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REVELATION S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 12

Monday, 4/29/24

SCRIPTURE:

Then I heard a voice from heaven shout, “Our God has shown His saving power, and His kingdom has come!  "God's own Chosen One has shown His authority.  "Satan accused our people in the presence of God day and night.  "Now he has been thrown out! “Our people defeated Satan because of the blood of the Lamb and the message of God.  "They were willing to give up their lives." ~ Revelation 12:10-11

OBSERVATION:

So... this is John's revelation of things to come... 

...which means they hadn't - and in some cases, still haven't - happened yet...

...meaning Satan still accuses... (but only I hear his accusations...)

...in spite of being defeated...

...because of Jesus, not by anything I have done or can do…

...except giving up my life and believing and living in His sacrifice and accepting God's grace...

APPLICATION:

Be willing to give up my life…

Live in His sacrifice...

Live in God's grace...

PRAYER:

Father God - may I be forgiven for trying to take back my life for selfish reasons, for hearing the enemy's accusations and for failing to live in Your saving power and grace through Jesus's sacrifice and Your resurrection of Him on the third day... May Your Holy Spirit remind me to give up my life - my will - for Yours, and live in in His Name... In His Name, and for Your glory and honor and worshipful praise...

Yours, in Him, through Him, and because of Him...

𝖌

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#Revelation #Revelation 12 #His saving power #The Blood of the Lamb

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REVELATON S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 11

Friday, 4/26/24

SCRIPTURE:

...saying, "We give You thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, Who is and Who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign." ~ Revelation 11:17

OBSERVATION:

How often do I really give Him heartfelt thanks?

...for His past and present blessings?

...for His great power?

...for His reigning in and over everything that's going on and that is yet to happen?

And how often to allow Him to reign?

APPLICATION:

Give Him thanks...

Allow Him to reign...

PRAYER: (Praying a personalized verse 17)

I give You thanks, Lord God Almighty, Who is and Who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. I ask Your forgiveness for my selfish disobedience and ask for Your great power to guide and give me strength to surrender my will for Yours and Your coming kingdom... Reign in my life... In Jesus's Name that You might be glorified... 

All y'all's - in Him...

𝖌

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#Revelation #Revelation 11 #Reign #Great Power #Who was and is

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REVELATION S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 10

Thursday, 4/25/24

SCRIPTURE:

So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll.  He said to me, “Take and eat it; it will be bitter in your stomach, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”  Then I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it.  It was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I ate it, my stomach became bitter.  ~ Revelation 10:9-10

OBSERVATION:

Despite "being warned," how often (and why) do I do things I know will start out "sweet" but then turn into something "bitter" that I'll regret?

Sometimes, though...

...obedience seems "sweet" - when I do it to be seen doing it... 

...but turns "bitter" - when I realize why I was doing it...

Still - and at the same time - why do I forget that the Word of God - His promises - always come true?

APPLICATION:

Obey Him to obey Him...

Remember His promises...

PRAYER:

All knowing Father God - You know how often I fail to completely obey Your will, wanting the sweetness of what I want when I want it, instead of waiting on Your timing... may Your Holy Spirit remind me of Your promises - the good and the bad that result from disobedience, and, in Jesus's way, surrender what I want for what You will and for Your kingdom present and to come... In His Name, and always for Your honor, praise, and glory...

Thankful for you - and for His promises... 

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#Revelation #Revelation 10 #Sweet #Bitter

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REVELATION S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 9

Wednesday, 4/24/24

SCRIPTURE:

The rest of the people, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands to stop worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk.  And they did not repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, or their thefts. ~ Revelation 9:20-21

OBSERVATION:

Despite the Word and the warnings, "the rest of the people" did not repent...

What about me?

What are the "works of my hands"?

What do I need to stop worshiping? 

Who am I murdering? (Remember Jesus's equating hating someone as being equal to killing them?)

What are my sorceries - what keeps me in or under its "spell"?

What are my immoralities - distractions from the world (and media), around me?

What are my thefts - of time - at work and from paying attention to the Holy Spirit's leading - and "minor" pilferages throughout the day?

What excuses - self-justifications - instead of confessions - do I make?

APPLICATION:

Consider the answers to these questions...

Confess accordingly...

Repent accordingly...

PRAYER:

Forgiving Father God - Thank You for Your Son and the means by which I can seek and receive Your forgiveness... I know too well too many things I need to confess - and yet You know all that I have done and have long since forgotten - and know my heart's desire to follow in Jesus's example and say, "Not my will, Father, but Yours be done..." In His Name, and for Your glory over all... 

As always, yours always, in all ways - through Him...

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#Revelation #Revelation 9 #Repent #Fair warning

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REVELATION S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 8

Tuesday, 4/23/24

SCRIPTURE:

When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. ~ Revelation 8:1

OBSERVATION:

Silence...

APPLICATION:

Practice silence...

PRAYER:

Father God - may You forgive all the noise that I allow to come between You and Your will and me and my surrendering to Your will... In Jesus's Name, and for Your glory and honor and praise...

For Him... for you... for yours...

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#Revelation #Revelation 8 #Silence

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REVELATION S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 7

Monday, 4/22/24

SCRIPTURE:

For the Lamb Who is at the center of the throne will shepherd them; He will guide them to springs of the waters of life,  and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. ~ Revelation 7:17

OBSERVATION:

Shepherd - 

Guide or direct in a particular direction

One who tends, feeds, or guards

The Lamb - guides, directs, tends, feeds and guards...

Springs - 

flowing water of a deep origin

used for drinking, cooking, irrigation, power (mills),

Waters of life - living water...

God Himself will wipe away every tear...

Tears of sorrow...

Tears of shame...

Tears of anger...

Tears caused by something being in the eye... 

