The Lamb appears and takes a seven-sealed scroll from the hand of the Father. All of creation worships Him. Now He begins to open the seals and judgments begin to fall upon the earth. This is the first of three series of judgments in Revelation. The first four are the infamous Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
It’s easy to mix the gospel with other things. I mean, there is so much in the way of spiritual teaching or human philosophy out there that is good, or potentially good, or seemingly good, or helpful, or that we know has been helpful to others we know. Who can argue with something that works?
Well, no one has to argue with anything. We just need to be sure we aren’t mixing it with the gospel. If we’re building our lives upon that solid Rock of Jesus, then Jesus is everything we need. All else optional at best, harmful at worst. The Christian should desire the sincere milk of the Word and every word that comes from the mouth of God. And that puts every other outlook in perspective.
Throughout Church history Christians have been led astray by Jesus and something – or something very close to Jesus. Watch out for any other Jesus, any different spirit, any different gospel. Paul put it like this to one of his churches:
“For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted-you may well put up with it! – 2 Corinthians 11:2-4 (NKJV)
This week we begin the Book of Acts. Here’s a brief outline of Chapter 1 with the audio and notes:
I. 1:1-3 Introduction: Christ’s Resurrection
II. 1:4-8 The Promise of the Holy Spirit
III. 1:9-11 Christ’s Ascension
IV. 1:12-14 Waiting for the Promise
V. 1:15-26 The Selection of Matthias
Audio: Acts01.mp3
Notes: Acts01.pdf
Sin begins in the heart. The lust, the greed, the envy, the anger and every other evil thing starts there – deep within. The words of Jesus don’t leave much room for interpretation:
“For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, …” – Matthew 15:19-20 (NKJV)
Therefore, how crucial it is that we protect our hearts from the junk that naturally forms there, collects there and then begins to rot. Consider the wisdom of Proverbs 4:23:
“Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.” (NKJV)
Or, as the New Living Translation puts it:
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.”
Let’s be careful what we think about, what we meditate upon and in what directions our hearts might tend to go when we aren’t keeping them under control. The psalms reveal how prayer and the application of the Scriptures contain the remedies discovered by ancient men of God:
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”
– Psalms 19:14 (NKJV)
“Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.”
– Psalms 119:11 (NKJV)
Keeping our hearts in the right place takes effort, but the Lord is right there to help us in guarding them if we avail ourselves of His strength. The Holy Spirit in the heart of every believer in Jesus is more that sufficient for the task.
Central Reflections 