A Common Miracle - Are You a Jesus Freak? Part 2

Below is an excerpt of Chapter 4 from "A Common Miracle" by Pastor Bob Grenier.

I went back to Florida and started reading that little Bible every day and continued smoking my dope each and every day ... still dealing and still partying, but reading that Bible with the distinct impression within myself that something was happening to me from above. I would go and sit in the courtyards of a church there in Tallahassee to just think and reflect about God.
A dope deal gone bad is what led up to that gun at my head, and that is what led to something I’ll never forget for eternity. It’s the night of the gun incident. Right there, in the very house where I had stood outside that day looking up into David M.’s eyes, God brought into my life what I’ve now come to know is the conviction of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel of John talks about this in Chapter 16. It has to do with God showing you what you don’t know and convincing you that it’s true. 

Coming Soon, Chapter 4 Part 3
 

A Common Miracle - Are You a Jesus Freak? Part 1

Below is an excerpt of Chapter 4 from "A Common Miracle" by Pastor Bob Grenier.

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
MARK 1:1

I REFER TO THE SCRIPTURE ABOVE, the one in Mark 1:1, because it was through that Scripture that my new life began.
I took Mr. H.’s advice and went to Negril, got some weed and went out to the beach one night to do just what the Bible said: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Well, what I was doing that night was not the best and most accurate interpre- tation/application of the Bible; but it was, in my own heart, what I thought I was to do. This is what I thought God want- ed me to do. The only way I could be still was to get myself calmed down with some good Jamaican Ganja.
As I sat on the beach that night, the moon was out, the sky was clear, and the ocean was lapping its waves up on the shore, one after the other. In my heart, I was contemplating all of this beautiful creation in front of me. I started think- ing and asking myself about how it all came to pass. “How did all this beauty come about?” I wondered.

At that moment, God spoke to my heart and told me that He was the one who created it. Not only did He speak to my heart about what He had done, but I had two other distinct impressions from Him: one, that He loved me; and two, that I could know Him. Actually there was a third, also, and that was that He wanted me to know Him. I remember being so impacted by this moment that the next morning I told one of my friends that he should come out with me that night, and we’d go and talk to God on the beach. You see, God’s Word is true; and He honored His Word in my life that night, even though I was far from truly understanding it. Like the hymn says, “I once was blind, but now I see.” Well, my eyes and heart were being opened. 

Coming Soon, Chapter 4 Part 2
 

A Common Miracle - Be Still and Know That I Am God Part 5

Below is an excerpt of Chapter 3 from "A Common Miracle" by Pastor Bob Grenier.

One day, I rented a car from a Mr. Oliver H., who had a car rental agency in Montego Bay. I allowed one of my Jamaican friends to use it, and he banged it up a bit. I turned the car in without any acknowledgement that it had been damaged. Well, Mr. H. had me summoned to his office; and there I sat in front of this man who was about to be used by God to change the course of my life for eternity. I don’t even remember him talking to me about the car and the damage done to it. I only remember him talking to me about the damage I was doing to myself. “If you keep this up, you will kill yourself,” he said to me. “Using this Ganja will destroy your life. Living the way you are will ruin your life,” he said. And then he pulled out the little pocket Bible that I mentioned earlier. He opened it to Psalm 46:10, read it to me and then gave the little Bible to me.

As I sat there in front of Mr. H., I started crying and sobbing. From deep inside me came this feeling of being naked emotionally and not knowing what was happening to me, except that Mr. H.’s words were piercing my soul ... hitting me life a knife ... stunning me inside. Nothing like this had ever happened to me in my life. I don’t think I had cried since I was a child. The only other time was sitting by my dad’s coffin. But now, here in this car rental office, my life was about to change. Mr. H. went on, and every word cut like an arrow into my life. There was no response from me to him, that I can remember. I wonder what he thought as he was speaking to me and after I left his office ... “no hope for this one.”
Can I tell you something I’ve found out over these years of knowing Christ? It’s about the Bible. The Bible is God’s Word to man, and He uses it to change lives, just as He did with me. I didn’t know then, when that little pocket Bible was given to me, that it would become my most treasured possession. I’ve long since lost that very Bible; but the Bible is my everyday companion, for in it I have found a relationship with my Father in heaven through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit of God. If you are in a turmoil and tailspin at this time in your life, like I was, may I direct you to that very same Scripture, Psalm 46:10 — “Be still, and know that I am God.” May God bless it to your soul, as He did to mine. 

