Hidden Treasures Prison Ministry (2026)

Hidden Treasures is a faith-based prison ministry based in Lewisville, TX but stretching out to serve prisons in Texas. It exists to bring hope to the brokenhearted, comfort those who mourn, announce freedom to all captives, pardon all prisoners, and announce the year of His grace (Isaiah 61:1-2). Volunteer opportunities include mentoring and encouraging women who are incarcerated through writing letters, having small-group Bible study discussions and church service with the inmates, and praying for the ministry and the prisoners.

30/10/2026

It's Thursday and we are STORMING THE GATES OF HEAVEN praying with and for those in prison and beyond!

LAST CHAPTER OF REVELATION!!

It's all yours Brother HD!!

Here at the start of the last chapter of Revelation, with the angel describing a panoramic picture of paradise, it seems like we've been taken back to the beginning. If the river and tree pictured in verses 1-2 bring to mind the Garden of Eden, then you're on the right track (Gen 2:8-10, 3:22-24). In the garden, people had perfect fellowship with God, yet they chose to rebel against Him and broke that fellowship. In heaven, the relationship between God and us will be free from that rebellious sin, finally freeing us to live as we were meant to.

Our great HOPE is that we will one day be able to worship God and find JOY in His presence forevermore. Just thinking about that moment makes me wonder how John found the words to describe the magnificent majesty of heaven. Think about it:

*Sin and all that it's corrupted will be no more.
*The relationship between God and us will be made perfect, as will the rest of the world.
*All the turmoil, tears, and tragedy we endure daily will be gone.

Ever since He ascended into heaven, Jesus -- the Creator of the world -- has been preparing this paradise for us (really, US!?!), just so we can live with Him and revel in His glory forever (John 14:3). In fact, after all of these events come to pass, all of God's creation will proclaim His glory, filling the earth as the waters fill the sea (Habakkuk 2:14).

What the first Garden of Eden was supposed to be is realized here. What Adam and Eve would have had if they hadn't fallen is what's given to God's people. What we've been hoping and praying for all our lives is what's waiting for us. Adam and Eve lost paradise, so God has remade it for us.

This final book closes human history as Genesis had opened it -- in paradise. But here there is a distinct difference: evil is gone forever! Genesis describes a garden with an evil serpent. Revelation describes a perfect city with no evil. The Garden of Eden was destroyed by sin, but our promised paradise is created by the perfect and sinless blood of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

The book of Revelation ends with an urgent request: "Come, Lord Jesus." In a world of problems, persecution, promiscuity, and impossible evils, Jesus calls us to endure in our faith. Our efforts to better our world are important... but their results canNOT compare with the transformation Jesus will bring about when He returns. He alone controls human history, forgives sin, and brings lasting peace.

Revelation is, above all, a book of heavenly hope. It shows that no matter what happens here on earth, God is in control. And it gives us a glorious glimpse of the wonderful reward that is awaiting all who believe in Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord. As for me and my house...=)
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"WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!!" Aaa-men!! TY Brother HD! WOW, you did it!! YOU spent many hours this summer preparing this whole book for us, and we as a family say THANK YOU! Thank YOU JESUS!!

Let's continue reading in 1 Kings 13-19 and Matthew 7-13!

**REMINDER, IF you have not written us back about roll-call, PLEASE DO!! =)) We look forward to hearing from you! We love you!!

We are going to end this week with this...Let's ALL read it out loud together, yes, loud and proud, maybe others will hear! I pray it's the cry of OUR hearts as His family says...

"The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.'” (Revelation 22:17)

Maranatha!! "Come, Lord."

The early church greeted each other with it.
Not "have a good day."
Not "see you Sunday."

But "Come, Lord!"

They lived leaning forward.
Watching. Ready. Convinced He could return before the next sunrise.

Somewhere along the way, the Church stopped saying it. =..(

Try it this week.
Wake up with it!!
End your prayers with it!!
Let it change how you read the news.

Amen!!!

"WAITING FOR OUR BLESSED HOPE, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works." Titus 2:13-14

Maranatha, Come, Lord Jesus!!

