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Enthusiastic READ Romans 15:17-18 17 So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God. 18 Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them. Paul was enthusiastic about all his Savior had done. Especially this concerned using him—a converted Jew—to reach Gentiles. Paul was able to bring them to God by his message and life

Help in Return READ Romans 15:27 27 They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially. Paul continues to refer to the gifts given by Gentile believers for the poor people in Jerusalem. The Gentile Christ-followers felt they were indebted to the Jewish believers in Jerusalem for the

Welcome Phoebe READ Romans 16:1-2 1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea. 2 Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God’s people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me. In this last chapter Paul sends greetings to many friends. Some are mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament; many are mentioned only here. Phoebe’s name is not found elsewhere but much is said about

Watch for Deceivers READ Romans 16:17-18 17 And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. 18 Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people. Some think that only a doctrinal difference justifies removing a pers

Getting Started… The Apostle John, the author of the Gospel and the three letters, was the only one of Jesus’ disciples to die of old age. And in his final days, God gave him a glimpse of mankind’s final days. And this vision was recorded in what we know as the Book of Revelation. Though many of the visions in this book are strange and fantastical, there is one overriding theme through it all: God will win. Join author and professor Dr. Harold Berry for this verse-by-ver

Day 1 Disclosed READ Revelation 1:1-2 1 This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John, 2 who faithfully reported everything he saw. This is his report of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Notice the flow of information in these verses: It came from God the Father, to Jesus Christ, to an angel, to John. Written in Greek, the

Day 1 Exiled READ Revelation 1:9 9 I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus. John now describes himself and where he was and why he was there. He was suffering as other believers were and was in patient endurance. Those statements together are significant. His location was the Island of P

Day 1 Write Down READ Revelation 1:19 19 “Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen. This verse is considered by many to be the divine outline of the book of Revelation. The apostle John was to write three things: 1) what you have seen; 2) things that are now happening; and 3) things that will happen. Number 1) has to do with chapter 1; Number 2) has to do with chapters 2 and 3; and Number 3) has to do with chapter

Day 1 Pay Attention READ Revelation 2:7 7 Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God. This is the appeal of Jesus for the churches to pay attention and understand what the Holy Spirit is saying. There is a promise to all who are “victorious” or is an “overcomer.” One is not awarded salvation by being an overcomer, but one bec

Day 1 Letter to Pergamum READ Revelation 2:12 12 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Pergamum. This is the message from the one with the sharp two-edged sword.” The church in Pergamum was about 45 miles north of Smyrna. This description of Jesus is found in Revelation 1:16. The two-edged sword was in His mouth, and by it He could speak the universe into existence and armies out of existence. As the “Word” in John 1:1, the Lord Jesus was the expression of God. J

Day 1 Letter to Thyatira READ Revelation 2:18 18 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Thyatira. This is the message from the Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire, whose feet are like polished bronze.” Thyatira was about 40 miles southeast of Pergamum. Thyatira was known for its trade guilds and dyeing industry. The description of the Lord Jesus is similar to that mentioned in Revelation 1:13-15. Previously He was referred to as the Son of Man; here He

Day 1 To Rule the Nations READ Revelation 2:27-29 27 “They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots. 28 They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning star! 29 Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” Having told the faithful believers in Thyatira that Jesus would give them authority over all the nations, here they are told they will r

Day 1 Letter to Philadelphia READ Revelation 3:7 7 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open. Philadelphia was about 28 miles southeast of Sardis. The Greek words that are the basis of the name mean “brotherly love” and likely came from two earthly Roman rulers who loved each other. The Lord Jesus

Day 1 Letter to Laodicea READ Revelation 3:14 14 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation.” This is the last letter to the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3. Laodicea was about 40 miles southeast of Philadelphia. The seven churches were in a geographical arc beginning with Ephesus and ending with Laodicea. Makes one wonder if they resemble

Day 1 A Door in Heaven READ Revelation 4:1 1 Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” The book of Revelation now comes to the third item of what John was told to write about. In Revelation 1:19, John was told to write about “what you have seen” (chapter 1); “the things that are now happening” (chapters 2 and

Day 1 The Scroll READ Revelation 5:1-3 1 Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: “Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it. In those days the writing was done on a s

Day 1 Heavenly Worship READ Revelation 5:13-14 13 And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” 14 And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb. This is a great picture of worship in heaven. The millions of angels, living beings and elders had worship

Day 1 Souls of the Martyrs READ Revelation 6:9-10 9 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony. 10 They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” This passage reveals the outcry of those who have died for their faith in Jesus

Day 1 Who Can Stand? READ Revelation 7:1-2 1 Then I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds so they did not blow on the earth or the sea, or even on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel coming up from the east, carrying the seal of the living God. And he shouted to those four angels, who had been given power to harm land and sea, The winds of judgment are held back from the North, South, East and West. Revelation 6 had ended by

Serving Before the Throne READ Revelation 7:15 15 “That is why they stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his Temple. And he who sits on the throne will give them shelter.” One of the 24 elders continued to tell the apostle John about those who had been martyred during the Tribulation and were now praising God before the throne. They serve God “day and night in his temple.” They are also promised that God “who sits on the throne will give them shelte

Day 1 Hail and Fire READ Revelation 8:6-7 6 Then the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to blow their mighty blasts. 7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were thrown down on the earth. One-third of the earth was set on fire, one-third of the trees were burned, and all the green grass was burned. There is no reason to assume this language is symbolic and means something it does not say. The plagues in Egypt were real before the Pa

Day 1 The Bottomless Pit READ Revelation 9:1-2 1 Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen to earth from the sky, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. 2 When he opened it, smoke poured out as though from a huge furnace, and the sunlight and air turned dark from the smoke. The first of the three terrors, or woes, are now poured out on the earth. The “bottomless pit” or “abyss” was likely inhabited by demons (see Luke 8:31

Day 1 The Four Angels READ Revelation 9:13-16 13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice speaking from the four horns of the gold altar that stands in the presence of God. 14 And the voice said to the sixth angel who held the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great Euphrates River.” 15 Then the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were turned loose to kill one-third of all the people on earth. 16 I

Day 1 No More Delay READ Revelation 10:5-7 5 Then the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand toward heaven. 6 He swore an oath in the name of the one who lives forever and ever, who created the heavens and everything in them, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it. He said, “There will be no more delay. 7 When the seventh angel blows his trumpet, God’s mysterious plan will be fulfilled. It will happen just as he announc