Hidden in My Heart

"No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him." John 1:18 (NASBU)

Sunday Morning Starters

Psalm 103

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,

4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,

5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 The Lord executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.

7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever.

10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;

12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

13 As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him.

14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more.

17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children,

18 To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

19 The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.

20 Bless the Lord, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word.

21 Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.

22 Bless the Lord, all His works, In all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!

NKJV

The Seven Bowls of Wrath

The true and living God "rules in the kingdoms of men" (Daniel 9:21). Revelation 16 appears to describe God's judgment of the Roman empire. These "bowls of the wrath of God" are poured out on the earth, not in the final judgment, but in a judgment that results in men continuing to blaspheme God (Revelation 16:21).

Rome sinned against God, did not heed the warnings of the trumpets, and God poured out His wrath.

I have sinned against God. His trumpets of warnings are sounding now. I can avoid His wrath if I repent.

Jason Cicero

They Sing

Those "who have victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name" sing (Revelation 15:2-3). Not just any song, mind you. "They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God,and the song of the Lamb" (Revelation 15:3).

The song they sing: "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested" (Revelation 15:3-4).

Long to join those who sing! Fear the Lord and glorify His name! Worship Him in the beauty of holiness!

Jason Cicero

144,000

In Revelation 7 the 144,000 are on earth: "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand..." (Revelation 7:3-4).

In Revelation 14 the 144,000 are in heaven: "Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand...for they are without fault before the throne of God" (Revelation 14:1, 5).

As long as we follow the Lamb on earth, we will end up in Heaven: "These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes" (Revelation 14:4).

Jason Cicero

The Mark of the Beast

In the latter half of the first century Roman emperors began erected emperor temples where Roman citizens were required to prove their loyalty to the emperor. Some would burn a pinch of incense at the image of the emperor. Others would pour a libation and taste sacrificial meat.

In order to buy and sell in Roman markets in the latter half of the first century one would need a certificate. This certificate was given by the cult priests to those who had worshiped the emperor. Revelation 13:17 seems to be a reference to this certificate: "and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."

What would the Christians of the first century do? Bow the knew to Caesar or Christ? What would you have done?

Jason Cicero

They Overcame Him

Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven,"Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." (Revelation 12:10-11)

The brethren overcame the accuser through three things:

1. The blood of the Lamb

2. The word of their testimony

3. They did not love their lives to the death.

You and I must overcome him the same way...

Jason Cicero