Coming Soon, Chapter 4 Part 1

A Common Miracle - Be Still and Know That I Am God Part 4

Below is an excerpt of Chapter 3 from "A Common Miracle" by Pastor Bob Grenier.

 Imagine a bunch of long-haired hippies, sitting around cross legged on the floor, listening to the Beatles, Jimmy Hendrix, etc., and there is this young man on his lunch hour, wearing his three-piece suit, toking on the joint as it’s being passed around. That was me. All the while, I was thinking, “This is so cool, that I have this job; and I also have this other secret life.” The grip of sin and the devil were at work and pulling me right out of my job into what I thought was a whole new and exciting life. I started letting my hair and beard grow, met new friends and smoked more and more dope. Now it was not only on the weekends, but it was nearly every night and would soon be every day ... in fact, all day long.

Not too long after I quit my job and due to the cost of weed, I would buy a little more than I needed and sell that extra bit to help offset the cost of what I used myself. It seemed harmless ... and cool. And it worked.
Pretty soon, I met more and more people who were into this life of drugs, music and rock and roll. “Wow!” I thought, “Now this was really the very best thing that had ever happened to me.” Oh, I forgot to tell you that back in NY I had tried LSD once or twice. I remember my friends, Tony and Ted and Ben, offering it to me. “This won’t turn me into one of those hippies, will it?” I asked. “No way,” they said; “It’s cool; you will enjoy it.” And I did. We used to “drop the acid,” as it’s called, when we would drive into NYC to go to clubs. Just the acid and the joint. Nice combination ... or so I thought.
Hair grown out now to shoulder length ... big old scraggly beard ... selling ounces and pounds of weed in plain sight of the state capitol building I used to work in, I started using cocaine and then selling grams of coke — using hashish, opium and any and all other hallucinogenic drugs I could get my hands on. Not uncommon for many in that generation. A flight to Jamaica was cheap, and the pot was everywhere. So, back and forth, Tallahassee to Montego Bay, I went. Many, many times. 

Coming Tomorrow, Chapter 3 Part 5

A Common Miracle - Be Still and Know That I Am God Part 3

Below is an excerpt of Chapter 3 from "A Common Miracle" by Pastor Bob Grenier.

Wearing a three-piece suit, flying around the state, meeting all the bigwigs (and I mean “Bigwigs”), staying at fancy hotels, being picked up at airports by the Florida State Troopers, being given personal escorts, and so on, did not erase what I was doing. Here I was, rubbing shoulders with the top Republican political people in Florida (By the way, many of them who were young at that time are now well known and seen on TV all the time.), carrying a little bit of weed in my suitcase and smoking it in my hotel room. I used to get a big kick out of seeing the state trooper pick up my bags from the plane, put them in his trunk and then drive me and my bags to where I needed to go. All the while, he never knew what was in my bag. “What a blast!” I thought. Was I ever in the dark about what is truly cool and important in life.
Do you remember the tragedy at Kent State back in May of 1970? The ideological revolution that took place among the youth of our nation in the late sixties? Stemmed flowers being placed in the rifle muzzles of national guardsmen on college campuses? Yep, I wound up doing that very thing on the campus of Florida State University. I had “turned on, tuned in, and dropped out” as we used to say. Literally, I quit my job and joined in with what was happening around our nation.

That grip of sin was. and had been, tightening its grip on me without my knowing it. You see, as the campaign for that Senate seat wore on and I did my job, I had to find connections for buying weed. Little did I know that it was weed that, for me, was becoming the real connection into the counter culture. 

Coming Tomorrow, Chapter 3 Part 4

A Common Miracle - Be Still and Know That I Am God Part 2

Below is an excerpt of Chapter 3 from "A Common Miracle" by Pastor Bob Grenier.