God Himself will clear my vision - clear my focus - on Him instead of myself...

APPLICATION:

Be shepherded...

Be guided to His springs...

Don't hold back my tears - allow Him to wipe them away and see Him clearly...

PRAYER: (Praying from verses 10 &12)

Salvation belongs to [You] our God, ...seated on the throne,  and to [Your Son, Jesus], the Lamb! Amen!  Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength be to [You] forever and ever. Amen.

Shepherded... 

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#Revelaton #Revelation 7 #Shepherded #Springs #The Lamb #Tears

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“We are, first and foremost, not a church attacked, but a church attacking.”

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REVELATION S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 6

Friday, 4/19/24

SCRIPTURE:

I looked, and there was a white horse.  Its rider held a bow; a crown was given to him, and he went out as a conqueror in order to conquer. ~ Revelation 6:2

OBSERVATION:

Romans 8 says, "...we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us..."

So if this rider - with his bow and crown and white horse - is "a conqueror" sent out to conquer the world for Jesus...

...what does that mean I can be - am - sent out to do?

Conquer for Him...?

Conquer through Him...?

...beginning with things in my own life... 

APPLICATION:

Ride out...

Conquer... 

PRAYER:

Empowering Father - may Your Holy Spirit remind me of Your conquering and healing power - forgive my timidness in facing my own weaknesses and willfulness - In Jesus's Name, and for Your ultimate and everlasting glory...

Yours - through Him...

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#Revelation #Revelation 6 #Conqueror #Romans 8

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REVELATION S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 4

Wednesday, 4/17/24

SCRIPTURE:

After this I looked, and there in heaven was an open door.  The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” ~ Revelation 4:1

OBSERVATION:

"...there in heaven was an open door."

"...an open door"!

"The first voice that I heard speaking to me...said, "Come up here.."

Now I know I slightly edited some of this, and not to change the meaning at all, but to emphasize what jumped out at me...

How many times do I think - do I feel like - I'm the knocking on a closed door - rattling the handles on the wrong door(s) - trying to "get in" when the door's already open, and I've been invited to come in?

...or worse, walked past that open door, not heard - ignored - that invitation?

APPLICATION:

Look for the open door!

Listen for the invitation to come on in!

Go on in!

PRAYER: (Praying verse 11)

Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You have created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.'

Standing in His open door - 

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#Revelation #Revelation 4 #Open Door #Come up

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REVELATION S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 3

Tuesday, 4/16/24

SCRIPTURE:

As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline.  So be zealous and repent. ~ Revelation 3:19

OBSERVATION:

According to Webster:

Many - a large number, an uncounted number, 

Love - feel deep affection for (someone), like or enjoy very much...

Rebuke - express sharp disapproval or criticism of (someone) because of their behavior or actions...

Discipline - the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience...

Zealous - showing great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective:..

Repent - to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life...

I need to remember I am...

...among the many He loves...

...loved - enjoyed - by Him...

...in need of rebuke because of my sin...

...in need of discipline - His discipline because I can't do it myself...

...not as zealous as I should, could, can be...

...not as repentant as I know I could, should be...

APPLICATION:

Remember I'm among the many...

Be zealous...

Repent...

PRAYER:

Loving Father - thank You for Your discipline and love - I ask forgiveness for my constant need of Your Spirit's reminder - rebuke - for failing to live as zealously for You and Your kingdom as I know I ought, for being distracted by the here and now instead of keeping my eyes on what's to come - for failing to completely turn from my selfishness and to live as Jesus taught and showed - for Your glory and for those around me... In His Name, by His example, and for Your worship and praise in all things...

For Him... for you... and for yours...

𝖌

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#Revelation #Revelation 3 #many #love #rebuke #discipline #zealous #repent

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REVELATION S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 2

Monday, 4/15/24

SCRIPTURE:

"Only hold on to what you have until I come." ~ Revelation 2:25

OBSERVATION:

Sounds simple enough...

Easy enough on the "short run..."

...it's the long haul where it gets complicated...

...the "until He comes" part...

...and shouldn't I be as excited about that part as kids are about promised arrivals?

They don't understand time any more than I do His timing, so...

APPLICATION:

Hold on to what I have that He has given...

...in excited anticipation of His coming...

PRAYER:

Present Father God - may I be continuously excited about Your coming kingdom, and hold fast to the blessings and salvation You have given me through Your Son Jesus and the moving of Your Holy Spirit in and around my life... In Jesus's Name, and so that You get the glory and honor and praise in all things...

Holding on...

𝖌

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#Revelation #Revelation 2 #Hold on #Only hold on

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3 JOHN S.O.A.P.

Thursday, 4/11/24

SCRIPTURE:

For I was very glad when fellow believers came and testified to your fidelity to the truth — how you are walking in truth. ~ 3 John 1:3

OBSERVATION:

Do "fellow believers" testify to my "fidelity to the truth"?

Not that I want the "praise" or "recognition..."

Actually, it would tend to kick off the "imposter syndrome..." - I know myself too well, and am too aware of my "infidelities" to the truth... 

That could be the enemy doing his whispering thing...

...but it could also be the Spirit doing His convicting thing... 

So... how AM I walking in the truth?

Thankfully, though, through confession and through Jesus I can "pick up where I left off..."

APPLICATION:

"Pick up where I left off..."

Walk in the truth...

Act faithfully (verse 5)

PRAYER:

Forgiving Heavenly Father - You know when I stumble from walking in Your way, Your truth, and yet You keep calling me back to the walk... Thank You that it is a walk and not run or sprint, and that I can get in step and continue on following Jesus and the Holy Spirit's leading... May I remain faithful for Your glory and not my recognition... may my fidelity be seen as Your power working in my life so that You may get the praise... in Jesus's Name, and for Your honor... 

For Him... for you... for yours...

𝖌

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