Tues.’s Devo - Return to the Lord

Read: Hosea 6:1-9:17; 3 John 1:1-15; Psalm 126:1-6; Proverbs 29:12-14 Hosea called the people to return to the Lord and let him heal their wounds. The people refused to heed the call and continued in their licentious idolatry. God had sent prophets to rebuke and turn them from their ways but they killed them. In 9:15 it says that all their sin began at Gilgal. Gilgal was the town they came to right after they had stood on Mount Ebal and called out the curses and on Mount Gerazim and called out the blessings. Gilgal had became a high place for idolatry. They had chosen the curses and now they were all coming on them. They had chosen the god of Baal-poor which was the same as Molech and Baal. These gods required much child sacrificing. These are the gods of the elite of America and this is why we are experiencing the curses. But God has heard the prayer of his repentant people and is coming to judge the wicked and bless his people once again. He is coming to rescue us and heal our land. God was not coming to do that in Hosea’s time. He was coming to judge his people. They were through bearing fruit that would be wicked. God was going to stop them from producing and drive them from his land. John wrote to Gaius, his friend in the Lord. He was so glad to have heard such good reports of their faithfulness and that they lived in the truth. He rebuked one of the leaders, Diotrephes who refused to receive the traveling teachers. He was not interested in feeding the flock but controlling it. John told Gaius not to be like Diotrephes but to be good like Demetrius. Demetrius had a reputation for speaking the truth and living it. Lord, may we speak and live the truth.

Mon.’s Devo - The Faithless

Read: Hosea 4:1-5:15; 2 John 1:1-13; Psalm 125:1-5; Proverbs 29:9-11 It was time for God to judge because he could find no faithfulness, kindness or knowledge of God in the land. They made promises to God and didn’t keep them. They killed, stole and committed adultery. Violence was everywhere. Sin had left the land decaying. God spoke first to the priests because it was their responsibility to teach the people the truth. But they didn’t know God or the truth. They had forgotten God’s laws and exchanged them for idols. God would not bless them. Because they chose to worship idols, their daughters turned to sexual sins and the whole nation became a prostitute. Both Israel and Judah had forsaken God so they would both be crushed under God’s judgment. God would leave them alone until they admitted their guilt and turned to Him. In 2 John, John addressed a lady named Martha who was a person of influence in the church. She and her family were being seduced to stray from the faith so John felt he needed to warn her. He reminded her that the truth dwelt within her because she had the Holy Spirit. These deceivers were antichrists who denied that Jesus came in the flesh. They had no relationship with God. Those who remain in Jesus have a relationship both with the Father and the Son. John told them that if a teacher came and taught anything other than the truth about Christ, they were not to invite them into their home or give them any type of encouragement. John wanted to save the rest of his advise for when he came to them personally. Lord, help us to remain faithful to you and your word.

Sun.’s Devo - Hosea

Read: Hosea 1:1-3:5; 1 John 5:1-21; Psalm 124:1-8; Proverbs 29:5-8 Hosea prophesied during the four kings of Judah and Jeroboam of Israel. Hosea was asked to be a living example to show the people of the 10 tribes of Israel how far they had fallen into idolatry. The name Hosea means deliverer. God is always the plan of deliverance. God told Hosea to go and marry a prostitute to show the people of Israel their sin of marrying the gods of other lands and forsaking their true husband which was God. Hosea chose to marry Gomer which means “completion.” He was to have a child by her and they did have a son. They named him Jezreel which means “God will sow.” God said that she represents how God was going to punish King Jehu’s dynasty over the murders he committed at Jezreel. Israel’s independence would end in the Jezreel Valley. Their next child was a girl who God told him to name Lo-ruhamah meaning “not loved.” This child was to show that God would no longer show his love for the people of Israel. He would love Judah and set them free from their enemies. Her second son was named Lo-ruhamah which means “not my people” to show that God was not Israel’s people and He was not their God. This would all change when they came out of exile. They would once again be His people. They would drop the “Lo” (not) off their name and change the meaning to be the opposite. God told Hosea to tell Israel to repent or she would be stripped of her wealth and blessings. She would be lead into the desert and be transformed through her trials. In her captivity, she would come out of her idolatry and God would once again love them as his own people. God told Hosea to go and love his wife again to show how He would one day love Israel again and how they would one day love him back. John explains that we show we love God by obeying his commands and loving one another. Jesus revealed to us that he was the Messiah by the water and the blood. He was baptized in water and shed his blood on the cross. The Sprit testifies to our hearts that He is the Messiah. Lord, may we not forsake you as a believer or a nation. Bring us to repentance.

