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Home » Revelation's 7 Promises to Every Believer
Revelation's 7 Promises to Every Believer

Revelation's 7 Promises to Every Believer

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When someone mentions the book of Revelation, what comes to mind? For many, the book conjures thoughts of the end of the world, the Antichrist, and complex symbolism. No doubt, Revelation is a deeply prophetic book that gives us the most comprehensive image of the Last Days anywhere in Scripture. Still, there is much more to it than apocalyptic imagery. Revelation is filled with promises from start to finish, and it is the only book that promises a special blessing for those who read it (Revelation 1:3; 22:7).

The overriding theme of Revelation is Jesus Christ’s victorious return to defeat all evil and establish His reign. Written to seven literal churches experiencing persecution, the Revelation of Jesus Christ is an indispensable guidebook for handling the problems we face as Christians. In every trial and circumstance, it reminds us that God’s people are overcomers.

Revelation contains seven letters from Christ to the seven churches. His words carried direct meaning for those churches, but the warnings and promises apply to every believer. In each one, Jesus declares, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). The New Living Translation says, “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” These letters are as applicable to you and me as to the believers at Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. So, let’s examine seven rock-solid promises from the risen Savior.

In the Book of Revelation, Jesus gives seven promises to every Christian:

1. Access to eternal life
2. Avoidance of spiritual death
3. Intimacy with Christ
4. Authority in the Millennial Kingdom
5. New life in Christ
6. Exclusion from the Tribulation and endless fellowship with God
7. Adoption into God’s Family

These promises allow us to live in victory!

1

Access to Eternal Life

The last time mankind had access to the tree of life was in the Garden of Eden. After Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the Lord drove them out of His garden (Genesis 3:24). Their perfect, unending fellowship with God gave way to regret, pain, conflict, sweat, and death (Job 14:1; Romans 8:20-22). When Christ returns to rule and reign at the end of the Tribulation, the New Jerusalem will descend to earth from heaven, and we will once again have access to the tree of life (Revelation 2:7; 22:2).

Jesus commended the church at Ephesus for being determined and disciplined. They were committed to service and were willing to suffer for it. But their love for God had grown cold because of unrepented sin and false teaching. Christ urged them to repent and serve Him with the intensity that often characterizes new believers. To anyone who would heed His warning, He promised eternal life.

 

In God’s restored creation, the tree of life will welcome His children to their inheritance. Revelation 22:14 says, “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” Obedience is at the heart of all that God wants for His children.

2

Avoidance of Spiritual Death

When Jesus revealed the events of Revelation to John, every Roman citizen was expected to worship the emperor, and Smyrna was at the epicenter. Christians who refused to participate were tortured on the rack, crucified, burned to death, or thrown to the lions in the Colosseum. John spent months in exile for his commitment to the Gospel. In this environment, remaining faithful to God meant a life of pressure, poverty, and persecution.

 

Against this backdrop of suffering, Jesus assured the faithful believers at Smyrna that no matter what might happen in this life, they would receive “the crown of life” and “not be hurt by the second death” (Revelation 2:10, 11). Except for those still alive when the Lord Jesus returns, we will all experience the death of our physical body, which separates body and soul. But God’s people will never go through the second death, which is spiritual separation from God. The Christians in Smyrna—and persecuted believers of any era—do not need to fear martyrdom. Nothing can separate us “from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).

Meme: Those who stand up for the Gospel never stand alone.
3

Intimacy With Christ

Blending worldly rituals with Christianity in the name of “tolerance” has tripped up God’s people for millennia. The church at Pergamos was no different. Although the believers were willing to die for the Gospel, compromising doctrines had crept into their way of thinking. Instead of maintaining a distinct identity as God’s holy people, they began to adopt the world’s standards.

If the church would repent, Jesus promised two things: “To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it” (Revelation 2:17). In John’s Gospel, Jesus explains that He is the manna (John 6:31-35, 48-51). Those who stand up for the Gospel never stand alone because the Lord Jesus Christ is with them, and He will provide for every need.

 

There are several theories about the significance of the white stone and the new name. Commentator John Phillips suggests that the stone is “a symbol of changeless purity” for those who keep themselves from immorality. He continues, “And to those who kept themselves from infidelity, the Lord [gave] a new name—knowledge of Himself that no one else can share.”1 Anyone looking for intimacy can find it with the Lord Jesus.

