hanks

Day 13 Meditation (Psalm 132). State the Davidic Covenant or Promise in your own words. How was this promise fulfilled in Solomon's time? How was it fulfilled in Jesus? How will it be fulfilled when Jesus returns? God promises David that his son (Solomon) will succeed him as king and that he will build the temple, and this kingdom will last forever and ever. This is also, an unconditional covenant and does not depend on any conditions. Solomon became king and he built the temple. The Messiah (our Lord Jesus Christ) would come from the lineage of David and the tribe of Judah and will establish a kingdom that will last forever. Christ will reign for eternity - now in His spiritual kingdom and in heaven, and later, on earth, in the new Jerusalem. We read about Jesus’ reign in Isa 9:7: “Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.”

Day 12 Meditation (Psalm 131). Why does demanding answers from God lead to stress? How have unexplained events in your life made you angry? How do you actually go about calming and quieting your soul? What does it mean to "hope in the Lord"? It can lead to stress if we demand answers from the LORD, and like a naughty child, throw our toys out of the cot if we don’t get answers soon enough or to our liking. I have learnt that it is no good getting upset about certain events in my life. Most have been through my own disobedience or ignorance, or even not waiting on the Lord. Shooting myself in the foot. Some defy explanation and is not for my finite mind to understand. I rather leave it all to my Heavenly Father. I recognise my limitations and I’m not ashamed to say, "I don't know”. I find that an attitude of trust in the wisdom, love, and power of God brings about the calming and quieting of my soul. I fully trust the LORD with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding, and I try in to acknowledge Him in the things I do, knowing that He will make my paths straight (Prov 3:5-6). My hope in the Lord is based on these promises. He will take care of the future.

Day 11 Meditation (Psalm 130). How does knowing that God forgives us affect our lives? Our faith? How does knowing God forgives us affect our willingness to forgive others? How is your "expectancy level"? How is your hope? How is your faith? We sometimes duck and dive when it comes to our sin. We would deny its existence, or if we do admit it, we make excuses by blaming circumstances or our parents, our teachers, the government, or even our genes. We would simply point out that everyone else is thinking or doing exactly the same, and that we aren't so bad after all. However, the more we study the Word the more we realise how God hates sin. And before sin and guilt drags us down we need to cry out to God. If, we truly understand God's forgiveness and the cost of it, in sending Jesus Christ to the Cross, we would be truly humbled as we bow in awe before God. By confessing our sins, sincerely repenting, and placing our trust in Christ for salvation; instead of the judgment we deserve, we receive mercy. There is no more guilt and we can now start living life to the full in fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ. We are a new creation, the old has gone, the new is here! (2 Cor 5:17). When I think what it cost Him to forgive my sins, and when I realize that His forgiveness is full, free, and eternal, it causes me to reverence, trust, love and worship Him forever. My faith is renewed and stronger than ever. Knowing what my forgiveness cost our LORD, how could I not forgive others? God always keeps His promises so I know that in answering prayer He will make sure that all things will work for my wellbeing in the long run (Rom 8:28). Our hope is not only for the wonderful expectation of a future eternal life, but for eternal life that begins the moment we put our faith in Christ. (1 Pet 1:3).

Day 10 Meditation (Psalm 129). Can you think of times in your life when God has delivered you from affliction? Or perhaps from "the cords of the wicked"? How have you dealt with the bitterness that comes from oppression? Have you been able to forgive? If not, what would it take to enable you to forgive your enemies and offer them a blessing? Yes, in a business deal gone wrong. When I discovered the amount of money they were stealing. It was only prayer that got me through this difficult time. I was taught a lesson not to get involved with unbelievers. At the same time to stick to my profession and not to branch out into the unknown. Let’s be honest it’s not easy to forgive, and it took me years to forgive them.