Sat.’s Devo - The End

Read: Daniel 11:36-12:13; 1 John 4:1-21; Psalm 123:1-4; Proverbs 29:2-4 Antiochus would be and do all these things. He is thought to be either the 7th (Rev.16:13, 16; 19:19) or 8th head (Re 17:11), who is to usurp the kings. The Pope will usurp the priestly as the false Messiah of the Jews, who will "plant his tabernacle between the seas in the holy mountain," "exalting himself above every god" (2Th 2:4; Re 13:5, 6). Antiochus identified himself with Jupiter Olympius. Antiochus forbade the worship of Jehovah by a decree. He also forbade marriage which this practice has passed on to the priests of today. By forbidding to marry he was trying to stop the promised seed of the Messiah from coming to earth. He attacked those who worshipped Jehovah and also the women that worshiped Venus. He worshipped the “God of forces” which was probably Jupiter Captolinus who he was erecting a temple at Antioch to this god. He also honored the protector/guardian god called Mahuzzim. Antiochus succeeded against Jerusalem, Sidon, Pelusium, Memphis. He set his followers and the apostates "to rule over many" Jews, having "divided their land" (Judea), "for gain" (that is, as a reward for their compliance). Antiochus, in the eleventh year of his reign (166-165 B.C.), invaded Egypt and took Palestine on his way. Antiochus starting from Egypt took Arad in Judah, and devastated all Phoenicia, then he turned to check Artaxias, king of Armenia. He died in the Persian town Tabes in 164 B.C. The Saracen Arabs "of the south" "pushed at" the Greek emperor Heraclius, and deprived him of Egypt and Syria. But the Turks of "the north" not merely pushed at, but destroyed the Greek empire. Their "horsemen" were their chief strength. Their "ships," gained the victory over Venice, the great naval power of Europe in that day. They "overflowed" Western Asia, and then "passed over" into Europe, setting up their headquarters in Constantinople under Mohammed II. Antiochus marched against Ptolemy, though he turned from his course to pour out his wrath on the Jews. He did not meddle with Edom, Moab, and Ammon on the side of Judea but used their help in crushing the Jews. The Turks under Selim entered Jerusalem on their way to Egypt, but they never could conquer the Arabs. So it will be the case of the final Antichrist. The Libyans and the Ethiopians were both allies who served under Antiochus when he conquered Egypt. Artaxias, king of Armenia, had revolted in the north, and Arsaces, leader of the Parthians, in the east. In 147 B.C. Antiochus went on the expedition against them, on the return from which he died. He turned his great fury on the Jews, because of their successes under Judas Maccabeus. He sought reparations from them to replenish his treasury. He would stop somewhere between the and set up military camps. He was overcome by the Jews, and failed in his expedition against the temple of Elymais (2 Maccabees 9:5) He would be stopped between Jerusalem and Mt. Zion and the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. Then the Arch-angel, Micheal will stand up. everyone whose name is in the book of life will awake to everlasting life. This could be the rapture. Those left alive will enter the time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. Daniel was told to keep all this sealed up until the time of the end. Daniel saw two other men standing on opposite banks on the other. One asked the man in linen who long it would be till the shocking events were over. He said it would be two times and a half of a time. Daniel didn’t understand. He added that many people would be refined in the trials but the wicked would continue in their wickedness. From the time the daily sacrifice is stopped and the sacrilegious object is set up would be 1,290 days. The end would come in 1,335 days. So what does this all mean to us where we are? We are watching these days fastly approaching. We are going through a trial run of this very day. Many have been deceived and many have repented. I believe that we are not at the end but are about to see a great turn around. I believe God is about to do something that rivals the parting of the Red Sea. I do know that we are about to see the greatest revival our nation has ever had. In John, the litmus test of whether a person is a real prophet is whether he professes and believes that Jesus came in the flesh, full of the Spirit of God, and was the Messiah. He did this all for love. That is why he came and he demonstrated it every day of his life. He is our example to love one another. We can do that because the Spirit of God is in us and that spirit is love. God’s love has no fear, it is perfect. Lord, help us to love with your love. Thank you for your plan for us and our nation. Thank you for the revival that is coming to our world.

Fri.’s Devo - The Last Kingdoms

Read: Daniel 11:2-35; 1 John 3:7-24; Psalm 122:1-9; Proverbs 29:1 The man who appeared to Daniel continued to tell Daniel what was going to happen. Three more Persian kings would reign: Ahazerus, Artaxerses, and Darius, then the fourth would be Xerxes. He would use his wealth to accumulate an army of 2,641,000 to fight against Alexander the Great of Greece. Alexander had a small army in comparison but they were unified with one cause of revenge against Persia and their oppression. The next chapter played out just as the man told Daniel that it would. It is a picture of just how it will happen again in the end. What stands out to me is this, “But, the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him.” They will be persecuted but through the persecution, they will be refined and cleansed and made pure until the time of the end. First John tells us how to know a true believer. A true believer will grow in righteousness. A follower of Satan will keep on sinning and not repent. They make it a practice to sin. A true believer loves other believers. So we should not be surprised when the would hates us. They are of the spirit of Cain who killed his brother Abel because of his jealousy. We love our brothers and sisters and show it by our deeds of kindness. We know we are his by the witness of his Spirit. Lord, thank you that you rule over all the kingdoms of the earth and your power prevails.

