Friday, April 20, 2006

Good Morning

Hope everyone has had a good week.

 

For those who haven't noticed, Christie Peebles is great with child.  The LEAP Class will be having a diaper shower to celebrate the imminent arrival of little Jenna Rose Peebles.  The shower will be at Monica and Joey's house at 4613 Nicholas Drive in Letson Farms on Saturday, April 29 at 6 PM.  Joey and Monica will provide the chicken fingers and drinks.  We are to bring a dessert and/or side as well as diapers for Jenna Rose.  Christie is primed and ready for delivery.  The doctors are hoping she can hold on until at least May 10th, so we need to be prayerful about that.  Email or call Monica (phimpactyouth@aol.com) to let her know that you are coming and if you have any questions.

 

Today's Reading:  Revelation 8:6-13

 

-- again, working without Barclay today.

 

-- while we discussed on Sunday where we might be in the Revelation timeline -- have some of the seals been opened, or is all of it in front of us, I think it is pretty safe to say the trumpets are all in front of us.  You could say that some of what John described as happening with the four horsemen could be connected with current or past world events, but I can't think of anything that has happened in the past that could be connected with the trumpets -- hail and fire mixed with blood, a third of the earth burned up, a third of the sea turned to blood, a third of waters turning bitter -- all these lie somewhere in the future.

 

-- as with the breaking of the seals, the sounding of the first four trumpets is grouped together like the first four seals were.

 

-- the first four trumpets primarily effect the natural world instead of the inhabitants of the world.  But they each affect 1/3 of the earth, instead of 1/4, which is the portion of the earth affected by some of the first seals.  Since 1/3 is a bit larger than 1/4, you get a sense of increase, of things getting bigger and affecting more of the earth.

 

-- note that their are echoes in these judgements with the plagues that befell Egypt prior to the release of the Jews. 

 

-- this is hard, but there is a sense that God is answering the prayers of the martyrs by sending these judgements to the earth -- "how long" was what they asked, and it seems like these judgements are the answer to their question and their prayer.

 

Today's Scripture

 

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

 

Romans 12:18

 

Today's prayer requests:   Corey, Megan's student

 

Megan had a good report about Corey on Sunday, but we still need to remember him and his family as they deal with his spells/seizures and try to determine the cause.

Today's class member prayer:

Jerri Wesson

Jay