“I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the Word of God and because of the testimony which they had maintained…” (Revelation 6:9)

            A life that confesses Christ and faces persecution for that confession is a worthy sacrifice to God – hence the depiction of the souls as being under the altar in Revelation.  To stand by God and confess Jesus Christ is a sacrifice at times.  For most of us, it will not lead to our death, but it might affect our relationships, our jobs, or our finances.

            Notice how the verse says that they maintained their testimony.  Confessing Christ is not something that is done on occasion or as a singularity – it requires regular, consistent maintenance.  We maintain our faith through the years.  We continue to work at it and grow in it, and past boldness is not a guarantee of future boldness.  We must maintain our course of faith each day.  Our confession of Christ is a living sacrifice renewed every day.

            What will today look like for you?

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

“…and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” (Revelation 5:8b)

            Smells are powerful things.  A skunk along the highway will get every motorists’ attention, and the wafting scent of baking bread draws crowds toward the local bakery.  Smells are hard to ignore, and they have a way of permeating things.

            We are told that our prayers are like the smell of incense to God.  They fill His senses, and they reach Him all the way up on His heavenly throne.  Our painful cries for help are pungent smells which get His immediate attention, and our words of thankfulness bring joy to the air He breathes.

            In short, your prayers matter to Him.  They are heard, and they will not be ignored.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God…” (Revelation 3:12a)

            The church is being built up together as a temple for God to dwell in, and we, like living stones, are each part of its construction.  Those who overcome stand as pillars within that temple.  Pillars stand for strength and for beauty.  They are both beautiful and functional.

            Their lives preach a lesson we all need to hear: the brother battling cancer, the sister struggling with the trials of old age, the couple mourning their lost child, and the family enduring through a layoff and season of scarcity.

            Live a life of perseverance, and you serve a purpose in the household of God as well as a beautiful reminder of God’s faithfulness.  The world needs more overcomers.  Christians who endure through trials and suffering stand as a testament to the sovereignty of God.  They endure and trust in Him.  The church needs pillars like that to hold the rest of us up.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

“I know your deeds…” (Revelation 2:2a)

            When Jesus spoke to the church in Ephesus, it was with intimate detail He described their spiritual state.  He knew them from close up.  Jesus is not some distant overseer, managing His people from afar.  He is aware of our goings in and out and the details of our actual lives.

            He knows your deeds.  He knows where you dwell.  He knows you.  He sees the small deeds of love and tiny acts of pettiness.  He is aware of both our suffering and our oppression of others.  Whatever life we live – it is known.

How would you act if you remembered He is watching?

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“To Him who love us and released us from our sins by His blood…” (Revelation 1:5b)

            Every lock has a release mechanism, some way for the latch to disconnect and open when actuated by the right key.  Jesus is the key to release you from your sins.  He has disconnected you from their consequences and shame.  If you are in Christ, your sins are no longer attached to your soul – they don’t need to define you.

            Jesus has released you from their shame.  He has forgiven you.  Can you accept His forgiveness?  Or are you still carrying the chains of shame around with you even though the shackle has been unlocked?  By faith, we accept forgiveness.  You’ve been released.

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“wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam…” (Jude 13)

            One of the most disturbing trends of wickedness is the glorification of sin.  It is not enough to merely commit wickedness; it must also be flaunted: from the public exposure of nakedness by the fashion industry, to the honor sins such as promiscuity and homosexuality are given in sitcoms, to the “bravery” attributed to transgender activism.  Rebellion against God is not content to simply exist; evil requires our acceptance and approval in the public square.

            Wickedness honors what is shameful like foam cast up by the waves.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites

“…and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men for not all have faith.” (2 Thessalonians 3:2)

            Why is there evil in the world?  Why is there suffering?  Why do bad things happen to good people?

            Not all have faith.

That’s the Bible answer.  Sometimes the answers to complicated questions are gloriously simple.

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“So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

            The church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (see Ephesians 2:20) who were sent out by Jesus and the Father (see Matthew 10:40) and guided by the Holy Spirit (see John 16:13-15).  Paul told the Thessalonians to hold fast to those traditions because they weren’t just manmade ideals – they were God-breathed truths.

            When we read the letters to the churches, we are seeing the same revealed mysteries they did, and we are exposing our hearts and minds to the same wisdom that shaped the lives of those who stood at the foot of the cross or sat at the feet of the apostles.  What a gift that we have the Bible!  God wrote down the mysteries, so we would always have access to His good news.

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“These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power…” (2 Thessalonians 1:9)

            The above verse defines why hell is so hellish.  It is not so much what hell has as what it does not.  Hell is devoid of the presence of God and the power of His glory.  Imagine a world with no blessings because the Giver of every good and perfect gift is not there (see James 1:17).  Imagine a world where the rain never fell to water the ground because He was not there to cause it so.  Imagine a world without beauty because the Creator of what is glorious is not there to cause it.  Imagine a world where evil goes unchecked and righteousness has no champion.

            Hell is like darkness – it only requires the absence of Light to be what it is.

Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites