Have you ever felt like you've been away from something for so long that it's hard to know how to come back to it? That's how Johan, the host of the Beholding podcast, felt when he returned to his podcast after a hiatus. But he's excited to be back and to try something new with the podcast's format.

"Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference." - Max Lucado

In this episode, Johan starts by taking a moment to prepare his listeners' hearts and minds to receive what God has for them. He invites them to find a quiet space, free from distractions, and to take a deep breath, giving the Lord their worries, fears, and distractions. He then leads them in prayer, asking that God would speak through his word and reveal more about himself to them.

Johan then turns to Revelation 8 to 13, and reads aloud from the passage. As he reads, he encourages his listeners to engage with the Lord in what he's saying in the passage, and to later list the things that they've heard from him. He then highlights one thing that stands out to him in the passage: the absolute sovereignty of God.

He notes that even in the midst of devastating and awe-inspiring events triggered by an angel's action, God is not only in control of these events, but He is also using them to accomplish His purposes. And even in the midst of judgment, there is a redemptive purpose at work. Johan takes away from the passage that we can be assured that God is in control, and that even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty, we can trust that He is working all things together for our good and that His plans and purposes will ultimately prevail.

Johan then encourages his listeners to read the passage on their own and ask the Lord to reveal his heart to them. He reminds them that the Beholding podcast is a canvas, and the painting is an ever-expanding portrait of Jesus. He invites them to come with him on this long journey endeavoring to find out what God is like using the Scriptures as his roadmap.

In this episode of Beholding, Johan invites his listeners to take the time to behold God together, to engage with His word, and to allow Him to reveal more about Himself to them. It's a reminder that even in the midst of uncertainty and chaos, we can trust in God's sovereignty and know that His plans and purposes will ultimately prevail."

Visit: https://beholding.ca

God is not only the Greatest of all beings but the Best. All the goodness there is in any creature has been imparted from the Creator, but God’s goodness is underived, for it is the essence of His eternal nature. -Arthur W. Pink

Hey everyone, Welcome to Beholding, I am Johan and I am so happy you joined me. 

 Before we get into the good stuff let’s get all the info out of the way so that at the end of this podcast you can use that time to connect with the Lord’s heart without distractions.

First of all, follow, share the podcast…all those nice things that help spread the word

You can support my ministry as well as the podcast by heading over to beholding.ca

Last episode we read through the beautiful prophesy at the end of Revelation 7. About the over-comers and those that came out of the tribulation. God wipes every tear from their eyes and washes their robes in white to come and serve Him day and night in the temple.

This week we move on to Revelation 8 where we wrap up the discourse on the 7 seal judgments. 

So here we go Revelation 8:1-5

The Passage

When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, 4 and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. 5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings,[a] flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

The List:

1. He is The Lamb 

2. (the lamb) opens the seventh seal

3. There are moments of silence in heaven 

4. There is a measurement of time in heaven

5. There are seven angels that stand before God

6. The Lord distributes trumpets to his angels

7. There is an angel with a censor before the altar 

8. That angel uses the censor to offer our prayers as incense to God

9. Our prayers rise like incense and smoke before God 

10. There is fire on the heavenly altar

11. He assigns an angel to throw fiery judgements to the earth 

12. Our prayers stir up the Lord to release judgments

You are the Lamb 

You (the lamb) open the seventh seal

There are seven angels that stand before you

You distribute trumpets to his angels

You place an angel with a censor before the altar 

That angel uses the censor to offer our prayers as incense to you

Our prayers rise like incense and smoke before you

There is fire on your heavenly altar

You assign angels to throw fiery judgements to the earth 

Our prayers stir up your heart to release judgments

The God of Israel is sometimes a God who hides Himself, but never a God who absents Himself; sometimes in the dark, but never at a distance. -Matthew Henry

Last week we were in the second session of Revelation 7. We read about the multitude before His throne, the diversity of people worshiping before Him from every nation, tribe, tongue. This week we finish off Revelation 7 with verses 13-17

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

“Therefore they are before the throne of God,

    and serve him day and night in his temple;

    and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;

    the sun shall not strike them,

    nor any scorching heat.

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,

    and he will guide them to springs of living water,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

1. He allows the elders initiate conversation
2. The great multitude that is before his throne from every tribe, tongue and nation are the ones that have come out of the great tribulation
3. He washes those from the tribulation in his blood
4. Those he washes in blood makes them white and pure
5. Those who come out of the great tribulation have the privilege of being before His throne, serving God day and night in the heavenly temple
6. He shelters the overcomers with his presence
7. Those who came out of the tribulation shall no longer hunger thirst or be struck by the scorching sun
8. The lamb is in the midst of the throne
9. The lamb will shepard those that came out of the great tribulation
10. The lamb will guide the overcomers to the springs of living water
11. God will wipe away every tear from the eyes of those that came out of the tribulation

You allow the elders initiate conversation before your throne

Those who came out of tribulation are before your throne

You wash those from the tribulation in your blood

Your washing blood makes us white and pure

Those who come out of the great tribulation have the privilege of being before your throne, serving you day and night in the heavenly temple

You shelter the overcomers with your presence

Those who came out of the tribulation shall no longer hunger thirst or be struck by the scorching sun

You are the lamb and you are in the midst of the throne

You, the lamb will shepard those that came out of the great tribulation

You, the lamb will guide the overcomers to the springs of living water

You will wipe away every tear from the eyes of those that came out of the tribulation

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website: beholding.ca

email: johan@beholding.ca