2016 Reading Plan

For Relevant Readings this year we will continue to read through the New Testament in a year. We are going to change the order a bit though. Our new plan will split up the gospels throughout the year and grouping the writing according to authors. For example, Luke and Acts were both written by Luke, so we will read them consecutively. John's gospel, his epistles and Revelation will be read together, etc. Since Paul has written 13 New Testament letter, we will divide his writing into three categories: General Epistles, Prison Epistles & Pastoral Epistles. 

Here is the order we will be reading:

Rv20

John's gospel and epistles make much of God's love and goodness. His final writings recorded here make much of God's final and permanent judgement! There is a certain hell for all those who refuse to repent and believe. This too, is a letter written in love.

God is slow to anger and slow to bring about His final judgement, but God's love and justice demands this awful penalty against sin! It is hard to think about. It is sometimes hard to believe. But it is no less true! 

When I was a child I was often afraid of "going to hell". Sometimes that fear was prematurely placed on me by zealous christians using scare tactics. Sometimes the fear was well founded and being placed in my heart by a loving God. Fear of death should keep us from doing stupid things! Fear of hell should cause us to turn to Jesus.

Hell was not created for people. Only those who reject Jesus will be punished there. 

Rv19

Merry Christmas!

"Hallelujah! Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God…Praise our God, all who fear Him, both small and great…Hallelujah, because our Lord God, the Almighty, has begun to reign! Let us be glad, rejoice, and give Him glory" - Rv.19

These verses will be the lyrics of the saints in the final days, and these should be the lyrics on our lips at Christmas! We celebrate Christ's coming to save us all today. Enjoy your time with God and family!

Jesus is the "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."

Merry Christmas

Rv18

It is an abrupt thing to read revelation 18 on Christmas Eve. Babylon was destroyed for her sinfulness and refusal to honor and worship the One true God. Babylon wallowed in wealth and sexual immorality. She refused to worship God. It makes me wonder how similar Babylon and America are.

This is the time we should worship Jesus' coming! Christmas is celebrated because of Jesus. But I wonder. Will there be much worship happening today and tomorrow? Will we truly give honor to the things that are honorable, or will we simply shower gifts on ourselves? Giving more to those who already have more than 99.9 % of the rest of the world?

If we were to celebrate Christ's coming in a way that would truly honor Him, what would be different? How would we refocus our energy? It's something to consider. 

Worship Jesus today.

Rv17

John describes those who will be saved with two words, "chosen and faithful". Earlier in this chapter he refers to the "book if life" and says that names have been written in it from the "foundation of the world"!

To be chosen by God is an awesome privilege. Salvation is primarily a work of God and there is nothing we can do in ourselves to create a sincere desire for God. Wanting to know Him comes from Him. I believe those who have been chosen sense their need for God in a deep way. We long to know Him. We feel the guilt of our sinfulness. We know without Christ's forgiveness, we will not be saved.

I have also noticed that there are many who "claim" to know God, yet seem to have no desire to know Him. Every act of obedience is duty and not delight. Following God's word and ways is a chore and they are rarely enthusiastic about the things of God. It makes me wonder.

Faithfulness is a joy! Those who are chosen live a faithful life. Not from duty, but rather, from delight. We want to honor Jesus. We delight in His word. We hunger and thirst for God on a daily basis. We are seldom satisfied with the things of this world and are most deeply encouraged by the works of God.

What a blessing to be among the chosen and faithful.

Rv16

In the end, God will pour out His wrath on earth! And what will be the response of the people? They "will not repent or give Him glory!" Wow.

God's mercy and forgiveness are being poured out every day for those who will repent and worship Him. His expectation in NOT that we don't sin, but rather, that we confess our sin and seek His forgiveness. His anger is not against man's sin. His anger is against man's unrepentance!

We need to measure our hearts. Are we truly sorry for the sins that we commit? Do we cling to them as acceptable and hope God will simply overlook them in the end? Or are we grieved over our sin? Do we seek to confess and forsake sin every day? Are we conscience and aware of how our sin effects our relationship with God?

Make this christmas season a time of confession and worship! It's good practice. It's a good life habit.

Rv15

I can't remember the last time I heard a teaching on "The Wrath of God". Can you? We often talk of God's love, mercy and forgiveness, but rarely discuss His coming and certain wrath!

We have a saying in our culture: "Two things are certain; death and taxes." We should adjust this statement when we talk about God. Two things are certain; death and judgement! Either we will suffer the wrath of God or we will experience His mercy through Jesus.

This is what makes christmas so special. Jesus came as a man. Lived a perfect life. Died a sinners death, so we could escape God's certain wrath and judgement against sin. Jesus took God's wrath on Himself for us! If we believe, we will escape the wrath of God.

What better gift could we ask for than this? Merry Christmas.