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The Character of Antichrist Depicted
“And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people” (v. 24).
“God is my Fuehrer!”
These words sprang from the lips of Martin Niemöller, pastor of one of the largest churches in Berlin when Adolf Hitler was chancellor of Germany. Well loved, articulate, and a faithful pastor, his congregation included many soldiers, government officials, and individuals of all kinds. However, when Pastor Niemöller stood up to Hitler by refusing to proclaim him as the head of the Christian church, he became a marked man. This statement finally resulted in his confinement to a concentration camp until the end of World War II.
We must remember that the spirit of an antichrist will always be exposed. Truly, his character will be revealed. In the last days another Antichrist, a world leader, will come who proclaims himself to be both Lord and Saviour. He will deceive many, yet he too shall fall when the King of Kings returns! (James Baker)
And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.
(Martin Luther; Public Doman)
*Are we strong enough to stand and say, “God is my Fuehrer”?*
This devotional is the Monday, July 25, 2016 entry of Opening the Word.
Image Credit: "Martin Niemöller (1952).jpg" by J.D. Noske / Anefo
from Nationaal Archief (CC BY-SA 3.0 NL). Image resized, cropped.
Visit the home of each student at least once.
There's an old saying that "a home-going pastor has a church-going people." Teachers, do you want to increase your class attendance? Do you want to increase the frequency that your students attend class?
This suggested best practice is the first of several yearly habits the teacher should follow. This particular practice is the bare minimum. If you really want to have a positive impact on your students, you probably will need to visit them multiple times throughout the year. However, this tip is written in mind of our modern culture in which many people do not want unannounced visitors on their doorstep. You should be sensitive to the comfort zone of your students.
- Should you schedule a visit or drop in without warning?
- Would it be better to invite them to meet you for a cup of joe at the coffee shop instead?
- Would meeting at the church throughout the week or before/after a service be more appropriate?
The point of this practice is to encourage you as the teacher to "pastor" your class. In order to shepherd them spiritually, you need to know them more deeply. What are you doing on a yearly basis to achieve this?
The Rule of Antichrist
Lesson 9 - July 31, 2016
Focus Text: Revelation 13:4-18
Central Truth: The Bible foretells a period of great tribulation when a world dictator will rule the earth.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to explain the Bible's teaching concerning the Antichrist.
Lesson Outline:
- Empowered by Satan (Revelation 13:1-7)
- Worshipped by the World (Revelation 13:8-15)
- Identified by a Mark (Revelation 13:16-18)
Prayer – Lesson 8, God's Servants
Heavenly Father, thank you for the opportunity to serve you. Help our teachers and students this week to understand their privilege and responsibility as Your servants. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Preparing to Enjoy Heaven
In "God's Word for Today", Steve Oliver writes the following question:
Imagine that you are touring an art gallery filled with the greatest works of art in the world. Would you enjoy it? Now imagine that an art expert who has studied art his whole life is touring the same art gallery. Who would enjoy it more — you or the art expert?
Oliver suggests this answer:
The art expert has spent his life studying and preparing to understand the art, so he will certainly have a much greater appreciation for the art. And we can expect to have a much greater enjoyment of heaven if we have put much effort into preparing for it.
Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 47.
How does edification work?
In "Doctrinal Discussion" Don Englund writes:
Leaping out of the pages of the Bible is the spiritually-sounding word of edification — a word that comes from two Greek words meaning “house” and “to build.” …
But how does the process of edification work? First, the work of edifying — building up one another — must be intention-ally pursued. “Let us therefore follow after [pursue] the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another” (Rom. 14:19). In addition, the ministry of edification needs the added ingredient of love. “Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth” (1 Cor. 8:1). And don't forget to add your spiitual gifts to the pursuit of building others up. Identify the gift, and then put it to work! “[While] ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church” (1 Cor. 14:12).
Finally, time in the Word of God is essential for building up others. A failure to spend time in God's Word will virtually guarantee that we will participate in tearing down others in our sarcastic, cynical world. “The word of his grace . . . is able to build you up” (Acts 20:32). As we are repaired and remodeled by His grace, we will be effective in building up others.
Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 49.