1:1-21; Revelation12:1-17; Psalm 140:1-13; Proverbs 30:17 Zechariah’s name means “Yahweh Remembers”. He prophesied with Haggai and his message was the same. He was called to rally the people to return to the task of rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. God told Zechariah that he had been very angry with their ancestor’s because they had rebelled and refused to listen to him so he wanted Zechariah to tell the people what he was saying. He wanted them to repent and return to him. He reminded them that everything the prophets had said to them came true and they had gotten exactly what they deserved because they hadn’t heard the prophets then. He begged them to listen now. Three months later, Zechariah had a vision of a red horse standing among the myrtle trees in a valley. Behind him were horses with riders. The horses were red, brown, and white. God explained that these riders were his messengers that patrolled the earth and brought back to him the message that the whole earth was at peace. An angel with the Lord reminded the Lord that he had been mad at Israel for 70 years and wanted to know when he would show mercy on them. God reassured the angel that the time was now and that he had never stopped loving Israel. It was time to harm the nations that harmed them. He showed them four horns that stood for the four nations that had been Israel’s enemies and four blacksmiths who were being set loose to harm them and destroy them. These four nations were the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman kingdoms. In Revelation, John was shown an event in heaven. A woman was clothed with the sun, standing on the moon. She wore a crown of 12 stars. She was in labor with her child. Then there was another event. A large red dragon with seven heads and ten horn and seven crowns on his heads appeared. With its tail it swept away one-third of the stars in the sky. He threw them to the earth. He stood before the woman ready to devour her baby. She gave birth to a baby who was destined to rule all nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God before the dragon could get him and the woman fled to the wilderness. The dragon was the devil who was thrown down to earth. No longer could he accuse God’s people before the throne of God. When the devil realized he was on earth, he went after the woman but God had given her wings like an eagle so she could go to the place prepared for her in the wilderness. There she would be protected for a time, times, and half a time. The devil tried to flood her out but the earth helped her bay swallowing the river. The dragon was so mad he declared war against the rest of her children and all who keep God’s commandments and testify of Jesus. Since Revelation is for the past, present, and future we can see that this woman stands for Mary, the Church right now and those who will go through the Tribulation. Jesus is the baby who is destined to rule all the nations. The third of the stars that were thrown to the earth are the unborn, the babied during the time of Herod and the children who are being killed now. They never got to shine as their lives were cut short. Whenever God is about to do something significant on the earth there is an onslaught against innocent children. Lord, may we know the hour in which we live and be courageous and not give up.

Sun.’s Devo - Haggai

Read: Haggai 1:1-2:23; Revelation 11:1-19; Psalm 139:1-24; Provers 30:15-16 Haggai’s name means “Festive”. He prophesied during the time when the captives were coming back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. His prophecy covered the time of less than four months and was during the second year of the reign of King Darius. They had started out well in rebuilding the temple They had laid the foundation but construction had ceased when their enemies mocked them. In their discouragement, they had gone home and began building their own homes instead. Haggai was encouraging them to get back out there and finish the task because the Lord was with them. God reminded them of the splendor of Solomon’s Temple but told them that though the foundation of this temple was much smaller in dimensions, it would be so much larger in power and glory. The people were discouraged because they were not succeeding in their businesses and crops but God said that this was his discipline on them because they had stopped building his house. When they began to do this, their businesses would be blessed. We will never be blessed until we get our lives aligned with God’s priorities. First, we must build his temple inside of us and then our lives will reflect what is going on inside. In Revelation, John was given a measuring stick and told to measure the Temple of God and the altar and to count the number of worshippers. The outer courtyard would be turned over to the nations and they would trample the holy city for 42 months. God’s two witnesses would prophesy during that time. These two prophets were the two olive trees and the two lamp stands that stand before the Lord. They would destroy anyone who tried to harm them with fire from their mouths. They would have power to turn the water to blood and strike the earth with plagues as often as they wished. When their time of prophesying was over, the beast would come from he bottomless pit to declare war agains them. He would kill them and their bodies would lie in the main street of Jerusalem for three and a half days. People of the world would celebrate their deaths but then God would breathe life into their bodies and they would come to life and stand up. This will make everyone afraid. A voice from heaven will call them to come up and they will rise to heaven. Then a terrible earthquake will destroy a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people will die in the earthquake and the people left will fear the Lord. The third terror will happen next. It would be time to judge the nations and the dead, and reward the servants of God, the prophets and God’s holy people who fear the Lord. In heaven, the same thing was happening and the Temple of God was opened and the Art of his covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lord, thank you that you have this all planned out and put it in your Word so we won’t be deceived and can rest in the fact that you plan the end from the beginning.

Sat.’s Devo - Zephaniah

Read: Zephaniah 1:1-3:20; Revelation 10:1-11; Psalm 138:1-8; Proverbs 30:11-14 Zephaniah was a prophet to Judah who was related to Hezekiah and King Josiah. He had grown up in Jerusalem so it deeply troubled him to prophesy against it. He was the last of the prophets to write before the captivity of Jerusalem. Israel had already fallen about 100 years before this and its people taken into exile and foreigners had replaced them. Judah had paid tribute to Assyria to keep them from invading their land but their alliance with Assyria had affected Judah in every arena of their lives. They had succumbed to astral religion, worship of goddesses and all sorts of idolatry. Reform had been made during the reign of Josiah but it was only an external reform. The hearts of the people had not changed. Zephaniah started with a slam against the idols of Baal and the Chemarims which were the idolatrous priests and the “Lord’s priests” and Milcom (the god of fire to which the children were sacrificed). In verse 10 it talks about the wails that will come from the Second Quarter. The Second Quarter was the upper city that was populated by the upper class which overlooked the temple near the main commercial center. This refers today of the wall-street elites, upper class politicians, A-list in Hollywood, CEO’s of companies and globalists who think their money will save them. Nothing can stand against God, the one who created them. The day of the Lord was drawing near to them and it was going to be bitter and sad for them because they refused to repent. He begged them to gather together and repent so that God would hide them in the day of the Lord’s anger. Zephaniah means “The Lord Has Hidden.” He mentioned five Philistine cities that were going to be wiped out and become pasture for the remnant of the house of Judah. He prophesied the fall of Nineveh which would also become a pasture for flocks of animals. It boasted of being so secure and great but it was about to become a laughing stock to all the nations. God had destroyed other nations hoping the people would repent and fear him but they continued in their sinful ways so they would be next. One day, God’s people would return to worship him in humility and righteousness. They would have their reputation restored to be the people of God. Their inheritance would be restored to them and all the nations would look at them with respect and honor. In Revelation it was time for the seventh seal to be opened. The angel appeared with a rainbow over his head. He’s face shone like the sun and his feet were like pillars of fire. He had the small scroll that had been opened and his right foot was on the sea and his left foot on the land. He shouted like a lion and when he did, the seven thunders answered. John went to write down what the seven thunders spoke but a voice from heaven told him to not write them down or tell them because they were a secret. He said there would be no more delay. When the seventh angel blows his trumpet, God’s mysterious plan would be fulfilled. The voice told John to take the scroll from the angel. The angel told John to take it and eat it. It would taste sweet to his mouth but would turn sour in his stomach. He took it and it did just that. The voice told John to prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings. The message of God’s grace is sweet when accepted but brings judgement when rejected. Lord, help us to eat your Word and live it. Thank you for your warnings and mercy.