16/10/2026

It's Thursday and we are STORMING THE GATES OF HEAVEN praying with and for those in prison and beyond!!

THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!! =))

Hello Our R/T Family!! It's once again time to come together and STGOH in heart and spirit as ONE family IN CHRIST! Amen?! THIS is why He chose YOU and each one of us that we may be reminded JESUS IS ALWAYS with us, we are NEVER alone, and to KNOW He's chosen THIS family to gather each week in heart and spirit RIGHT here at this R/T as we learn more about His Word and go to our Father's THRONE of GRACE together! Aaa-men!! =)))

It's time to dive into Revelation 20! I must say I do love this chapter (as long as you are IN CHRIST) Why? Because we have finally come to the place where Satan is cast and bound into the bottomless pit for 1,000 years as Jesus comes to rule as KING of the nations from Jerusalem. (Do you see how important ISRAEL is ALL throughout scripture?) And here we are in chapter 20...In these 1,000 years, or aka as the Millennial Kingdom. This earth will be restored to how God originally created it to be! It will be an amazingly beautiful place and time on this earth. We will be in our resurrected bodes ruling and reigning with Christ during this time. WHEN THE END of this 1,000 years comes, Satan is released for a little while.... Okay, time is up for me, I'm sitting down and passing the rest of this Revelation 20 baton to our brother HD...

Hello our R/T family! Here we have two mighty forces of evil -- those of the Beast (19:19) and those of Satan (20:8) -- attempt to do battle against God on two different occasions. Unlike typical battles where the outcome is in doubt at the start of conflict, here there is no contest. The Bible uses just two verses to describe each battle -- the evil Beast and his forces were captured and thrown into the fiery lake (19:20-21), and fire from heaven devours Satan and his attacking armies (20:9-10). For God, it is as easy as that. There will be no doubt, no worry, no second thoughts for us believers about whether we have chosen the right side. If you are IN CHRIST, then you are standing in victory.

But this might have some of us thinking, "If evil can be so easily erased, why does God allow it to go on unchecked NOW? Why is He waiting?"

While God's timing is not our timing, He is always working to deal with evil and sin, but it's not as easy as 1, 2, 3...or is it?

1-The most basic way that our Lord deals with evil is through natural consequences. In this imperfect world, all of us experience the sinking side effects of sin. On a larger scale, the story of S***m and Gomorrah provides us with an example of God's judgment coming about as a consequence of rebellion (Genesis 19). Similarly, the book of Revelation as a whole shows the consequences that'll come as a result of this world's wickedness.

2-God dealt with sin on the cross! Jesus's death (though it didn't eliminate evil from the world) delivered a deathblow to its permanent presence in the world. Yes, today's world is still obviously plagued by evil, yet Jesus's sacrifice and resurrection made it possible for the world to one day be free from evil. By giving Jesus over to be crucified and raising Him from the dead, God defeated death and made it possible for us (His children) to be made right with Him. Our Lord and Saviour served as a perfect sacrifice for the evil of mankind. The judgment against sin was carried out against Him as He hung on the cross in our place.

3-Revelation gives a good glimpse of God's ultimate elimination of evil from the world. God is "holy, holy, holy" and therefore canNOT be associated with anything that is evil or sinful! With that in mind, He WILL completely eliminate the existence of evil when His kingdom is perfectly realized in the new earth (Isaiah 65:17 and Rev 21:1-4).

While it might seem as if sin goes unchecked, God will surely and sovereignly right all wrongs in His perfect timing. The daily consequences of sin, Jesus's death on the cross, and the final Judgment Day are the three parts of God's plan to wipe out the wacky and wonky wickedness of this world. Sure, some might still wonder why God does things the way He does, but it's important to remember that His plan is perfect and has never changed! His plan has been and will continue to be fulfilled. His plan will lead to a good and perfect Kingdom that we will share with Him forever!

One more thing of note. At the Great White Throne Judgment, (reserved for all unbelievers of all ages) the books will be opened (Rev 20:12), they will be judged for their deeds and then cast into the lake of fire.

