Zealous for HIS Glory! Blog

Background Zealous for HIS Glory!


GOD is Zealous for HIS Glory! The Hebrew word for Glory is “kabowd” and refers to the substance of something, its weight, splendor or reputation. The Greek word for Glory is “doxa” which means to seem, to give a correct opinion of, or to show an accurate estimate of something. In other words God wants His creation to see Who He really is… and He expects His creation, especially mankind, to “give a correct estimate” of Who He really is!

The purpose of Word Center Ministries' blog is to proclaim the truth that Creation was created for God’s Glory. Sometimes we will simply ponder His Glory; sometimes we will point out things that bring Him Glory, perhaps things you may not have considered; other times we will consider things that might actually rob Him of His Glory.

God is Zealous for His Glory! He created His Creation so His Glory would be seen… and He intends to make that happen!


No matter who wins… No matter who loses… It’s time to pray to the LORD God… and confess.

Psalm 36-1


“Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps Your covenant and lovingkindness for those who love You and keep Your commandments, we, WHO CALL OURSELVES BY YOUR NAME, have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances. Moreover, we have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers and all the people of the land.

Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord. You are holy, pure, and true. …

Revelation 22:6-21 Because He is Coming Quickly...

Revelation 22-6-21 Because HE is Coming Quickly...

From Revelation 21:1 through Revelation 22:5, God shows us the zenith of our future; the new Jerusalem. In Revelation 22:6-21, He now takes us back to our present time and says, "In the light of all that I have shown you (the entire book), here is what you need to do." He has given us spiritual disclosure; He will now give us divine exhortation. Let's prepare our hearts for His words.

God of the heaven and the earth, dearest Father, please speak to us in this final chapter of your word. Both in the book of Revelation and in the Bible itself. …

Revelation 22:1-5 New Jerusalem from the Inside

Revelation 22-1-5

The video of the city, which began in Revelation 21:9, is still playing. The angel has shown John some unbelievably breathtaking sights—the ultimate tour! John must be exhausted by this time! Maybe some fresh, sweet, cold water would help!

Speaking of water... (I admit it, as far as segues go, that one was… bad.)

Take note that Revelation 22:1-5 is part and parcel with Revelation 21. There were no chapter divisions when God wrote this book for us. They were added by men to "help" us; sometimes, they don't. …

Revelation 21:9-27 New Jerusalem From the Outside

Revelation 21-9-27

Remember the pattern? First, a panoramic view, then zoom in, then zoom in again for even more details? We were introduced to the sweeping view of the new heavens, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem. Now it's time to zoom in and take a much closer look at the New Jerusalem. 

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. …

Revelation 21:1-8 GOD Dwells With HIS People

Revelation 21-1-8

John has seen some fantastic visions since he first heard that loud voice telling him to write down what he saw, but what he is about to see will absolutely take his breath away! In contrast to his last vision, one of terror and torment, this one will be unbelievably delightful and satisfying!

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. Revelation 21:1

The old heaven and earth have passed away; they are gone. The sight before John is astonishing; he sees their replacements; a new heaven and a new earth. …

Revelation 20:11-15 The Great White Throne Judgment

Revelation 20-11-15

We so often hear people claiming they know specific details concerning the end of the earth, either believing they know when it will end or how it will end. Let me be clear, "Do not listen to them!" They are either lying or flat out wrong, probably both.

Truth comes from God through His Word. Period. If you want to gather information about the end of the earth, go to God's Word! The world is not going to end because we humans are bad stewards; it's going to end because God ends it. Period.

In our study of Revelation, we just happen to be on the cusp of heaven's and earth's demise, (along with some more judgments, and some more inhabitants moving into the lake of fire and brimstone) so let's open the book of Revelation!

Revelation 20:7-10 Satan is Released

Revelation 20-7-10

Intrigue. Conspiracy. Betrayal. Deceit. Treachery. 

Can you tell when someone is lying to you? There are usually tell-tale signs whether we notice them or not; most people don't. And when you consider the fact that most people are liars, the chances of being deceived once in awhile are relatively high.

Even professional experts in the area would have a hard time telling when they are being deceived by Satan; after all, he has spent all of eternity sharpening his duplicity skills. However, he will be forced to give up his deceit addiction because he will have to go cold turkey in the abyss when he has absolutely no access to the nations. …

Revelation 20:4-6 The First Resurrection

Revelation 20-4-6

There is a first resurrection and a second resurrection? Two resurrections? There is a "first death" and a "second death?" Two deaths? Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? Lions and tigers and bears!!! Oh, my!!!

Okay. I admit it. This scene might seem a little puzzling, but that's alright. I'll walk you through it slowly and carefully. You'll get it in no time! This part of Revelation might be new territory for some of you, but there is nothing to fear. Except that you might have to let go of a preconceived notion or two to learn what God is teaching us here. …

Revelation 20:1-3 Satan Bound for 1,000 Years

Revelation 20-1-3

In the Great War of God, the Almighty (Revelation 19:11-16), the world's armies are decimated. Yes!!! The beast and the false prophet are thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone! Yes!!! But we are left with a cliffhanger regarding the demise of the dragon. Although it seems like a cliffhanger, it really isn't. Chapter divisions are man-made; they are not inspired by God. The story continues on in the next chapter; all we have to do is keep reading! So, let's read on!!!

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. …

Revelation 19:17-21 The Supper of God

Revelation 19-17-21

Food is supposed to be satisfying, isn't it? And, for the most part, it is. We all have favorite restaurants we visit time and again, or a favorite meal we like to prepare and serve to those we love, right? And most likely, we also have the opposite; the restaurant we never want to see again, or the meal we dread, knowing that Mom is it making for supper. Again.

John is about to get a look at the menu for the great supper God is preparing. I can almost see the look on his face. And, take it from me, none of us want to be invited!

Revelation 19:11-16 The WORD of GOD Comes!

Revelation 19-11-16 Word of God

All stories have essential elements, like characters, setting, plot, conflict, and resolution. Some of our favorite stories are so because of a specific scene that seriously moved our emotions. Many times that scene was when the hero arrived and obliterated the enemy (judgment and victory all in one fell swoop), ending the conflict forever.

If the account is based on real-life events (and it moves you to emotion), then it is compelling to contemplate how the real-life characters must have felt in that exhilarating moment. …

Revelation 19:6-10 The Marriage of The Lamb

Revelation 19-6-10


Wow! The praise from that last scene was good! I hope you have been joining in on the worship as we are journeying through Revelation 19! We are beginning God's Grand Finale! It's the culmination of God's oh, so sweet and righteous plan for His glory! He is getting close to putting all things in their places for the duration of eternity, which never ends!!! So shout out loud and praise Him with all you have in you as we walk through these last few chapters!!! Listen, and maybe you can hear me! I'm singing and shouting and praising and dancing to our God!!!

