Daily Team Devotions for June 2025
Even in Anathoth - One Year Devotions for Women June 1, 2025
The men of Anathoth wanted me dead. They said they would kill me if I did not stop speaking in the LORD’s name. - Jeremiah 11:21
One of the worst kinds of loneliness is spiritual loneliness. Jeremiah experienced this in his own hometown, Anathoth (Jeremiah 1:1).
No one wanted to hear his message. The townsfolk—his neighbors, friends, and even his own family—hated him.
He was crushed when he realized that the people closest to him were not about to follow King Josiah’s reforms and return to the Lord.
What did Jeremiah do? First, he complained bitterly to God. “Now let me bring you this complaint,” he lamented (Jeremiah 12:1).
We are allowed to do that, you know. We can tell God what it feels like to be spiritually alone among the people who matter most to us.
He understands when we gripe about the wicked getting away without punishment—and even prospering (Jeremiah 12:2-4).
After making his complaint, Jeremiah listened to God—but it wasn’t easy! Jeremiah would continue to be an object of scorn and revenge (Jeremiah 12:5-6), but God promised, “I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. . . . I will protect and deliver you” (Jeremiah 15:19-20).
Loneliness can draw us into a deeper commitment to God. There comes a time when the words of the hymn “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” become our own.
We need to say, “Though none go with me, still I will follow. No turning back, no turning back.”
May we learn that loneliness some-times is the price we must pay for our faith—even in “Anathoth,” our home.
For Further Study: Jeremiah 11:18-23
Replies
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When Evil Is Removed
Monday, June 2But in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets. Revelation 10:7
Bible Reading:
Some Bible readers are surprised when they encounter 1 John 5:19: “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” They wonder how, if God is sovereign, the whole world can lie under the influence of Satan.
The same person who wrote about Satan’s influence in the world also recorded a vision of the End Times in the book of Revelation—the apostle John.
In that vision, John saw a time when “the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to his servants the prophets.”
While John doesn’t specifically describe the nature of the mystery, it surely has to do with the culmination of evil and catastrophe on the earth in the End Times and the coming of God’s Kingdom on earth—a day foreseen by the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 15:24).
Do not be anxious about the pervasiveness of evil in the world. The day is coming when it will be removed and righteousness will reign.
When the Bible speaks of God’s permission of evil, there is still no escape from his sovereignty. D. A. Carson
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Sweet and Sour
Tuesday, June 3Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. Revelation 10:10
Bible Reading:
It has happened in most families’ experience—a toddler consumes way more candy than a parent would have allowed. And the aftermath results in a sour stomach or worse.
In the apostle John’s vision in Revelation, the angel that held a scroll told John to consume the scroll—but with a warning: It would be sweet to the taste but sour to the stomach.
While the Word of God is always sweet to the taste (Psalm 119:103), its contents can sometimes be troubling. Such would be the contents of the scroll John would consume, for it foretold trouble and suffering that would come upon the earth.
But whether the subject is blessing or trouble, all of the Word of God must be consumed and applied.
We are to preach not only the parts of the Bible that are sweet to the taste but also the parts that trouble the soul.
Let us imitate the Berean Christians—they searched the Scriptures daily to glean their truths and apply them to their lives (Acts 17:11).
Any part of the Bible can only be properly explained in reference to the whole Bible. F. F. Bruce
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Seen and Heard
Wednesday, June 4These [two witnesses] have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire. Revelation 11:6
Bible Reading:
Anyone who has ever been called as a witness in court knows what is expected: testify truthfully to what you have seen or heard.
The role of witness will be given to two men in a dramatic way during the first half of the coming seven-year Tribulation (Revelation 11:3).
The Antichrist will have emerged on the scene, and the two godly witnesses—thought by many to be Elijah and Moses—will challenge his power and authority through amazing signs and wonders.
They will testify to the power and glory of the true God for three-and-a-half years after which the Antichrist will kill them. But after three-and-a-half days, God will restore them to life, and they will ascend to heaven.
We are to testify about God now. So whatever your calling from God, be a bold witness for Him. Speak what you have seen and heard about what Christ has done for you.
Ask the Lord to make your life a glory to him, a menace to the devil, a strength to your church, and a witness to the world. Frederick P. Wood
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No Second Chances
Thursday, June 5In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. Revelation 11:13
Bible Reading:
The apostle Peter observed a way of thinking common among most people.
