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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