Rev 10: Sweet as Honey; Yet, Bitter to Swallow

Revelation 10 NIV

Prophecy is often a "bitter pill" to swallow. We don't like to hear that we have a need to make changes in our lives. We usually don't care to hear that there are consequences to everything we do. Sometimes, those consequences are good. Sometimes, they are not. A lot depends on whom or what we choose to serve.

The angel who stood with one foot on the sea and one on the land holding a tiny scroll announces to John that the seventh trumpet is about to sound and "the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets." (vs 7) This could well be a "bitter pill" for those who  refuse to hear the message of the prophets.

John is told to take and eat the little scroll from the angel. He eats. The scroll tastes as sweet as honey; but, it turned his stomach sour. He has swallowed the words and it is sweet to taste; yet, bitter to stomach. It sounds good and it is good; but, with the words that were delivered to John on the scroll will come many anxious and troubling times. Events and times that will be very difficult to stomach.

John must go out and prophesy with the words that he has swallowed about peoples, nations, languages and kings. It may well be that to those who believe in the Son of God and anxiously wait for the mystery of God to be accomplished that the word is sweet; yet, a very "bitter pill" to those who reject the Lord. But, it will not be easy for John. With the sweet word of the Lord will come much persecution from the world to those who love him.

May God help us to hear the word and receive it no matter what kind of changes it asks us to make in our lives.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 81 - Stubborn Hearts Need Listen

Again we hear and are reminded that those with the stubborn hearts should listen to God.  I guess we have to keep being reminded to listen to Him, because we are so stubborn.  We refuse to hear God's Word.  We refuse to remember and sing for joy for what God has done for us.

If only we would listen! If only we would hear!  So many people who go from one crisis to another.  They don't remember what God did to help them through the first crisis.  They off don't remember what they did to get them in the mess in the first place.  They do remember something, though!  They remember all kinds of things that others supposedly did that brought the crisis upon them.  They falsely remember and blame others for their sins.  The burden cannot be removed from their shoulders until they take the burden of their sins upon their shoulders.  God cannot remove their foes, if the foes that they have live only in their own imagination and they are their own enemy.  I take that back...  God can remove the strongest foe, even if that foe is our self. 

Through recognizing that we are our own worst enemies, by recognizing that it is we who have sinned against God, humanity, and ourselves; by recognizing these things and turning to God, we are forgiven. The burden is removed. "You would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” says the LORD. (Psalm 81:16 NIV)

May God help you to listen and to hear so that you might turn to the LORD and not be stuck in crisis', following our own devices, created by our stubborn hearts. (vs 11,12)

God's Peace - Pr. J