Image from tripadvisor.com
Hear the devotional here: https://bit.ly/3qHxIhY
4b Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. 8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. (Revelation 1:4b-8 NRSV)
A blessed Tuesday to you, ConCafe Family, and may you, dear Reader, enjoy God's favor; may your today, and all of your tomorrows bless you in wonderful ways is my prayer for you. May we pray for Mrs. Sharon Alsbrooks, wife of The Rev. John Alsbrooks, who underwent surgery today and is recovering at home. May we pray for one another and for our needs as well.
It was almost two years ago that a group of six from our church went on a tour in Greece, called In the Footsteps of the Apostle Paul. We toured most of Greece and several of its islands. One of those islands was the Isle of Patmos, and we were blessed in taking a tour of the cave on that island (pictured above) that is called the cave of the apocalypse, for it was in that cave that the disciple John had the vision that was the unveiling of what is to come. The experience was supernatural. The vision to John was shared by our Lord, Jesus, Who when He first entered the cave and spoke, split the ceiling of this sold rock cave with His voice into a cross formation. To see the cross and to know that Jesus' voice made that gave many of us chills. The voice that many of us will one day hear spoke to this beloved disciple and revealed to him what was yet to come and how all things would end. This further proves, in my opinion, that believers in Jesus Christ are supernatural people; we have a connection with another realm where God resides. Too many distractions of today obscure the connection we have or could have, with the truly divine side of life. But to those whose hearts, minds, and spirits are in tune with the Lord can still hear and respond to God's call and command and further help in the recruitment of new believers to this new way of living.
The passage is quite short, but no less powerful. John writes as he hears from the Lord Himself, beginning first with a word of grace and peace to all believers from the Lord Himself, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne. Jesus is called "the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth." Who can doubt the faithfulness of our Lord? Who can dispute the fact that of the dead, only He resurrected from the dead and never has died again, nor will He die either. All of the ones blessed with new life after death by the hand of Jesus, all died. Jesus still lives. And Jesus is called for what He truly is, "the ruler of the kings of the earth." We are reminded that Jesus loves us; Jesus freed us from our sins by His blood, and has come to make us a kingdom with priests who serve God and Father, and Who deserves our glory and praise, for He has dominion and glory forever and ever. The passage speaks of Jesus returning with the clouds in a way where every eye will see Him, even those who crucified Him; and crying and wailing will come from all the tribes of the earth. Jesus declares, "I am the Alpha and the Omega; "Who is and Who was, and Who is to come, the Almighty." Amen.
It falls on us to be ready and to help others be ready; to live lives that help bring God's Kingdom to the earth, where truly our prayer is like Jesus taught us, to have "His will done on the earth, as it is in Heaven." It is work that started many thousands of years ago and has still so many more to go; though only God knows for sure how many; but still we work and labor to bring about hope, joy, love, and peace to all people.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, truly bring about Your will here on the earth as it is in Heaven. Empower us to live as those who truly know and serve You; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Share hope with someone today in ways that bless God and those who hear it.
Receive my blessings of joy and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