It's important to emphasize how NO ONE is saved by deeds, but receives eternal life by believing in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation. We can KNOW our salvation is secure. (1 John 5:13) It is then God's grace-filled gift of salvation should cause us all to serve our Lord in the best way we know and live each day knowing the best is yet to come...and it's coming sooner than we think.
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TU brother HD for taking us through these challenging chapters! We are NOW watching a lot of stage setting for all we've been reading in Revelation, AT WARPSPEED. Satan and his crew are manifesting themselves throughout this world in every area of religion to economics and more (just look around you) to usher in this one world government. We are at the edge of JESUS calling us UP and HOME! IF you are IN CHRIST you should be excited about seeing the one you proclaim to Love the most. IF not, once again, why not? Does the world have a greater grab on you than the Word and our eternal Home? I would encourage you to underline these verses in your Bible: Heb 13:14, 1 John 2:15-17, John 15:19, Phil 3:20, 1 John 5:19, James 4:4, John 17:14-15, Col 3:2, Titus 2:13-14 FOR next week let's read 2 Samuel 23-24, 1 Kings 1-5 and Revelation 21 & 22. We love you all...

09/10/2026

It's Thursday and we are STORMING THE GATES OF HEAVEN praying with and for those in prison and beyond!

THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS!!! JOY!!!

Hello Our Round Table Family!!! Fall is here and summer IS behind us, THANK YOU JESUS!! Just to validate the TRUE suffering you all endured, it is stated THIS WAS THE HOTTEST summer ON RECORD in the U.S. since they have been keeping record over the last 132 years! I believe it's all end times scenario pieces falling into perfect place. By God's grace and 100 gallons of sweat per person (minimum) "/, He carried you through, with heavy hearts, we prayed daily! =..(

Thank YOU Lord it's cooling down. Well, let's get to it! Get your Bibles and let's dive into the Word, our soul food from none other than our Brother HD....We are picking up where we left off and stepping into Revelation 17...it's all yours brother!

Hello Family, there is so much convergence happening right now regarding these end time events that God's word speaks of! It's certainly fascinating times we are living in NOW. So let's see what God's Word has to say...

The destruction of Babylon mentioned in the last chapter (Revelation 16:17-21) is now described in greater detail, beginning with the pr******te/harlot (vv 1-6) who represents the religious side of Babylon—the actual headquarters of Satan’s end-time system and a source of corrupting influence over the world. It will look attractive and glorious on the OUTSIDE (wealth, success, beauty, comfort), but the INSIDE will be nothing but rebellion against God hellbent on total impurity.

THIS is part of Satan's deception...enticing people to live for the external and ignore the internal.

The angel took John into the desert/wilderness (v 3) to see the pr******te in her natural environment. As you may recall, the wilderness is a place of trials and temptation.

In our world today, sometimes we have to step back from our involvement in daily living to SEE the patterns of evil and sin circling around us.

Ask yourselves, "Does my life reflect the glory of God? Am I using the gifts God gave me to serve others?"

If the answer's "no", and you are a believer, step out of the wilderness and run to the Father for forgiveness and begin walking with Him AND for Him as you have before.

As we ponder the identity of the seven kings and the rise of the ten kings (vv 9-12)...
WE KNOW first and foremost, God’s purpose cannot be defeated.
WE KNOW believers will suffer persecution and martyrdom during this time.
WE KNOW the authority of these kings lasts for "one hour" (v 12), meaning their power will be short lived.

Once again, let's step back and ask ourselves

"Are we infatuated with worldly things? Are we craving the power and prestige that position, wealth, and influence offer?" If "yes", we are an easy target for Satan's great deception! "/ Worldly power is Satan's trap, and the desire for it can turn us away from God! To combat this, we must worship ONLY God and make serving Him our strongest desire.

This vivid picture of evil that the angel showed John (Beast, kings, pr******te) also displays the destructive nature of pride, power and selfishness. Let's take a closer look at what's happening here:

Past and future kings give their authority and power to the Beast (aka: Antichrist) with greedy desire for even greater power (v 13). The pr******te depends (sits) on the Beast (v 3). The Beast, the kings, and the pr******te are allies...until the Beast and kings turn on the pr******te and betray, humiliate, sacrifice, and consume her (v 16). Faced with defeat, they turn on each other!