When confronted with the truth about the end of the age, people would say, “All things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:4).
In other words, because life continues uninterrupted, we tend to think it will go on that way forever. But such is not the case.
When describing the two witnesses who will testify during the Tribulation period, the apostle John saw a severe earthquake that would happen in Jerusalem and kill seven thousand people.
He saw them as terrified and giving “glory to the God of heaven.” But their fear was not a reverential fear of the Lord, rather it was a fear of death.
He gave no indication that the disruption in their lives prompted them to turn to God and secure their salvation. Instead, their fear of death only hardened their hearts further.
After death comes the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Don’t miss the chance to secure your eternal destiny through faith in Christ.
As death leaves us, so judgment will find us.
Thomas Brooks0 -
No Second Chances
Thursday, June 5In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. Revelation 11:13
Bible Reading:
The apostle Peter observed a way of thinking common among most people.
When confronted with the truth about the end of the age, people would say, “All things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:4).
In other words, because life continues uninterrupted, we tend to think it will go on that way forever. But such is not the case.
When describing the two witnesses who will testify during the Tribulation period, the apostle John saw a severe earthquake that would happen in Jerusalem and kill seven thousand people.
He saw them as terrified and giving “glory to the God of heaven.” But their fear was not a reverential fear of the Lord, rather it was a fear of death.
He gave no indication that the disruption in their lives prompted them to turn to God and secure their salvation. Instead, their fear of death only hardened their hearts further.
After death comes the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Don’t miss the chance to secure your eternal destiny through faith in Christ.
As death leaves us, so judgment will find us.
Thomas Brooks0 -
A Revelation of Grace
Friday, June 6Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come. Revelation 1:4
Bible Reading:
The book of Revelation may seem ominous and overwhelming, but it opens and closes with grace. In his prologue in Revelation 1:4, John said, “Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come.”
And at the end of the book, Revelation 22:21 says, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” Scripture’s last book opens and closes with God’s grace.
The whole message of Revelation is that God has a plan for this world that will deal with evil and lead His children to eternal glory.
Our future is assured by Him who was, and who is, and who is to come.
The wickedness of the world isn’t going to last forever. The terror of warfare will run its course.
Jesus will overcome His enemies and usher His children into the place He has prepared for them.
God’s grace and mercy are on full display in Revelation. Take a moment and rejoice in that today. Your future in Christ is coming, and it will be wonderful! Praise His Name!
The believer is grateful as to the past, restful as to the present, and trustful as to the future. William Hendriksen
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Bible Dads: Elkanah
Saturday, June 7Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah. But the child ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest. 1 Samuel 2:11
Bible Reading:
Elkanah and Hannah were blessed with a son in answer to Hannah’s prayers.
When we read the story in the first two chapters of 1 Samuel, we usually focus on Hannah.
But Elkanah is described as a man who faithfully traveled to the tabernacle in Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:3). He loved Hannah (1:5) and sought to comfort and encourage her (1:8).
And the day came when Elkanah and Hannah took their son, Samuel, and dedicated him to God’s service in Shiloh. Samuel became a champion for his people and a hero in the Bible.
It's important to dedicate our children to the Lord. Some people do that in a public worship service. It’s done in various ways in different churches and denominations.
But the central truth is that God blesses a child whose dad is devoted to the Lord and gives Him all he has, including his children.
Elkanah’s home wasn’t perfect (1 Samuel 1:1-6), but Elkanah served a perfect God. When we ask the Lord to have His way with our youngsters, they will be blessed.
God is the one who gives children; they belong to Him. Coty Pinckney
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June 8, 2025
Wisdom from the Psalms
Psalms 73:13
Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.Lisa tried so hard to be a good girl. She did what she knew was right. Many of her friends were immoral and wild, but she had always been quiet and sweet.
For what? Everytime she came home, her parents interrogated her, trying to find out if she had done something she shouldn't have done.
She had never given her parents any reason to mistrust her, and yet they treated her like a dangerous criminal. It wasn't worth it.
Sometimes she felt like going out and doing something wrong just to justify her parents' suspicions.
Our world is upside down. We reward the wrongdoer and we chastise the righteous. To be good is equal to being somehow deficient.
