Be The Church

We are at our best when together we are serving out our God given purposes for His glory. 

Tonight at our campfire debrief a number of people shared about how it is so easy to lose the passion, lose what they gained here and experienced on the Ensenada Project.  Some talked about how they need to go to church more consisently and seek God.  We talked about different ways that we can connect with God, but for me it came back to the fact that we don't 'do church' and somehow maintain this momentum by simply attending a service.  The strong fire will go out unless the embers of the fire are fanned into flames again.  We need to discover our gifts and talents and be actively serving the way that God has designed us...

Well it was an emotional afternoon for us as we finished the homes ahead of schedule allowing to celebrate a great 'pigfest' as one of the families cooked pig especially for us complete with fresh salsa.   It wasn't 'tacos el poblano' but it was as authentic as it can get.  Brandon and Jon's team first handed the keys over to Hugo and Karin Baterizta along with their children, Andrea, Hugo Jr. and Enrique.  They developed an incredible bond that may for some tearful goodbyes.  Next in line, Brynley and my team as we handed the keys to Susana and Valencia Benitez along with their children, Jennifer, Jazmin and Sinai.  Last, but certainly not least was Nathan's team giving it over to the family at the pig farm. Each family was presented with gifts and money to get a great head start.  We were also able to provide them with the clothes that we brought down and it was again another 'God moment' to see how many of the clothes were perfect for both the moms and their children.  Each family also was blessed with a soccer ball.

 My turn to stir the pot!!

 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.  No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.  Philippians 3:12-14



As God led me to this passage this morning in our prayer time together, it was a reminder that it doesn't stop here.  It should always lead us to a deeper sense of awareness and calling on our lives.  We need to celebrate the past faithfulness of God yes, but keep asking Him, what is the next chapter you are leading me to write?  We keep pressing onward and upward even where we haven't got it figured out or feel ready to go.  The empowering comes as we step out in faith after listening to His still small voice.  Tonight, we also heard a quote from Jackie Pullinger, who continues to listen and play out Her God-given calling.  She said that all too often believers have hard hearts and soft feet when it should be completely the opposite....soft hearts and hard feet ready to continue this great adventure He has us on!

The Game That Unites Us...SOCCER!

The day began on the worksites as we continued to work at a frenetic pace to get all the necessary work done in order to be ready for Friday.  I worked on finishing the cable ends with siding and trimming the windows while Bryn and Brandon did mudding, Nathan and John worked on their respective roofs.... Brandon ended up going to Roca Forte to do painting at Ricardo's church as well.

So, now is where SOCCER plays amazingly well into today's blog...

After lunch we headed about 40 minutes down the road to visit the boys home in Santo Tomas where Juan and Rosie minister to boys who are physically challenged and / or difficult home situations.  They have had up to 16 boys here but today there were 8 today and a great soccer game was started initially to have some fun.  While Brandon played nets, Nathan, Bryn and I were setting up the clothes and pumping up the balls.  We had the chance to perform our drimes for them and everyone did a great job. We then blessed each one with a 'high power' soccer ball and the shirts that we brought down. They then asked us to pray for finances for their ministry, for food and that ultimately the situation over land ownership would be resolved with Rosa. So, we gathered in a circle together with the boys, our friends from Long Hill as Tim prayed over them.

Later this afternoon,  I took a drive with Glen 'the evangelist' and Miguel as we sought out some people that we could play soccer with.  We prayed a very simple prayer and Miguel felt led to go into a local gym where we saw some pretty impressive volleyball players.  We talked with the young man at the desk, Pedro and he then took on a bit of a hike to connect us with the man who is in charge of the local soccer pitch.  After sharing our plan to challenge a local team, they said yes.  So, after an amazing meal at Taco El Poblano we were on for 7:15pm.  We arrived there and Pedro had a team with their cleats and soccer jerseys and they were ready to go.  We honestly looked like a bunch of misfits not even sure what position we were going to play, but play we did and we got off to an early 1-0 lead.  Brandon did amazing in net but unfortunately it all evaporated pretty quickly as they came storming back to score 3 goals and win the match.  It was a great bonding event for all of us.  After we held a draw for two of our HP soccer balls that we brought down and then Glen shared the gospel and two men prayed to receive Jesus, Rigiberto Torres Cruz and Miguel Angel Masias.  As it turns out, Jon Romano got talking with Pedro and he attends Pastor Franscisco's church so he told us he would bring the guys with him.  All in all it was another great reminder of simple praying in faith and how an outreach event birthed another great moment for eternity!