Fri.’s Devo - Habakkuk

Read: Habakkuk 1:1-3:19; Revelation 9:1-21; Psalm 137:1-9: Proverbs 30:10 Habakkuk lived between the time that Nineveh fell in 612 B.C. and the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. He begins overwhelmed by the circumstances of his nation and works through to having unwavering faith. In the first chapter, Habakkuk can think of nothing but the sin and violence of his nation. He thinks God has “left the building.” He sees no justice anywhere. He cries out to God hoping that God will do something. In the second chapter, Habakkuk takes his stand and uses his prophetic gift to look into the future. He sees it but it is a far way off. He does see a day when the sinner will be punished and the righteous rewarded and a day when the earth would be filled with an awareness of the glory of the Lord. He taunts their idols made of wood and covered with silver and gold. They are lifeless and powerless but God is alive. In Chapter Three, Habakkuk is singing his prayer. He remembers God’s works from the past. He sees the Lord coming to punish the sinner. He is coming in his glory and splendor bringing pestilence and plagues. The nations tremble before him because he was coming in anger to crush nations and rescue his chosen people and save his anointed ones. Though everything would look barren, Habakkuk understood it was the Lord so he rejoiced. In Revelation, the fifth angel blew his trumpet and a star that had fallen from the sky was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. Smoke came from it and produced locusts that stung like scorpions. They only bit the people on the earth that didn’t have the seal of God on their forehead. The sting tortured them for five months but they could not escape it with death. The locusts looked like war horses with gold crowns on their heads and human faces They had the hair of a woman and the teeth of lions. Their armor was iron and their wings sounded like an army of chariots. Their tails stung like scorpions and they tormented the people for five months. Their king was the angel from the bottomless pit named Abandon which means “the Destroyer.” The sixth angel blew his trumpet and a voice spoke from the four horns of the gold altar. He gave the order to release the four angels who were bound at the Euphrates River. He had an army of 200 million mounted troops whose order was to kill one-third of the people on earth. They released biological warfare that killed one third of the people. Their power was in their mouths and in their tails. In spite of all this, many wicked people refused to repent. They continued worshipping demons and murdering and doing all sorts of sexual immorality and thefts. This sounds like where we are now. Lord, this is very sobering to read but our hope has never been in this world; our hope is in you.

Thurs.’s Devo - Nahum

Read: Nahum 1:1-3:19; Revelation 8:1-13; Psalm 136:1-26; Proverbs 30:7-9 Nahum means “Comfort”. He prophesied the fall of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. Assyria had been a thriving power for centuries. They were known for their cruelty to other nations and boasted of their savagery, abuse and torture to the nations they conquered. They practiced a policy of taking their conquered exiles and scattering them through their empire to strip them of their identity and culture. This had happened to Israel. Assyria finally fell in 612 B.C. Nahum begins telling us about the character of God. He is jealous for his people and his glory and will avenge both. He is very patient and merciful but when it is time, he is not afraid to fight and no one can stand against Him. The Medes and the Babylonians were the destroyers of Nineveh. The Medes hated idolatry, and would delight in destroying its idols. As the Assyrians had treated the gods of other nations, so their own should be treated (2Ki 19:18). In the second Chapter, Nahum talks of the restoration of God’s people. Though the Assyrians have the most up-to-date artillery, they would be no match to God’s army. Their enemies crossed a 150-foot moat outside Nineveh and moved battering rams against on or more of the 15 gates in the wall around the city. There were dams built by Sennacherib to control the water flow into the city but the invaders had closed the rivers to get to the city, then let them loose causing a flood which destroyed the dried mud bricks and made the city a pool of water. It had once had neatly designed waterways but when God pulled the plug, everything became a muddy mess. In the 11th verse it said that Assyria had been a dwelling of the lions because Assyria’s kings used the lion as a symbol of who they were” “king of the beasts”. The third chapter explained why God was attacking Assyria and bringing it down. She was a nation of idolatry, murder and deception. All of their leaders were taken down because of their wickedness. In Revelation, the Lamb broke the seventh seal on the scroll and there was silence for about 30 minutes in heaven. The seven spirits of God were each given trumpets. Another angle was given a gold incense burner full of the prayers of heaven and earth and he filled the incense burner with fire from the altar and threw it down to the earth. There was thunder, lightning and a terrible earthquake as the prayers hit the earth. The first angel blew his trumpet and hail and fire mixed with blood was thrown to earth. One-third of the earth was set on fire and a third of the trees burned and all of the grass. The second angel blew his trumpet and a moaning of fire was thrown into the seal. One-third of the water became blood and one-third of the creatures in the sea died. One-third of the ships sunk. The third angel blew his trumpet and a great car fell from the sky like a torch which fell on the rivers and springs. The star’s name was Bitterness. Many died from drinking it. The fourth angel blew his trumpet and one-third of the sun, moon and stars was struck. They became dark. An eagle appeared crying terror to all who are still on the earth when the last three angels blow their trumpet. Lord, thank you that you are the Comforter to your people and you avenge the blood of the innocent and punish the destroyer.

Wed.'s Devo - God is Faithful 12-16-20

Read: Micah 5:1-7:20; Revelation 7:1-17; Psalm 135:1-21; Proverbs 30:5-6 Micah sees Jerusalem being laid siege to before it happened. Just like Mary travailed to have Jesus, the Jews will travail for his second coming. When Assyria attacked, they would appoint seven rulers, eight princes to lead them. This pointed to the time when Jesus would die and God would appoint apostles to lead his people. They will be perfect and sufficient. As they invade Israel’s borders, their own borders would be invaded. The Messiah would be their deliverer. Their Christ-filled influence would affect many nations and be like dew on the grass. They would also be like a lion striking terror on their opponents which was exactly what the Maccabees did. They wiped out their enemies. God had forbidden them to have horses and chariots for war in Dueteronomy 17:16, but Solomon had disobeyed and had both. God promised to get rid of them and all the methods they had wrongfully depended on to win. God challenged them to meet him in court and give their complaints because he had his complaints. He took them through their history showing them his faithfulness to them and their rebellion. All he required is that they did what was right, love mercy and walked humbly with him as their God. They chose extortion and greed instead of his blessing and love. Micah felt alone in his walk with the Lord. He identified with God’s loneliness for his people. Even though the people were bent on wickedness, God would one day save them and be their light. Israel would be rebuilt and its borders extended. It would one day be a place that honored the Lord. Micah cried out for Israel that God would lead them once again as their Shepard. God promised to do mighty miracles in their land once again that would cause the fear of the Lord to fall on the nations. God promised to show his unfailing love once again for Israel. In Revelation, the four angel who stood at the four corners of the earth were about to blow on the earth to destroy it. Another angel came bearing the seal of God crying “Wait, Don’t harm the land or the sea or the trees until we have placed the seal of God on the foreheads of his servants.” Then he marked 144,000 Jews who would come through the Tribulation believing in Christ as the Messiah. They would die, but God would receive them into his kingdom where he would feed them and wipe away all their tears. Lord, with you it is always a great ending. Thank you for your wonderful promises.

