August 2009 Archives

Matthew 6:5-15

Goodbye Revelation--HELLO FORGIVENESS!!! We're really switching gears this week. Instead of reading straight through a book of the Bible (like we just did with Revelation) we'll be reading from a variety of scripture passages that deal with the topic of forgiveness. (This, of course, lines up with Dr. Kroll's teaching this week on Back to the Bible. So I encourage you to listen to or watch those programs if you aren't already.)

We're starting with Matthew 6:5-15, which is where we find the Lord's Prayer. Now you've probably read this or recited it hundreds of times. But have you ever, or how many times have you, focused on the forgiveness aspect contained in this prayer? Regardless of your answer, let's do it today.

So how important is forgiveness? How proactive should we be about putting it into practice? What might forgiveness look like for you? Tami W.

Revelation 22

The time is near. As I started into chapter 22 today (Sunday) my thoughts were What should I do with Revelation? I found my answer in verse 10 where the angel tells John "'Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.'"

It would be easy for me to take all the information and details of Revelation, pack them away in my head and feel pretty good about myself because I read Revelation and I now know my Bible better. But verse 10 let's me know that's the last thing I should be doing. Look at verse 10 again. What it tells me is I should be telling others about Christ and His plans (not sealing up) and that I should be doing this with some urgency because "the time is near."

Ok, I think we've got our marching orders. So what are we going to do with Revelation going forward? How can we use the contents of this book to tune more people into Christ, His absolute love and what the future could hold for them? Tami W.

P.S. I know Revelation is a tough book but thanks so much for sticking with me through it all. I definitely learned some new things and I'll bet you did too! :)

Revelation 21

Filled with anticipation! I can't read Revelation 21 without getting excited. Think about it. A new heaven, a new earth and a new Jerusalem--all for us as believers and followers of Christ. Now I've read this chapter quite a few times, but this time I tried to take it all in in "big picture mode" and then I went back and focused on all the things I would consider benefits. There were so many, but the one that took hold of me was that God is now living with us. How awesome will that be? Think about it. No more separation, just forever fellowship with God. It's almost too much to get my head around but I can't wait.

So what grabbed you out of Revelation 21? Was there a particular benefit (or maybe two) that caused you to pause in anticipation? Tell us about it. What better thing to talk about than spending eternity with the Savior. Tami W.

Revelation 20

Judgment seat and great white throne. Did you know that there are two judgments in the future? One is the judgment seat of Christ and the other that we read about here in Revelation 20 is the great white throne judgment. So how much do we know about these judgments? I'm guessing responses will vary so I thought it would be helpful to look at part of a paragraph from Dr. Kroll's book "Facing Your Final Job Review: The Judgment Seat of Christ, Salvation and Eternal Rewards." See below for a brief comparison between the two judgments.

"One judgment will be glorious [judgment seat of Christ]; the other will be horrific [great white throne]. One will open eons of eternity in heaven; the other will open eons of eternity in hell. One brings reward; the other brings punishment. At the judgment seat of Christ, the RSVP is only for people of faith, those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior. At the great white throne judgment, only unbelievers, those who have rejected Jesus, will be ordered to appear."

So there you have it. The more I read about and consider these two future events, I find myself being motivated in several different ways. What about you? Tami W.

P.S. If you want more information on this important topic, check out Facing Your Final Job Review and the corresponding CD or DVD series by the same title.

Revelation 19

Worship freely. Worship fully--Worship God and God alone. I love praising and worshiping so it's no wonder Revelation 19 charged me up. It's just filled with phrase after phrase of open, uninhibited praise of and for God. Plus, it provided me with some good examples of what my own praise and worship might sound and look like. Funny thing, though, with all the examples of praise and worship, it was two words of instruction that had the most impact for me. They're in verse 10. This is where John tries to worship the angel but the angel tells John to stop and then gives this command "Worship God."

So what can we do to ensure our worship is exuberant and uninhibited (like we see here) and only directed toward God? What might that look like in our lives? Tami W.

