Our Journey through the book of Revelation

 As we dig deeper regarding the witnesses discussed in Revelation 11, we realize the 2 witnesses represent the Living Word, Jesus.  Some may even go as far as to say one witness represents the Old Testament while the other represents the New Testament.  A key point to remember is The Word these 2 witnesses represent is living, neither static nor stagnant, just as Jesus is Living.  The Bible is useful only to believers and those who have been awaken by the Holy Spirit.  It is not useful to those who are not in relationship with God.  Even with the importance of the Bible, the unfailing Word of God, we must not allow ourselves to be so protective and fixated on the physical book called the Bible.  If we do, we will miss what it testifies to, which is a life-giving resource and access to Jesus. 

 The signs and wonders outlined in verses 3-6 illustrate as days progress closer to Jesus’ return, God will give his people more and more access to power to magnify their witness.  Due to the constant bombardment of distractions in the world today, people are paying less and less attention to what God is saying and doing around them and more attention to things/events/people that are not of God or like God.  The sign itself is not as important as God’s presence and power behind the sign.  So as the world continues to intensify its rejection of God, the response to the rejection will intensive as well. 

 The olive trees mentioned in verse 4 signifies strength.  The olive tree is one of the strongest trees in history and it still lives today.  This strength represents the perseverance God has deposited into these 2 witnesses and into us as well.  To stand strong during less than ideal circumstances is not for their own glory or by their own power but for the importance of delivering the message of God’s power and glory during less than ideal circumstances.  The lamp stands mentioned in this verse signifies light.  The shine/glow of lamp is most visible and noticeable in the dark and much less visible if the area is already well lit.  Just as with the Bible, the lamp stand in this verse was needed for God’s people and not people who were not in relationship with God.

 In verse 5, the fire is a prime example of God’s intense response to people’s intense rejection of God.  Although fire consumes, it also purifies.  Though the power of the fire here seems to imply God giving the witnesses more power, it really shows how the witnesses were more and more available to what God was doing through them.  The intensity of this verse also points to the fact that our battles are always a battle for life.  A life defined as an eternal intimate relationship with God and not life according to the world’s standards or definition.  The role of the prophets here and the prophecy which we experience today is to try to remove the obstacle and distractions so God’s people could more clearly see and experience God

 The significance of the sky being shut, in verse 6, is both important and timely.  The sky represents rain.  As Pastor Dudley has mentioned various times throughout this study in Revelation, during time in which this book was drafted, the author lived within an agricultural society.  Here the sky means rain.  The rain waters the crops. The crops feed people so people can live.  Now, if the sky is shut, no rain equals no life.

 Have you ever wondered why God has you in the middle of what appears to be a dismal and dark circumstance?  Do you let your light shine for others to see the way or for your own recognition?

As always, your comments are appreciated and welcomed.

© Kevin Dudley

From Sunday’s Sermon – “This Won’t Be Easy”

Our sermon this week comes from Judges 7:1-10.  In this passage, God is speaking with Gideon before he goes into battle against the Midianites.  Here, we find a great example of trusting in God during a test.

 You may be thinking: Gideon was a mighty warrior fighting an actual war, how does his battle pertain to the challenges and situations I face in my life in 2011?  Well, I’m glad you asked because Pastor Dudley provided 3 ways in which we can manage the stress in our life when we know it is a test.

 First, you must Live Victory with Less.  When God came to Gideon, God reduced Gideon’s army from 32,000 soldiers to 10,000 soldiers and then finally down to 300 soldiers.  We must realize God’s limitations on Gideon, and on us as well, are not meant to be liabilities.  God attempts to guard your pride and in doing so, the glory will be God’s and not your own.  We should not be afraid to lose something in the process.  What ever you are attempting to hold onto too tightly, something you think you need, that something or someone can derail you from what God has for you.  Pastor Dudley summed it up by saying, “it’s not about the limits but the leverage.” We can be greatly blessed by God but according to the world’s standards appear to have less.