4

Authority in the Millennial Kingdom

The church at Thyatira had everything going for it, except for holiness. Jesus commended their “works, love, service, faith, and [their] patience” (Revelation 2:19). Still, He painted a startling picture of their immorality and the judgment that would follow if they did not repent: Although this church had started well, it allowed sin to spread like cancer. Its members needed to repent if they wanted to finish strong. “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations…, and I will give him the morning star” (Revelation 2:26, 28; emphasis added). This promise to Thyatira is the only one of the seven that describes what it means to overcome.

 

For those who remained pure, Jesus encouraged them, “Hold fast what you have till I come” (Revelation 2:25). According to 1 Corinthians 6:2, everyone who faithfully obeys His commands will receive a responsible position of authority in the Millennial Kingdom. His reference to the “morning star” sounds mysterious (Revelation 2:28), but Revelation 22:16 makes the meaning plain: “I, Jesus, …am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” One day Jesus, the Bright and Morning Star, will appear in the sky and dispel all darkness from the earth.

5

New Life in Christ

Outwardly, the church at Sardis seemed vibrant, but it was dead inside. In Matthew 23:27, Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees that they were “like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” His warning to Sardis was similar: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead” (Revelation 3:1). Physical death involves the separation of the body from the soul. But the church at Sardis died spiritually because its members removed the Holy Spirit from any position of interest or influence.

 

For those who overcome the culture of compromise and embrace new life in Christ, the Lord promises white garments, which symbolize righteousness (Revelation 19:8). As Roman citizens, the people of Sardis also would have associated white clothing with victory and the Roman Day of Triumph. Jesus wanted them—and us—to envision a day when we will walk with Him in victory. He also promises to write our names in heaven and never allow them to be blotted out of the Book of Life. Finally, to all who confess Him as their Lord and Savior, Jesus promises to defend them before the heavenly tribunal (Revelation 3:5).

6

Exclusion From the Rapture and Endless Fellowship With God

If I could have been at any one of the seven churches on the day Christ’s letter arrived, I would have chosen the church in Philadelphia. Besides Smyrna, this is the only church that Christ did not reprimand.

Verse after verse, Christ Jesus gave assurances of His commitment to empower the church at Philadelphia and protect it. Because they relied on Him, Jesus gave them an “open door” of opportunity that no one could shut (Revelation 3:8). He pledged to vindicate the church for their faithful testimony and humiliate their enemies (Revelation 3:9). For their perseverance amid persecution, Jesus promised to keep them “from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole earth” (Revelation 3:10).

Meme: Believers will not experience the Tribulation.

This statement in verse ten is one of the most pivotal teachings in Revelation. The Tribulation period is the “hour of trial” from which Jesus will keep God’s people. So, according to the red-letter words of Jesus Christ, true believers will not experience the Tribulation! Although the Church will walk through flames of persecution, Christ Jesus will stand with His people and rapture them before the end comes. Until then, we rest in His promise to return “quickly” (Revelation 3:11). With the help of 1 Corinthians 15:52, we can understand this to mean “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” Other events may take place before Christ returns, but nothing must happen. This could be the day!

 

Finally, to those who overcome trials and remain faithful to the end, Christ Jesus promises honor, security, and a permanent dwelling place in God’s presence. “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name” (Revelation 3:12).

7

Adoption Into God’s Family

Standing in direct contrast to the letter to Smyrna, Christ’s letter to Laodicea is the only one of the seven letters that says nothing positive about its recipients. In fact, Jesus told the church that it made Him sick (Revelation 3:16). Rich in material wealth, its members had become complacent and spiritually impoverished. They were compromising, conceited, and Christless. The Laodicean church—and by extension, elements of the modern Church—failed to point people to Christ as the way to eternal salvation.

 

Despite the severity of His criticism, Christ assured the Laodicean believers that He loved them and wanted to heal their spiritual condition. “Be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:19-20). This letter reminds us that God doesn’t love us only when we do the right things. He loves us all the time, and that is why He wants us to repent when we sin. God loves us too much to leave us spiritually destitute.

