Revelation: Heresy?

It's not a typo. The book is really called Revelation - not revelationS. It's just one revelation.

Anyway.

I heard an excellent point about heresy. Often, we only think of it as teaching incorrect things. However, heresy also includes not teaching all there is to teach. I encounter this a lot when teaching kids about Bible stories. We never tell them David cut off Goliath's head. And David slept with a married woman. You never Cain and Abel in kid's Bibles.

I understand age appropriateness.

But sadly, this is also true of a lot of adults. We leave bits and pieces out of our stories. We don't want to scare people, offend people, or look crazy so we water it down. I have heard many people admit to never reading Revelation because it is too scary. They can't believe our God of love and grace would shower down the bowls and trumpets of judgement on earth. So, we avoid that part of the Bible all together.

I admit, it is a hard read. You feel an overwhelming sense of grief and compassion for those who will experience the end times, and an overwhelming peacefulness if you are marked and sealed by God. Because it says clearly harm will not come upon those with God's seal on their forehead (see previous post "sealed by God").

After reading through the beginning of Revelation (up to chapter 10 so far), I see God in a whole new light. It has expanded my understanding of His grace, tolerance, and wrath. It has made me love Him more. And the book even STARTS by saying blessed are those who read this and hear it. Blessed!

So, consider learning the full Gospel story. You'll be a lot less surprised at the end of days if you know how it ends. There should be a spoiler alert at the beginning of Revelation, for sure.

Stay At Home Baby

I am currently a stay-at-home baby, and a lot of people wonder how I fill my days ... so here is a typical day in the life of me, Breanna Mackey.

A hearty, yet healthy, breakfast. Sweet potatoes and corn today. Yum!


I fold lots of laundry...


Time for stimulating block play...


Finally, I get dressed.


I give Giselle a cookie before it's time for errands...


Off to the grocery store...


Shoot, did I forget to write down baby food?


Nope, there it is. Third down on my list.


I make some important calls ...


I spend some quality time with Daddy ...


Then I have a little drink with dinner (because its been a long day).


And I'm full ... time for bed!


I left out quite a bit of "non-essential" activities (pooping, crying, sleeping, etc.), but this my typical day. I'm a very busy girl!

Blessed

I have been learning frequently the mystery of ONE thing God does ...

We will experience loss to know and appreciate gain.

When there is death, we appreciate life. When there is sickness, we appreciate health. When there is sin, we appreciate grace. When there is grief, we appreciate comfort. When there is trial, we appreciate conquest.

God doesn't withhold an easy life to make us suffer. He allows us to experience life so we can appreciate eternal life. He allows us to experience separation from Him so we can appreciate the reunion to come. He allows us to feel conviction so we can appreciate Jesus's sacrifice for us on the cross.

I have seen this is numerous ways throughout the past few months in practical ways. God has given me a multitude of glimpses into how my life could be harder to make me appreciate where I am.

I heard a testimony about a woman who lost her baby in childbirth when the cord wrapped around her neck, and they couldn't get her out in time. It made 40 hours of labor look easy.

I struggled with sleep deprivation when Bree was a newborn, and then my sister had a baby with complicated health issues, and it made losing sleep a lot less important.

I struggled handling Bree throughout the day, and then I started watching two babies ... And it made having just Bree seem like cake.

I see loss, and I appreciate gain. Just as God intended.

Sealed by God

Revelation makes one thing very clear: there is a very visible seal on our forehead if we belong to Christ.

In the Old Testament, priests wore a turban on their heads with a plate on the front that said Holy is the Lord! This was there physical seal that they belonged to Christ. Everyone would see it, whether they acted holy or not.

Now, we are Christ's new priesthood - based on the New Testament. And make no mistake - we have the same seal. It is just a spiritual seal. And God promises that it is very visible to Him, the Devil, and all principalities of light and darkness. There is stamp across our foreheads that says HOLY is the LORD (or something else marking God's ownership of our hearts).

As I think about it, I kind of wish it were actually visible.

I can picture Bree sitting in a car on her first date with a boy, and it says HOLY is the LORD across her forehead. Mood killer?

If people actually saw our seal, wouldn't we be more intentional about our words and actions? You might see a sealed person at the checkout counter screaming at the worker so you walk up and ask, "holy is the Lord?" You have a sealed person harboring unforgiveness so you ask, "holy is the Lord?"

You get it.

So, if you see me with a new tattoo on my forehead, it won't be a complete shock.

Holy is the Lord!

Overcomer

We were created to be conquerors, overcomers.

I feel like all too often, I feel conquered. Stuck UNDER the things I struggle with rather than standing on top of them.

Romans 8:37 says we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.

It's not about my past - what I overcame 5 years ago. What am I overcoming today? Do I continue to stand ON the struggles of my life now, or do I get stuck under their weight? We were never meant to be buried beneath life's troubles.

So, today I will overcome. Tomorrow I will overcome. And I will keep overcoming until I get to the throne of God wearing my long, white robe (currently studying Revelation).

Timeless Advice

I was thinking about something yesterday in the shower (pretty much my only time to think without distraction).

Our parents are basically being told everything they did with us was wrong, and I think that's completely unfair.

I think older women have awesome advice. I think in some cases times have just changed. It has nothing to do with them raising us wrong but more with how the world is now.

For instance, getting hit by a semi traveling 70 miles an hour was probably fairly unlikely when Laura Ingalls was a kid, so they didn't need car seats and car seat regulations like we do now. Were they wrong? No, just different times and different circumstances.

Why didn't Ma break out her Medela breast pump and freeze a bottle for Pa so she could ride down to the local church bake sale without the kiddos? Because women were the child-rearers and homemakers. They didn't consider the possibility of "me" time very often.

I won't even go into Germ-X ...

My point is that our parents did what was best at that time, and that's all we can do as moms: our best for where we are at right now.

So, thank you mom. I turned out great, and I pray Bree will too!