 Secondly, you must Reassess Your Unchecked Assumptions.  Gideon assumed he was going into battle with 32,000 soldiers and that all 32,000 were at his disposal.  Well, his assumption was wrong.  Although, all 32,000 soldiers were fit for battle, in God’s plan for this particular battle only 300 were the right soldiers.  Trusting in God when facing a fight can allow God to show things to us we could not see when we were approaching the fight operating on the power we assumed we had.  This protects us against our hidden mess and weaknesses and thus brings to light what we are really working with.  When it comes to God, everything has to be on the table.  We should place our focus on what God leaves us to work with during the test and not on things or people or opportunities we perceive as lost or lacking.  If you notice, God doesn’t allow us to get too comfortable with things or people that weren’t meant for us in the first place. 

 Lastly, you must Make a Meaningful Move.  Within this passage in Judges, God’s advice to Gideon is contradictory to the natural eye in at least 3 instances.  First, God asks Gideon to go up so he could get down.  Next, God sends Gideon into battle with a very small amount of soldiers, which usually would spell defeat.  Then, God tells Gideon to go fight in the middle of the night, a time in which it is difficult to see.  Even though these 3 situations are in contradiction to the natural manner in which humankind thinks, they are in direct alignment spiritually to what God had in store for Gideon.  In those moments when things in our lives don’t make sense, God reveals God’s self in those moments.  These moments provide space, time and opportunity for God to move in our lives.  As children of God, we are blessed.  God has already given us the victory.  In reading the passage, Gideon didn’t try to argue or bargain with God, he just complied with what God instructed him to do.

 A companion verse to the passage in which this sermon is based upon is Philippians 4:13 which states, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (NIV)  The phrase, “I can do”, comes from a word which also means “endure”.  God has already deposited into us what we need to handle the tests life has in store for us during our journey.  So stand firm in life as it is because you have what you need to handle it.  Be mindful that God will allow us to face pressure and stress in order to see if we really trust in God or in our own power.   Everything in your life is designed to clear away the distractions so your focus will be upon God. 

 When your life gets hard, do you really trust God?  When your body gets sick or a friend or loved one dies, do you really and truly trust God?  It is easy to say we trust God but the only way to know for certain you really trust God is when you are being tested.

 As always, your comments are appreciated and welcomed.

 © Kevin Dudley

Our Journey through the book of Revelation

As we continued our study on Revelation, Chapter 11, Pastor Dudley opened our Bible Study by posing an interesting question.  With the context of being a witness for God during the last days, he asked, “How can we walk with God with integrity?

When we discussed the meaning of integrity, we agreed it meant your actions aligned with what you stated you believed; a life of consistency in both word and deed.  The word integrity stems from the Latin word for wholeness.   The definition also contains an element for the opportunity for correction when your actions didn’t align with what you stated you believed. This led Pastor Dudley to ask another question. He asked, “What would it look like if the church closed and we just went about our way and spread the Word of God?”  We stated each person would go on their way with their own interpretation of God’s Word and would follow their own individual path and direction.  Their path may or may not be the path in which God intended.  The major result of this would be the corruption of the Gospel.  The strength contained within communities would also be weakened.  The tradition, which is found within community, determines the norm and the standard.  The tradition we spoke of was not that of our parents’ church but the tradition which started over 2000 years ago with the early Christians.  The tradition contained within a communal setting provides the means and opportunity for correction, such as repentance, prayer and forgiveness of sin, so people are able to live a life of integrity.  Community draws people back to God’s standard, into a healthier relationship with God and a wholeness an individual cannot achieve without God.  Without a healthy relationship with God, it is impossible to maintain a healthy relationship with your fellow human beings.  These questions provided a great transition into Revelation 11:3-6.

The two witnesses described in verses 3 through 4 were prophets during the period of time when the Church had been removed from earth.  The prophets were wearing sack cloths as a sign of mourning due to the condition of the earth.  This references the Old Testament when prophets were usually not well received by their own people and the message was more important than the life of the prophet delivering it.  These two witnesses were individuals who had a covenant relationship with God.  Without this type of relationship with God, their witness would lack integrity and thus their word and deed would not convey an accurate representation of God’s Word.  Due to their covenant relationship, God gave them access to tremendous power, as outlined in verses 5 through 6.

Are you living a life of integrity?  Are you connected to a community of believers or are you going it alone?  The next time you feel powerless, check to see if you are plugged into God or some other power source.

Comment below or join the conversation and share how you are living a life of integrity.