“[A]nd before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind” (Revelation 4:6).

“Something like” is a descriptive that lets us know that John is describing something He does not know how to describe.  How does one describe the majesty of the Lord?  In this age, we see a reflection of His beauty.  In heaven, there will be the real thing.  The Lord created beauty and from the place He rules, there is nothing the Lord does not see.  Why does the mere mortal play the game of thinking the Lord does not see what He does.

Lord, there are many mysteries around me here.  I cannot imagine what it is like in eternity.  Rather than forging down a speculation path, help me to understand the simple message that You are all-seeing.  You know the beginning from the end.  You invented time and of course You see it all, as we would say, at the same time.  You are the inventor of beauty.  The only thing I know to do Lord is turn to You, the Creator of all things, seeking to see things through Your eyes.

Lord Jesus, what I have just read makes it even more amazing that You came to earth in the humble guise of an ordinary man from a small village.  This too is a mystery I do not fully understand.  Help me, dear Lord, to move beyond pondering to trusting so that I may understand that the promises You give me are from eternity and will bring me to be where You are.  Guide me in the way of salvation, my Lord.  Amen.

“Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God” (Revelation 4:5)

A reminder again to see what is said in terms of what you know.  All authority and power belong to God.  After all, He created everything.  Seven is the number of completion.  You are not yet complete, but one day you will be.  The Lord is creating You to be like Christ.  His work, His Spirit, is always moving all who are in Christ ever closer to completion; what we often say in this meaning is the word perfection.

Lord, it is You who is working in me.  Your Spirit moves and that movement causes me to move ever closer to You.  Guide me dear Lord ever closer to the spirit of Christ so that I may grow to be more like Him each day.  You have given me the power to become Your child.  Help me in that goal through Your grace so that I continue to walk the narrow path of salvation You have set before me.

Thank You my Lord and Savior for You have come to lead the way.  This life is filled with many mysteries, so of course I cannot know all things.  But, I can know You.  Open my eyes to see and my ears to hear as You speak the words of truth.  You are the burning light and the working revelation of God.  You are the One who has come and the One who will come again.  Lead me now and forever.  Amen.

“Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads” (Revelation 4:4).

Twelve tribes, twelve disciples, twenty-four thrones.  The Lord gathers together the number that is right so that He completes what He has purposed.  What does this mean?  You can know for sure that this means that You have been invited to be a part of what He is creating.  He has done it over the whole of human history and has called from among every tribe, tongue, folk and nation, those who will come to Him.

Having wisdom is not about knowing all things, but about pursuing understanding so that it effects how you live.  Many look at this book and seek some sort of special knowledge.  What use is that?  So you know something.  What is of use is the truth and the truth is that in many and various ways, God spoke to us through the prophets, but now in these last days He speaks to us through His Son.  Jesus is His beloved Son, listen to Him.

Lord Jesus, You have made a revelation so that we would no longer be unbelieving, but believing.  Guide me in my belief so that I give thanks for all of the saints who have gone before.  Help me leave a trail to follow for all of the saints who will go after I am done here.  Graciously allow me to be a part of the work of Your church while there is time by being faithful to Your call.  Amen.

And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance” (Revelation 4:3).

How does one describe utter beauty?  You can try and figure out if something more is being said, but do not lose sight of the first things.  Beautiful and precious stones are descriptive words that are used to describe the One sitting on the throne.  We see the Jesus of Scripture, an ordinary man in appearance, but He is also One in Trinity, beyond all time.  Both are true and it is indescribable.

Lord, I confess that I have lost my awe and wonder.  Help me to regain the awe I had as a child.  Lead me to recognize the limitation of my ability to comprehend and stand in Your presence with awe.  What I see is not always what is real.  Sometimes what I do not see is what is real.  Lead me Lord to hear and see what You would have me hear and see.  Guide me in Your goodness to come to know You better each day.

Lord, all of Scripture is Your revelation of the way things are.  I see only in part.  I know only in part.  You have made a revelation and I understand only in part.  Guide me Lord to live in this reality while still journeying forward in Your goodness and mercy, living by the grace You have provided.  Help me to know that in You alone are all things held together.  Thank You for making me aware.  Amen.

“Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne” (Revelation 4:2).

How does the Lord show eternity to someone who is mortal?  From this verse forward, keep in mind that what is being described is almost undescribable.  One of the lessons fo us is to regain the wonder we had as children and realize that there are so many indescribable things in this world.  Rejoice in the Lord and give thanks for His goodness and the things of wonder He has created.

Lord, I do try to figure too many things out.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of life so that I regain the wonder I had when I was a child.  With the things of the world, let me be skeptical.  With You, help me to be faithful and full of wonder.  When You show me things I do not comprehend, or tell me things that I do not understand, help me to continue moving forward by faith.  Lead me through all things to be in Your presence now and forever.

Lord, Guide me to see that in You alone are all things held together.  You are God and You know all things.  What is my knowledge but a drop of the vast ocean of Yours.  Keep me in the place of awe and wonder when I approach You in prayer.  Guide me to have a child-like attitude in accordance with what Jesus taught us to have.  You know what is needed.  Thank You for providing all that is needed.  Amen.