Revelation 19:1-5 Reaction to God's Judgment on Babylon

Revelation 19-1-5

After these things… After what things???

After the seals, trumpets and bowls are finished! After God’s wrath has been completed. After the great city Babylon has been judged and destroyed forever!!!

In sharp contrast to the weeping and wailing of the kings and the merchants of the earth over Babylon’s demise, we now hear shouts and exclamations of praise and joyous adoration to the One Who does all these things…

After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! …

Revelation 18:1-24 Description of the Fall of Babylon

Revelation 18-1-24

You can’t get away from the fact that God uses two full chapters in the book of Revelation to make sure we understand what He is going to do to Babylon… What’s important to God must absolutely be important to us. So let’s listen to Him carefully.

After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory. Revelation 18:1

After what things? In the semi-expanded context of Revelation 16, John has just seen the seven bowls poured out on the earth; in the more immediate context of Revelation 17, he has witnessed the identification of the great harlot and her judgment. …

Revelation 17:1-18 Judgment of the Great Harlot

Revelation 17-1-18

The next two chapters in Revelation seem like an interlude, and they are… kinda…

At this point in Revelation the Lamb has broken all the seals of the book, and the very last seal (the seventh seal is the seven trumpets and the seventh trumpet is the seven bowls) has been fully revealed (the seven-sealed scroll has been completely read, so to speak). The final bowl (which we just observed in Revelation 16:17-21) included Babylon the great being remembered before God—she is given the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath!

Bitterness to Sweetness

Romans 6_4 copy

Noah, my middle son, used to bring me bittersweet from our woods when he was very little. He would say, “I love you, Mommy! Here are sweetberries for you!” To this day, whenever I see bittersweet I think of how my beloved son, out of his love for me, turned the bittersweet into sweetness.

I am also reminded of how God used His Beloved Son to turn the bitterness of death into the sweetness of Life Eternal with Him—out of his love for us.

Inside the bright red berries is the seed of the plant which brings life—in the case of the bittersweet plant, more bittersweet. …

Tale of a Whale

Psalm 104-24-26

I took this shot while whale watching out on the Pacific Ocean during a vacation on Maui. Little baby whale is a three month old making one of her first breaches. She was around 1,000 pounds at birth, and here, about three months later, she is approximately 4,000 pounds of miraculous marvel! Notice Mama whale is right beside her carefully watching all she does. 


God’s creation is beyond magnificent! We cannot fathom its staggering wonders! How much more phenomenal and astounding is The Creator, Himself, than all that He has made!!! …

I Believe Every Bit of It!

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I believe everything God says in His Word...

Everything in the Bible is written by Him and He used men through His Holy Spirit to write it. I am personally convinced that studying the Bible inductively, one book at a time, is the best way to study His Word. And yet, despite man’s responsibility to diligently study God’s Word, ultimately God must open your eyes, ears, and mind to see, hear, and understand the things He says in His Word.

The Bible is the full revelation of God, Himself, and His ways. There is nothing that can be known about God in this present age that is not taught in the Bible. …

Revelation 16:17-21

Revelation 16-17-21

One last angel… one last bowl… the grand finale of God’s wrath…

Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.” Revelation 16:17

The bowls of the previous six angels have been poured out on the earth, the sea, the rivers and springs, the sun, the throne of the beast, and the great river Euphrates—the bowl of the seventh angel is now poured on the air.

A loud voice comes out of the temple from the throne where God the Father is sitting which declares, “It is done.” …

Revelation 16:12-16 The Sixth Bowl Judgment

Revelation 16-12-16

The treacherous trio of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet… the infamous battle of Har-magedon… Awfully famed and familiar? Yes… Always factual and faithful to the text? Perhaps not...

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east. Revelation 16:12

The sixth angel pours his bowl on the great river called the Euphrates. The result? Its water dries up. The dry riverbed is not the end of the judgment though; God has plans for that riverbed and He will prepare it to fully execute His will. …

Revelation 16:8-11 The Fourth and Fifth Bowl

Revelation 16-8-11

The suffering on the earth is literally intolerable—every living thing in the sea is dead, and the fresh waters have become blood… But it is worse for those who followed the beast; they have loathsome and malignant sores on their bodies. The conditions are insufferable, but perfectly righteous and true… The judgments are not finished though… not just yet… Things are actually going to get worse… the intensity of pain and torment will continue to escalate…

The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. …

Revelation 16:1-7 The First Three Bowl Judgments

Revelation 16-1-7

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.” Revelation 16:1

Consider the previous scene—the smoke-filled temple, into which no one is able to enter until the seven plagues of the seven angels are finished.

John then hears a loud voice from the smoke-filled temple. We cannot know for sure whose voice John heard because there have been so many “loud voices” in the book of Revelation—a voice like the sound of a trumpet in Revelation 1:10, a strong angel in Revelation 5:2, many angels around the throne, the living creatures and the elders in Revelation 5:12, an angel with the seal of the living God in Revelation 7:2, the great multitude out of the tribulation in Revelation 7:10, an eagle flying in midheaven in Revelation 8:13, another strong angel in Revelation 10:3, a loud voice from heaven in Revelation 11:12, loud voices in heaven in Revelation 11:15, a loud voice in heaven in Revelation 12:10, and four different angels in Revelation 14:7, 9, 15, and 18.

Revelation 15:5-8 The Sanctuary is Filled with Smoke

Revelation 15-5-8

Wow! I don’t know about you, but I think Revelation 15 is one of the most awesome chapters in the entire Bible! It’s timing is the brink of the climax of mankind’s existence and its setting stunningly displays God in His temple—in all His power and Glory!

If only the world would take their eyes off themselves for a moment and look at Him… He is worthy… in every way… of everything…

After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened… Revelation 15:5

After what things? …

No-Fall Zone

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God provides His children with a no-fall zone for their steps. And, as most precepts found in the Bible, there is God’s sovereign part and there is man’s responsibility…

The Sovereignty of God…

When my grandchildren were smaller, they were not allowed to go anywhere they wished. Rather, their destinations were determined by their parents and grandparents. When I was with them, they needed me to hold their hands (almost all the time) in order to avoid disaster. The number of times they were saved from crashing face first into the ground could never be counted! …

Revelation 15:1-4 The Song Before the Wrath is Finished

Revelation 15-1-4

Remember the pattern in the book of Revelation of songs before judgment? Whenever there is a song, we can expect that judgment will be along shortly… Well, listen to this one… it’s really a doozie!

Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished. Revelation 15:1

There has been quite an interlude between the rolling out of the seals, trumpets and bowls since Revelation 10—the most recent being the sixth trumpet (otherwise known as the second woe). …

Revelation 14:14-20 The Earth is Reaped

Revelation 14-14-20

Three angels down… three to go… or is it four?