Day 9 Meditation (Psalm 128). What does it mean to "fear the Lord"? What kinds of blessings has God showered over your life? Why does He allow remaining struggles? Does faith always result in prosperity? How do you define prosperity? To fear the Lord means to reverence Him and seek to please Him by obeying His Word. It is also the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. The wise thing to do is to repent of one's sins, trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, and then live for Him wholeheartedly. My blessings are too numerous to mention. Briefly, wonderful wife (married 58+ years), family (children, grand-children, great grandchild), good health (82 yo – never been ill in hospital!), work, protection, … Like a good Father, He does discipline me when needed. He allows things to happen that will help me grow spiritually and help me persevere as a Christian. Get me out of my comfort zone if need be. The world looks upon prosperity as financial wellbeing. Lots of things – a big house, a big car, and lots of money in the bank. To me I’m prosperous when I’m having fellowships with my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I’ve been redeemed, travelling on the narrow way, being sanctified and becoming more and more like Jesus every day. Being prepared for eternity. What a blessing!!!

Day 8 Meditation (Psalm 127). Why is work without trust inadequate? Why is trust without work an illusion? How can we achieve the kind of balance that affords us good rest? Why do you think the psalmist stresses that children are both a "heritage" and a "reward"? It is the Lord who gives us the ability to earn a living (Deut 8:18). We may think that it’s our planning, skill, and hard work that has made us successful, but this is not the case. Without the blessing of the Lord, our hard work is in vain. Jesus said “apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). This blessing will only be made available to us if we are obedient to the Lord. Without obedience there is no trust; for it is only when we trust Him that we are obedient. Also, if we only trust and there is no work then all is an illusion. When we act in our own strength all is an illusion – no substance. But, when we bring God into everything, our lives take on substance and meaning. It is not what we do for God through our own resources, but what He does through us by His mighty power. We all need adequate rest and time to recharge our batteries and for spiritual refreshment. Our work should be a blessing we enjoy and not a burden we endure. This will only occur when we are doing God’s will. On the other hand, if we are really yielded to the Lord and living for His glory, He can give us gifts while we are sleeping which we could never obtain through long, weary hours of labour without Him. "For so He gives His beloved sleep." Be careful to maintain a balance: Work while trusting God, and also rest while trusting Him. Children are a gift/reward from God, a blessing, and they are a precious heritage that makes the home a home in the true sense. But this is only true if they have been brought up in a home where the Lord has been honoured and obeyed. If not, they can become an enormous heartache and a burden.

Day 7 Meditation (Psalm 126). Why doesn't God always do the stupendous miracles of which He is capable? Why is patient obedience over the long haul necessary to both the success of our labours and our own spiritual maturity? Can we shout for joy now, even before we receive the answers to our prayers? What might prompt that in us? I would think for the same reason we do not give our children everything they want, as this will turn them into spoiled brats. Our Heavenly Father knows what is best for us, and even at what stage of our lives it will benefit us most. I’m so grateful that He sometimes puts the brakes on my demands and rather prepares me for eternity. God will keep His covenant promises if we obey His covenant commands. We read about this in Matt 6:33 where Jesus tells us that if we put God’s interest first in our lives, He will guarantee our future needs. In other words, if we first seek His kingdom and His righteousness, then He will see that we will never lack the necessities of life. It is important that we choose to give God first place in every area of our life. Also, in Malachi 3:10 3 the Lord’s promise to open the windows of heaven and shower us with blessing if we turn from our self-righteous ways and obey Him. There might not be any immediate evidence of the Lord’s blessing in our lives. We must learn to be patient, never giving up, knowing that the Lord always keeps His promises. Our patient obedience will result in blessings as well as spiritual maturity. Yes, we can and should shout for joy, knowing that we will receive answers to our prayers.

