“And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9).

From every tribe, tongue, people and nation come those who walk with the Lord.  Who is my sister?  Who is my brother?  It is another who follows the Lord.  O how this world segregates us in all of the wrong ways.  We are called to come to the Lord in love and love our neighbor.  The Lord is worthy because He has done all that is necessary for life now and life eternal.  Come to Him and become what He will make you.

Lord, all things are in Your hands.  You have died that we may live.  My brothers and sisters may look different, speak another language, and be from another time, but they are family.  You have called me to come before You.  One day I will stand before You, the Judge of all and I pray that by Your grace and through the faith You have given me, my hope will be fulfilled by the call You have given me.

Lord, to the extent that I am able, help me to pour myself into the life of faith You have given me.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that in You alone is all hope.  You are the One who is worthy to judge all people, and me, according to Your standard.  Help me to learn how to continue overcoming this world and all the nonsense it contains.  Lamb of God who is worthy, save me from my iniquities.  Amen.

“When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Revelation 5:8).

The music of praise and the lament of scent rise before the Lord.  He hears and senses them all.  From old times and from recent times, the saints lift up their prayers to God.  Behold the Lamb of God who has taken away the sin of the world.  The Lamb, the Judge, the Savior of us all is front and center.  Do you come to Him in need and with praise, or are you one who rebels against the ways of the Lord?

You know who I am in my heart of hearts.  You know Lord, and You have called me through the salvation You have prepared to come with You, to You, and through You to the place which You also are preparing.  Lord, You are the One who must lead.  What I know is that I must to take Your hand and follow where You lead.  Guide me always in the upward call as Your saint in-the-making.

Lord Jesus, how can so much come through such humble circumstances?  Yet, You have spoken and all that exists was spoken into being by You.  Let my knees bend before You that I may learn to praise You in all things and come to You for all things.  Guide me this day, Lord, in the way of life which You have prepared before me.  Help me to humbly walk with You, My Lord and my God.  Amen.

“And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne” (Revelation 5:7).

God the Son takes the book out of the Hand of God the Father?  This is a prophetic vision.  I wonder if too many have gone too literal with the word pictures.  How does one describe  the mystery of eternity?  What is important here is the book of life.  The Lamb takes the book of life.  The One who is worthy to judge has the book.  Did He not say that there was nothing hidden that would not be revealed?

Lord, I go into my own mind rather than looking to You, the Author and Finisher of my faith.  Guide me Lord in the upward call You have given me so that I may humbly walk in Your presence.  Lead me now and always in the goodness of that call.  You are worthy to judge.  You are the judge of the living and the dead.  One day I too will stand before You to be judged.

Lord, without Your grace, I know what the outcome would be.  Guide me by Your grace to live into the life for which You have called me.  I may not know what I will be, but I do know from scripture that I will be like You.  Continue to shape me as You know I need to be shaped.  Guide me always in the Father’s will and keep me from being stymied because there is something I do not understand.  You have given me faith.  Let that be enough for me.  Amen.

“And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth” (Revelation 5:6).

Seven is the Hebrew number for complete, or as we often say it, perfect.  We may speculate, but what good will that really do for our walk of faith?  The Perfect One, who was slain for our sins, sees all and will not settle until there is no sin left in us.  He means to save us completely.  His Spirit will go to the ends of the earth, and no one will be left behind who comes through faith.  The Lamb laid down His life for us and rose again that we might have His life going into eternity.

Lord, I want to know secrets, but what good will that do?  Instead, help me to realize the incredible feat You have accomplished by dying for our sins.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to humbly walk where You would have me walk.  Guide me because You, who see all things, know the way I need to walk.  Lead me in the upward call You have given me to look to You alone.

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.  You, Lord Jesus, have made possible the salvation of those who believe.  Get me out of the way so that You may continue bringing me ever closer toward the object of my faith until I am complete.  You who see, help me to humbly take Your hand and walk with You all the days of my life.  Alpha and Omega, be close to me as I journey in life this day so that I may be assured of Your ever-present support.  Amen.

“[A]nd one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals” (Revelation 5:5).

Only One has overcome sin, death, and the devil.  Only One is worthy of all honor and praise.  Only One is the judge of the living and the dead.  The One has bid You come and follow Him.  The One has said that your sins are forgiven.  The One has set you upon a path to become like Him.  Come through the One and know life as He created it to be lived.  Do not weep but rejoice in God your Savior.

Lord, You have called me to come with You.  You have set before me the path of everlasting life.  Guide me, dear Lord, according to Your will so that I may not weep over this world that causes my lament.  Let me see the hope You give by faith so that I may walk humbly on the path You have set before me and rejoice in my Lord..  Lead me now and always to look to You, the One who is worthy to open the book.

Lord Jesus, You suffered more than I will ever know to set us free from sin, death and the devil.  Help me to take up my cross and follow You.  Guide me in the goodness You give, knowing that in You alone is hope.  Help me to stop weeping as if I had no hope and live in the hope and joy You give.  Lord, take away from me the sinful desire that wants to tell You what to do.  Help me look to You, my rock and my salvation, and follow as You lead.  Amen

“Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it” (Revelation 5:4)

What do you do in moments of utter frustration?  Do you give up hope?  We forget that the Lord is Lord of all, and nothing is impossible for God.  The point here is that only the Lord is worthy.  He is not asking us to be worthy, but how many spend their spiritual lives trying to be worthy?  The Lord has saved you by grace; now live the faith He gives you to walk with Him each day.