There was a little beachfront town called Negril. Today, it’s a huge tourist area, but back then it was just for the locals and for the “in-the-know hippies” who came to Jamaica to do what I was doing. On the beach one night, something tremendous happened to me ... but more about that in just a bit. How did I get there, to Negril? Let me tell you the story.
“Bob, how would you like to work for the lieutenant governor of Florida, who is running for the U.S. Senate seat on the Republican ticket?” my friend said. Sandy and I were old friends from back in my high school years and someone I had run around with after coming home from Vietnam. He had moved into the area of state politics and was now working as the assistant for the lieutenant governor of Florida.
Sandy called and asked me to come down from White Plains and interview for the position of personal aide and traveling companion to the lieutenant governor. “What an opportunity,” I thought. “I’ll just take a break from my aviation career plans and do this for awhile. It can’t hurt me; and it will only help me,” I thought. I mean, how many people get a chance to do this kind of thing?
 With my mom’s blessing, I went down, interviewed and got the job. I moved to Tallahassee, Florida, shortly there- after. Here’s something interesting: I was using pot on weekends while in White Plains, like many use beer and alcohol... just a little bit, and only on certain days of the week. It was my little secret.

Here’s another secret that is kept hidden: Sin is sin, how- ever you may describe it or disguise it or live it.
 
Coming Monday, Chapter 3 Part 3

A Common Miracle - Be Still and Know That I Am God Part 1

Below is an excerpt of Chapter 3 from "A Common Miracle" by Pastor Bob Grenier.

Be still, and know that I am God...
PSALM 46:10 

SITTING IN THE WAITING AREA just in front of Air Jamaica’s ticket counter at Miami International Airport around the 5th of February, 1973, reading a small pocket testament containing the books of Proverbs, Psalms, and the New Testament, was this long-haired, bearded hippie with all his earthly possessions in a small backpack. It was me, and it was one day after the gun had been put to my head. I was on my way to Montego Bay, Jamaica, to finish the dope deal that had gone bad and to recover the money I owed my partner in crime, David M.
Traveling to Jamaica was something I did very often. The “Ganja,” as it was called (or marijuana, as quality and potency. Jamaica was also a place where many would-be, and “want-to-be big time dope dealers” would go to try to make the deal of a lifetime happen. Such was the case with me.

I knew my way around the island pretty well. I had Jamaican friends with farms up in the hills, where I would go and hang out and smoke the Ganja to my heart’s content.

 Coming tomorrow, Chapter 3 Part 2

A Common Miracle - Do You Want to Smoke a Joint? Part 5

Below is an excerpt of Chapter 2 from "A Common Miracle" by Pastor Bob Grenier.
  
It was interesting that while in Vietnam, I had no interest in drugs or in smoking pot; but one day, I was in NYC for the day with a fellow line jockey from the airport. Someone pulled out a joint and said, “Hey, do you want to smoke a joint?” And I did, and did I ever like it! I wondered why I had not tried this years before. “This is the greatest feeling I’ve ever had,” I thought to myself, laughing and feeling great in the back seat of that Chevy Corvair, in the middle of New York City. This was great, I thought. And that began my use of drugs, from the weekend joint to everyday use later on.

Now, I can look back and see how temptation got the best of me. I wish Christ had been in my life, but He was not. He would have made the difference, as He does today in my life; but evil is something that destroys, and Satan is the master destroyer through temptation and sin. Sin is in each and every man, and Satan, who is the god of this world, loves nothing more than to help people sin more and more and more. He knows that it will ruin their lives, all the while thinking they are having a good time.

Well, that was me: having a good time. By the way, there’s something very interesting about sin. It’s pleasurable, but only for a season. Too bad it’s pleasurable: people wouldn’t sin as much as they do if it weren’t. It’s a lot of fun to sin; however, it’s only fun for awhile. I had not found that out yet, but I was going to find out soon. That’s common for people, isn’t it? To be going along, having a good time... only to be heading for disaster.
Looking back now, I can see where the Lord was being merciful to me. He kept me from dying in Vietnam, and at other times, as well. Perhaps God is doing that for you, right now, as you read this. Or perhaps you can also look back and say, “Hey, I have that in common with you, Bob. God has kept me, also.” I pray that He has, and I pray that He will. 

Coming tomorrow, Chapter 3 Part 1

A Common Miracle - Do You Want to Smoke a Joint? Part 4

Below is an excerpt of Chapter 2 from "A Common Miracle" by Pastor Bob Grenier.

