Three things to remember when reading Revelation
I’ll admit that Revelation is a mysterious and difficult document to read and understand. For many years I shied away from studying it—let alone preaching from it myself. But there’s a beautiful message of hope contained in this final book of the Bible, and as Christians we should all examine this important conclusion to God’s Word.
Holiness is an adventure
When I joined the military during the Korean War, I volunteered with the Royal Marines for no other reason than I liked the uniform and thought I would look pretty good in it. So when I arrived at the barracks to report for duty, I expected to be fitted for one of the magnificent uniforms.
Let God’s Word come alive
I was sitting down for my regular time of devotion when the thought occurred to me: For almost all of my life, reading Scripture has been an exercise in recitation. Until that moment, I had never invited God to read His book to me instead of me reading it to Him. Suddenly, my old burgundy Bible transformed.
Good thing you can’t be good enough
Many people today, even many believers, have a confused notion that God will bless them based on their own good actions. I say “confused” because God is not at all obligated to forgive us our sins and share with us His love, gifts, and eternal life based on our own goodness. Why is this? Because
How does transformation happen in my life?
You asked, Stuart answered! A few years ago a pretty young English university student named Kate Middleton met a handsome young man named Will. There was nothing unusual about that except for one thing: Will was in line to one day be King William V of the United Kingdom. So they married in Westminster Abbey
Three ways you can be a great encourager
One of the simplest ways to bless people around you is through the gift of encouragement. And all it takes to be a great encourager is to look out for the needs of others. Take a look at 1 Thessalonians 5:14: “We urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the
Ask Stuart… about assurance
Q: I became a Christian nine months ago. And while I still love Jesus, I feel the passion I had at first is not as prominent. How do I sustain my love for the Lord? A: The period following a wedding is referred to as the “honeymoon phase.” It’s a time of laughter, celebration, and
How you can ensure your faith remains steadfast
So let us stop going over the basics of Christianity again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding…. — Hebrews 6:1 After a young mother had safely tucked her small child into bed, said prayers, taken him his drink of water, and finally returned downstairs for a few quiet moments on her
Where to replenish when you’re running low
The famous monarch Queen Elizabeth I of England had a man working for her by the name of Sir Walter Raleigh. Raleigh would come and ask the queen for ships, supplies, and people to go to the Americas. And anytime he was running low on resources, he would go straight back to the queen, she would
Space to breathe, room to grow
The link of love between mother and child is extraordinarily strong. Together they share a lifetime of memories—times of tender affection… and moments of inevitable difficulty. Yet through it all, the bond that holds their hearts together endures all adversity—if it’s given space to breathe and room to grow. In this special Mother’s Day podcast, Jill
Love like God intended
Watch any romantic comedy today and you’ll see that our culture is confused about love. It’s constantly portrayed as simply liking someone a lot. But if that’s what love is, how are we to love those who are difficult to like? God defines love in a very different way. Consider John 3:16. It says, “For God so loved the
Love endures—no matter what!
It’s so important for a married couple to understand what makes each of them feel loved. The language of love for a wife might be affection, compliments, and small gifts. The language of love for a husband might be just showing up at his ball game. The most important thing, however, is to better understand
The fuel for true forgiveness
What does forgiveness really look like? I was speaking one day with a dear woman who’d been betrayed by her husband. She told me the pain she felt was “Just like Velcro… It’s stuck on my heart and won’t let go. What can I do?” We knelt together and I told her, “Let’s quit trying to make
Embrace the wonder of Christmas
When you clear away all of the trimmings, the story of Christmas is simple: God decided to add humanity to deity in the person of His Son. Jesus came into the world to give us a living, breathing demonstration of what God is like and, through His death, bridge the gap between our brokenness and
Through Me you have eternal Life
I satisfy those who call on Me. — from Psalm 91:14-16 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1) In two of her books, Through Gates of Splendor and The Shadow of the Almighty, Elisabeth Elliot tells the story of five American missionaries, including her husband, Jim, who were martyred
The evil you see will end
I am making all things new. — from Revelation 21:5 “He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making all things new!” And then he said
Whenever, Wherever!
