Short Reflection from Revelation 1-22

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (BRU) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

[9:54 pm, 21/05/2022] S.R:

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟙:𝟟

"BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen."

Clouds should help us remember that Jesus is coming soon! 👍

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟚:𝟙𝟛

''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."

It's God's world. And Satan is God's Satan.

But Satan is against us and is indeed the king of this world. All the rulers of this world serve him!

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟛:𝟙𝟡

"Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent."

When you sin, remember there will be a chastening hand of God. Confess and humble before God accepting the chastisement!

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟜:𝟙-𝟚

"After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things." Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne."

Heaven has to be up because John was called to come up.

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟝:𝟙𝟘

"You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."

We were made to rule this earth. Adam and Eve spoiled the opportunity. That's why we toil and labor for survival.

We work hard and many times we don't get even what we have worked for. This is a fallen world.

Most of us aren't even living life, we are just surviving life— doing things not because we are alive but to survive.

Jesus' second coming will reverse the curse completely. We shall get more than what we work for. We shall not do things to survive but we shall do them because we are alive. We will enjoy life as no man has ever had or imagined.

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟞:𝟙𝟝-𝟙𝟞

"Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they *said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;"

Indeed, it's terrible to have the God of the Universe mad/angry at you!

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟟:𝟙𝟝

"For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them."

Those who don't enjoy worshiping God or serving God here on earth will not want to live in heaven.

Those who hate to play or watch football will also think that Ronaldo and Messi are living a very boring life.

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟠:𝟙𝟛

"Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, "Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!"

Great shall be the judgment upon the earth. However, the redeemed shall be delivered from it.

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟡:𝟙𝟝

"So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind."

God is loving but He is wrathful also. On the day of Judgment, He shall kill people like sports.

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟙𝟘:𝟜

"When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.’"

There are some things we are forbidden to know.

Curiosity is not always good!

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟙𝟙:𝟙𝟟-𝟙𝟠

"saying, 'We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.'"

Surely, God shall judge the earth fairly and justly: punishment and death for the wicked; life and reward for the faithful.

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟙𝟚:𝟙𝟘

"Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, ‘Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.’"

Don't undermine the effort of Satan. He works against you day and night!

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟙𝟛:𝟞

"And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven."

Many anti-christs (forerunners of the Antichrist) are already doing what he will do! The time is nearer than before!

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟙𝟜:𝟟

"and he said with a loud voice, ‘Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.’"

1. Fear God

2. Give God the glory

3. Worship God

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟙𝟝:𝟜

"Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED."

God will not only be acknowledged as Lord by all human beings. He will be feared, and will be acknowledged as just, good, and great!

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟙𝟞:𝟚𝟙

"And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, *came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague *was extremely severe."

The world is using the name our Lord as a cuss word like anything, not surprising, if the judgment has come now, they would do more rather than repent of it!

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟙𝟟:𝟞

"And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly."

Christians are not exempted from suffering and death, rather are told to expect and endure faithfully even to the extent of death!

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟙𝟠:𝟚𝟙

“Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, 'So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer.'”

The wicked shall be forgotten someday. Only the memories of the good shall survive!

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟙𝟡:𝟙𝟜

"And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses."

War is necessary to defeat evil!

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟚𝟘:𝟙𝟜

"Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire."

The second death is the death of the death. After which no more shall die.

 

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟚𝟙:𝟜

"and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."

The place which God prepared for is a wonderful place.

 

[5:42 pm, 11/06/2022] S.R: ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝟚𝟚:𝟚𝟘

"He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."

Do we desire fervently the appearing of our Lord? We ought to...!

Short Reflection from Jude

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (JAC) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

[13:22, 5/22/2021] S.R:

𝕁𝕌𝔻𝔼 𝟛

"Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you exhorting that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints."

Many professing Christians think that the Gospel is basic and easy, and therefore, we must move beyond the Gospel of Salvation.

Jude was to write only 1 book, that also, a tiny book of only 1 page, that also to last forever. What topic would he choose to write about?