Day 6 Meditation (Psalm 125). What does this psalm teach us about the security that the Lord gives us? What examples do you see of unrighteous rulers? What kind of government happens when rulers are unrighteous? What happens in the government of our hearts when we allow unrighteousness in us to continue to guide our actions and thoughts? We as believers are built upon the solid Rock that is Jesus Christ. As Jesus told us in this parable (Matt 7:25), we have a solid foundation which will not fall when battered by the rain, floods, and winds of life. The LORD Himself forms a protective wall around us – He surrounds us with His protection. This is the protective hedge Satan spoke about in Job 1:10. Because He dwells within us, we will never perish. We have total security. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding (Prov 3:5). It is only when we start to trust ourselves or other people, and we bypass the Lord, that we begin to stumble, and fall. Our security is dependent on our trust of our LORD, for He never changes. At the moment my country is going through a financial crisis caused by a 9-year rule of a most corrupt president. We have had state capture and plundering on a massive scale. The state resources have been totally depleted by corrupt officials. Our present president is fighting a battle to turn away from corruption, but unfortunately it is so embedded in our state officials conduct. Our situation reminds me of Isa 1:23: “Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not bring justice to the fatherless, and the widow’s cause does not come to them”. It is true that a corrupt ruler corrupts the whole nation. This we see every day. Jesus Himself said in Matt 24:12-13: “And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” There is no peace in our hearts and with these loose morals comes a particularly destructive disease - the loss of true love for God and others. Sin cools our love for God and others by turning our focus on our self.

Day 5 Meditation (Psalm 124). Think back on your own life. In what circumstances have you seen God deliver you from danger from others? Even from danger from yourself? How do you explain God's undeserved love toward you? What undeserving person comes to mind who can be the object of your love and mercy? I was involved in an armed robbery nearly 12 years ago. I walked into a supermarket, and unbeknown to me they were being held up by a gang of armed robbers. I was forced to lie on my stomach with a gun held to my head. After being robbed of my wallet and credit cards I was kicked in the side. During this time, I experienced the most amazing peace and calmness that I cannot describe. It was as if the Lord Jesus Himself was there to protect me. Even thinking about it today stirs up emotions in me of gratitude and praise for my Lord Jesus Christ. As Dr Ralph would say, I was definitely on God’s side! I would say we can become a danger to ourselves if we make hasty decisions without first consulting our Heavenly Father. This has happened to me once, with serious consequences. But I can say I learnt my lesson. I can’t explain God’s undeserved love to me. The fact that He elected me before creation is difficult to explain. There is nothing that I did or can do to justify this. It is 100% grace. We read in 1 Peter 1:3-5, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” We only need to think about what God has done for us in Christ Jesus, who has given us new life and a living hope that lives on. What a Saviour! What a Heavenly Father! No matter what trials or persecution we may face, we know that we will spend eternity with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

Day 4 Meditation (Psalm 123). What does this psalm teach us about trust that our Master will right our wrongs? What does it teach us about contempt for others? What group of people in your particular community most bear the brunt of prejudice? What can you do to go out of your way to show active love toward them? Here we learn to put all our trust in the One who is our only refuge and security in this fallen world of ours. To lift our eyes toward the Lord means to trust Him and turn our problems over to Him by faith. In the same way David looked up to the Lord in Ps 25:15, “I always look to You, because You rescue me from every trap”. His eyes are looking continually heavenward in trust and expectation. He is confident that the LORD will help him in his time of trouble. It has been said that God in His love always wills what is best for us, and in His wisdom, He always knows what is best, and in His sovereignty, He has the power to bring it about. But in order to trust in God’s sovereignty, love, and wisdom, we must know Him in an intimate, and personal way. God will never abandon those who seek Him (Ps 9:10). Prayer is our approach to God, and we are to come with reverence as well as bold assurance knowing that Jesus is our Friend and Counsellor (Heb 4:16). In my country during these hard-economic times, we have many people from neighbouring countries looking for employment. They are often seen as outsiders taking jobs away from the locals. So, we have a common situation where angry locals often physically attack and ostracise these outsiders. It has become a large political problem and all I can say is that love for the aliens and exiles and understanding of their situation is required.

