Revelation 19

Thanks, Jesus, for the victory YOU bring!

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“Hallelujah!  For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride had made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)”  (v 6-8 NIV)

“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.  They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands… These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Rev 1:9, 14 NIV)

Father, what a day it will be to finally be in Your presence for eternity!  Until that Day You are preparing Your Bride, Your Church–that includes me!  You are at work in my life to prepare me for “the wedding of the Lamb.”

You began with giving me “fine linen” or a “white robe” that’s been made “white in the blood of the Lamb” when I accepted Your Son as my Lord and Savior.  It is YOUR righteous act in my life that make me Yours and ready.  As Paul wrote to Titus: “…when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewed by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7 NIV)

Thank You, Father, that EVERYTHING You do in me here in this life to make me more like Jesus is preparing me for a transformed body and eternity with Your in heaven.  Amen.

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Revelation 18

Thanks, Jesus, for the victory YOU bring!

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“Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you.” (v 20 NIV)

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil… Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath for it is written: ‘It is Mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” (Romans 12:17, 19 NIV)

“I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.” (Psalms 18:1-3 NIV)

In the face of trouble, I am not alone.  Lord, YOU are my Defender and Deliverer.  You are the only one completely capable of protecting me from the blows of the enemy.  You are the only one who can rescue me from the midst of any battle that rages … and You have promised to do so.  Because I have come to know You, surely I can place my confidence in YOUR abilities, not leaning on my own, not seeking those of another human being, not doubting You when You seem silent or action-less.  Gird up my faith, Father, as You continue to make me just like Jesus.  Amen.

Revelation 17

Thanks, Jesus, for the victory YOU bring!

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“They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings — and with Him will be His CALLED, CHOSEN and FAITHFUL followers.” (v 14 NIV)

You, Lord, have called me out of darkness and into Your kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13-14).  You have chosen me to be Yours, Your heir, and to be holy in Your sight (Ephesians 1:4, 11).  You strengthen me to be faithful, the one trait of these three that depends on me, my choices and my attitude and actions (Matthew 25:21; Romans 12:12; 1 Corinthians 4:2)

No matter what challenges come, no matter what battle is waged against me, Father, keep me faithful, sustain my joy, and help me to patiently endure as You use all things in my life to make me just like Jesus.  Amen.

Revelation 16

Thanks, Jesus, for the victory YOU bring!

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{{PLAGUE happens}} —->  RESPONSE of people>> “…but they refused to repent and glorify Him.” (v 9 NIV)

{{PLAGUE happens}} —->  RESPONSE of people>>  “…but they refused to repent of what they had done.” (v 11 NIV)

Plague after plague demonstrated the intensity of Your wrath of judgment, Lord, and yet many refuse to change their ways and follow Your ways.

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.  See what this godly sorrow has produced in you:  what EARNESTNESS, what EAGERNESS TO CLEAR YOURSELVES, what INDIGNATION, what ALARM, what LONGING, what CONCERN, what READINESS TO SEE JUSTICE DONE…” (2 Corinthians 7:10-11 NIV)

Father, when my ways are not in line with Your ways, call me to change, to do the turnaround for which repentance calls.  Produce in me the traits above.  Make me just like Jesus with each passing day.  Amen.

Revelation 15

Thanks, Jesus, for the victory YOU bring!
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“Great and marvelous are Your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are Your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear You, O Lord, and bring glory to Your name?
For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.” (v 3-4 NIV)

YOU ALONE, Lord God Almighty, are HOLY.
Your deeds are GREAT and MARVELOUS.
Your ways are marked by JUSTICE and TRUTH.
You create awe in those who behold You.
Your name is above ALL other names.

When I sit alone with You, Father, it’s easy to pour out that kind of praise and admiration to You. The challenge comes when I have to get up and live like I mean it and believe it and know it. Keep on shaping me to be just like Jesus, so there’s less of me and more of Him showing through. (John 3:30) Amen.

Revelation 14

Thanks, Jesus, for the victory YOU bring!

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“…had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads… who did not defile themselves… kept themselves pure… followed the Lamb wherever He goes … purchased from among men … offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb.” (Exodus 23:19; James 1:18)

“No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.” (v 1, 4-5 NIV)

“This calls for PATIENT ENDURANCE on the part of the saints who OBEY God’s commandments and REMAIN FAITHFUL to Jesus.” (v 12 NIV)

Sovereign God, THANK YOU that I can call You “Father,” that I am Yours.  Thank You for giving me Your name — not because of any act I’d done, but because of what Jesus did on the cross for me.  Help me to remain pure in my mind, heart, and body.  Help me to keep my eyes on You, following Your lead always.  Thank You for redeeming my life from being a slave to sin!  May I ever remain surrendered to You, just like a sacrificial offering.  Keep me in Your Truth and blameless.  Above all, may I obey and trust You so that patient endurance may be second-nature to me.

Thank You for the promise and assurance of seeing You one day and then being with You forever.  Until that Day, here’s my heart, my life — keep on making me just like Jesus.  Amen.

Revelation 13

Thanks, Jesus, for the victory YOU bring!

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“…a beast coming out of the sea… He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them.  And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.” (v 1, 7 NIV)

(Authority from whom? See v 2 “…The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.”)

“All the inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast–all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” (v 8 NIV)

Father, this war against the saints has been going on since just after You created this world, beginning when mankind first disobeyed You.  The one who hated Your dream of creation set out to destroy it all.  For many centuries, this enemy ran rampant.  Yet, in YOUR perfect timing, You “crushed his head” (Genesis 3:15) with the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Now, we know the final score of the game will leave the enemy the loser and YOU, the triumphant victor!

“This calls for PATIENT ENDURANCE and FAITHFULNESS on the part of the saints… This calls for WISDOM…” (v 10, 18 NIV)

Until that Day You take me Home, Father, I realize that this life will have tremendous challenges in the midst of joys.  Following You means walking the path Your Son walked … which was not always a playful skip through the park.  You call me to patiently endure AND You supply me with abundant grace and strength.  You tell me I’ll need wisdom and You promise to give it when I ask for it (James 1:5; Proverbs 2:3-11).  You have made provision for me to live this life for You, as You keep on shaping me to be just like Jesus.  Amen.