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man having a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. Revelation 14:14

After John watches three angels give three messages to the world, he views someone that looks like a human, or an angel, sitting on a white cloud. The human-like person has a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Some people believe the human-like person is actually Jesus, mainly because he has a golden crown on his head. …

Revelation 14:6-13 The Three Messages

Revelation 14-6-13

Angels are about to give us an overview of the events that will take place in the seventh trumpet—in other words, sit down and get ready to view a trailer for the upcoming events…

And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people… Revelation 14:6

Chapter 14 contains three scenes which are part of the overall interlude we have been in since chapter 10 (after the sixth trumpet judgments and before the seventh trumpet actually releases its judgments). …

Squirrels Are Nuts!

squirrels are nuts

My dog barks… at bunnies, at deer, at turkey, and coyotes, and bobcats, and… squirrels!

In our neck of the woods (and we do live in a forest reserve) the squirrels come out to feed early-morning and are done by noon. That means my dog QaraShem barks from early morning to noon… every day… loudly… and insistently…

He sees the predator and tries to sound the alarm for the “wolf-pack” namely—me, by his barking. When I don’t respond he will find one of my slippers, one of my socks, or one of my rogue Aquafina bottles around the house, and run into my presence daring me to chase him back to the source of the alarm—the squirrel he sees through the window.

Revelation 14:1-5 The 144,000 in Heaven

Revelation 14-1-5

With five more scenes before we finish this interlude, we are about to encounter a familiar group…

Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. Revelation 14:1

The Lamb is standing on Mount Zion, the real Mount Zion in heaven, and the 144,000 are with Him. Remember, the Lamb is in the throne room breaking the seals of the scroll unleashing God’s judgments against the earth. …

Revelation 13:11-18 Another Beast

Revelation 13-11-18

As we continue to observe a major interlude in the seals, trumpets, and bowls (the one before the seventh trumpet judgment begins), we again encounter heinous treachery. In reality, deception is nothing more than a trick, a sham, a fraud, a pretense… but it can be lethal… and in this case, it will be…

Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon. Revelation 13:11

Here is another beast, different than the beast described for us in the first half of this chapter. …

Revelation 13:7-10 The Beast Wars With The Saints

Revelation 13-7-10

Things are heating up on the earth. The beast is starting the Great Tribulation. But true saints will persevere… true saints will be faithful to the Lamb…

Although the great red dragon and the beast are not the same… although Satan and the anti-christ are not the same… they both have the same purpose… they want control of the earth so they can go after the Jews, God’s holy people…

It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.

Revelation 13:1-6 The Earth Follows The Beast

Revelation 13-1-6

We are still observing the interlude before the seventh trumpet judgment (which is the same as the seven bowls judgments).

And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. Revelation 13:1

John sees a dragon standing on the sand of the seashore (the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan) and a beast coming up out of the sea (the beast is different than the dragon). …

Revelation Read-Thru Recap (Chapters 1-12)

Revelation Recap 1-12

We have observed over one-half of the book of Revelation… so maybe it’s time for a recap!

Seven-sealed Scroll

All sorts of things have been happening in Revelation, mostly the breaking of the seven-sealed scroll by the Lamb (Jesus Christ). The scroll holds God’s judgments on the earth—no one is found worthy to break the seals in order to unleash those judgments… except the Lamb. He takes the scroll from the right hand of God (Who is on His throne) and begins to break the seals… and then God’s judgments begin…

Revelation 12:15-17 The Dragon Wars Against the Woman's Seed

Revelation 12-15-17

Ever had a mad dragon (one who was “flooding at the mouth”) chase you? In times of trouble, the only real assurance we can have is that God is in control… During the Great Tribulation, the Jews who flee to the wilderness will know that their God is most certainly in control… They will know that they are safe as long as they stay in their place of refuge…

And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth. …

Revelation 12:13-14 The Dragon Persecutes the Woman

Revelation 12-13-14

We are sitting at a major convergence of prophetic events—several peaks in the mountain range seem to merge into one…

John has prophesied about “general” judgments on the earth which usher in cataclysmic occurrences the like of which have never been seen before. War, famine, pestilence, wild beasts, murder, martyrdom, and earthquake. Hail, fire, and blood. One-third of the earth and one-third of the sea are destroyed—the land and the sea, burned and bloody. One-third of earth’s fresh water becomes poison to its inhabitants. …

Revelation 12:7-12 The War in Heaven

Revelation 12-7-12

Interested in the happenings of the Great Tribulation? Well, take a seat, because you are definitely in the right chapter…

And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Revelation 12:1-6 The Woman and the Dragon

Revelation 12-1-6

Have you ever seen Matryoshka nesting dolls?  They are a set of wooden dolls decreasing in size placed one inside another.  In the 1,990’s I was a professor at a Bible college in Ukraine; one year I picked up a set.  Mine is a little Ukranian family with the papa on the outside, the mama inside the papa, and the eldest son inside the mama.  When you open the eldest child you find another smaller child, and so on, until you finally reach the baby, who is inside all the others.

My son, Caleb, reminded me that I have used my Matryoshka set in the past as an illustration of the seals, trumpets and bowls in Revelation, so here goes…  The seals, trumpets, and bowls are all part of the seven-sealed scroll (the papa doll), but the seventh seal (the mama doll) has seven trumpets inside of it and the seventh trumpet (a child doll) has seven bowls inside of it (more children).

Revelation 11:15-19 The Seventh Trumpet Judgment (3rd Woe)

Revelation 11-15-19

The second woe is past and there is a grave call to pay attention because the third woe is coming quickly! Listen! The sounding of a loud trumpet… Loud voices in heaven… The announcement of the ages is taking place!

Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” Revelation 11:15

Once again (as we saw before the seven trumpet judgments) we can see an overview or a summary of what is about to happen.

Revelation 11:7-14 The Beast Kills The Witnesses

Revelation 11-7-14

When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. Revelation 11:7

Here, in this interlude, is a preview of the beast—the one who will be revealed in the middle of Daniel’s 70th week as the anti-christ. This is his moment—when he kills the two witnesses.

He will not kill them prematurely; they will have finished speaking every word of testimony God has decreed. God will sovereignly allow their deaths.

The beast is identified for us as one that will come up out of the abyss. …

Revelation 11:3-6 The Two Witnesses

Revelation 11-3-6

What do 42 months and twelve hundred and sixty days have in common? Probably nothing on our own Gregorian calendars, but do the math on a Jewish calendar and you’ve got a match!