“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things” (Revelation 4:1).

What is going to take place?  The Lord has revealed what He has revealed.  Are you willing to receive the revelation?  Many have the word of the Lord hit their ears and then it falls off.  Let the word which the Lord has given sink into your heart.  He has come to lead the way through all of the trials and travails of this life.  He will make you to be like Jesus.  Behold, He stands at the door.

You know Holy Spirit that the word comes at me, but often it bounces off and does not go in.  There are so many parts of my existence in which You are a thought, but I do not let You in to lead me.  The hindrances are there, but so also is the desire to walk the path You have set before me.  Let me not be unknowing, but knowing, having received the revelation You have given me to walk the narrow path.

Lord Jesus, You always looked to the Father and told us that You did only as He directed.  You are given me direction now.  Help me to keep my eyes upon You and walk the path You set before me today.  Guide me in Your goodness, grace, and mercy to humbly submit all to You and see what You will show me.  You have given me the gift of faith.  Help me in the faith You have given me to receive every revelation You give.  Amen.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:22).

Do you have an ear?  You may say you do, but do you really?  Is your heart open and willing to receive, or do make excuses and exempt yourself from the judgement you heap upon others.  Do not live as the hypocrites do, but seek the Lord earnestly that He would heal your hearing so that you hear what He has to say.  Hear in your heart and then put into action what He gives you to do.

Lord, these words are easy to hear, but they are hard to implement.  Guide me in the Gospel way so that I persevere, overcoming all obstacles by Your grace.  Lead me to become more like You every day.  Lead me to see You first so that when other things come along, I know they are mere temptations to get me off track.  Help me to always hear when You speak and to obey all that You command.

Lord Jesus, You lived humbly while walking upon the earth.  You did not seek the privilege of kings and potentates, but lived as an ordinary man.   Let me begin there so that I may overcome any ideal that tempts me to be anything other than what I am.  Lead me in the upward way of life and grant me strength to complete the journey.  Open my ears, heart, and attitude so that I may walk as You demonstrated how to walk upon this earth.  Amen.

“He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Revelation 3:21).

Sin, death, and the devil are to be overcome.  All of the temptations you encounter are to be overcome.  It is not battling the demons, but simply asking yourself, “What am I here for.”  The answer will either be, “For myself,” or, “For the Lord.”  Overcome the self and live as the Lord has designed you to live.  You are His, He made you, He bought You, and paid the price to redeem you.

Lord, I often make things so difficult.  I want to take with me things that do not matter and do not care about the things that do matter.  Help me to overcome this mixed up way of thinking so that I may think clearly and live the life You have given me to live.  Guide me Lord according to Your Word to seek You first and then know that the righteousness You give shall be added with all things that I need.

Lord Jesus, You do not ask us to do anything that You have not done.  You have paved the way.  You followed the Father’s plan and walked the journey overcoming all obstacles.  You carried Your cross for us all.  Help me to carry my cross and know that suffering comes with following You.  Guide me so that I do not stop walking the path, but overcome all that gets in the way of following You.  Amen.  

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).

 Jesus does not force Himself upon anyone.  What He has established is a relationship of love.  He wants you to journey with Him into to your inner place.  He must go there so that you may be perfected.  Do not hinder the whole work of the Lord.  Be transformed by being renewed in Him.  He will clean house and then He plans on moving in.  No half measures here.  It really is all or nothing.  This is the Christian proposition.

Lord, I only want what I want.  I do not want You moving in.  I want to do things that You would not approve of.  Help me dear Lord to move beyond where I am and to have the right attitude and heart.  You are the Savior and I must be saved.  Guide me Lord in the salvation You have prepared and help me overcome the desire to negotiate with You about these things.  Come dwell with me now and forever.

Lord Jesus, my Savior, I need saving this day.  You know what is needed.  I often do not even know what to ask for.  Lead me in the way of everlasting life and remove from me the desire to not move at all.  Help me to open the door when I am too lazy to get up and twist the knob.  Help me work through whatever it is that keeps me from the salvation You are giving me.  Amen.

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:19).

A temptation that occurs amongst those who claim to believe is an idea that repentance is not necessary.  When you say you do not need to repent, you declare that you believe you are perfect.  Do not fall for this trap of the devil.  Be quick to repent.  Receive the discipline of the Lord and walk humbly in His presence.  Know that He who redeemed you will make you perfect even as He is perfect.  But it is He who will do this.  Taking His hand is the first act of repentance.

Lord, I have fallen for this temptation thinking I am complete when there is work that needs to be done.  Help me to overcome this silly notion so that I may learn how to be honest with myself.  Guide me in the upward calling You have placed before me so that I do not stop until I meet You face to face.  You alone know all that is needed.  Help me to humbly walk in Your presence and salvation.

Lord Jesus, it takes a perfect man to repent perfectly, but then, a perfect man would not need to repent.  Yet, that is the very first public action You did: to be baptized in a baptism of repentance for us.  You have done for each one of us what we cannot do for ourselves.  Lead me in the truth so that I live knowing You must be the One who leads.  Let me not rest until You tell me to rest.  Lead me dear Savior on the path of righteousness.  Amen.