Monday, April 17, 2006

Good Morning

 

Don't forget that today is Tax Day!

 

Also, today is Easter Monday, which is celebrated in a number of countries around the world.  In particular, there are some unusual traditions associated with Easter Monday in Poland and the Czech Republic that have made their way to the United States.  For more information, here is the link from the ever handy Wikipedia:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Monday

 

Well, I must have left my Bible and Barclay at church Sunday, so I'm flying blind this morning.

Today's Reading:  Revelation 7:16-18,  read the section called "The Bliss of the Blessed"

 

-- this passage is one of the "hope" passages that gets overlooked in Revelation, as we dicussed yesterday.  It describes a life of no hunger or thirst, nor any heat, and no tears.

 

-- for context, we need to remember that John is describing those who have come through the great tribulation, so John is specifically talking about the rewards for those who remained faithful during the tribulation.  So the idea of hope is expressed as ultimate victory for those who are faithful during the toughest times.

 

-- there is a timing question that I have, which will be answered later I imagine - the elder tells John that these are those who have come through the great tribulation, but in the book, the great tribulation has not happened as of yet.

 

-- as more information, in regards to our thoughts about timing of the story of Revelation, here is a Wikipedia entry that talks specfically about the great tribulation, that can give you one perspective on that:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Tribulation

 

 

Today's Scripture (this week, passages from Luke about the Easter story)

 

When he was at the table with them he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it up to them.  Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.

 

Luke 24:30-31

Today's prayer requests:   Our troops in Iraq.

Need to continue to remember our troops in Iraq -- that story sometimes falls off of our radar, but there are still a lot of our troops over there in danger.   .

Today's class member prayer:

Susanne Russell

Jay