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December 31st

Our bible reading today is in Revelation 19-22...the last day of the year ushering in something new, something Praiseworthy, something hopeful is our prayer...

And we come to such a passage in our reading as we finish our Bible in a Year journey.

Before we get into the text I want to thank each of you who have made the journey with me in 2020. You had plenty of choices as to bible reading programs and devotional thoughts to go along with your time in the Word. You chose the ARCC Bible In A Year schedule and podcast to guide you in your bible reading. And you have blessed me and encouraged me along the way by your participation.

I want to thank the elders of ARCC for asking me to do the daily podcast this year. Little did they know that I needed the challenge as much as any member participating.

Because reading and thinking through the bible texts regularly isn't easy. The enemy will do everything that he can to keep us out of the bible. And I for one fell to those temptations many times this year.

Reading through the Bible requires not just a love and respect for God’s word but also a desire to hear from God. And some days that is easier said than done. O but the reward is great.

By the way, I had an advantage friends. And that advantage was James Evans our producer. His kind encouragement and spot-on suggestions for excellence pushed me just when I needed it. Thanks, James.

Now...New Years...and something hopeful ahead...it’s in our reading today.

In John’s God-given vision we read of such a glorious day to come..." the marriage supper of the Lamb”...the party of all parties...where all the church experiences the fullness of happiness and joy in the perfect union with her Savior and Lord, Jesus...together (think on it...all the church...down through the ages), in heaven together with the God of salvation, Jesus!

“After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,”

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December 30

The bible reading today is in the book of Revelation chapters 12-18.

From chapter 4-19, John was showing the 7 churches of Asia what God’s future work on earth looked like from heaven’s vantage point.

Over the years, I have read what my spiritual mentors had to say about the unveiling of future events found in Revelation. Some differed widely. But one thing that they all had in common was how important it was to understand that heaven shows us “what” happens and not necessarily “when”.

So I have tried to concentrate on the occurrences themselves and not lose their significance by getting bogged down in a timeline. Sometimes the occurrences and a timeline fit perfectly. But sometimes they don't.

Spurgeon told his church family that his messages on Revelation came from his Spirit-filled heart. But...He had no doubt that there were deeper meanings to the visions of earth from heaven than he understood at the time of his life and ministry.

And I say Amen and Amen to that!

Now to the text in chapter 12...“And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth.”

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December 29th

The bible reading is in Revelation chapters 6-11.

“And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.”

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December 28th

The bible reading today is Revelation chapters 1-5.

The word Revelation comes from a Greek word meaning apocalypse. That makes sense because The Revelation is a book of disclosure and unveiling of events in the future.

Tradition says that Roman authorities took elderly John into custody...tried him...found him guilty and put him into a pot of boiling oil to execute him.

But God intervened and miraculously saved him, like he did with the three Hebrew children who were thrown into a fiery furnace by Nebechadnezer for their refusal to deny their Lord.

So the Roman authorities exiled John to the Isle of Patmos. It was there that John received visions from God around 95 AD. John wrote them down and sent them to seven churches in Asia...beginning with the church in Ephesus where he served the last years before Patmos.

Spirit inspired John begins The Revelation with prophetic words to the pastors of the seven churches. “

“To the Pastor and the church in Ephesus write:...I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance"...In other words...You are Heroes to your children...your courageous lives during suffering...commendable indeed.

"And...I know...how you cannot bear with those who are evil, those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.”

I know how you seek to protect your church family from false doctrine...not tolerating evil in the church to go unchecked...Yes, you have a testimony of being bold and brave...

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December 27th

The bible reading today are two short, one chapter letters from the apostle John...2 John and 3 John.

“The elder to the elect lady and her children, The elder is the apostle John...a leader and missionary in the church from the beginning...The elect lady and her children could refer metaphorically to the church in Asia. And her children could refer to church members in particular.

I lean toward the literal “Christian lady” and her sons and daughters...so John was writing to a friend in the faith whom it appears was a friend for some time.

Whom I love in truth, and not only I but also all who know the truth,”

John expressing his love and appreciation for this sister and her testimony of faith.

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December 26th

The bible reading today is in 1 John 1-5.

There is no doubt in the general theological community that the apostle John wrote 1,2,3 John. And I believe that too.

The gospel of John and these three epistles have many similarities...but the main ones that I see are the eternal life that is in Jesus and the love of God that is seen through Jesus and those who believe him.

There doesn't seem to be a particular recipient of 1 John. However, we have reason to believe that this letter was written in the early 90s...about the same time he penned Revelations to 7 churches in Asia.

Some commentators believe that it's possible 1,2,3 John were written to those same 7 churches and some individuals in them.

We will ask John when we get to heaven.

Now to the text...1 John 1:1,2

“That which was from the beginning, Who was that? from the beginning? God...Father Son Holy Spirit...which we have heard.

Who was that? Jesus...which we have seen with our eye.

Who was that? Jesus...which we looked upon and have touched with our hands.

Who was that? Jesus...concerning the “word of life".

Who was the Word of life? Jesus... the “life” was made manifest, and we have seen it.

Who was that? Jesus...and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life.

Who did they testify of? Jesus...who was with the Father and was made manifest to us—Jesus.

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December 25th

The Bible reading today is in 2 Peter and Jude.