Revelation 18

Prideful. Arrogant. Conceited. Those were just some of the words that I thought of as I read John's descriptions of Babylon and the hearts and attitudes of that city's inhabitants. Additionally, I couldn't help but notice the heavy focus on luxury starting in verse 7 ("she glorified herself and lived in luxury") and throughout the remainder of chapter 18. Now when I first read this chapter, I was super critical. But then I read the chapter a couple more times and it dawned on me that I was definitely thinking a little too highly of myself. :( I'm no stranger to pride and there are plenty of times I let myself get fixated on "having" things.

So do you have any thoughts on avoiding the type of behavior set out here in Revelation 18? What are some precautions we can take or put in place to keep our attitudes about ourselves, our position and our money in check? Tami W.

Revelation 17

Drunk. Intoxicated. Inebriated. And, no, I'm not talking about from alcohol. Revelation 17 talks about drunkenness in the context of the people living at this time being drunk with sexual immorality (verse 2). And in verse 6 we're told the great prostitute is "drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." What a picture. Rampant and out of control sin have clearly become the norm.

These verses hit me square in the face today. As I thought about them I realized that this state of being "drunk with sin"(regardless of what that sin is) isn't that difficult to fall into and once we're there it can be difficult to get out. So what are some things we can do to help keep us tuned in to possible pitfalls? And, if someone we know is struggling with sin, how can we be of help? Tami W.

Revelation 16

The earth has never seen anything like this. If you thought things were bad early on in Revelation then hold on, because the judgments continue and they're even more severe here in Revelation 16. So what would you expect people's reactions would be to these horrible things? Here's what we're told--that people "cursed the God of heaven" and "they did not repent of their deeds." Quite revealing about how hard hearted and self centered we can be.

Difficult circumstances are going to happen. They're just part of life. So what does the reaction of the people here in Revelation 16 tell you about responding to God when bad things happen? Tami W.

Revelation 15

We can only comprehend what we can comprehend. As you've no doubt discovered by now, Revelation is HARD! It's full of symbols and descriptions that don't entirely make sense to us. That can make for exciting and challenging reading, but it can also be frustrating. Have you ever wondered why Revelation is this way? I sure have. And the more I read Revelation the more I realize that my mind and my ability to understand God's ways are limited. So rather than struggling with all the ins and out of strange details, I've been trying to focus more on Christ as I read (That's the approach Dr. Kroll takes in our current radio series "25 Portraits of Jesus in Revelation.").

So if you're getting bogged down in all of the details and strangeness of Revelation, don't give up. Try and read recognizing that you're not going to understand it all. And, yes, you're going to have questions. That's normal, particularly with such a difficult book. So if you have questions about what you're reading, send us a blog. Let's work through Revelation together. Tami W.

P.S. If you want a little encouragement about reading Revelation go back and look at Revelation 1:3.

Revelation 14

What does God want from me? Have you ever asked yourself that question? I have. Now don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't know the answer, it's just that there are times when I let the weight of my circumstances get to me, I feel overwhelmed, unsure and before you know it I'm thinking to myself Ok, God, what do you want from me? So when I got to Revelation 14:7, a couple of phrases caught my attention. First, "Fear God and give Him glory" and second "worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water." I thought to myself Does this describe me?

So I hope you're up for doing a little a self check up today with me. Here goes. Are we revering God, giving Him the glory and worshipping Him? I find that I do do all these things but I'm not as consistent with them as I'd hope to be and I don't always accomplish them at the same time. Is this your experience as well? I'd love to hear your thoughts on living out this whole package. Tami W.

Revelation 13

Ten horns, seven heads, body like a leopard, feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion? Yikes, weird has got to be the word. (If any of us saw something like this, we'd run the other way.) But that's how John describes the beast "out of the sea." Although the name isn't used, this language in Revelation 13 is referring to the "Antichrist." He doesn't appear until after Christians have been taken to heaven. He is given the power, throne and authority of the dragon (Satan), and his mark (the number 666) will be put either on the right hand or the forehead of anyone who wants to buy or sell during this time.

