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Posts tagged with: Revelation

The sun sets on nature that has been damaged.

Come, Lord Jesus: The Cry of Our Hearts

The more we pay attention to the brokenness of our world and the more we listen to the voice of the Spirit whispering in our ears, the more we will long for God to “put our world to rights,” and therefore the more we will pray “Come, Lord Jesus.”

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Looking down a row of fortified archways.

Come, Lord Jesus: A Prayer to Strengthen Your Faith

As we draw near to the end of the book of Revelation, we find a simple, three-word prayer: “Come, Lord Jesus.” This prayer might be simple, but its implications are profound. In today’s Life for Leaders devotion, I will begin to reflect with you on ways in which “Come, Lord Jesus” can make a significant difference in our faith and life.

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A door with Bonjour written on it.

Are You Living an Inviting Life?

I know people who live an inviting life. I’m not using the word “inviting” in the ordinary sense here. If we say something is inviting, we mean it’s attractive or desirable. The lives of the people I’m thinking of are generally inviting in this way. But I’m using “inviting” in a more active sense. The people I have in mind are always inviting people into their lives: Come have dinner with us! Join us at the concert! Sit for a while and let me know what’s going on in your life!

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People communing together over work

How Can I Know If My Work is Worship or Idolatry or Both? A Practical Suggestion

Today, I want to add a practical suggestion to what I wrote yesterday. It’s really quite simple. If you want to discover where your work falls on the worship-idolatry scale, invite others to share in this discernment process with you.

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Layout of work materials: notes, office supplies, etc.

Is My Work Worshiping God? Or Am I Worshiping My Work Instead of God?

Last week, we began to reflect on how our work can be worship. Two verses from Revelation 22 led us to this reflection. In Revelation 22:8, John fell down to worship the angel who had revealed the glorious vision of the future to him. But the angel rebuked John, rejecting his worship and telling him to “Worship God!” (22:9). Analogously, we can sometimes be so devoted to our work that we could be said to worship work. Yet, Scripture teaches us that work can be a way for us to worship God. Work is worship. Yes, sometimes. Work is idolatry. Yes, sometimes. Work is a mix of the two. Yes, sometimes.

So how can we know the difference?

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A person staring at their computer in thought.

Is Work Always Worship?

Like many Christians, I grew up believing that work mattered. Through work I could earn money to support my family and myself. With what I earned at work I could also contribute to God’s work in the world, which happened through churches and mission organizations. The workplace also had value because it provided a primary context for me to share my faith with others. So, work mattered, but mainly because it enabled good things to happen in addition to and apart from the work itself: feeding my family, supporting God’s work, sharing my faith with colleagues, etc.

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The Storm by François-Louis-Joseph Watteau. Oil on Canvas, second half of 18th C. Musée des Beaux-Arts, Valenciennes. Public Domain.

Give Yourself Completely to God in Your Work

As I said yesterday, it is certainly tempting for some of us to give ourselves completely to our work, to make work the Number 1 priority for our lives, thus displacing God. But, I don’t want to imply that our work is somehow necessarily opposed to our worship. In fact, if we pay attention to all that Scripture says about work and worship, we discover that one of the major ways we can worship God is through our work.

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Statue of an angel kneeling in worship

Give Yourself Completely to God, Not Your Work

In yesterday’s devotion we focused on the command of the angel to John, “Worship God!” (22:9). I pointed out that the biblical verb translated here as “worship” means, literally, to bow down in submission, as before a human sovereign. From a biblical point of view, when we worship God truly, we offer ourselves to God completely. At the core, worship is submitting our whole lives to God.

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A cross and life preserver on a beachside hill.

Give Yourself Completely to God

In the final verses of Revelation, we observe a scene that reminds us to give ourselves completely to God and God alone. It comes after the vision given to John, the writer of Revelation, had ended. He was so moved by what he had seen that John “fell down to worship at the feet of the angel” who had shown the vision to him (22:8). But the angel rebuked John, saying, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!” (22:9).

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Two horses side by side, in likeness to each other.

Fulfilling Our Created Purpose

Last week, we began to reflect on the astounding truth of Revelation 22:5, namely, that in the new heaven and new earth, we will reign alongside the Lord. As the text says of those who serve the Lord in the New Jerusalem, “And they will reign for ever and ever.”

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"Charles V Picking up Titian's Paintbrush, 1808. Bergeret, Pierre-Nolasque. Oil on canvas, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Bordeaux."

Servants Who Reign

In yesterday’s Life for Leaders devotion, we began to reflect on the surprising truth of Revelation 22:5. In the New Jerusalem, the people of God, those who are servants of the Lord, will also reign with him forever and ever. According to John’s inspired vision, we will be, not only servants of God (22:3), but also co-regents with God (22:5).

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"The Adoration of the Kings. Gossart, Jan. 1500-15, Oil on wood, National Gallery, London."

And We Shall Reign Forever and Ever

If, someday, we will reign with you, Lord, how should we live right now?

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Board game pieces like the game of Life.

What Really Defines You?

When high school students decide which college to attend, one of the first things they do is to purchase a shirt or sweatshirt with the name of the institution emblazoned on the front. They wear this brand proudly, proclaiming to the world: “I’m a student at USC” or “I belong to UCLA.” They are glad to be associated with their college and want the whole world to know.

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A man looking at a city skyline, waterfront, harbor.

Knowing God in a Whole New Way

In my experience, one of the hardest things about having a relationship with God is the fact that I can’t actually see God. Oh, I believe I can see evidence of God in the world. And I know that God makes himself known to us in all sorts of ways, through Scripture, through the community of his people, etc. I also believe that God was once visible on earth through the person of Jesus Christ. But, of course, Jesus is not physically present in that way anymore. So, when it comes to our relationship with God, we confront the problem of God’s invisibility to us.

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The Idle Servant. Nicolaes Maes, 1655. Oil on canvas.

Congratulations! You Will Be Promoted to the Role of Servant

At first glance, the heading of this devotion doesn’t seem to be good news. If you’re working in an organization, I expect you wouldn’t mind getting a promotion. But a promotion to the role of servant? That seems more like a demotion, doesn’t it? Yet, in light of Revelation 22, I would suggest that becoming a servant could actually be a fine thing.

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