Revelation 8:1When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Sometimes silence can make us feel uncomfortable. So, we fill it with nervous chatter. We degenerate into restless movements. We try to make something happen, instead of letting it happen. But when Jesus is around, you can just let him do his thing. We can run to the rescue, but what good will ...  Read More

Revelation 7:9-10Behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne, and before the lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Take a moment to imagine this great scene. All races, t...  Read More

Revelation 6:10How long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? How long, oh Lord? How long must the scale of justice sit in ruins? 400 hundred years of Egyptian slavery400 years of systemic racism400 years of religious persecution Generations come and generations go, and yet debts go unresolved and acts go unrestored. Centuries of brutality and ages of oppressi...  Read More

Revelation 5:5Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah… has conquered! Today we weep. Today we grieve. Today we mourn. But tomorrow we will weep no more. And on that day the lion will stand victorious. All obstacles removed. All enemies vanquished. And we will have the lion, who is called Jesus, to thank for it. We tried and failed. Yet he came and succeeded. All praise goes to the lam...  Read More

Revelation 4:10They cast their crowns before the throne. Don’t we all love being rewarded? Some have been crowned Miss Universe; others have been crowned valedictorian. But one day, those who are in Christ, will be crowned with the greatest crown of all – the crown of life (Rev. 2:10). And yet, it’s interesting, only two chapters later, you can hear the clang of crowns being cast hither and yon. B...  Read More

Revelation 3:15-16You are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold of hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. Most people like their tea hot, and their beverage chilled with ice. Not many people take their drink lukewarm. And that would include Jesus.   Therefore, this is a call to refuse mediocrity. If you’re going to be something...  Read More

Revelation 2:7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Have you ever tried to give away some furniture, and can’t seem to get anybody to take it? But the moment you put a price on it, it’s gone by the end of the day! Same principle applies to the things of God. If the Lord made his will painfully clear, nobody would seem to value it. But if he were to keep it just out ...  Read More

Revelation 1:17-18Fear not, I am the first and the last. Some people show up for the ribbon cutting, then duck out when it comes time to run the business. Others leave you to get things up and running, then join you once things become established. Jesus, however, is with you from day one, and remains by your side to the very end. He’s the first and the last and everything in between. He’s constant...  Read More

Jude 24-25Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, or savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen What would it be like to worship your brother? Are you kidding me? What would possess you to ask such a question? You kn...  Read More

3 John 15Greet the friends, each by name. Do you know the people in your church by name?Do you know the people in your neighborhood by name?Do you know the people in your workplace by name?Paul says, Greet the friends, each by name. There’s just something about a person’s name. You might say, “I’m terrible with names.” Well, I think most people are until they get intentional about it. And if peopl...  Read More

2 John 7Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Some think that Jesus was a divine personage who only seemed to have a body. This, John says, would be a lie. The opposite, however, is equally deceptive. He wasn’t just a dude who claimed to be God. Jesus Christ, as we see it in Scripture, was simultaneously all God and all man. ...  Read More

1 John 5:21Little children, keep yourselves from idols. John Calvin has famously said, “the human heart is an idol factory.” There’s just no way around it. We are hard-wired for worship. If Jesus is not the object of your fierce devotion and tender affection you will manufacture little deities. Causes and careers will be your idols and icons. Hobbies and pursuits will be your gods and goddesses. P...  Read More