Day 3 Meditation (Psalm 122). Why do people desert the house of God in our day? Why do so many Christians believe they can mature in Christ without the help of Christ's people? How can you pray for the peace of God's house? What can you do to "seek the good" of God's house? Often, we are too busy with worldly things and going to church will interfere with our daily pleasures and become an inconvenience. In the world today there are many distractions that Satan will use to keep us away from church. Also, besides requiring an effort to attend church, we may have unconfessed sin that keeps us away. Or maybe, we have even lost our interest in spiritual affairs and have turned our backs on God and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. A bad experience with either a church member or even the pastor can drive people away. There is no perfect church and problems should not be driving us away from attending. There has to be an understanding that we are all sinners saved by grace, and one has to overlook certain minor slipups and forgive one another – just as we have been forgiven by our Lord. By not attending church we give up the encouragement and help of other Christians. We are one family and need to gather together to share our faith, to help each other, to strengthen and encourage one another in the Lord. We must be able to pray for the needs of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Day 2 Meditation (Psalm 121). In what ways is God your Help? How does He help you? In what ways is He your Keeper? How do you perceive that He guards and protects you? How is He your Shade? How do you see that He shields you? My Heavenly Father has been my Helper and Keeper throughout my life (mid 80 yo). He has helped me in business, my marriage (59 years), blessed me with sons (who all know the Lord), with wonderful grand-children, and even a great grand-son. He has helped with my decision making, He has guided me and my wife in our Christian walk, helped us grow spiritually, and most importantly we a have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. What blessings! Whatever the situation, our Lord will always find a way out - having created all things, there is no problem that is beyond His ability to solve. Besides, from Rom 8:28 we learn that God is always at work for the good of those who love Him. He alone is able to protect us, regardless of what lies ahead. God knows everything and He alone has all the power necessary to rescue us. He personally cares for us – He will not let our foot slip (v.3). The Holy Spirit directs and empowers us, His Word lights our path so we do not slip. He is vigilant and on call 24/7 – He who keeps you will not slumber (v.4). Besides being our constant Helper, He is our Creator and Sustainer. He is the source of our help, but we need to be in the habit of constantly seeking the Lord’s presence. This will make it easier in times of crisis to call upon Him. The Lord is our Keeper, and promises that He will defend us, give us what we need, grow us into His likeness, and guard us from every evil. Without these promises, the world could seem dangerous and lonely. But we can face unknowns and difficult times with confidence, knowing that the Lord will keep us and help us. When it says that He is "your shade at your right hand," it means that He is alongside as a bodyguard to shield His own from harm day or night. God is sovereign. He is with us always - protecting, pointing the way, and teaching. He accompanies and leads, even in the small tasks that seem insignificant. Besides preserving us physically and spiritually, He restrains us from any wrong thoughts, harmful words, and inappropriate actions. His Holy Spirit gives warnings to keep us from evil, and He also provides guidance so we’ll grow in a godly direction. He has shielded me all my life from any ill or misfortune that could befall me. What a Heavenly Father. All Praise to Him!

Day 1 Meditation (Psalm 120). In what ways does stress pull us away from God? In what ways does stress draw us closer to God? Have you given your stress points to God fully? What are you asking Him to do about your stresses? Sometimes one gets the feeling that our world is being swamped by lies, fake news, and deception. Our whole world is in a mess, we have turned our backs on the Lord, and we need to humble ourselves, we need to turn from our wicked ways, and come to Him in repentance and prayer. “If My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). I live in a country where there is rampant government corruption and coupled with this we have among the world’s highest rates of murder and rapes. Added to this we have this worldwide pandemic going on. This can become a most stressful situation and could easily pull us away from God. We are inclined to think we can cope on our own, yet a simple virus can bring us down. Our other options could be to worry, or to be miserable and complain, or we can turn to our Lord in prayer. I have learned to trust the Lord with all my heart and not to lean on my own understanding (Prov 3:5). At my age (80’s) I find that the slightest incident can cause stress. It is best to take everything to our Heavenly Father in prayer, no matter how big or small, and to acknowledge Him in everything we do; then He will make straight our paths (Prov 3:6) - as well as drawing us closer to Him. We need to go to Scripture. This is where we learn to discern truth from error and discover Christ’s peace which transcends all circumstances. In John 14:27 Jesus promises to give us His peace which is a confident assurance in all life’s circumstances. And in 1 Peter 5:7 we read that we can cast all our worries, stresses, and daily struggles on Him, because He cares about us.