Words like [virtue], [purity], and [sweetness] have taken on negative connotations. To be good is foreign or alien to the majority.
The key is not to give up. The Lord will reward those who persevere in the face of persecution and frustration.
God loves the pure in heart, and it is well worth it to hold on for His sake.
Prayer: Be with me, Lord, to cleanse me, to strengthen me, and to help me deal with people who think wrong is right. I want to be Your child. Not a child of the world. Amen.
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Wooly Devil
Tuesday, June 10The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10
Bible Reading:
Last year, a new plant species and genus was discovered in a U.S. national park for the first time in decades.
It was a little fluffy, fuzzy flower that was given the name “wooly devil” because of its two striking red petals that reminded researchers of the devil’s horns.
In Revelation 12, the devil is pictured as a red dragon with ten horns, but that’s symbolic. In truth, he is a fallen archangel who moves through the earth “seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Satan was defeated at Calvary, but his final doom will only occur after the thousand-year reign of Christ (Revelation 20:10).
In the meantime, we must determine to live in consistent victory over his schemes (Ephesians 6:11). That requires prayer.
Our greatest leverage over the devil doesn’t come by shaking our fists but by bending our knees.
Ask God for victory today regarding any situation in which you feel the devil is active.
Satan trembles when he sees, the weakest saint upon his knee William Cowper
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Hedge of Protection
Wednesday, June 11And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail. Revelation 12:7-8
Bible Reading:
Because we do not see the warfare that takes place in spiritual realms, it is easy to forget that it even exists. In his vision of the End Times, John saw the war between God’s angelic agents and Satan (Revelation 12:7-9).
The oldest example we have of this warfare occurred in Job’s life. Satan wanted to prove to God that Job was only faithful because God had put a “hedge” of protection around his life (Job 1:10).
That is, God had prevented Satan from having access to Job and his family.
But God removed the hedge and allowed Satan access to Job in order to prove that his faithfulness was not based purely on blessing but on love for God—which Job ultimately proved.
Daniel discovered that a war in heaven for three weeks had delayed an answer to his prayers (Daniel 10).
And Paul taught that we are in a struggle with principalities and powers in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).
Do not let your guard down. Pray that God would keep a hedge of protection around you and your family as you pursue a righteous life.
There is no holiness without a warfare. J. C. Ryle
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We Have a Defender
Thursday, June 12My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 1 John 2:1
Bible Reading:
When job hunters prepare a résumé to send to prospective employers, they will often include this phrase: “References available upon request.” Instead of the word references, the word advocates could be used. An advocate is someone who speaks on another person’s behalf.
The apostle John wrote that Christians, if they sin, have an advocate who will speak on their behalf before the Father: “Jesus Christ the righteous.” The NIV1984 translation says, “We have one who speaks to the Father in our defense,” and the NLT translation says, “We have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father.” Why would we need such an advocate? Because Satan stands ready to accuse us of being unworthy of salvation because of our sin. The defense Christ brings before the Father is that “He Himself is the propitiation [the payment] for our sins” (1 John 2:2).
If you sin, confess it to God and know that Jesus Christ pleads your case before the Father—assuring that you are forgiven (1 John 1:9; Romans 8:31-34).
I will glory…not because I am clear of sin, but because my sins are forgiven. Ambrose
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Bible Dads: Jairus
Saturday, June 14And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly.
Mark 5:22-23Bible Reading:
Jairus was the ruler of a synagogue on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. When his daughter became deathly ill, he turned to Jesus who had just arrived from across the lake. He begged Jesus to come, and they headed toward Jairus’ house. But the crowds and an ill woman caused a catastrophic delay. The ruler’s daughter died.
The words Jesus spoke are for us just as much as for Jairus: “Do not be afraid; only believe” (Mark 5:36).
When it comes to our children and to all the other issues of life, this is what Christ asks of us. Commentator William Lane wrote, “[Jairus] was now asked to believe that his child would live even as he stood in the presence of death.
Such faith is radical trust in the ability of Jesus to confront a crisis situation with the power of God.”
Think of your area of greatest need today. Listen to Jesus telling you: “Do not be afraid; only believe.”
The resuscitation of Jairus’ daughter is both a deed of compassion and a pledge of the conquering power of Jesus over the combined forces of death and unbelief.
