Urgent Repetition
Pastor Ben Kirkman

Growing up on a farm, my childhood was filled with many urgently repeated warnings. When I failed to consider those warnings, I often found myself in dangerous situations. I seemingly enjoyed finding out the consequences of unheeded warnings. (I am honestly not sure how I survived my childhood.) It was a slight challenge to decide which story of unheeded warning to share with you for this devotion; there are just too many from which to choose.

Our farm had around three acres of yard to mow. Every summer I begged my dad for the opportunity to mow the grass. Finally, after years of begging, when I was around eight years old he finally decided it was time to teach me to drive our mower. We started in the barnyard, a big, wide-open chunk of grass. The only hazard was a large drainage ditch on the north edge of the yard (by a large ditch, I mean it also doubled as our sledding hill in the winter). My dad mowed several passes in front of the ditch to give me room to safely turn and mow back in the other direction. He sat me on the tractor and stood behind me on the hitch. He walked me through all of the important how-tos and what-not-to-dos of operating our antique mower. I remember thinking, “I’ve got it, I’ve got it, just let me take my foot off the clutch and go.” Before I started he warned me, “Start your turn when your front tires cross the grass I have already mowed in front of the ditch. I have given you plenty of room to turn.” With that warning out of the way, we were off. I was driving. I was mowing! My dad was standing right behind me encouraging and reminding me of the instructions he had just given. As we got close to the mark where I was to turn, he started saying, “Get ready to turn.” As the turning point came and went he got a little more animated: “Turn, turn, turn! Push the clutch! Push the brake!” I completely froze. As my front tires headed down the ditch, I held on tightly to the steering wheel. In self-preservation, my dad jumped off the back and watched as I drove the tractor straight down the ditch and into the opposite bank. I was fine (I did put my mowing career on pause for another summer), the tractor would eventually be fine once recovered and repaired, but it could have ended very badly. I had a clear, urgent warning that I failed to observe!
 
As John is wrapping up Revelation, we see him urgently repeat a phrase from Jesus three times. In Revelation 22:7, 12, and 20, we read, “I am coming soon.” At this point in our study, we have already seen a glimpse into the Apocalypse, the judgments, and the glorious return and reign of Jesus. We have been made aware of what is coming. It is like John throws out this final plea as he wraps up this letter. “Jesus is returning, these events will happen, I am throwing out this final, urgent warning. Jesus is coming soon, do you believe in Him? Do you know Him? Are you ready for His return? Do not miss the urgent repetition. Jesus is coming soon!”

The Bible teaches that God is merciful and gracious, while His character is also urgently declared to be holy and righteous! The Bible also repeatedly warns that because of our sin we desperately need the atoning work of a Savior. Jesus is that glorious Savior. Do you know Him? The Bible closes with the urgent repetition that Jesus is coming soon. Are you ready for His return and to one day stand before Him?

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” Revelation 22:20-21

Carry the Light
Pastor Josh Yates

We experience so many things in our lives. There are ups and downs, successes and failures, and struggles and victories. These events are so often personal and very close to us. A loved one is suffering. We have personal challenges with health, finances, and relationships. Maybe you made a bad decision and are struggling through the fallout. Possibly another person did something that hurt you deeply and you are trying to wade into the deep waters of forgiveness if that is possible.

Nationally, we have been through a lot in the past year. Decisions have been made on abortion and gun control along with a racial divide that is seemingly huge. We seem to be very separated as a nation. Shootings seem to be happening with regularity. So much so that we are less and less surprised when we hear of them in the news.

When we consider these things, it is heartbreaking and we can begin to lose hope, even faith. God, what is going on? When will you make all things right?

Revelation 22:1-5 says, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

A day is coming when Jesus will make all things right. He will judge the world and justice will reign. Healing will come. Provision will be plentiful. Those that have accepted Jesus as their Savior will see His face (not his back like Moses did) and will bear His name. The night can seem so dark at times, but night will be no more. God, Himself will be our light!

These verses bring me back to the truth that God will make all things right.

However, will that only happen in the future?

As a child of God, you bear his name now. You carry the light of Jesus today. You have the fruit of the Spirit in your life to impact those around you at this moment.

Matthew 5:14 and 16 read:

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

In 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NLT) Paul adds, “For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Carry the light of Jesus wherever you go. He has a purpose and plan for you as the light of the world. God will make all things right in the future. In the meantime, shine the light of Jesus and allow Him to use you to impact lives around you.

In his song, “Don’t You Give Up On Me,” Brandon Lake sings, “When the night’s at its darkest, that’s when the light hits the hardest.”

Almost There
Pastor Philip Piasecki

Have you ever found yourself waiting for someone to pick you up or meet you somewhere, and they are running late? Not only are they late, but they double down by telling you they are “almost there.” When in reality they are not even close. They tell you they are five minutes away when really they are fifteen minutes away? This is one of my biggest pet peeves. It is not the being late part, but the not being honest about being late part. If you are fifteen minutes away, just say you are fifteen minutes away so I can plan accordingly! Just be honest people! Okay, thanks for letting me vent. I feel like some Christians have this perspective toward Jesus when they think of His second coming. He clearly tells us in Scripture that He is “coming soon.”

Revelation 22:6-7 says, “And he said to me, ‘These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.’”

We may read this some two thousand years later and feel that He is confused about His definition of the word “soon.” Just like the person who says they are almost there when they are not even close. This is when we must humble ourselves and acknowledge that His ways are not our ways. When thinking about the second coming, I love to think of 2 Peter 3:8, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”

When we look at the second coming through the perspective of this verse, the Lord has only been gone a little over two days. In His eternal perspective, He is coming soon. So, why does Christ tell us He is coming soon, what should our response be to that? Is it to stare at the sky each day looking for His return? Of course not, but unfortunately many Christians fall into the trap of being consumed with His second coming that they neglect the work that the Lord has put before them.

Revelation 22:11-13 adds, “Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy. Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

I love that the verse says let “the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” Despite the fact that the Lord is coming soon we have a job to do. We still need to be righteous and we still need to be holy. We have a world that needs saving and we should thank God for every extra day that He waits to return, because that means more people around us have the opportunity to know the saving love of Christ. When the Lord does return, I hope He finds the people of The River Church busy growing in their faith and sharing the love of Christ with others.

