GraceNotes

I Saw An Angel
Revelation 20:1-2
Jim Stephens
09-15-09

Scripture:

1 Then I saw an angel come down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. 2 He seized the dragon - that old serpent, the Devil, Satan - and bound him in chains for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:1-2 NLT)

This morning I read from Ezekiel 38-39 and Revelation 20. Ezekiel and John, writing more than 500 years apart each saw visions of the distant future. Both visions involved Gog and Magog and vast armies gathered against God's people. Both saw God's miraculous intervention on behalf of his people.

God showed Ezekiel and John a slice of the future. That means that God has the power to make the future as certain as the past and the present. God can show his prophets the future because it's a done deal - God is in control.

Then one of God's angels bound Satan for a thousand years. Not only is God so in control of the future that he can describe it in the past tense, God is so much more powerful than Satan that he has angels that can bind Satan when the time is right.

These readings help me think of the sovereignty of God. God really is in charge. If God were not in control of past, present, and future, he couldn't show Ezekiel and John pictures of the distant future.

I need to pray and watch and listen. I need to obey whatever direction or instruction God gives me. That's my part. God's part is to determine the outcome - to control the future for individuals, for nations, for everything. That seems like a good division of responsibility, don't you think? I pray, listen, and obey. God does everything else. Nice!

Prayer:

Thanks for being in charge, Father. I take courage from the fact that you can describe the future in the past tense! I appreciate living in a world where someone knows what's going on and where you have already determined that the good guys win. Thanks. Amen.

Copyright 2009 Resource Ministries International
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Speak To These Bones
Ezekiel 37:2-4
Jim Stephens
09-14-09

Scripture:

2 He led me around among the old, dry bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground. 3 Then he asked me, "Son of man, can these bones become living people again?" "O Sovereign Lord," I replied, "you alone know the answer to that." 4 Then he said to me, "Speak to these bones and say, 'Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord!"  (Ezekiel 37:2-4 NLT)

God showed Ezekiel a vision of a valley floor covered with scattered human bones. The bones represented the people of Israel and Judah, scattered around the world by the nations that had conquered them. God asked Ezekiel if the bones could be brought back to life and Ezekiel answered with simple honesty, "Only you know that, Lord."

Then God told Ezekiel to speak words of faith - prophetic words - to the lifeless, scattered bones - to tell them that they would live; that they would be rejoined, covered with flesh, filled with br eath, and be alive again. As Ezekiel spoke the words God gave him, the miracle happened, the prophecy was fulfilled, and the bones became living people.

Sometimes God requires us to take an honest look at something in our lives, our families, our relationships, our hopes and dreams, and causes us to consider the question, "Can this thing live? Can this broken, scattered thing come back to life?"

When that happens, we must look to God for the answer, even if he is the one asking the question. Then when he puts a ray of hope, a seed of faith in us, we can begin to speak that word of faith into the situation and allow him to work a miracle.

Prayer:

Sovereign Lord, I don't understand why you choose to partner with us to work the miracles you want to perform. Often we miss the miracle because we don't deal with the question you're asking. Sometimes we miss the miracle because we don't speak the word of faith you've given us into th e situation. Help me to consider the questions you ask and to speak a nd act as you instruct. I want to see the miracles you have planned come to pass.  Amen.

Copyright 2009 Resource Ministries International
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Why Should You Die?
Ezekiel 33:11
Jim Stephens
09-13-09

Scripture:

As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die? (Ezekiel 33:11 NLT)

God's grace is inexplicable, unfathomable, and scandalous! It just doesn't make sense.

For centuries and generations God warned Israel and Judah to turn from evil and idolatry and simply honor him and obey his simple instructions. God spoke often of his anger at sinful Israel, unfaithful Judah, and their wicked kings and unholy priests. His warnings of impending judgment became more dire and more urgent and then the axe began to fall.

Yet here in the final hours of Judah's existence, years after Israel's fall, God spoke his grace to his people one last time - "I only want you to turn from your wicked ways so you can live!"

God isn't after reve nge. It's not "I've had it up to here with you. Now you're going to pay!" God just wants people to choose life!