...And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. Revelation 11:3

There are two time phrases in the first three verses of chapter 11—forty-two months and 1,260 days. Are they related? They are on a Jewish calendar. (Try to do it on a Gentile calendar and it doesn't work.) …

Revelation 11:1-2 The Temple Measurements

Revelation 11-1-2

In John’s vision, the sixth trumpet judgment has sounded but the seventh and final trumpet judgment has not yet begun. We just saw an amazing scene in Revelation 10 in which a strong gigantic angel placed his feet on the land and the sea of the earth and gave John an open book. It held harrowing news for the nations of the world. Now we are going to continue with another interlude, or parenthetical insert, which will give us some extraordinary information about the future…

Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it.

Revelation 10:1-11 The Little Book

Revelation 10-1-11

There are angels… and then there are angels…

I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire… Revelation 10:1

We are now in a pause, or interlude, between the sixth and seventh trumpet. But John is not resting; he continues to see more and more of the Revelation of Jesus Christ…

John tells us he sees another strong angel. He has been watching the seven angels who are given seven trumpets. …

Revelation 9:13-21 The Sixth Trumpet Judgment (2nd Woe)

Revelation 9-13-21

One-third of mankind will die! Woe! Woe to the earth!

Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” Revelation 9:13-14

John saw the sixth angel sound his trumpet and then he heard a voice (literally the text says “one voice”). The voice came from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God. The voice was speaking to the sixth angel who had the trumpet. …

Revelation 9:1-12 The Fifth Trumpet Judgment (1st Woe)

Revelation 9-1-12

Three angels are about to sound their trumpets and it is not going to be lighthearted music by any stretch of the imagination. The trumpet blasts will each signal the entrance of a judgment that is deemed a woe, each woe worse than the previous. The intensity of the judgments in Revelation continues to increase incrementally.

Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. Revelation 9:1

When the fifth angel blew his trumpet John saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth. …

Revelation 8:13 The Three Woes

Revelation 8-13

Let’s recap…

Jesus sent one long vision to John (which was given to Jesus by God and communicated by His angel)… This vision is to be given to Jesus’ bond-servants so they will know the things which must soon take place… John has been writing down the things he is seeing in the vision…

John saw a vision of Jesus, Himself, along with Jesus’ messages to the seven churches… John was shown the very throne room of God… He saw Jesus take a book, which was secured with seven seals and contained judgments on all of creation, out of the right hand of God… He saw the Lamb break each seal, one after the other, until the first six were broken… Each seal revealed terrible and intensifying judgments…

Revelation 8:12 The Fourth Trumpet Judgment

Revelation 8-12

Why are all these catastrophic events going to take place? Because mankind has decided throughout the ages that humans are in charge of themselves. Mankind denies that God even exists, much more that He reigns over us!

The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way. Revelation 8:12

The fourth angel takes his trumpet and sounds it. …

Revelation 8:10-11 The Third Trumpet Judgment

Revelation 8-10-11

An angel, a trumpet blast, a great burning star speeding toward the earth’s fresh waters—a recipe for disaster if there ever was one… or should I say judgment...

The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters. Revelation 8:10

When the third angel sounded his trumpet a great star fell from heaven. The first two judgments (a bloody mixture of hail and fire and a fiery mass) were thrown to the earth while this one is described as falling from heaven. …

Revelation 8:8-9 The Second Trumpet Judgment

Revelation 8-8-9

The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed. Revelation 8:8-9

That's a lot—just do the math on those fractions. The first trumpet sounded, and although death wasn’t mentioned, a third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned, all the green grass was burned.

Then the second trumpet sounded and something like a burning mountain was thrown into the sea. …

Revelation 8:7 The First Trumpet Judgment

Revelation 8-7

Surprise! Surprise! If you have been observing the book of Revelation with us, you have probably been pleasantly surprised to find that it is really not all that difficult to understand.

In order to hear what God is saying in the book of Revelation we just have to walk through it slowly and methodically… we have to pay close attention to it… and we have to let Scripture interpret Scripture instead of listening to everyone else’s opinion of what God has written.

These are the “Scenes” we have seen so far in the book of Revelation:

Revelation 8:1-6 The LAMB Breaks the Seventh Seal

Revelation 8-1-6

Have you ever been some place where there was absolute silence? I don’t know if it would even be possible to find such a place, but if it were, wouldn’t it be frightening? At the very least you could probably still hear your heart pounding in fear because you could sense that something was wrong… very, very wrong… you could feel in your being that something was about to happen… and whatever it was—was going to be terrifying…

The interlude is over and John is about to direct our attention back to the breaking of the seals. …

When Judgment Hits a Nation—Nobody is Exempt...

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The Supreme Court of the United States of America just “legalized” same-sex marriages across the land. Man did not design marriage—God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, did. And man’s new legal definition defies the Supreme Being of the Universe. If God is all that He tells us He is (and He is), then we must expect (according to His Word) that He will in due course righteously judge our beloved nation for its insurrection.

The book of Habakkuk typifies the fact that national judgment affects individuals.

Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom "Legos® Style"

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Knowledge without understanding is dead—knowledge and understanding without wisdom can be dangerous .

Legos are amazing. Our boys played with them more than any other toy they ever owned. When we put Legos in front of each  of our sons as babies, they had no knowledge of them. They were gaining knowledge, facts, truth or information about Legos. They discovered they were different colors, had bumps on top, holes on the bottom, and smooth sides. They also learned they came in many shapes and sizes. They acquired some knowledge, but had no understanding or wisdom regarding Legos.

Fruit of the Truth

Fruit of The Truth

The saints at Colossae had a reputation which went far and wide—they were known for their faith in Christ Jesus and their love which they had for all the saints.

Why did the saints at Colossae have this amazing faith in Christ Jesus and love for all the saints? Because of the hope laid up for them in heaven! The Colossians had heard about the hope laid up for them in heaven in the Word of Truth—the Gospel.

How did the Colossians hear about the Word of Truth? Through Ephapras, a beloved fellow bond-servant and a faithful servant of Christ on Paul’s behalf. …

Struggle To Encourage

Sometimes we see an example of behavior that stops us dead in our tracks because we recognize the extent of sacrifice and the enormity of devotion in someone… See anything below that you want to emulate?

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. 

True Saints to The True God

The word saint can mean different things to different people—a good person, a religious person, a person of great stature in a church or denomination, even a neighborly person can acquire the title of “Saint”—but the only thing that really matters is what it means to God.

The Greek word in Colossians 1:2 for saints is hagio and means holy or sacred. “Set apart” or “called out” are terms we might use to describe a saint. It has to do with religious dedication or consecration. Saints, in New Testament times were simply those persons who were dedicated to their own god.

Too Heavenly Minded...

