Revelation Day 20 - Saved Through Suffering
DAY 20
Saved By Suffering
Revelation 7:9-17
We’ve been looking at clues about how God rescues us from suffering. Yesterday we looked at two clues: God’s wrath against evil and our inability to stand up on our own when judged by God.
The third clue that we are saved through suffering is Rev 7. Rev 6 and 7 are totally different in tone. Rev 6 is despair. Rev 7 is celebration. All these people, this great multitude passed through the fire of judgment and survived.
Why? Were they extraordinarily good?
No, they give all the credit to God and to the Lamb.
How did they stand?
V. 14, "They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." The blood of the Lamb, the death of Jesus. The cross of Christ, his suffering and death, protects them. He voluntarily let God's wrath against evil be exhausted on him. John doesn't spell out why and how this all works. He just assumes the believers he's writing to know this. They know what Paul told the Corinthians, that “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21, NIV).
Christ suffers to end suffering. That's why we are saved through suffering. Not by ours, but by his. Salvation runs through suffering not from it. We can’t end suffering by avoiding it. Whatever God’s reasons for allowing suffering, it can’t be because he doesn’t love us. He gets in there and suffers with us through Christ. He comes out the other side to bring us through with him. Salvation runs through suffering not from it.
So who can stand? You can, if you trust the lamb. Don’t be afraid. Hold on tight to the Lamb.
Paul the Apostle says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us…[Nothing] will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35, 37-39 NIV)
Who can stand? You can! You can stand…if you stand with him.
REFLECT
Take a few moments to reflect on that statement from Romans 8 (above).
PRAY
Lord Jesus, nothing can separate me from your love. Nothing! Thank you! Amen.
Saved By Suffering
Revelation 7:9-17
We’ve been looking at clues about how God rescues us from suffering. Yesterday we looked at two clues: God’s wrath against evil and our inability to stand up on our own when judged by God.
The third clue that we are saved through suffering is Rev 7. Rev 6 and 7 are totally different in tone. Rev 6 is despair. Rev 7 is celebration. All these people, this great multitude passed through the fire of judgment and survived.
Why? Were they extraordinarily good?
No, they give all the credit to God and to the Lamb.
How did they stand?
V. 14, "They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." The blood of the Lamb, the death of Jesus. The cross of Christ, his suffering and death, protects them. He voluntarily let God's wrath against evil be exhausted on him. John doesn't spell out why and how this all works. He just assumes the believers he's writing to know this. They know what Paul told the Corinthians, that “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21, NIV).
Christ suffers to end suffering. That's why we are saved through suffering. Not by ours, but by his. Salvation runs through suffering not from it. We can’t end suffering by avoiding it. Whatever God’s reasons for allowing suffering, it can’t be because he doesn’t love us. He gets in there and suffers with us through Christ. He comes out the other side to bring us through with him. Salvation runs through suffering not from it.
So who can stand? You can, if you trust the lamb. Don’t be afraid. Hold on tight to the Lamb.
Paul the Apostle says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us…[Nothing] will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35, 37-39 NIV)
Who can stand? You can! You can stand…if you stand with him.
REFLECT
Take a few moments to reflect on that statement from Romans 8 (above).
PRAY
Lord Jesus, nothing can separate me from your love. Nothing! Thank you! Amen.
Posted in summer 2023
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January
February
The Way DAY 9 - Full of the Holy SpiritThe Way DAY 10 - Defeating Your DefeatersThe Way DAY 11 - The Year of JubileeThe Way DAY 12 - FreedomThe Way DAY 13 - Freedom to LoveThe Way DAY 14 - Ditch "What About Me"The Way DAY 15 - The Way of LoveThe Way DAY 16 - The TeacherThe Way DAY 17 - What is the Kingdom of God?The Way DAY 18 - Trust and ObeyThe Way DAY 19 - Follow MeThe Way DAY 20 - Differences and DisagreementsThe Way DAY 21 - Jesus and Mr. RogersThe Way DAY 22 - Respond Like JesusThe Way DAY 23 - Bend Toward MercyThe Way DAY 24 - Burden or Bless?The Way DAY 25 - BONUS: The TwelveThe Way DAY 26 - Happy?The Way DAY 27 - Excessive GenerosityThe Way DAY 28 - What is Love?The Way DAY 29 - Give What God Gives
March
The Way DAY 30 - Follow the LeaderThe Way DAY 31 - Dinner with a PhariseeThe Way DAY 32 - Don't Be the HeroThe Way DAY 33 - God's GraceThe Way DAY 34 - The Grace You ShowThe Way DAY 35 - Our Sin and Our SaviorThe Way DAY 36 - Jesus and ParablesThe Way DAY 37 - The Farmer and the SeedsThe Way DAY 38 - The Seed and The SoilThe Way DAY 39 - The Good HeartThe Way DAY 40 - Who is Jesus, Pt 1The Way DAY 41 - Who is Jesus, Pt 2The Way DAY 42 - They Saw His GloryThe Way DAY 43 - Your Next StepThe Way DAY 44 - His DevotionThe Way DAY 45 - The Leadership of JesusThe Way DAY 46 - Pick Up Your CrossThe Way DAY 47 - Daily DenialThe Way DAY 48 - Forgive Like JesusThe Way DAY 49 - Trusting God
April
Because of Easter DAY 1Because of Easter DAY 2Because of Easter DAY 3Because of Easter DAY 4Because of Easter DAY 5Because of Easter DAY 6Because of Easter DAY 7Because of Easter DAY 8Because of Easter DAY 9New Devo Starts SoonPsalms DAY 1Psalms DAY 2Psalms DAY 3Psalms DAY 4Psalms DAY 5Psalms DAY 6Psalms DAY 7Psalms DAY 8Psalms DAY 9Psalms DAY 10
2023
June
COMING SOON! RevelationRevelation Day 1 - TAKE IT TO HEARTRevelation Day 2 - IN THE SPIRITRevelation Day 3 - Learning to SeeRevelation Day 4 - The VoiceRevelation Day 5 - A Faithful WitnessRevelation DAY 6 - Past, Present, or Future?Revelation Day 7 - PRESS ONRevelation 8 - Comfort and ChallengeRevelation Day 9 - Compromised CommitmentRevelation Day 10 - I'm Fine, ThanksRevelation Day 11 - Holy, Holy, HolyRevelation Day 12 - Who is Worthy?Revelation Day 13 - Don't Give Up!Revelation Day 14 - No ContestRevelation Day 15 - Worship WellRevelation Day 16 - The Problem of EvilRevelation Day 17 - When You Don't Know WhyRevelation Day 18 - The Limits of SufferingRevelation Day 19 - Is God Angry?Revelation Day 20 - Saved Through Suffering
July
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