Without a shadow of a doubt, he wanted to write about Salvation.

Actually, he was making an effort to write about salvation, because the implications of Salvation are vast beyond our comprehension.

In fact, he was making every effort to write about Salvation. Hmmm!

How dare (actually stupid) anyone will think they have graduated from the Gospel.

As John Piper lashed out, "You never, never, never, never, never graduate from the Gospel!"

Short Reflection from 3 John

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (JAC) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

𝟛 𝕁𝕆ℍℕ 𝟙

"The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in 𝕥𝕣𝕦𝕥𝕙."

One of the most Repeated and Key Theme in this short epistle is "𝕥𝕣𝕦𝕥𝕙"

I love how John addressed Gaius: not just love, but love in truth. Because any action of affection without truth is a deception. Sometimes we can act/pretend like loving.

That's why I believe in sound doctrine in the church, ministry, and in our life. Where there's no sound doctrine, there's no way to find out what's true and what's wrong, and is seen in our walking/lifestyle (v4)

The most loving person is the most truthful one, and the most truthful one is the most loving one. And is seen in Christ!

Short Reflection from 2 John

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (JAC) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

[11:23, 5/20/2021] S.R:

𝕀𝕀 𝕁𝕆ℍℕ 𝟙𝟘-𝟙𝟙

"If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting, for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds."

#False teaching is dangerous.

# False teachers are dangerous.

# Don't entertain false teachers.

# Don't welcome false teachers.

# Don't even greet false teachers.

# Don't let them step their feet into your house. Yes, literally!

Tradition says that when Apostle John was having a bath, he saw a heretic (Cyrenthius?), he ran out of the bathroom screaming, "Flee, flee, lest the roof falls down, and we all perish." John meant what he said, literally!

Short Reflection from 1 John 1-5

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (JAC) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

[11:12, 5/14/2021] S.R:

𝕀 𝕁𝕆ℍℕ 𝟙:𝟙𝟘

"If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."

The identity of a Christian is a sinner. Not that it's okay to sin, but it means it's impossible to be sinless before the thrice holy God, and therefore must acknowledge ourselves humbly before God in confession and penitence.

A sinner saved by Grace.

 

𝕀 𝕁𝕆ℍℕ 𝟚:𝟙𝟛-𝟙𝟜

"I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have 𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖 the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have 𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖 the evil one."

We are overcomers! We are winners!

We are conquerors! All in Christ!

It's not "we will" Or "we can." It's "we have overcome"

It's done. It's a state of reality.

So, let's live like that! Courageous in struggles, and Rich in good works!

 

𝕀 𝕁𝕆ℍℕ 𝟛:𝟙𝟘

"In this the 𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕝𝕕𝕣𝕖𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝔾𝕠𝕕 and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not 𝚙𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 is not of God, nor is he who does not 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛."

All human beings are brothers and sisters because we are all children of Adam, but only those who are born of God are our only spiritual brothers and sisters.

We are all children of God in the sense God is our Creator, but only those who are born of God are truly children of God. The others are already adopted/enslaved by the devil, Satan.

If we are children of a righteous God, surely, we will demonstrate righteousness in our life. Have people called me or seen me or estimated me "holy" and "righteous" more or have they called me, seen me, or estimated me "wicked" and "sinful" more?

And if we are children of God, we are family members, we are brothers and sisters, therefore, we love one another. The people whom I love most on planet earth are my family members. When I get married, maybe she will be the one, but as of now, my family members are! And then, my church members and the layer of circles goes on...

 

𝕀 𝕁𝕆ℍℕ 𝟜:𝟙𝟚

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

It's one thing to love, and another thing to demonstrate our love. God loves us and demonstrates His love for us.

It's one thing to say, "I love you," it's another thing to mean it. My Rongmei culture hardly says "I love you" to one another. Actually, it's awkward to say, and I think it doesn't exist in our culture. It doesn't make sense to say.