 Well there is your proof that I worked up a good sweat!!

La Bufadora! The best Ensenada can get!

We had Wednesday morning off to take in the sights and the thing to do when in Ensenada is head out to La Bufadora, a blowhole that boasts great watersprays!  However, the only way to get there is first to make it through all the shops that are lined up on the pathway that leads there.  As a friend last year said, 'it is china town on steriods' but it is a great taste of the local culture and anything from everything can be purchased there.  Depending on your bartering skills, you can buy a authentic blanket from here for $5-Am as Karen did or the same one that Mark purchased for $18-Am.  Brandon was our big time purchaser picking up a sweater, t-shirts, necklaces, a wooden flute, a coconut drink and churros.  He made the shop owners proud and it is too funny passing by these guys.  They all want you in their store to purchase everything from silver, pharmacy products, napsacks and food.  In their limited English they say, "I will rip you off less" or "buy muscle killers here" or "Friend, friend, I have the best deal for you!"  We took some pictures with the locals and then it was back to the mission house where we practiced our drimes to be ready for the boys home on Thursday. 

After lunch it was back to the worksite where Nathan worked tirelessly on his roof with Sami but without a hat so when he returned home tonight he was suffering from heat exhaustion.  He got a talking to from his pastor and then went to bed where he slept for 12hrs and I happy to report after coffee he is good to go! 

Brandon and Jon continue to connect so well with their family and especially Andrea.  Brandon shared tonight at the campfire how he overcame his own self doubt and feelings of unworthiness before coming on the trip.  He spoke of how his mom helped packed his stuff and just seeing the Bible on top of all his belongings was enough to remind him that it was all about God and not him.  He now could not even imagine not being here and they all don't want to go home, but for the desire to share their story.

Brynley was on the mudding crew as she is learning all about making smooth lines and covering the drywall nails and doing a great job when she isn't distracted by the visits from the puppies across the road.  I continued to work on finishing the facia boards and get the roof ready for the shingles.

Glen continues to have favour with the neighbours as he had the opportunity to lead Jeremias to the Lord!

May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation - those good things that are produced by Jesus Christ -for this will bring much glory and praise to God.  Philippians 1:11 NLT

Your passion fuels my passion

We started our day again with another great time in prayer and it such a unifying time for all of us.  I love the passion in JR’s prayers and he is one of the young men that I have got the chance to know more.  He has a burning desire to serve the Lord, but not in a normal ministry setting as he sees himself more in an itinerant one.  He said to 'your passion fuels my passion' and he spoke of how he loves to see the day when we are all one as a church and the miracles we will see!

9am rolled around, the vans were loaded up and we followed along in our ‘Canacar 05’ as named by Brandon and etched in the sand covering our Corolla rental.  I dropped Nathan off first, then Brandon and Jon and Bryn and I were off to our site.  Bryn brought a soccer ball for the girls and had a chance to play with them today.  Did I mention there are also five puppies...one for every day of the week and she wants me to figure out a way how we can bring one home! 

My first assignment on the job site was to cut out the windows and as I was doing that I noticed Glenn speaking to the neighbour across the fence.  As it would turn out, he had the chance to share the gospel with the whole family and they all responded and prayed to receive Christ.  He then called me aside to pray for Polo and Martha Solis, Sarah and Antonio.  It was an unexpected divine interruption in our morning and a joyful one to be a part of.  

Back on the site, it was time to complete the siding on the outside walls and then the big job of placing the center beam in place which perfectly fit in all 5 brackets!!  It went extremely well and then we quickly fit the roof joists into the hangers that Brynley had nailed on with Cass.  So, by the end of the day our roof was two thirds done.  Underneath of us our team, dos octopi was slapping up the drywall after finishing the electrical.  It was another great day of building the house and the kingdom!

After picking up the rest of our team, we did a quick turnaround at the mission house  and treated ourselves to ice cream at the local hot spot.  We then drove down to the beach where we all crashed the waves and just had a blast.

6pmish...after an attempt at a shower under shall we say a drizzle of water, it was supper and so far I have done well on the Mexican fare with burritos, tostadas, sopes and fish tacos tonight.  Tomasa cooks for us in love and so the more you eat, the more love you feel!  I feel the love...unfortunately Nathan cannot say the same.  Fish tacos didn’t agree with him so well; however he is getting a little bit of celebrity status as many of our New Jersey friends refer to him as ‘prince’.   They say he looks like Prince Harry and ‘Crycket’ is smiling!

