Adventure Day 11 - 3/4/09

Revelation 13 teaches us that someday Satan will give his earthly authority over to a beast/nation, and this superpower will make war against Christians throughout the whole world. One possibility, developed in last weekend's sermon, is that this wicked nation could be what our beloved America is becoming. Whether or not that plays out, and we certainly hope and pray that it does not, there will still be a worldly power that someday fills this evil role. We must live in such a way now that prepares us as much as possible for whatever the immediate future holds... that God may, as the hymn lyric puts it, "...grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the living of these days." And don't fear... whatever happens, God is in control. I love the counsel the Apostle Paul gave to his younger friend Timothy: "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control." Jesus said something similar: "Fear not, for I have overcome the world."

Now as for our daily Scripture reading, some of you with 50 Day Journals will have likely noticed that I gave today's assigned text (Revelation 2:18-29) as yesterday's reading...yes, my mistake. So, today I'm giving yesterday's reading in order to catch up.... Read Revelation 2:12-17; Jesus' letter to the Church in Pergamum.

What was positive, and what was negative about Christ's evaluation of this church? What would be some positive evaluation Christ may have about your life...some negative evaluation? How about our church? Pray, thanking God for the positive, and confessing the negative asking God for the grace of correction and renewal.

God's Peace,
Pastor Paul