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| "God saves our prayers!" They are incense to Him. So amazing! © Karen Kyle Ericson, all rights reserved. |
When I hear comments about the color of our skin from the White House, I smile and remember Condalisa Rice and Collin Powell. When Collin spoke, I always felt we were safe. They are great people. I heard Condalisa helped save our nation. An evil dictator was trying to send a bomb to us. So she told him she would help. She sent it somewhere safe, "Oops did that go there?"
I'm sure they are both happy not to be in the stress the George Bush administration had to endure. Now the current president knows more of what Bush went through. We have so many people in our history to look at and be proud of. Presidents, Church leaders, government officials, military people, police and more, male and female, all colors and sizes.
I'm reading this chapter of Revelation with my project manager hat on. What does it say? What does it mean to us? How much can we understand? And what was I thinking of to try this?
Ok, we start off with the seventh seal that could only be opened by Jesus. There would be angels, the Apostle John, and God in the throne room. I read Pastor Chuck Smith's notes on this chapter and he is right these catastrophes are all environmental. They affect the land, sun, moon, stars, water, oceans, trees and grass. I don't believe these are going to happen because of our handling of the earth. It will happen because of the sin we just can't let go of and our stubborn nature not believing in God's sacrifice- His Son.
Chapter 8
Seventh Seal: Prelude to the Seven Trumpets
By opening the 7th seal, a new round of problems would come to the earth. The seven trumpets would be unleashed. The trumpets would sound by seven angels. At this point another angel was given the golden censer with our prayers in it. The Bible says, the angel was given "much incense." Lots of prayers are good : )
1 When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand.
I see the incense as His love for believers (He saved our prayers since the beginning). He loves our prayers and all our imperfections. He knows how hard faith can be and the evil... Jesus was crucified. His pain would've been felt by God the Father, they are one. The mix of pain for us, the Saints, and His love. Some are facing persecution today, it must break His heart and provoke His anger.
So after the smoke of the incense, and our prayers reached God. He gave it back to the angel who filled it with fire and threw it to the earth.
5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.
6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
First Trumpet:Vegetation Struck
7 The first angel sounded:
And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
The first trumpet burned down a third of the trees and all the green grass. It would take quite a fire to destroy grass, almost like lightening. Blood was also added. It could be the blood of the martyrs. Jesus' blood cleanses and sanctifies.
Second Trumpet:The Seas Struck
8 Then the second angel sounded:
And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
After the second trumpet sounded, something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. It sounds like an underwater volcano. A third of the fish, whales, and other sea creatures would be destroyed.
Third Trumpet:The Waters Struck
10 Then the third angel sounded:
And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.
A star called, "Wormwood" was thrown into the world's waters. It made the water bitter and not good for drinking. Many people died from the poison.
Fourth Trumpet:The Heavens Struck
12 Then the fourth angel sounded:
And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.
13 And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!"
This is interesting. A third of the sun, moon, and stars will be darkened. It sounds like a huge eclipse. We know that the sun and moon affect the tides in the oceans. I don't know what kind of catastrophe this would produce scientifically, it won't be good and I'm hoping for the rapture first personally : ) We need sun to grow food. The last, "woes" sound really bad.
(Revelation 8:1-13 NKJV)
Dear Heavenly Father,
I read these verses and feel afraid. Thank You for all the consistency in the world we see today. You are ever vigilant to keep us safe and reading this reminds me how much we take for granted. Father I thank You for loving us even though. Thank You for keeping our prayers. I pray for the nations who are standing up to terrorism in the middle east. I pray You will grant them strength and wisdom as they fight. Let the right win and the wrong fail. Please bless Israel that they may have their land back and find peace. I pray You will protect those in Ukraine and Turkey.
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
10 Set the world right;
Do what's best––
as above, so below.
11 Keep us alive with three square meals.
12 Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
13 Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You're ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes .
(Matthew 6:9-13 Message)
In Jesus Name, Amen.
By Your Side by Tenth Avenue North (link)
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