Anyone who heeds Christ’s call to repentance can claim the promise that follows: “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Revelation 3:21). If you have ever longed for deeper, more meaningful relationships, consider this invitation from the Son of God. The same One who assured the repentant thief, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43), wants to share His throne—His power and glory and abundance—with you and me! Will you accept His invitation?

Living in Victory

Every individual who has overcome the world by faith (1 John 5:4-5) will inherit all seven benefits promised in Revelation. Are you encouraged by the things you could have as an overcomer?

Theologically and positionally, anyone in Christ has already overcome the world. But there is more to living in victory than positional overcoming. These promises are about practical overcoming and walking with Christ as a victor. Two additional passages in Revelation speak to overcoming in Jesus’ Name, and they tie all this together.

 

Speaking about the martyrs in Revelation 12, John reports, “And they overcame [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (verse 11). In the ultimate spiritual battle, John saw the martyrs of Christ defeat the devil using three strategies available to us today.

We can overcome Satan by:

  1. The blood of the Lamb. It is impossible to achieve spiritual victory apart from new life in Christ.
  2. The word of our testimony. People who share the Gospel live with an uncommon sense of victory in their life.
  3. The perspective of eternity. Living in victory requires us to set our sights on heaven rather than this earth.
Meme: Revelation gives us a glimpse of Christ's glory.

After John’s description of the Tribulation and the Great White Throne Judgment, we find a final promise to those who overcome in God’s Name: “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son” (Revelation 21:6-7).

Revelation portrays the despised Carpenter of Nazareth as the object of all heaven’s worship, the supreme Judge of heaven and earth, the King of kings upon His throne. The Gospels and epistles describe His humiliation and suffering, but only here do we get a glimpse of His glory. If the Bible ended at Jude, we would have enough information to understand God’s love for us and His will for our life, but we would miss the happy ending. Revelation gives us the glorious hope that we will share in Jesus’ triumph one day, and it offers the perspective to live in victory today.

Sources:

1John Phillips, Exploring Revelation (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1987), 55.

You Might Also Enjoy:


• Seven Churches of Revelation Bible Study
• 4 Signs of Faithfulness From John’s Letter to the Church of Philadelphia
• 4 Steps to Reviving Your Faith From John’s Letter to the Church of Sardis

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Creation Care

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 1:28

Marine litter is a huge ecological problem. Many countries’ coastlines are littered with plastic and debris, and there is an “island” of plastic more than the twice the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean where currents have accumulated the debris. Fish become entangled in discarded fishing nets and lines, with bellies full of plastic debris they have swallowed.

Such images are in stark contrast to the pristine beauty and glory of Eden as presented in Genesis. Though mankind was given the mandate to “have dominion over” (that is, to care for) all of creation, we have not done a good job. When God’s mandates go unfulfilled on earth, God’s glory is diminished. And that mandate extends to our personal life as well. Paul writes that we belong to God and we are to glorify Him with our care and use of our body.

When you see opportunities to care for creation—nature or your own body—do so as a way of glorifying the Creator.

The creation is both a monument of God’s power, and a looking-glass in which we may see his wisdom.
Thomas Watson

Steadfast

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58

Paul’s letter to the people at Corinth was an exhortation to remain steadfast. The church in Corinth was an undisciplined church, and he was letting them know that even though the culture around them was in flux, their faith in Jesus Christ needed to remain focused and sure. It is true for us today also. How can we remain steadfast in our faith and avoid the pressures of this ever-changing world? By devoting time each day to the study of God’s Word.

As we read the Bible and immerse ourselves in God’s truth and character, our lives are changed—we become more like Him. God’s Word is a powerful litmus test for our souls and actions. As our lives center on God, giving priority to hearing His voice and reading His Word, we become bolder in sharing our faith.

Joshua had the confidence and courage to lead God’s people into the Promised Land because He believed in God’s promise and presence. We serve the same God who said: “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

You can place your steadfast trust in Him.

When we find a man meditating on the words of God, my friends, that man is full of boldness and is successful.
Dwight L. Moody

Ready and Willing

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9

A leper approached Jesus and said, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus touched the man, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed”—and he was healed (Mark 1:40-42).