William Lane0 -
June 15, 2025
Wisdom from the Psalms
Psalms 76:5
The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands.Bob didn't need anybody. He had always done things on his own. He thought he would do well in sports, but he couldn't play as part of a team.
He thought he would settle down and have a happy marriage, but he couldn't stand having to answer to another person.
He couldn't hold a job because he could neither take nor give orders graciously.
No, Bob didn't need anyone, which was a lucky thing. No one needed Bob.
We were created to live with and for one another. When we think the universe revolves around us, we upset God’s intended order.
Our goal in life should be to reach out to as many of God's children as we possibly can.
When we learn to walk with others, we have learned to walk with God.
Prayer: Lord, do not let me become spoiled and conceited. I want to share my life and to share the lives of others. Help me to know others better, and in s o doing, know You better, too. Amen.
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Beast on a Leash
Monday, June 16And [God] changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.
Daniel 2:21Bible Reading:
When it is time to vote for the leader of a nation, massive amounts of time, money, and strategy are invested for months prior to the election.
When the race is close, the nation waits nervously to see who the new leader will be.
But the Bible simplifies matters: It is God who removes leaders and establishes leaders according to His purposes.
A day is coming in the future when a world leader will rise with greater and more brutal power than any leader in history (Revelation 13:1-10).
He will be the Antichrist—“the beast” (Revelation 13:2)—and will terrorize the world for three-and-a-half years, the second half of the seven-year Tribulation.
He will be given power by “the great dragon” (Satan—Revelation 12:9) under whose influence the world currently exists (1 John 5:19). But Satan is like a dog on a leash—firmly controlled by God at all times.
Though the rule of the Antichrist will be terrible, Christians will have been removed from the earth at the Rapture before the Tribulation begins. Make sure your future is in Christ!
All the world’s thrones are occupied by rulers under God’s authority. John Blanchard
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The Number of a Man
Tuesday, June 17Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. Revelation 13:18
Bible Reading:
The most famous number in the Bible is in Revelation 13:18: 666—a number associated with the Beast (the Antichrist).
Revelation 13:18 suggests that determining the meaning of 666 will require wisdom and understanding.
Interpretations through the centuries have fallen into two main categories:
One, 666 refers to an individual,
or two, 666 refers to fallen humanity as opposed to the perfection of Jesus Christ.
Students of Scripture for the last two thousand years have tried to identify who will be the Antichrist.
Suggestions have ranged from individual Roman emperors to the whole Roman Catholic Church and from individual popes to individual national rulers through the centuries.
Even a few American political leaders have been nominated as the Antichrist.
No one knows who the Antichrist will be, but we do know what kind of ruler he will be: powerful, charismatic, persuasive, deceptive, and diabolical.
Christians should have no fear of the Antichrist and his reign of terror.
Be thankful that you belong to Christ and will avoid the coming Tribulation (Revelation 3:10).
Abounding sin is the terror of the world, but abounding grace is the hope of mankind.
A. W. Tozer0 -
Truth Be Known
Wednesday, June 18The serpent deceived me. Genesis 3:13
Bible Reading:
Some drivers in Kansas received text messages last fall telling them they had not paid a Kansas Turnpike toll.
The official logo of the Kansas Turnpike Authority was included on the text, and the message said it was a final reminder regarding an unpaid toll. But it was all a scam, a deception.
The devil has been a deceiver from the very beginning. And he has more ways of deceiving us now than ever. Every day thousands of scammers contact people by text, email, phone, or letter.
During the Tribulation, the deception will be even greater.
The False Prophet will deceive “those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do” (Revelation 13:14).
One of the best ways to defend ourselves against deception involves daily Bible study.
God’s Word is truth (John 17:17), and the more truth we pack into our minds the less vulnerable we’ll be to Satan’s schemes. Wisdom comes from the pages of Scripture.
We all need to diligently protect ourselves from deception, but remember—one of the best ways is spending time each day in God’s Truth.
The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible. D. L. Moody
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Deepfakes
Thursday, June 19As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
1 John 2:27Bible Reading:
Nearly everything we buy and use can be counterfeited. Designer handbags. Cosmetics. Drugs and medications. Dollar bills. Websites. Sporting and theater tickets. Jewelry. And deepfake videos.