Joy is the badge of the believer. Scripture tells us to rejoice in our relationship with God always. That doesn’t apply only when the sun is shining—it includes when it rains, hails, and snows as well! Always means always. Writing from a prison cell, the apostle Paul emphasized his refusal to allow circumstances to stifle his enjoyment
God’s love for you never ends
I delight to show mercy. — from Micah 7:18 There’s nothing quite so welcome as a bright, fresh dawn after a dark, stormy night. Peace and tranquility take the place of turmoil and stress, and all seems right with the world. Frayed nerves are calmed, troubled spirits are soothed, trepidation steps aside, and hope is restored. A fresh start
Find God in your suffering
If you were to visit the beautiful Mediterranean island of Patmos, you might not feel so sorry for the apostle John, who was exiled there for preaching the word of God and speaking about Jesus (Revelation 1:9). Yet, while his surroundings were beautiful, the island was his prison. But despite his circumstances, nothing could stop John
Stand firm… I am on your side
I don’t have to tell you—especially in the days in which we’re currently living—that life is full of setbacks, discouragement, and uncertainty. The churches in Asia Minor—now modern-day Turkey—experienced challenges in the first century in the form of persecution. But through it, they held fast to the firm belief that Jesus Christ would soon return.
Holding on to Christ in our trying times
When I was a pastor, one of the most common requests I heard was, “When are you going to preach on Revelation?” So I made two promises to the congregation: I will preach on it before I quit. And I will preach on it when I’ve figured out what it’s all about! Now, I don’t yet
Why is God allowing the coronavirus pandemic?
Good Friday 1964 was not good for the inhabitants of Anchorage, Alaska. At 5:36am an upheaval of tectonic plates far beneath the ocean’s surface caused a giant tsunami to rush on land carrying everything before it. Huge fissures opened in the earth’s surface, buildings collapsed, and terrified people ran for higher ground—but many were swept
Confronting Fear
Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated as President of the United States of America in the depths of the Great Depression. In his inauguration speech he said, “First of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into
Where do you turn in times of fear?
“Shelter in place” is one of the most recent additions to the lexicon of the English language. I first became aware of the expression when the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, used it in an order addressed to Californians. His dramatic message was a “statewide mandatory STAY AT HOME order.” Other governors in different states
Let go … and let God win the worry war
Inside the heart and mind of many believers, a battle is raging. The devil is fighting to terrify us into feeling fear and anxiety. But God is defending and upholding us, resisting the attacks of Satan, and guarding our hearts with His peace. I know this battle in my own life, as I’ve always been
What to do when worry and anxiety take over
Right now there seems to be an overabundance of worry and anxiety spreading quickly throughout the world. I’d like to ask you a serious question: How do you deal with worry and anxiety in your life? It might be helpful to take a step back for a moment and imagine anxiety and worry as two rough
I married a stranger!
When Stuart and I got married, we thought we knew each other pretty well. But barely 24 hours after our wedding, we both began to realize we’d married a stranger! I guess in lots of ways we already knew we were cut from different cloth—but as we got on with married life, somehow our differences
What do I do if I’ve fallen out of love with my spouse?
As we look to the Bible to gain understanding about the nature of love, we’ll find that it doesn’t mention falling in love or falling out of love. Those are human terms that we’ve assigned to the idea of love and marriage. The kind of love we’re called to as Christians is radical and countercultural.
How can God change the world through me?
God has a plan to change the world through you. It’s not hyperbole. He actually wants to use you to transform lives and make an impact in eternity. How? By sharing the hope that is in you! Sometimes God asks us to speak to someone about Jesus, about our faith, and we don’t feel qualified.
What do you want me to do, God?
You don’t have to “do” anything to earn God’s favor—but He does have plans for you, a will for your life. It’s His desire that you live in a way that glorifies Him and brings honor to His name. Take a look at Romans 12:1-2 where Paul says, Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of
A word from Stuart: Embracing each new day
Moses, who did quite a lot of living and aging in his day, wrote, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12) As you read more of Psalm 90, you see it gives us a unique opportunity to examine our aging in a life-giving way. For instance, we’re reminded in
You’re not finished yet
We all know what it feels like to run out of resources… what you need to get the job done. But there’s one thing you need never run out of—God! He is the difference between feeling as if you have nothing left to give and living a fulfilled life, in every season and stage. Does
How you talk to God is really a love story
“I just don’t want to spend time in prayer.” People tell me that all the time. Often, they’re ashamed to admit it, but prayer is hard for them. I usually reply, “Who do you love? Tell me just one person.” And they tell me. Then I ask, “Do you want to spend time with that
A word from Jill: The reason for your suffering
Have you ever wondered about the reason for your suffering? The darkness of the depression that surrounds your grief or difficulty can be so deep that it seems no end is in sight. The Bible tells us Job wondered aloud why life is even given to those who must suffer. It seemed to him that
When you can’t sleep because of worry
It’s easy to whistle a happy tune under a cloudless sky. In fact, I seldom suffer from insomnia when all is well. It’s trouble that chases my sleep away. You’ll see in the Bible that Job desperately needed a song to sing during a time of worry and suffering. Thankfully, his young friend Elihu pointed
A word from Jill: Comfort in the darkest days
Have you ever had a really dark day? You get some bad news about yourself, your family, or someone you love, and you don’t know what to do. Sometimes you can’t pick up the phone and share it with a friend because it’s too private or too difficult. Unfortunately, we all have times of tragedy,
Come to your heavenly Father like you’re the son of a King
When I was a little boy, a retired coal miner came to our church. He was very well known because he’d been to Buckingham Palace and the king had pinned a medal on his chest for bravery. I asked him, “What did you do?” He replied, “Well, I used to work in the coal mines.