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We have probably all heard this phrase dozens of times, sadly, even from pulpits and pastors, “Some people are so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good.” May I ask you how you react to that thought? Are you in agreement or do you stand up firm and established in God’s Word against the notion that a saint can think too much about the things of the Lord?

Is it possible to be too heavenly minded… is it possible to think too much about things above?

The third chapter of Colossians talks about the conduct of those who are raised up with Christ (all true believers). …

Who is Like the Devil?

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Sometimes it helps to see things laid out in a different format. Let’s take 1 John 3:7-10, verses which will keep us from being deceived, and put them into more of a list form.

Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning.

The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Revelation 7:9-17 The Great Multitude

Revelation 7-9-17

A remarkable group will come out of the Great Tribulation—the Great Multitude. They will come out of the Great Tribulation… but into where? Into the innermost court of heaven where the Great God of the Universe sits perpetually on His throne… into the presence of the Glorious Majesty Who will usher them into eternal safety and everlasting life… into the arms of the Great Shepherd… The Lamb, Himself…

Six seals of judgment were broken in Revelation 6, but now Revelation 7 shows us an interlude—a parenthetical insert, if you will. …

What's at Stake?

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Why are certain parts of the Bible so hard for (many) Christians to believe?

1 John 3:4-10

Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.

Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning.

Two Big Events are Slated to Happen Soon!

God’s midnight hour is almost upon us…

The nations are definitely in an uproar! The entire world is devising ways to rid themselves of the gracious yoke of God on their lives. Right now, it is still individuals and groups who are working hard at delegitimizing God’s beneficial authority over mankind, but soon—very soon—the global network of humanism will be solidified and then things will get worse… much, much worse…

Psalm 2

Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing?

The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!”

Revelation 7:1-8 The 144,000 Sealed

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A summary for Revelation 7 could be “Interlude: The 144,000 and the Great Multitude”. Wanna know a secret? I know who the 144,000 are! (We’ll talk about the Great Multitude in the next blog.)

After this… Revelation 7:1

What is the “this”? After seeing those six seals opened up John sees four angels standing at the four corners of the earth. The seventh seal is not broken just yet, but instead, we see the first of three major interludes. Chapter 7 is a parenthetical insert. 

Sometimes the interludes in Revelation will be talking about something that is pretty much taking place at the same time where we are chronologically in the seals, trumpets, and bowls. …

Revelation 6:12-17 The LAMB Breaks the Sixth Seal

Revelation 6-12-17

A great earthquake takes place! The sun becomes black; the whole moon becomes like blood; the stars fall to the earth; mountains and islands are moved out of their places; people—all people—want to die… Why? Because they know Who is causing all this… they know why He is causing it… and they know they deserve it…

I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair… Revelation 6:12

John looked when Jesus broke the sixth seal; there was a great earthquake and the sun itself became black as sackcloth.

Revelation 6:9-11 The LAMB Breaks the Fifth Seal

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Is heaven really what we picture it to be?  Or is heaven exactly what God says it is?

When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the Word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained… Revelation 6:9

The Lamb breaks the fifth seal, but no longer does one of the four living creatures say, “Come”. Instead John is shown a scene or locale. Although this picture is a scene in heaven, rather than on earth, it reveals much about the actual judgment of the fifth seal—which is taking place on earth. …

Who is the Top Secret Nation in Isaiah 65?

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It’s no secret that sometimes it takes more than a casual glance at the Bible to understand it, but it is also true that (to those who will seek Him in His Word) God will make His secrets and mysteries known…

Isaiah 65:1… I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, “Here am I, here am I” to a nation which did not call on My name.

To whom did God say, “Here am I, here am I”?  To which nation is He referring?

Compare it with Isaiah 64:7… 

Revelation 6:7-8 The LAMB Breaks the Fourth Seal

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Lightning and sounds and peals of thunder, along with living creatures, persons, and angels surround the One Who sits on the sovereign throne of the universe. They flood the realm of God with songs, praise, and worship. Indeed, all of heaven is cheering in approval, clamoring in applause, and roaring in acclamation because there is found One (and only One) Who is worthy to open the scroll—the scroll which was in the right hand of the Majesty on high and enfolds the final judgments of God on His creation. …

Revelation 6:5-6 The LAMB Breaks the Third Seal

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I know I am not saying too much about each of these judgments and that is for two reasons. First, there is not really a great deal of information given in chapter 6 regarding any of these judgments. We could do more word studies and cross-references, but remember that we are trying to stay at the top of the mountain—we are just doing an observational overview. That is what I want you to walk away with after reading this series. I want you to have an overview of the book of Revelation (with a few choice nuggets thrown in for good measure, of course!) …

Revelation 6:3-4 The LAMB Breaks the Second Seal

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In Revelation 1 we saw a vision of Jesus. In Revelation 2-3 we saw seven churches. In Revelation 4-5 we saw things that take place after Revelation 1-3—heaven and God’s throne, the scroll in God’s hand, and Jesus taking the scroll from God.

In Revelation 6 we see six seals (out of a total of seven) broken from that scroll. Jesus is the only One Who will be found worthy to take the book (scroll) and open its seals—that’s why a new song was sung to Him in Revelation 5. Someday soon He will do just that. As He breaks each individual seal, a separate judgment will be dispensed upon the earth. …

Revelation 6:1-2 The LAMB Breaks the First Seal

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There are things which are about to take place… and take place quickly… the time is near for them to begin…

A new song is sung to the Lamb in Revelation 5 because He is worthy to take the book and open its seals. You are going to find out that the book, or the scroll, contains judgments against His creation—mankind, specifically. When the seals are broken on the scroll—His wrath will be finally and fully poured out on all ungodliness and all unrighteousness.

God hates sin! I believe we have tolerated sin for so long we don’t even realize how much He hates it. …

Above What?

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Psalm 8:1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your Name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!

When I asked people what this verse was actually saying, their answers were what I expected—that God’s majesty is displayed in the heavens themselves. Their interpretation actually came from Psalm 19—a different Psalm altogether.

Psalm 19:1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

Although the heavens do declare the Glory of God, that is not what Psalm 8:1 is saying—this verse is saying much more than that…

Are You Hated... Or Not?

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1 John 3:13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.

Will the world actually hate true followers of Jesus?

Matthew 5:11 Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

Matthew 10:22 You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

Matthew 24:9 Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.

Mark 13:13

What Good are the Questions?

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Psalm 4 For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

(Verse 1—David is talking to the Lord.) Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

(Verses 2-3—David is talking to his enemies.) O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? Selah. But know that the LORD has set apart the godly man for Himself; The LORD hears when I call to Him.

Revelation 5:1-14 — The Throne Room Scene, Part 2 — The Lamb is Worthy to Break the Seals!