The Lord is my pastor and I am lacking nothing

We began the day in prayer as we gathered at 7am to unite our hearts and minds for the mission that was set before us.  Jamin's daughter Jare came in and we had the opportunity to lay our hands on her as she has been under spiritual attack.

The rain was misting this morning as we left to head out to the building sites and it was a cool and windy morning.  We arrived and there was our cement pad in the midst of a sea of sand.  We are close to the ocean but certainly not on it.   This is a beach front site without the beach and when the wind picks up, keep your mouth closed.  As I dropped off our guys on the three sites we are working on it, I came across the graffiti on the trailer of one of the families... the literal translation from Spanish is the title of my blog and right out of Psalm 23:1.  It spoke volumes to me about the people living here, their love for the Lord and how much of an honor it is to be able to build a home for them.

On our site, Brynley didn't waste any time working on the power tools as she operated the chop saw and the ramset.  She was driving in nails as we framed the house and put the wood siding on our pistachio coloured home.  Our team name is 'dos octopi ' for the 16 of us. Brandon and Jon got beige paint duty and Nathan said he pretty much did everything in sight on the pig farm where they are doing their blue coloured house build. 

Bryn found a family nearby that has 5 puppies and we were all quite taken by them.  Some of us sneaked some of our lunch to them which was tuna or ham and cheese sandwiches, cheetos and bbq chips...woo hoo. 
 
 The sun came out mid afternoon and warmed us up which was a welcome sight and each team managed to get all four outer walls up so we are off to a great start.  We then had some down time before supper followed by a great campfire as Bill, one of the interns, shared on the persistence of prayer and we worshipped together.  There was a time of sharing before we called it a night.

It sounds like we are going to organize a game of soccer with the locals for Tuesday night and hand out some of our HP balls.  We are also planning to visit the boys home and do a soccer ball and clothing distribution at some point this week.

So, yes, our team of 5 has been spread out on 3 sites.  We, the Canadians, are the yeast that will infultrate the whole batch of Americans here.  We sang 'O Canada' proudly tonight and surprisingly many of the Americans joined in...they love us!

Tomorrow (Tuesday) Rick will meet with the leaders of the boys home here and Rosa who is seeking to take the land back where the home sits on. We are praying for a peaceful resolution to the whole situation.

For to me to live is Christ!

Well it was a rough night sleeping bunkbed style and a very thin mat with lots of snoring in sight last night.  I decided to take a cot and sleeping in the dining hall which worked until 4:30am when some brothers from New Jersey decided it was time to get up and start the coffee...

We started our church hopping later this morning by first visiting Renario's church for their service at 10am.  Miguel, a Peruvian pastor shared with us and his message was translated in English.  Through Glen we heard his incredible story of faith and how he came from the largest Quechan tribe.  It would be his father who came to faith and was the first pastor in his tribe.  He was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ and would not back down from preaching when told to do so. Miguel would watch as his father died a brutal death at the hands of the communists for his faith.  As he was dying, his last words to the men who killed him were, 'for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain'.  God would use Miguel's father to inspire him to serve God and he has already been spared death twice.  Once while being lined up in front of a firing squad, God miraculously made him drop down before he was shot and when the soldiers came to kill him again, they ran out of ammunition and he was allowed to go free. 

After we returned from church, we had a quick lunch and then went next door to Jamin's church.  It was passionate singing in worship followed by passionate preaching.  It was another powerful service as many people responed to the call of the message by coming forward for prayer with the theme of personal victory in their life.

We then were off on a tour to visit the many sites where the Ensenada Project works.  Cass led the tour as we visited all the communities where we left our mark last year.  It was neat to see an addition already built on one of the homes that we worked on last year.  We visited Ricardo's and Faustino's community and went to a great lookout where we snapped some pics.  After our time on the top of the local mountain, we gingerly took our Toyota Corolla rental down to the site where we will be building our homes. Brandon and Jon got to see the site where they will be working...a pig farm!!

We visited Fransciso's church...the place of the famous retaining wall last year and then caught up with Jon Romano's soccer team who won 2-1 in their semi final game.

We arrived at the mission house at 6pm for Tomasa's burrittos and the brave including myself smothered them in hot sauce.  Afterwards it was a meeting with Rick to go over the building plans for the 3 house builds.  Our team will be split up among the 3 sites with the group from LongHill.  We had a great time of worship later in the evening and two people on the team shared their testimonies.  Karen, who was here last year, but didn't want to be went through an incredible transformation as she shared how by going she was saved from a party where there was an electrical fire and where a friend broke her back in escaping.  She spoke of how God transformed her and how since then it has been an incredible journey.

