“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write…” (Revelation 2:18 ESV). The book of Revelation opens with seven letters to seven churches written by the apostle John on behalf of Jesus. They were addressed to the “angel” of each church. The word “angel” might also be translated “messenger,” as each letter would be
“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10b ESV). The Lord Jesus dictated letters to the apostle John to be sent to the seven churches in Asia Minor. In the letter to the church of Smyrna, Jesus warned them of an upcoming time of suffering and tribulation. He
“And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Joel 2:32 ESV). The prophet Joel wrote that “everyone” who calls upon the “name” of the Lord would be saved. His prophecy was first written to the Jewish people and he surely didn’t foresee that this
“The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother… Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart” (Proverbs 29:15, 17 ESV). In our reading from the book of Proverbs today, Solomon directs our attention to the stewardship of parenting.
“After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him” (Hosea 6:2 ESV). Amidst Hosea’s prophecies of God’s judgment on Israel, he calls them to repentance with the promise of resurrection. This promise was fulfilled in Christ. The apostle Paul must have been
“A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.” (Proverbs 29:11 ESV). Have you heard someone make excuses about the way they lose their temper? They blame it on a family trait or a situation, but they don’t own the problem. In the book of Proverbs, the words
“Scoffers set a city aflame, but the wise turn away wrath” (Proverbs 29:8 ESV). A timely word from the book of Proverbs for today. For it highlights the difference between the scoffer and the wise. The scoffer is one who mocks, ridicules, or scorns a person or an idea. When they encounter disunity and disagreement
“By justice a king builds up the land, but he who exacts gifts tears it down” (Proverbs 29:4 ESV). This proverb of Solomon speaks of two types of kings, one who builds up and one who tears down. The one who builds up is rare. For he leads by “justice.” He leads with discretion and
“Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them. And when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece” (Daniel 11:2 ESV). One of the most amazing prophesies concerning the future of human kingdoms was given
“in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years” (Daniel 9:2 ESV). “In the first year” of Darius’ reign, Daniel was moved