Now maybe you're thinking I've read about the antichrist somewhere else in the Bible. You'd be right because 1 John 2:18 talks about antichrist and antichrists. ("Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour.") The thrust of this verse, though, is really about people who have set themselves again Christ and everything He stands for. There have been many of those in the past and there are plenty in the here and now.

So what do we do when we encounter someone like this? It would be to our benefit to be ready to respond, to have a strategy in mind. Any ideas? How can we stand firm against this negative influence and yet keep the channels open to share the Gospel with them? Tami W.

Revelation 12

A 100,000 foot overview of Satan vs. God. While Revelation 12 contains details, they're not as specific as what we've seen in other chapters. The information here is broad, providing us with historical information as well as future events. As is typical of Revelation, this chapter uses symbolism. That can be perplexing but not so much here in chapter 12 since it looks back on events that have already taken place and those are things we know about.

So here's a little challenge for you. Look at verses 1- 5 again (these verses describe past events) and see if you can make sense of them. Try and answer these questions:

1) Who is the woman described in verses 1 and 2?
2) Who does the dragon represent?
3) What past event is being described in verse 4? ("He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born.")
4) Who does the baby represent?
5) What event is being described in verse 5 where we're told "her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne."?

Ok, give it a shot. Have some fun with this and don't worry if you can't get them all. We're all learning together. And, if you're up for it, keep working through the chapter. Tami W.

Revelation 11

There's no doubt. So what'd you think of Revelation 11? I was caught up in the whole scenario of the two witnesses and the attitudes and interaction between them and the people. I read this chapter several times and each time God's absolute control was more and more evident to me. I could almost hear God looking down on earth saying "Who do you think you are? I--did you catch that--I AM THE SOVEREIGN LORD!" (And, BTW, I think they did get this message. Look at verse 13 "...and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.")

Well, you know how I am. This got me thinking about how I don't ever want God to have to say those words to me. But unfortunately, we're all human and like it or not, we all struggle with putting ourselves first over God. So what are we going to do to make and keep God the Sovereign Lord in our lives? Tami W.

Revelation 10

A stomach ache of a different magnitude. Towards the end of Revelation 10 the angel tells John to take the scroll from him and eat it. "Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey." (verse 9). There are a lot of things to think about here, so I'm going to throw some questions out and let's mull them over and talk about them.

First, what is this scroll or what does it represent? And, why is John asked to eat it? (Ezekiel is instructed to eat a scroll and deliver a message in Ezekiel 3. Reading the first few verses in that chapter may be helpful to you here.) Then, why do you think the scroll tasted sweet when John had it in his mouth but then became bitter in his stomach? How does this relate to John being commanded to "again prophesy about many people and nations and languages and kings"? I know, lots of questions and they're kind of tough. But that's part of the fun of P4 and learning together. Let's talk!! Tami W.

Scary. Frightening. Horrifying. How bad does it have to get? We're now on to the seven trumpet judgments found in Revelation 8:6-9:21 and these judgments are even worse than what we've seen before. Honestly, they're absolutely terrifying. The world as we know it is being destroyed right and left and by the end of chapter 9, one third of the people on earth have been killed. That's hard for me to comprehend.

Then I get to Revelation 9:20-21 and I'm bewildered.

These horrifying things are happening at God's direction and command yet there's no recognition of God. No submission. No change of heart. No repentance of sin. The people continue putting themselves first living for self. They are on their way to hell and proud of it.

So here's my request for you and for me this week. Those people described in Revelation 8 & 9 could be someone in our families, our best friend, a co-worker, our neighbor. Let's take some time today and think about who we know that doesn't know Christ. I mean really think about this and let their faces come to our minds. Now you already know what I'm going to say--these people need to hear about Christ. We won't regret telling them about Jesus, and if they choose to accept the Lord, they will be eternally grateful. Tami W.

P.S. If you've never shared your faith with anyone before, that's ok. Ask the Lord to help you and to give you an opportunity to talk with this person. He will. Just trust Him and let Him work through you. And one more thing. Don't get discouraged. Things don't always happen in the time and manner we think they should.

