(Don't miss today's devotional, posted below.) Next week there will be a daily video attached to the blog so you can watch, listen, or read the devotional. Please help me out by passing along an invitation to anyone you think might benefit from it. Thanks! 2 PETER 1:5-11 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsig

(Don't miss today's devotional, posted below.) Next week we start back into Matthew's Gospel. But this time with a difference. I'm going to try producing a video version alongside the Blog for each day. Some of you have told me you'd like that option. So, starting next week you can watch, listen, or read the Eyes on Jesus devotional, whichever suits you best. Your choice. Please pass along an invitation to anyone you think might benefit. I'd really appreciate it. Meanwhile, h

Tim here. I've got something new I'm going to try starting next week. We've just come to the end of Revelation, so we're going to circle back and plunge into Matthew's Gospel again. But with a difference. This time, I'm going to produce a video version alongside the Blog. Some of you have told me you'd like that option. So, starting next week you can watch, listen, or read the Eyes on Jesus devotional, whichever suits you best. Your choice. I'd be very appreciative if you'd p

“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End … “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” … He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. (verses 12-13, 16, 20) - The continuum of time seems to r

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They wi

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books … If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (verses 11-12, 15) - Judgement

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth – Gog and Magog – to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. (verses 7-9) - What strikes me here is the decisive, almost anti-climactic, end to th

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given au

I saw heaven open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp swo

After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgements …” Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!” (verses 1-2, 6-7) - Finally! After the plagues and judgem

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendour. With a mighty voice he shouted: “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! …” Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.” (verses 1-2, 4-5) - “Fallen i

They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings – and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers. (verse 14) - I love the simplicity that lies behind the explanation of the Lamb’s victory. Why does he triumph? Simply because he is “Lord of lords and King of kings.” Of course. He’s the Sovereign One. He reigns above it all. “Worthy is the Lamb … to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strengt

Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: “You are just in these judgements, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.” And I heard the altar respond: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgements.” (verses 5-7) - This chapter is filled with plague after plague of God’s judgement, poured out on the earth and its peo

(For those of you who don't live here, that's "British Columbia Day," one of our summer-time holidays!) With holiday in mind, be refreshed this day in the Lord. Receive his peace afresh. "My peace I leave with you; my peace I give you," says Jesus. "I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27) (We return tomorrow to continue in Revelation 16.) - Photo by Albert Stoynov on Unsplash

“Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (verses 3-4) - This song, sung by “those who have been victorious over the beast” (verse 2), is said to be the song of Moses, and of the Lamb. Those singing are standing, in their triumph, beside a sea

I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one “like a son of man” with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. (verses 14

Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth – to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, “Fear God, and give him glory, because the hour of his judgement has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” (verses 6-7) - The call to salvation is a call to worship. It’s that simple. This angel with the eternal gospel, cries it out, proclaimin

Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads ... And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were p

Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. Because of the signs it was given to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants o