Revelation 17 So, who wins? It is a question we all want answered, and usually before the game/battle/war/conflict has begun; who will win? Some will back the underdog; most want to be on the winner's side, especially when the outcome is going to be personally affecting you. Revelation 17, like most of Revelation, is difficult to understand. An angel tries to give Jo...

Revelation 7 Revelation 7 starts with an uneasy peace as an angel appears with the seventh seal, which is about to be opened and read in chapter 8. The first 6 seals were opened and read by the Lamb in chapter 6, and there was a great deal of noise and activity taking place as the 4 living creatures called out the 4 horse riders. The angel calls on the 4 riders to hold...

2 Peter 1 Peter is awaiting his departure from this world as he writes this letter. Martyrdom is close, as the Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to him (v14). Peters love for those that have "received a faith as precious as ours" shines through in his desire remind us for all time of the truths that we must follow. Peter is very practical, and gives us a map to follow in...

John 20 In today's reading we see a flurry of activity following Jesus death on the cross. First Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb, to find it empty with the stone rolled back. Then Peter and John racing to the tomb, and finding it empty. After they had gone 2 angels appear to Mary, and then Jesus himself. Then Mary went and told the disciples. Later Jesus appears among t...

John 5 In John 5 we see Jesus doing and saying some pretty bold things: He heals a man who had been an invalid for thirty eight years He heals him on the Sabbath (a no-no for the Jewish leaders) He claims God as His own Father (an even bigger no-no; the Jews would recognize that Jesus was claiming to be God) He expands on this claim by talking about how: - He ...

3 John 1 is a short letter, that describes 3 different people. Their entry in John's letter ensured that they would be remembered for all time. It is a good reminder that what we do is noticed, by God and man, for better or for worse. Lets take a quick look at how these 3 men are described: Gaius - The Good Friend Dear friend Loved Receives John's blessing Soul ge...

1 Timohty 4 What is the attraction of junk food? We know it is named accurately - junk. We know it is going to make us feel bad after eating it. We know that it is going to have a poor impact on our health. We know it has little to no nutritional value. So what is it that gives us the desire to eat it? o It is cheapo It tastes goodo It doesn't take up much of our timeo...

2 Corinthians 13 Paul makes a final appeal at the conclusion to this second letter to the Corinthian Church, "Examine Yourselves". The appeal follows a stern warning: "On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier, or any of the others, since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me." And later: "This is why I write these things when I am a...

From The Message Bible: 2 Corinthians 3:1-6:Does it sound like we're patting ourselves on the back, insisting on our credentials, asserting our authority? Well, we're not. Neither do we need letters of endorsement, either to you or from you. You yourselves are all the endorsement we need. Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ h...

1 Corinthians 9 I wasn't much of an athlete at school. Most of my school years I was overweight, and had asthma and allergies. Usually last picked, usually last in the pack! That didn't mean that I wasn't competitive though. I liked (and still like) to win. When we enter a competition we usually want to do our best. Yet in some area's of our lives we don't think conscio...