Tag: tribulation

Trusting, Seeking & Standing Firm

OLD TESTAMENT: Habakkuk 2

POETRY: Psalm 119:153-160

NEW TESTAMENT: Revelation 13

Habakkuk 2:2-4 (LEB):

“And Yahweh answered me and said:

‘Write the vision and make it plain on tablets,

so that he may run who reads it.

For still the vision awaits its appointed time;

it hastens to the end—it will not lie.

If it seems slow, wait for it;

it will surely come; it will not delay.

Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,

but the righteous shall live by his faith.'”

Psalm 119:153-160 (LEB):

“Look on my affliction and deliver me,

for I do not forget your law.

Plead my cause and redeem me;

give me life according to your word.

Salvation is far from the wicked,

for they do not seek your statutes.

Great is your mercy, O Yahweh;

give me life according to your rules.

Many are my persecutors and my enemies,

yet I do not swerve from your testimonies.

I look at the faithless with disgust,

because they do not keep your commands.

Consider how I love your precepts;

give me life according to your steadfast love.

The sum of your word is truth,

and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.”

Revelation 13:7-8 (LEB):

“And it was permitted to make war on the saints and to conquer them.

And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation.

And all who dwell on the earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.”

In Habakkuk 2, God instructs the prophet to write down the vision He has revealed. This vision, while it may seem slow in coming, is assured and will ultimately be fulfilled. God encourages Habakkuk to remain faithful and patient, for the righteous shall live by faith.

In our own lives, we often find ourselves in seasons of waiting, questioning God’s timing and plans. Like Habakkuk, we may feel that the answers we seek are delayed. Yet, God’s assurance reminds us that His promises are sure, and we are called to trust in His character and faithfulness. This passage challenges us to embrace a faith that endures, especially in uncertain times.

Psalm 119 continues the theme of seeking God in times of trouble. The psalmist cries out for deliverance, expressing his deep reliance on God’s law and commandments. He recognizes that while he faces persecution and opposition, he is determined to hold fast to God’s truths.

The psalmist’s plea, “Look on my affliction and deliver me,” reflects a heart that is anchored in God’s mercy and truth. He understands that salvation is found in God alone, and he chooses to love and meditate on God’s precepts, despite the trials he endures. This teaches us the importance of grounding ourselves in God’s word and seeking His help in our struggles. We can draw strength from the truth that God’s steadfast love is the source of life and hope amidst adversity.

Revelation 13 presents a sobering reality: the world may rise against believers, and authority may be given to oppose the saints. This passage speaks to the challenges and tribulations that Christians may face as they navigate a world often in conflict with God’s kingdom. However, it also reassures us that not everyone will follow the ways of the beast; those whose names are written in the book of life will stand firm in faith.

In the face of persecution and temptation to conform to worldly standards, we are reminded that our allegiance lies with Christ, who has triumphed over sin and death. This call to remain steadfast is a powerful encouragement to persevere in our faith, knowing that our ultimate victory is secured through the Lamb who was slain.

-Jeff Ransom

Reflection Questions:

In what areas of your life are you waiting on God’s promises? How can you cultivate patience and trust during this time?

Reflect on the importance of grounding yourself in God’s word. How can you actively seek His truth and guidance in your daily life?

How does the reality of opposition in Revelation encourage you to live out your faith boldly? What steps can you take to stand firm in your beliefs?

Consider the psalmist’s expression of love for God’s precepts. What practices can you incorporate to deepen your love for God’s word in your life?

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The Ultimate Rescue

*New Testament Reading:  Mark 13

Psalms Reading:  82

Old Testament Reading:  Isaiah 47-48 

“And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.”   – Mark 13:26 (ESV)

Remember the rescue scene from yesterday’s questions (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pFUP0HZwWM)? 

Well, here is the biggest rescue scene ever!  Mark 13:24-27, “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.”  

Can you picture it?  The utter despair and hopelessness that the world will experience? 

Well, thankfully there’s more.  “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.  And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.” 

Does that give you chills?  Just when everything appears to be doomed and evil is going to win,  God steps in and sends Jesus back.  For us. 

Verses 19-20 say, “For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.”

