Hebrews 11 is a magnificent paradigm for movers and shakers. At the heart of this paradigm is the practical application of faith. Think about this: The more I believe God, the more I attempt; and the more I attempt, the more I see God at work.
In the first century, today, ministry leadership may have been a position that was considered to be less than desirable. However, according to Paul, there is no higher work than that of ministry leadership. It is a work of colossal value. Yet, prepare yourself for a shock. You may not want even want to watch.
Chapter 6 of the Revelation unfolds the beginning of global devastation as the end of the end approaches. Will this devastation originate with a single person, or is it possible that an overwhelming world-wide influence will take the lead? Either way, the promises of peace and tranquility will quickly fade as a new, global order of tyrants arise.
For two consecutive chapters, praise has stood at the heart of the Revelation. Believe it or not, praise defeats the power and sting of tribulation. To be sure, praise is our greatest weapon against the darkness of circumstantial depression and the weight of situational despair.
If heaven is not in a panic about what is happening on earth, neither should we be in a panic. Of course, we pray for our world. Of course, we seek and offer solutions, but we trust the Lord to use everything for His glory, including us. His timeline is far more important than our own.
Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith, said Paul to the church at Corinth. Yet, he did not say what that test might be. Fortunately, the Revelation given to John sets forth a dynamic test that provides evidence as to who is genuinely connected to the kingdom and who is not. For the church at Laodicea, Jesus seems to have been left standing on the outside looking in.
Helping a person make a genuine connection to Christ is one of the most satisfying actions a believer can take. Most certainly, any believer can. Committing to memory four short verses gives anyone the tools to win another person to kingdom life. You can get started right now. Don’t wait.
When is a person’s name written in the Book of Life? At the moment of conception. Can a person’s name be removed from the Book of Life? Most definitely, so says the book of the Revelation. Is your name in or out
A congregation may say it’s a church. A community may say it’s a church. The IRS may say it’s a church, but unless Jesus says it’s a church, it’s not a church.
The good stuff bears repeating again and again and again and again. The guarantee of our membership is God’s kingdom is to be rehearsed again and again and again and again. This is the bedrock of our relationship to Him. This is the confidence we hold. This is the message we proclaim.