Rick, Tim, Steve, Paul and I went back to the Romano's to kick back after a long day and I actually got a great night's rest as in wisdom I stayed there.

I can now confirm that Brandon, Jon and Nathan also slept well!

It is Monday morning and we are ready to head out to the work site.  It is cool here and overcast which all things considered maybe a great blessing in a very dust filled area.



With unfailing love you will lead this people whom you have ransomed.  You will guide them in your strength to the place where your holiness dwells.  Exodus 15:13

Salvation Belongs To Our God

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHY557xFH54  - a neat video on Revelation if it became a movie...

We now return to a scene taking place in heaven and signs that point us to the second coming of Jesus Christ.  There are clear signposts for us to see.

3 Types of Signs

1.       Signs that are leading up to the end of time. 

The beginning of birth pangs – We are living with signs that point us to the reality that we need a new heaven and a new earth.  Mark 13:5-8  Don’t be deceived by false teachers who want to give you all the details figured out.  Don’t be drawn in by all the flash and hype especially in the secular realm that tries to pull you in with everything from UFOs to aliens to Mayan predictions.  These are the signs that sound like a rumbling in your car.

2.       Signs that precede the end. 

These are the signs that tell us that the time is close.  Apostacy is one of them and it refers to those who will turn away from their faith.  They want the blessings, but they don’t want the follow through of commitment.  There will be a greater influence of evil and increase in persecution.  There will be a stronger ‘for or against’ in relation to faith as the difficulties increase.  This is where there is more than a rumbling in your car, now there is squealing and your brakes are metal on metal...the heat is on!

3.       Signs that accompany the end of time.

These are the dramatic signs and this is when the engine falls out of your car!

In the timing of this passage, we don’t necessarily see a timeline, but what we see that there are fast forwards and rewinds going on all throughout this Revelation of John.

There are four specific teachings here that give us a great strengthening hope.

Some people trust God when...  the sun is shining on them

other people trust God if...  He comes through for them

and then there are those that trust God no matter what!

Again, in chapter 7, it is a shift of focus and the group is vast.  We move from the throne room to the family reunion to everyone who has a white robe from the Lamb.  So, who can stand? And who can fall on their faces in worship?  It is a limitless number of people from every tribe.  Rewind with me to the Olympics in Vancouver and picture with me all the athletes entering into the stadium from every nation.  It is a beautiful and complete picture of who we are all in Christ.

 Revelation 7

God is unfolding His plan. 7v1-3

He is in control of the process.  It is not just a ‘train wreck’ going on here.  There is increasing power, increasing glory and increasing confidence and hope going forward here.  We can trust God.  We see a group of angels who are the servants of God that do His bidding in His timing.  God has allowed evil because He has allowed choice on the part of mankind.  We see a picture that He is protecting His chosen ones.  He knows what they are up against and what they are facing.

The  vision of the 144 000 7v4-8

The first picture we see is that of a family reunion.  We need to recognize from Scripture that the number 12 is very significant in that it represents the people of God, the structure of heaven.  It is not just a random number, but it is a ‘complete’ number.  So while there have been those who have been fixated on this number and even gone as far as predicting who the 144 000 are, let’s remember there is a strong sense of symbolic significance.  There is a clear design to this vision.

It is of interest to note that the tribe of Dan and Ephraim are omitted and possibly this is due to their own idolatrous worship.  Genesis 49:17 ‘Dan will be a serpent by the roadside, a viper along the path...’

Certainly John wants us to know that there will be faithful witnesses among the Jews who will testify to the living God.  God wants us to get it...there will be Jewish believers that will represent all the tribes of Israel.  In Romans 11 Paul spoke of a great in gathering of people from the Jewish nation.   It will not just be only 144 000 from the nation.  It could be a specific group that will be redeemed during the Great Tribulation.  We also see this number again in Revelation 14 and they are spoken of as the firstfruits of those who have been redeemed. 

The main point is that there are Jewish believers who are sealed by God’s Spirit as a sign of their security and protection.  God is going to protect them for His purposes much like He did with His children in Egypt when the blood on their doorposts sealed them from the angel of death and protected their firstborn.

There are those ministries today that are dedicated to reaching Jewish people today that have spoken to us here like Chosen People Ministries and of course Jews for Jesus.

Once again, we have an opportunity to learn lessons about unpacking the Word of God.  Last week we looked at the importance of not making arguments from silence and this week, ‘know your context!’

In reading the Word...5 things to remember.