Tues.’s Devo - Micah

Read: Micah 1:1-4:13; Revelation 6:1-17; Psalm 134:1-3; Proverbs 30:1-4 Micah prophesied when Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah. He saw the future of Samaria, capital of Israel and Jerusalem, Capital of Judah. e can think of Samaria as the political power and Jerusalem as the religious power. Both were corrupt. Micah prophesied the judgement of God on both. Samaria was to blame for Israel’s rebellion and Jerusalem was to blame for their idolatry. The very foundation of the political deception and bribery was too deep to heal. It had reached the religious structure. God proclaimed his judgment on all the nations and cities that caved to the corruption of the Cabal of evil. But when the judgment was over, God would gather his people together and judge the false prophets who lied about the truth. The true believers who boldly proclaimed their sins would be filled with God’s spirit. He spoke to the political leaders and called them out for their murders and corruption which had infiltrated into the church. Everyone was motivated by money in the false church and the corrupt political system. In the last days, God would elevate his kingdom above everything else. People would stream to true worship of God and Jesus. Weapons of warfare would be turned into instruments of harvest. That was their future but in Chapter 4:9-13 it declared their present state. They were about to be sent into exile to Babylon. The Lord would rescue them and redeems them but now, nations would destroy Jerusalem according to God’s plan. Then God would turn and those nations and destroy them. In Revelation, the Lamb broke the first seal of the scroll. One of the four living creature cried “Come” and a white horse appeared. The rider carried a bow and a crown was placed on his head. He rode out to win many battles and gain the victory. The Lamb broke the second seal and the horse’s rider was called to “Come”. He appeared riding a red horse. He was given a sword and the authority to take peace from the earth. War and slaughter broke out everywhere. The Lamb broke the third seal and a black horse was called forth. Its rider held a scales in its hand and inflation was proclaimed. They were warned not to waste the oil and wine. The Fourth seal was broken and a pale green horse was called forward. Its rider was named “Death” and his horse was called “Grave”. They were given authority over one fourth of the earth to kill by war, famine, disease, and wild animals. The fish seal was broken and John saw the souls of all who had been martyred under the grave. They were crying out for vengeance for their blood. They were told to rest until the rest of the martyred had joined them. The Lamb broke the sixth seal and a great earthquake happened. The sun was blacked out and the moon became red. The stars fell from the sky and the sky was rolled up like a scroll. all the mountains and islands were moved. Everyone, great and small hid in the caves, begging to die. The day of God’s wrath had come. Lord, prepare us for what is coming in the future. May we have the authority to battle with the evil and win in your name.

Mon.’s Devo - Jonah

Read: Jonah 1:1-4:11; Revelation 5:1-14; Psalm 133:1-3; Proverbs 29:26-27 Jonah was told by God to go prophecy judgment to Nineveh, but Jonah didn’t want to. He was afraid they would repent and God would have mercy on them. Instead, Jonah got a ticket going in the opposite direction. (You can’t run from God.) God sent a storm and when the ship was about to sink, the men drew lots to find out who God was so mad at. The lot fell on Jonah and he confessed. He convinced them to throw him overboard to save their own lives. When they saw there was no other hope, they did. God sent a fish to swallow Jonah. He went down to Sheol and cried out to the Lord to save him. After three days, God had the fish throw him up on the shore of Nineveh. Jonah walked to Nineveh and proclaimed, “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed.” The people heard and repented. This made Jonah really mad so he went to sulk under the shade of a leafy vine. God dried up the vine and Jonah wish to die under the intense heat. God spoke to him and explained that the plant was like Nineveh. Jonah was mad at the plant because it died. He had been sorry about the plant, so shouldn’t the Lord have compassion on 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness? In Revelation, we start the opening of the scrolls that were sealed with seven seals. The angel shouted, “who is worthy to break the seals on the scroll and open them?” No one was found worthy until the twenty four elders announced that the Lion of the tribe of Judah was worthy because he had won the victory. A Lamb appeared before the throne with seven horns and seven eyes which represented the Seven-fold Spirits of God that were sent out into every part of the earth. When he took the scroll, all in the throne room bowed down. Each had a harp and held a golden bow of incense which were the prayers of the saints. They sang song of praise to the Lamb. Millions of angels joined in the refrain The four Living beings said, the “Amen” and fell down in worship. Lord, we give you praise as the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. May your kingdom come!

Sun.’s Devo - Obadiah

Read: Obadiah 1:1-21; Revelation 4:1-11; Psalm 132:1-18; Proverbs 29:24-25 Obadiah received a prophecy against the land of Edom. God was going to cut down their size and make them greatly despised. They had built homes high in the mountains thing sing no one could touch them there. They couldn’t find a place high enough for God not to find them. God was going to bring them crashing down. All their riches would be taken and nothing left. Their friends would turn on them and not a single wise person would be left in the whole land of Edom. Even the mightiest warriors would be terrified. The violence they did to Israel - their relatives would be turned back on them. They had refused to help Israel when Jerusalem had been attacked and destroyed. They had spoken arrogantly and plundered Israel They should not have gloated over their destruction and took the spoil. The day was coming for them to be judge for all this. When this happened, Edom would have no survivors. In Revelation, John looked and saw an open door and heard a voice that said, “Come up here and let me show you what is about to happen” John was taken to the throne of God and saw God sitting on the throne. All the colors of the rainbow were behind him. The twenty-four elders surrounded him clothed in white with golden crowns on their heads. Lightning and thunder came from the throne and in front of the throne was a menorah lit representing the seven spirits of GOd. Four living beings were in the center around the throne. They were covered with eyes. The first was like a lion, the second like an ox, the third had a human face and the fourth like an eagle. Each had six wings and their cried, “Holy, holy holy is the Lord God, the Almighty - the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” The twenty-four elders fell to the ground in worship to God. They laid their crowns before the throne and proclaimed God’s worthiness because he was the creator of all things. Lord, you are so worthy of all our worship and affection. We proclaim your holiness and glory.

