Don’t Be Left Behind

Certain verses make us think of the future. The book of Revelation as a whole does, but there are certain ones that direct our thoughts to what it will be like when we are there. One of those verses is in chapter six of Revelation, where we see a group of people who missed the rapture who have been slain for their faith, begging God for justice. God gives them a white robe and tells them to wait. Don’t Be Left Behind.

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭6:11

“And there was given to each of them a white robe, and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.”

During the tribulation, there will be people who come to faith in Jesus. There will be so many it will seem like a great revival. This makes sense because people will realize they missed the boat (or cloud) when they rejected everything they were told about Jesus. Satan will see these saints and will direct the Anti-Christ’s wrath against them. There will be many who will be martyred for their faith. They will be given a white robe after their death and told to wait until the persecution is completed.

Run to Win

In the last Olympic Games in Tokyo, there was an eighteen-year-old runner named Athing Mu. She ran the 800 meters for the United States and was the youngest competitor in her field. Her age didn’t matter because she left the rest of the runners in the dust. She came close to a world record. The Apostle Paul likes your Christian faith to running the race, and he wants you to run to win.

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭9:24

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.”

Paul loved to use metaphors like athletes, soldiers, and farmers to get his points across. It was similar to how Jesus used parables to make spiritual doctrine easier for the uneducated masses to understand. In Corinth, they understood the example of the athlete because they held an athletic competition called the “Isthmian Games.” It was similar to the Olympic games held in Athens. Athletes from all over Greece would come and compete and would be award wreaths as a reward. Paul wants Christians to live their faith like athlete run, to win.

Here I am Lord Send Me

In the book of Isaiah, God was looking for those He could send to minister to the people. Isaiah stepped up and said, “Here I am Lord, send me.” Paul was willing to go where most people feared to suffer what most avoided to preach the Gospel. He had a “Here I am Lord, send me” attitude as well. Do you have the same attitude?

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭9:19

“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.”

A lot is being made about liberty, and rightfully so. In some countries, people are being restricted to their homes, and if they leave and are caught doing an unauthorized activity, they are arrested by the police. Paul lived in an oppressive time. If you weren’t a Roman citizen, then you had no rights in their empire. If you were a citizen, you had free reign, and specific punishments were not allowed, like crucifixion or being beat with a rod. What makes this interesting is that Paul was a legal Roman citizen, yet he gave up so many of his rights to see more saved.

Goes Against God’s Design

The other day, I ran across a story of a nurse talking about telling a patient she was seven weeks pregnant as her wife stood next to her. You read that right. The woman had cheated on her wife with a man and gotten pregnant in the process. The nurse didn’t elaborate on what happened after that, but she did say it was awkward. God created man and woman to be together. Homosexuality goes against God’s design.

‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭18:22

“You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.”

The Bible is very clear that homosexuality is an abomination to the Lord. That means it is repugnant or detestable to God. The act of a man laying with another man in sexual relations is morally repugnant to the Lord. I know it is not politically correct to condemn anything to do with gay people, but God has been saying for centuries that the act of homosexuality is an abomination. Men are not to lay with another man in a sexual way, and the same goes for women. It goes against God’s design.

Your Prayers are a Pleasing Aroma to God

Incense has been around since the beginning of time. Its uses are many, but it was primarily used to bring a different aroma to a room because there weren’t the sanitary measures we have in place today. One of the places it is used in the Bible was the tabernacle when Israel was out in…

Neither Better Nor Worse

In my book, there is nothing better than good BBQ. It is one of my favorite hobbies, and if you look on my social media on Saturday nights, you will probably see what I grilled for dinner. Food is essential for our survival, but God also gave it to us to enjoy. We are neither better nor worse by what we eat. It’s a matter of the heart.

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭8:8

“But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.”

Corinth was a very vain culture. They put a lot of emphasis on personal appearances and having it all together. This was creeping into the church, and Paul was dealing with it. One of the issues was food offered to idols. I have shared earlier that Corinthians, including those in the church, would often buy meat sacrificed at Pagan altars because it was cheaper than what you could pay in the market. There was also another facet of this debate. There were trade unions that would have monthly association dinners that would take place at these temples where they would eat the same meat. The difference was that many of the pagan rituals happened as well. Christians were caught in the middle of this because they would have no work if they didn’t go. If they did, they would often be accused of idol worship. Paul lays this to rest by saying food doesn’t commend or condemn us to God.

Bring the Life Back

There are a lot of people walking around lifeless. Current events have drained them of any energy or enthusiasm. Even some of the more optimistic people have lost their positive outlook. You can bring the life back into your heart if you are struggling. All you need is for the blood of Jesus to cover your sins.

‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭17:11

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’”

In the Old Testament, the Israelites weren’t allowed to touch the blood of a person or animal, or they would become unclean. The reason for that is blood was the symbol of life. You can have flesh and bones, but it was the blood that gives life. That is also why blood was used in the sacrifices. It was one life for another. It would make atonement for a person’s sin and set them in a right relationship with God. An animal’s blood was used, but it was never satisfactory for God. That is why He sent His Son to come and be our sacrifice.

A Vision of Things to Come

How often do you think of the future? By this, I mean after Jesus comes with the rapture? Do you think of Heaven and what life will be like when that happens? The Apostle John gives us a vision of things to come in chapter four of Revelation. We get a glimpse of Heaven and what it’s going to be like.

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭4:2

“Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.”

John was exiled to the island of Patmos, and while he was there, he was given the book of Revelation. There were several times where he was taken into the Spirit. Chapter four shows us where John was taken up into Heaven and given a vision of what was there. Here he sees a throne with God sitting there. Chapters four through five are one of the best pictures of Heaven we get in the Bible.

Do Not Deprive One Another

There is a lot of sexual sin in the church, a lot. It seems to be spreading and reaching into new categories that were taboo in previous decades. How does a Christian navigate these waters and remain pure? Paul makes it simple and very clear for married couples: do not deprive one another lest you give in to temptation because of lack of self-control. Sadly, I’ve found that this is the predominant issue regarding most sexual sin, and it isn’t even close.

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭7:5‬

“Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”

Too many Christian couples use sex as a manipulative tool. Women withhold it because they don’t like how their husbands are acting, and men force themselves on their wives because they have allowed their eyes to get them so riled up. Paul tells the couples to stop depriving one another of sexual intimacy because it opened each other to temptation, and they didn’t have enough self-control to resist.

Open a Door No One Can Shut

We live in an old house. It will be 100 years old in a couple of years. With that age comes some challenges. One of those is our bathroom door. It had the original handle on it that tends to get stuck. After multiple times of our children needing assistance getting out, we finally took the handle off. Now it is perpetually open unless you latch it. Did you know that God can open a door no one can shut? John shows us in today’s scripture.

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3:8

“‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”

To the church in Philadelphia, Jesus speaks an encouraging word. They have been fighting the good fight and have experienced resistance from the Jewish synagogue, and they are tired. Jesus tells them that He will open a door that no one can shut. That can bring relief when you are weary from fighting battles. When Jesus says He will do something, He will do it. If He is going to open a door that you haven’t been able to budge, it’s going to open, and no one can shut it.