“And he deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life” (Revelation 13:14).

They have not believed that Christ has risen from the dead; but they will believe that the devil can raise the dead.  That is why it is called deception.  It is not new but has been around since the Garden of Eden.  If you read the Old Testament, you see this happening over and over again.  Tantalize, get them off-track, and lead them astray.  Worship an image!  We have celebrities and social media influencers, but we do not worship them.  Or do we?

This has been happening since Eve partook of the forbidden fruit.  We fall for the immediate while ignoring the eternal.  We worship the creature rather than the Creator.  We fall for parlor tricks and emotional false hopes rather than come to You, the Author of creation.  You have come to free the captives, open the eyes of the blind, the ears of the deaf, and lead those who follow You to eternal life.

Lord Jesus, You are the One we are to imitate.  Whether it is the wicked one perverting the truth of who You are, or the faithful seeking to be like You, You are the standard to which we are to be transformed.  Help me clearly see the nonsense of the wicked one and focus my attention upon the task of becoming like You.  Guide me in the way You have established that I may walk boldly with clarity and purpose so that each day I can become more like You.  Amen.

“He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the presence of people” (Revelation 13:13).

The wicked one cannot create anything.  He can only pervert what the Lord creates.  He uses tricks and deception, and people fall for it.  No great signs will be done, just tricks.  Only the Lord raises the dead.  Do not fall for the lies of those who deceive.  This is a warning.  In our desire to find what only the Lord can give, we love to be titillated and wooed by our emotions.  Be on guard and look to the Lord.

Lord, when I am tossed about by the waves of this world, it is my own fault.  I want love, so I settle for feelings.  I want solace, so I settle for worldly words wrapped in a pleasant tune.  I ignore what is obvious and settle for a lie.  Lift me out of my selfish desires to be serious about the faith You have given me.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that I am completed only in You and in nothing else.

Savior of my soul, clear my eyes so that I do not fall for the claptrap of this age.  Keep me on the path where my hope is in You alone.  Help me to not give in to the temptation to settle for anything less than the truth.  Help my walk to be firm, my conviction to stand firm, and my ability to understand the nonsense to be keen.  You have saved me by Your shed blood.  Keep me in the salvation You died for.  Amen.

“He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who live on it worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed” (Revelation 13:12).

Humans have always loved parlor tricks.  They shouted, “Give us a sign, Jesus.”  The sign He gave was the cross and resurrection from death.  Those who believe have been marked with the cross and sealed by the Holy Spirit forever.  But there are those who come along and they seek to lead astray as many as will follow false prophesying.  The way of the cross is the way of salvation.  Always follow Jesus, no matter what.

Lord, it really is no different in good times or bad.  There are those who would have me follow some other direction.  Guide me according to Your Word so that I may see through those who seek to lead any astray.  Help me to worship You alone, fulfilling the first commandment.  Let me see that no matter what tricks people play, there is still only One Lord and Savior in all of creation.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for being with each one of us always.  It is hard to navigate through this world of wickedness.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that life is in Your hands and that You will preserve us according to the Father’s will.  Lead me through all temptations teaching me not to stray so that I may be faithfully guided by You always.  Lead me, Lord Jesus, in the way of everlasting life and help to stay on the narrow path.  Amen.

“Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon” (Revelation 13:11).

Beware of the false prophets.  Beware of those with smooth speech who deceive and lead astray.  They too are constant in this world.  The devil seeks to kill, steal, and destroy.  Coming in the guise of peacemaker, they make war.  This is why one should study to show themselves approved.  The fangs of a wolf hiding in sheep’s clothing are dangerous, even more so if you are unaware that it is a wicked one with whom you are dealing.

Lord, in this mixed-up world, help me to keep my eyes clear so that I can see things as they are.  Guide me in Your goodness to see through the false prophets and those who lead astray.  Help me to understand the truth and know the way of freedom You give.  Help me always, dear Lord, so that I may walk humbly with You all the days of my life and not wander after false teachers.

Lord Jesus, You died that those who look to You would be set free from sin, death and the devil.  But there are those who come along and want to recapture and imprison the ones set free.  Help me to live in the freedom You give, looking to You who alone have the words of eternal life.  Be my guide now and always so that I may see clearly and know when truth is being spoken, or something else.  Keep me close to You, dear Savior.  Amen.

“If anyone has an ear, let him hear.  If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints” (Revelation 13:9-10).

Some say, “Times are bad.”  There are bad times of increased violence and other times where there is less violence, but there has always been bloodshed and wickedness.  This age is not peaceful.  The peace of the Lord that surpasses understanding allows the faithful to persevere through all that happens in this age of rebellion.  Open your ears and listen to the word of the Lord.  Be guided by His goodness and mercy.

Lord, I have become used to this world and think that its masked wickedness is normal.  I cannot comprehend a place where all truly love one another and where peace is normal.  Help me to persevere through all the difficulties of this age.  Guide me according to Your will so that I may not be overcome by the times of difficulty, knowing that Your promises are always before me.

Lord Jesus, You know what it is to struggle in this age.  You too were under threat, hated, and constantly harassed.  Help me to live through these things and remain faithful.  As I struggle today, guide me in Your goodness to know that I can lean on You and that You are there to hold me up as I move through all the difficulties this life will bring this day.  Thank You for providing for my every need.  Amen.

