Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

January 8
Friday


THE FINAL
OPENING CEREMONY

READ: Revelation 15
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Some words used to describe the opening ceremony of the 2008 summer Olympics were awesome, breathtaking, and extravagant. One commentator observed, "This shows what happens when you give an artist an unlimited budget."

When I heard this, I thought, That's what God did at creation! He held nothing back. The resulting universe is stunning in beauty, staggering in complexity, extravagant in all regards.

The Olympic ceremony was perfect in its precision; but if just one drummer or dancer had decided to alter the artist's vision, the whole ceremony would have been flawed.

That's what happened shortly after creation. Unlike the Olympic producer, God allowed free choice, and His work of art was marred by Adam and Eve's idea of a better way. In Isaiah's words, "We have turned, every one, to his own way" (53:6).

God's solution to our waywardness was unimaginable: The Artist paid the price to recreate what we ruined. One day, there will be another opening ceremony, and everyone in heaven and on earth will bow at the name of Jesus (Phil. 2:10). And those from every nation who have accepted New Jerusalem (Rev. 15:4). __Julie Ackerman Link
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```````````````````Yes, God was so great in creation,``````````````
```````````````````But greater, much greater in grace!````````````
`````````````For when man had sinned and had grieved Him,````````
``````````````He sent Christ to die in his place! __Bennard``````````
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We have all eternity to praise God--begin today.

***********Today's Bible Reading __ Revelation 15****************

1 Then I saw another sign
in heaven great and
marvelous: seven angels
having the seven last
plagues, for in them the
wrath of God is complete.

2 And I saw something like
a sea of glass mingled with
fire, and those who have the
victory over the best, over
his image and over his mark
and over the number of his
name, standing on the sea of
glass, having harps of God.

3 They 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! 4 Who shall not fear
You, O Lord, and glorify
Your name? for You alone
are holy. For all nations shall
come and worship before
You, for Your judgments
have been manifested."

5 After these things I
looked, and behold, the
temple of the tabernacle of
the testimony in heaven was
opened. 6 And out of the
temple came the seven
angels having the seven
plagues, clothed in pure
bright linen, and having
their chests girded with
golden bands. 7 Then one of
the four living creatures
gave to the seven angels
seven golden bowls full of
the wrath of God who lives
forever and ever. 8 The
temple was filled with
smoke from the glory of
God and from His power,
and no one was able to enter
the temple till the seven
plagues of the seven angels
were completed.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

In verse 3, we see an interesting pairing. Heaven's song is described
as "the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the
Lamb." Both in Moses' experience and Christ's redemptive mission,
we clearly see God's "great and marvelous" works. __BILL CROWDER