It isn’t going to be fun, in those last days, for believers.  Those who follow Jesus Christ will be persecuted; sadly, some to the point of breaking.  This is why we need each other – to be encouraged to stand firm.  Verses 32-33 say, “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake.[a] For you do not know when the time will come.”  

But we do know that it WILL come. 

Amy Blanchard

Reflection Questions

  1. We must encourage one another to be on guard, to stay awake, and to stand firm.  We must see one another to do this, build genuine relationships, and be available to serve one another.  Hebrews 10:25 tells us to not neglect meeting together.  If you do not have a church you call home, please reach out to someone to help you find one.  If you do, are you involved in ways that encourage others, serve others, support others? 
  2. Trusting God’s promise of being rescued can be hard.  What are some ways He has come through for you already?  Keep reminding yourself of the times He has shown Himself faithful to you.
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Getting Better?

Theme Week: Review of Paul – 2 Timothy 3

Old Testament: Song of Songs Intro – see below

Poetry: Psalm 54

On their Sgt Pepper Album, the Beatles had a track called “Getting Better”.  “I’ve got to admit it’s getting better, a little better all the time.”  It’s actually a pretty optimistic song coming in the aftermath of WWII and what was then well into the Cold War between the West and the Soviet Union when everyone was waiting for nuclear war to break out (it almost did in 1962 during the Cuban Missal Crisis).

Should our expectation be that things will just keep getting better and better?  There was a theological movement that was very popular in the 19th and 20th centuries called Post-Millennialism.  The essential thrust of this teaching was that through the work of the Church and preaching of the Gospel and later the social ministries of the Church that we would usher in the Kingdom of God on earth and then Jesus would come back to rule.  This belief was in sharp contrast to much previous teaching in the early centuries of Christianity which saw this age ending with a big apocalypse and global destruction and time of great tribulation before the return of Jesus to bring about the Kingdom of God. 

Postmillennial preaching roughly corresponded with the optimism that accompanied the utopian vision of many in that same time frame.  Advances in technology and health care had many convinced that we would bring about a much better world through human effort.  For most, this all fell apart after two World Wars, the holocaust, the Cold War, and the nuclear age etc…

Where did the Apostle Paul stand in all of this?  It’s pretty clear from today’s reading in 2 Timothy 3 that Paul did not hold optimistic hopes for a world where things just keep getting better and better.  Paul gives no indication that he had a post-millennial hope of the kingdom being brought to completion solely through the efforts of the Church.  Paul warns that the “last days” would be days of difficulty: “People will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,  treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (vs. 2-4).

Paul paints a dismal and disheartening picture of where he sees the human race headed.  But against this backdrop of increasing sin and brokenness, Paul presents the followers of Jesus Christ, those who will follow both his teaching and example, as standing out from this world in all its sin and brokenness, equipped by God to do good works.

As I look at the trajectory of this world during my lifetime of nearly 60 years, I see little evidence that the world is capable of creating the utopian vision that many dreamers had or that the Church’s power and influence is becoming greater and leading the world closer to the paradise envisioned in the Kingdom of God vision of the Bible.  I see Paul’s stark predictions being lived out every day.  In the US the life expectancy rate is now shrinking due to “Deaths of Despair”- deaths caused by suicide, opioid overdoses, and diseases related to alcohol abuse.  I won’t take the time to give examples of all the things that Paul warns against.  A quick scan of the social science writings over the last 50 years from Christopher Lasch’s Culture of Narcissism to Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death shows that one does not even have to have a Christian worldview to detect that things are not getting better and are exactly as Paul said they would be.

As Christians how should we respond?  Do we throw in the towel and give up?  Of course not.  God is still saving people from this present evil age.  People are still turning from darkness to the light of Jesus Christ.  Even as Paul kept preaching the gospel even in the midst of his trials and persecutions, so should we.  We know how the story ends. Jesus will come and make all things new.  In the meantime, we are invited to do the work of showing people Jesus Christ.  Many will reject us and our message, but some will believe and follow.

I’m reminded of the story of the man who was out on the beach looking at thousands of starfish that had washed ashore.  He was picking them up one at a time and throwing them back into the water so that they might be saved.  A man came along and watched him throwing them one at a time.  He scoffed and said “There are probably millions of starfish on his beach and most will die.  What possible difference do you think you can make?”  The other man reached down and picked up one single starfish and returned it to the ocean.  “For that one, I made all the difference in the world.”