It really doesn't make sense, you know. We're wired to keep a perennial scorecard of right and wrong and their consequences. Whether we call it karma, justice, or "getting what you deserve," we want the ledger to balance, the score tallied, and the debt paid. Unless it's our debt, of course!

I don't pretend to understand all this. I only know that in a couple of situations recently I've felt the forgiving, debt-canceling, sin-removing grace of God at work. I've felt in my own mind and heart the grace-attitude of God toward the person who acknowledged his sin and said, "I'm not going to do that anymore."

Prayer:

Father, Thank you for the on-going work of grace you so patiently continue in me. Help me to be so transformed by grace that I truly take no pleasure in the consequences of sin. And help me grasp that you have the same grace-attitude in your heart towards me. Thank you for your scandalous grace! Amazing Grace! Amen!

Copyright 2009 Resource Ministries International
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Even If He Doesn't
Daniel 3:18
Jim Stephens
09-12-09

Scripture:

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn't, Your Majesty can be sure that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up." (Daniel 3:16-18 NLT)

I love the stories in Daniel about Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel himself. These are men who made the best of difficult situations, faced the greatest challenges, never compromised their convictions, and exemplify the highest and best in character and courage.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow to Nebuchadnezzar's golden idol, accepting the death sentence rather than compromise their faith in the One True God. Read all of Daniel chapter three for context, but consider these powerful concepts for the challenges y ou and I face in our journey of faith:
- We do not need to defend ourselves before you, Your Majesty.
- The God whom we serve is able to save us.
- He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
- But even if he doesn't...

Prayer:

Father, please help me to keep these four faith-attitudes in my mind and heart as I face life's challenges:
- I do not have to defend myself. I don't have to be right, I don't have to be popular, I serve at the pleasure of the Lord Jesus Christ.
- I will simply serve you and simply trust you. I don't have to be praised for each act of service, and I am confident that you are able to keep what I have entrusted to you.
- I will boldly declare my faith and confidence in you. I don't have to be afraid or anxious. I know you will guide, provide, and protect. I can say it before I see it!
- I will have an "Even if he doesn't..." attitude. One thing is sure - You are God and I am not. I don't h ave to know what will happen or how it all turns out. I determine to trust in your unfailing love.
- Amen!

Copyright 2009 Resource Ministries International
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Not Because I Am Wiser
Daniel 2:30
Jim Stephens
09-11-09

Scripture:

And it is not because I am wiser than any living person that I know the secret of your dream, but because God wanted you to understand what you were thinking about. (Daniel 2:30 NLT)

Daniel is one of my greatest heroes. He was wise, adaptable, faithful to God and to his responsibilities, loyal to his friends and his boss, the list goes on. Daniel 1:20 says of Daniel and his three friends, "In all matters requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, the king found the advice of these young men to be ten times better than that of all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom."

The genius-madman Emperor Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a troubling dream and then irrationally threatened to execute all the wise advisors with whom he had surrounded himself because they couldn't describe the dream and explain its meaning.

Daniel dealt wisely with the threat and received both the dream and its meaning by revelatio n from God. When Daniel had the opportunity to save his life and allow the "magicians and enchanters" to be executed, he asked that the lives of his competitors be spared. (These same people later managed to get Daniel's friends sentenced to death in a furnace - a sentence God overturned! Many years later, these people got Daniel thrown into a den of hungry lions - another opportunity for God?s intervention.)

When Daniel had the opportunity to take credit for the gift God had placed in his life, he insisted that all the praise go to God. Daniel was also quick to share the benefits of his promotion with his friends.

I want the qualities of Daniel in my own life. I want to be known for wisdom and balanced judgment, I want to be noble and gracious to those who oppose me, I want to give honor to God and not take it for myself, and I want to share God-given blessing with others.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for the example of Daniel w ho embodies the qualities I admire most. Thank you for the example of his lifetime of service in a variety of cultures and settings. Help me to live like Daniel, lead like Daniel, love like Daniel, and serve like Daniel.