That event is a beautiful example of the willingness of God. In fact, there are no instances of Jesus being asked to help or heal and Him answering, “I am not willing.” There is a place where the Bible says God is “not willing,” and that is 2 Peter 3:9. In writing about the timing of the Day of the Lord (the end of the age), Peter says God is waiting for all who will be saved to come to Him. He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Said another way, God is willing for any who want to be saved to come to Him (John 6:37; 7:37). The question is never whether God is willing but whether man is willing.

Have you responded to God’s willing invitation to come to Him?

God is far more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved.
J. C. Ryle

Treasure!

I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure.
Psalm 119:162

Earlier this year, a volunteer for a charity in Arizona was going through books donated for a sale. One was an old copy of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. The volunteer decided the dilapidated volume wasn’t worth saving and was about to throw it away when she thumbed through it and found a hidden chamber. Someone had used a knife to cut a hole in the middle of the book. Inside was $4,000!

That’s nothing compared to the treasure you’ll find when opening the covers of the Bible. Perhaps it would help to think of it in those terms. Use your imagination to see every word of Scripture turning to gold as you read it. Think of every promise as a precious stone. See the words about Jesus in the Gospels as sparkling like diamonds. Visualize your daily Bible study time like a miser running his hands through a chest of gold.

The treasury of Scripture will enrich your mind, refocus your goals, replace your doubts, and redirect your path—but only if you read it and heed it. Start today!

To get the best use out of [the Bible] for daily life,...Give it the best and freshest, not the most tired and dull, hour of the day.
M. S. Kimber in The Sunday School World, 1893

Hello Heaven!

I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside.
2 Peter 1:13-14, NIV

Peter wrote his final letter shortly before his execution. He wasn’t discouraged; he was looking forward to the future. He spoke of “looking forward to these things.” and “[looking] for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13-14).

Life is full of hardships and heaviness. We have the promises of God to help us in difficult days, and we have the Holy Spirit within us. We have a purpose for being here—to refresh the memory of others regarding the things of the Lord. But we’ll soon put aside the tent of our earthly body, and what a relief! Goodbye hardship and heaviness. Goodbye trials and troubles. Hello Jesus! Hello heaven! Hello golden streets, glorified bodies, endless days, and the fresh air of New Jerusalem!

During difficult times, the hope of eternity gives us strength. If you’re prone to worry yourself to sleep each night, turn your thoughts upward and close your eyes thinking of heaven and its eternal throne.

A tent or a cottage, why should I care? They’re building a palace for me over there.
Harriet Buell, in her hymn “A Child of the King”

Overcoming Temptation

Temptation. Whether we realize it or not, it is part of our past, and it will be part of our future. The moment we resolve to stand strong and walk away is when temptation grows most intense. That is why Scripture is of paramount importance. God's Word contains the answer to resisting temptation before it's too late. Consider these verses:

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full–grown, brings forth death (James 1:13–15).

Some people wonder about the value of the Old Testament in a Christian's life. The apostle Paul addressed that question in 1 Corinthians 10:11—"Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition." To what things was Paul referring? He listed them in verses 7–10. They are idolatry, immorality, infidelity, and disloyalty.

Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is.

With that background, Paul exhorted believers not to make the same choices the Israelites made—not to provoke God's discipline by willfully sinning. None of us is above God's discipline if we engage in sin. We must look for and take "the way of escape" God provides in every situation where temptation is found (verse 13). To think our temptation is unique is to believe a lie. "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man" (verse 13). There are no "new" temptations in life.

The apostle James argued that if temptation becomes serious, it is because we have allowed it to do so. Our own "desires" entice us away from God and desire "gives birth to sin" (James 1:13–15). God doesn't tempt us, but He may allow temptation to enter our lives in order to give us opportunities to make obedient and mature choices.

Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, and He took the same means of escape that is available to us—obedience to God's Word (Matthew 4:1–11; Hebrews 5:8). Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is. There is always a righteous choice to be made if we are willing to seek it.

Victory in Him

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57

To first-century leaders in the Roman world, the imagery was familiar: A victorious Roman general returning from battle leading his soldiers and their captives into the city. Citizens lined the streets applauding while the aroma of celebratory incense filled the air. Paul uses that image to say that Christ leads His followers in a victory procession through every difficulty in life (2 Corinthians 2:14-15).