Context / Observation / Meaning / Application and Response

We are sealed!  7v9, 10

Ephesians 1:13,14

There is a coming Great Tribulation and there is a great tribulation going on right now and these promises are for all those who have been sealed by the HS of God.

The Calm Before The Storm   Revelation 8,9

These verses begin by depicting a silence that you expect before a storm.  The leaves on the trees are blowing backwards and you know it is coming.  It is time for God to act in response to all the prayers of the saints.  It is a powerful moment and a sense of awe during this awesome quiet.  As one has said, ‘it is a quietness of the soul’.  It is not about me, it is not about us, it is about God.

Here we see the angels who not only declare His praises but who carry out His judgments. 

In the OT temple, the outer court had the altar of sacrifice and in the inner court was separated in two with the curtain to protect the Holy of Holies and the presence of God and in there was the altar of incense. v3-5

Hebrews 9:3,4

Your kingdom come, Your will be done is a prayer that we have been told to pray by Jesus and this is God’s ultimate will being done.  It is a prayer that evil will be done with, that temptation will be finished with, that we will live in God’s presence forever.                          

The series of judgments that follow are indicative of God’s love for His people. 

There are the tribulations that many believers are already facing; there will be a Great Tribulation and the Bible also speaks of the ‘Day of The Lord’

·         1^st Trumpet  8v7

Fire and blood are part of this pronouncement and 1/3 of the earth is burned up.   What is the symbolism of 1/3^rd.  It is symbolic of universal suffering and it is also symbolic of the plagues in Egypt.  God is giving us a picture to help us understand something that already has taken place.  It was localized in Egypt and ultimately what did God do for His children.  It was through all these devastating plagues that God led His people to the Promised Land.

When you see what God did in Exodus, He is doing in Revelation.  Instead of wandering we will be worshipping Him.  The ultimate goal was that those who had hard hearts would soften them and return to Him.

·         2^nd Trumpet   8v8,9

Mountains are thrown into the sea; 1/3 of the sea in turned into blood, as well as creatures in the sea and ships.

God is allowing people to see the truth of what is happening in the world.  It is not going to last

·         3^rd Trumpet  8v10,11

Fire is depicted as the judgement that contaminates streams and water that are essential for life. 1/3 of the people die because the water becomes undrinkable.

The star is wormword  which means bitterness.  Another picture of what took place in Exodus 15:22-27 where the water became bitter.  When Moses took the wood (which has been said to represent Christ’s cross) and threw it in the water, it became sweet.  It is Christ who is the only One who can make the bitter sweet in our lives.   He takes our sin and cleanses us.  He is our river of living water.  We want Jesus to be our Saviour not our Judge.  However when we trust in ourselves and in our own plans, the sweet will become bitter. 

·         4^th Trumpet  8v12,13

1/3 of the sun, moon and stars are struck causing a 1/3 of the day/night to be without light.  There is this natural darkness that represents God’s disapproval of man’s satanic ways.

And yet with all these intense and powerful judgments, it is still going to get worse, it still continues to unfold.  The realization is that this world is not a place for us to put our hope in.

We need to understand these things when studying Revelation:

-Prophetic revelation -   Jesus is coming back.

-Prophetic interpretation -  I believe that Jesus is coming back before this tribulation

-Prophetic speculation – I believe Jesus is coming back before 2020 and it is going to be a nuclear bomb.

While there are those who say we are going to destroy ourselves, ultimately God will be in control the judgments as they unfold.

why v13....  the 1^st 4 trumpets are focused on creation, the last 3 are now focused on mankind.

·         5^th Trumpet   9v1-12

Satan is a fallen angel and he is the star here who is given a key to the abyss.  The Abyss is not hell, it is like hades, a holding place where one awaits the final judgment.  It is a place of punishment.

Satan is prince of the world but it is only a temporary reign that God has given him.  This world is not the ultimate source of evil. 

Now the sun and sky are completely darkened by the smoke that rises from the Abyss.  A small picture of this would be the volcano in Iceland that covered much of the Atlantic sky near Europe and forced planes back on the ground.

This trumpet is descriptive of the invisible spirit world that exists all around us.  The locusts have been described as the demons and the way that they will possess and torment people in the end times.  They aren’t allowed to kill, but to bring the kind of agony that people will long for death.  The exempt are those who have the seal of God.   Once again we are seeing Exodus terminology.

In Zephaniah 1:3; Hosea 4:2,3  we also see similar events predicted surrounding this time.