Bible Bookends
Sierra Combs

If you were to wander around my house, you would find old books in every corner. Even the closets are full of books that I have no room for. If it is old and has a beautiful cover, I feel as if I need to have it, and I have many hundreds to prove my obsession. While I do very much love to read and learn, ironically most of my reading is done on a digital device. Yet it still does not stop me from buying old books, putting them out on display, and just admiring the beauty. Part of this I blame on Disney. I was 6 years old when “Beauty and the Beast” came out, and for the last 31 years I have been waiting for someone to gift me an in-home, two-story library, complete with two spiral staircases and a giant fireplace. Not surprisingly, I am still waiting. There is just something about a beautiful, old, well-written book that stirs the soul. The Bible is literally just that. Its message contains the most beautiful words you will ever hear, and nothing has or will ever be better written. It is certainly very old, and it has the power to stir your soul and change you completely. It is the Word of God, and no other set of books could ever compare.

If you have read the Bible in its entirety, you can see that from the very beginning until the very end, it is all about Jesus. While the beginning of time and the end appear to be very different, there are many significant similarities to both. This has always struck me and is such a beautiful reminder of how amazing God is and how His words are perfect and true. I invite you to turn to the first few pages of your Bible with me. In Genesis chapter 2 we are told that “the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:8-9). The man, Adam, is given full access to the Tree of Life but is forbidden to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam fails the test, eats from the forbidden tree, sin enters the world, and God’s story continues for another 65 books.

Now we should flip to the very last chapter of the very last book of the Bible. Revelation 22:1-5 says, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life… also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” Does that sound familiar? Just as at the beginning of time, here we again see the Tree of Life. This tree is both literal and symbolic, representing eternal life and blessing that can come only from God. When sin entered the world through Adam’s disobedience, access to this tree was cut off. Death enters the scene. Yet, God did not leave us without hope. Instead, He sent His only son Jesus to pay the debt that we owe. The perfect Jesus died on a cross, taking the penalty for our sins. When we trust in Him as Savior, we are reborn and forgiven, given full access to the Father. What Adam lost for humanity, Jesus gives back. One day when He returns, we will live with Him forever in a new Paradise, with full access to that same Tree of Life that brings healing to the nations. Revelation 22:14 says, “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.” Verse 17 gives the invitation for all to come, “And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”

From the very beginning, before the foundations of the world until its end, it is all about Jesus. When we look at the very first sentence of the Bible in Genesis, we see that the creation of the universe was through Him. The apostle John reminds us of this when he tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:1-5). Jesus is the Word. Just as it started with Him, it also ends with Him. Revelation 22:20-21 reads, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” Jesus, Himself sums it up perfectly in Revelation 22:13 when He declares, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” If there ever were a perfect set of literary bookends, nothing could be better than Jesus!

We Will See His Face!
Pastor Roy Townsend

When I think of all the things that I have learned in the last few years, I cannot believe the importance of seeing someone’s face. My friends that are working in the school system tell me of the difficulties with not being able to see the student’s face or with the students’ difficulty in not being able to see the teacher’s face. As a teacher and pastor, it is my desire to be in a personal relationship with others, and we rely heavily on looking at someone’s face to understand them better and be in a better relationship with them. In today’s Scripture, we will learn about when believers get to see the face of God.

Revelation 22:1-5 reads, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

Recently, I was teaching a lesson on Heaven, and we were looking at this Scripture. We were discussing all the wonderful descriptions of what Heaven looks like. Water flowing from the throne of God is as “bright as crystal.” The Tree of Life is bearing twelve different types of fruit, a different type for each month. Nothing bad will be there. These are exciting facts, but then we got to what I believe will be the best part, “They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.”

The Scriptures make it clear that nobody can see God’s face and live. Moses was told this is Exodus 33:20, “‘But,’ he said, ‘you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.’” The Apostle John reiterates this fact in John 1:18, “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”

Wow, so now we know that those who have accepted Christ as their Savior will see God face-to-face. We will not just be living in a paradise, but we will be living and seeing God. God’s plan in the Garden of Eden was to live with man. The Scriptures portray that we were in an intimate face-to-face relationship with God, and His wonderful plan is to restore that intimate relationship with man.

We have seen the need for mankind to have face-to-face relationships, and that face-to-face intimacy with God will be restored as described in Revelation chapter 22.

Do You Desire Jesus’ Return?
Pastor Roy Townsend

As a child growing up in the church, I always heard the saying, “Jesus is coming soon. Be ready!” I want to be honest in saying that these words caused great fear in me. Not only did I hear this message often, but we sang about the return of Christ in our worship times. We sang a southern Gospel song which included this language:

"Jesus is coming soon, morning or night or noon
Many will meet their doom, trumpets will sound
All of the dead shall rise, righteous meet in the skies
Going where no one dies, heavenward bound."

I understand that these words were meant to cause me to be glad, but I was still a very immature Christian. I did not understand the importance not only of the promise that Jesus is coming back, but the example that I should be desiring and communicating to Jesus my desire that He comes back!

Revelation 22:12-20 reads, “‘Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.’ Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. ‘I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.’ The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”

We can see from this section that Christ has promised to come back, and this is a major promise that we as Christ followers hold deeply. In this same section of Scripture though, we see that the Holy Spirit, the church, and even the Apostle John, who was inspired to write the book of Revelation, call on Jesus to come. We can see that it is important for us to desire or live with expectancy for Christ to return. Warren Wiersbe writes, “When the church lives in expectancy of Christ’s return, such an attitude provokes ministry and evangelism as well as purity of heart.” How many times have I missed the point that the Apostle John commands us to say “come”? How long did I live in resistance to His coming? I was selfish. I wanted what I wanted! I did not want to miss out on life, and I can see how foolish I was in that belief. My encouragement for today is for us to pray for this expectancy. I want to pray that we grow past our selfish and fearful desires, and look to embrace the Lord Jesus as His bride by saying, “Come, Lord Jesus!”

