Revelation Archives – Sonshine's Journal

January 3, 2014

Are you a Good Listener?

How good a listener are you? An old Turkish proverb says “if speaking is silver, then listening is gold.” Tests confirm that the majority of us today are poor listeners. Could that be a reason why God has repeatedly told us and as we read in Revelation “the one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says?” Three sets of individuals in Luke 2 were exceptional listeners and were blessed by God for their attentiveness.

Picture the Shepherds; the despised and rejected in Israeli society, yet necessary to the worship program of the temple. It was to these that God chose to send his angelic choir to announce the Lamb of God in a manger. The angelic figure began: “Listen carefully.” How good a listener were they? In vs 15 they decided to go and see “what the Lord has made known to us.” And their memories were crystallized as they recounted to Mary and Joseph and the dwellers in Bethlehem all that had been told to them.

Picture Simeon, filled with the Holy Spirit who had been looking for the restoration of Israel. He had been listening so that he was ready to hear the indwelling Holy Spirit speak. He followed the directions and came to the Temple just at the time Mary and Joseph were there. Simeon said to Mary and Joseph “Listen carefully” as he recounted the future of this child, Jesus who would be the Light of the World but would be rejected.

Picture Anna the widow who listened to God as she fasted and prayed in the temple for 84 yrs! She too came at just that moment to give thanks to God and may have said to those nearby “Listen carefully” as she spoke about the child.

It matters not where you are but it does matter how good a listener you are. The shepherds listened carefully, shared what they had heard and received a blessing. God blessed them as the first to report the birth of Christ. Simeon listened carefully to the Spirit, obeyed His voice and entered the Temple right on time. He received a blessing to see his prayers answered. Anna listened carefully in her prayer time and her senses were attuned to the Spirit’s voice. Her ears were attuned to hear the voice of the Spirit and she received the blessing of seeing the Christ Child.

How good a listener are you? Is your world quiet so you can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit or filled with noise that blocks His voice? The shepherds’ world was a field quiet at night with only God’s creation yet their hearts were prepared to listen. Simeon’s world was a prayer closet where he could hear God speak. Anna’s world was in the Temple, both quiet and noisy depending on the season. Her heart was quiet so she could hear God speak. They all heard the voice of the Spirit, obeyed and were blessed.

May our prayer today be as Samuel’s of long ago “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.”

December 6, 2013

“We Say What Happens Happens but God says—What Must Happen”

Join me for your ringside seat to what “must” (that is what is necessitated) happen after these things. As I was reading I stopped and asked: “after what things?” The scholars say after seeing Christ in all of His glory, after hearing and telling about the 7 churches. Now the clock starts ticking down to the judgment of the earth and the sin that envelops it—he who has ears had better hear what the Spirit says. Before John can share the events ahead he asks us to join him in viewing the contrast to the horror of sin here on earth as he lives on the barren island of Patmos to the awesome, marvelous incredible beauty of the throne room in heaven. John is not the only one to have had a vision of the Godhead but also the prophet Micaiah, Isaiah and Daniel. These too were transported in some way to see and thus to behold what we who are earthlings have yet to view. What must it have been like to see with earthly eyes that have been transformed so that one can see with heavenly eyes? How does one describe a holy God?

Micaiah says he saw the entourage of heaven—all of the assembly of heaven both on God’s right and left. Isaiah said: “I saw the sovereign master seated on a high, elevated throne. The hem of his robe filled the temple.” Ezekiel’s vision included “Above the platform over their heads was something like a sapphire shaped like a throne. High above on the throne was a form that appeared to be a man.” And Daniel said “thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His attire was white like snow; the hair of his head was like lamb’s wool. His throne was ablaze with fire and its wheels were all aflame.” And now John writes: “a throne was standing in heaven with someone seated on it that gleamed as jasper and carnelian with a rainbow encircling it. Around the throne were those who would worship without ceasing with white gleaming clothes and crowns about their heads. Beloved, are you ready to enter the expanse of heaven and see this too?

First John heard the sounds of roaring and crashes of thunder and flashes of lightning. In the midst of this power he heard worshipers. They were never in the mode of rest but over and over they say: “Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God, the All-Powerful, Who was and who is, and who is still to come!” You alone are worthy to be praised for you are “THE” Creator of all that was and is to come. Beloved is this our mode, do we worship without ceasing?

As we move from Revelation 4 to Revelation 5 we will now see what “must” happen. Are we prepared? Jesus said in Matt 13 ““You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven…For whoever has will be given more, and will have an abundance.” But, Jesus also said that if we reject what has been given “even what he has will be taken from him.” Again Jesus explained that if our hearts are dull, hard of hearing, and blind, we will never see, never hear, and never understand the spiritual truths that he has for us. May we today have soft heavenly hearts, soft heavenly ears, soft heavenly eyes to see and behold the One who sits enthroned in the heavens.

December 6, 2013

My Prayer Walk Just Got a New Lease on Life….

As I closed the book of John I was an eyewitness to Jesus as he prayed in the Garden for God to remove the cup before him and yet “not thy will but thine be done” was the answer. Today in Psalm 141 I can visualize the Psalmist is in the mode of prayer and seeking God’s deliverance not only from the enemies around him but also from himself. What do I mean? Observe where he is in his mindset and what has beleaguered him.

First as he prays he notices his weakness with the ever defiant tongue just as James noted as well. “Jam 1:26 If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.” And that is why the Psalmist prayed: Vs 3: O Lord, place a guard on my mouth! Protect the opening of my lips! The psalmist asks God to protect him from speaking inappropriately or sinfully, to protect him from untruths, and from the enemy of our souls who seeks to deceive our hearts. Put a guard, a fence around our mouth so that what is offered is sweet and pleasing as the aroma of the sacrifices offered each day at the temple offerings. May that be my prayer as well.

Secondly, he notices that he can easily become wayward in his feelings that are not in compliance with God’s will and so he prays: “Do not let me have evil desires.” Reminds me of this verse: Col 1:10 so that you may live worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects – bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God, As we saw in Revelation 3, Jesus stands at the door of our heart and as we saw in John he is the Door. It is he alone who can protect us from the wolves, thieves and robbers who seek entrance into our hearts and our minds. The psalmist desires that God bar the entrance and protect him as the Good Shepherd lay in the gate of the sheepfold. He alone is our protector for we are weak and vulnerable. O Lord, protect me from those thoughts that enter my mind seeking to distract me from the purpose of prayer.

Thirdly, he seeks God’s acceptance of his prayers like the incense that is offered by the priests at the temple sacrifices. It is his prayer that these are like that sweet incense that rises with perfume aromas and bring pleasure to the nostrils of God. May my words be sweet to the Father.

Today may I employ these same three strategies in my prayer walk, day by day; hour by hour; moment by moment.