“And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth” (Revelation 11:3)

Even though the world goes mad, the Lord always gives a testimony for those who will listen.  The wicked one destroys and the Lord rebuilds.  That is the way of this age.  Why is the church such a mess?  Because there is wickedness.  If we would simply and humbly submit to the Lord, all would be well with our souls.  Does it need to get really bad before you will listen?  Listen to the Lord now.

Lord, You have sent those who have shared the Good News of salvation with me.  Thank You for being persistent.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy with open ears to hear and a mouth willing to speak the truth of Your salvation.  Lead me, Lord, in the way I need to go.  Even if the world around me gets much worse, help me to be faithful to the calling You have given me by grace.

Lord Jesus, You taught me to take up my cross and follow You; whatever that means.  You have told me to pray without ceasing; whatever that means.  You have promised to be with me always.  That I can understand.  Help me to learn how to be with You always.  There are so many things that distract me.  Keep me from being distracted so that I may focus upon abiding with You forever.  Amen.

“Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months” (Revelation 11:2).

The Lord allows for the desecration.  Just look at the cross and the destruction of the temple.  Everything serves His purpose.  Throughout all His words, you can concentrate upon what is happening, or you can concentrate on what the Lord is saying.  Listen to the Lord.  He is telling those who are faithful to follow His instructions and know that the hope He gives is eternal.  The world is a mess.  God is in charge.  To whom will you turn?

Lord, I become befuddled and do not know where to turn.  But that really isn’t true.  I am still resisting giving my all to you even though I say to myself that I am giving all to You.  I need saving once again.  Lord You are kind and gracious and allow for the nonsense of this age.  From among those who are in the crazy scramble of this world, lift me up and out of the pit.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to follow You always.

Lord Jesus, You know.  There were dissenters amongst Your disciples right up to the time You were hung on the cross and beyond, yet You gave grace.  I will become what You will make of me.  Help me to not be one of the outer court people who work themselves into a lather in their madness.  Help me come into the temple of Your presence and humbly walk with You.  Teach me, Lord, as Your disciple how to live the eternal life that You have given me. Amen.

“Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it” (Revelation 11:1).

Shades of Isaiah.  Why are we’re always trying to measure things and weigh them in our own image?  We are proud and believe we’re worthy of grace.  Banish these things from your mind, for this is the pride that brought about the fall of the devil.  Instead, focus upon your life of faith and live into the promise Jesus gave.  He will make of you what He will, but you need to put yourself in His hands to be transformed.

Father, You are the potter and I am the clay.  I am not to tell You what to do. You have  told me what to do through Your word.  Keep me from measuring things, for You are the judge, but instead, help me measure my own life to weigh and count the cost of grace.  Lord, You must be the author and finisher of my faith.  I would only make a mess of it.  You know I already do.  Lead me out of the fog of this age and into the light of Your presence.

Lord Jesus, in the words of prophecy, You tell us again and again to turn from our ways and to lean upon You alone.  You have conquered sin and death and upon You alone is the hope and promise for our faith and life.  Lead me in the way of righteousness and remind me that You are the judge of the living and the dead.  Guide me always in the salvation You have prepared in the sight of all people.  Amen.

“And they said to me, “You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings” (Revelation 10:11).

 Will you publicly speak the word of God?  Will you share these things which the Lord has given you?  These questions are to be answered by each one of us.  The world is filled with people who are condemned by their unbelief.  Will you share what you know of the possibility for salvation?  The Lord has chosen you to be a carrier of the Good News.   Will you carry the word in your heart to action, or just live a religious life for yourself?

Lord, in one sense this is so easy to understand.  You call us to be in an eternal relationship with You and live in the love You have given us.  The old Adam wants to be saved yet remains in the pride and selfishness of the old Adam.  That desire must be bent to my will if I am to be like You, Christ. You were selfless and humble in Your earthly ministry.  Lead me to learn from You and become like You.

Lord Jesus, I do need to be saved today.  Search my heart and help me to be honest with myself, and then to share what You have given me with others.  Guide me in the true way of salvation so that I may, now and always, abide in You and You in me.  Help me to bear fruit befitting Your kingdom.  Help me act like You and no matter the cost, to do what is right in Your sight.  Amen.

“I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter” (Revelation 10:11).

The word of God is sweet initially.  I am saved by grace apart from works and receive this through faith.  Then comes what the sinner considers bitter, and that is the actual fulfilling of the law.  I am not free to do as I please, but I am now empowered by the Holy Spirit to actually learn how to live as the Lord intends me to live.  Sweet in taste, bitter in action.  But that problem is all mine!

Lord, I like the idea of being saved.  I like the idea of everything being well with my soul.  I do not like the idea of having to practice these things.  I do not want to carry my cross.   How much of my religious life is spent distracting myself from the task at hand?  You know.  Guide me out of the wicked insanity of this age to simply live according to Your unchanging word of truth.  You have come to free me from bondage to sin and death.

Savior of my soul, Jesus, You have come that I may have life and have it abundantly.  Guide me, dear Lord, in learning how to live truthfully with You.  Guide me to put into action these things I claim, but thus far have not done.  Lead me in Your goodness so that I may now and always live according to the word of truth that You have spoken.  Show me, Lord, how  to follow You now and always.  Amen.