“All who live on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slaughtered” (Revelation 13:8).

How foolish humans are.  We worship celebrities.  We worship what we consider to be good things.  We crawl on top of one another to be on top of the heap.  What foolishness.  Do not be fooled; the Lord is still Lord of all.  Be humble and turn to Him and He will lift you up and out of the mire of this world.  Seek the Lord while He may be found, and have your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

In what do you hope?  Are you seeking to gain the whole world?  Is it worth losing your soul?  Are you seeking fame and a good reputation?  Is it worth losing your soul?  Many will disagree – and this will change nothing – but you were created for a purpose and your Creator has called you by name to abide in Him.  Do not become caught up in the world’s game but live in the truth for all ages.

Lord, You have given me the gift of grace.  In You I have hope for all my tomorrows.  But the world has gone mad and I am often not even sure what is worth living for.  Guide me in the way You have established so that I may now and always be led by the grace You gained for us on  the cross.  Lead me according to Your purposes in the truth You have revealed and grant that my hope will always be in You.  Amen.

“It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority was given to him over every tribe, people, language, and nation” (Revelation 13:7).

Look at the world and you see the ebbs and flows of civilization.  Of late, the church has been shrinking in the west while growing in the south and east.  There is constant warfare against the faithful.  We are told all kinds of things, but the simple truth of Jesus dying for our sins and the hope that because He was raised from the dead, we too shall be raised gets lost amidst the lying antics of the devil.

Lord, help me to understand the simple truth of the Gospel so that I do not fall prey to all the lies that are out there.  Keep my eyes open so that I begin to understand what has happened.  It is not that society is smarter now and does not need you, but that they have been deceived and do not understand the truth that every child understands.  We need more than ourselves.  We were created by You, need community and desire love.

Love Incarnate, You have come to establish an eternal relationship with all who will turn to You.  No matter the cost, nor the difficulty, help me to abide in You.  Help me not listen to the world around me, which tells me to disconnect from You.  Guide me in the truth.  Your Word is truth.  Lead me as You know I need to be led and keep me from the lies of the wicked one.  Keep me in You, Lord.  Amen.

“And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven” (Revelation 13:6).

The Lord is God and no one else will ever have His power or authority.  But there are those who will say they do.  The Lord is put into a sealed box and the prideful come out and act as if they had the power of the Lord.  There are those who hate the Lord. and they also hate those who follow the Lord.  They blaspheme with their arrogance and live as though no one else mattered.

Do not get caught up in the hatreds of this world.  So many act with spite and then look at those who love as if they were crazy.  In a sinful world, up is down and left is right.  Seek the Lord while He may be found and ask Him to give you a clear mind, eyes to see what is real and ears to hear the truth.  Do not fall for the tricks of the devil.  Do not get caught up in the blasphemy of this age.

Lord, I do not understand this world, but I do have hope in You and the promises You have given me.  Guide me, dear Lord, in the way of truth so that I may now and always look to You for guidance.  Do not let me be caught up with those who blaspheme, but instead, live in harmony with You and others.  Guide me in truth, dear Lord.  You are truth and You have come to lead me into all truth.  Lead me, Lord Jesus.  Amen.

“A mouth was given to him speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him” (Revelation 13:5).

Different rulers have ruled different lengths of time and one day there will be the final earthly ruler.  They all have this in common: they are arrogant, boastful and their mouths are filled with blasphemy.  Humans fall for the strongman.  Those who do not are forced to follow him.  This is the way of the world and one more reason to realize that we need to be saved.  Rulers of the world are temporary. The Word of the LORD is forever.

Lord, You are the beginning and the end.  All things are in Your hands.  Open my eyes to see the handiwork of Your creation which the world does not see.  Open my ears to hear the beauty of this creation, knowing that You have created this to be beautiful, shared, and enjoyed.  Guide me in the way I need to go despite whomever is leading us.  Let me see that all things here are temporary, but You are forever.

Jesus, King of the universe, through whom all things have been made, lift me up to see You more clearly.  Regardless of my circumstances, help me to have a clear vision of the hope You give.  Even if the strongman of ill-health becomes dictator of this life, help me to keep my eyes upon You and the promise which is mine in You.  Take me beyond the arrogant words of this world to live in the hope of Your eternal word.  Amen.

“I saw one of his heads as if it had been fatally wounded, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?”  (Revelation 13:3-4)

We humans are impressed by such simple things while often ignoring what is truly profound.  A man tells you he is powerful, and we worship him.  The Creator of the universe invites us into friendship, and we are too busy for such things.  We worship what we know is fake and ignore what we know is real.  The Lord our God is holy, just, merciful, and kind, but there will come a time when one goes one way or the other.

Lord, I do “worship” the people of this earth.  “Oh, look at them!”  But all of that is so trivial.  Lord, help me to see things the way they truly are.  Keep me sober-minded so that I do not fall for the tricks of the devil.  Guide me according to Your word to live as You have created me to live.  The world will continue to be crazy and chase after smoke, but I do not need to join them.

Lord Jesus, once again I see the places where I need to be saved.  I ignore You, but I am impressed with the latest dictator of whatever.  Fashion, trends, health, celebrity, or whatever seem to wow me when all of creation is before me telling me who You are.  Lift me up, Lord Jesus, and help me to live into the life You give by grace, seeing things as they really are.  Amen.