We don't always understand. Every time I read Revelation I tell myself that this time I'm going to really get it. (Yes, I know, I'm slightly delusion.) In case you haven't noticed, Revelation is a difficult book. It's not about history, facts, stories or Jesus' teachings while he was here on earth. Those are things I can pretty much get my head around. But Revelation can stump, perplex, baffle, confound, etc. me, and I'm guessing you've had a similar experience with it and maybe some other scripture passages as well. Well guess what? That's normal. If you're reading your Bible, it's just gonna happen.

The question is, what should we do when that happens? Sometimes I'm tempted to just stop reading, or I avoid those places where I think it will be too difficult altogether. But I know that's not the right response. So let's hear it. What do we do when we don't understand scripture? Tami W.

Revelation 6

Let the judgments begin. All through the Bible God let's us know that justice will be accomplished in His time. Well, here we are in Revelation and the time has come for judgment of this world. Jesus, depicted here in Revelation 6 as the Lamb, is breaking open the first six of the seven seals on the Scroll. As the seals are broken, the judgments start coming forth. The images are frightening and the chapter is full of devastation, destruction and death. There's no question that God is God and that He is in control calling the shots.

Through Revelation God gives us a glimpse of His justice, and as a result, we know these horrible things are coming. So what do we do today with what we've read and learned from Revelation 6? Is reading Revelation changing any of your thoughts or attitudes on what Christ expects of us in the here and now? Tami W.

Out of this world Worship! All I could think about as I read Revelation 5 was worship. It permeates this chapter and I was captivated by the worship depicted and taking place there. It was intense, focused and passionate and demonstrated total surrender and abandonment to Christ. It took me aback for a moment because what I was reading wasn't reflective of any worship I've ever seen or experienced. This worship was a different caliber.

Now I realize this is heavenly worship versus here on earth now. But it shows us the type of worship that only God is deserving of. So what besides the fact that we're not yet in heaven hinders worship of this magnitude from us? Any thoughts on what we could do to make our earthly worship just a little more heavenly? Tami W.

Revelation 4

Bizarre, unimaginable, maybe a scene from a sci-fi movie? Those are some of the thoughts that were going through my mind as I read Revelation 4. The descriptions are so different than what we know and have experienced here on earth. I found it fascinating, though, because of the information it provided and because it gave me a glimpse of some things that are not of this world but will be part of my future as a Christ-follower.

Now information is great. But typically God's Word provides more than just information if I'm tuned in. So once I took in and processed the information I found in Revelation 4, this chapter gave me quite a bit more to think about for my life in the here and now. Was that your experience as well? Take a couple of minutes and read Revelation 4 through one more time. What can we take, learn, consider or maybe put into practice based on these verses? Any new perspectives or thoughts? Tami W.

Don't forget to check out our study of Revelation on the Back to the Bible program.

Revelation 3

Lukewarm? Dead? No way! The last thing I want someone saying about me is that I'm lukewarm or dead when it comes to my walk with the Lord. That's exactly what is said to the church in Sardis, "you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead" and the church in Laodicea, "because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." Ouch!

So let's think a little bit about our walks. What does or should an "on fire" or "alive" walk for the Lord look like? Do you know someone like this (or maybe you're one)? What are they doing that demonstrates their love and dedication to the Lord? Tami W.

P.S. Thought you might like to see these cool stickers (see the picture in today's blog) that the staff at Back to the Bible put in their office windows, car windows, doors, you name it to help remind us to be on fire in our walk.

Revelation 2

It's all about churches--or is it? As we move into Revelation chapter 2 and then chapter 3 tomorrow (Wednesday), we hit seven messages to seven churches. Now I really like these passages and the thing I like best is that although they are aimed at specific churches, the messages are applicable for today's Church (the Body), individual churches (like the ones you and I attend) and also for us an individuals.

Now I'd love to dissect this chapter church by church, but there's not enough time or space to do that here. So instead, I thought we could look at and discuss some of the things that stood out to us.