“So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, “Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey” (Revelation 10:9).

“Take and eat, this is my body, given for you.”  In this age, the body of Christ is sweet to believers, but to unbelievers of this the world, bitter.  If the world would go its own way and leave the faithful alone, it would not be bitter to them.  But the world does not leave the church alone.  The wicked one hates the church.  The word of the Lord is loathed by those who practice wickedness.  It is life for those who have faith in the Lord.

Lord, You know how much I study Your word.  You know how little I study Your word.  I need to take Your word in and see it change me.  Some wrangle over which translation is more useful.  The only useful translation is the one that goes inside of me and changes me to be like You.  No matter if it gives me a sour stomach, guide me Lord to consistently take in Your word, digest it and open myself to You in and through all things.

Lord Jesus, You know my weaknesses better that I know them myself.  Help me to walk in a way that is pleasing to the Father.  Open my heart, mind, and soul so that I heed the ministrations of the Holy Spirit.  In all things, guide me in the goodness You are pouring into me through Your word so that when I stand face to face with You, I may be more like You than at any time up to that point.  Amen.

Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land” (Revelation 10:8).

Throughout history, the church has used symbols to convey ideas.  The Lord has been using symbols throughout Scripture.  In part, this is to convey what is inexpressible from eternity to us.  In part, it simplifies things.  It is all for the purpose of awakening you to the reality that God, from eternity, has called us to Himself.  Will you go?  Will you be a part of His kingdom?  Do not just tell others.  Tell Him and show Him by living in the new covenant He has given you.

Lord, in the mysteries between past, present, and future, I am here, reading these things and witnessing what John saw.  Some of these things are too deep for me.  Some I need to heed and take into me so that I do what is spoken.  Teach me how to take these things in so that they become a part of me.  Lead me to walk what I talk and live what You say.  Teach me to obey all that You command, Lord.

Lord Jesus, are these things such a mystery, or does this point to the reality that I still cling to what I want?  I do not know.  But You do.  Help me to go if You say go, take if You say so and listen to all that You direct me to do.  Guide me now and always in the way of everlasting life and help me live into the new life You have promised by grace and through the faith which You have given me.  Amen.

“[B]ut in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:7).

In the days, it says.  It is in the plural.  Is this something or not?  Sometimes we can parse words so that we forget to see the overall meaning of things.  We have lived through times of tribulation, and we shall live through them again.  In this case, the “we” I speak of, is humanity.  It shall be so until the last of the days of this earth.  There will be a new heaven and earth when the old order of things passes away.

Lord, You say it plainly, and sometimes I do not listen.  I remember the time someone said, “I do not agree with that,” referring to a new heaven and earth.  Such arrogance drives the wickedness of this age.  Whether or not I agree with You, it will be as You have determined it to be.  Help me to stop agreeing or disagreeing with Your word and humbly learn how to follow Your directions.

Lord Jesus, You preached to the crowds, and You have preached to me.  You have poured Yourself into me.  Lift me up, redeem me, and create in me a new life that looks to You in, through and for all things.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that in You alone is my final salvation.  Help me this day to live humbly and willingly do the things You give me to do.  May I learn from You how to be faithful.  Amen.

“Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will be delay no longer” (Revelation 10:5-6)

The day will come when this age is done.  It will come for you and me in the moment of our death and it will come for the earth on that great and terrible day.  This does not change the question which asks, “What kind of people should we be?”  Do not become wrapped up in trying to know the day and time.  Become focused upon the One who made all things and listen to Him.

Father in heaven, You said, “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him.”  I often find that I listen to prognosticators and others rather than heed the words of Jesus.  I know He died that I may have grace, but I do not understand the twisted way of thinking that is in me.  By Your Spirit, lead me to have a pure and clean heart that listens to Your Son.  Lead me to listen, hear, and heed the words of eternal life.

Lord Jesus, You have spoken and I have been directed to listen to You.  Help me to take Your word deep into my being so that Your word is what guides and directs me in daily living.  Lead me according to Your goodness to know that in You alone is hope.  This world shall pass away, but Your word is forever.  Guide me in this new life and lead me into eternity according to the Father’s saving purpose, now and always.  Amen.

“When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them” (Revelation 10:4)

When the final words of this age are spoken, it will be over.  In scripture. seven is often used to describe the perfect number.  The point?  It is not ours to know all things.  We have enough to know what needs to be known.  Will you follow Christ, or will you follow yourself  (or the world)?  There are things we will find out, but these things come after faith.  You have been invited to walk with the Lord now and forever.  Those who follow Christ are heading toward being made perfect.

Lord, inquiring minds want to know.  Questions pepper our thoughts, but have I really thought about the fact that everything I need to know is already present?  Do I really need to know how it all plays out?  Do I really need to know who will or will not follow You?  What I really need to do is to repent and follow You with all my heart, mind, and soul.  All the speculation is fine as a diversion, but it is not necessary.

Lord, teach me all that I need to know.  That is, point me to what You have already revealed and then guide me in Your goodness to know that in You there is hope and an eternal future.  Lead me, Lord, into the way of life that You have promised.  Guide me by Your grace and mercy to know that in You alone is all hope and an eternal future.  Teach me to be content with the information You have given me.  Amen.