Archive for The Gathering Place "The Gathering Place" is a web community where people can gather and make new friends, share ideas, enjoy a few laughs and learn about many interesting things together. It is a safe place where friends can correspond with each other about what they love.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see into the future? Few people would turn down the opportunity to know God’s plan for their lives and for His church and kingdom. This is especially true when pressures rise and stress increases.
The early church faced severe persecution. It was not unusual for members to be arrested, beaten, and crucified for their faith in Jesus Christ. John was banished to the Isle of Patmos. It was there that God sent an angel to him with a futuristic message of extreme encouragement. The message John received was timeless. It also brought a sense of certainty and hope for the future. This is because it proclaimed Jesus Christ as our reigning King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
This is how you learn to handle future events. You do not have to go to a spiritual advisor or consult someone who claims to have knowledge about your life and the future. God has a plan and a purpose, and He is the One who knows what will happen, not only tomorrow, but also years from now. He knows the moment of His Son’s return to earth and all that will take place before His Second Coming.
The question we must ask ourselves is the same one that God placed before the churches: "Are you ready for My return?" If not, then it is time to prepare because "I am coming soon" (Revelation 22:20).
Revelation was written so that we might gain insight into the things of God. The word revelation means "unveiling." Through this one letter written to the churches throughout Asia Minor, God unveils His plan and purpose for the church.
It is important to note that once Daniel recorded the prophecy given to him by the Holy Spirit, he was instructed by God to "seal the book" (Daniel 12:4). However, this is not what God instructed John to do. In fact, the Lord tells John, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book" (Revelation 22:10). In other words, "God has proclaimed what I have given you."
There is a sense of urgency in Christ’s message to the churches listed in Revelation. While the words of Revelation appear to be written to the entire body of believers, they also are words that we can apply personally to our lives.
When Satan tempted Jesus to trust His ability apart from God’s, Christ replied, "It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God’" (Matthew 4:4).
In John 6, Jesus told His followers, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst" (v. 35). Christ is the Word of God that nourishes our souls with truth. He is our manna—our daily bread—and His Word to us is exactly what we need to face the future.
Today, God continues His work on earth in order to accomplish one clear goal—mankind’s redemption. As we study the prophecy of Revelation, we must never lose sight of God’s personal involvement in our lives. His Word was given to us so that we might live fully in the light of its truth each day.
Do you have a sense of urgency when it comes to the things of God? Jesus told John, "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
"I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star" (Revelation 22:12–13, 16).