Sat.’s Devo - Philadelphia and Laodicea

Read: Amos 7:1-9:15; Revelation 3:7-22; Psalm 131:1-3; Proverbs 29:33 God showed Amos two different scenarios; one of locusts who ate up the crops and the other of a great fire that destroyed everything. Amos cried out to the Lord not to do either because Israel would never survive them. So God came up with a third one: a plumb line. He would use his plumb line to test his people because he could not ignore their sins any longer. God wanted to bring King Jeroboam’s dynasty to an end. Amaziah, a priest in Bethel, sent a message to Jeoboam telling him of Amos’ plot against him, as if it was Amos’ plot! Amaziah had Amos thrown out of Bethel and sent back to the land of Judah where he was from. Amos turned and prophesied that Amaziah’s wife would become a prostitute in that city and his children would die but he would be carried off to another land captive. God gave Amos a vision of a basket of ripe fruit which represented Israel. They were ripe for judgment. Amos listed their sins. They oppressed the poor, were dishonest in business as well as worshipping idols and not Him. God was sending a famine of hearing what he said. God was going to punish his people and bring destruction, and famine. There would be no where they could go to escape God’s punishment. Then, God would restore it and bring the people back to their land. In Revelation we read the messages to the last two churche: Philadelphia and Laodicea. Philadelphia was the age of the Missionary Church. It is the only church that did not get a rebuke. Philadelphia means “brotherly love”. During this time in history, 1750-1900, God sent men to begin a new world in America. He also started sending missionaries like Adaniram Judson, David Livingstone, Jonathan Goforth and thousands of others to Africa, China, Japan, Korea, India, South America and the islands of the sea. This was the time of the “Great Awakening” with the Wesley brothers, George Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards, David Brainard, and many others. God raised up men of faith as America’s Founding Fathers like Patrick Henry, John Hay, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison and John Witherspoon. While in the Old World there was much persecution and unrest, God was starting a new work in America and raising it up to be a beacon of hope and light to the nations. The last church was Laodicea the Apostate Church or the People’s Church. Laodicea was a wealthy church steeped in Greek culture which was rich in information and industry. The Catholic church was growing and the Pope, Leo IX blamed the Protestant Reformation off all the trouble going on in the churches. Liberal theology became popular and salvation by works replaced Jesus’ blood on the cross. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels rose to power and were anti-God and anti-Christ. It became a federal offense to teach religion in Russia. They persecuted and killed Christians. Many Christians were killed in the wars. This age will last until the Tribulation. God told this church that they were lukewarm and that he would spew them out of his mouth. They thought they were rich and had everything but they were poor in their soul. God called them to turn from their indifference and take the door he was putting before them. Inside this door was fellowship with God. Lord, may we choose to walk in humility and enjoy the fellowship of your presence.

Fri.’s Devo - Thyatira and Sardis

Read: Amos 4:1-6:14; Revelation 2:18-3:6; Psalm 130:1-8; Proverbs 29:21-22 Amos addressed Samaria, the capital of Israel and called the people “fat cows”. Their women were the ones he had so much to rail against. They oppressed the poor and were always making their husbands bring them another drink. These women would be led away by the hoops in their noses like fish on hooks. He sarcastically told them to keep offering tithes to their idols so they can brag about it. God had tried to get their attention with hunger and famine and lack of rain but they refused to return to the Lord. God sent plagues and war and destroyed their cities with fire but they refused to return. So God was going to continue with the disasters he had promised in Deuteronomy. Next, Amos spoke to the people of Israel. It was about to fall, never to rise again. He told them to stop worshipping the golden calves at Bethel and Gilgal or Beersheba. If they didn’t return to him they would be destroyed with fire. They hated justice and truth. They trampled the poor and took their money to build their own houses. If they would turn to the Lord, his Heavenly Army would fight for them. If they brought back justice and truth then maybe God would have mercy on the remnant of his people. It was not going to go well for the rich who lounged in luxury while they worshipped idols and oppressed the poor. God hated their arrogance and the Lord was about to give the command to the Army of God to attack and destroy. In Revelation, John wrote his next letter to the church at Thyatira. It was known as the Pagan Church. The Roman Catholic Church was the main church and they appointed a Pope and began kissing his feet and doing all sorts of ritualistic things to honor a man instead of God. The belief in Mary’s immaculate conception began. Mary was proclaimed the Mother of the Church. The Jezebel it mentions is the Mystery Babylon, the bride of Satan. God promised to bring her followers great suffering and death. They will get what they deserve. To those who had not given in to her false teaching, God told them to hold tightly to what they know is true. The Pagan Church of Thyatira will last through the Dark Ages till 800. The church went deeper into Satanism. Those who were victorious till the end were given authority over the nations to rule the nations. The fifth church was Sardis. It was the church of the Reformers like Martin Luther. They were called to “wake up” the Church and bring them back to truth of the gospel. The organized church was selling indulgences which were licenses to sin. A few godly monks rebelled against the apostasy of the church and were martyred for their faith. The Dead Church lasted until 1790. Lord, may we be awake and alive to your truth and your salvation. Bring justice and peace to our nation, we pray.

Thurs.’s Devo - The first Three Churches

Read: Amos 1:1-3:15; Revelation 2:1-17; Psalm 129:1-8; Proverbs 29:19-20 Amos means to put a burden on something or someone. Amos is one of the 12 minor prophets. He was a native of Tekota, a town about 12 miles south-east of Bethlehem. He was a man of humble birth, neither a "prophet nor a prophet's son," but an herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees. He prophesied in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and was contemporary with Isaiah and Hosea. Under Jeroboam II the kingdom of Israel had risen to the height of its prosperity; but that was followed by the time of luxury and vice and idolatry. Amos was called from his obscurity to remind the people of the law of God's justice, and to call them to repentance. He gave this prophecy two years before the earthquake. The earthquake occurred when Uzziah was struck with leprosy for usurping the priest's office. Amos begins his judgement against Damascus and Hazazel, the King of Israel. Then he spoke against Ben-Haddad the king of Aram. He went on to Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab, Judah and Israel. Amos lists their sins that had accumulated until their cup was full. In Revelation, John wrote first to the church at Ephesus. The seven churches that God picked were all Greek churches who had the characteristics of the church ages that would exist from the time of the formation of the Church at Pentecost to the end of the ages and the Church Age is over. The first church was Ephesus. This was one of the first churches that Paul started. It had began with fire and passion for Jesus. It had discernment to know what was true and what was false teaching but the one thing that Jesus found against it was that it had lost its first love which was him. This had led them to stop doing the works for Him that they had done at first. Their warning was to repent and turn back. If they didn’t, their lamp stand would be removed. They hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans which were false teachers who taught that to know the sin you had been delivered from you needed to experience it. They taught that it was okay to sin because they lived under grace. When the angel told them to write to the church at Ephesus, the earthly “angel” or messenger that this was addressing was Paul. This was what he was the message he was to preach to them. This age started at Pentecost and lasted until 100 A.D. The next church was written to the church in Smyrna. Smyrna means “myrrh”. Smyrna was an ancient city of Ionia, on the western coast of Asia Minor, about 40 miles to the north of Ephesus. Smyrna was a mixed population of about 200,000, of whom about one-third are professed Christians. The church founded here was one of the seven addressed by our Lord. Polycarp, a pupil of the apostle John, and bishop who lived a wholly consecrated blameless life. He was the messenger of the second church age and suffered martyrdom in A.D. 155. It says of that church that though they were poor in this world, they were rich in heaven’s perspective. Many persecuted them and their beliefs. He warned them that their enemy the devil, would throw many of them in prison and kill others. He encouraged them to remain faithful even to death. The Persecuted Church Age lasted till 312 A.D. To the church at Pergamum, he wrote that they were in the midst of Satan’s throne and yet they had refused to deny Him. Pergamum was a city totally given over to idols. Antipas was a faithful witness that was martyred there. This was the time of great persecution for the church, yet God had some complaints of them. They had tolerated the false teaching of those who like Balaam used their spiritual gifts for money. God told them to repent or God would fight against them with the Word of God. For those you endured they would receive the white stone with a new name written on it. Only the one who receives their name will be able to understand it. This age lasted until 606 A.D. Lord, help us to be willing to die for what we believe and understand the name God has given us.