We will start with an introduction to 2 Peter.

Since Peter’s first letter, Paul had learned that there were false prophets in the region of Pontus, Galatia, and Capodicea in western Asia Minor north of Lystra and Derbe.

Peter wrote the church leaders in that region calling them to be alert to that insidious ploy by Satan to disrupt the church families and corrupt their sound doctrine.

“...false prophets arose among the people...and the result, if left unchecked, will eventually be” false teachers among you,”

Right in the church...“secretly bringing in destructive heresies”, that is...Opinions and beliefs that are contrary to God’s word...“even denying the Master” even denying Jesus as Lord...the one who supposedly saved them according to their initial confession of faith...bringing upon themselves swift destruction.”

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December 24th

The bible reading today is another pastoral letter...2Timothy.

By the time Paul wrote this encouraging letter to the young pastor, Timothy had been pastoring in Ephesus for over 4 years.

Timothy received Paul’s first letter some 3 1/2 years before this one.

Timothy left his home in Lystra over 10 years before to join Paul on his second and then his third missionary journeys. And Timothy ministered alongside his mentor Paul in Ephesus for about three years at the end of that third missionary journey.

At the end of the third missionary journey, Paul left Timothy in Ephesus to serve the growing church there. Four years into his ministry in Ephesus Timothy was facing trials and difficulties and uncertainties inside his church. Thus, Paul wrote to encourage and inspire the young pastor.

Paul was in a cold and damp cell in a Roman prison when he wrote this letter. Paul had been out of prison for a season. But somewhere along the timeline, he was apprehended by Nero’s persecution squad. Shortly after Paul sent the 2nd letter to his young protege’ he was beheaded by Roman officials...

This letter was sort of a “state of the church” address. Paul let Timothy know some of the things that God was up to in other churches. Paul was hoping to build faith in his young friend.

Paul knew that his time on earth was short and he wanted to instruct Timothy in such a way that he could continue with courage the ministry God called him to in Ephesus...especially when the aged apostle was gone to heaven.

Let us hear and feel the passion of Paul for his beloved student...“I charge you, Timothy, He was saying...This is important, my young friend...listen...and recognize where I get my authority to charge you...I charge you Timothy...in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, This is not frivolous...this is not extracurricular...this is as important as anything the Lord has laid on my heart to teach you...And I don't carelessly say this because God the Father and Jesus are watching and listening...And they judge the living and the dead...so here it is...“preach the word”...The words of God...for they are God-breathed and not just man spoken...

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man and woman of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

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December 23rd

The bible reading today is in the final chapters of Hebrews...chapters 11, 12, and 13.

To this point in our reading, we heard the case that...

Jesus is better...and...that is what I'm going to tag Hebrews with...“Jesus is just magnanimously Better than everything else.

We read that Jesus was and is greater than Moses. Moses was a rescuer...rescuing Israel from Egyptian bondage. Moses was the lawgiver from Mt Sinai...Moses was the covenant agent for Israel with God...And Moses was the warrior prophet and chosen intercessor with God for God’s chosen ones...He led Israel through the wilderness and to the entrance of the promised land. Moses was a great man.

But Jesus is better!

Jesus rescues people, Jews, and Gentiles, from something much worse than Egyptian abuse. Jesus rescued and rescues sinners from the jaws of hell to the Kingdom of heaven.

Jesus did not give the law of sin and death. He, through his atoning death, gave a different law...the law of the Spirit of life...grace and truth and mercy!

Moses sat on a hillside and raised his staff during Joshua’s battle with the Amalekites in the wilderness journey to the land of promise. As long as Moses held his hands up Joshua prevailed.

Jesus stretched his arms and hands and feet on an old rugged cross. He chose the help of Roman spikes driven through his hands and feet to keep his arms raised. And for 6 hours he battled hell on a hillside called Calvary and won salvation to the fullest for his followers.

Yes, Moses was great, but Jesus was and is better.

“By faith, Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than his brother, Cain...And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.”

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December 22nd

The bible reading is in Hebrews chapters 7-10.

Jesus is better. Jesus is a better Priest than Aaron and his line of sons who became High Priests after him. Let us listen...

“And the lineage of Aaron indeed have been made priests...as God commanded Moses to bestow the High Priest office upon his brother Aaron and his sons after him. There were many in number...in the hundreds up until the time of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem...because by death they were hindered from continuing:

Just like Aaron died so did his sons...they were all mortal...“but he...”Jesus...“because he lives forever, his priesthood is forever unchangeable.”

Jesus was mortal and immortal in the same body...every bit man and every bit God...Jesus suffered and died on the cross in his mortality and was raised from the dead to live forever...never to die again...showing his immortality.

“Therefore he (Jesus) is able to save to the uttermost (even to the guttermost) them that draw near unto God through him,”

The priests in Aaron’s order could only present sacrifices to save in their short lifetimes. There was bound to be Israelites who mourned Aaron’s death because they were now without an intercessor between them and God...forever how long that may be.

But Jesus is better...the better High Priest because...“He ever lives for us." That phrase, he ever lives for us, thrills my soul...it doesn't say that the one who went to extraordinary measures to save me from my sins lives for me until he doesn't...he died for me and now lives for me forever. Praise his name.

And in particular, Jesus ever lives...to make intercession for us who believe!.”