I Can Only Imagine
Cathy Story

The other day our children said, “We are going to draw what Heaven looks like!” We chuckled and told them to go for it, draw what they think Heaven will look like. The white paper and yellow crayons came out and their best ideas of Heaven were created with all of their childlike imagination. I typically do not consider myself strong in arts and crafts, or spatial sense. If someone tries to describe to me what something will look like, or how we could move something to look different, I try my best to cut them off as quickly as possible and explain that I really just cannot imagine what they are trying to say to me. Unless I see it, I struggle to imagine what something will look like! Had I chosen to draw with my children, I probably would have created yellow arches and streets too.

While there are many aspects of Heaven we will have to patiently wait to discover, there are a few things we can know with certainty and excitement! Revelation 21:4 writes, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” For these reasons, we can rejoice! We can look forward to the day and time when we finally get to see and experience all of Heaven in its glory! In the meantime, we wait, tell others, and prepare for that day.

When it comes to gift giving, I can hardly contain myself. I tend to have to shop at the last minute because once I have the gift, I am ready to give it! When getting a gift, I can wait; but giving a gift causes too much excitement at what the response will be. In this meantime of waiting for Heaven, I want to wait with that same eager expectation. You can question yourself along with me, do you live with such eager expectation that you cannot help but share about the goodness of God and who He is? Think about who you may be able to gift with the message of Jesus dying for them on the cross. Who can you think of that may be able to join you in eager expectation of what Heaven will be like.

A Person and a Place
Debbie Gabbara

“No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the LORD your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set; your moon will not go down. For the LORD will be your everlasting light. Your days of mourning will come to an end.” Isaiah 60:19-20 (NLT)

My granddaughter asked me the other day if it is correct to say that God’s plans are perfect. Her question made me think of the Children of Israel and God’s plan for them to become His chosen people as a direct line to the Messiah, Christ Jesus.

Giving us a way to redeem our sin and spend eternity in Heaven with Him was always God’s perfect plan. Jesus came to the Earth to fulfill that plan. He was God and He was also fully man. He lived His life to lead others to His Father. Jesus promised us in John 14:2 that He was going to prepare a place for us so that where He is we might be also. Revelation chapter 21 tells us it will be a place where God Himself will be with us. There will be no mourning, pain, crying, or death.

Heaven is mentioned over 500 times in the Bible. This world is just temporary, we are just passing through here. When our time is finished here on Earth, God wants us to live there forever with Him in the beautiful place that was created to share with us. However, God leaves the decision up to us. We have to choose to be with God by believing that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross, and was resurrected. Through our faith, His blood covers our sins and that allows us to live forever in Heaven with the Lord. Philippians 3:20-21 says, “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

Revelation gives us such a beautiful description of the place God created to spend eternity with His people. There are streets made of gold, a crystal sea, gates made of pearls, and foundations made of beautiful jewels. When I think of Heaven, I think of the brilliance of God and beauty as we have never known. I pray your heart is longing to be in Heaven with God and in His presence forever.


“We were made for a person and a place. Jesus is the person. Heaven it the place.” Randy Alcorn

A Wedding Celebration
Pastor Ferdinand Sanders

Whether or not you are married, I feel like it is safe to say that we are all familiar with the wedding ceremony. This celebratory occasion is when friends and family all gather together, some traveling great distances, to celebrate love, commitment, and sacrifice. It is the union of marriage. For many women, this is a day that they have dreamed of for almost their entire lives. I have commonly heard people say that their wedding day was “one of the best days of their life.” Coincidentally, I find myself writing this on the anniversary of my wedding day! Some aspects of the wedding I remember in great detail, while other parts of the day are a little bit of a blur. The day somehow felt both very long as well as super quick. I remember the weather was perfect, and it was such a joy to celebrate with people who love and care deeply for both of us as individuals, as well as a wedded couple.

In Revelation chapter 21, after we see all sin and evil defeated, John begins to go into detail regarding a “New Heaven” and “New Earth” that is “prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). The imagery and symbolism of a wedding ceremony is not a foreign concept in the Bible. Many of you may have heard the Church referred to as the “bride” of Christ. I must admit that at first, I found it a little strange to be collectively referred to as the “bride,” but the more I began to think about it and understand it, the more I realized just how beautiful and perfect the imagery is.

As the Church, whenever we look at the marital relationship, one of the best examples we get as husbands is found in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Paul writes, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). In fact, I almost feel like we do not fully embrace all that verse conveys when we only view it through the lens of the marital partnership. We see the perfect example, and we try our best to contextualize and apply it to our human nature, but we know that ultimately we will inevitably always fall short through our own strengths.

To me, this concept truly is fulfilled in Revelation because of the Gospel. Through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, our slate is wiped clean. That is incredible imagery of a bride in a perfect and spotless wedding dress! Now imagine Christ at the altar, what I can only imagine is excitedly waiting for His bride to turn the corner, smiling from ear to ear, knowing that we are to be united with Him in the “New Jerusalem.”

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4

No Shoes in Heaven
John Stone

What do you expect when you get to Heaven and meet Jesus?

Each of our expectations varies, but I have recently asked this question to people and the answers tend to be heartbreaking. They seem to reveal a lack of understanding of how much our Heavenly Father actually loves His children or perhaps an underestimation of the sufficiency of Christ’s atoning work on the cross for them. One man said he would not be surprised if St. Peter dropped the gate on him. Another said he expects to be issued a shoeshine kit but nobody will be wearing shoes. Another said she expects a spanking followed by a hug. On the surface, these answers may sound funny, but these people were not telling jokes. Many of us probably share similar feelings if we have ever contemplated our life and our many shortcomings. I know I have. We have failed Christ so many times, in so many ways, that there must be some kind of punishment waiting. The Catholic Church even fabricated a non-biblical place called Purgatory based on this same idea. Even though the Bible clearly demonstrates the opposite, we just cannot get it through our heads that God could possibly love us that much.

