“[A]nd he had in his hand a little book which was open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land; and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices” (Revelation 10:2-3).

No matter where you are, the word of the Lord goes forth.  Will you live into the life to which you have been called through your baptism, or will you live doing what you think is right?  This has always been the question that has been set before us by the Lord.  What will you do?  You can live a few years and then forever die to the Lord or live now and always in the Lord’s presence.

Lord, whether you are talking about the end of the age here, or just my life, it really is the same.  I have no choice concerning the events that will unfold around me.  I never have had a real choice.  I react to my circumstances.  Help me to see that I no longer need to do that.  Instead, aid me to react to Your purpose and presence.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to do what is right in Your sight always.

Thank You, Lord, for being persistent.  Thank You for being patient.  You have given me the opportunity to be a part of Your kingdom.  The saints have been praying for two thousand years to be done with this age, but You have waited.  Let me not be driven by the circumstances, but by You and live into the truth of eternity.  Guide me in the way of  ever-lasting life into Your arms of mercy.  Amen.

“I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire” (Revelation 10:1)

How many times will people cry out, “It’s not fair?”  The Lord has given us warning after warning.  He said, “Never again will I destroy you with a flood.”  He did not say that we would not be judged, nor avoid destruction.  We put words into the Lord’s mouth and believe what we want to believe.  Live according to the word of God and not according to what you want to believe.

Lord, I do think in ways that are contrary to what You have spoken.  Guide me to hear with open  ears the truth that You have spoken.  Help me to cling to Your promises and not to the wishful thinking of this age.  The light of Your presence is always with me.  Help me to see it!  Lord, You know the times and seasons and I do not.  Help me to trust You, who knows all things, and not in this wicked world which is bound for destruction.

Lord Jesus, You have given me warning after warning.  Sometimes I do not heed what You say.  Lead me to walk according to Your goodness and mercy knowing that only in You is the grace to continue forward in the upward call You have given me.  Lead me now and always and guide my footsteps to walk with You.  You are the Rock of my salvation and the hope for all that is good.  Amen.

“The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts” (Revelation 9:20-21).

They did not repent.  What will it take to turn some people away from wickedness?  For some it is not possible.  There are wicked people in the world.  Some will never change.  Will you change?  Will you open yourself to the Lord and become what He would make of you?  Will you come into the faith of the Lord and walk in His ways? Will you turn to Him and not to the things He has made?

Lord God Almighty, I do not always acknowledge all Your ways, but there are times when I do.  I buy things cheaply because someone else has not been paid fairly.  I place trust in buildings and things made of wood, stone, metal, and adorned with brass.  I do these things without thinking.  Open my mind to think so that I may walk in the way that is true and pleasing to You.  Guide me in Your goodness to do all I can to be like Jesus.

My Savior Jesus, I do need saving and it begins with You.  It begins with repentance, as You have said.  Lead me to repent, Lord, and then walk in the way You would have me go.  Guide me in Your goodness to be quick to repent and slow to need grace.  Let me know in my heart that You LORD, my Triune God, are worthy of all praise, thanks  and worship.  The things that are around me will pass away, but You are forever.  Lead me into eternity.  Amen.

“For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm” (Revelation 9:19).

The Lord will touch us in ways we may not imagine.  If we knew all things, but did not have love, what would it avail us?  Many in this age know many things, but they are filled with hatred and anger.  What should we do with these things?  We are to look to the One who made us and know that He will cause what He purposes to come about in due time.  Out of the mouth comes curses and without a thought, the wicked slay.

Lord, there are many things that I do not understand.  I try to figure things out, but I really cannot figure some things out.  Lead me down the road less traveled where I spend more time thinking of You than I do about the wicked in this world.  Lead me to know that in You alone is hope and an eternal future.  Harm will come throughout this age and I know I am not exempt, but keep me in You no matter what happens.

Lord Jesus, Savior of all who believe, lead me in Your goodness to know that in You alone there is hope.  There are things I do not yet understand.  You have spoken, but it does not always register.  In due time, it will.  Rather than stopping when I am stumped, help me to live into the life You have set before me.  Guide me along the path of being humble and willing to do all that You give me to do.  Amen.

“A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths” (Revelation 9:18).

The wicked will say, “Do you not care that someone will die,” while preparing to kill in mass.  We are all going to die.  Do not forget that.  What will happen when this life is over?  That is the eternal question.  Yes, we care about others, but in the insanity of this age, we forget that life is a gift from God, and He both gives life and He can take it away.  What we do with what He has given is what matters.

Lord, I know the number of people being killed has been escalating over time.  Help me to not become carried away with concern for this age, but to realize that You know that these things will happen and You are telling those who will hear to listen.  It is going to become much worse than we imagine.  Help me to not take the path of trying to figure these things out, but to walk on the humble and simple path that Jesus has placed before me.

Lord Jesus, You did not become enmeshed in the politics of those days when you walked the earth.  Help me to see that there are those who will rejoice in death and destruction.  They, like their father the devil, seek to kill, steal, and destroy.  Lead me to look to You and to be led by the example You gave while upon the earth.  Help me now and always to look to You in every circumstance and know that You, who knows all things, are leading me.  Amen.   