Day 24 Meditation (Revelation 22:3-5). With the picture of God and the Lamb high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filling the temple (Isaiah 6:1), what significance does it have for us to "see His face"? What kind of intimacy and access does that imply? How can you begin to "sit at His feet" and "behold the glory of the Lord" now? (Luke 10:39; 2 Corinthians 3:18). To what degree are you currently doing this? The picture of God seated on the throne is enough to impress us with a sense of the holiness of God. However, each of the symbols mentioned in Isa 6:1 – the throne, the title, the lofty position, the grand sweeping robe – all confirm His sovereignty over all the universes, over all kings, over all nations, and over all peoples. We don’t need to see His face to be certain about who He is. Nothing impure will be allowed in the New Jerusalem. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will have fellowship with our Lord and have direct access to the Throne. They will also have the name of the Lamb and of the Father written on their foreheads (Rev 14:1). It was the Lamb that had redeemed His people and brought them into the presence of our Heavenly Father and will now be spending eternity with Him. It will be a similar relationship Adam and Eve had with God before the fall in Paradise. What an honour to “sit at His feet”. This would imply that in that position we show honour and respect to our Lord as our teacher. In those days, anyone learning from a great teacher would sit at their feet, literally be forced to 'look up' to the teacher – showing respect. As we grow in our spiritual journey, as we are sanctified, we become more and more like our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. People will know that there is something special about us, and they will notice that we are different from other people. The Holy Spirit will increasingly transform us and, as He does so, glory will cling to us. I can honestly say that I sit at His feet, by studying and meditating on His Word. Being retired I’m in the fortunate position that I spend most of the day reading and studying Bible commentaries and books on Theology. As to my spiritual growth, I can only pray that the Lord will look kindly upon me! Amen. Thanks, Dr Ralph, for a most interest journey through Revelation with the Lamb!

Day 23 Meditation (Revelation 22:1-2). What is the significance of the source of this healing stream? In what ways can "living waters" flow through you to bring healing to others? The source of this healing stream is the throne belonging to the Lamb. We read that there is a river with an abundance of that life-giving water flowing from it. This water of life signifies a steady stream of blessings to all the elect. And we read earlier in Rev 7:17 that the Lamb, who is at the centre of the throne, will shepherd us and lead us to springs of living water. This healing stream is the Holy Spirit who satisfies our spiritual thirst, and is a guarantee that we belong to Jesus and will spend eternity with Him. Living waters is a metaphor about the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives providing spiritual cleansing and constant refreshment. We need this “living water” to give life to our spirit, but at the same time, we can bring life and light to the world. Once we have our own needs supplied, we will have an abundance of rivers of spiritual blessing, that the overflow will flow out from us to others. In John 7:38 Jesus says, “Whoever believes in Me … streams of living water will flow from within him." Once we have been born again, we cannot keep the joy we know from others. We must tell others as well as helping them and serving our Lord. We are excited about our new life’ the free gift (Isa 55:1) of salvation which Jesus gives freely; mercy, comfort, strength, glory; What a Saviour!