Then my sergeant told me that word had come that my father was dying of cancer, and that I was being sent home to see him before he died. And he did. He died in January of 1968. When I got home, the terrible problem of cancer had all but taken my dad’s life. How kind my mom was to care

for him in his dying days. I don’t know if he ever made his peace with God or not; I hope he did. We had never talked about God in all the years he was alive. The only thing he ever said about God was the “the family that prays together, stays together.” But we had never prayed together. By the way, that is true. Prayer, as I have found out, does wonders for a family, marriage, etc.
When my dad died, my mom and I moved to White Plains, NY, to try to start over in our lives. Prior to moving, the Marine Corps took a long time to resolve my case. I had asked if I could remain stateside, so as to be close to my dying father. The months seemed like decades to me, waiting for a response from USMC headquarters. Finally, the answer came. I could either go back to my parent unit (2nd Battalion First Marine Division) in South Vietnam, or take a discharge by reason of hardship. The Sgt. Major asked me to think it over through the weekend. There was nothing to think about, as far as I was concerned, but I got back to him on the following Monday. “I’ll take the discharge, Sir.” And the process started, which led to my discharge some months later. My mother and I were all that each other had. There was no money, no estate, only bills that my only and older brother, Bill, paid. He is one of those quiet people who has sacrificed his entire life and is always ready to help someone else. It was many years later before I found out all that he did to clear up bills that were left behind. He did this for the sake of the Grenier name, and because he is a man of character. Once in White Plains, we found a little room to rent; the bathroom was down the hall, as I remember. There was a hot plate to cook on, one bed to share, a table, a chair ... that’s about it. I got a job at the Westchester County Airport in White Plains, NY, pumping gas with the hope of moving up into the world of Corporate Aviation. I had used my GI bill after my discharge from the Marine Corps to get my Commercial Aviation Certificate and my Multi-Engine Rating. Starting at the airport held all the promise of moving up the proverbial ladder. 

Coming tomorrow, Chapter 2 Part 5
 

A Common Miracle - Do You Want to Smoke a Joint? Part 3

Below is an excerpt of Chapter 2 from "A Common Miracle" by Pastor Bob Grenier.

I got in my car after receiving my high school diploma in June of 1966 and headed for Canada to spend my last few months before going into the Marine Corps. I left my mom and my dad and rushed off headlong into more and more sin than I could ever imagine. I figured if I was going into the Marine Corps, there would be a good chance I’d go to Vietnam; so why not “live it up,” I thought.

From June to September was a blur of sin and sensual delight, as they say. Boot camp at Paris Island, South Carolina, was a wake-up call; and so was landing at Danang Airbase in South Vietnam in March of 1967. I was sure I would be sent home in a body bag, so while in Vietnam, as much as I could, I continued living it up. Down deep, I knew the things I was doing were wrong.
I couldn’t wait for Sundays to roll around, because the Catholic priest would give what is called “general absolution” for our sins. That was the point in the Mass that I would wait for. When he said it each Sunday, I was so relieved. Everything was now OK, I thought. But then I would go right back out and live like the devil. The bad thing was that my life was on the line each and every day. Somehow, that was not enough to scare me into changing my ways.


Coming Monday, Chapter 2 Part 4

A Common Miracle - Do You Want to Smoke a Joint? Part 2

Below is an excerpt of Chapter 2 from "A Common Miracle" by Pastor Bob Grenier.
 

Fourth grade was finished in Ft. Myers, Florida. We moved there from Winnipeg, Canada; then very quickly moved to Clearwater, Florida, where I spent my elementary, junior high and high school years. Wow! Little did I know that I was on a downward slide, like the prodigal son. Little did I know that I would meet Jesus face to face, and that Jesus would change my life.
“Do you want to get drunk?” “Sure, why not?” I said to my friends who posed that question to me. My dad got drunk almost every night. Why not? And so I did, a number of times. I’m not blaming anyone, because I have done the same thing myself ... that is, being an influence for bad on others. My, what trouble we can bring to others in our thirst for fun and excitement and our misguided youth ... our years of no parental watchfulness.
“Have you lost your virginity yet?” That was the big question in those years. “Not yet, but I’m sure trying and hoping to soon,” I said. Sure enough, it was not too long after that it happened. Through those years, the power of sin was casting its grip upon my life, even though I thought I was having a good time. Little did I know where I was headed. It’s pretty common, isn’t it? To not know what is happening to you and only find out later — in my case, just before it was too late. 