Revelation 5-1-14

John is speaking…

I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. Revelation 5:1

This takes place in the same throne room but it is a new scene, one which immediately follows the previous chapter. In other words, it is a continuation of Revelation 4.

The book is actually a scroll (the Gutenberg Press had not yet been invented). The scroll had been written on both inside and on the back. On this rolled up scroll were seven seals. The seals did just that—they sealed the scroll so that it could not be opened to reveal what was written in it. …

Revelation 4:1-11 — The Throne Room Scene, Part 1 — GOD is on His Throne!

Revelation 4-1-11

After these things... Revelation 4:1

After what things? After the time of the churches.

When does Revelation 4 happen? It takes place after the time of the churches.

When will the time of the churches be over? When Jesus takes the church to be with Him—the time which we call the Rapture. There is nothing clear in here, but there is an intimation that Chapter 4 and what follows are going to take place after the Rapture. That would mean that Christians won't be here for the rest (and trust me, no one wants to be here for the rest). …

Revelation 3:14-22 - The Church in Laodicea

Revelation Laodicea

And to the final church, Jesus says…

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this… Revelation 3:14

Jesus describes Himself as the Amen, the One Who is true. And when it is all said and done, He alone is the faithful and true witness about what has been done. He is the Beginning of the creation of God and He will be the One Who brings it all to a halt. His judgments are righteous and true.

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. …

Revelation 3:7-13 - The Church in Philadelphia

Revelation Philadelphia

Jesus has not finished yet—He says...

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He Who is holy, who is true, Who has the key of David, Who opens and no one will shut, and Who shuts and no one opens, says this: “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.” Revelation 3:7-8

Jesus describes Himself as the One Who is holy, the One Who is true. He rightfully claims He is the One Who has the key of David. …

Revelation 3:1-6 - The Church in Sardis

Revelation Sardis

Jesus continues...

To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: “I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” Revelation 3:1

How does Jesus describe Himself? He is the One Who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, which we know are the angels of the churches. Jesus says that He knows all about their deeds and that they had a name, or reputation, that they were alive, in other words, a flourishing church. …

Revelation 2:18-29 - The Church in Thyatira

Revelation Thyatira

Jesus says...

And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: “I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. Revelation 2:18-19

What did those in the church in Thyatira do that pleased Jesus? They actively served Him, they loved Him and other believers, they were faithful and true to His Word, they served Him by serving one another, and they persevered in the face of tribulation and persecution. …

Revelation 2:12-17 - The Church in Pergamum

Revelation Pergamum

...Jesus is still speaking…

And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you…” Revelation 2:12-14

Look at the church in Pergamum. Wow! Satan’s Kingdom is ruling over their city, he is in their midst—but they were faithful even when other Christians were being murdered right around them! …

Revelation 2:8-11 - The Church in Smyrna

Revelation Smyrna

...Jesus is speaking…

And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this… Revelation 2:8

Notice how Jesus often refers to Himself in a way that points back to the vision John saw in chapter 1. His description also resonates with what He has to say to each individual church. In this case, the connection has to do with death… and it has to do with life!

I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. …

Revelation 2:1-7 - The Church in Ephesus

Revelation Ephesus

Revelation 2-3 records Jesus, Himself, talking directly to the churches, telling us what He is pleased with, what He is displeased with, giving us promises and warnings. These are things we need to know in order to bring Him Glory as we are part of the church today.

Jesus begins by saying, “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One Who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One Who walks among the seven golden lamp stands, says this…” Revelation 2:1

Who is speaking? We can know it’s Jesus because Revelation 1 told us He is the One Who holds the seven stars in His right hand and the One Who walks among the seven gold lamp stands. …

Revelation 1:12-20 The Vision of Jesus

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Here we go again—this time with the second scene in Revelation—the vision of Jesus. By the way, there will be a total of 55 scenes in the entire book.  Don’t worry, we will take them one by one, slowly and thoughtfully. And remember, this is only an overview of the book of Revelation so you will have tons of time to study the entire book in depth!

Revelation 1:12-13 “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.”

Revelation 1:1-11 John Receives the Revelation of Jesus

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Dear Heavenly Father, God, please open our eyes as You unveil this before us, as you reveal these things that must shortly take place. Please open our eyes and unplug our ears. Please give our minds understanding and knowledge, because we need it—we want to hear what You have spoken.

Are you ready for the Revelation of Jesus Christ? Good! Let’s begin!

Revelation 1, Verse 1. “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him…” The revelation, or unveiling, that God gave to Jesus of the things which are about to take place.

GLORY To GOD In The HIGHEST!!!

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Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth → Peace, Good will toward men! Luke 2:14

Can’t you just see Charlie Brown and his gang, holding hands around a “Charlie Brown” tree, and singing in perfect unity? Our three boys watched it for many years—the annual Charlie Brown special. I remember watching it myself as a child year after year. It gave me such a warm fuzzy feeling when, after they had treated Charlie Brown so horribly, they realized the “true” meaning of the “holiday” → LOVE!!! They held hands and sang an inspiring and emotional rendition of “Silent Night, Holy Night.” …

Immanuel... "With us—Is God!"

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IMMANUEL... “With us—Is God!”

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

In one of the most dynamic of all examples of dual or layered prophetic fulfillment, we, at this point of history, can see Isaiah’s prophecy with both a near and a distant fulfillment. It was fulfilled literally (near—present time of Isaiah) in the days of Ahaz and it was fulfilled literally (distant—far in the future from the time of Isaiah) in the person of Jesus Christ.

Holier Than Who?

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Have you ever heard someone accused of acting “holier than thou”? When you think of this phrase, what is usually the context?

Do the following statements of reasoning always seem to go along with it? “Who am I to say anything?  After all, everybody sins.” “We are not supposed to act “holier than thou.””

In what situations have you heard this phrase? What is the connecting thread? Isn’t it brought up as a response to someone who has “criticized” another? I have way too often heard it used when there is known sin in the church, but no one wants to confront it.

I Don't See Men Sitting in the Heavens. Do You?

Psalm 2: 1-6 Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!” He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

God is referred to as “He Who sits in the heavens”. …

Does God Really Give You Everything You Ask For?

1 John 5:14-15 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

Does God promise in 1 John 5:14-15 that He will give us everything we ask for? Many people think they can just ask God for whatever they want and He should give it to them. Those same people believe that God is listening to everything they say (whenever they feel like talking to God) no matter who they are and no matter what they do. …

Revelation Prayer

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This is the prayer that I have placed before God as we begin to observe Revelation. Will you pray, as well?

Oh, Most Holy God, Creator of the universe, Jehovah, our God, I come to You and I ask You to remember and to think upon the promise that You have given Your children, that Your Spirit will lead us and guide us into all truth. Father, You wrote the book of Revelation for Your bondservants. You gave the Revelation of Jesus Christ to Him so that He could show His bondservants what was going to take place quickly. …

Revelation "Read-Thru" is About to Begin!