Evil people may give lip service to values such as loyalty and unity, but in the end, when the rubber meets the road, they will destroy their allies to preserve themselves. You see, evil can only ever be vicious and destructive, because it hates everything good that God has made.

Compromises and alliances with evil -- even to accomplish a "greater good" -- also prove to be deceptions. Satan tried this tactic with Jesus Himself by tempting Him to make a shortcut to a good goal (Matthew 4:1-11). Jesus COULD have gained the whole world in the blink of an eye...but He would have abandoned the Father's plan. Our world is filled with these same kinds of temptations today, so let me say this very clearly:

Good results accomplished BY evil means serve Satan, NOT Jesus! Only what we do IN, WITH, and THROUGH the power of Jesus Christ can and will last!!!

-- SPOILER ALERT --
The Lamb will overcome and be victorious.
The King of kings will bring us with Him to witness His victory.
We WILL be with Jesus THEN but we are also with Him NOW!
The battle will be won against Satan THEN, but IN CHRIST we can win the daily battles against Satan NOW!
If we accept compromise and take shortcuts, we are surrendering to the enemy.
So, my dear RT family,
TRUST in Jesus,
STAND in His victory, and
LIVE by His power,
BECAUSE this story is HIStory!

AMEN?! =)

We see how God describes the "great pr******te," called "Babylon the Great" (17:5), and why she would need to be destroyed (17:1). Remember: Babylon will serve as the worldwide religious headquarters, shown in Chapter 17, and the economic headquarters in chapter 18 of the Antichrist’s system.

Now we dive into a Revelation 18 and the description of that destruction --
How it happened (vv 1-8) and
Its effect upon the world's population (vv 9-20)

The repetition of the word "fallen" in verse two points to how God has already predicted the destruction of Babylon (prophecies in Daniel 7,11) and how His promise is coming true (Isaiah 21:9, Jeremiah 51:8, Rev 14:8). Babylon, a poignant picture of a world system broken and bedraggled by sin, is now destroyed forever. Yes, sin and death, along with EVERY crooked and corrupt system and structure will be destroyed.

As with Jesus's first coming, His second coming will usher in the fulfillment of the prophecies that involve His final work. Though no one knows the timing of Jesus's return, God uses the book of Revelation to continually remind us that we have nothing to fear. Sin will not run amok forever! God will defeat it and destroy Babylon the great and all it represents, once and for always! We are so used to seeing Jesus in the gospels as a Man, yet very few see Him as He is revealed in Revelation!!

To be clear, the believing will be leaving looong before Babylon is broken, beaten, and obliterated, yet there are steps we can take today that will keep the baby Babylon's at bay.

1-Know that people are ALWAYS more important than things.
2-Keep away from pride-filled programs and pompous plans for success.
3-Remember that God's will and God's Word must NEVER be compromised.

As Christians, we are called to live according to the values that our Lord and Saviour exemplified: service, giving, self-sacrifice, obedience, love and Truth. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can and must do what is right, no matter what the worldly cost. After all, the price paid for you (yes, YOU...the one reading this) was immeasurable. Thank You, Jesus!

As we move on, these first verses of Revelation 19 present an amazing contrast between the woeful funeral cries of the wealth-minded world and the crowd in heaven singing "Hallelujah!" It is exciting to KNOW THAT CHAPTER 19 IS THE ONE THAT WILL TELL US ABOUT "THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS"!! that we always hear about!! =))

As we've seen, sin and its effects abound in this book, but grace abounds even more. So, as the evil systems of earth explode, the people gathering for God exclaim, "Amen! Hallelujah!"

If we have trusted Jesus, we will be right there proclaiming, "His judgments are right and true!" We will recognize that all accounts have been justly settled. We will experience the fulfillment of every promise. We will forever be in the presence of our Blessed Hope. In that moment, only two expressions will be necessary: Amen ("So be it!) and Hallelujah ("Praise the Lord!")

