HEADS UP
“Listen!” says Jesus. “I am coming soon!
I will bring my rewards with me, to give to each one according to what he has done.”
Revelation 22:12
In college, professors will often give their students warnings and advice on what to study for an upcoming exam. These examinations can count up to one-hundred percent of a student’s grade! That can put a lot of pressure on students to pay attention and to study for what is coming in the future. It is a relief to know, however, that most colleges offer tutors […]
COLLEGE DROPOUT
“Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.”
Philippians 2:12-13
Far too often, some college students wait to the last minute to cram for an important test. No matter how much time beforehand they were given to study, they do not open their textbooks. This happens in spite of the professor’s warning and the numerous tutors […]
THE PROFESSOR
“When the Judgment Day comes, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord! In your name we spoke God’s message, by your name we drove out many demons and performed many miracles!’ Then I will say to them, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you wicked people!”
Matthew 7:22-23
All prophecy in the Bible is about Jesus. John’s book of Revelation is just a particular focus on Jesus as the revelation of God. In fact, everything written in the Bible points to Him. Jesus is everything; the Word manifested! He embodies it, He fulfills it, and […]
THE TEXTBOOK
“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths”
2 Timothy 4:2-4
If there’s anything we need to do today, it is to be grounded in the Word of God. If we remember, Paul warned […]
THE HELPER & THE STUDENT
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” 1John 4:4
Jesus is looking for disciples that will heed His heads up. He wants us to be His followers. He’s looking for people who want to be all in. It’s not just about going to the church building, it’s also about living out our faith. No, we cannot do this by ourselves and He does not expect us to. In college, there are tutors on board that offer help to the students. Similarly, […]
THE PREACHING OF GOD’S WORD
“I have complete confidence in the gospel; it is God’s power to save all who believe, first the Jews and also the Gentiles” Romans 1:16
“How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!” Romans 10:14-15
Do not let the enemy deceive you into thinking that the preaching of God’s Word is […]
IT’S ALL ABOUT PROPHECY
“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.” Revelation 1:3
The book of Revelation contains a lot of strange symbols and signs that most people do not understand. That is why, when looking at this book, there are three things that you need to know. These three ideas will help you understand John’s letter. The first thing that you need to know is the book is all about prophecy. The book of Revelation contains prophecies from God. These […]
JOHN’S EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.” Revelation 1:1-2
The book of Revelation contains signs and symbols that may seem strange and difficult to understand. That is why, when looking at this book, there are three things that you need to know. These ideas will help you grasp this mysterious letter. First, […]
GOD’S THEATER, GOD’S PRESENTER AND GOD’S AUDIENCE
“When, however, the Spirit comes, who reveals the truth about God, he will lead you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own authority, but he will speak of what he hears and will tell you of things to come.” John 16:13
The best way to read the book of Revelation is to read it as God’s drama production. That is how one can grasp the prophecies contained in John’s letter. The book of Revelation reads like God’s prophetic drama. This show is presented in God’s theater, to the church, and by the Holy Spirit. […]
ACT1: JESUS IS CENTER STAGE
“On the Lord’s Day the Spirit took control of me, and I heard a loud voice, that sounded like a trumpet, speaking behind me. It said, “Write down what you see, and send the book to the churches in these seven cities: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” I turned around to see who was talking to me, and I saw seven gold lampstands, and among them there was what looked like a human being, wearing a robe that reached to his feet, and a gold band around his chest. His hair was white as wool, […]
IN HIS HANDS
Write, then, the things you see, both the things that are now and the things that will happen afterward. Here is the secret meaning of the seven stars that you see in my right hand, and of the seven gold lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. Revelation 1:19-20
In Act 1, in God’s drama called Revelation, John testified that he saw Jesus in His full glory. John described that Jesus was shining radiant as the sun. He goes further to state that Jesus was standing […]
MAN DOWN!
“When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. He placed his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the first and the last.”
Revelation 1:17
“The fear of the Lord, is the beginning of wisdom,” Proverbs 9:10a. One has not truly met the Lord Jesus Christ, if he or she does not have a healthy fear of Him. You have not been born again if you believe that you can say anything, do anything, and are not afraid of anything. You have not entered into His presence […]
JESUS REVEALED
“When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. He placed his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the first and the last. I am the living one! I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I have authority over death and the world of the dead.Write, then, the things you see, both the things that are now and the things that will happen afterward.”
