Friday, May 19, 2006

Good Morning    

 

Hope to see everyone this Sunday. 

 

Brad and Ray are leaving today for Beijing, China.  Note the current weather.

 

Current  Temp:  (at 7P local time)   66 degrees and fair  

Tonight:   Partly cloudy this evening, then cloudy after midnight.  Low around 65F.  Winds ENE  at 10 to 15 mph.   

The 10-day forecast at: http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/tenday/CHXX0008?from=_topnav_business 

Today's Reading:    Revelation 12: 7-9  -- Barclay 90-93 

-- long section today, all about Satan.  In the today's scripture, Satan is hurled to the earth after making war in heaven with Michael and his angels.  It is interesting to think that Satan had angels on his side, who were also thrown out of heaven and to earth.

-- a point that was made in something else I had read is that Satan is not in Hell -- at least not yet.  He is on earth, which is where he roams.  Later, he gets tossed to the abyss, but for now, he and his angels roam the earth.

-- the question is, in the scene that John is writing, how did the dragon get to heaven to begin with?  There is the sense, that Barlcay gives, that the dragon pursued the Messiah, even up to heaven.

-- I guess the thing that still unsettles me or is unusual to me is the idea of "there was war in heaven."  You think of Heaven as a joyful, happy place, immune to any strife, and yet you have this story.  Now, it might be a better place now with Satan as a part of it, but still, this story gives us a different perspective -- in a way, it makes Heaven seem more like a real place. This also gives us an idea of how powerful, how difficult, the struggle between good and evil is -- God is control and will be victorious, but Satan took the struggle right to God's doorstep.  We need to respect what kind of power that represents.

Today's Scripture   

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

 

1 Peter 1:8-9

Today's prayer requests:     Our travelers Ron and Brad. 

 On their way to China today, we need to pray for Ron and Brad that they have a have a safe journey to Beijing. 

Today's class member prayer:

 Joey Harbarger     

Jay