It’s all from Satan. In Revelation, we see him attempting to counterfeit what the Lord has done. He tries to create a false trinity with himself, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet (Revelation 12–13). He promotes idolatry and offers counterfeit gods. But while Satan can copy, his creations are only designed to trick us.
The Holy Spirit lives within us, and we are anointed with Him. One of His assignments is to guide us into all truth (John 16:13). It’s important to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16) and to be filled “with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives” (Colossians 1:9, NIV).
Ask God right now to keep you filled with His Spirit of wisdom and discernment.
A counterfeit god is anything so central and essential to your life that, should you lose it, your life would feel hardly worth living.
Timothy Keller0 -
Uniqueness
Friday, June 20I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. Revelation 14:1
Bible Reading:
Fred Rogers of children’s television said, “One of the most important gifts a parent can give a child is the gift of accepting that child’s uniqueness.” Our Heavenly Father not only accepts our uniqueness; He made us that way! We’re not all to be poured into the same mold so that we’re all alike. God made us as individuals and unique servants of His. Each of us has a responsibility, a purpose, a reason to live for Christ each day.
In Revelation, the 144,000 witnesses had a specific task. They were to evangelize the world, and they were uniquely gifted for that. Perhaps the greatest thing said about them was “these are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes” (Revelation 14:4).
God made you different from everyone else who has ever lived. You don’t have to be like anyone else. Comparing yourself to another is a useless exercise. Our job is to be who the Lord made us to be and to follow the Lamb wherever He goes.
God gives each one of us unique gifts, abilities, and passions. How well we use those qualities to have an impact on the world around us determines how “successful” we really are. Tony Dungy
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June 21
Wisdom from the Psalms
Psalms 78:6
That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children.There is a wall in Washington, DC, which has engraved in it the names of all the men and women who gave their lives in active service during the war in Vietnam.
It stands as a testimonial to their courage and a black warning against ever having another war.
To remember them and what they did is important.
We need reminders of where we have been and what we have done.The monument should make us both proud and ashamed.
It should swell our hearts wit joy that the war is at an end, and sorrow that it cost so much to attain to little.
We need to know these things.
God wants us to know these things, and He wants our children to know them after us.
Perhaps one day we will learn enough so that such monuments are no longer necessary, and we can get on with being god's people.
Let us hope so.
Prayer: Let me remember not only the good things in life, but also the bad. The good helps me to rejoice, the bad helps me avoid making the same mistakes again. Lord, let me learn from my mistakes. Amen.
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June 22
Wisdom from the Psalms
Psalms 78:14
In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.The chosen people were afraid. They had to cross a barren wasteland, a desert, with no provisions and not definite sense of where they would end up. The scorching sun frightened them. The dark, cold nights frightened them. They were a people afraid.
But the Lord saw their fear, and He sent a cloud to block the scorching sun, and He placed a bright fireball in the sky at night to light their way. The people of God came through the desert safe and sound.
God brings us through the wastelands of our live sin the same way. He will not allow us to be tested beyond our strength and endurance.
Trust in God's mercy and love, and He will bring you through any situation.
Prayer: Lord, I am sometimes frightened by the challenges I am called on to face. Be with me, and let me lean upon Your strength for support. Amen.
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Don’t Delay
Tuesday, June 24Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him.” Revelation 14:6-7
Bible Reading:
Imminence refers to something that could happen at any moment. In the Bible, it refers to the fact that the Rapture could occur at any moment.
This doctrine is illustrated in Romans 13:11 where Paul says, “Now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.” The Rapture of the Church—the next event on God’s end-times calendar—is closer today than yesterday and will be even closer tomorrow.
Throughout biblical history, God has urged people not to put off believing in Him and conforming their lives to His will. And He will continue to do so until Christ returns.
The apostle John saw in his vision an angel declaring “the everlasting gospel” to those on earth during the Tribulation.
As you anticipate Christ’s return, share the Good News with others so that they have an opportunity to accept Christ and are able to anticipate His return as well.
The imminent return of our Lord is the great Bible argument for a pure, unselfish, devoted, unworldly, active life of service. R. A. Torrey
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Forever and Ever
Wednesday, June 25Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God.... He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone.” Revelation 14:9-10
Bible Reading:
Depending on which survey one reads, a significant portion of evangelical Christians do not believe in hell.
Those beliefs are held in spite of the clear biblical references to eternal separation from God, especially by Jesus Himself.