Coming Tomorrow, Chapter 2 Part 3

A Common Miracle - Do You Want to Smoke a Joint? Part 1

Below is an excerpt of Chapter 2 from "A Common Miracle" by Pastor Bob Grenier.

Let no one say when he is tempted,“I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. JAMES 1:13, 14

ST. BONIFACE, TO NEGRIL, JAMAICA... from 4th grade, to age 26... from a normal kid, to running from the cops in Montego Bay and all around the island.
Let me take you back to the first time I ever smoked a joint in New York City. No one had ever asked me that question before, but I remember it like it was yesterday. Sully was my friend, and he had a friend named Fox, who lived in NYC. Sully and I worked together at the Westchester County Airport in White Plains, NY. We pumped gas into private and commercial airplanes. Little did I know what I was about to get into and where it would take me. Sin, by the way, is like that. It’s deceptive; it makes promises that it does not deliver. The Bible says in Proverbs 16:25, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Boy, did I find that out!

Coming Tomorrow, Chapter 2 Part 2

A Common Miracle - A Gun to My Head Part 4

Below is an excerpt of Chapter 1 from "A Common Miracle" by Pastor Bob Grenier.

What brings a person to ruin? It’s simple. It’s a one-word concept given to us in the Bible. It’s called “sin.” You see, one thing that people have in common is the problem of sin. The Bible says that all have sinned — Romans 3:23 — “... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Sin came into this perfect world that God had created and brought ruin and destruction to man. Man created his own problems, but it’s God who will solve them, if you let Him. You see, the answer to sin is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins. Here’s what the Bible says in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” And John 3:17 tells us, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
I want to tell you my story of how God took a young man who had made a mess of his own life, miraculously changed it, and is changing it and will change it more and more. It’s simply a common miracle, and I pray that you might find that miracle to happen in your life.

Coming Tomorrow, Chapter 2 Part 1

A Common Miracle - A Gun to My Head Part 3

Below is an excerpt of Chapter 1 from "A Common Miracle" by Pastor Bob Grenier.

Oh yes, I almost forgot to tell you that there was another boy named David who used to sleep next to me in that dormitory; and one night I felt him pulling back the covers of my bed and getting into bed with me. I was not sure what was happening and not sure what to do. I just lay there frozen as David did what he did. No one ever knew about it ... not the nuns, the priests, or my parents. Only David and I. Not an uncommon thing to have happen to boys and girls.

What I’m about to tell you is, in fact, not uncommon; and what happened to me is indeed a miracle. Perhaps if you need to, you also can “come to yourself” as the boy in the story did in Luke Chapter 15. I was “coming to myself” looking up over the barrel of that gun. You see, the boy in the story — known to us today as the prodigal son; “prodigal” means “wasteful” — he had it pretty good, also; and he went out, leaving his father and home to live it up, only to find himself at the bottom of the barrel of life. But, he “came to himself,” realizing that what he had been doing had only ruined his life. That’s what happened to me; it’s not uncommon. In fact, it’s quite common and normal for many people.

Coming Tomorrow, Chapter 1 Part 4

A Common Miracle - A Gun to My Head Part 2

Below is an excerpt of Chapter 1 from "A Common Miracle" by Pastor Bob Grenier.
 

Happy childhood memories are in my memory bank, like most kids: lots of friends down the block, spending the night at your friend’s house, and playing all day long, or so it seemed; summers that would never end; and childish, naughty things that your parents did not know about. You see, I could never have imagined, as a young boy, that my life would come to where it had come.
My parents put me in an all-boys’ Catholic boarding school called St. Boniface in a suburb of Winnipeg, Canada, where I had been born in 1947. Even then (and even though I only saw my parents once a month for about an hour), life was fun. Recess was my favorite. Playing in the sandbox every day, swinging on the monkey bars, and learning to play baseball filled my days.
The dorm was huge, as all things are for young children. There must have been dozens and dozens and dozens of single-spring, mattress-type beds lined in row after row after row. The nuns taught the classes; the priests conducted the Masses every morning and heard our confessions every week. I had lots of fun and very little trouble or sadness in my life.