Wed.’s Devo - The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Read: Joel 1:1-3:21; Revelation 1:1-20; Psalm 128:1-6; Proverbs 29:18 We know very little about Joel but it is believed that he lived and prophesied during the reign of Josiah. There had been a enormous plague of locusts that had stripped the countryside of all vegetation and destroyed the pasture lands even stripping the bark off the trees. Joel saw it as the judgment of God on the land. In Deuteronomy 28:38-46 God warned in his curses what would happen to a nation that forgot him. What was happening in the land was exactly what God had said would happen. These locusts came in four waves and consumed everything. It caused great fear on the faces of the people. Their attackers were not people but locusts and Joes calls them the army of the Lord. Joel calls the people back to the Lord. He calls them to repent and hopefully, God will turn their curse into a blessing. He calls for a solemn assembly of repentance and fasting. Only God could turn this around for them and Joel knows that and is hoping the people will allow God to bless them. He speaks of a day when God will restore all he has killed. When he does this he will do more than restore their physical blessing but he will pour out his Spirit upon all people. Sons and daughters will prophesy, old men will dream dreams and young men will see visions. God will pour his Spirit on the servant and the king, the men and the women. Everyone will be equal. Wonders will appear in the heavens and on the earth. Salvation will come to anyone who wants it. God cursed Tyre and Sidon, the cities of Philistia for taking all the silver and gold of God’s people and making idols of it. In return, God was going to sell their sons and daughters to the people of Judah and the people of Arabia as slaves. He told them to hammer their harvesting tools into weapons because they would have to fight in the Valley of Jehoshaphat - the Valley of Armageddon. It is known as the valley of decision because historically it was the valley where they had to choose as a nation who they would serve - God or the god of the Gentile nations they had just left. Judah would choose to follow the Lord and endure through all generations. God promised to forgive her sins and then they would be God’s people. Revelation is a book revealing who Jesus Christ is and what will happen soon. God sent an angel from heaven to present this end-time revelation to John while he was on the island of Patmos. The Romans had tried to kill John in many ways even putting him in a barrel of boiling oil but he would not die so they finally put him on this island for prisoners. Revelation is prophecy to the church and we are blessed every time we read it. It was a letter to the seven churches in the province of Asia. This message was from the seven Spirits in Isaiah 11:2 (the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord) that stand before his throne, the one who is, was and is still to come and from Jesus Christ. Jesus is the faithful witness to these things and the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. God made us a kingdom of priests and invites us to see what is going to happen in the future. John was worshipping in the Spirit on the Sabbath when a voice like a trumpet blast spoke from behind him. It told him to write in a book everything he was about to see and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. When John turned to see the one who spoke to him he saw a menorah with the Son of Man standing in the middle of the lamp stand. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash. His hair was white and his eyes were flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze and his voice like the voice of mighty ocean waves. His face was like the sun in brilliance. In his right hand were seven stars and a two-edged sword came from his mouth. John fell to his face in awe and adoration. The voice told him to write down everything because he was about to tell him the mystery of the seven stars and the seven lamp stands. The seven starts are the angels of the seven churches and the seven lamp stands are the seven churches. Lord, your glory is beyond our human understanding. Thank you that you reveal mysteries to us as humans. Help us to understand what you are trying to show us.

Tues.’s Devo - Israel’s Sin and God’s Response

Read: Hosea 10:1-14:9; Jude 1:1-25; Psalm 127:1-5; Proverbs 29:15-17 God pronounced death to all of Israel’s idols. They had golden calves in Dan and Beth-Aven and they would all be taken away to Assyria. God called out the vicious nations of the world to punish Israel. They had sowed wickedness and reaped sin. They had reaped the fruit of lies and trusted in their own strength to save them, but all the huge walls and massive weapons they had would not be able to save them. Israel had forgotten who they were and whose they were. As mad as God was at them, he still had compassion and promised to save a remnant of them. When they wake up and remember their God, he will bring them home. God spoke what he would do to Judah also. Jacob their father had struggled in the womb for the blessing and right of the first born and then he had struggled with an angel for a blessing from God. God had given him both the blessing and the birthright of the first born. He gave him a new name and blessed his posterity with tribes of people, but they had forgotten their namesake. They had forgotten the God who brought them out of Egypt with signs and miracles and gave them a land of milk and honey. They were about to find out that their idols would not be able to save them against God’s wrath. One day, God would bring them back and they would prosper under his shadow once again. Jude was Jame’s brother who wrote a letter to encourage the Body of Christ but ended up warning them instead. There was a teaching going around by the Nicolaitans that taught that the law of grace allows you to sin. Jesus came to rescue us from sin but he still punishes those who participate in it. Sin reaps a reward of trouble just as righteousness reaps a reward of blessings. In Genesis, the angels of heaven left heaven in Genesis 6 and came to earth and had relations with the women of earth. They produced giants of renown and were severely punished for breaking the law of heaven to do that. They were now in chains in prisons of darkness awaiting their trial in the Last Judgment. God showed us what his judgment was going to look like on earth when the destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire from heaven. These false teachers told of their spiritual dreams and mysteries they saw to give them authority and make them sound spiritual all the while they were teaching the people that it was okay to live immoral lives, defy authority and scoff at supernatural beings. He went on to explain what ’scoffing at supernatural beings’ meant. God has a hierarchy and He is at the top. Satan is under him and even Michael being God’s top General in God’s Army didn’t rebuke Satan in his own name. He rebuked him in God’s name. Michael fought over Moses’ body. We know that he won because Moses appeared in that body at the Mt. of Transfiguration. Fellowshipping with these false teachers was dangerous for them. If they continued to fellowship with them they would shipwreck them. The false teachers cared only for themselves while they were doomed for hell. Enoch prophesied against these people saying that they would one day be judged and convicted. We are encouraged to have mercy on those who are wavering and snatch them back from the fire. God is able to keep us from falling and bring us into great joy in His presence. Lord, help us to gladly welcome your discipline and alignment when we get off-center. May we keep our eyes on you.

