“I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:9).

      John adds his perspective to this narrative by saying he was our brother and companion “in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus.” In this age, these are always found together with the true companions of the Lord. As we’re told in 2 Timothy 3:12, “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

      Being...

      In a world that is falling into increasing deception, we must be resolved to love the truth and to tell the truth without compromise. What makes something a treasure is that it is rare or hard to get. As integrity becomes increasingly rare, we must resolve that it is a treasure we will protect with the utmost diligence. One of the most important ways that we build our lives on integrity is to obey what Jesus said in Matthew 5:37: “But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil.”

      Contrary to...

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" (Revelation 1:8 NKJV).

      As the book of Revelation is of Jesus Christ, we should especially try to absorb everything about Him in it. Here He is called the Alpha and the Omega—which are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet. This indicates that Jesus is the beginning of the purpose of God, and He is the conclusion of it.

       As we noted in the first chapter of John,...

      We ended last week’s Word for the Week with a brief on the distinction between the church man has built and the one God is building. There is a continuously unfolding message in Revelation about both of these, what they will each become, and how we can recognize them. Since much of the book of Revelation is about the true and false churches, it is very important for us to understand them so we can be part of the right one.

      Man was created to be a friend of God who would walk with Him and have a...

      Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" (Revelation 1:7-8 NKJV).

      One of the greatest hopes of Christianity is that our King, Jesus, is coming back to rule over the earth and restore it to the paradise it was originally created to be. He paid the ultimate...