*Geek Alert: the ONLY times in the New Testament where "Hallelujah" is used is right here in this chapter (vv 1, 3, 4, and 6)! =)

Aaah, we now get our first glimpse of the preparations for the wedding between the Lamb (Jesus) to His Bride (that's us)(vv 6-10). The wedding clothes given to the Bride represent the total acceptance in God's eyes that Jesus gives every believer. Our Saviour, our Redeemer, our All in all provides these clothes of righteousness, yet these garments also picture the "righteous acts of the saints" (v 8). So, in addition to wearing what Jesus has done for us, we'll be wearing what we've done for Christ. To be clear, these aren't works of necessity, but gifts of gratuity.

And read this next verse very carefully: "Blessed are those who are INVITED to the marriage supper of the Lamb" (v 9). These words should bolster our belief in the Rapture, because guess who NEVER gets "invited" to a wedding? The Bride! Since the church is the "bride" (2 Cor 11:2, Eph 5:22-24), we'll already be there, dressed and waiting, so there's no need for an invitation! When we read and understand Revelation, the reality of the Rapture is undeniable. Go read it for yourself -- John 14:1-3, 1 Thes 4:13-18.

*At the Rapture, Jesus meets His own IN THE AIR.
*At the Second Coming, He comes WITH US TO EARTH.
*At the Rapture, there is no judgment!
*At the Second Coming, it's ALL judgment.
*The Second Coming is preceded by blackness (darkened sun, moon gone out, stars fallen, smoke...),
*Then lightning and blinding glory as Jesus comes.
*At the Rapture, NONE of these details are listed.

Okay, back to Revelation 19...

Back when Rome was the dominant world power, a Roman general riding on a white horse AFTER a battle was symbolic of a victory in that battle. In ancient cultures the white horse was considered a sign of dominance and royalty. Yet, as always, it only gets better with God!

Jesus rides down from Heaven to earth on a white horse INTO battle (v 11), demonstrating that He has already WON the war! What might have been seen as an arrogant boast in old times is, for Jesus, a symbol that this battle is over before it even begins! Jesus isn't coming to earth for a struggle against an enemy. No, He will come to destroy the enemy. The victory already belongs to Jesus!

The rest of this chapter describes a graphic scene of the wrath of God. It shows God's anger and judgment against sin and against those who have constantly rejected Jesus as the Way of forgiveness and reconciliation.

As we see throughout Scripture, God's wrath exists alongside His mercy. For this reason, there MUST be balanced preaching and teaching about God's grace and His anger against sin. Teaching about God's love and tolerance have become sooo mainstream that God's anger seems mythical. "/ This partial portrayal of God won't warn people away from sin. Yet despite these watered down warnings of the Lord's wrath, it is nevertheless very real and will be terrible for those who steadfastly refuse Him (1 Thes 1:10).

The warnings in Revelation were given to keep...
Our focus on the Father,
Our faithfulness in the work of the Holy Spirit, and
Our future forever with Jesus.

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TY Brother HD, you did one amazing job walking us through a very somber, serious time that is about to come on this earth, no man is promised tomorrow, today IS the day of salvation. Our time is short, we will hear the trumpet sound and our call HOME SOONER than most believe. Our dear family, WE are homeward bound!! Let's ABIDE IN CHRIST (John 15) and KNOW you are loved and prayed for always! We will see you here there OR in the air! For next week let's read 2 Samuel 16-22 and Revelation 20

01/10/2026

It's Thursday and we are STORMING THE GATES OF HEAVEN praying with and for those in prison and beyond! (for our family inside)

THE MERCY AND JUSTICE OF GOD

Hello Our Round Table Family!! Welcome back to STGOH as we pray and praise our God together!! We are going to dive right into the Word as brother HD picks up from where we left off last week...It's all yours brother!

Hello Family!! Chapter 14 of Revelation should be called the perfect chapter since it is divided into SEVEN parts:

1-The Lamb and His glorious appearing with the 144,000 on Mount Zion (vv 1-5)
2-The angel proclaims the eternal Gospel (vv 6-7)
3-Another angel declares the fall of Babylon (v 8)
4-The threat against worshipping the beast and receiving his mark (vv 9-12)
5-The blessing for those who die IN CHRIST (v 13)
6-The harvest of the earth (vv 14-16)
7-The gathering of grapes into the winepress of God's wrath (vv 17-20)

The number seven -- symbolizing perfection -- appears 36 times in Revelation to represent the finality and beauty of God's saving work. John writes seven messages to seven churches, seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls of God's wrath.