In fact, God loves His sons and daughters so much that He crushed His own Son, Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53), and poured out His wrath on Him so that we could be righteous; His atonement for all our sin, past, present, and future. We will still struggle with sin, and we should struggle, fight, and make war against it, but do not lose hope and think that our failures somehow disqualify us or revoke our inheritance in the Kingdom of our Father (Luke 15:11-24). We should be broken and weep over the sinful condition of our flesh (Romans 7:21-25) knowing it grieves and dishonors Him; but never forget that, because of Christ, our eternal soul is righteous and worthy to be in the presence of God (Romans 8:10). God is not frowning when He thinks of you. The day you confessed Jesus as Lord, He did not roll His eyes and grumble, “Another dirty sinner I have to put up with.” The Bible says the angels in Heaven rejoice when one sinner repents (Luke 15:10)! The angels are not throwing a party in a room down the hall and suddenly get quiet and go back to studying catechism when God bursts in to see what all the noise is about. There is joy in Heaven! The angels are celebrating with God because one sinner, you, turned to Christ! However, the joy does not end there. You are not just another hash mark on the throne room wall or notch on God’s belt to be forgotten when the next sinner displaces you. You are loved and all of Heaven is waiting in anticipation of the day that you come home.

Jesus said He was going away to Heaven to prepare a place for us. If we have ever thought about it we may assume, because He is God, that He can just speak and everything is done. He could, but I do not believe so in this case. Jesus does not build concrete block apartments! I believe He is crafting a custom home for each of us that is uniquely designed to fit our personalities; a house perfectly suited to maximize our comfort and enjoyment (John 14:2), and a place of true rest. He knows us better than we know ourselves (Psalm 139:13; Matthew 10:30; Romans 8:26). Look at the intricacy of creation. Jesus does not cut any corners. He does not forget important details. The building of this house is literally a labor of love by the Creator of the universe for you.

God loves us so much that He chose to share the greatest gift in the universe with us, namely Himself. For now, we have only gotten a taste, but throughout eternity we will never exhaust the glory and wonder of who He is (Ephesians 2:4-9). I hope that we all long to hear our Savior say, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master.” However, for now, we get to walk, we get to run, we get to work for the glory of God to further His Kingdom and add to the joy of Heaven. Put aside any thoughts that our Father’s love for us is conditional. He loves us perfectly with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). Know that when He thinks of you He smiles. Instead of shuffling toward Heaven in shame and trepidation, hold your head high (Luke 21:28), act like the royalty you are (Romans 8:16-17); because your Father, the King of the universe, loves you and delights in you (Psalm 37:23). You are His child and you bring Him joy.

“The Lord bless you, and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine on you,
and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
and give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-27 (NASB)

Reunited
Pastor Noble Baird

The whole concept and idea of a new Heaven and new Earth are mind-boggling. Maybe, this is true for just me, but this is a concept and an important part of Scripture that has always been difficult for me to understand and comprehend. Although I have done some studies, I truly believe we can never study Scripture enough. Just when we think we may have exhausted a passage, the Spirit will reveal another portion or vantage point that we never even considered. In the same way with Revelation, the amount of debate and views are simply endless.

In Revelation 21:3-4, John writes, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’” What an amazing truth and comfort! The dwelling place of the Lord is with us, His most prized creation! Yet, it does not end there; He will wipe away every tear, death will end, pain will not exist, suffering will not be a thing, and He will wipe it all away. The amazing truth of this new Heaven and new Earth is that we will be in the presence of the Lord. His creation will finally be perfected alongside Him, as we were always intended to be!

This may seem like a cop-out to some. However, for me, there is no greater comfort to the uncertainty and the endless debates about a new Heaven and new Earth than knowing that we who have professed Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior will be in His presence, physically together with Him. On that glorious amazing day, He truly will wipe away every tear, sorrow, any ounce of fear and hurt, because we will be reunited with our Lord and Savior for all eternity!

All Things New
Jeannie Yates

Almost everyone I know that has grown up in the church has made their own “replica” of Heaven out of paper towel rolls and cotton balls. I remember that day of Sunday School well. We were given an assortment of everyday items to build and create what we thought Heaven looked like, and then the best part, we spray painted it all gold! We all wonder what Heaven will be like, in fact, there are even songs written about our “mansion just over the hilltop.” When I was younger, I thought the idea of Heaven sounded great and all, but I wanted God to wait until I was older. I am sure I am not the only one that had those thoughts. I realize now that my focus was all wrong. I was focused on the things of Heaven, the stuff, and missing the great delight of Heaven, God Himself.

Revelation 21:1-5 says, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’ And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’”

In his commentary on Revelation, James M. Hamilton, Jr. writes, “So this new Jerusalem is a city because God will dwell there, and it seems to be likened to a bride because God will covenant with his people who dwell with him there.” This is not a new concept. Throughout the Bible, we see God making covenants with His people. In Genesis chapter 17, we see God’s covenant with Abraham, “And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you” (verse 7).

Here in Revelation chapter 21, we hear God making another covenant with His people. Not only will He dwell with His people and be their God, but He will wipe away all the heartache from the sin-ridden world they knew before. In verse 5, He says, “Behold, I am making all things new.” If you are anything like me, all it takes is a look at today’s current headlines and you will long for this day where death, mourning, and pain are no more. Let us not miss the fact that we can have a taste of this even now. This is the Gospel - the Good News! When we recognize our need for a Savior, ask God for forgiveness, and submit to His authority as Lord, He makes us new. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” All the hurt, disappointment, mistakes, and failures that were there before are now made new and we become “the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Hold that thought for a moment and go read the rest of chapter 21; I will wait.

Does that not sound incredible?! May we have a longing for that day. Not for the mansions and gold-paved streets, but may we long for Him. Revelation 21:23 adds, “And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.”

Misconceptions About Heaven and Hell
Pastor Kyle Wendel

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15

Very common misconceptions about what happens after death concern Heaven. Many people believe in Heaven. Many would even believe that everyone goes to Heaven when they die. Many people would say that if you are a good person you can make it to Heaven. These are all untrue.

Another misconception I see often relates to that of Hell. Many say they would not believe Hell is real. Others might say it is a place you spend some time at but then can make it to Heaven. Some might even say it is a fun place to be at or that the punishment is not that bad. These are all far from the truth.