Speaking French, thinking in French, and hearing the church services in Latin and in French was normal and common for me. Staring at Jesus upon the cross up behind the altar was an everyday thing for me. Little did I know that calling out to Jesus was what would happen the night when that gun was pointed at my head. “Jesus Christ” was something my dad seemed to say often (along with other words that I knew were not right to say) and meant that he was very mad about something.
In all those Masses and other religious services, I had no idea that Jesus was even alive, that He was someone I could know, who truly died for my sins and then had been raised from the dead; no idea that heaven was truly a place where a person can go once they leave this world; and most of all, I had no idea of the events that would lead up to that gun being placed right between my eyes.

Coming Monday, Chapter 1 Part 3

A Common Miracle - A Gun to My Head Part 1

Below is an excerpt of Chapter 1 from "A Common Miracle" by Pastor Bob Grenier.
But when he came to himself,... 

LUKE 15:17

I LOOKED UP JUST OVER THE BARREL OF THE .25 caliber pistol that was pointed right between my eyes and saw David M.’s eyes looking back at me. He then moved the pistol to the right side of my head and fired off a round. He moved the pistol back to the middle of my eyes and said, “If you don’t get me the money you owe me (the money was from a drug deal gone bad ... more about that later), you’re in big trouble with me; and I’m going to hurt you.” Off to the left, my friend, Russ B., was laughing as if all this was really funny. It was not funny to me. It was terribly frightening.

At that moment, I wondered a number of things. How could my friend, Russ, be so cruel as to laugh when I was so scared, and this was no idle threat? And then, more than anything else, I wondered to myself, “How did I get to this spot in my life? What had happened to me that I had wound up in this situation?” It was one of those “your life flashes through your mind” moments. I thought to myself, “How did I go from being a normal, everyday kind of kid from a pretty decent and normal family, to getting myself into this kind of a fix?” Little did I know that I was “coming to myself,” much like another young man had done many years ago.

Coming Tomorrow, Chapter 1 Part 2

A Recap of Revelation Chapter 4........

See Revelation 4:1-11

This chapter begins the 3rd section of Revelation.

The first section is in chapter 1, where John writes about what he was seeing, which was the Lord Jesus Christ.

The second section is in chapters 2-3, where John was told to write about the things which are.
In this section about the things that are, John received 7 letters from Jesus, addressed to 7 different churches that existed at that time.

It's believed by many that these 7 churches represent the Church Age, from start to finish.
That is, Ephesus being the very early church, and the churches of Philadelphia and Laodecia in particular being the last days church.

Thus when chapter 4 opens, with "After these things" and, " I will show you things which must take place after this" that this then is the third section of revelation, showing what would happen in the world after the church age, and after the church is removed from the earth prior to the great tribulation.

In fact, in 4:1 we are told that John heard "Come up here" in other words, come up to heaven. Again a type if you will of the church being taken up to heaven. By the way, there is in 4:1, this "door standing open in heaven" What a picture of invitation and grace this is. Jesus is called the "door" A door is something one goes through to get from where they are, to where they are going. There is something on the other side of the door. And, in this case, it's the Lord Himself in Heaven.

It's very  clear that the Lord has not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation. See Rom 5:8, and 1st Thess 5:8, and of course many other parts of the Bible where God's people have been delivered just prior to judgement.

So, with that in mind, we enter then into this third section of Revelation, the church in Heaven. Please also see chapter 4, and you will see that the people in this 5th chapter are the redeemed of the Lord, and then you will see as we move into chapter 6, ( which is really like a table of contents for the rest of Revelation ) that the tribulation begins, and leads to the coming of Jesus Christ.

So, the church is raptured and taken to heaven right at the start of chapter 4, and the tribulation will follow their removal from the earth. See also Rev 3:10

So, here is a quick overview of what's in chapter 4.

