Christian devotions: The Last Curse - Revelation 22:19

Revelation 22:19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

It’s the last curse in the Bible and one that should make us all cautious. When I first read it decades ago in the old King James version, it terrified me. I realized that I had been taking away from God’s Word with my lifestyle choices and that put me under His awful judgment. Even today, when I re-read that verse, it sent shivers down my spine.

Far too often, we think that we can do our own thing, go our own way, and that God will turn a blind eye, accept us warts and all, and just make everything good in the end. Anyone who believes that has not read the Bible or taken their faith seriously. We live in a sinful time where people make up their own beliefs and genuinely think that the Bible reflects their thinking. We fatally forget that the Bible reflects God’s thinking and not our own.

My main duty as a teaching elder is to teach the truth, even when and where that truth is not popular, unacceptable, and uncomfortable. I could make it easy for myself and pander to the people by preaching what they want to hear, but that would be living a lie. I am no saint and, like John Newton, I consider myself to be the worst of all sinners, but my sinful ways do not change God’s Holy Words. I will never reach His perfect standards, but I am willing to be challenged, to change, and to try.

We all need to seriously reflect upon today’s Bible reading from Revelation ( Revelation 22:14-21). If we ignore it, we will end up without God in eternity. That may seem like a far off distant future, but let’s bring it home and close to the bone: if we were to die today, would we go to heaven? If we truly answered “No,” then what’s stopping us and what do we seriously need to change?

Prayer:                       Lord Jesus, Your Words cut right through us at times and we are challenged once again by God’s Holy ways. We want to go to heaven; we want to be saved by Your grace. Whatever is holding us back or whatever is topping us from obtaining salvation, tear it from our lives. Help us, Lord Jesus, to completely give over our lives and hearts to You alone. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask a question about today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is an Easter drawing of mine called “Son Down.” If you would like to see a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2704/4442496002_fab6cfb6ac_b.jpg

Short Devotion: The Second Death - Revelation 20:6

Revelation 20:6          Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

There’s a second death which preachers don’t often talk about these days because people don’t want to hear or accept it. It takes place after the Final Resurrection when everyone will be brought before God in the Time of Judgment. Those who truly believed in Christ and lived their lives according to His ways will live forever. Those who didn’t won’t and they will experience death a second time.

I hear many people talk about life beyond death, but I never hear anyone talking about death beyond death. Because we’ve forgotten about this coming event, we live our lives as if it doesn’t matter to God. We delude ourselves into thinking that our lifestyle choices have no bearing on what the outcome will be when we die on Earth. But that is a demonic lie which is sending people towards that second death from which they will never escape.

This summer, our denomination made a mistake which I believe will end up ruining the church, but much more seriously than that, will end up sending people to the doom of a second death. Even if I were to preach that a hundred times each Sunday from the pulpit for two years, there would be those who would still say, “That’s only your opinion” or “That’s being narrow minded” or “That’s not what I believe” or “This is the 21^st century, so get with it Preacher.”

We believe that we are so right, and yet we are totally wrong. The Second Death exists and it is the true Church’s mission to help people of all persuasions, life style choices, and beliefs to avoid it. Wishful thinking about the after-life will lead to the Second Death. Only real repentance will lead us to everlasting life. Teaching tolerance may be good for earthly societies, but it does nothing to avert the Second Death. When we tolerate sin, we send people the wrong message and put them on the wrong path to perdition.

Prayer:                       Lord Jesus, we are all guilty of making excuses for our sins and setting aside the Eternal Truths about life and death, life after death, and even death after death. Forgive us for thinking that we are better and more enlightened than the generations of Christians before us. Save us from ourselves! Save us from the Second Death! In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask a question about today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is John’s latest drawing in his Psalms series. It’s based upon a verse from Psalm 109. If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6169/6170833393_3829d1b0e9_b.jpg

Devotions - A Time to Mourn - Revelation 1:7

Revelation 1:7            Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen. 

One day, perhaps even today, Jesus will return. That’s what we proclaim each week in church when we repeat the Apostles’ Creed and say, “He will come to judge the quick and the dead.” It’s also what we declare when we celebrate Communion and talk about the Heavenly Feast to come. The sad thing is that most Christians say they believe this, but live like it’s never going to happen. In fact, most people think that there’s more of a chance of an almighty meteor hitting the Earth, as opposed to believing that Jesus will actually return in their lifetime.

Among all of the things that ministers and pastors do, the most important task that they are given is to help people prepare for Christ’s Return, or for that serious eternal moment when they come face-to-face with Him after Death. There is no greater ministry than this, but sadly more pastors and their churches are getting so caught up with the world’s issues, that this eternal, consequential, and momentous task of ministry is being neglected and discarded. People in the pews are being left with no idea about how to live as true Christians awaiting the return of their Lord. Instead, they are being fed delusions and lies which will one dreadful day place them on the edge of the Abyss and prevent them from entering into God’s blissful kingdom.

I’ve been a pastor for over 25 years and throughout that time I’ve seen the Church diminish because it is more interested in being acceptable to the world, rather than remaining faithful to God. I’ve seen society dabble dangerously with a brazen immorality which will condemn billions of people to hell. The Church has forgotten its unquestionable loyalty to Christ, and has foolishly pandered to post-modern culture. Only revival will save the Church from itself. Only a contrite return to Christ and a culture of repentance will save our civilization.

What I’m writing used to be called basic Christianity, but in a culture that is so in love with itself, this kind of doomsday message is unpopular, unpalatable, and unhappy to many. However, that’s why John the Apostle wrote that all the people of earth would mourn at Christ’s Return. When Jesus re-appears, our worldly ways are terminated. When Christ comes back, it will truly be for Judgment Day first before everlasting joy is experienced.

So, the challenge for all of us today (and everyday) is this: are we ready to receive Christ on His Return and on God’s terms, or will we mourn with the rest of the world?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, help us and all of our loved ones to get our hearts, minds, souls, and lives ready for Your Imminent Return. Keep us from being distracted by the world, or being so influenced by its wiles that we lose our salvation. Remind us every day that being accepted by You is not the same as being acceptable to the world. In Your Holy Name, we sincerely pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you have any questions or would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.