In Revelation 8 we see a precious golden bowl at the breaking of the seventh seal during the Great Tribulation. In this bowl are the prayers of the saints—your prayers, your petitions, your confessions, your praise of God, your cries for justice. An angel offers this bowl to God at the golden altar. Then the angel fills it with fire from the altar and hurls it down upon the earth—and judgment is released.

Read Revelation 20:11-15. In this passage of Scripture, John describes how God is going to judge the world. We will all give an account on the day of judgment (see Matthew 12:36), and each of us will fall into one group or the other: those whose names are written in the book of life—and those whose names are not. You may ask, “How can I be sure my name is written in the book of life?” Jesus said, “Only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” The will of the Father is that we commit our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. Confess to Him that you are a sinner, repent of your sins, and receive Jesus, once and for all, as your Lord and Savior. Ask Him to write your name in His book. Then live every day for Him.

Through thousands of years of human sin and rebellion, God has been patient. He has withheld His judgment and wrath, in spite of being blasphemed and rejected by the wicked human race. God’s people have been persecuted and killed by the ungodly—and through it all, God has been patient. In fact, He has been so patient that His followers have often asked, “Lord, where are You? How much longer will You wait?”

Let no one assume that He will tolerate sin and rebellion forever. A day is coming when God’s patience will come to an end. A day will come when Satan will see his final defeat. So let us hold fast to the light of Christ as the world plunges into moral and spiritual darkness, remembering His love for us and His promises: “I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:3).

Prayer: God, thank You for Your justice and Your love. I pray for those who do not yet know You. May You give them ears to hear Your Truth and lead me as I share Your Gospel with the lost. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

*Devotional adapted from End Times and the Secret of the Mahdi by Michael Youssef © 2016. Published by Worthy Books, Franklin, TN. Used by permission.

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