Devotional
Daily Bible
The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood.
A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of thea ships were destroyed.
…
Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, "Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!"
The world despises God although He is their creator and much of Christendom ignores what the Holy Spirit has written of what is to come; so we observe that the majority laugh when believers point out the prophecy of the coming judgement of God is drawing near. God's wrath upon humankind will be fulfilled; both upon Israel who rejected her Messiah and the Nations (gentiles) who hung him on the cross. Believers have nothing to fear – those baptised by the Holy Spirit are sealed by Him and will enter into his presence – they are not to be judged again for their sin, albeit will need to give an account before Christ of their works (1 Corinthians 3:13).
The passage here shows the wrath of God poured out on the physical universe. Those who do not comprehend the sinfulness of sin and the real fact sin impacts the physical environment (Genesis 3:17-19; Jeremiah 12:11; Romans 8:22 etc.) will learn too late their greed, covetousness, dishonest gain, sexual immorality and all other sin (Ephesians 5:5 etc.) has corrupted the entire universe. God will exercise His right of vengeance for rejecting His son Jesus Christ.
It is not not too late for you to turn to the Creator of this Universe and seek Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the world's saviour (John 3:16; Romans 10:12-13; 1 Timothy 2:3-6 etc.) and believe that this Jesus the Son of God died, was buried and rose again because you are a sinner needing salvation from God's wrath.
The simplest statement of the benefit which a truehearted communicant may expect to receive from the Lord's Supper, is the strengthening and refreshing of our souls--clearer views of Christ and His atonement, clearer views of all the offices which Christ, fills as our Mediator and Advocate, clearer views of the complete redemption Christ has obtained for us by His substituted death on the cross, clearer views of our full and perfect acceptance in Christ before God, fresh reasons for deep repentance for sin, fresh reasons for lively faith--these are among the leading returns which a believer may confidently expect to get from his attendance at the Lord's Table. He that eats the bread and drinks the wine in a right spirit, will find himself drawn into closer communion with Christ, and will feel to know Him more, and understand Him better.
(a) Right reception of the Lord's Supper has a "humbling" effect on the soul. The sight of the bread and wine as emblems of Christ's body and blood, reminds us how sinful sin must be, if nothing less than the death of God's own Son could make satisfaction for it, or redeem us from its guilt. Never should we be so "clothed with humility," as when we receive the Lord's Supper.
(b) Right reception of the Lord's Supper has a "cheering" effect on the soul. The sight of the bread broken, and the wine poured out, reminds us how full, perfect, and complete is our salvation. Those vivid emblems remind us what an enormous price has been paid for our redemption. They press on us the mighty truth, that believing on Christ, we have nothing to fear, because a sufficient payment has been made for our debt. The "precious blood of Christ" answers every charge that can be brought against us. God can be "just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:26).
(c) Right reception of the Lord's Supper has a "sanctifying" effect on the soul. The bread and wine remind us how great is our debt of gratitude to our Lord, and how thoroughly we are bound to live for Him who died for our sins. They seem to say to us, "Remember what Christ has done for you, and ask yourself whether there is anything too great to do for Him."
(d) Right reception of the Lord's Supper into hearts, has a restraining effect on the soul. Every time a believer receives the bread and the wine he is reminded what a serious thing it is to be a Christian, and what an obligation is laid on him to lead a consistent life. Bought with such a price as that bread and wine call to his recollection, ought he not to glorify Christ in body and spirit, which are His? The man that goes regularly and intelligently to the Lord's Table finds it increasingly hard to yield to sin and conform to the world.