Revelation 1: 17-19
Jesus is the first and the last. No one was before Him or is […]
HAPPY PEOPLE
“Happy is the one who reads this book, and happy are those who listen to the words of this prophetic message and obey what is written in this book! For the time is near when all these things will happen.” Revelation 1:3
It may be safe to say that many people do not have a clue of what the Bible is all about. There are plenty of individuals that have not taken the time to read it or to be taught by some form of teacher. In addition, many books of the Bible can be hard to understand, […]
THE INTERLUDE
“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven…”
Revelation 4:1a
An interlude is something that is performed during a theater intermission. It is a pause between acts of a play. In ancient Greek theater, in the Apostle John’s day, interludes were very common. Most dramas back then usually had one or two performers in a production. It would be a small group. Since the group was small, actors would need time to change clothes and props between each scene. Also, the small cast played multiple characters and it could be challenging for the audience […]
THE CHURCH AGE
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” John 1:12
The “Church Age,” is the current time in world history where God is calling His special people out of the world and into the church, through faith in Jesus. Now, is the time to get it right with the Lord. In the church age you are saved by grace! You do not have to try to earn your way into heaven. As a matter of fact, you cannot but salvation is received […]
INTERLUDE SUMMARY
“What we are teaching you now is the Lord’s teaching: we who are alive on the day the Lord comes will not go ahead of those who have died. There will be the shout of command, the archangel’s voice, the sound of God’s trumpet, and the Lord himself will come down from heaven. Those who have died believing in Christ will rise to life first; then we who are living at that time will be gathered up along with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. So […]
COME UP HERE
“Do not be worried and upset,” Jesus told them. “Believe in God and believe also in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so. And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am. You know the way that leads to the place where I am going.” John 14: 1-4
The interlude, in Rev. 4:1, is all about the end of […]
GOD HOLDS THE FUTURE
“Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers conspire together against the Lord and his Anointed One: “Lets tear off their chains and throw their ropes off of us.”
The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord ridicules them. Then he speaks to them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath: “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”
Psalms 2:2-6
Many people today falsely believe that they can control the future. Some think they can exercise this control through […]
THE SCROLL
“In the right hand of the one sitting on the throne I saw a scroll that had writing on the inside and on the outside.
And it was sealed in seven places.” Revelation 5:1
The book of Revelation is God’s theatrical drama, presented to the church by Holy Spirit. If you are going to understand the book of Revelation, you must read it this way. As far as I am concerned it is the greatest show on earth. Yes, it is!
In Act Two (starting at Revelation 4:2), after the church is raptured (Rev. 4:1), John is caught up into […]
WHILE WE WAIT: WE MUST WORSHIP GOD AND GOD ALONE
“I, John, have heard and seen all these things. And when I finished hearing and seeing them, I fell down at the feet of the angel who had shown me these things, and I was about to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do it! I am a servant together with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all those who obey the words in this book. Worship God!”
Revelation 22:8-9
One of the things that we must do while we wait for the coming of Christ, is to worship God and God alone. This […]
WHILE WE WAIT: WE MUST BE RIGHTEOUS & HOLY
“Whoever is evil will go on doing evil, and whoever is filthy will go on being filthy;
whoever is good will go on doing good, and whoever is holy will go on being holy.”
Revelation 22:11
In the book of 1 Peter, the apostle reminds his readers of their calling to be holy because our Heavenly Father is holy. Holiness and righteousness have become an unpopular topic in the modern world. However, in Jesus’ eyes both are still relevant and required of his followers today. The call to live a righteous and holy life is a call for […]
WHILE WE WAIT: WE MUST BE PURE IN HEART
“Happy are those who wash their robes clean
and so have the right to eat the fruit from the tree of life
and to go through the gates into the city.”
Revelation 22:14
The promise that one day Believers in Jesus Christ will enter through Heavens gates and live with God forever is one of the greatest Christian joys. The bible calls this our “Blessed Hope.” (Titus 2:13) We praise the Lord and worship Him, as we wait to meet Jesus in the clouds when He appears.
The bible says those who have been purified by the blood of Jesus Christ […]
WHILE WE WAIT: WE MUST REMEMBER, NO SINNER WILL GET IN
“Outside the city are the dogs- the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.”
Revelation 22:15
While we are waiting on the coming of Christ, Christians need to remember that no sinners will pass through heavens gates. The road to the eternal holy city is full of temptations, persecutions, trials and troubles. Following Jesus in the faith is difficult and dangerous, but well worth the struggle in the end.
Despite the culture we must stand apart and live for Christ, no matter what. While we are waiting […]
WHILE WE WAIT: WE MUST INVITE OTHERS TO COME TO JESUS
“The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!”
Everyone who hears this must also say, “Come!”
Come, whoever is thirsty; accept the water of life as a gift, whoever wants it.”
Revelation 22:17
In the verse referenced above, we see that the invitation to “come” is mentioned three times. The fact that it is mentioned three times must mean that it is important, and that readers should not miss it. That is the job of the church. We are told to invite lost souls to come to Jesus, so they can quench their spiritual thirst. We have a purpose on […]
WHILE WE WAIT: CHRISTIANS MUST SAY AMEN!
“He which testifies these things saith, Surely I come quickly.
Amen, even so come, Lord Jesus.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, AMEN”
Revelation 22: 20-21
The Apostle John concluded his prophetic letter by giving one last summary, which ends with a benediction. You can read this benediction in the conclusion of the verse above.
“What is a benediction”? The word “benediction” comes from a Latin compound word, which means to show favor to someone. It means to show someone that you like them. Also, it is saying good things about a person, because […]