I'll start. What was said to the church at Ephesus I needed to read today. You see, I'm a "type A doer." So if I'm not careful, I can get so caught up in "doing" that it can sap right motivation and my love for the Lord right out of me. Definitely not what I want. Ok, now I want to hear from you. Was there something that was good for you to read in Revelation 2? Did you find words of encouragement? Confirmation? Maybe some words of caution (like me)? Tami W.

Revelation 1

Revelation here we come! Well we're starting a new three week series on Revelation today (Monday) on Back to the Bible. That means our readings for Powered by 4 will also be in Revelation. Now Revelation can be a little confusing. But please don't let that scare you off. This is a great place for us to go through it together!! (we love questions and dialogue you know).

Right away in Revelation 1:3 we're told "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it." You've gotta love that. So let me encourage you to wholeheartedly jump into Revelation with us here on P4 and on Back to the Bible.

So do you have any questions about Revelation you're dying to ask? Send them over and let's start talking! And if you don't have any questions yet, here's one for you. Verse 8 says "'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God." What does the Lord being "the Alpha and Omega" mean for you personally? Tami W.

P.S. If you're looking to do some further study in Revelation, here are a few excellent resources. Just click either product to find out more about it in our online store. I've included our Revelation Bible study as well as the 25 Portraits of Jesus in Revelation DVD series as seen and heard on Back to the Bible.

Proverbs 12:15-28

Mouths, lips, tongues--at the forefront again! Well, I guess this is the weekend for focusing on speech. Yesterday (Saturday) I zoned in on Proverbs 12:14 and challenged us all to let our lips be "fruitful" over the weekend. (How are you doing BTW?) Then today (Sunday) in Proverbs 12:18 we're told "the tongue of the wise brings healing." That's a beautiful picture, too, and goes right along with our mouths being fruitful.

So to help us put into practice our fruitful (and now healing) speech this weekend I thought it would be good to hear some examples. When was the last time you were on the receiving end of any fruitful or healing speech? What did it look like and how did it make you feel? Or maybe you've already benefited someone this weekend with your speech. Either way, we'd love to hear about it. Tami W.

P.S. I've been the beneficiary of both fruitful and healing speech this past week. The fruitful was several encouraging emails about a project I worked on for church. The healing was notes and face-to-face support as my family had my mom's memorial service. Bottom line--words are powerful. Let's use ours to show God's love and goodness.

Proverbs 12:1-14,

The Bible sure has a lot to say about our speech, and Proverbs 12:1-14 is no exception. That tells me that I need to be pay close attention to and monitor what comes out of my mouth. It's so easy to just spit out my thoughts. But I usually regret it when I let that happen. A lot of damage can be done by just a little slip of the tongue (mine hurting another person or me being hurt by someone else's comments). So Proverbs 12:14 "From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good" gave me a nudge, a valuable reminder, to use that very capable mouth of mine for GOOD.

I love the word picture "fruit of our mouths" brings to mind. Think about your most favorite fruit for a minute. How can you make the words coming out of your mouth match that goodness? How about targeting a specific situation or maybe a specific person for some "fruitful lips" practice this weekend? Tami W.

Matthew 28

Me, a teacher? I'm not so sure about that. The very last verses of Matthew 28 caught my attention today (Friday). The scene is just after Jesus has risen and he is with the eleven disciples. Jesus first tells them to "Go and make disciples of all nations" but then He gives these instructions, "Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you."

This is really a two part command from Jesus. Oddly enough, though, we don't always execute it that way. Have you noticed how we have a tendency to focus on the "go and tell" (and get pretty excited about it) but then we let that teaching part kind of slide? I know I'm guilty of that.

So what are we going to do about it? What can we do to help, guide, teach, mentor (whatever you want to call it) other Believers? Now I'm not talking about starting some formal program through your church (although that would be alright). Let's just consider what each of us could do day to day to reach out and help other Christians grow in Christ. Tami W.

P.S. And don't forget the flip side--we need other Christians to help us grow too.