Revelation read-thru

At WORD Center Ministries we do what we call “Read-Thru’s”. We take a book of the Bible and read through it while teaching expositorally on each and every verse. The audio recordings of our Read-Through’s are available on our website, WORDCenterMinistries.org. We are going to do that very same thing with Revelation in a series of blogs called Revelation—The Letter (only it won’t be in audio format, of course!). We are going to just walk through Revelation, verse by verse, and scene by scene, in an expository manner. …

Don't Be Confused... About Love

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This is pretty amazing…

1 John 5:1-3. Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.

God says that I can know I love the children of God through these two criteria: If I love God and if I observe His commandments.

John 12:48 He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.

Is Genie Free?

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“Genie, You’re free.” What exactly did the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences mean by that phrase? And what exactly do hundreds of thousands of people mean by it when they repeat it? Do they believe that Aladdin’s Genie is personified by Robin Williams? Yes, in some ways I believe they do. Do they believe saying the phrase will bring comfort to those who are mourning the loss of Robin Williams? Yes, I believe they do. Are those who are repeating this phrase comforted by it themselves? Yes, I believe they are.

Cows Don’t Like Woods

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Our youngest son (a 23 year old man) took our 6 month old puppy for a walk in the woods today.  The puppy was on a lead because he has not proven himself to be anything but disobedient at this point in his little self-absorbed life.  That lead proved to be life-saving today for our fluffy little rebel.  Caleb, our son, first led our pup on a path through a thick part of the woods on WORD Center Ministries property and then out along the edge of an open meadow next to a neighbor’s field.  The puppy started growling and barking like a confident full-grown dog because he sighted another animal in our neighbor’s field.  …

Named for His Glory

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Three years ago we put down our pet dog because, after 17 years of bountiful life, he was suffering greatly from the process of death. This dog had been my shadow for all those years and although I missed him incredibly after he was gone, I wasn’t in any shape to get another dog at that time. During the last two years of his life I had been his caretaker because of his declining health. He weighed over 40 pounds and it was hard work for me, especially since almost 7 years ago my own health started declining rapidly as the result of trauma and disease.

Foreshadows of The Seed

The Shadow of a Cross

Usually when I see a shadow, I see the real object at the same time.  When light comes into my living room through our bay window and casts a shadow of one of my chairs onto the floor, I know right away that the shadow is a picture of a chair because I can see the chair it is imitating.

But have you ever been sitting somewhere and seen a shadow approaching, yet were unable to see the source of the shadow?  If you couldn’t see where that shadow was coming from you would probably pay close attention to it, either from curiosity or from fear.  …

Crown of Gray

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Proverbs 16:31 “A gray head is a crown of glory; it is found in the way of righteousness.”

The Proverbs are proverbial (a general truth or a piece of advice), therefore this is not an absolute that all who receive a gray head are righteous, rather it is a normal consequence of those who live righteously.

  • The Hebrew word for gray head is “sebah” and means a head full of gray hair, or the head of old age, which is typically the time gray hair appears.
  • The Hebrew word for crown is “atarah” and means a wreath, or crown, that surrounds the head.

The Glory

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The Glory of the Lord fills the Tabernacle

At the end of Exodus we see God filling the Tabernacle with His Glory—so much so that Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because of the cloud that had settled on it. God had come to dwell in the midst of His people. Exodus 29:43; 40:34-35

The Glory of the Lord leaves Israel

Later, at one of Israel’s many points of disobedience, God’s Glory left the presence of Israel. Eli, God’s priest, had two rebellious sons who took the Ark of the Covenant into battle against the Philistines. …

Moth or Cockroach

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Jesus is the Life.  Jesus is the Light of men.

John 1:4-13 “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. …

The Aroma of Cauliflower

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Why does the world have to hate Christians? It’s simple— it is because we smell like cauliflower!

Jesus said that the world (unbelievers) would hate His followers because they hated HimJohn 15:19-25 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. …

The Eleventh Chapter of Romans

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Romans 11 is a very important passage to consider.  In these last days, many have distorted the truth about the nation of Israel and God’s dealings with her.  We need to look to the Word of God and find the Truth He has spoken—then we will know what is true of Israel’s future!

Some people say God is done with Israel, and in fact, some say He has replaced her—replaced her with the church or with America.  This lie is an abominable smell in the nostrils of God.  What does God say in Romans 11:1?  God has not rejected His people!!!  …

Glorious Wedding

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Jewish weddings and marriage customs in Biblical times can give us a stunning picture of the Bride of Christ and her wedding to Him.

In today’s marriages, who usually chooses the bride?  The groom does.  In Biblical times that was not the case.  The father of the groom chose the bride.  Jesus is the church’s bridegroom, and God is His Father.  If you are a believer, God chose you in Christ before the foundation of the world.  Ephesians 1:4  God the Father chose those that would come into the church.  God the Father chose the bride for His Son, Jesus Christ.  …

Spiritual Gifts

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If someone gave you a lawnmower for a gift, what would you assume they had in mind?  It would be pretty obvious that a mowing job needed to be done and they wanted you to do it!  God has given the believers in His church “lawnmowers” and other pieces of equipment—they are called spiritual gifts and they have a purpose—to do a job that He wants done!  1 Corinthians 12-14; Romans 12:1-13; Ephesians 4:1-16; and 1 Peter 4:10-11 together give us basically all the information we need in order to build a foundation of truth on the subject of Spiritual Gifts.

Seen

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1 Corinthians 15:1-8  “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the

The Bloody Red Smear Still Shouts

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Do you know what the word anoint means?  The Hebrew word is mashach and it means “to smear”.  Interesting definition, isn’t it?  Unfortunately the meaning of the word anoint has been abused and distorted by so many false teachers nowadays that it is almost impossible to use the word without its original intent being lost.  Let me say up front—there is no supernatural anointing that “hangs around in the air and adheres itself to things of this earth”.  Rather, the anointing unambiguously means that something is clearly seen as marked for whatever it is.  …

To Sabbath or Not

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Jehovah-Mekoddishkem is the Hebrew Name for God which means “I AM the Lord Who sanctifies you.”

Leviticus 20:8 “You shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you.”  God wanted the children of Israel to know that they were set apart from the world (and unto Him) and that it was He Who set them apart!  God gave them a sign that would remind them that He was their God and they needed to be set apart unto Him.  That sign was the Sabbath.  For six days they were to work, but on the seventh day there was to be complete rest.  …

Holy to Him

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Holy is such a “churchy” word that sometimes we say it without really understanding what it means.  God says we are to be holy, even as He is holy.  Leviticus 20:7  “You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.”  If we are supposed to be holy, then, by all means let’s make sure we know what it means.  