Mon.’s Devo - Return

Read: Hosea 6:1-9:17; 3 John 1:1-15; Psalm 126:1-6; Provers 29:12-14 Hosea begins by lovingly calling God’s people back to him. You can feel God’s love and desire to heal his people and draw them back into his presence but it is apparent that the majority reject God’s love. In verse 4, God rebukes them for their deaf ears. He sent many prophets to them with cutting words, yet they walked away unaffected. They chose murder and prostitution and idolatry over God. Judah had been God’s hope of a remnant on the earth, but she had fallen like Israel. Nothing they did went unnoticed by God. He saw all their wickedness and carousing. They consumed their leaders and killed their kings. They took up the gods of foreigners and gave their allegiance to their gods. This took their strength and their youth and have lost any desire in finding the Lord. God wanted to save them but they had told too many lies about him and plotted evil against Him. They had looked everywhere for help but to him so God was turning them over to Egypt. They brought about their own destruction. God addressed Samaria where one of the golden calfs was. God was going to smash their golden calf. They had gone to Assyria for help, but they would not be able to stand against God. They would be slaves in Egypt and Assyria and be made to eat food that is unclean to them. They called the prophets ‘crazy’ but every word they said was about to happen. God mentions that their wickedness began at Gilgal. This was in a valley between the mountains of Ebal and Gerizim where they stood a proclaimed the curses and the blessings. They chose the blessings but then did everything to get the curses. Much idolatry happened in that valley that led to their downfall into sin and now judgement. Their sentence is that their children would be killed and they would be rejected by God and they would be homeless among the nations. In the third letter from John he writes to Gaius who was a Christian brother of one of the churches in Asia Minor. He wrote to commend them for the good report he received of their faithfulness to the truth. He thanks them for taking care of the traveling teachers who depend on their offerings to live. He spoke of the deception of Diotrphes who refused to accept the teachers because he wanted to lord his leadership over the people. His desire for control was wicked and his fruit was also. John promised to tell them more when he came in person. Lord, help us to realize that we are all in this together and need each other. Bring repentance to the church and the world. May we see your healing upon our land as we seek you first and turn from our wickedness.

Sun.’s Devo - The Charges

Read: Hosea 4:1-5:15; 2 John 1:1-13; Psalm 125:1-5; Proverbs 29:9-11 Hosea spoke to the people and told them the charges that the Lord was bringing against them as a nation. They were unfaithful, unkind, ignorant of God, liars, robbers, adulterers, and murderers. They broke all of the 10 commandments along with many other ones. To continue the list, they passed blame on others and sinned in broad daylight. The priests were even worse. They refused to know God or his laws. They were glad when the people sinned because it meant more guilt offerings for them. God was going to desert them to worshipping their false gods. Because of their idolatry, the women were turning to prostitution and their married women to adultery. The men were using these prostitutes. He warned Judah not to become idolators and enter into this kind of sexual worship. He begged Judah not to prostitute herself like Israel had done. Next he addressed the leaders along with the priests. He told them that judgment had been handed down against them because they had led the people into idolatry. They had become utterly defiled so they were going to be devoured along with their wealth. They had turned to Assyria for help instead of to God but Assyria could not help them. No one will be able to help them against God’s wrath. God would carry them off until they admit their guilt and turn to God. In John’s second letter was written to the “chosen lady and to her children”. No one knows if he was talking to the church at large or to a particular family but the message is the same to all. John loves truth and understands that because they are Christians, the truth lives in each of them and this truth is love. He reminds them once again of what a deceiver is. He is a person who denies that Jesus came in the flesh, died on the cross for our sins and rose to heaven victoriously. John told them to disassociate with anyone who does not teach this, but tries to deceive others with lies. Lord, thank you that you have not forgotten us but want our nation to be a holy nation set apart for you and your purposes. Thank you that you are fighting for our behalf and for the sake of your holy name.

Sat.’s Devo - Hosea

Read: Hosea 1:1-3:5; 1 John 5:1-21; Psalm 124:1-8; Proverbs 29:5-8 So many of the Old Testament prophets did prophetic acts to illustrate what God was saying. Hosea’s life and especially his marriage and his children were to be visible signs to the people to show them their heart and God’s heart toward them. Hosea’s name means “Salvation” or “Deliverance”. He prophesied while the kings of Judah were Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah and Jeroboam 11 was king in Israel. The climate of the nations was prosperity and peace on the outside while political corruption, instability in people family life, immorality, class prejudice, and poverty was going on underneath. In the midst of this, God began to speak to Israel through Hosea. He told him to go and marry a prostitute so that some of her children would be born in prostitution. She was a picture of unfaithful Israel. Hosea would be the picture of God’s faithfulness. Hosea married Gomer which means “completion”. They had a son and God said to name him “Jezreel”. It was time for God to bring to completion the avenging of blood on Jezreel that Jehu’s house did. Jehu had ridden into Jezreel and had Jezebel thrown down from the window to die on the ground. All blood that is shed has to be avenged. Hosea then prophesied the end of Israel’s independence. It’s military power would be broken in the Jezreel Valley. Remember that that was where Jezebel had Naboth killed to steal his land. Gomer gave birth to a daughter and her name was Lo-ruhamah which means “not loved”. This was to show that God would no longer love or forgive Israel, but he would show his love toward Judah. He would free them from their enemies by his power; it would not be by man’s power. Gomer had a second daughter and she was named Lo-ruhamah which means “not my people” This was to say that Israel was not God’s people and He was not their God. But he said that one day when Israel had grown to be a multitude again he would call them His people at the same place he was rejecting them now. At that time the people of Judah and Israel would unite together and have one leader and return from exile together. That day will be the “day of Jezreel” when God would plant them in their land again. They will have new names which mean “my people” and “the ones I love”. Chapter 2 was a call for Israel to repent and turn back to God. She was like a prostitute who needed to repent and change her profession. Her lovers were her false gods and the things she trusted in which were not God. When she does repent, God promised to give her a safe life of righteousness and justice; love and compassion. On that day, nature will respond to their repentance and rain will fall upon their land bringing prosperity and life. God told Hosea to go and love his wife again as a picture of how God will one day love his wife, Israel again. Hosea went and bought back his wife for 15 pieces of silver and five bushels of wheat and a measure of wine and told her she had to stay pure for many days. This was to show that Israel would go a long time without a king or prince or sacrifices, priests or idols. But afterwards, they would return and given themselves to the Lord and in the last days, they would tremble in awe of the Lord and his goodness. In First John, we are proclaimed God’s children. We are the ones Hosea said would be called “my people” and “the ones He loves”. To love God is to keep all his commandments and to love him and his people. We have three witnesses of the truth: the Spirit, the water and the blood. Jesus was baptized in water, shed his blood on the cross and the Spirit confirms it as truth. God testified for Jesus that he was his son when he was both baptized and also when he died. If we are God’s children, we will not practice sinning. John begged his people to keep away from anything that would draw them away from God or might take God’s place in their heart. Lord, may we rid our lives of useless clutter that distracts us from what we are suppose to be doing as children of God on the earth. May we love and serve You with our whole hearts.