If we look at Revelation chapter 20, we see that everything we do is judged by the Lord. If we are judged for everything that we do on Earth, we have no chance of making it to Heaven. No matter how good we think that we are, the scales are not judged in that way. Our sin would greatly outweigh our “good.” However, it simply comes down to one question, “Have you sinned?” In Romans chapter 3, we see that all have sinned and have fallen short of God’s standard. We all have sinned. We have no chance if it is up to us. Heaven is something we cannot obtain by our power. The only way we can be in Heaven and have eternal life after we die is by Jesus alone. Jesus was the sinless sacrifice that was made for us. He was perfect and willingly died in our place so that if we believe in Him, we can inherit eternal life. It comes down to that alone.

If we do not choose to believe and trust in Jesus’ sacrifice, the Bible is very clear about what happens. We will go to Hell for eternity. There is no swapping where you will go. You will be in Heaven or Hell for eternity. Hell is described as a Lake of Fire or eternal death. That is the punishment because of our sin. The worst part is eternal separation from the presence of the Lord. That might seem like a tough pill to swallow at first, but once we recognize the reality and weight of our sin against God, we understand that Heaven is not a place we belong or have the right to be. It alone is by the work and blood of Jesus that we can be saved from our sin.

Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

What do you believe about Heaven? Can you back it up with what Scripture says? What about Hell? Can you back up what you believe with Scripture? Scripture alone is where we should go to find these truths. The world will mess these important truths up greatly. Most would not want to accept these biblical truths as well. Let us hold fast to the word of truth and hold fast to the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior.

Hell
Adam Moore

One of my favorite summertime and fall activities is to sit out in my backyard near an open bonfire. We have a yard full of trees that are constantly dropping branches so there is always an abundance of good material for making a fire. It never fails that as the fire gets red hot and the embers begin to glow that at some point my mind comes full circle to a literal place the Bible calls Hell, or the “Lake of Fire.”

Just as I throw the endless supply of dead tree branches that dare to fall and trample on my landscape into a fire, the Bible says that those who reject Jesus Christ as their Savior will face a similar fate. However, as I watch my tree branches burn and eventually turn into a pile of ash, Hell will never burn out and the souls that are bound there will face eternal torment.
 
Revelation 20:11-15 says, “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Throughout Scripture, we find different descriptions of Hell from a place of “outer darkness” (Matthew 22:13) to a place of “fire and brimstone” (Revelation 14:10 KJV) along with several more passages describing Hell as a place of conscious eternal torment in an unquenchable fire.
 
Friends, there are only two classifications of people in God’s eyes, lost and saved. Those who are lost and never accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior will spend eternity in a place called Hell. Those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their life will spend eternity in Heaven. I do not believe we as humans can imagine how amazing Heaven will be (1 Corinthians 2:9) and how terrible Hell will be. The Bible gives us glimpses of what both eternal destinations are like, but in our human minds, we cannot fully comprehend them.
 
I once heard a story about the sinking of the Titanic, and it was said that after the destruction of the ship a list was made of all those that were on board that simply stated, “known lost” and “known saved.” One day we are all going to stand before God and those whose names are found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will be in the category “known saved.” Those whose names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will be in the category “known lost” and will be separated from God for eternity in the Lake of Fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mathew 22:13.)

The question today is what have you done with Jesus? Are you “known lost” or “known saved”?

Judgment or Hell
Caleb Jones

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15

As we get to the end of the Bible, we read about John’s vision where everyone who has ever lived will stand before Jesus who sits on the heavenly throne. This is referred to as the Day of Judgment. Revelation 3:21 tells us that both Jesus and God will sit on this throne.

It is hard to imagine the presence of God. We currently have the presence of God through the Holy Spirit. John 14:16 (NIV) says, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever.”

There will come a day when we stand before God and He will judge every single one of us. Verse 15 says that if anyone’s name was not found in the Book of Life, he would be thrown into the Lake of Fire. When we read verse 13, it seems to say that what we do determines where we go. However, we have to go back to Acts 3:19, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.”

There will come a day that God will judge all of us. Every man, woman, and child will have to give an account for what we have done. Thankfully, Jesus gave us the way. In fact, He is the way (John 14:6).

Maybe you have received Christ as your Savior but this is your time to repent because you have been living as your own king.

If you have never repented of your sin, today is the day. Do not wait. We will soon stand before God Almighty and our name will either be written in the Book of Life because we have repented and acknowledged Christ’s kingship and salvation over our lives, or we will be cast into the Lake of Fire because we rejected the One who died for us.

Spared from Anguish
Mitchell Holmes

I would like to take a moment to describe a situation for you. Imagine with me that you are driving on the freeway and suddenly ahead of you is a massive backup of vehicles. It becomes quickly apparent that there is something major going on and the freeway is backed up for miles as more and more cars are stopped by this massive traffic jam. At first, you are optimistic that this setback will lighten up or reduce in a timely fashion, but as 15 minutes turns into 30 and your vehicle has only moved 50 feet, you realize that an end to this is nowhere in sight. To make matters worse, you just finished the last sip of your water bottle, your car’s air conditioning stops working, and the temperature reaches a humid 95 degrees. As you decide it may be in your best interest to get off the freeway and take side roads to your destination, you notice a sign that says, “Next exit: 15 miles ahead.”

What I have just described to you is my own personal Hell on Earth. I cannot think of many things that I would enjoy less than being stuck in a hot vehicle, on a humid day, in traffic for hours, with not even the wind to cool me down. However, as awful as this situation would theoretically be, it pales infinitely in comparison to the scene that we see described for us by the apostle John in Revelation 20:11-15, “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

This passage is nothing short of terrifying. As all the dead in the sea and all the dead buried in the ground are ripped from their graves and brought before the throne of judgment, we see their every thought, word, and deed judged by the just, holy, and perfect Lord. Those whose names were not recorded in the Book of Life did not meet the requirement of perfection, nor did they seek the name of Jesus for forgiveness and thus they are thrown into a place of eternal suffering, the Lake of Fire.

The Lake of Fire may be made of literal fire as we know it, or it may be a description of something beyond our capabilities to understand and thus, much worse.

Regardless, residency in the Lake of Fire means separation from God and separation from everything that is good. Therefore, it is nothing but anguish and punishment for eternity. In addition, this literal Hell will keep all of its occupants completely and utterly alone and separated from one another in absolute darkness.