John sees a Throne in heaven, and One that sat on the throne. This is the first thing John sees, it's the Lord seated upon His throne. By the way, the Lord and the throne are filled with colors See 4:3

Secondly, John sees 24 Thrones around God's throne. And, on these 24 Thrones were 24 elders seated and clothed in white robes ( these robes would no doubt be robes of righteousness, robes of salvation, and the 24 elders also had Crowns of gold on their heads. Crowns are spoken of in Scripture as that which God gives His people by way of rewards. So, I think that these 24 elders are redeemed people. I'm not particularly sure exactly who they are beyond saying they are redeemed.

Thirdly, John describes what comes from the Throne and then adds what was in front of the Throne, and then more about what was around it. There were lightnings and thunderings coming from the Throne, along with seven lamps burning before it. We are told that these seven lamps are the seven  Spirits of God. Or the Holy Spirit who has been described in the book of Isaiah, as having seven aspects of who He is, and what He does. Thus, it seems that this is the Holy Spirit.

Fourthly, there is a sea of glass in front of the Throne, it is like crystal. And, then these 4 very interesting creatures around the Throne. They are full of eyes, and have wings and they speak, saying worshipful things about God, and when they speak the 24 elders prostrate themselves in front of the Throne.

That's about it. Here are some things that have come to my mind as I've pondered this chapter, and I pray that they might be an encouragement to you.

1. The door to heaven is Jesus Christ.

2. The Lord is on His Throne in heaven.

3. The Throne of God, and God speak of His great power and control.

4. The colors and the sounds, speak also of God's beauty and power.

5. There are others in heaven. Represented by the 24 elders.

6. The creatures who are busy worshipping, remind of God being the focus in heaven.

7. There are many things said about who God is in Chapter 4.

8. We are actually going to be there in Chapter 4.

9. The church will be taken to heaven.

10. One way or the other we will wind up there.

11. We will be singing these songs of praise one day in heaven.

12. Chapter 5 gives us more detail about heaven.

13. In the meantime God has us here on earth to do His will.

14. Let's help others get to heaven.


Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia

What is around, from, and in front of God's throne in heaven?

See Revelation 4:4-6

John was invited to "come up here" in Rev 4:1, after having been shown a door that was open in heaven.

Immediately, "I was in the Spirit" as he says, and saw the throne of God and One that sat upon that throne. What John saw there was color, color, color. It's beautiful to read about, and imagine what it looks like, and then a blessing to know that we will see it also one day.

But, now in 4:4, he begins to tell us what was around the throne, and then what was coming from it, and then what was in front of this colorful throne, and in the midst of it, and again what was around it.

Around the throne, there were 24 thrones, with 24 elders sitting clothed in white robes, and, they had crowns of gold on their heads. See Rev 4:4

From the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. And, there were also 7 lamps of fire burning from before the throne which are the 7 Spirit's of God.

Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal.

And in the midst of the throne and around the throne were 4 living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.

Some things to reflect upon, and for application.

1. God is gracious and has brought others to be with Him in heaven and for all eternity.
This is clear from the 24 elders who are there around the throne of God. I'm not sure who these elders are, but, they are not angels, they appear to be men who were at one time here on the earth. At least that's my understanding. But, we know God brings people to heaven to enjoy His grace forever and ever.

2. God has clothed these 24 elders in white robes and placed crowns of gold on their heads. The Lord gives us the white robes of His righteousness to wear. We will have ( and do now in a real sense ) these robes of righteousness as well. The elders have crowns, and so will all of God's people to one degree or another. We will be given in heaven, rewards, i.e crowns for various aspects of our service here on earth. We will also reign and rule with Christ during the 1000 year reign of Jesus on the earth.

3. What John heard and saw from the throne, i.e the lightnings, and the thunderings and voices, we will also see and hear one day. This is reminiscent of what Moses and the children of Israel saw and heard from the mountain where the 10 commandments were given. It speaks of God's great power, and one can only try to imagine who these voices are, and what were they saying. We will learn a little bit of what's being said later in this fourth chapter. But, here in these verses today, it's not explained in any great detail to us. But, lighting and thunderings in our world remind us of how small we are, and how big and powerful what we call nature is. The skies and heavens roar sometimes and it almost shakes the earth below. The sound of powerful cracking in the skies makes us feel our smallness in any real storm above. What great eternal, infinite power there is in our God.