Day 22 Meditation (Revelation 21:23-25). Why are we sometimes afraid of being fully exposed by God's searching light? In what sense do you think John is telling us that the New Jerusalem's light is the Lamb? In what ways do you need the Lamb to bring His light to some of your dark places? Darkness represents what is sinful and evil, while light is related to truth which exposes things. In the same way that darkness cannot exist in the presence of light, so sin cannot exist in the presence of a Holy God. We are all sinners saved by grace and God’s light will expose all our sinful deeds and even our sinful thoughts. Light as represented in the Bible is all that is good, pure, true, and holy. These are all attributes of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who is perfectly holy and true. The Good News however is that the Lamb died for us while we were still sinners and all our sins, past, present, and future have been forgiven! All the more reason to bring glory to our Heavenly Father and live a life of obedience to Him.

Day 21 Meditation (Revelation 21:22). How did the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and the Temple in Jerusalem create barriers between the people and a holy God? How can our traditional forms of Christian worship keep us from full intimacy with God? In what sense do we understand that the "temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb"? The Tabernacle and the Temple emphasized the presence of God in the midst of His people, and the layout was made to show the Israelites the way to approach God in worship. First there was the door of the outer court, then the altar of burnt offering, then the laver. After that the priests entered the Holy Place and the high priest entered the Most Holy Place where God manifested Himself. At the same time, the Holy Place and Most Holy Place emphasized God’s holiness and His inaccessibility (except the high priest once a year) due to the sins of the people. Christ's death on the cross gave us the privilege of access into the sanctuary of God for all believers (see Heb 10:19-22). Even the barrier between the Holy Place and Most Holy Place, was supernaturally torn in two (Matt 27:51; Mark 15:38; and Luke 23:45). The torn curtain symbolized that the way to God was now open to all through the death of Christ. The blood of an animal was no longer needed. Sometimes we get so involved in doing “church” and forget the reason we come to church – to worship Him, to praise Him, and to learn His Word. It is not done intentionally but if we don’t take care it may happen and interfere with our relationship with the Lord. It must not become a religion but must be a relationship. Loving our brothers and sisters, helping each other, holding each other accountable, and praying for each other. The blazing glory of the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb will fill the new heaven and new earth, there will therefore be no need for a temple. God will be everywhere so we do not have to go to a specific place to worship - no temple, cathedral, church, chapel, or any other house of worship. We will be constantly in His presence (cf. 21:3).

Day 20 Meditation (Revelation 21:14). The 12 Apostles of the Lamb became the foundation of the New Jerusalem. How has your life, your example, and your testimony been built into the foundations of the lives of your family and community? In what sense do you see yourself as an Ambassador of the Lamb? What can I say? By His grace and the continued sanctifying work and perseverance of the Holy Spirit I have served the Lord during my life. Not to the best of my abilities I’m sorry to say. My three sons are all born again Christians and I am proud of them. But it’s not about me, it’s all about glorifying our Heavenly Father. My service and obedience to His Word. On my own there is nothing of any worth that I can ever do.

Day 19 Meditation (Revelation 21:9-10). Why do you think the New Jerusalem is compared to a Bride adorned for her wedding? What is the significance of the Bride descending down to earth? What might be God's plan for this New Earth that has been cleansed by fire and recreated? The New Jerusalem, the glorious heavenly city, is a picture of the perfected church; spotless, blameless, without sin. The Bride of the Lamb, the elected from all the ages, who have been redeemed; spotless, blameless, without sin. The Bride descending down to earth depicts the elect going to live in the New Jerusalem, to be in the presence of God, for "the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall worship Him" (Rev 22:3). God’s plan for the New Earth is that it will be a "holy city" (21:2), a place "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (21:2). In that place "death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more" (21:4). We shall see His face (22:4) and will come to know perfect love, peace, and joy, and to know truth and justice, holiness and wisdom, goodness and power, and glory and beauty. We will know more fully than ever before that "in Your presence there is fullness of joy, at Your right hand are pleasures for evermore" (Ps. 16:11).