The Christian’s victory is through Christ. The victory over the world, the flesh, the devil, and sin was won by the Cross and the empty tomb. He did for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We have victory now and for eternity only because of the victory Christ won for us. Therefore, if we are to experience victory in this life, it will come only as we depend on Him. As Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, the life we now live is the life of Christ in us as we keep our faith in Him.

If you need a victory in your life, begin every day by renewing your faith in Christ in whom all our victories are to be realized.

The spiritual battle, the loss of victory, is always in the thought-world.
Francis Schaeffer

Faithful Fathers: Abraham

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
James 2:23

We can imagine a child writing an appreciative and sentimental memoir about her “perfect father,” understanding that “perfect” was not intended to be taken literally. But how about a book titled The Righteous Father? The patriarch Isaac could have written that book about his father, Abraham.

Righteous doesn’t mean sinless, of course. We know that Abraham wasn’t perfect. But he did manifest some qualities that every father should emulate. First, he believed the promises of God about the future God had planned for him (Hebrews 11:8-12). And when he believed God, “[God] accounted it to [Abraham] for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). Again, not perfect or sinless, but in a right standing with God. Second, as a result of Abraham’s trust in God, he became a “friend of God” (Isaiah 41:8). Could any father set a more worthy example to his children or grandchildren than that of being friends with God? Living in right standing with God? That means communing with Him, walking with Him, living for Him, and above all, trusting Him and His promises.

Follow Abraham’s example as a faithful father by deepening your friendship with God.

Friendship is the marriage of affections.
Thomas Watson

Modern Idolatry

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Colossians 3:5

Colossians 3:1 tells us to “seek those things which are above, where Christ is.” In verse 5 we’re told to put to death the passions that come from below—"fornication, uncleanness, passion, and evil desire.” Then the Lord added the sin of greed or covetousness to the list, calling it idolatry.

That verse changes our view of idolatry. It’s not just bowing down to a small carved statue or a pagan worshiper offering incense at a shrine to Buddha. It’s the act of becoming too attached to the material things of the world—falling more in love with the things on earth than on things in heaven.

This has nothing to do with how much money you do or don’t have—a poverty-stricken person can covet just as much as a billionaire. It has everything to do with what’s at the center of our affections. Is it Christ? Is it things above? Or is it things below?

Make sure Christ is at the center of your life and that your love for Him eclipses everything else!

You don’t have to go to heathen lands today to find false gods. America is full of them…. Whatever you love more than God is your idol.
D. L. Moody

New Beginnings: Ezekiel

In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.
Ezekiel 1:1, NIV

We often need fresh starts after enduring bitter disappointments. As a young man, Ezekiel had dedicated himself to be a priest. He was from a priestly family, and he undoubtedly looked forward to serving God in Jerusalem’s temple. Priests began their temple duty at the age of thirty. But when he was about twenty-five, Ezekiel was seized and taken to Babylon, and he never saw the temple again. When his thirtieth birthday came, he must have struggled with questions of “why” and “if only.”

That’s just when God appeared to him as he was among the exiles by the Kebar River. Ezekiel looked up and saw remarkable visions of God—the throne of God surrounded by angelic beings. Amid the strange and apocalyptic vision described in Ezekiel 1, God called the thirty-year-old exile to be a powerful prophet.

Oh, to see the glory of the Lord while in the midst of the disappointments in life. When we think life has collapsed around us, the God of glory appears above us. God always has a plan, and our false starts become His fresh starts.

Ezekiel is the prophet of the glory of the Lord…. Ezekiel looked beyond the sufferings of Christ to the glory that should follow.
J. Vernon McGee

The Conspicuous Hand

The Lord your God cares.
Deuteronomy 11:12

In a letter to Brigadier General Thomas Nelson, George Washington marveled at how God’s hand had protected him and given success to the cause of liberty: “The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and… has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.”

In the middle of life’s battles, we’re tempted to question God’s ordering of our circumstances, but every follower of Christ can look back and see the conspicuous hand of God’s Providence. He is committed to caring for us, watching over us, and giving us strength when we are within His will.