·         6^th Trumpet   9v13-21

Where we see death not being granted as a release from torment, we now see death take full force in the 6^th Trumpet as death visits 1/3 of the population of the earth.  The Lord uses angels to exact His pronouncements and the four angels mentioned are in the Euphrates River where the first rebellion occurred.   The Jews would understand that this river separated the Roman nation from the Jewish people.  It was the dividing line where the attacks would come from.

 These angels draw on a vast army of wicked spirits to bring this devastating punishment.

God is now answering the prayers of His suffering saints under the altar of incense and sacrifice.  At the same time there is an opportunity to respond in the midst of this intense trumpet of judgement and the sad reality repeats itself in that we are left with the depraved response on the part of those who survive.

The death sentence is seen in these verses - “The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshipping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze and wood – idols that cannot see or hear or walk.  Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.  v20,21

Death is the ultimate judgment for someone who has completely hardened their heart against God.  He judges with death those that hold back his plan of salvation from unfolding.  It is in the face of death of those around us that we have sobering moments about life and death and eternity.  There is still 2/3^rd who have an opportunity to respond to Him.  He is incredibly patient not willing that any should perish.

The Truth is Bittersweet.   Revelation 10

Before the 7^th trumpet sounds, John whisks us away to another vision of the angel who comes with the final scroll representing the judgements.  

Here John is asked specifically to not write down the vision.  There are still things that we do not know, we don't have the full prophetic revelation.

 Again we have the picture of SEVENS and now it is represented by 7 thunders.  It is a powerful and triumphant shout of a lion.  Now the 7^th angel comes to tell John to eat the contents of his message.  It is sweet to taste but in the end it turns sour in his stomach.

Ezekiel 3

The takeaway in this chapter for us today is that it is hardly enough for us just to read the Bible and think that somehow that is sufficient for us.  It is so imperative that we become absolutely saturated in His Word that it completely takes hold of our mind and heart.  It is only when His truth takes hold of us that it will take root in others.

So John absorbs the contents of the scroll and he is satisfied and upset all at the same time because while He knows that justice is being served, it still is very difficult to pronounce terrifying judgements.  So while we empathize with the sufferings of believers all over the world, we know their day will come and even in death they will be victorious.

The Living Testimony of Two Witnesses   Revelation 11

It is the natural end of the world...  we are at that pregnant pause between the 6^th and 7^th trumpet judgment.

We see the vision of the 144 000 and the great multitude between the 6^th and 7^th seal...a similar theme.

We get a picture of what life will look like before His return.

In Ezekiel 40-48, we have a measuring rod that was given...the measuring rod doesn’t just indicate size and length but its place of security and safety.  God’s pleasure and protection doesn’t mean we won’t have to survive intense persecution; however in v2, it will be for a limited time.

42 months; 1260 days – 12:6  The woman is being nourished during this time.  If it is a literary convention, it also the same as time, times and half a time or 3 and ½ sets of seven...The Church will be persecuted for the period of time from Christ’s ascension to His return.

We just might need to readjust our expectations  as there is one who will continue to make life and ministry very difficult for us. 

These two witnesses refer to the witnesses that go out to the rest of the world.  They are also connected to olive trees and lampstands.

Lampstands and olive trees - They were connected with the ministry of Zerubbabel ...They also represent the church serving in the temple and its reconstruction like we the Church, the body of believers, who serve now

Psalm 52

The witnesses will be preserved v4-6 they will have a voice and the witnesses will persevere until death v7,8

We also need to note that at the Lord’s appointed time , they are resurrected in full view of all those to whom they were witnesses to!  v11-14

·         7^th Trumpet   11v15-19

The 7^th angel pronounces the third woe and it begins with very visible signs in lightening, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.  In many ways, the 7^th trumpet gives way to the 7 bowl judgements.  This trumpet has been said to provide us with a panoramic view of the rest of Revelation in that future events are already being seen as the present.  It envisions the establishment of Christ’s worldwide kingdom and reign, the judgement of the nation that rage against Him at Armageddon, the judgement of the dead and the rewarding of the faithful servants of God.

Psalms 2:1-5

The Takeaway

Apart from the seal of God in our lives through the Holy Spirit, there is no protection, there is no peace, there is no hope, there is no security.

May we continue to be witnesses of this great truth with the boldness of heaven’s glory in the face of hell’s fury.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RihfmBH8JbQ   - Salvation Belongs To Our God

Questions For Discussion

1. In what ways is Jesus’ power over sin and death pictured in the giving of the first 6 trumpets?

2.  What comparisons exist between the physical temple in Jerusalem of previous generations to the believer’s body as the temple of the Holy Spirit?

