I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

     God does not need human armies to bring about a nation’s downfall. The prophet Joel discusses an army of locusts, but God can bring about the destruction of a nation in many ways. The time to turn to God is now. Our time will run out and then it will be too late. Let us turn to God with fasting and mourning, but not outward mourning that is all for show, rather let us turn with genuine mourning in our hearts. Let us call on everyone we know to turn to God. If we turn from our sins and confess them before God, He will have mercy on us and turn aside the destruction that is on its way.
     God has done great things and we will see His glory. He will pour out His Spirit upon His people, those who call upon His name. People will dream dreams and see visions, young and old alike. Men and women will prophecy before the Lord. God will redeem and save those who call upon His name, but those who defy Him and take arms against those who love Him He will strike down and destroy.

     The book of Revelation is a troubling book, but it starts off with glory. John extends to us grace and peace from God, the One who is, and was, and is to come. Through all of history, past, present, and what is still to take place, God has been there and He has not changed. He was there at the beginning and He will be there at the end. In this passage, John tells us that Jesus is that never changing God. Jesus holds the keys to death and the grave, there is nothing over which He does not have power. He died, but now He lives and through Him we also may live.

     Those who fear the Lord and follow His ways will find joy. They will flourish and be satisfied. God will give them peace. Let me follow God’s ways and be satisfied by the peace which He gives me.

     Those who refuse divine guidance have no restraint and their behavior is unpredictable, but those who follow God’s wise guidance will be blessed.