One year ago today:

I’ve thought about this one a lot over the last year. One week after a world-wide plague strikes the whole earth, a trumpet is knocked out of an angel’s mouth by an earthquake. (http://fb.watch/4j697uHXoP/)

Beloved, have you read Revelation 8 and 9?
Do you know that angels, earthquakes, trumpets and plagues are all mentioned in these two chapters?
Do you know that it is the prayers of the saints that actually spark the series of calamitous events known as the “seven trumpets of God”? (Revelation 8:3-5)
Do you know what the specific purpose of the seven trumpets is? (See Revelation 9:20-21)
Do you know that the Lord says judgement MUST FIRST shake the household of God (1 Peter 4:16-18), so that when these seven judgements (and more) touch the whole earth, the inhabitants of the earth know how to respond to the Lord they have not known?

This event (and the last year attached to it) begs at least 3 questions:
1. Are we rightly interpreting the present time?
In (Luke 12:54-57) Jesus believes we should be able to, and urgently and lovingly wants us to… 54 “Jesus also said to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A rainstorm is coming,’ and it does. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and there is. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how to interpret the present time? 57 ‘And why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?”

2. Do we, the household of God, know that this last year is mostly about God’s judgement re: the Church. Are we, in our church enterprises, prioritizing a response to God? Are we doing (Revelation 9:20-21)?
Are we repenting of the works of our hands?
Are we safeguarding ourselves against the worship of demons?
Are we putting away our idols?
Are we repenting of our murders? (see Matthew 5:22)
Are we repenting of our sorceries and incantations? (see Gal. 5:20)
Are we repenting of our sexual immorality?
Are we repenting of our theft?

3. Is the Church, in light of the severity of the trumpet judgements on the earth; (Look them up. They’re terrible!) giving intercession the place God intends for it to have; to actually tip the release of God’s judgements upon the earth; for good and justice, righteousness and punishment?
“Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. 6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.” (Revelation 8:3-6)

Do you know that in ALL SEVEN of Jesus’ judgements to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus declares: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” SEVEN TIMES!

How’s our hearing?
How are we cultivating our ability to hear His voice?

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JSB • March, 2021