3. What is the essential purpose of the two witnesses in Revelation 11:3-14?

4. What aspect of the nature of God is most readily evident in the proclamation of the 7^th Seal?

5.  What does it mean to you to know that you have been sealed for the day of redemption?

Ephesians 1:13,14

It Has To Get Worse Before It Gets Better

The Four Living Creatures:

These pictures of Christ are also found in Ezekiel 1

Lion – His majesty
Ox – a servant
Face of a man – His humanity
Eagle – His Deity as the Son of God

As William Barclay points out each one described are the noblest, strongest and swiftest in their respective realms.

Revelation 6

These seven seals are all about world events, its chaos. We see the hurricanes, terrorism, earthquakes. This book is written for us to calm our fears. The early church who received this letter initially had to be feeling that God was abandoning them because of the great persecution. Everything moving forward is contained within each other in terms of God’s justice and His plan for the world. In the Seals you have the Trumpets and in the Trumpets, you have the Bowls. It is like those eastern European dolls that you find one inside the other. There are successive periods of judgment. In the Seals, we will see how the first four are against creation followed by the last three against mankind. We will begin by focusing on the One who is worthy to open the beginning of the end and in the seals we will discover the hope that is ours like God’s faithful who were found ‘under the altar’.

5 Ways of looking at Revelation

1. Preterist view – This is all about the Roman govt and all these events have already taken place
2. Continuous Historical View – All the events are unfolding from the ascension forward to the final consummation.
3. Spiritualized View – It is a symbolized view of all the events that will take place
4. Futurist (Dispensational) View –Everything is about the time that is still coming.
5. Combination View – There are truths here for every generation.

Are these the same events being described, do they happen successively or do they all unfold together?

Will I be around when these events take place?

Will Christ return before all this happens in its full effect?

It ultimately depends on our view, but the reality is that many of these events are already happening to varying degrees in our world right now and while we may not feel their full effect now we need to feel for our brothers and sisters who experience many of these painful judgments right now.

It is clear that as believers we will not face the wrath of God; however with the evil in our world, it is easy to feel abandoned through the chaos going on right now. To the very core of our being we need to know that God is with us through it all.

This earth must pass away and it will come with great difficulty. There will be increasing turmoil to remind us of the seriousness of sin and the fight that our enemy will bring. He will not go down easy and he will fight to the bitter end and want to take as many people with him.

God’s wrath is being poured out on the created order and then on humanity. It was John Calvin who in speaking of these events shared how they are happening ever since Christ’s ascension.

The 1st Seal v1,2

This rider on this white horse could describe all world leaders or one who is bent on exacting conquest, the antichrist. It would appear that his approach to domination is by peaceful means. There is a growing desire for an advocate of peace and someone who can present plausible solutions to international problems. Some have seen this person as one who will gain favour with both the Jews and Gentiles

Some identify this as the same person that Daniel describes as the small horn in Daniel 7:8;20,24

The 2nd Seal v3,4

The rider on a red horse describes war on the earth and he has been given power to remove peace from the earth. Ultimately it is God who allows this to happen under His powerful Hand.
This horse represents the civil strife and anarchy that will take place and the wickedness of the heart of mankind in the genocides and gruesome violence that will be undertaken. We do not have to look too far to remember pictures like that of what happened in Rwanda.

Joel 2:1-11; 3:6-21

Why horses? It is a picture that the reader can picture in the war of their day.

God allowed free choice to enter this world from the very beginning with Adam and Eve and ultimately they play out to the end of the world. The world will continually reap the result of its lack of trust and belief in God. God uses this to empower our witness to bring the realization that His judgment is inevitable. It is our job to share the compassion of Christ. We are also enabled in our our wisdom in the midst of all that is unfolding in our world as we share with others.

The 3rd and 4th Seal v5-8

I want you just to focus on the descriptions of what is going to take place here.

The black horse describes the famine that will take place. It takes a day’s wages to just feed one person. This is an increasing picture of what is already taking place in many parts of the world today. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The oil and the wine represent what can’t be taken away in all of this. They were luxury items in that day and very precious commodities.

As one writer describes the oil as symbolic of the HS and the wine as the symbol of the joy that only God can impart and that which is beyond the ability of Satan to touch.

As we have seen throughout history that famines have always followed war and devastation. The world seems to be dried up of resources and no aid appears in sight for those in great need. It is the great suffering that also happens in places of great human corruption in government such as Zimbabwe where the Christians there are crying out for us not to forget them in their suffering.

