“What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea" (see Revelation 1:11).

      Not long after John was given this revelation, these churches began to fade out of existence. So, why would the Lord’s message for the entire church age be sent to these seven churches? It was obviously not because of what these churches were or would become but because of how they prophetically foreshadowed the unfolding destiny of the whole church in this age....

       “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day” (see Revelation 1:10).        

      Last week, we covered a little about what it meant for John to be “in the Spirit.” This week, we will seek to understand what it meant that he did this on “the Lord’s day.” Because Sunday is now often referred to as “the Lord’s day” as the Christian Sabbath, it is understandable that many would think “the Lord’s day” was a Sunday. As we proceed through Revelation, it seems apparent that John was referring to much more than just one day of the week.

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I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea" (Revelation 1:10-11 NKJV).

      For John to be “in the Spirit” was for him to be in the spiritual realm. This is also sometimes referred to as the “kingdom of heaven.” This...

“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...