Additionally, Jesus is represented with multiple sets of seven to show His perfection and completion under God. Jesus has seven stars in His right hand, which show His complete authority over the church, represented by seven lampstands (1:16). The Lamb has seven horns and seven eyes, which show His power and omniscience (5:6). And the MANY other mentions of this symbolic number in Revelation make it clear that, at the end of time, God's plan and His judgment will be perfect and completely realized.

Of course, some may feel that the vivid descriptions of God's judgment are more disturbing than "perfect" (vv 17-20). The idea of other people, even evil ones, being trampled like grapes is not a pleasant picture. In fact, the depth and length of the blood flow provides a sickening scene of the immensity of God's judgment. But unless we face the necessity of His judgment, we will never SEE our desperate need for His mercy.

Think about this, a god with only good grandfatherly kindness would NEVER inspire our repentance, obedience, or worship. "/ God promises and carries out a harsh harvest for those who reject Him. You see...those who KNOW God well enough to fear His wrath KNOW God well enough to desire His grace. Make no mistake, the crushing wrath of God is coming.

Which brings me to another important group of seven. God promises blessings upon the believers SEVEN times in Revelation:

1-God blesses the one who reads the words of His prophecy... (1:3)
2-Blessed are those who die in the Lord... (14:13)
3-Blessed are those who watch for Him... (16:15)
4-Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding (19:9)
5-Blessed are those who share in the first resurrection (20:6)
6-Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy (22:7)
7-Blessed are those who wash their robes (22:14)

God is perfect in His goodness, and He is perfect in His wrath. It is up to us which one we face.

Now, while I'd love to dive back into a number seven sonnet of symbolism (seven angels and seven plagues), every bit of Revelation 15 reminds me of God freeing the Israelites from Pharaoh (Exodus 1-14). Just as the LORD used plagues against Egypt, He will also use plagues against those who stand against Him during the tribulation.

In the first exodus God's people sang a song of deliverance, praising God for His faithfulness in leading them away from captivity (Exodus 15:1-21). Now, in the second exodus, God's people will also sing praises to Him because they've been spared from His judgment (Revelation 15:3-4). While the Israelites sang to God AFTER they'd witnessed the plagues and been delivered from the Egyptian army, the singing in Revelation is BEFORE the seven plagues because God's people have already been saved from His wrath that'll be described in chapter 16.

In both instances, there's great singing and shouts of praise to God because of His faithfulness in saving His people. This has been and will always be the case! Throughout HIStory, God's salvation has caused His people to sing, and we will continue to do so for all eternity!

At the end of this chapter, John sees the Temple filled with the glory and power of God (v 8). The key to God's eternal glory and power is His holiness (Revelation 4:8). His glory is not simply His unimaginable strength, but also His perfect moral character. God will NEVER do anything that isn't perfect. We need to remember this fact and TRUST in His perfection when we are confronted with personal trials & difficulties.

*Trusting in God means resting in His choice of methods and sequence...EVEN when they don't match our personal preferences.
*Trusting in God means not rebelling at His decision to take a loved one or to end a cherished relationship... knowing He knows the future and we don't.
*Trusting in God means never doubting His goodness!

His perfection should reassure us that we can trust Him, yet it places a demand on us as well. Our only suitable response to His holiness is a desire to be holy like God -- dedicated to Jesus and reflecting His moral goodness.

As we move into Revelation 16 we will see similar to the trumpet judgments, the bowl judgments reenact the plagues of Egypt (Exodus 7-12). The Egyptian plagues have the same purpose as these bowls of wrath -- to prove to the world that God is all-powerful.

