eggsandbacon

More political power than anyone in history. All nations under his authority. He killed believers and called himself god. He was worshiped, feared, idolised. Anybody who would not choose to follow Jesus would choose to follow him. Strange days indeed. But his name is not in the book of life. The embodiment of everything that is against God.

The assurance Christ gives us is his blood. We are one family and God is our Father, Jesus our brother and nothing is going to happen to us unless they allow it to happen. To be effective in our own life and as a witness for others we need to live like this world is already dead and gone, if we do not then it has a hold on us and so does the god of this world. Everything can be a sacrifice even our very life.

The battle never stops. The more we live for our Lord the more we are attacked. But this life is temporary and all we have to do is follow our Lord Jesus. The next life is permanent victory.

The two witnesses are resolute, unafraid and obedient to do the will of God in an uncompromising fashion. So confident are they and so great is their faith in the Lord they serve, that circumstance does not deter them in there mission to spread the good news. They are killed and resurrected to be with God. These are excelent characteristics to have with us in these times. Tha option is ours to use them and the Glory goes to God for those of us that do.

What is bitter for me is the fact that so many people not willing to repent and believe will die in vain. By that I mean a good percentage of the earths population will be decimated only to be followed by the jugement from which they will be sent to hell, which is the second death and that is eternal separation from God, the source of all good. Plus all the people who choose to believe in those days will face severe persecution and millions will be put to death. Just the thought that all this has to happen and because of sin in the heart of mankind. The sweet is that God has finally intervened in the most complete and final way his plan comes to fruition and we will be with our Lord and our God forever. We reject sometimes because it means change. Even to change to way we think. Sometimes because we do not want to accept truth, pain, horror. Sometimes because we do not want to have anything interfere with our pride, or our ordered lives.Lets not forget sefishness.

The origin of the 'great multitude' are global. They are from every level of society, every language, dialect, culture , sub-culture, religion, you name it. The 144 000 are able to take the good news anywere and everywere. This great multitude of people young and old made a great sacrifice. They decided to trust the good news and take Jesus as their personal savior and it cost them thier life. They worship God the Father and God The son for saving them from hell and giving them life. The song 'Amazing Grace', in the first verse, '....how sweet the sound...' This helps me imagine the awesome noise it must be to hear millions and millions of saints, with all the angels sing praises of glory and thankfulness to God and to The Son.

After reading Eze:9, I realize that the sealed 144 000 are protected. When God sends, to the earth, his wrath these chosen and sealed will not be effected. They will also show the unbelievers of that time that God is real because of thier testimony. They are Jews. Jews that believe that Jesus is the messiah and they believe it on mass. They preach it to the people in an untouched condition from the outpouring of Gods wrath.

I get the picture that it willbe very dangerous to be a believer in those days. The souls are in the protection of God, under is alter. This is the closest place to be. Christ is there. They wrwe killed for talking about Jesus as savior, Gods standards of living and anything else that offends non believers. They are asking for vengence because the only one that can do it is God. there is no justice for the believer but from Christ. We should ask it of God and not from the systems run on earth. I believe that the christian has a place for vengence and that is for God only because only He can do it without causing more hurt. God is perfect so his justice is perfect. His vengence is His alone. The white robe repersents a sinless state, pure, perfect in the eyes of God. When God says wait a little longer I get the message it will not be long, could be any day. Also it is not up to those that deserve justice it is up to God.

Jesus Christ does it. It is just because he is just . Plus he will put an end to injustice for the rest of time.

It tells us that there us no difference. Jesus is God and God is Jesus. Only God the Father and God the Son can forgive sin. When we worship one we worship the other. They are one and yet they are two. There love for each other goes beyond my understanding. Nothing gets in the way of their relationship.

He gave up his life for us. The plan of God hinged on the fact that Joshua could pull it off. He did. He stopped him self from living and offered his own blood To God the Father for a sacrifice. He being sinless, God in the flesh, Could be the only one worthy. And being born in the flesh to produce a sacrifice.

The insights I see are a door to heaven - Christ. The Spirit taking me there. The throne of God that we can approach because of Christ. The elders of the church. The power of God symbolised as Thunder. The attitude of humility when in the presence of God. The event of prayer. All glory to God for creation. The central element of Christ, the only one, the able one, the lamb. Omnipotence. The King of the whole earth. Rev.5:13 ' Then I heard all beings in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea offer praise. Togesther all of them were saying."Praise, honor, glory, and strength forever and ever to the one who sits on the throne and to the lamb!". One could go on forever getting deeper and deeper. It blows my mind to know the power of Jesus.

Sorry I'm late on this chapter guys. No, I can not make a link.I'm no good at this. But one that comes to mind is, Give us clean hands.

The church of the first century sound like the church of today. To me anyway. We are pretty much ordinary people, like they were. This makes all of scripture relevent for everyone these days as it did two millenium ago. We need the standards set by Christ. We can not rest, put the bible down, and get back to it months later. We have to live ,eat and breath the stuff. Praise God, with out his grace it could not be done.

A little more zeal is needed on the whole. If we were told that we only had a couple more months to live I am sure things would change. I know I would. We get in our routines and try and make it to the end of the week. The church should be a balance between reaching the lost sheep and feeding the flock. In individual christian needs To live for Christ and not him or her self. More love (action) for the lost. More sacrifice from self.