The pale horse describes death. It is tying together the worship service to what is happening right now and what is taking place. There is more than death being described here, but eternal death, and separation from God for eternity. If these things happen successively to the earth, it is going to be a picture of what it will be like without God on the earth. It is a picture of the total selfishness of man. Every world crisis is letting the world see that this earth is not going to be around forever.

It is the exercising of the influence of Satan over one fourth of the whole world and a sealed fate destined for hell.

God’s plan is not dying and they need to remember that hope when the crisis and difficult circumstances come. The truth is that this world does stink, that our bodies will wear out. In the midst of all of this remember God’s plan is unfolding!

Just as Jesus died a brutal death and all hope seemed lost for His followers, they needed to realize that was not the final chapter, this is not the end. The whole story has still yet to be told.

As believers we need to grieve, yes, but as those who have HOPE! I grieve that the world is and will experience greater famine and disease, but in the reality of that loss, I will find the ultimate joy that is in Christ and that is the relationship that will last.

The sun will not always come out tomorrow, but I look forward to a better eternity.
It is the truth that keeps us from believing the lies.

The 5th Seal v9-11

It has some truths that we would rather not hear or maybe avoid, but He gives us the truth.
The questions?

Who are these people?

These are all believers of all ages who have given their lives for Jesus Christ. They have made the ultimate sacrifice and literally have given their lives.

Why are they are under the altar?

There were two altars in the Temple – the altar of sacrifice and incense. They are suffering under the suffering of Jesus Christ. They were slain – the same word used of animals who were sacrificed in sin offerings.
Incense – It is the prayers of the saints who prayed for God’s protection of those who have suffered under great persecution in the world.

How long Lord?

There is a sense of time in heaven for sure, but it is very different from our time on earth. Why do they care? They want their blood avenged. Why would ask this? They call upon God to be the judge? They are not calling for some kind of human vindictive judgment, but they are asking, ‘when will God’s justice be set right.’ When will God act and set the record straight and things be seen for what they really are.

They didn’t get the headlines, they didn’t want the headlines, but they wanted their story to be told.
When we look at the events of world history for the atrocities that have been committed by dictators like Hitler, Mussolini, Saddam Hussein, we know that they have died, but justice has yet to be ultimately served. The same is true of Kim Jung II now.

The martyrs under the altar had questions and God had an answer. He gave them a white robe.
God told them that they will have to wait until the ultimate witness has been given from the first apostle, Stephen to the final witness so that all could hear the message of God’s love and His Son.

Witness – the Greek word – means (marturia) martyr.

To witness means ultimately to give your lives. When people give their witness, they will be put to the test. When you step out in faith and ‘witness,’ you are sharing your life and ultimately His life and you will face every kind of response from disbelief to being judged, from ridicule to being brushed aside and possibly dropped as a friend.

He desires to see more brought into the family of God. He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth.

Isaiah 61:1,2; Luke 4:16,17

It is always easier for us to focus on the justice, but what about praying for those who need to be brought into the fold. What about writing the names down of three people you will commit to sharing your faith with this year? Be a witness!

The 6th Seal v12-17

The world is falling apart and John is having a vision and confirming what Jesus already spoke about with the disciples.
Jesus talked about these very events before His ascension. Matthew 24:26-51
Is it really real?  You bet it is!

V16,17 The world is facing a crisis and we are all going to face it together and everyone of us is on a level playing field. The people in this passage are living in fear and that is the great tragedy here. There only response is that they want to escape because of the predicament that they find themselves in.

There is always an opportunity to respond, to repent, when we get a fresh revelation of the power of God.
On this earth I can say my will be done...and God will give us exactly what we want.
The wrath of God is a response of a holy and sinless God, it is not a vindictive God.

The Takeaway

I am called to put my complete trust in Jesus Christ and in His unfailing love for me.

I have been given the oil, the HS and the wine, the joy of the Lord to bear witness for HIS NAME!
Help us not to put our trust in what we have here and now, but in what is yet to come.

The 7th Seal is coming later and it is the unlocking of the 7 Trumpets, but next we will unpack the interlude of those who are sealed.

Questions For Discussion

1. What does Revelation 6:1,2 tell us about Jesus Christ?
2. How can the wrath of God be explained in view of His mercy and grace?
3. Why will a true Christian never experience the wrath of God?
4. In relation to the Fourth Seal, why is it important for us to read with it John 10 and Isaiah 53
5. Have you considered your calling to be a witness? If yes, what does that look like for you?