Here's a bare-bones breakdown of the bowls:

1-Horrible, malignant sores break out on everyone who has the mark of the beast,
resulting in physical pain for those who've refused to repent.
2-The sea becomes blood and everything in it dies, which affects all other forms of life.
3-Inland waters turn to blood, which means there's no longer any water to drink.
4-The sun scorches the earth, and the people burned by the heat curse God.
5-Darkness covers the earth, and the people still curse God and refuse to repent.
6-The Euphrates River dries up, which provides a way for the armies of the east to march westward and gather at the battlefield of Armageddon.
7-An earthquake greater than any that's ever occurred changes the face of the earth, and it's followed by a horrible hailstorm.

These judgments may be difficult to accept and seem unfair, but nothing could be further from the Truth.
Let's read Revelation 16:5-7 together:

"And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, 'Just are You, O Holy One, who is and who was, for You brought these judgments. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!' And I heard the altar saying, 'Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are Your judgments!' "

The first time Jesus came to earth He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). He came in peace with the intention of redeeming and saving His people.

The second time will be much different from the first.

While He once rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as a sign of peace (Matthew 21:7), He will ride on a white horse as a sign of war when He comes again (Rev 19:11). Make no mistake, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He will NOT change between His first and second coming, but His PURPOSE in coming will. He first came to save, and He will one day soon come again to judge.

The mercy and justice of God may seem like contrasting characteristics.
On the one hand, God will bring righteous judgment and pour out His wrath on those who refuse to trust in His saving grace. On the other hand, He is merciful and compassionate toward humanity, not wanting any to be lost (2 Peter 3:9).

Aaah, but God is unique in how His mercy is shown through His justice. Because of sin, we deserve death and eternal separation from our Lord (Romans 6:23). Yet, Jesus died on the cross (wow!!!) and His perfect sacrifice was both an act of justice against the sin in the world AND an act of mercy toward mankind. The cross is the symbol of the perfect combination of God's justice and mercy!

Standing between Jesus's first and second coming, the world is now living in a state of peace and mercy.
God's unearned and undeserved compassion are extended to everyone on earth, and His mercies are new every morning (Luke 3:22-23). But soon (and very soon) the justice of God will come, and Jesus will be the judge of all mankind.

As we read earlier, the angels praise God for exacting justice in the wrath He pours out. The reason the angels are able to praise God is that justice is FINALLY coming for every sin ever committed. God is glorified in His judgment because He is perfectly just! Yet He is also merciful. He poured out His wrath on Jesus SO THAT any and all who believe in Him could be forgiven, once and for all!

But make no mistake: sin is always punished -- either at Calvary or in eternity -- because God is a righteous judge.

So, anyone who touts tolerance and acceptance of all ways of life are assuming that God must play by manmade rules. In reality, God sets THE standard of justice and "fairness." Whatever He chooses or decides is fair, even if we don't understand it or like it. Those who rebel and reject God are NOT rejecting a "lifestyle option," but are in fact rejecting Truth and Justice itself.

These rejectors of Truth (aka sinful people) will unite to fight against God (as silly as that sounds) in a final display of rebellion. Many have already joined forces against Jesus and His people (that's us, BTW) -- those who stand for Truth, peace, justice, and biblical morality. Our personal battles with evil foreshadows the great battle to come, where God will meet evil and destroy it utterly and completely. So be strong and courageous as you battle against sin and evil, standing up for God's Truth! Remember you are fighting on the side of the One who WON already!
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Amen and Amen, ALL so well said brother HD, TY again for your labor of love for our Lord and our R/T family, you have been poured out to pour into us all straight from God's heart, His Living Word. Your time is certainly never in vain but to our gain to the Glory of God! Also this pertains to all who write in and share what the Lord has been showing you, this as well never goes in vain, so TY!! Our hearts are to encourage one another in the body of Christ, pointing to JESUS our Beloved Saviour Who will be calling us HOME any day now, BUT, UNTIL HE COMES may we be found living each day as though it's our last unto the Glory of God, to Him and for Him that others may come to KNOW Him! There is nothing more beautiful as keeping JESUS as our FIRST LOVE, amen?! We Love you all! You are in our hearts and prayers daily! This week we will read through 2 Samuel 9-15 and Revelation 17-22 - See you here, there OR in the air!!

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