Lord, why do I make my life in the faith so difficult?  I revert to trying to obey the law which I constantly break.  The law is good, but I cannot fulfill it.  Not that I should not always seek to obey, but that I should not make that my first priority.  Lord, you ask that I learn how to humbly walk with You, my God and Savior.  Today may we begin anew so that I may learn how to walk with You?  Teach me again that the load is easy, and the burden is light.  Teach me whatever it is that I need to learn.

Lord, I cling to the cross and look to You.  I do need the help that only You can give when I realize that I am unworthy.  Either that, or I beat myself up for not being worthy, thinking somehow that I just need to learn how to do it differently.  Guide me, Lord, in the way of living that trusts You above all things.  Lead me to see what You are doing more clearly so that I may follow You more closely on the path You have set before me.  Amen.

“And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it” (Revelation 5:3).

No one can or ever will be able to do what the Lord alone can do.  Who is worthy?  The One who knows all things.  Who can peer into the book of life?  The Creator of life.  Know the Lord and know life.  If this surprises you, look again in your own heart and see the plagues of every sinner.  We want to be in the center.  Pride, lust and envy corrupt the heart.  There is only One who is worthy, and He alone is the Judge and Savior.

Lord, I do not even know the full depth of all that goes on in my own heart let alone what is going on in the universe.  Of course, You are worthy.  You are worthy of all honor and praise.  Lead me, Lord, according to the Father’s will to live the life You have given me by Your grace. Guide me in the way of  discipleship so that I may live in the promise You give of life eternal.

Lord Jesus, Savior of all who believe, lead me all the days of my life so that when I witness You open the book, I will rejoice, and be glad.  Help me to live for life’s sake, not because I will gain anything, but because You have already given me all things necessary.  Lead me Lord all the days of this life until we meet face to face in the fulness of time.  You are worthy of all my honor and praise.  Amen.

“And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?”  (Revelation 5:2)

Are you worthy?  Ask yourself that question before proceeding onto anything else.  Of course, you are not worthy.  We should humble ourselves and not be as the proud and arrogant who jump in and take charge.  We are called to be leaders, but there is only One commander.  The Lord alone is worthy to open the seals.  The rest of us who have spent our lives learning to obey should also learn to have humble and thankful hearts.

Lord of all, the One who knows, what can I say to You?  You know my heart and its condition.  Guide me in Your goodness to continue the journey of being transformed by the renewing of my mind.  Lead me into the fruit of goodness which is necessary for eternity, and crucify my pride.  You alone are worthy of all honor and praise.  Let me not take one bit for myself, but always give it to You.

Lord Jesus, You know how much I need to move from where I am to where I need to be.  Guide me, Lord, on the path You have set before me and do not let me linger over the small things.  Transform my heart and kill the pride in me.  Let what You have given me be used for Your purpose.  May I give You thanks and praise all the days of my life.  May my name be found in Your book.  Amen.

I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals” (Revelation 5:1).

The One who is, was, and shall be knows what will happen.  It is already written.  He sees.  He saw you yesterday and he sees you now.  He knows all because He sees all.  You have always had freedom to do as you will.  The question is whether you will give your will to Him and let His will be done in you.  Those who do so are the ones whose names are written in the book of life.

Lord, like Jacob, I do wrestle with You.  I want what I want, and I want it the way I want it.  I blame You when things do not turn out as I like, and I do not accept my own part in things.  Yet, by grace, You have given me promises so that I may live into the new man who does Your will on earth as it shall be done in heaven.  You are the judge I will face.  You who know all things know me.  I cling to the cross and look to You, dear Savior,  for the help I need.

Lord, let all pretense leave me.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that only by Your grace – Your death on the cross – do I have any hope whatsoever.  Even then, I will face You who knows my heart.  Lead me, O Lord, to walk humbly in Your presence and to be guided by You, the author and finisher of my faith.  As I walk up to Your throne, may I see a smile and not a frown.  Amen.

“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created” (Revelation 4:11)

Worthy is the LORD.  There is no other who is worthy.  He holds all authority and has all power.  In this age, the struggle is to give no honor to others where it is not due.  Do not throw your pearls before swine.  Do not denigrate the Lord by giving to others what belongs to Him.  Be led by the Lord and know that He alone is the One worthy of your honor and praise.

Lord, Creator of all that exists, I cannot even begin to comprehend all that this means.  Lead me according to Your goodness to know that in You alone is my hope and a future.  Guide me to not only look to You but submit to You in and for all things.  You know all that is needed.  You have provided grace upon grace so that we can be with You forever.  Teach me how to praise You.

Lord Jesus, You are worthy of all worship that I can give You.  You have lifted me up so that I can walk in Your presence.  Yes, I can hold my head up, but let my knees buckle in praise of You knowing that I am always in Your presence.  You are worthy of all the praise I can muster.  Help me learn how to live a life of praise and thanksgiving.  Guide me in the right way of living that You have given me.  Amen.