Copyright 2009 Resource Ministries International
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Dare to Hope
Lamentations 3:17-33
Jim Stephens
09-10-09

Scripture:

17 Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is. 18 I cry out, "My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!" 19 The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. 20 I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. (Lamentations 3:17-20 NLT)

These words from Jeremiah's Lamentation seem like they were written for the people I interact with everyday. People I know well in the US and around the world have experienced huge economic and emotional loss over the past few months. Once-secure jobs lost, businesses failed, retirement investments evaporated, property gone, homes foreclosed. For many it's a time of despair. For some it's a time of re-evaluation, re-calibration, and a fresh start on a life built on different values. In the depths of despair, a ray of hope shines through!

The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! I've written out Lamentations 3:21-33. I've read this four times already today and it says it all. Please take a few moments to read these words slowly and thoughtfully. I pray that you will find hope and encouragement for yourself and words to share with someone you encounter today.

21 Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: 22 The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. 24 I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!" 25 The Lord is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him. 26 So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord. 27 And it is good for the young to submit to the yoke of his discipline. 28 Let them sit alone in silence beneath the Lord's demands. 29 Let them lie face down in the dust; then at last there is hope for them. 30 Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them. Let them accept the insults of their enemies. 31 For the Lord does not ab andon anyone forever. 32 Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion according to the greatness of his unfailing love. 33 For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow. (Lamentations 3:21-33 NLT)

Prayer:

Father, have mercy on us because you are merciful. Be faithful to us because you are faithful. Show us compassion because of your unfailing love. May our hearts be lifted up with hope today. May we speak words of hope to those whose hearts are heavy. Amen.

Copyright 2009 Resource Ministries International
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You Stood Aloof
Obadiah 11
Jim Stephens
09-09-09

Scripture:

For you deserted your relatives in Israel during their time of greatest need. You stood aloof, refusing to lift a finger to help when foreign invaders carried off their wealth and cast lots to divide up Jerusalem. You acted as though you were one of Israel's enemies. (Obadiah 11 NLT)

The nation of Edom was descended from Esau and Israel was descended from Jacob, two brothers who lived many centuries earlier. There was conflict between Jacob and Esau, and there had always been some conflict between Edom and Israel. The Jews felt superior and Edom resented them, partly because of God's preferential treatment of the Jews, his "chosen people."

Now that Israel and Judah were experiencing judgment and tragedy, Edom was rejoicing with the attitude, "You finally get what's coming to you!" and even joining in with Judah's enemies in plundering the helpless.

We must be very careful not to allow jealousy or resentment o r a judgmental attitude to develop toward someone we feel has hurt us, treated us unfairly, or received preferential treatment. God alone is in a position to determine make such judgments and to administer correction with compassion and mercy.

My response to the misfortune of others must be to pray for them and to offer assistance where I can, but never to gloat or secretly approve of their suffering. It's a heart issue.

Prayer:

Father, I know that it is because of your great mercy we are not consumed. Help me not to assume that the misfortune of others is "What they deserve!" May I never have an attitude of superiority or contempt towards someone who is suffering misfortune. I pray that my heart will grow more and more like yours and that when I see suffering and sorrow, I will be moved with compassion. Never complacent. Never aloof. Amen.

Copyright 2009 Resource Ministries International
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Your Opportunity
Revelation 13:9-10
Jim Stephens
09-08-09

Scripture:

9 Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand. 10 The people who are destined for prison will be arrested and taken away. Those who are destined for death will be killed. But do not be dismayed, for here is your opportunity to have endurance and faith. (Revelation 13:9-10 NLT)

This brief chapter is filled with the exploits of the two evil beasts that blasphemed God and deceived the people of the world. Lest we forget that even in troubling times God is still in charge, the phrase "was allowed" or "was permitted" is used four times in this chapter describing the activities of the two evil beasts. What happened is what God allowed to happen.

Even as verse 10 describes the suffering of imprisonment or death, God reminds his people that hard times (which He has allowed to happen) provide an opportunity to develop and exercise endurance and faith.