“And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone” (Revelation 9:17).

Who are they?  Can I figure out the times and seasons?  What about you?  Will you look to the Lord no matter what?  During the times of Napoleon, people got excited asking, “Is this it?”  During the times of Hitler, people asked, “Is this it?”  Why look at the wicked when the Gracious One is present.  Look to the Lord and be guided by His gentle hand no matter what the season looks like.

Lord, You know the times and ages that pass in this age.  Lead me by Your gentle hand to walk according to Your goodness and mercy so that I am not driven by the fears of this age.  Lead me by Your gentle hand to live looking to You and not the events in this age.  Yes, the day will come when an army of two hundred million marches forth, but until then, I am where You have placed me.

Lead me, Lord Jesus, throughout this day to concentrate on the task at hand and guide me in Your goodness to do what is right.  Lead me by Your example so that even if armies press on my door, I am looking to You.  You know what is coming.  You also know what You are making of me.  Guide me in the richness of Your grace and mercy to become what You will make of me.  Lead me this and every day.  Amen.

“The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them” (Revelation 9:16).

In what age will this number be realistic?  Are we there yet?  Are we there indeed.  We humans are impatient to get to where we think we need to be.  If you focus upon the life of Jesus, you will see that He almost seemed unconcerned about what we experience as the rush of time.  That is because God has all the time in the world, so to speak.  He is outside of time.  We will be too.

Lord, I am driven by what I think I need to accomplish.  Help me to live according to Your word and not according to the rush of this age.  I have all of my life to be perfected.  This age will run out of time as it prepares to do its continuous battle.  Lead me in life so that I may walk humbly in Your sight.  Guide me in Your goodness to do what is right and fitting in Your sight.

Lord, the armies increase in size and the warfare gets larger.  I am a part of a society that is mad and seems to be getting even crazier each day.  Help me to not look to these things, but to care for my neighbor as I care for myself.  Guide me in Your goodness to do what is right and fitting always.  Help me to not be terrorized by this world, knowing that things will get increasingly worse, but to be motivated by love for You, my Lord and God.  Amen.

“And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind” (Revelation 9:16).

A time is coming when the number will be this high.  During World War Two, three percent of the population of the world was killed.  Deaths from this kind of calamity has been rising over the centuries.  We are heading to the place where vast numbers will be wiped out.  War and hatred drive this age.  Living like one who is a Christ-follower is the answer; there will be no more war in eternity with Christ.

It is not pacifism, but it may look like it.  It is not capitulation, but at first, that is what it seems.  It is humility and compassion.  It is living the two rules, doing as you would be done by and loving the Lord and your neighbor as well.  It is becoming like Christ.  In this age, some will, and some will not.  The question is whether you will be a Christ-follower or not.

Lord Christ, You have come to set the captives free.  You have also come to pour into us the Christ life so that we become what You have always intended.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of everlasting life so that I may indeed become like You.  You have set the course, now direct my steps so that I may live as You guide me, my Savior, Lord, and God.  Guide me forward, Lord Jesus.  Amen.

“Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates” (Revelation 9:13-14)

From the heart of civilization comes the unleashing of judgement.  It may have happened in Rome, but how often is it from the outsider that calamity comes?  Is it not more often that it comes from the inside?  Yes, from the inside comes calamity too.  Governments treat their citizens as objects and humanity is lost in the cogs of the machine.  It has happened and the final day will come when the final judgement ends this age.

Lord, regardless of where I am on the timeline, help me to be faithful at all times.  Even though the culture I am in may kill its people, let me never forget that You are Lord of life and have commanded me to love my neighbor.  Help me to be mindful of others and to treat others as I would want to be treated.  You have guided into me Your principles.  Help me to live within them.

Lord Jesus, without the grace You give, I would be carried away by the culture in which I find myself.  Lead me this day to live the faith You have given me and love my neighbor as myself.  Help me through whatever may come to live by the simple guidelines You have given, remembering that You, too, know suffering.  Peter and Paul were faithful amidst great persecution.  I can too, by Your grace with Your grace, can be faithful in suffering if that be my lot.  Amen.

“The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things” (Revelation 9:12).

This age is filled with woe.  Yes, I know, many look to these words as those which shall be fulfilled at the end.  Have you not heard that things come in threes?  Most everything has its roots in Scripture.  Whether in your life personally, or in the world, these calamities drive a wedge.  The wicked grow farther away from God and the righteous come closer to Him.  Similar actions produce different results based upon your relationship with the Lord.

Lord, let every action of this world drive me closer to You.  I can do nothing about what happens in this world, but I can do something about how I react to it.  Lead me in the way You know I need to go and then help me stand firm in that way.  Guide me in Your goodness to see this with clarity so that when I am tempted to be angry and blame You, I will instead praise You.

Lord Jesus, You know what it is to receive curse after curse.  You have experienced this with every generation.  You experienced this when You went to the cross.  You do understand how difficult it is.  Help me through every difficulty to draw nearer to You.  Help me through every circumstance to learn how to respond as You responded to Your adversaries.  Teach me, Jesus, to be like You.  Amen.