Living Hope for the End of Days. This week's theme is "Listen to Christ's Voice."
There are nine reasons why we must listen to and worship our divine Redeemer: Jesus is the Conqueror of Adam’s fallen race—One like the Son of Man, robed to His feet. (Revelation 1:13)Jesus is the Perfect Priest—with hair as white as snow. (1:14a)Jesus is the Ancient of Days—with eyes like a flame of fire. (1:14b)Jesus is the Seer of All Secrets—with feet like fine brass. (1:15a)Jesus is the Ultimate Judge—crushing all foes with a voice as thunderous as the twelve million cubic feet of water crashing at Niagara’s base! (1:15b)Jesus is the Voice of God—commanding all to pay attention. (1:15b) Even the deaf and the dead can hear it, and so should we!Jesus is the Possessor of All Secrets of the Universe—holding the stars in His hand, which He spoke into existence by His Word. (1:16a)Jesus is the Creator of All Things—with the face of incomprehensible countenance, blazing with the power of the sun. (1:16b)Jesus is the All-Powerful Lord of Glory—who says to us, “Will you worship Me?” (1:17–18)
It is amazing that each element of God’s revelation starts in Genesis and finds completion in Revelation.
Satan’s plan, even to this day, involves four elements from Genesis 3 that are the main threads that weave together through all the false religions of the world. All false religions are derived from these lies of Satan that seek to keep mankind from listening to the voice of their Creator.
Satan’s first lie: doubt God’s Word. You doubt God when you doubt God's Word.
Satan's second lie: doubt God's goodness. You doubt God when you doubt God's goodness.
Satan's third lie: doubt God's authority. You doubt God when you doubt God's authority.
Satan's fourth lie: doubt God's plan. You doubt God when you doubt God's plan.
For every one of Satan’s spiritual flaws, God counters with a positive and powerful law. God’s Four Spiritual Laws:
Trust God’s Word: “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89).
Rest in God’s goodness: “Truly God is good . . . to such as are pure in heart” (Psalm 73:1).Submit to God’s authority: “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).Follow God’s plan: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5–6).
To be sure, He takes notice of every sin. But does He keep account? No. For one thing, God is love and 1 Corinthians 13 says that love "keeps no record of wrongs." For another thing, Psalm 103:12 reminds us that "as far as the east is from the west so far has he removed our transgressions from us." When we confess our sins, we acknowledge that Christ paid the penalty for it on the cross. He wipes the slate clean. He washes away the guilt and cleans our conscience. When it comes to the sin of His truly repentant children, God forgives and forgets. (February 27)
The good fight of a Christian is the one battle to get rid of all evil, especially in our lives. We choose our weapons--either a bullet-sized verse, or bulletproof prayer. We may grieve over lost territory because of disobedience, but we can rally to reclaim lost ground. Sometimes we have to tighten a tourniquet on wounded pride, or step back for reconnaissance into God's Word. Every day you and I go into war against an ensnaring world, a corrupt flesh, and a busy Devil. (March 1)
© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible
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