Matthew 4:1-11

Temptation really bugs me! :( It's frustrating because, after all, as a Christian I'm supposed to be strong and in control--right? So why am I even being tempted? Plus, it makes me feel guilty, like I've already sinned. Well thankfully, if I haven't acted, my feelings are just that--feelings--and they don't accurately reflect the situation. Being tempted and acting on that temptation are two very different things. In other words, temptation does not equal sin.

Well Matthew 4:1-11 is all about temptation and I have to say I'm grateful for it. It's a rich passage, but the most helpful thing for me and my perspective is knowing that Jesus was tempted. So what did you take away from Matthew 4:1-11? Do you have any new, changed or adjusted thoughts about temptation? Tami W.

Have you ever noticed how your plans and God's don't always coincide? As I read Matthew 2 I was once again amazed at the awesomeness of God and His plan for salvation. It was a good reminder to me that God's plans are much bigger, and certainly more detailed, than any of mine. Too many times I get to operating like my world is "the" world. It's no wonder, then, that I'm surprised when something comes up that takes me off "my" course.

Look at how many different and unrelated people played significant roles in the passage today. Do you think any of them were really aware of the role they played? I doubt it. So what does that say about you and me and how God may be using us today? Think about it. Awareness is key. How can we stay more tuned in to the role or part God has for us? Tami W.

Nothing is random with God. Wow, Exodus 12:1-42 is packed full--particularly with details and requirements for the Israelites. It got me thinking. God certainly didn't need the Israelites to mark their doors because that was the only way he would be able to recognize them. This is the all knowing God after all.

So why do you suppose God gave these specific instructions and required strict adherence to them? I came up with several things as I pondered the why of this situation, but I'd really love to read your thoughts. Maybe we came to some of the same conclusions? Send me a blog and let's see. Tami W.

God-defying, prideful, arrogant, self-centered. All words that come to my mind as I read Isaiah 14:12-23. So who are they describing? The king of Babylon? Satan? Yes and another yes. But what would you think if I added that they describe you and me as well? I know, I don't like it either. Unfortunately, though, it's true--sometimes. I have definitely had a few periods in my life where I have purposefully and intentionally set myself up as "king" with little acknowledgment of God. (And, yes, that was after I became a Christian.) You see our sinful nature doesn't go away just because we become a Christian. So if we allow ourselves to indulge in or fall back into these types of attitudes, it can be dangerous for our Christian walk. None of us want that.

Now the good news is we're not alone and we can overcome. So let me encourage you today to stay in God's Word. It's so powerful. Take it in, think about what it means for you and then put it into action. Tami W.

Psalm 67

Make this your day for praising. Psalm 67 is filled with praising God. How fitting with it being Sunday, a day we typically think about and equate with praising. But here's the thing. While singing or reading scripture at church is certainly praising (and I love doing both), there six other days of the week for praising, not to mention plenty of other ways for us to praise the Lord.

So let's help each other get more involved and creative with our praising. What are some ways that you praise God through the week? Is there specific activity or place you go that brings praise to your lips or gives you an attitude of praise? Tami W.

P.S. One thing that helps me praise God is working in my flower garden. As I spend time planting and tending it, I am constantly amazed at God's workmanship and beauty. Before I know it, I'm praising Him right there with all my heart.

Proverbs 11:18-31

I want to make God happy. Proverbs 11:20 tells us that God "delights in those with integrity." I love the idea of delighting or pleasing God. That got me thinking about what delighting God means and what it should look like. So I thought to myself When in my life have I really worked at delighting someone? Well, my dating years came to mind right away (I even laughed a bit when I remembered some of the things I did). Anyway, when we're dating, we want to put our best foot forward. So we spend a lot of time focusing on and thinking about that other person and his or her likes, dislikes, happiness, wishes, you name it. If we can be that devoted in a dating relationship, how much more should we be devoted to pleasing God?

So as I go through this weekend and next week, I'm going to focus on delighting God. How about joining me? What are the things we are currently doing that bring God delight? Are there things we could add or get rid of that would delight Him? Tami W.