“I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 1:9
John was exiled to Patmos for punishment from the devil and this world, but John’s Patmos ended up being a powerful revelation of Christ. Saint, what will get out of your Patmos?
“And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. 10And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.” I Chronicles 4:9-10
We were all born into sorrow. This world insists that we are to let all the things of our past and everything we did, be pinned on us. The experts of our day tell us all those things from our past life are what make us today. That may be true for unredeemed people, but you and I are born again. We are brand new creatures. So say good bye to that old life and live in newness of life.
“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” I John 5:12
I don’t know if it can get any simpler than this, if you have Jesus Christ you have life, if you don’t have Him you are dead. It is Christ that brings life, not religion, not commitments to a church. Since the only way to have real life is for the Spirit of Christ to dwell in us. Why then are there so many other things that ministers insist the church has to offer? Some preach Jesus + (plus sign). That means that Jesus is not enough and that you have to add something to Him for life to be realized. Some preach Jesus , (comma) or ; (semicolon) as if there is more that needs to follow Him to make Him effective. Others preach Jesus ? (question mark) doubting if He is really all we need. Let’s get our grammar straight, it is Jesus . (period) and Jesus ! (exclamation mark). End of sentence.
“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” I John 4:8
God is love, not because others love Him, but because He loved all men, while they were yet sinners. Your love is also gauged, not by how much people love you, but by how much you love others. Even those who are your enemy.
“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” II Peter 3:4
Jesus promised that He is coming to get us. Is that a promise that excites you or is that a promise that is a little inconvenient for you right now?
“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” II Peter 3:4
We would expect scoffing to come from the world, but the worse scoffing will come from church members. The more Christians get wrapped and absorbed into the world, the further their mind is from Christ and the less interested they are in His return. Thus they will mock those believers who are excited about the soon return of the Lord. He is coming soon, are you ready or are you scoffing?
“But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” II Peter 3:4
The more humble we walk before God, the greater the value of our life is to Him.
“Then Elisha died, and they buried him. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year. 21So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.” II Kings 13:20-21
Not in a physical way, but in a spiritual way, if you touch the heart of Jesus you will be revived.
“But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD.” II Kings 11:15
I suppose Jehoiada did not want Athaliah, who took it upon herself to be king, to be killed in the house of the Lord because it is a place of life for mankind, not a place of death. I wonder how many of our churches today have become more of a place of death for people instead of life. We need the Spirit to be in our churches if life is to be offered, otherwise people are just being “slain in the house of God.”
“And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?” II kings 5:13
One of the most valuable things about belonging to a loving fellowship of believers, is that there are those there who will encourage you when you have moments of doubt. If Naaman’s servant could convince him to trust what the prophet said, how much more should we be encouraged by the brethren who exhort us to trust God?