If you have confessed your sins and sought Jesus for forgiveness from them, you can avoid this eternal suffering. However, I think it is easy to forget the horrors from which we have been spared because there is no immediate example of this grace in our lives. God did not have to spare us from this torment and yet, He loved us enough to send His Son to die in our place. Take a moment today to thank the Lord for paying the ultimate price in your place and sparing you from an eternity in Hell.

I also hope to use the discomfort of the reality of Hell to motivate you. Every single person reading this has someone in their lives that does not know Jesus and has not repented. Those people will spend an eternity in unimaginable suffering unless someone alters their course. Please do not let it be too late before you try to reach them with the Gospel.

The Urgency of the Gospel
Pastor Justin Dean

One thing I have always struggled with is procrastination. Science projects were always started the night before being due, homework in high school was done in the class before, and papers in college were turned in at the last possible minute. I like to think that I am not the only one who struggles with procrastinating.

Naturally, we want to put off things that are uncomfortable or difficult, especially when we think we have time to do them later. Often times we are most guilty of this when it comes to sharing the Gospel. If we are honest, it can be difficult, awkward, and uncomfortable sharing the Gospel with others. We tend to want to put it off or “wait for the right time.” Sometimes we forget the inevitable judgment that is coming because we do not want to think it is happening any time soon.

Revelation 20:11-15 says, “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

The only way your name ends up in the Book of Life is through belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A relationship with Jesus Christ starts through admitting that you are a sinner in need of a Savior, and that Savior is Jesus, through His death on the cross for our sins and His resurrection from the dead. So many people do not believe or have never even heard this truth. It is our job to tell them.

Paul reminds us of the need to preach this truth in Romans 10:13-14, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”

We know what is coming, and we know that what saves is a relationship with Jesus Christ. So, how will people hear if we do not make it a priority to tell them? It cannot be something that we procrastinate. It is urgent, as urgent as a life-threatening wound. The eternal destination of our coworkers, friends, and family members is at stake every day we avoid the Gospel conversation. It is not something that we can afford to put off. As intimidating, awkward, or uncomfortable as it may be, it is something we must make urgent.

Maybe you feel like you do not know where to start when it comes to talking to people about Jesus. I would encourage you to start by telling them how and why you came to know Jesus. Your story is incredible, you were saved from your sin, and because they know you, it will impact them. You have experienced something they need, a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

As you finish up this devotion, I would encourage you to take some time to pray. Ask God to put some people on your heart who need to hear the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. Write their names down. What is stopping you from talking to them about Jesus? Are those reasons worth the risk of them never hearing the Gospel?

Sentencing
Patrick Bicknell

I recently saw this video of a man, some years ago, who was interviewing a celebrity from the United Kingdom whose name was Stephen Fry. In the interview the man asked him, “Suppose when you die, and everything about God is true, and you have to stand before Him one day what will you say?” He responded like this, “I guess I would say, bone cancer in children? How dare you. How dare you create a world where there is such misery that is not our fault.”

I think what he believes might happen when people stand before God someday is something that a lot of us envision as well. I have commonly heard people talk about standing before the throne of God as something like a courtroom. In this courtroom, we will be able to give our case, present the facts of our lives, and give a plea as to why we should not take the judgment that God would pronounce on us. This is not what is being described here in Revelations 20:11-15. The throne and judgment that is revealed are the Great White Throne. What is unique about this throne, and the scene that John is depicting, is that it is not a trial but a sentencing. In this place. God is not waiting to hear the cases of the people of the world and determine if they are to be sentenced as guilty or not guilty. Here God is pronouncing the just judgment of sinners and condemning them to Hell. We see this in Revelation 20:12, “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.” The idea of standing before the throne means that the sentence is already in and they are waiting to hear their condemnation. John Walvoord, a commentator talking about this verse says, “The standing posture means that they are now about to be sentenced.”

Now most of us when we hear this can become afraid and ask, “What will I do when I stand here?” Thankfully, as many commentators believe, this is not a place that followers of Christ will ever have to be. The punishment for our sins was already judged and sentenced in the person and work of Jesus Christ. When Jesus went to the cross for us, He already was sentenced in our place and took the punishment we were supposed to take. So now, we no longer have to stand before the Great White Throne because Christ did that for us. How amazing is it to see that the place where we should have been standing, the sentence we were supposed to hear, was taken for us by Jesus?

Encouragement and Comfort
Pastor Ferdinand Sanders

If I had to guess, I would assume that the book of Revelation elicits one of two responses from people sitting down to read it. I think that there is a group of people out there who chase the intrigue of reading it for its sense of supernatural mystery and overall apocalyptic feel. While others (maybe most), tend to keep Revelation “on the shelf” because of the difficulty of really wrapping our minds around some of the concepts and characters of John’s vision. Regardless of how easy or difficult it may be to wrap our minds around, or how the contents of the book of Revelation make us feel, we only cheat ourselves if we do not view all parts of Scripture as full and complete with something very real to offer us.

In Revelation chapter 20, John depicts an event in which an angel descends from Heaven and locks up “the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan,” in a bottomless pit for 1,000 years. After this event, John then later sees thrones in addition to “the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God.” They are the martyrs of the faith. I will be the first one to acknowledge that these are quite intense topics that are not regularly discussed or presented from the pulpit! It is quite easy to talk about all the positive things we stand to gain from a life devoted to Christ, but we often downplay the two things we see here in these first 6 verses of Revelation chapter 20.

First, there is a very real spiritual warfare around us. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Second, it discusses the persecution we will face as Christians. John 15:19-20 says, “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”

So, what do we take from such a heavy topic? When I read these verses a second time, a few words and phrases really stand out and provide a great sense of encouragement and comfort. I am serious! Look at some of the words and phrases used in terms of the authority over the enemy: “seized, bound, threw, shut, sealed.” Then look at these words from the next few verses, “came to life, reigned, blessed and holy, death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Even within the intense and heavy writing of Revelation, we can find comfort, encouragement, and hope.

Hope
Josh Thayer

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:1-6

I think reading Revelation can be a daunting task. There is all this talk of dragons and beasts, sometimes I feel like I am reading “Lord of the Rings.” Is Frodo riding the dragon holding the ring? Here I digress and I think first we need to understand that Revelation was written in “apocalyptic” form, which is just a fancy word for a type of Jewish literature that uses symbolic imagery to communicate hope to those in the midst of persecution. So all of these things that John is writing about have not actually happened. God basically gave John a vision of what would take place in the future.