Moses reminded the Israelites that God was taking them into a land of hills and valleys, of water and streams, “a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:11-12).

That’s the way He cares for us too—every day, all year long, always.

[The Lord] loves, and cares, and sympathizes, and understands, and seeks, and saves, and forgives, and helps, and encourages, and walks by our side… taking care of us in life when we can’t take care of ourselves.
W. A. Criswell

God of Second Chances

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.”
Jonah 3:1-2

It was not uncommon in the Old Testament for “the word of the Lord” to come to God’s prophets again and again. It happened to Samuel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Haggai, Zechariah, and others. And it also happened to Jonah: The word of the Lord came to Jonah the first time (Jonah 1:1) and then the second time (Jonah 3:1). With the other prophets, the “second time” meant additional prophetic utterances they were to deliver. But with Jonah, the “second time” was because Jonah had failed to speak God’s word the first time. Jonah was a disobedient prophet.

God commissioned Jonah to go east to Assyria, to the capital of Nineveh and deliver a message of judgment. But Jonah fled west toward Spain because he feared the Assyrians. You know the story—Jonah ended up in the sea where he was swallowed by a great fish. Jonah repented and called on the Lord and was delivered. God gave him a second chance.

Don’t let your past keep you from trusting God for a second (or third, or fourth) chance. The God of grace loves to forgive.

Forgiveness is to be set loose from sins.
G. Campbell Morgan

All You Need Is Love: Forgiveness

When Jesus saw [the friends’] faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
Mark 2:5

The hardest part of forgiving another person is acting like the offense never occurred. But that is what forgiving someone means—restoring relationships to the status they enjoyed before the offense took place. It’s one thing to say, “I forgive you,” but it’s another to act like all the effects of an offense are completely erased. After all, according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, love is known by its actions more than its words.

Jesus faced this dilemma when He healed a paralytic man. When He told the man that his sins were forgiven (and by extension, he was healed), He was criticized. He was accused of blaspheming by saying He had the authority to forgive sins—something only God can do. So, Jesus proved He had the authority to say, “I forgive you,” by doing something harder. He healed the man’s paralysis. After all, as Jesus explained, actions speak louder than words (Mark 2:8-11).

We cannot go through life without being hurt by others, so we should learn to forgive. Even more, we should practice demonstrating our forgiveness by our acts of lovingkindness. Look for opportunities to do both.

Forgiveness is to be set loose from sins.
G. Campbell Morgan

A Whole Person

In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility.
Titus 2:7

In mathematics two of the basic kinds of numbers are integers and fractions: 2, 100, and 56 are integers, while ½, ¼, and 2.5 are fractions. Integers, from a Latin root meaning “whole” or “entire.” The word integrity comes from the same root; a person with integrity cannot be divided in beliefs or morality based on varying circumstances.

When the apostle Paul wrote to his young pastoral protégé, Timothy, he told him to show “integrity” in doctrine, to be incorruptible in belief and in actions. Paul wanted Timothy to hold fast to the truth of God, not allowing himself to be divided. A person of integrity obeys the whole counsel of God every day, in every circumstance. Daniel’s three friends in Babylon demonstrated integrity when they were threatened with being burned alive (Daniel 3:16-18). They told the king they would not divide their allegiance, that they would maintain their faith in God and His promises. That is integrity.

Are you a whole person or a fractioned person today? If your beliefs, and therefore your actions, have become divided, gather them back together as you commit to God and His Word.

Integrity of heart is indispensable.
John Calvin

New Earth

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.
Revelation 21:1

A great misconception carried by many Christians has to do with the location of heaven. The word heaven itself implies that our eternal destiny is somewhere “up there” in the heavens. But the Bible says our eternal destiny is earthly, not heavenly. As Peter wrote, we look for a “new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).

In his vision of the future, the apostle John saw that “new heaven and a new earth,” our new domain being pictured as the New Jerusalem “coming down out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:1-2). Somehow, at the end of the age, when Christ has returned to reign and inaugurate the eternal state, this earth will be renovated and a new earth will be the result—a new earth full of righteousness in which pain and sorrow will be absent. The beautiful imagery of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 lets us know that the new earth will be a place that reflects the glory of God throughout.

Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for you if you belong to Him (John 14:1-4). The New Jerusalem, on the new earth, is that place.

Let thy hope of heaven master thy fear of death.
William Gurnall

The Conspicuous Hand

The Lord your God cares.
Deuteronomy 11:12

In a letter to Brigadier General Thomas Nelson, George Washington marveled at how God’s hand had protected him and given success to the cause of liberty: “The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and… has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.”

In the middle of life’s battles, we’re tempted to question God’s ordering of our circumstances, but every follower of Christ can look back and see the conspicuous hand of God’s Providence. He is committed to caring for us, watching over us, and giving us strength when we are within His will.

Moses reminded the Israelites that God was taking them into a land of hills and valleys, of water and streams, “a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:11-12).

That’s the way He cares for us too—every day, all year long, always.

[The Lord] loves, and cares, and sympathizes, and understands, and seeks, and saves, and forgives, and helps, and encourages, and walks by our side… taking care of us in life when we can’t take care of ourselves.
W. A. Criswell

The Need for Prayer

Now it came to pass in those days that [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Luke 6:12

Officially, church historians recognize seven ecumenical church councils held between A.D. 325 and A.D. 787. The first, the First Council of Nicaea, met to agree on the nature of Jesus of Nazareth as both Son of God and Son of Man, as both fully divine and fully human.

The humanity of Christ, while at the same time divine, is hard to understand. But thankfully, Scripture gives us illustrations: Like us, Jesus suffered, experienced hunger, required sleep, ate food, and had limits on His knowledge (Mark 13:32). One of the most striking and helpful illustrations of Jesus’ humanity was His prayer life. We might think that, if Jesus was truly divine, He would have had no need to pray for knowledge, guidance, or help. Yet He did, following the example of godly men like Daniel in Babylon (Daniel 2:16-18). Jesus repeatedly said that He only did what the Father showed Him to do (John 5:19), and prayer was His means.

If Jesus, the Son of God, needed to go to His Father in prayer for strengthening and guidance, how much more do we (Psalm 32:6)?

Prayer and a holy life are one.
E. M. Bounds

What Is Humility?

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5, NIV

What is humility? Is it the opposite of pride? If pride expands one’s importance, does humility deflate one’s importance? That’s the view given by most English dictionaries—a deemphasis on one’s own importance. But what is the biblical view of humility

If someone compliments you on a job well done, do you refuse to take credit or receive their compliment? Or do you graciously say, “Thank you,” in a spirit of genuine appreciation and humility? In Romans 12:3 Paul exhorts the believers not to think of themselves pridefully but rather to think of themselves “soberly”—that is, realistically or accurately. Paul’s topic is the grace given by God to each Christian to serve in the Body of Christ. We should neither overestimate the gift of God’s grace or underestimate it. Rather, we should think of it soberly and realistically—humbly—and minister accordingly. To think less of God’s gift would be to devalue it; to think realistically about it allows one to serve humbly.

How do you view yourself? With pride? With false humility? Or soberly and realistically according to the grace of God in your life?

A really humble man…will not be thinking about humility, he will not be thinking about himself at all.
C. S. Lewis

The Power of Confession

For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer.
Psalm 32:4

California is a dry state that needs water to be transported over many miles to population and agricultural centers. Snowfall in the winter and melting snow in the spring are critical factors in replenishing shrinking reservoirs. In periods of modern droughts, aerial photographs document the receding water levels in reservoirs around the state—shorelines growing wider and drier as water levels fall.

Such is the picture David paints with his words in Psalm 32—a drought of spiritual vitality brought on by his own sin. When he failed to confess his sin to God, his “bones grew old” and he groaned “all the day long” (verse 3). It was like his soul was being evaporated by the heat of his own guilt and shame. But then the rains of grace came and David confessed his sin and God forgave him (verse 5). And he encouraged his readers not to make the same mistake he had made (verses 9-10).

Confession and repentance reveal the access to restoration. Hiding sin does not remove it from God’s sight; but when we seek God’s forgiveness, the refreshing living water from the Father is poured out on us and we are restored—that is the power of confession.

The way to cover our sin is to uncover it by confession.
Richard Sibbes