When wrong things happen, my reaction is to wish and pray that God will "make it stop!" When I experience hardship or setback or feel I am treated unfairly, my reaction is to wish and pray for justice and relief.

God says that the things that happen are the things he allows and that I should not be dismayed but respond to these things as opportunities to develop endurance and faith.

Prayer:

Father, I believe this is the word you have for me today. I need grace and faith to respond to your word and not to react to the things that happen around me and the things that happen to me. Help me resist the temptation to whine and complain when challenges come. May I, with confidence and grace, recognize my opportunity to develop endurance and faith. Amen.

Copyright 2009 Resource Ministries International
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War In Heaven
Revelation 12:10-11
Jim Stephens
09-07-09

Scripture:

10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, "It has happened at last - the salvation and power and kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ! For the Accuser has been thrown down to earth - the one who accused our brothers and sisters before our God day and night. 11 And they have defeated him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of their testimony. And they were not afraid to die." (Revelation 12:10-11 NLT)

There's a great deal I don't understand about John's Revelation and about the interface between time and eternity and heaven and earth. However, in today's reading a couple of things are very clear...
- Even in the heavenly realm, there is conflict. It is a conflict in which Good ultimately triumphs over evil, but conflict nonetheless.
- Satan is an accuser. He accuses believers before God and he accuses believers to each other.
- The first thing that protects us from his accusa tions before God is the blood of Jesus Christ, the only acceptable offering for sin.
- The second thing that protects us from his accusations is our testimony of faith and our willingness to put everything on the line for our relationship with Jesus.

It still comes down to a couple of pretty simple things. The blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin and protects from Satan?s accusations. Our testimony - telling the truth (with love) about ourselves, our faith, and others keeps us in right relationships.

The rest of it - defeating Satan in the heavenlies and determining the course of eternal events, I will leave to Michael and his angels. They have a better idea of how all this fits together than I do at present.

Prayer:

Father, I thank you for the hope that comes in knowing that you have the situation in the heavenly realm under control. Thanks for angels who fight for right. Thanks for the blood of the Lamb that takes away m y sin and the sin of the world. Thanks for the hope in the statement, "It has happened at last - the salvation and power and kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ!" Help me to do my part to believe and tell the truth here on earth.  Amen.

Copyright 2009 Resource Ministries International
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Not Lost After All
Revelation 11:19
Jim Stephens
09-06-09

Scripture:

Then, in heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark of his covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared; there was a great hailstorm, and the world was shaken by a mighty earthquake. (Revelation 11:19 NLT)

The Ark of God's Covenant hasn't been seen for a while. Moses built it at Mount Sinai, the Israelites carried it in the wilderness, Eli's sons took it into battle and lost it to the Philistines. The Philistines brought it back to Israel, the Jews took it to Shiloh, and eventually David placed it in his Worship Center in Jerusalem. Then Solomon gave it the place of honor in God's Temple and Josiah restored it to the Holy Place during his reform. Presumably it was taken or destroyed by the Babylonians when they sacked Jerusalem in 586 AD and according to one of my favorite movies, Indiana Jones found it in Egypt, rescued it from the Nazis, only to lose it again to US bureauc racy.

Turns out it wasn't lost after all. God had it in heaven all the time.

Sometimes I think about things lost, things retained, and things regained. I appreciate John's vision into things future because in the press of life and the passing of time I often notice some things missing, not least of which are time, opportunities, and youthful energy!

Jesus said that whatever we lose for his sake and for the Kingdom of God isn't really lost after all. Whether it is tangible like money or intangible like time, if we lose it for him, it's not actually lost. Jesus takes all we lose for him to heaven and it's waiting for us when we get there. Stuff that is temporary becomes eternal. The things that here sparkle briefly in the sun will there shine for eternity in the Son.

Prayer:

Father, it's all going so quickly - time, opportunities, things. So much of it is gone already. I need glimpses of where things really are to keep me in faith and on track. Thanks for the reminder that what I lose for you really isn't lost after all. I purpose to keep a loose grip on things down here and let you keep track of where they are in the eternal scheme of things. Amen.

Copyright 2009 Resource Ministries International
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