Revelations 22:12-21

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Read Revelations 22:12-21 Verses for meditation: Revelations 22:12-13, 16, 20-21 ESV: 12 "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. Reflect How does it feel to be reading the very last few verses of the bible? What do the proclamations, the last few of them, say about Christ? Come, Lord Jesus! Does this really express our desire? How does the greatest book end, and on what note? But is this really the end? Relate With mixed feelings, I'm writing this last devotion based on the final ten verses of the greatest book, the bible. What a journe...
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Deuteronomy 6-7 Teach the next generations and Psalm 102

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READ 


Verses chosen for devotion - Deuteronomy 6:20-25

20 “When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the Lord our God has commanded you?’ 21 then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 And the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes. 23 And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers. 24 And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day. 25 And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us.’


REFLECT 


Deuteronomy 6 and 7 told us about God’s command as well as His emphasis on passing these commands down to the next generations, so the future generations will not be led astray and continue to prosper as the Lord had promised. Especially when the Israelites were preparing to enter a land surrounded by many pagan worship and practice nations, it would be critical to be guided by the law and  to acknowledge that God is the one and only God. Israelites were a forgetful lot and they distrusted God (like the mentioned case in Massah where they complained about lack of food and water even after they witnessed so many incidences of God’s power and deliverance). Verses 6:20 - 25 further emphasises the need for these laws to be taught to the next generations and on how God has delivered them from slavery especially when many of these younger generations had not experienced God’s power and deliverance first hand. They could only hear about God’s deliverance from their elders and their parents. They may not know the significance of obeying God’s instruction and the dire and self-destructive consequences of not obeying them. Hence constant teaching of the next generation and reminder of the law is necessary.


RELATE


This is very relevant for us even in these modern days, especially for our next generations. God does not have grandchildren. Our children’s relationship with him is personal and is not created through the bloodline and neither can it be inherited (Romans 8:14-17). It is important for us to diligently and frequently remind and teach our children the way it was being mentioned in Deuteronomy to guard them against the destruction of sin. We are (like the Israelites living among the pagan worship nations) living among dangerous enemies and hideous lies and idolatries (materialism, pop idol worship, putting all things above God). There are all kinds of temptations that will lead our next generation astray especially if their understanding of God is not strong and if they do not have personal encounter with God (first hand experience) just like how it is written by Paul in Philippians 3:8: “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” As parents we have to be consistent ourselves when it comes to our faith and how much we know Him. When we start to waver in our faith and complain about God in the midst of crisis we are effectively telling our children that God is not faithful or worse that He does not exist! It is time like this that our children look up to us and learn how we handle crisis through faith and our personal relationship with God. If we do not demonstrate that in our daily lives our children will not be interested to know God (regardless how many bible stories you may have read to them as they will be nothing more than fairy tales from a story book).


REST


Father we are living among enemies both seen and unseen. Many lies and evil schemes are trying to tear us apart from You. But You are a God that wanted to have personal relationship with us and You will do all things to protect us. Help us and our children to grow deep in our personal relationships with You as You write Your law and decree in our hearts so we may follow them in joyful obedience.


In Jesus name we pray Amen


Alan Wong

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