We find ourselves here in chapter 20 and John references 1,000 years a few separate times. First, he locked up Satan (the dragon) for 1,000 years. Then we see reference to people who had been killed over their belief in Jesus and they came back to life and reigned for 1,000 years. Also, there is a second death and there are some more reigning for 1,000 years. If I can sum this up simply, the 1,000 years is referred to as the Millennium and it is understood differently among scholars. Basically, nobody knows the answer to this 1,000 years, you can “Google” and do your own research, but here is what I want to focus on from this passage - hope!

It does not matter what you believe about the 1,000 years, because at the end of the day it does not matter. That is not going to make or break your relationship with Jesus. At the end of the day, we have hope because Jesus came, lived a perfect life, chose to die for you and me to give us a way, and to give us hope that we will be with God in Heaven at the end of it all. Whether you lean toward postmillennialism, premillennialism, amillennialism, or whatever other millennialism words you want to make up does not matter. What matters is you choose to live for Jesus every day. You need to choose to live a life that is different from everyone else. Choose a life where Jesus is the center and everything else revolves around your relationship with God!

He is King
Sierra Combs

I recently sat on a bus with some fellow staff members, and the topic of eschatology came up. Actually, I think I was the one who brought it up because I love hearing what my brothers and sisters in Christ think about the end times! It is quite interesting that there are so many wise, God-honoring, and God-loving Christians who passionately hold different views on how it is all going to go down in the end. As someone who is very black and white and dogmatic in many areas, I have yet to take a hardline, official stance on my eschatological views, and I always wonder if I am one compelling argument away from being permanently swayed. Unfortunately, the conversations on the bus did not lead to that as everyone had a different opinion and made some good points for backing up their views! The particular conversation we were having was about the Millennial Kingdom and where it fits on the futuristic timeline. The topic of the Millennium is a controversial one. While it is a very interesting matter, there is not a large amount of Scripture devoted to it, which makes for an even higher probability of differences in interpretation. It is also written within the book of Revelation, which is a mix of literal and figurative language, and sometimes it is hard to know which is which. I actually went into the conversation expecting us all to have similar opinions and was surprised to find that every single one of us interpreted things differently.

The word millennium means 1,000 years, and the idea of a Millennial Kingdom is mentioned in Revelation 20:1-6, “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”

Many Christians view this passage as literal events that are yet to come. Things will get worse and worse in the world culminating in a literal Great Tribulation, and then Christ will return. Satan will be bound, the saints who have been raptured and those who have been martyred will join with believers who have survived the Tribulation and they will join Christ as He reigns over a literal kingdom for a thousand years. After these years, Satan will be released and one final rebellion will take place, followed by the final judgment. This is the premillennial view (as they believe Christ will return prior to His reign). Another view is the postmillennial view, which holds that Christ will not return until the end of the Millennial Kingdom. It is the Church’s job to preach the Gospel and Christianize the world, eventually ushering in a type of golden age (that will last either a literal or figurative 1,000 years) where the majority of the world and its leaders will prioritize God and His Word. Things will keep getting better until the Millennium comes to an end with one final rebellion, and then Christ will return. The third main view, the amillennial view, holds that Christ currently rules His spiritual kingdom in the hearts of His believers (as opposed to a literal physical kingdom) and that the “1,000 years,” is a metaphorical number that began when Jesus ascended to Heaven and will end when He returns and ushers in the new Heavens and new Earth.

To my surprise, all of these interpretations were represented on that bus. It was a fun conversation. Though I did not walk away with any concrete clarity, I was reminded that in the end, it really does not matter. Whatever view you land on, we can all hold fast to the fact that Christ is currently reigning over the universe while seated at the right hand of the Father, and He will soon return for us. He was, is, and will always be our King. Until then, we can all join in unity as we proclaim His great name to a world that is desperate for Him!

Will You Reign With Christ?
William Kinney

Since childhood, I have always been fascinated with fictional stories of medieval times. More specifically, I enjoy the tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. King Arthur is excellent, but I have always been more impressed with the knights loyal to King Arthur, such as Sir Lancelot and Sir Galahad. Like most knights in those times, though fictional, King Arthur’s knights’ loyalty, devotion, and dedication to the king were unfaltering. What amazes me the most about knights is their loyalty to a king who may or may not make the best decisions. I could not imagine having followers devoted to my cause or agenda with such fidelity that they would take care of and defend me from any threat with their life, but Jesus can.

The future Kingdom of Jesus Christ and His believers unfold in the book of Revelation. After Satan and his demons are bound in the abyss by an angel sent by God, all New and Old Testament believers of Jesus Christ will be resurrected to reign with Him as royal priests and judges. This prophecy defines Jesus as our King, a perfect King that we cannot compare to any other king, even the fictional King Arthur. So, should we not be more devoted and loyal to the King of kings and Lord of lords? Should we not place more trust in Jesus, our Savior, since no one or anything else can rescue us from our sins? He already won the war, so why do we put our trust in the temporal things of this world like money, lust, and false idols? I believe the reason is simple; for many of us (including myself), this boils down to a faith issue. Though this is a simple issue of faith, building our faith is not an easy task. James chapter 2 holds the framework for building our faith, “You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works” (James 2:22). It is only by works that we can demonstrate our love and obedience to Christ our King, as obedience to Christ and love go hand in hand. We cannot say we love Christ if we are not obedient to His commandments and cannot be obedient to Christ without loving Him.

Obedience and love are the foundation for our faith; without that foundation, our faith will crumble. Therefore, are we doing the works God calls us to do to build our love relationship with Him, allowing our faith to grow in Him? By the way, the most important way to show our love and obedience to Christ is to accept Him into our hearts as our Savior. It involves believing in our hearts that He died on the cross for our sins and rose again three days later. If we do not accept Jesus as our Lord, we miss out on an opportunity of a lifetime to have a relationship with the one true God who created us to reign with Him for eternity.

