Grace and Peace
"May you have grace and peace from God who is, and was, and is to come.
And, from the seven-fold Spirit before his throne; and from Jesus Christ,
who faithfully reveals all truth to us. He was the first to rise from death,
to die no more. He is far greater than any king in all the earth.
All praise to Him who always loves us and who set us free from our sins
by pouring out his lifeblood for us. He has gathered us into his Kingdom
and made us priests of God his Father. Give to him everlasting glory!
He rules forever! Amen.
Rev. 1:3 {Life Application Bible}
God's grace and peace is revealed to us in His Holy Word in every book.
One of the books in which we can see grace and peace is the Book of Revelation.
It is
sometimes overlooked or thought to be too hard to understand.
Many feel it is not necessary for study unless we are interested in the future, and therefore
overlook truths which God intends all to see and believe. Many fear the
woes and see no need to try and see the significance of the many truths today.
Revelation is a book about the future but it is also a book about the present.
It offers all believers future hope in God, especially those who have suffered
for their faith. It reveals to sinners their fate without God.
Revelation proclaims Christ's final victory over evil and the reality of eternal life with Him.
We have nothing to fear as we are over comers through Christ and have his promises.
The Book of Revelation also gives us present guidance because it
teaches us about
Jesus Christ and how we should live for Him now.
We are given graphic pictures in this book as we learn several things:
1. Jesus is coming again--
2. All evil will be judged--
3. The dead will be raised for judgment--
4. This will result in eternal life with Christ or destruction and separation from Him.
Revelation is a book of prophecy which predicts future events but also proclaims who
God is and what he will do. Prophecy is more than just foretelling the future.
Behind each prediction we see important principals about God's character and promises.
With each prophecy we see present indications that urges us as Christians to trust God
more and more each day. We are also urged to conquer sin and be
over comers in Christ.
John the Baptist came in "the spirit of Elijah" which was 'the spirit of a prophet'.
His mission was to prepare the way, preach repentance and the Kingdom of God.
When the Angel Gabriel announced to Zacharias and Elizabeth they would bear a son which they were to call John,
he also told them his mission. He would be great in the sight of the Lord and filled with the Holy
Ghost from his mother's womb. Luke 1: 17 tells us Gabriel proclaimed John would be a
man of strength and power. His mission, (through God's Spirit), would be to prepare the people for
the coming Messiah, soften adults hearts to become like little children's and change
disobedient minds to the wisdom of faith. John's role was to be almost identical to
the Old Testament Prophets, therefore; he was said to have come "in the spirit of Elijah."
John's prophecy of the Messiah who was to come was fulfilled.
He always pointed to Jesus and glorified the one who was worthy of all honor and praise.
Many hearts received Christ because of John's obedience, as foretold in God's Word.
This same 'spirit of the prophet' is still needed in this world today.
Proclaiming truth is the only way to see souls set free and today is the day of salvation.
We need to see this spirit to help "turn the hearts of Fathers to the children
and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just" as prophesied of John in Luke 1: 17.
The enemy of our souls does not like the 'Spirit of Elijah' or the
proclaiming of repentance today as our number one purpose. The enemy attempts to hinder to keep
souls from receiving the plan of salvation, grace and hope in Christ.
God's Spirit is greater within us than he who is in the world.
We have to recognize and obey God at all times. We are to help prepare others by discerning and revealing his message of truth.
As we read the unveiling of the mysteries of God in Revelation, may we see God's
faithfulness in each promise and vow to be pleasing to God in all we do.
We will be rewarded for faithfulness and he will keep us as we
seek to serve him each new day. May we say as the disciple, John, on the Isle of
Patmos; "give to God everlasting glory". Let his love shine forth today and always.
His marvelous grace and peace is revealed to us as we behold
Him in His 'Living Word' and let Him live in us.
Blessings in Christ,
Jo Ann
J. P.'s Inspirations (c) 2002
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to
the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the
revelation of Jesus Christ...
1 Peter 1:13, KJV
"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man
according as his work shall
be." Rev. 22: 12
Strength
And Hope
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal
encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen
you in every good deed and
work.
1 Thessalonians 2:17
This Scripture affirms to us the grace which God has shown us through salvation and eternal
encouragement as our faith looks to Him. It is also a petition is for the Lord to strengthen in every good deed and work as he continues to encourage us.
No matter what we may be going through, good times or bad;
God is always there for us. His grace is unfailing and his love from
everlasting to everlasting.
Thanks be unto our Lord because He is a God who cannot fail.
We have someone who knows our every need and understands us.
Remember, "when Jesus Christ is there, life does have infinite possibilities."
May we give Him thanks as we ask Him for his will to be done in our lives and hearts daily.
Blessings in Christ,
Jo Ann
J. P.'s Inspirations (c) 2001
God's Grace Works
For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith
of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be
true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightiest
be
justified in thy sayings, and mightiest overcome when thou art judged.
Romans 3: 3-4 (KJV).
Faith is the substance of things we hope for, the evidence of things not seen.
There are many people in this world who reject Jesus.
The unbelief of many does not make the grace of our God without effect.
God is truth but the enemy of our souls comes to kill, steal, and destroy from our lives.
We are to proclaim the grace and free gift of God regardless of the unbelief of
the world's skeptics who cannot believe in what they cannot see.
We walk by faith
and not by sight and therefore have our eyes fixed on the eternal prize before us.
Jesus is always standing in the straight and narrow path to go before us until we reach
our final destination.
We will be justified in our sayings if they are His 'sayings' and words.
We will also overcome when we are judged as God is the Mighty Counselor and Prince of Peace.
He is our Judge and our Advocate. Who is like unto our Lord God?
There is none like Him. May we press forward in his strength and might and proclaim by faith that
Jesus is Lord of all who makes us an over comer if we obey His Word and will.
Blessings in Christ,
Jo Ann
J. P.'s Inspirations
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