There are times when I consider the evil of our day that I wonder: "“Lord, the one who is holy and true, how long until you judge those who live on the earth?" (Revelation 6:10). Indeed, it seems the world has mimicked Israel: "Yet you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood." (Amos 6:12). God has promised through His Word that He will judge with righteousness ...  Read More

If you know this song, it is difficult to read Revelation 5 without having it come to mind.  Though I am quite certain that you will hear the music in your mind, try reading the lyrics without singing. Indeed, He is worthy!! Is He Worthy?  (Andrew Peterson, Ben Shive)Do you feel the world is broken?(We do)Do you feel the shadows deepen?(We do)But do you know that all the dark won'tStop the light f...  Read More

“Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” These are the words of the heavenly messenger guiding John through the revelation of Jesus Christ (Revelation 4:1b). John, anticipating what must take place (think events in the future) is caught up into the epicenter of God's existence and his focus turns from events to the indescribable scene of heaven's throneroom and God Hims...  Read More

Continuing our seven-church (Revelation 2-3) reflection from yesterday, we move on to Sardis (3:1-6). Unlike the old soda add, image is not everything...God sees through reputations to reality, am I awake in my faith or asleep in the light? Like Smyrna, Philadelphia (3:7-13) has no criticism from Christ...so may my journey be blameless in Him...even when life does not favor me am I found faithful ...  Read More

The letters to the seven churches (Revelation 2-3) always become a call to reflection for me. Like Ephesus (2:1-7), am I being intolerant of evil without a loveless legalism, so at the same time am I loving God with all I am and my neighbor as myself? As in Smyrna (2:8-11), can I be like this church about which Christ only had commendation, for they were rich in everything that mattered to Him? Wi...  Read More

"Hear the word of the LORD, people of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land: There is no truth, no faithful love, and no knowledge of God in the land!" (Hosea 4:1, CSB)What ultimately matters to God is our relationship with Him. His judgment against Israel applies to the day in which we live. Reject truth and you reject God. So vital is truth that Jesus made this uneq...  Read More