Day 18 Meditation (Revelation 20:12). What do the records contain that are opened before the throne of God on Judgment Day? How do they differ from the Lamb’s Book of Life? How is it “fair" that we escape judgment by having our names written there, even though we have committed many sins? Who paid the price to make it "fair" and just? The names of all unbelievers, and all the evil deeds they have ever done, all their evil thoughts, and even all the deeds they had not done, will be recorded here. It will be a day of extreme terror when all is exposed – it will too late for excuses. There will be a Judge but no jury, a prosecution but no defence, a sentence but no appeal. No one will be able to defend himself or accuse God of unrighteousness. What an awesome scene it will be! In contrast, the Lamb’s Book of Life, will contain the names of all true believers, written in the blood of Christ. There can be no greater accomplishment than to have our name entered here, and this is only by grace since nothing that I have ever done can earn me a place in this book! It is all by mercy and grace, and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. We are all His creatures. He owns us, created us, and has every right to do with us what He wants. God’s holiness demands fairness and justice. There must be accountability for our sins. The Cross or judgment. In fact, we all only deserve death (Rom 6:23), but God in His great love and grace has decided to elect some to spend eternity with Him. Those chosen can never do enough to express their gratitude to Him. But we can live obedient lives thanking Him. God must finally deal with sin before His new heavens and earth, and He does this on Judgment Day. If we turn our backs on Him, we will meet Him as Judge on Judgment Day without hope. Rather seek Him now, and we will find Him (Deut 4:29) and we will discover that we will be looking forward to this meeting with joy, knowing that there is now “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1).

Day 17 Meditation (Revelation 19:6-9). If now we are "betrothed" to the Lamb (to use this analogy), why is the "marriage" delayed until the End of Time? What does the state of being married imply that betrothal does not? In what sense will that be realized in the New Jerusalem? The way I understand this is that our betrothal took place with our redemption, and our state of being married occurred with our sanctification, and finally our future living with our Lord forever in the New Jerusalem is our glorification. Once we are saved, as the Bride, we are still covered with spots, wrinkles, and blemishes. There is a lot of work to be done in preparation for the ceremony. There is a process of moral and spiritual preparation. Being cleansed as we hear and obey the Word. Just as the blood of Christ cleanses once for all from the guilt and penalty of sin, so the word of God cleanses continually from the defilement and pollution of sin. Once sanctified Jesus Himself will present the Bride to Himself a glorious church, holy and without blemish. Having been glorified, she will then reach the acme of beauty and spiritual perfection.

Day 16 Meditation (Revelation 17:14). What has to change in our thinking in order for us to see the Lamb as a victorious Warrior? In what ways are you called upon to serve the Lamb in skirmishes with evil in your life and community? Are you aggressive like the Conquering Lamb, or do you shy away from conflict with the enemy? We tend to think of Jesus, the Lamb, as a gentle, meek, and mild Saviour, forgetting that He has already triumphed over Satan by His death and Resurrection. He is the victor. When the forces led by the Antichrist go to war against the Lamb, they are doomed to a crushing defeat. Lord of lords and King of kings is the title applied to the Lamb, signifying sovereignty and authority, as well as majesty and power. So when Jesus is referred to as the Lion and the Lamb, we are to see Him as not only the conquering King who will slay the enemies of God at His return, but also as the sacrificial Lamb who took away the reproach of sin from His people so they may share in His ultimate victory. We are involved in a spiritual warfare, and although our salvation is secure, we need to show our gratitude to the Lord. We can do this by exposing Satan’s lies and proclaiming the Word, no matter how much the world hates to hear it. Doing this, we draw on the power of Scripture. Without prayer some victories will not be possible, so prayer is a vital weapon against evil. Of course, victory over these evil forces is not possible through our own strength, we must rely on God’s power. At the same time, we must try to follow Jesus’ example and live a good life in obedience to our Lord, so that no one can point a finger at us and call us hypocrites. I must admit I tend to shy away from conflict. Even knowing that I’m not alone He is always there to help in the fight. I have no excuse.