“Who is in Charge?”
Don Schelske

When President Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981, the White House staff scrambled to reassure a concerned world that the U.S. government was still in business. With Vice President George H. W. Bush flying back from Texas, apparently, the staff had no clear direction as to who was in the driver’s seat.

U.S. Secretary of State and retired Army General Alexander Haig walked into the press room and claimed that he was third in line according to the U.S. Constitution (mistakenly ignoring the Speaker of the House and the 25th Amendment). General Haig said, “As of now, I am in control here,” and that statement was famously paraphrased as, “I’m in charge.” That confusion was quickly resolved, but it is not the only incident of uncertainty as to “who is in charge.”  

In more than 20 years as a newspaper journalist, I covered many “interesting” local political campaigns, and as citizens, we have witnessed contentious transitions of power, both national and international. Then there are cultural shifts that defy any democratic process.

Sometimes, we might observe all the confusion and wonder if anyone is “in charge.”
Revelation 20:6 says, “Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”

Among the blessings of the Millennial Kingdom will be a sense of stability and peace not known since the Garden of Eden. There will be no partisan politics, no struggles for power (not even spiritual, since Revelation 20:2 reveals that Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit), and no question of “who is in charge.”

While it is exciting to think about believers “reigning with Him,” that excitement is only possible because Jesus Christ will be the ultimate authority over everyone on Earth. Philippians 2:10-11 declares, “So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Note that the word “Savior” is not included in this passage. Apparently, not everyone will have accepted the gift of salvation, but every one will acknowledge that He is “Lord.” We may rightfully feel pity for the unbelievers. Still, there will be no doubt about who will be in charge.

While it is encouraging to know the certainty of the future, it is fair for us to ask the question in the present: Who is “in charge” right now for those of us who call ourselves Christians? Who do we acknowledge as our leader? Whose laws do we follow in daily life?

Regardless of who currently holds civil leadership, and regardless of what the culture currently holds in high regard, we have a clear choice for our allegiance.

Colossians 2:6 gives the action step, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.”

Take Them Captive
Jeannie Yates

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended.” Revelation 20:1-3

Can you imagine what it would be like to not have the Tempter? Can you picture the kind of freedom from temptation we, as believers, will experience without the Father of Lies whispering to our flesh? For a thousand years, we will reign with Him and our enemy will be bound. What an incredible hope we have in Jesus.

In 2020, a particular trend went viral across various social media platforms: the temptation challenge. The idea of the challenge was to set before your children a delicious treat, pizza, or toy, tell them not to eat or touch it, turn on the camera, and leave the room. If you do a search for “temptation challenge” on Google, you will find some hilarious videos of sweet, seemingly innocent children grappling with this temptation. While the purpose of this challenge is entertainment, the reality of the temptations we face every day is so very real, and sometimes the burden can seem unbearable.

So, what do we do with our temptation while we wait for that day when Satan is bound? The Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”  This is something we all have in common. We all face temptation; but God has given us this promise, that He will provide what we need to escape and endure.

Perhaps we should start by heading the words of Paul again in 2 Corinthians 10:5-6, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” One of our greatest weapons against temptation is to change the way we think. We need to focus our thoughts on the pleasure of obedience. I love what the commentator James Hamilton, Jr. says about this passage in Revelation, “We need to have our imaginations ravished by the beauty of holiness, so that we will not be led astray by the ways that Satan perverts beauty with his unholy attractions. We need to have our thoughts about influence taken captive by the power of righteousness, so that the weakness of unrighteous schemes will have no appeal to us. We need to see the usurper thrown down and the true Lord of the world ascend the throne, so that we will live for his kingdom and not that of the imposter.”

So, let us take inventory of our thoughts today. What lies am I believing? Am I letting the “power of righteousness” rule? Is my heart focused on living for His Kingdom? What thoughts am I letting run free in disobedience? Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Spoiler Alert - God Wins
David Hudgens

At the time of this writing, the 2022 NFL football season had recently begun. Commercials across all media platforms ramped up as promoters sought to energize even the most casual fan to engage in the pastime of supporting their favorite team as they compete for the yearly prize of being crowned champion. The industries of television, radio, film, and social media joined forces to encourage the populace to sit in front of their screen of preference and consume all things football, all week long.

Love it or hate it, football is a deeply embedded hallmark of American culture. We gather with friends to celebrate it, analyze it, place bets, track stats, draft the perfect fantasy team, ignore mowing overgrown lawns, and sometimes, even attempt to move Heaven and Earth, if you will, to reorient our schedules to watch it live.

To a certain degree, I get it. There is a drama to the game of football, energy and excitement come from watching head-to-head testing of physical strength and mental acuity. The ability of a team to endure crushing blows from their opponent and yet still, by some act of the will, overcome and march on to victory - it invigorates the senses.

When I think about it, watching the big game is perhaps the most fun for me when I know in advance that the outcome will be in favor of my team. Do you know what I mean? I am sure, like me, you have once needed to miss that “really important” game presented live and instead watch it later on your DVR. Also, like me, you probably could not resist using your smartphone to peek at the final score ahead of reviewing the recording. Finally, as you watched the game unfold, you had this beaming confidence, regardless of your team’s momentary struggles throughout play, that victory was assured - it is really quite marvelous.

Now, not too dissimilar to what I have just described, is the hopeful assurance of every believer that God’s full plan of redemption will come to pass. That redemption is the Lord’s expressed plan for final judgment and justice to be carried out upon all evildoing and sin, to welcome into eternity all those whose names are recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life, to renew both Heaven and Earth, and to establish His earthly kingdom. This is a future that, for every follower of Jesus - every member of His team - should provide a peace-filled hope, absent of fear and worry.

For all of us, as members of God’s family through faith in the completed work of Jesus as the once for all sacrifice for sin, live not in ignorance of the final outcomes of eternity. Rather, we have from the Spirit of God, a recorded guarantee that, in fact, God wins. Irrespective of either human or spiritual attempts to supplant the laws and authority of God, His words and decrees are final.

Consider God’s own words as delivered through prophet Isaiah, “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). It is the Lord who is the guarantor of His plans. He alone has the power and authority to accomplish all that He decides. Indeed, this goes well for us, His people, because we now live - or watch, if you will - the story of redemption in full confidence and expectation that God’s team wins in the end.