Fri.’s Devo - The Old Testament Antichrist

Read: Daniel 11:36-12:13; 1 John 4:1-21; Psalm 123:1-4; Proverbs 29:2-4 Yesterday, we read about the last day kingdoms and nations that would be in power before Jesus came on the scene. I am going to back track into yesterday’s reading and explain this anti-christ we are talking about today. The Old Testament antichrists and kingdoms will mirror the last day Antichrist and his kingdoms. The Old Testament Antichrist was Antiochus Epiphanes. Epiphanes was a play on words which sounded like Epimanes, “the madman” because of his acts of madness beneath the dignity of a king. He hung out with the lowest of people, bathed in public baths and threw stones at people passing by. He used trickery to supplant Demetrius, the rightful heir to the throne of Syria. Antiochus invaded Egypt, the land of the south in 171 B.C. The only city he could not take was Alexandria. He then went to Jerusalem to pay them back for rejoicing when they thought he had been killed. He then returned to Egypt with chariots, elephants and calvary to secure his kingdoms. Everywhere he went he found unloyal leaders who spoke lies under the table. He left every place he went in fear and terror. He returned to Jerusalem and killed 80,000 and took 40,000 prisoner. Guided by Menelaus, the high priest, he entered the sanctuary with blasphemies, took away the gold and silver vessels, sacrificed swine on the altar, and sprinkled broth of the flesh through the temple. He returned to take more of Egypt but wasn’t as successful this time. He returned humbled and grieved through fear of Rome. He was also indignant that while he was gone, worship of God had been restored in Jerusalem. He sent Apollonius in 167 B.C, with 22,000 to destroy Jerusalem. He killed multitudes and dismantled and pillaged the city. The temple was consecrated to Jupiter Olympius, which he identified himself to. (This was the abomination that makes desolate.) He ordered that all the people must conform to the worship of the Greek religion. No other world ruler had interfered with the religions worship of God’s people. Little did they realize their practice of sacrifice had to stop because Jesus was about to appear on the scene and be the final sacrifice. The Roman emperor Adrian also erected a temple to Jupiter Capitolinus where the temple of God had stood in A.D. 132; also the Mohammedan mosque of Omar was erected in the same place. (Mohammedanism began to prevail in A.D. 610, only about three years from the time when Popery assumed the temporal power, and the idolatry of the Church of Rome in the spiritual temple. The Popery will be the False Prophet of the New Testament Antichrist. The Maccabees were a Jewish family that refused to fall to paganism. They gathered followers and fought for truth. They were greatly persecuted and many martyred. They were taken advantage of on the Sabbath when they refused to fight. Their persecution lasted for three years. This leads us to today’s reading about the Antichrist type. We have already talked about how cruel and mad he was. He would even attack the temple of the Syrian Venus worshipped by women. The “God of forces” talked about in vs. 38 probably was referring to a temple in Antioch that he was building to Jupiter Capitolinus. He also built a temple to the god “Mahuzzim” who was suppose to be the “Protector”. He conquered kingdoms and set up his gods in all of them. He was finally killed in the Persian town of Tabes. Now it was time for Micheal, the angel of Israel to stand up and fight the battle in the heavens which would be manifested on the earth. Those that sleep that are saved will be resurrected but the rest of the dead will remain asleep until judgement. That is when he told Daniel to stop revealing what he saw and close the book. I am not going to stop there too. First John warns us about false prophets that will become more and more prevalent as the days approach the end. That is our day for sure. We can know a false prophet by what he proclaims about Jesus. If that person does not believe that Jesus came in the flesh, from God to reveal God to earth and died on the cross and rose into heaven, that person is a false prophet. The false prophets of today are many of the newscasters. They tell lies and predict the future from earth perspective but we are higher than earth. We are seated with God and can see from his perspective. We have God’s spirit in us so we can walk in truth. God is love and all of live in God live in love. Lord help us to loved as you Love and not be ruled by fear of what man can do to us.

Thur.’s Devo - World History

Read: Daniel 11:2-35; 1 John 3:7-24; Psalm 122:1-9; Proverbs 29:1 Today’s story reads like a soap opera. The awesomeness about it is that it hadn’t happened yet. I started out to write it all out as it happened in history and realized after two hours that it would take pages, be hard to understand and probably not be read. So, I’m going to sum it up in this…and the rest was history. It all happened just as he saw it and it can be read in the history books. God, who does not live in “time” has already seen it all happen. He has seen our end and knows it all ends well - just as he planned. First John explains how we know who is of God. A person who keeps sinning can not be of God because God hates sin. Cain was our example of evil. He murdered his brother Abel because of jealousy over his gift to God. Instead of repenting of not bringing the right sacrifice and wanting to learn what pleased God, he killed Abel because he did. The world is of Cain and they hate God and his children. We, who are believers love our brothers and sisters so we prove we are of Him. We show our love by being compassionate toward others. When we obey God, we show that we love him. We love him by loving one another. Lord, thank you that you hold the future of our outcome and our nation and our families in your hands. We trust you. We pray for more of your love to work through us to all of your children and even our enemies. Let your will be done on the earth as it is in heaven.