Day 15 Meditation (Revelation 15:2-4). In what way is the Song of the Lamb like the Song of Moses that was sung after crossing the Red Sea? Why do you think the sound of voices accompanied by instruments is pleasing to God? What will it take for all nations to come to the Lamb in our own day? There is a parallel meaning in both songs. Moses had led the Israelite's out of slavery in Egypt and Pharaoh had pursued them with his army. The Lamb of God brings us out of slavery to sin, and brings judgment on His enemies. In both cases there is salvation but also judgment. Our singing and music are pleasing to God because we bring Him glory by praising Him for who He truly is. We praise Him for His Holiness, his perfection, for His love, mercy, grace, and all His wonderful attributes that make Him our forgiving Heavenly Father. “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures for ever; his faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 100:4-5). Biblical history teaches us what happens when a nation turns their back on the Lord. The Israelites were blessed and protected while they obeyed Him, but when they rejected God the OT gives us heart-breaking details of what happened. In 2 Chron 7:14 we read, “if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” We will never learn. Yes, all nations will eventually come and worship before our LORD. Some will come gladly, but not all will do so voluntarily. Some will be forced to submit.

Day 14 Meditation (Revelation 14:4-5). If you take this verse symbolically, in what sense are the 144,000 described as virgins? Truth-tellers? Blameless? Redeemed? In your life, what would it mean if you were to "follow the Lamb wherever He goes"? What might have to change if you made this pledge? The 144k are symbolically all the elect of God. His church comprising all Christians through the ages. Mentioned here is their purity, loyalty, and commitment to Christ. In 2 Cor 11:2 we read, “I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I present you as a pure virgin to Him.” Also, in Revelation 21 we see the church pictured as a bride of Christ. Again, we read in Eph 1:4, “He chose us in Him before creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight”. Summing up, they are Truth-tellers, they are blameless, and they are redeemed. This is the outcome and final result of the cleansing and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit upon the elect. And, this is the church as she will be in heaven. To follow the Lamb wherever He goes means trusting Him (John 3:16), walking in His footsteps (1Pet 2:21), and obeying His commands (John 15:14). Jesus Himself said, “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me (John 10:27). We recognise Jesus’ voice as He speaks to us through the Bible. This requires carefully studying the Word and meditating on it. One of my favourite verses is Psalm 119:11, “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” For starters one must have a personal relationship with Jesus, and this is only possible if one truly knows Him, not only knows about Him. There must be total dependence on Him alone for our salvation - remembering that our best deeds are still only like dirty rags to our Lord. Of course, this is not possible without the help of the Holy Spirit. At my age I can honestly say I have followed Jesus most of my life. Jesus is my anchor in life. I live in a country with so much evil going on - corruption is rife, and so many murders and rapes every day! I cling to verses like Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Also, John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). I feel that without holding on to these verses one will never have any inner peace or security. However, I know I have not done nearly as much as I could have done, and have sinned not only by the things I have done, but also by the things I have not done.

Day 13 Meditation (Revelation 14:1). What is the significance of the Lamb standing on Mount Zion? Who are these 144,000 people with Him? What is the significance of the Lamb's and the Father's names written on their foreheads? Jesus is standing in heaven itself. The Mount Zion referred to here is the new city of Jerusalem in heaven. Here the vision written about in Zeph 3 is seen fulfilled with all God’s chosen people, gathered out of the nations, being together with Jesus. Psalm 125:1 mentions the Mount Zion which cannot be shaken and endures forever. Again Heb 12:22 calls the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. The number 144,000 is not to be taken literally. It stands symbolically for all God’s elect who have been chosen before creation. As Christians, we are citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem right now; because Christ rules our lives, and the Holy Spirit is always with us. The fact that they have Christ’s name and the Father’s name on their foreheads indicates that they belong to Him. They are all there, and not one is missing just as Jesus promised (John 6:39). Christ and the elect in glory. Just to think that everyone the Father gave to Christ will be saved and kept until the resurrection of the just, when they would be raised and taken home to heaven! Praise the LORD.