Are You Ready to Respond?

Prayer ~ Lord, cleanse my heart and make me new that I would be worthy to be a king or priest for You in Your Kingdom.

And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four [and] twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Revelation 5:8-10 KJV (Underlined for emphasis.)

 

Meditate. Consider what it must feel like to be a king or a priest—serving God on earth.

 

Different translations give this verse a bit of a different meaning. In the King James Version above, indicates the believers (twenty-four elders) will be kings and priests serving or reigning on earth, whereas the New Living Translation indicates this group of believers will be a kingdom or group of priests. At any rate, believers will be serving God on earth. That is an interesting concept in itself—not raised from the dead and raptured to just be in heaven, but to serve God on earth.

And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God's people. And they sang a new song with these words: "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth." Revelation 5:8-10 NLT

There is still so much to learn about God and His kingdom…His plans for the future of believers. We can spend countless hours studying the Bible—and that is never time lost. Be careful about to whom you listen for interpretation of scripture. Don’t be deceived.

Don't be deceived like Adam & Eve.
Satan is cunning and a liar.
Keep watch - Be ready.

But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. 2 Corinthians 11:3

 

You must warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. Hebrews 3:13

We need to listen to the same words that Jesus taught His disciples and take heed.

"So you, too, must keep watch! For you don't know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. Matthew 24:42-44

Keep watch. Be ready. To be ready to become a priest or a king in the Kingdom of God we have to first believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior. Are you ready to respond to His call to come and be with Him…in heaven or on earth?

 

Verse of Salvation ~ If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. Romans 10:9-10

 

Memory Verse of the Week ~ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

 

© 2022 Text, photos and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Authorized Version or King James Version (KJV), 1611, 1769.
Outside of the United Kingdom, the KJV is in the public domain. Within the United Kingdom, the rights to the KJV are vested in the Crown.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories (Children’s storybook)

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com