Jesus’ parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31-46) is set in the context of the final judgment associated with His Second Coming.
The righteous sheep are ushered into the Kingdom of God while the unrighteous goats are consigned to “the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.... And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (verses 41, 46).
The words “everlasting fire” and “everlasting punishment,” taken at face value, support what John saw in his vision of eternal judgment: “The smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever” (Revelation 14:11).
Eternity awaits everyone. Make sure your destiny is eternal life through faith in Christ.
How many by the wind of popular breath have been blown to hell! Thomas Watson
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Praise for Deliverance
Thursday, June 26They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!” Revelation 15:3
Bible Reading:
After the Hebrew slaves passed safely through the Red Sea, Moses and Miriam led them in a song of praise to God on the far shore of the sea. It is referred to as the song of Moses (Exodus 15:1-18). John, in his vision of the saints saved during the Tribulation (Revelation 12:11), saw those saints also standing beside a sea—“like a sea of glass mingled with fire” (Revelation 15:2, ESV).
They were singing “the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb” (Revelation 15:3-4) in praise to God for His deliverance of them through His judgments on the earth.
Jews today still sing the song of Moses, their great deliverer who rescued them from destruction in Egypt. Just as Tribulation saints will sing praise to God for His deliverance of them, so it is incumbent upon Christians today to sing praises to God for His deliverance of them from the destructive power and penalty of sin.
Consider incorporating Revelation 15:3-4 into your own personal times of devotion.
Salvation is not deliverance from hell alone; it is deliverance from sin. Charles Spurgeon
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An Oath or a Place?
Friday, June 27Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Revelation 20:14
Bible Reading:
The word hell is showing up in a lot of political speeches and even children’s shows.
It’s being so widely used that its real meaning is diluted to everyday people.
But the Bible never uses hell as anything other than an eternal reality. Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).
The book of Revelation warns us of the realities of hell, and we should take heed.
God wants us in heaven with Him, but our sinfulness is a terrible barrier. That’s why He sent His perfect Son to earth. Jesus came to suffer for our sins and to open the door for us to have a relationship with God and the eternal life that goes with it.
You can have a part in reducing the number of people who may experience the judgment of God. Don’t use the word hell in a casual way, but do say a word for the Lord that may prevent someone from going there.
The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed.
Attributed to J. Hudson Taylor0 -
Bible Dads: Paul
Saturday, June 28You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2:1
Bible Reading:
When we meet Timothy in Acts 16:1, he’s a teenager, the “son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.”
The word “but” seems to imply that Timothy didn’t have a believing father. Perhaps he had little fatherly influence in his life. The life-shaping influences for Timothy were his mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14-15).
The apostle Paul informally adopted Timothy and made him part of his traveling team. Imagine the conversations they had as they hiked the Roman roads, camped under the stars, and sailed the blue sea. Soon Paul was sending Timothy on missions of his own.
Eventually the young man became overseer of the church in Ephesus. Paul wrote two letters to him in Ephesus—1 and 2 Timothy, the latter being the final known words of the apostle.
You can influence some young person for the Lord. Keep your eyes open. Through your prayers, encouragement, hospitality, and words of wisdom, you can shape the next generation.
The old disciples of Christ owe to the succeeding generations to leave behind them a solemn testimony to the power, pleasure, and advantage of religion, and the truth of God's promises. Matthew Henry
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The Final Battle
Monday, June 30For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.... And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. Revelation 16:14
Bible Reading:
Napoleon Bonaparte, the French military general and political leader, reportedly stood in the Valley of Megiddo, southwest of the Sea of Galilee, and said, “All the armies of the world could maneuver their forces on this vast plain.”
The plains of Megiddo were the site of numerous military conflicts in the Old Testament. Egyptian pharaohs and Canaanite kings did battle on the plains, as well as Jewish judges and kings. And in the modern era, the British army defeated the Ottoman Turks there in 1918. So it is no surprise that “the battle of that great day of God Almighty” will take place there at a time in the future. It is also no surprise that this final battle wraps up the Tribulation judgments in Revelation 16 prior to the Second Coming of Christ.
Take heart—and thank God that the world’s rebellion will one day be quelled and a reign of peace and justice will follow.
Let’s keep our chins up and our knees down—we’re on the victory side!
Alan Redpath0