Keep The Faith

The Seven Churches of Revelation Before we explore the Seven Churches of Revelation, it is important to understand the life of the man through whom Jesus delivered this message — John the Apostle. His journey from fisherman to beloved disciple to exiled prophet shapes the tone and urgency of the letters to the churches. The Life of John the Apostle A detailed look at the man through whom God gave us the Gospel of John, the Epistles, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ. ← Read: The Life of John the Apostle The Seven Churches of Revelation With John’s life in view, we now turn to the seven churches he wrote to — real congregations in real cities, each facing unique pressures and receiving a specific message from Jesus Christ. 1. Ephesus — Revelation 2:1–7 Main takeaway: A church strong in doctrine and endurance, but drifting from its first love. Revelation 2:4–6 (NIV) 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken t...

The Life of John the Apostle A detailed look at the man through whom God gave us the Gospel of John, the Epistles, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ. 1. Early Life and Calling John was born around 6 AD in Bethsaida, a fishing village on the Sea of Galilee. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and the younger brother of James. Together they worked as fishermen and were partners with Peter and Andrew. Their family business was stable and respected, suggesting they were not poor but hardworking and established. Jesus called John while he was mending nets. Without hesitation, he left the boat, the nets, and the family business to follow the Messiah. This immediate obedience reveals the depth of his devotion from the very beginning. 2. A “Son of Thunder” Transformed Jesus gave John and his brother James the nickname “Boanerges,” meaning “sons of thunder.” This tells us John was originally fiery, bold, and intense. He once wanted to call down fire on a Samaritan vill...

Something very strange happened this morning that I can only say was directed by the Lord. I was searching in the small concordance in the back of my New American Standard Bible for a scripture that says our war is not with flesh and blood but with something more. I could not find what I was looking for, but my eyes fell upon these words: “WARS OF THE LORD, BOOK OF.” This directed me to Numbers 21:14 . I began searching more about what this book could be and found that this place in the Old Testament is the only reference to the existence of a book called “The Book of the Wars of the Lord.” This book has been lost; archaeology has not yet uncovered it. Led to a Lost Book As I looked around on the internet about this book, I read a comment on one of the websites. The commenter said that the book was on Amazon. I thought, “How can a book that has been lost for centuries now show up on Amazon?” I was skeptical, but I fired up my Kindle and searched for the b...

The battle we face today is not new — it is the same spiritual war Scripture has warned us about from the beginning. But we do not face it alone. The Lord, the One True God, the Lord of lords and King of kings, is all‑powerful. His strength is our strength, and His victory is our hope. As long as we “Keep The Faith,” we stand in the power of the One who cannot be defeated. The War Has Begun Remember: The Lord — Lord of lords, King of kings, the One True God — is All‑Powerful. There is no one greater, no one stronger, no one who can stand against Him. Persist to the end. Keep The Faith. How fitting that the name of this blog was given by Him. Everything about this work belongs to the Lord. The days ahead may be difficult, but He will give us strength. 6/30/2016 — A Clarification God will accomplish His work. Our part in this fight is not the use of weapons. Jesus rebuked Peter for drawing his sword on the night He was betrayed. Force is not the ...

I believe that all peoples — even from the beginning of time — will be in God's new kingdom. And here is why. 🏙️ The New Jerusalem John’s description of the new kingdom, given to him by God through an angel ( Rev 1:1 ), is found in Revelation 21. He describes the holy city, the New Jerusalem — a massive city with a wall measuring 1,500 miles wide, 1,500 miles long, 1,500 miles tall, and 72 yards thick ( Rev 21:16–17 ). The city has twelve gates — three on each side ( Rev 21:12–13 ). 🚪 Inside and Outside the City Inside the city: The Lord God and the Lamb (Jesus/Yeshua) ( Rev 21:22 ) Those written in the Lamb’s book of life ( Rev 21:27 ) The bride, the wife of the Lamb ( Rev 21:9 ) God’s bond-servants ( Rev 22:3 ) Outside the city: “Dogs, sorcerers, immoral persons, murderers, idolaters, and all who love and practice lying” ( Rev 22:15 ) The nations ( Rev 21:24 ) I believe these descriptions refer to who they were on the old earth — not ...