Restoring our attitude of wonder about Christmas
When you get down to it and get all the trimmings out of the way, the story of Christmas is that God decided that in the person of His Son, He would add humanity to deity and be born. His Son, Jesus, came into the world to give us a living, breathing demonstration of what
I’m asking for your help
Years ago, a friend from England commented to me as he watched the crowds of people coming into the church where I was preaching. He said, “Isn’t it wonderful to see all these people coming in?” I said, “Yes, it is. But it’s more wonderful to see them going out!” God has called you and
How can we know God?
You and I live in a post-modern world that questions our absolute trust in God, and one of the things you’ll often hear is that you can’t be certain of God unless you know Him perfectly. A post-modernist is likely to ask you: “Do you know everything there is to know about God?” My honest answer would be:
How do you fit it all in?
Many years ago, my ministry used to take me all over the world. On one occasion I returned home after spending several weeks away, and my wife, Jill, came to greet me at the airport with our two boys. I thought, Where’s our daughter? So I said to Jill, “Why didn’t you bring Judy?” I saw a
Ask Jill: Overwhelming busyness and burdens
Q: Do you have any advice for how to break free from overwhelming busyness? I once read about a woman who fasted from technology. Isn’t that a great idea? I don’t know how she managed to do it, since we’ve all become so dependent on technology in our daily affairs. But she did it—and she
Till I Get Home One Easter
Turn my crying and my sighing Into laughter in the rain, Bend to bless my raw emotions Lying prostrate in their pain. Help me leave the graveside singing, Trust myself to Your great might. O dear Lord, refresh my spirit, Pierce my darkness with Your light. Walk into my deadness shouting, “I’m alive, lift up
You Wore My Thorns
Listen to Jill recite her poem below: You wore my thorns, that I may know Your grace; Pierced by my sin, that I may see Your face. Loved and forgiven from shame and deep disgrace, You wore my thorns, You wore my thorns. You wore my robe, You let them mock and sneer; You took
My prayer for marriage—including yours
Heavenly Father, thank You for marriage. Thank You that it was Your idea from the “genesis” of the race. You intended that men and women should “leave and cleave”! God, what a mess we’ve made out of it. But You came and You died on the cross to redeem the race and to roll back
God’s design for marriage
Many people ask me, “What’s the secret of your long marriage?” My answer is, “Keep your promises and live a long time.” It’s not very complicated. Now, that might sound like an oversimplification, but here’s another one for you: I believe fundamentally that marriage is as simple as ABC: Adjustments Based on Commitments. In other words,
Meet Me on the Mountain
Have you met Him at the lakeside Did you hear His still, small voice? Did He call you there to follow Him, And said, “You have a choice”? And did half of you say, “Yes, Lord,” And have half a mind to start? Did you think He didn’t notice When you gave Him half your
Are you really living in freedom?
You and I know Christ brings liberty. He breaks our bondage to sin, condemnation, and fear. It’s one thing to know about this freedom intellectually. But it’s quite another to experience it as a life-changing reality. So let me ask: Are you really living in the freedom of Christ? Or are you slipping back into slavery? Let
Lean hard into Him!
Do you ever feel like you’ve reached the end of yourself? Life’s been too tough for too long, and you’re done. You’re wrung out, you’ve run dry, and there’s nothing left. Let me tell you about a time when I was in that place. When Stuart and I were missionaries, I was a single parent
God of Perfect Timing
When the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman. Galatians 4:4 God of perfect timing, Word of wisdom rare. Eternal God, incredible to see you sleeping there. How can it be dear Lord of life You came to tell us all. Our only hope of Heaven lay within that cattle