Thurs.’s Devo - The Anti-Christ

Read: Daniel 9:1-11:1; 1 John 2:18-3:6; Psalm 121:1-8; Proverbs 28:27-28 When Daniel learned that God meant for Jerusalem to stay dormant for 70 years, he fasted and cried out to the Lord. He confessed the sin of Israel and Judah as if he was just as guilty as the most wicked. He stood in the gap for his nation. He told the Lord that He was fair in just in his judgment. They deserved everything that happened. They had broken everyone of his laws and all the curses had fallen on them as a result. Daniel prayed for mercy. God’s messenger, Gabriel came to Daniel and to tell him that the moment he began praying, God heard and he was sent to give Daniel insight and understanding. Gabriel showed him what would happen for the next 70 years up until the Messiah came. Antiochus Epiphanes was the one who would set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration in the temple. He waged war on the Jews and sacrificed a pig on the altar in the Temple. He was the final anti-christ that precipitated Christs first coming. In the third year of king Cyrus’s ruleDaniel had been fasting and praying. He saw a man in a linen garment with a belt that was of gold. He immolated the glory of the heavens. The men with Daniel saw it too but ran in fear. Daniel stood alone looking at this marvelous man. When he spoke, Daniel fainted to the ground. The man touched him and he revived and stood up at his command. He told him to not be afraid because God had heard his prayer. The heavenly man had been fighting the spirit prince of Persia and finally had to have Michael come and help him prevail. When he returned he would finish the fight with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia and then the would spirit prince of Greece would come. This meant that the kingdom of Persia had to be defeated first spiritually for the new Grecian kingdom to rise up. Michael would help him who was the spirit prince of Israel. John explains the spirit of anti-christ. It is any leader who denies the Son. Jesus is the way to the Father. If you have Jesus, you have the Lord. When you accept Jesus as your Lord, then you also have the Holy Spirit. As children of the Lord, we walk in righteousness. Lord, thank you for your glorious power and the way you manifest your glory on the earth. May your kingdom come.

Wed.’s Devo - The Kingdoms of the World

Read: Daniel 8:1-27; 1 John 2:1-17; Psalm 120:1-7; Proverbs 28:25-26 Daniel had this vision during the third year of Belshazzar’s reign. He saw himself at the fortress of Susa which was the Persian capital. He was standing beside the Ulai River. He saw a ram with two horns standing beside the river. These represented the Media and the Persian kingdoms. Cyrus, the Persian was more mighty than Darius, the Mede. A male goat appeared from the west and crossed the land so swiftly that his feet didn’t touch the ground. This was Alexander the Great. Though Alexander had a small army, they were united and conquered the much greater army of Persia. In the height of Alexander’s power he died of a fever while in Babylon. Four kingdoms took his place. Seleucus was in the east and ruled over Syria, Babylonia and Media. Cassander in the west was over Macedon Thessaly, and Greece. Ptolemy was in the south over Egypt and Cyprus. Lysimachus was in the north over Thrace, Cappadocia and northern parts of Asia Minor. The small horn that arose from one of them was Antiochus Epiphanes, who rose up from Greece. He was the antithesis of the New Testament ‘Antichrist’. He waged war on the Jews canceling their daily sacrifices. It was the sins in Israel which gave rise to the Greek Antichrist. Some Jews had adopted Hellenic customs, erecting theaters, and regarding all religions alike, sacrificing to Jehovah, but at the same time sending money for sacrifices to Hercules. This will be the state of the world when the last Antichrist appears. Antiochus had an extraordinarly love of art, so he built grand temples. He wished to substitute Zeus Olympius for Jehovah at Jerusalem. He identified himself with Jupiter, making it his aim to make his own worship universal - a one world religion. He was so mad that he was called Epimanes (maniac) instead of Epiphanes. None of the previous world rulers, Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, Cyrus, Artaxerxes Longimanus, had systematically opposed the Jews' religious worship. That is why God sent prophets to prepare them for Antiochus. The struggle of the Maccabees was a fruit of Daniel's prophecy. Judas Maccabeus was the leader of a family that opposed Anitochus and his total takeover of their religious rights. He and his family stand for the Body of Christ on the earth. They were small but they had God on their side. Antiochus was the forerunner of the final Antichrist, standing in the same relation to the first coming of Christ that Antichrist does to His second coming. Antiochus died of worms and ulcers on his way to Judah to take vengeance on the Maccabees. This is a picture of what will happen to the Antichrist of the future. He will not prevail over the Church. In First John we are told to love one another. As children of God, we know that our sins are forgiven. To those who have matured in their faith, the fathers of the faith, we know Christ existed from the beginning. Like young men, we are strong and the word abides in us enabling us to overcome the wicked one. As children, we have know the love of our Father. John commands us not to love the world. If we do love the world, then the love of the Father is not with us. He explains that in the world there are many antichrists. This just proves that it is the end of the ages. The ones who do not stay in the faith were not of us in the first place. But we are led by the Holy Spirit and are shown all things. We have the truth and it doesn’t deny Jesus or the Father. The reward of faith is eternal life. If we abide in Him, then we will not be ashamed for him at his coming. Lord, we want to stand firm in our faith and endure until the end. Thank you for the Holy Spirit that leads us to You.