Revelation
Come, Lord Jesus
Awaiting Advent / Advent; Second Coming / Revelation 22:18–21 I confess the thought of Christ returning soon was something I did not always look forward to. When I was younger I had so many things I still wanted to enjoy. I felt like all the descriptions of heaven that I had heard lacked any of my toys and earthly interests. Heaven seemed a bit boring. Floating on clouds with chubby cherubs was not very appealing. When children are not bored…
The Water of Life
One of the greatest sounds a new parent hears is the sound of their baby crying for the first time. That cry lets us know that our child is alive and breathing. It also lets us know that they are uncomfortable. They want to be close to their mother. They are immediately placed upon the mother’s chest and, if possible, they should begin nursing right away. There is another kind of thirst that all humans possess from birth. However, this…
The Final Judgment
Awaiting Advent / Advent; Second Coming / Revelation 22:10–13 George Orwell’s parody of Communism, Animal Farm, basically provides an outline of how certain dictators have responded to COVID. In chapter five, Napoleon decided to end Sunday meetings where all the farm animals would vote on various decisions. He began making decisions for the farm among a small private committee. Squealer shared the news of this transition with the rest of the animals. No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that…
Worship God
Distracted driving kills about 9 people every day in the US. We’ve tried doing something about this phenomenon. Unfortunately, providing more information does not seem to be working. Despite all of the public service announcements, the statistics continue to follow a discouraging trend. Distracted worship is also on the rise in 2020. For anyone sensitive to the spiritual needs that a worship service is designed to meet, attempting to worship from home has been completely inadequate. Then, the numerous restrictions placed…
“The New Jerusalem – Pt. 2” (Revelation 21:22 – 22:5)
The New Jerusalem – Pt. 2 (Rev. 21:22-22:5) I wondered whether we should take a week to consider how the Bible might encourage us during this Coronavirus pandemic. The response from people around the world has ranged from sheer panic to complete indifference. We certainly want to avoid both extremes. We also need to prepare to show compassion to those who are vulnerable and in need during this time. And we cannot allow this virus to become our all consuming…
“The New Jerusalem” (Revelation 21:9-21)
The New Jerusalem The New Jerusalem Brad Mills / General When God called Abraham out of Ur, away from his family, he departed with nothing but faith in God’s covenant promise. He did not know where he was going. He did not know the challenges that awaited him on his journey. What Abraham did know was that the promises God gave to him were not going to be fulfilled in his lifetime. He had a perspective that serves as…
“The New Heaven and New Earth” (Revelation 21:1-8)
The New Heaven and New Earth The New Heaven and New Earth Brad Mills / General In 2008, a Dutch newspaper poll voted the city of Charleroi to be “The Ugliest City in the World”. Honestly, I can think of plenty of places in worse shape. The voting was weighted to places in the Belgian region, but it still felt like a low blow to those who lived there and appreciated its charm. No doubt, everyone could see that…
“The Great White Throne Judgment” (Revelation 20:7-15)
Great White Throne Judgment Great White Throne Judgment Brad Mills / General Revelation / Eschatology: Last Judgment / Revelation 20:7–15 Think of a time in your life where you greatly offended your parents and received some form of discipline. I realize the spectrum of responses may span from one of neglect and indifference to (unfortunately) even physical abuse. For some of you, the punishment might have been so harsh it overshadowed the offense so that you can’t even remember…
“The Thousand Years” (Revelation 20:1-6)
The Thousand Years The Thousand Years Brad Mills / General Revelation / Millennium / Revelation 20:1–6 In Adolph Hitler’s first speech as the German Fuhrer, he assured the nation that Nazi Germany would last a thousand years. He believed that Germany needed to return to its roots in the Holy Roman Empire which inspired visions of “agriculture virtue, simplicity, community, and social harmony.” In other words, it was an inspiring and idealistic view of the future. Hitler often riled…
“The Great Supper of God” (Revelation 19:11-21)
The Great Supper of God The Great Supper of God Brad Mills / General Revelation / Second Coming; Christ as King / Revelation 19:11–21 Christians were already enduring various levels of persecution. A few had been martyred for their faith. Others were experiencing social and economic hardship, as detailed in several of the letters sent to the seven churches in Asia Minor (Re 2-3). Much of John’s vision warns believers to expect that persecution to increase. They were about…