December 29

Zechariah 14:1-21,, Revelation 20:1-15,, Psalm 148:1-14,, Proverbs 31:8-9

Pray: Father, show me what I need to know. Revelation was written to seven early New Testament churches and there are lessons to be learned. But there is much more. Unravel the mysteries of what lies ahead so that I can walk wisely before You and recognize false Christs and deceptive doctrines and works. Show me the real Jesus each and every day so that I might reject the counterfeits.

Read: (Revelation 20:4-5) "And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.)" Blessed and holy are those that share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him a thousand years.

Edify: The apostle John saw an angel come down from heaven and seize Satan. The angel bound Satan in chains and then threw him into the bottomless pit which was shut and locked for 1000 years. For the next 1000 years Satan could not deceive mankind. But after the 1000 years passes Satan will once again be loosed for a time and deceive two empires setting the stage for one last battle between light and darkness…good and evil. Satan is defeated in this epic battle and thrown into hell to be tormented forever. So, the first resurrection is for those who gave their lives for Christ. This resurrection is limited. And those resurrected will reign with Christ over the nations of the world for 1000 years. Then Satan is released. An epic battle follows. Satan is defeated and cast into hell. Then all who have died and not yet been resurrected are brought to life and stand before God. Those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will reign and rule with Him but first their works are judged. Works that stand the test of fire are rewarded. Works that don’t stand this test are not rewarded but neither is the doer punished. But those whose names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, who did not receive Him and His gift for them, will be cast into the Lake of Fire to join Satan in eternal torment.

Practice: A basic doctrine of the faith is repentance from dead works. A dead work can be a very good thing, but at the same time be a thing that God did not tell you to do. Good things don’t stand the test of fire. God things do! Be careful to ask yourself whether what you are doing is a God thing or a good thing.