Holy is used in 580 verses in the Bible.  The Greek word is “hagios.”  It means “an awful thing, consecrated, set apart, a saint.”  It has to do with something being totally different from everything else around it.  …

It was Never About the Tower

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When God created His universe, the first instruction He gave to man was to “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”  Genesis 1:28  Why?  Why did God instruct man to have lots of children and scatter over the face of the earth?  Because God created man for His Own Glory.  Isaiah 43:7  Glory is a great word!  The Hebrew word for Glory is “kabowd” and refers to the substance of something, its weight, splendor or reputation.  …

There's No Glory in the Dirt!

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I would like to consider two different occasions in the ministry of Jesus that I believe can help to explain each other.  Let’s go to John 13:1-17 first.  This is immediately before the last Passover that Jesus participated in while on earth.  He gets up and girds Himself with a towel after laying aside His garments.  He pours water into a basin and begins to wash the feet of the disciples.

When Jesus gets to Peter, he is perplexed as to why Jesus would do this.  Jesus answers Peter somewhat mysteriously by saying,

Always and Only

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One year a visiting student raised his hand and asked me a question during a workshop on 2 Peter. He asked, “What is the most common sin a Christian commits?” Without hesitation, I replied, “Independence from God” He was quiet for a moment, and then asked me what I meant. I continued, “Independence from God is running your own life, taking your own steps, looking your own way, listening to what you want. That is the most common sin that any of His creation commits. Man says, ‘We don’t need God, we can do it ourselves.’”

The Mars Hill Mess

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When I visited Athens, Greece years ago, I heard many remarks made by the Christians on my bus.  They were pretty much all saying the same thing during our visit to the Parthenon in the Athenian Acropolis--“Isn’t this the most amazing monument of mankind’s genius ever!!!”  Well, as I looked at its crumbling walls, the equipment and scaffolding set up by the Greek Ministry of Culture in order to restore, reconstruct and repair the ruins (ruins being the key word), I could see a monument alright, but it was a monument

Just One More of Satan's Big Black Lies...

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The first time I visited Israel, also the first time I traveled overseas, it was by myself, and it was 1997, a year of great unrest for Israel.  I went into El Al Terminal as a novice and naive traveler and was interrogated for three excruciating hours by three exasperated agents.  Two were very, um, shall we say, “stern” with me.  The third wasn’t smiling, but at least she wasn’t yelling at me!

Don’t get me wrong--I was not at all upset with any of them, nor with El Al.  I believe El Al is probably the safest airline in the world and because God’s people, the Jews, are the most terrorized people in the world, I condone and bless every one of their measures (at least the ones I know about) in providing safety for every one of their passengers.

Like Father — Like Son, Part 3

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Aren’t the images that the space station is sending back to Earth awesome!  The image above shows Israel at night. You can see Jerusalem clearly. The lighted parts of the photograph reveal the places where human life exists on our planet.   If the earth were filled with more people, there would be more light.  More people, more light.  Without the life, deep darkness would overtake the planet.  God told mankind to be fruitful (use your seed to produce more of you) and multiply and fill the earth.  Why did God want the earth filled with human life?

Like Father — Like Son, Part 2

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While God created light by simply speaking it into existence (He is God, you know!), it took mankind thousands of years to simply display that light from within a ‘luminari‘, i.e. the light bulb.  Light bulbs have three main parts:  the glass bulb on the outside, the thin filament wire which carries electricity (the heat of which glows and makes the light), and the metal base which connects to the actual source of the electricity.  Do you see any interesting similarities to mankind’s relationship with God?  …

Like Father — Like Son, Part 1

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If you plant a corn seed, you expect a corn plant.  If you plant a bean seed, you expect a bean plant.  Why?  Because kind produces kind,  like produces like.  The seed determines the result.  ‘Like father, like son’, a longtime favorite expression of many, is actually a grand truth that we see manifested regularly in our world--a truth that started long before our time, way back in the beginning of the world, a truth that was created by the Creator just as surely as Creation itself--and it’s all about His Glory!

Unabashedly Without Balance!

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I recently read a blog about the wrath of God as it concerns the gospel message which elicited the contender (Jude 3) in me because of a very predictable first response.  A young man wrote... well, you can read it for yourself...

“Hi, ... I agree completely that the gospel includes the fact that God hates sin. It also includes the fact that He loves the world. Both are true and both are necessary. To concentrate on one aspect only is unbalanced and is an incomplete gospel. To overemphasize one side in response to the other side being overemphasized is just as wrong. …

Staying Inside the Borders of Turkey

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Our little grandson, Timmy, just turned three, and he is learning all sorts of things at blazing light speed!  Puzzles, books, words, places and people and their connections, and, of course, drawing and coloring.  I sent him home from church last week with a piece of cardboard to memorialize the evidence of a major milestone in every child’s life--a real picture, not just scribbles!  He drew a round circle for a face, then placed two pairs of ears (one large and one small) above the face.  He drew the two small rounded ears first and then, inspired by his newly discovered skill, thought his masterpiece needed another set of ears and made them tall and slender.  …

GLORY to GOD in the Highest!!!

Can’t you just see Charlie Brown and his gang, holding hands around a “Charlie Brown” tree, and singing in perfect unity? My three boys and I watched it every year—the annual Charlie Brown special. I can remember watching it myself as a child. It gave me such a warm fuzzy feeling when, after they had treated Charlie Brown so horribly, they realized the “true” meaning of the “holiday”—LOVE!!! They held hands and sang an inspiring and emotional rendition of “Silent Night, Holy Night.” Ahhhh! Does it get any better than this?

It's a Long Road, But He is Waiting (and Listening) for You!

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The book of Psalms in the Bible is an amazing storehouse of worship and praise songs for us to offer God as our Magnificent Master.  We often only use them for ourselves in times of sorrow and tragedy, as they can most certainly offer us comfort and hope.  Yet, were they primarily given for mankind to offer to ourselves, or were they first and foremost given for us to give back in sacrifices of praise, worship, and cries of supplication and confession to our Creator, our Lord, our Savior, our God?

There are 150 Psalms written out neatly for us in this songbook located nearly dead-center in our Bibles.  …

Doesn't even seem real, does it?

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But it’s real all right; it is very real and very frightening.  It is the Lord Who sent His fury and unleashed just a small sampling of His power through His creation - in this case a tiny little volcano in Iceland.  His judgments are true and right - all the time, every time, the present time and the quickly approaching time--the imminent Day of the Lord.  He is zealous for His Glory and one day, one day soon, He will receive His full Glory and man will finally acknowledge his own puny glory.  The Lord will be exalted in That Day and man will be abased.

© Sharon Jensen 1999-2022