And I am glad that the way how God reveals His love for us is not by saying, "I really love you from the deep deep bottom of my heart," but by demonstration of actions.

Oh! Indeed! How needed that we love not only in words but in deeds too!

 

𝕀 𝕁𝕆ℍℕ 𝟝:𝟙𝟡

"We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one."

We, believers, are of God. Jesus is our Master.

But we live in this world where Satan claimed to be the master of all things.

And in v18 it says Satan does not touch the believers. Because we are freed from his enslavement.  Sure, like Pharaoh who troubled the Israelites by sending armies to capture them by the Red Sea, Satan will cause trouble for us, he can even influence us indirectly, but He cannot touch us again. And one day like the Pharaoh's armies they shall never cross the Red Sea and perish on it.

I pray that God will open our eyes of understanding (v20) to comprehend the power and the glory of God!

Short Reflection from 2 Peter 1-3

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (JAC) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

𝕀𝕀 ℙ𝔼𝕋𝔼ℝ 𝟙:𝟙

"Simeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received the same kind of faith as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ."

Some people trust in their 'good' works for salvation.

Others (especially the Catholics) trust that 'good' works + faith in Christ will save them.

And still, others believe that faith alone will save them, no matter how they live.

And yet still some would say that a man shall live by 'his' faith.

What does the Bible say about salvation? About faith? About good works? About our lifestyle?

Well, all the views offered above are misleading, some so heretical!

I Peter 1:1 reminds us that it is not 'our' faith that saves us; it is the received faith that saves us. We receive faith because God has made us born again. And this faith we receive saves us.

Faith is a gift. Grace is a gift. Salvation is a gift. Eternal life is a gift. Life itself is a gift. Jesus is a gift.

Let's not boast as if we have anything, or as if we can do anything, or as if we can contribute anything for our salvation!

𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝓨𝓸𝓾, 𝓛𝓸𝓻𝓭, 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓲𝓯𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓯𝓪𝓲𝓽𝓱! 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝓮 𝓫𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓮𝓿𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓙𝓮𝓼𝓾𝓼 𝓒𝓱𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓽! 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓶 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓭𝓸𝓾𝓫𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓨𝓸𝓾. 𝓔𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝓼𝓸 𝓲𝓷𝓬𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓯𝓪𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓲𝓷 𝓨𝓸𝓾, 𝓛𝓸𝓻𝓭, 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓮. 𝓐𝓶𝓮𝓷!

 

𝕀𝕀 ℙ𝔼𝕋𝔼ℝ 𝟚:𝟛

"And in their 𝕘𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕕 they will 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕝𝕠𝕚𝕥 you with false words, their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep."

We all need money to live in this world. Even Jesus needed it to pay taxes. We have to earn money.

Hey, we have to earn a lot, lots of money. But not for our self-pleasure, but to be generous to those who are less privileged, less competent, less talented, etc. Remember, it's God who is prospering our endeavor. The world is His.

ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, 𝔾𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕕 is the unique characteristic of a false teacher according to this verse. Christian ministry is a ministry of self-denial, a ministry of grace (generosity), a ministry of humility.

While it may be difficult to set up a parameter what falls into a category of greed and what does not, false teachers will exploit us in their greed.

Greed vs Generosity

 

𝕀𝕀 ℙ𝔼𝕋𝔼ℝ 𝟛:𝟙𝟠

"but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."

𝔾𝕣𝕠𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕟 𝟚 𝔸ℝ𝔼𝔸𝕊

𝟙. 𝔾𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕖 of our Lord Jesus Christ: Sufficiency of His grace in all trials and troubles of life.

𝟚. 𝕂𝕟𝕠𝕨𝕝𝕖𝕕𝕘𝕖 of our Lord Jesus Christ: Satisfaction in His Person and His Lordship over my life.

𝓞 𝓶𝔂 𝓼𝓸𝓾𝓵, 𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓾𝓯𝓯𝓲𝓬𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓬𝔂 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓼𝓯𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓲𝓷  𝓗𝓲𝓶! 𝓐𝓶𝓮𝓷!