Coffee with Kurt

A Blasphemous Name

cwithk — Wed, 11 May 2011 21:38:14 +0000

Revelation 13:1

Then I, that is John, stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.

Looking back on Easter we understand our Hope is the Resurrection. Christ didn’t just die on a cross, but He was also raised from the grave. As Paul said, the mortal puts on immortality.

That’s the hope, not just that our sins are forgiven and that we now have peace with God, but that we have everlasting life. He is the first fruit of which, we too, will partake. As Christ was raised to eternal life, so shall we be also. The hope of the resurrection is the hope of life everlasting; it is the proof that the Father accepted the death of His Son.

How encouraging that is compared with the time we are currently studying in the Book of Revelation.

John starts out by telling us in Revelation 13:1:

“on his heads a blasphemous name.”

Before we review the sea and the seven heads and ten horns with ten crowns, let’s look at the blasphemous name.

There are two ways to blaspheme:

Make yourself equal to God or equate your idols as such
Take His name in vain

Here I believe both apply.

He will make himself to be God and he will take God’s name and all that is in Heaven in vain.

This individual – the one John called the antichrist – and those who follow him – are the stark contrast to the hope and forgiveness and everlasting life we look forward to.

Give your life to Christ!

This is an excerpt from the May 1, 2011, sermon preached at Calvary Chapel Seaside in Laguna Beach, California.

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The Origin of the Beast

cwithk — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:05:50 +0000

Revelation 13:1

Then I, that is John, stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.

The fact that John tells us he, “… saw a beast rising up out of the sea” is taken by many to mean that he comes from the great mass of humanity, namely the Gentile world. Others believe this is a reference to the Mediterranean Sea, so the wild beast will come from the Mediterranean region–this could be Egypt, Turkey, Italy, or others.

Or maybe you believe, as some do, that this is a reference to the Mahdi or 12th Imam which Iran has been going on about in recent news. I am not sure of the last one here, but the first two work. They both kind of fit; and, probably both are true.

That the beast is a Gentile and he will come out of the Mediterranean region may be Rome itself. This is the Beast which we refer to as the Anti-christ, the one world leader who in the end time will rule over the revived Roman Empire…

This is an excerpt from the April 10, 2011, sermon preached at Calvary Chapel Seaside in Laguna Beach, California.

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On the Wings of Eagles

cwithk — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 22:31:30 +0000

Revelation 12:14

But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place.

It is the same picture that we find in Exodus 19:4. God, speaking to the Hebrew, tells them “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.”

God said that He had born Israel as on two wings of a great eagle, So the picture here is to remind the Jewish people, who are fleeing, that God will also deliver them from her enemies as he had in Egypt.

Note: the woman was given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness to her place where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, or 3.5 years. The time is coming to an end shortly. There is just 3.5 years to go; during that time they shall be protected.

The Lord will take her to her place and there she will be cared for and protected from the presence of the serpent.

We have a God who neither changes His mind nor breaks a promise; how encouraging is that! (Numbers 23:19)

This is an excerpt from the April 3, 2011, sermon preached at Calvary Chapel Seaside in Laguna Beach, California.

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The Serpent of Old

cwithk — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 21:56:08 +0000

Revelation 12:9

So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

John tells in verse 9 of Revelation 12:9 “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan,” this is a fairly good picture here of the dragon and what he is all about – his history – that serpent of old, takes you all the way back to Eden and the dawn of creation where it was the serpent who tempted Eve and this is what he does – he tempts mankind – with man’s own desires…we talked about this Thursday about Idols…

So he is the tempter, the serpent of old, also called the Devil-one who slanders or accuses – and he is the accuser of the saints…and Satan – the name means Adversary – the enemy of our Lord and those who follow Him – But not just that – he is no friend of anyone or anything in God’s creation…

Some people out there think by worshiping him that they are picking sides and maybe picking the winning one, but in reality they are headed to their doom – not only will they face the Lord’s wrath, but the one they choose to serve will seek their destruction – Peter tells us to “sober, be vigilant; because your adversary Satan right devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” [1 Peter 5:8]

This is an excerpt from the March 27, 2011, sermon preached at Calvary Chapel Seaside in Laguna Beach, California.

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Thank you.

cwithk — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:02:09 +0000

Thank you for stopping by the site; I will be posting devotional excerpts from Sunday Sermons on a regular basis.

I am looking forward to your comments.

Pastor Kurt