There are billions in the world who do not know Jesus Christ as Savior.  You and I can’t save them all today, but there is someone that you will meet today or tomorrow that you can share the hope of Christ with, and for that one, your efforts might make all the difference.

-Jeff Fletcher

Reflection Questions:

  1. As you weigh the current condition of the world against the hopes of the postmillennial and utopian dreams of the 19th and 20th century and the predictions of Paul 2000 years ago, which do you think was more accurate?  Why?
  2. What can we do to stem the Deaths of Despair?
  3. Which starfish will you pick up first?  When will you start?

Song of SoNGS Introduction

King Solomon likely wrote the Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon, which is considered one of the books of poetry in the Bible.  The book is written as a series of monologues between “Beloved” (her) and “Lover” (him), with some commentary from “Friends”.

Many have suggested that Song of Solomon is an allegory, pointing to how much God loves us, and how we should love God.  I completely dismiss this interpretation.  The book clearly describes the romantic love between King Solomon and one of his wives.  (Song of Solomon 6:8 mentions that at the time of its writing, there were 60 queens and 80 concubines.)

Even though the whole book is sexually suggestive, it repeatedly warns (in 2:7, 3:5, and 8:4), “Do not arouse or awaken love before it so desires.”  – presumably warning to wait for sex until marriage.

-Steve Mattison

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Repent, Persevere, LIVE!

Revelation 2

Thursday, November 17, 2022

In Revelation 2, John is tasked by the Son of Man to begin writing to the seven churches. This chapter specifically details what should be written to the churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, and Thyatira. All of these churches share a commonality of starting strong and then waning in righteousness over time. To Ephesus, the Son of Man comments on how they started strong, with perseverance and a low tolerance for evil. However, they have strayed from their faith, and so Jesus warns them to repent, or they will have their lampstand removed. In Revelation 1 it was discussed that the lampstands represented the churches, therefore the church would cease to exist. Furthermore, in repenting they are promised to be able to eat from the tree of life in the Kingdom.

The second church, Smyrna, has a fate that is full of tribulation. They have persevered through poverty and blasphemy against them, and Jesus remarks that the Devil would test them by having them thrown into prison. However, if they remain faithful, then they would receive the “crown of life.” He further remarks that “he who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.” This situation seems fairly awful, but when you put thought into it, this situation is represented by the world that we currently live in anyways. Sin and suffering are rampant, yet, we are promised the crown of life by persevering and overcoming. This message is purely to enforce steadiness in faith.

The third church, Pergamum, shares commonality with the situation described in the first church. They remained steadfast at first, but now there is heavy straying from their original path. Teachings of false gods, eating idol sacrifices, and general acts of immorality have become practices among some members of the church. Jesus warns that those who walk this path will have “war waged against them” personally. From the being who has a double-edged sword protruding from his mouth, that’s definitely not a message that I would take lightly. However, this can be avoided if they repent, and they in return will receive mana, a white stone, and a new name that only they will know.

The fourth church, Thyatira, has had a congregation that has been led astray by a woman named Jezebel. Now, this woman is not the same Jezebel from the Old Testament, but she is enabling people to practice extremely immoral practices as a false prophetess. The Lord commented that He gave her a chance to repent, but she steadfastly refused to do so. However, those who follow her have been given a chance now to repent, or else they will suffer pestilence alongside the false prophetess. And like the other churches, if they hold fast and overcome, then they will receive the morning star and will be given authority to rule over nations.

All of these messages have two similar messages that can be generalized and applied. The first message is that all of these churches are going through tribulation and external influence, and have been led astray. However, they all have time to repent. This is familiar, though, as every day we will struggle with the external pressures of sin and can very easily be led astray. However, Jesus has made it clear that everyone has a chance at forgiveness upon repentance, even someone as corrupt as the false prophetess influencing the people of the church in Thyatira. The second similar case in these messages is the reward for persevering. This is the same message that Jesus and his apostles have spread since the gospel and throughout the New Testament: the good news for those who hold fast and persevere. Sin is very easy to fall into, but staying on the righteous path is much more favorable considering the reward that awaits.