Wed.’s Devo - Power Over Sin

Read: Daniel 9:1-11:1; 1 John 2:18-3:6; Psalm 121:1-8; Proverbs 28:27-28 Darius the Mede came to the throne of Babylon. During his first year, Daniel was sitting reading the prophecies of Jeremiah and learned from them that Israel would be in captivity for seventy years. Daniel clothed himself in sackcloth and ashes and prayed the prayer of repentance for his nation and himself. He confessed their sins and prayed for mercy. He was visited by the angel Gabriel who was sent to give him understanding. Seventy sets of seven had been decreed for his people and Jerusalem and then it would be the end of the sin and the time of atonement. From the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One comes into Jerusalem to be killed will be seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven. When the Anointed One dies it will look like he accomplished nothing and a ruler will arise and destroy the city and the Temple. (This was the exact time from when Cyrus decreed the rebuilding of the Temple to Ezra till Jesus died on the cross.) The end will come with a flood and war and miseries will be from that time to the very end. The ruler will make a treaty with the people for seven years but after half of this time, he will put an end to sacrifices and offerings. He will set up an idol that will desecrate the Temple and it will remain till his time is up. After Darius died, Cyrus the Persian came to power. Daniel had been fasting for three weeks when he had a vision of the future wars and hardship. It was the month of Passover and Daniel saw a man dressed in linen with a gold belt. His body looked like a precious gem and his face like lightning. His eyes famed like fire and his feet shone like bronze. His voice roared. There were men with Daniel, but he was the only one who saw it. Daniel went weak and pale and fell face to the ground. A hand touched him and lifted him up praising Daniel for being so special to God. He was sent to tell Daniel that God had heard his prayers and he was sent to answer them. He had been held up by the prince of Persia who was the spiritual prince over Persia and it took Micheal to help him break through. Michael was Israel’s prince. The next prince that will reign will be the prince of Greece. I would guess this was Gabriel talking, and he was sent to tell Daniel what was written in the Book of Truth. We will read what he said tomorrow. John reminds us that there have been many antichrists in the world but the one that comes in the end will be the Antichrist who embodies them all. An antichrist is anyone who believes lies and denies the Father and the Son. You can’t have one without the other. To believe in God’s son is to believe in God but you can’t believe in God without believing in Jesus. John gives us a clear teaching on sin. To live in Christ is to live sinless. Sin is breaking God’s law and Jesus came to take our sin away. If we continue to live in Christ, we will not sin but if we keep on sinning we do not know or comprehend who he is. Lord, that we might know you and the power of your resurrection and the fellowship of your sufferings that we might be made conformable to your death.

Tues.’s Devo - The Final Kingdoms

Read: Daniel 8:1-27; 1 John 2:1-17; Psalm 120:1-7; Provers 28:25-26 Daniel saw this next vision standing in the very fortress that Esther would years later come to call her home. Belshazzar was the king now. In Daniel’s vision he saw a ram with two long horns standing beside the river. One of the horns had grown longer than the other one. The ram was fearless and no one could stand up to him. Suddenly a male goat appeared from the west with one huge horn on his head. He shared the ram and broke off both his horns. The goat trampled the ram to the ground and no one could help him. This goat became very powerful but in the height of his power, his horn was broken off. Four horns pointing in the four directions of the earth grew in its place. From on of the horns came a small horn whose power grew very great. It extended toward the land of Israel. Its power reached into the heavens and attacked the heavenly army, throwing some of the heavenly beings and some of the stars to the ground and trampling them. It even challenged the Commander of heaven’s army by canceling the daily sacrifices offered to him and by destroying his Temple. The army of heaven was restrained from responding to their rebellion. The horn was able to succeed in everything it did. Daniel heard the two holy ones talking and one asked the other how long the rebellion would last and how long the Temple and heaven’s army be trampled on? He responded, 2,300 evenings and mornings. As Daniel was trying to make sense of the meaning of what he had just seen, Gabriel was told to tell Daniel the meaning. When Gabriel approached Daniel, he fell to the ground in reverence. Gabriel explained that the vision had to do with the end of time. The two-horned ram represented the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy male goat represented the king of Greece. The large horn between his eyes repented the first king of the Greek Empire. The four horns that replace the large horn showed that the Greek Empire would break into four kingdoms, but none as great as the first. Then a fierce king would arise and become very strong. He will do a shocking amount of destruction and harm and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. He will be a master of deception and be very arrogant. He will destroy people without warning and even take on the Prince of princes in battle and be broken by them. The last thing he told Daniel was that this wouldn’t happen for a long time so he was not to tell it yet. Daniel was so overwhelmed by what he had seen he was sick for several days. He stayed troubled for a while. John wrote his letter to beg the believers not to sin and to love one another. That is the theme of his whole teaching. We have the power not to sin once we become a child of God. God’s spirit now lives in us and it is the power to overcome. But, if we do sin, we have and advocate who pleads our case before the Father. That advocate is Jesus Christ. The fact that we don’t want to sin and choose not to sin shows the Father how much we love him. John reminds them of the old commandment that is still very much alive today: love one another. We can not live in light and hate a fellow believer. John exhorted all types of believers because their sins had been forgiven, they knew that Christ existed from the beginning, they had won their battle with the evil one, they knew the Father and they were strong. He warned them not to love the world because it would draw them away from the love of the Father. Eternal life is the reward of those who do what pleases the Father. Lord, Thank you for your love for us in the midst of our struggles and failures. You are our hope and our salvation.

Mon.’s Devo - The Four Beasts

Read: Daniel 7:1-28; 1 John 1:1-10; Psalm 119:153-176; Proverbs 28:23-24 It was the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign in Babylon when Daniel had this dream. He saw a great storm churning over the surface of a great sea. Four huge beasts emerged out of the water. The first was like a lion with wings of an eagle. Its wings were pulled off and it was left standing on its two hind feet. It was given the mind of a human. Then second beast looked like a bear. It had three ribs in its teeth and a voice said, “Get up! Devour the flesh of many people!” The third beast looked like a leopard which four bird’s wings on its back. It had four heads and was given great authority. The fourth beast was terrifying. It devoured and crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled their remains beneath its feet. It also had 10 horns. As Daniel was looking at its horns, a smaller horn appeared and replaced three of the first horns. This little horn had eyes and a mouth that boasted arrogantly. Thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. The Ancient One had white showy hair and his throne was on fire with wheels of fire. A river of fire was pouring out and millions of angels ministered to him. The court began and the books were opened. The three other beasts had their authority taken from them all the while the little boastful horn kept talking. The fourth beast was thrown into the fire. As this was going on, Daniel saw one like the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven. He was given authority over all the nations of the world. His kingdom and rule was eternal. Daniel asked one of the beings around the throne what all this meant. He explained that the four beasts were kingdoms that would arise in the earth. In the end the Most Holy would reign. Daniel asked why the fourth beast had so many horns and was so wicked and horrible. He was told that this would be the last kingdom that would rule the earth and it would be merciless. The ten horns were the ten kings who would rule that empire. Then another would arise and subdue three of them. He would defy the Lord Most High and oppress God’s people. He would try to change God’s laws and even time itself. The court will decide his fate and all his power will be taken away and he will be completely destroyed. Then the power of all the earth will be given to God’s people and the earth will worship the Lord. First John is a powerful book of the progressive Christian walk. We start our Christian walk by coming to the realization that we are sinners and need a Savior. All people sin, but Jesus came to cleanse us of our sin and bring salvation to us. As horrible as Daniel’s dreams seem, the Good News always wins in the end. Lord, may we endure until the end.