4. What is the sea of glass? I do not know, except to say that the word "sea" is used in Revelation, to describe vast multitudes of people. This sea in front of the throne is a sea of glass, like crystal.
Again, the use of the word "like" is seen here. This sea was "like" crystal, that's the best way that John could describe it. One thing that comes to my mind is, that this could in some way represent the multitudes of saved people, who are clear of all sin as it were. Crystal is clear. You can see right through it. We are cleared of all sin, no remembrance of them, all of them gone forever and ever, never to be mentioned again. All sin paid for.

5. These 4 living creatures that are around the throne will be explained in some detail in the next few verses. They also speak to and about God. See 4:8. We will see these creatures when we arrive in heaven. We also know that the 24 elders are affected and act when these 4 creatures give glory to God. And, then the elders speak out as well. All of the speech is really praise and adoration to the One who sits on the throne.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia

Some blessings from God.....let's count them.

Peter is going to address them later on, as those who were going through suffering and trials. But, before he does that, he recounts for them, what God has blessed them with. This is a good and encouraging way to view our own lives and situations. You may be going through a difficulty, but, let's not forget the truths of God's many, many blessings in our lives. 

1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

1:2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1:4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

1: 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

We are now pilgrims, whose citizenship is in another land, that land of heaven with God and Jesus Christ. 

We have been chosen by the Lord in His foreknowledge, ( or in His forethought, and pre-arrangement ) The Lord has had us in mind, long ago, in eternity past.

We have been set apart ( to be holy ) by God through His Spirit.

We can have God's grace and peace multiplied in our lives. 

We have received God's abundant mercy.

We have been begotten again, or born again.

We now have a living hope in Jesus Christ.

We have an inheritance in Jesus Christ.

We are kept by the power of God through faith.

There are many more things that are said here, and in the days ahead, we will look at them more closely. But, for now, these are wonderful, and given to us by the Lord.

Thank You Father. In Jesus name

Application/Promise.

1. You have given us so much Lord.

2. We deserved none of these.

3. These are all from Your grace.

4. How can we ever thank You.

5. Would You help us appreciate these blessings.

6. You are so good to us.

Are we judges with evil thoughts?

I hope not, James hoped his readers were not, and the Lord calls us to love our neighbor, not judge them. James was trying to correct a problem among his readers, of "showing partiality" See the 4 verses below.

James 2:1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.

James 2:2For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes,

James 2:3and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,”

James 2:4have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

As those who hold the faith of Jesus Christ, we are called to not be partial to people. We are called to avoid treating a person a certain way because of who they are. James gives in the next portion of his letter, that partiality shown to the rich and to the poor. And, he says if your doing this, then you have become judges with evil thoughts. Ouch.......that's serious, and it's of great concern to God, who is the judge, and who has called us to relate to one another by loving each other, and avoiding partiality.

Human nature is such, that it can do things that are evil and destructive. This is one of them. None of us would appreciate it if we went into an assembly of believers, and because of how we look, or how we are dressed that we would be treated without the respect shown to others. And, if we were told to "just go stand over there, or sit in this really low place" It would not be a blessing to us, and of course, it's not a blessing to anyone else if treat them that way.

So, James is laying out this issue, and calling all who believe in Jesus Christ, to fulfill the royal law, which is, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" and, if we do that he says, we "doing well" See James 2:8.

We must admit, at least I must admit, I can see this tendency within myself, and I imagine that any christian would say, that they have had to deal with this. But the blessing is, and the good news is, that we change that behavior, and we can put partiality aside, and make a real concerted effort, to just be genuine lovers of all people.

We needs God's help, power and grace to do it. And, God would never ask us to do something that we can't do in Christ.

Lord, we admit it, we have this kind of thing in us from time to time, and we pray to be delivered from it, and to established, more and more in your kind and unconditional, impartial love, and find ourselves pleasing You. You are so great, that You command us to love one another. What a command. Thank You Lord. In Jesus name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier

Calvary Chapel Visalia

Application/Promises

1. God is not partial.

2. God loves everyone the same.

3. God's church is not to be partial.

4. God's love in the church is to be the same to each one.

5. God will give us His love for every person.

6. God corrects us and changes us if we let Him

7. God is so wonderful. He loves You.

8. God says, "love one another"