And so, let us take these messages to the four churches discussed so far and apply them to our lives, let this be like a message to us. Whatever sins we have committed; they are already known as the Lord knows our hearts and minds. This is referenced in Revelation 2:23. Therefore, our time left gives us a window of opportunity to repent of them, and live as righteously as we possibly can. In the end, true victory is on the side of the righteous.

-Colby Leggitt

Reflection Questions:

1. Smyrna specifically is tasked with remaining faithful until death. How can we ensure for ourselves that we are likewise holding steadfast throughout our lives?

2. The Son of Man has offered repentance to everybody mentioned who is living in sin in this chapter. How can we hold these messages in our minds when interacting with those who are deeply entrenched in sin?

3. Does it make sense that these churches have such devastating issues yet Jesus still holds the star of their angel in his right hand? Why?

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Still Giving – and Standing Firm

Luke 21

Luke 21_28

Yesterday our devotion centered on the Christmas story – as presented in Luke chapter 20.  Today takes us into Luke 21 which begins with a few verses concerning giving gifts. How fitting.  But here it is a slightly different type of gift which Jesus is referring to.   “As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4).   Giving to God’s work is indeed a great place to give your gifts – whether you are blessed with a lot to give or very little to give.  God sees the heart and is delighted in the heart that joyfully gives all to Him.

The rest of this chapter is devoted to the future – including some rather troubling events: earthquakes, wars, famine, and hatred, prison and persecution as a result of believing and  testifying about Jesus.  But hope is given.  Jesus says he is telling us these things so that we will know what must take place before the end will come.  A hard day of dirty work is always made easier by knowing it will not continue forever.  At the end there will be a time to enjoy the rewards of working hard.   So too, those who are faithful through the end times can look forward to reaping the reward when the Son of Man comes again.

Jesus says do not be afraid; rather, “Stand firm, and you will win life.” (Luke 21:19).  Even while our neighbors are fainting from terror at the surrounding events, Jesus tells us to stand tall.  He says, “At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:27,28). 

Keep Giving – and Stand Firm!

Marcia Railton

Be on the Alert!

Mark 13 & 14 (Thursday)

Mark 13 33

The thirteenth chapter of Mark finds Jesus teaching his disciples on the Mount of Olives outside of Jerusalem.  Jesus is teaching his disciples about the tribulations that are to come and his second coming.  He ends with this admonition in 13:35-37…

“Therefore, be on the alert – for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning – in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep.  What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’”

Jesus begins and ends his command with “be on the alert.”  In fact, Jesus says “be on the alert” in verses 33, 34, 35, and 37.  For Mark’s audience, this is like shining the spotlight on the words while fading everything else to black.  Like we covered earlier this week, the gospel was meant to be heard and hearing the same phrase back to back like this is a sign that it should be held onto.

Now, let’s jump just ahead a bit to Mark 14:32.  We’ve been through the Last Supper and Jesus has taken his disciples to Gethsemane.  He picks his three favorites (Peter, James, & John) and takes them a bit further than the rest.  He says to them, “My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.”

You ready for this?  Jesus is using the exact same word as he did back in chapter 13.  It’s even in the same tense!  The word is gregoreo by the way (like gregarious).  It’s a command directed directly at his listener.  Jesus was asking his disciples to do something much more than just stay awake.  He was pointing them back to what they had heard the night before: to be alert because the end is approaching.

In fact, when Jesus returns to find his disciples sleeping the first and second time, he repeats this same command to them, gregoreo!  Stay alert!  But upon his third visit he says it is enough, the time is now here.  In Mark 13, Jesus commands his disciples to be alert so that they may be prepared for the (ultimate) end, but in Mark 14, when the (immediate) end comes, they are asleep at their post and ultimately all leave him and flee (14:50).

This is not just a word by Jesus for his disciples but a word for us today as well.  Like the chorus in a Greek play, Mark’s words in 13:37, “What I say to you I say to all…” is a clear calling out to us here today.  Be on the alert for the end is coming and we must be prepared.  We must be prepared to face our own crucifixion – to die each day as a living sacrifice – as our own immediate ends in service, love, and sacrifice for others.  It is the cup we are called to bear as followers of the one who showed us the way.

OK – tomorrow is the big finale!  Mark’s last words to the earliest followers of Christ.  It’s a shocking, amazing, inspiring vision of Jesus’ ministry.

-Graysen Pack