TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Timothy 1:8-14
Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you. - 2 Timothy 1:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
Earlier this past summer, a group of high school boys on an overnight church camping trip in Texas lost most of their food supply to raccoons that swarmed over the campsite after dark. The raccoons scaled an eight-foot pole to devour the food of some campers. They even opened one student's fishing tackle box and ate his rubber worms.

This not-so-serious occasion helps to illustrate a very serious reality: the church's need to guard the ""good deposit"" of the gospel that Jesus Christ has entrusted to His body. Near the end of his life, Paul warned his spiritual son, Timothy, to hold to the truth against all opposition.

There has never been any lack of opposition. Like raccoons swarming over a campsite, people who are eager to water down, modify, or even deny the gospel have moved through the church, looking for anything they can devour.

The apostle himself had lived long enough to see false teachers, self-seeking egotists, and even well-meaning but badly misguided believers, trying to weaken the truth. The gospel is under assault today, too, as its opponents drag out terms such as ""intolerant,"" ""narrow-minded,"" and ""bigotry"" in an effort to discredit the message of human sin, eternal judgment, and salvation in Christ alone. Paul was sure of the gospel and sure of his calling. He also knew that guarding the truth would involve cost--in his case, the kind of suffering that led to imprisonment and eventual martyrdom.

Even though Paul was a prisoner of his enemies, he was not discouraged. He was completely confident in God's ability to guard what Paul had entrusted to Him: Paul's entire life on earth and his future in eternity. Later on in this book, we find out what God was holding in trust for Paul: the ""crown of righteousness"" that God will give to all those who love Him (2 Tim. 4:.

Paul knew it would be hard for the church to stand for the truth when believers were ridiculed, pressured by family members or friends to quit talking about Christ, or even threatened for being faithful to the gospel. But we have divine power--the ""help of the Holy Spirit""--to stay true to Christ (v. 14).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The only thing harder than having unbelieving friends, family members, neighbors, and coworkers is having these people be openly hostile to the truth of the gospel.

If there is anyone like this in your life, you'll need extra sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's timing concerning your witness. In the meantime, continue to love and serve them. Some-times an act of kindness or selflessness can break down a barrier of hostility and soften a hard heart.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 6:10-1
Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground. - Ephesians 6:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
Protective equipment for people in certain walks of life has become so commonplace that we hardly notice it anymore. We are glad to see police officers wearing bullet-proof vests that have saved so many lives. It's not unusual for delivery truck drivers, warehouse workers, and store employees to wear belts that protect them against lower back strain while lifting.

It's important to have protection in the spiritual realm, too. Jesus left His body, the church, with the finest protection possible as we walk and wage warfare in enemy territory. Notice several things we need to understand about our spiritual armor.

The first is the necessity of this protection. Our battle is against Satan and his spiritual forces: we're no match for this opponent, for at least two reasons.

First, Satan has position on us. He and his demons move in a world where our five senses don't do us any good. We need to rely on God and His Word to point out the enemy's movements to us so that we act accordingly. And when we live in the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the best position!

Satan also has power on us. He is not God; his power is limited. But he's still the ruler of this world, and we're helpless against him in our own strength.

Another thing we need to see is the completeness of our spiritual armor. Twice Paul says we need to ""put on the full armor of God"" (vv. 11, 13). Neglect a piece of God's protection, and you make yourself vulnerable to the enemy's schemes.

Of the six pieces of armor mentioned, five are protective or defensive in nature. The breastplate and helmet protect the head and heart, the most vital areas of the body. The belt of truth holds the whole outfit together, while the shoes enable us to get a good foothold and stand firm even on rough ground.

The shield of faith is big enough to cover us when Satan lets loose with one of his arrows of doubt, jealousy, lust, or any other problem you can name. And the sword, God's Word, completes the armor by giving us a weapon with which we can counterattack.

If you're a member of Christ's body, you have no reason to feel defenseless or weak.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The middle of the week is a good time for an ""armor check.""

Try to spend some extra time today going through each piece of your spiritual armor. This can be an eye-opening experience, because as you look over your defenses the Holy Spirit may point out an area of vulnerability where your armor needs repair. If you're not aware of your weak spots, you give the enemy a definite advantage--because he knows where to attack!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Hebrews 13:17-18
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. - Hebrews 13:17
TODAY IN THE WORD
It can be argued that there is no organization on earth that has a higher standard for its leaders than the church of Jesus Christ. Jesus handpicked the twelve men who became His apostles and the earliest leaders of the church. Even though the office of apostle ended with the death of John (the last survivor of the Twelve), the apostle Paul maintained a high standard for church leadership when he wrote these instructions to Timothy.

It's good for us to step back once in a while to refresh ourselves on the qualifications for leadership in the body of Christ. The writer of Hebrews wanted us as believers to give our leaders the respect and cooperation they need to carry out their service, for which they are accountable to God. Paul saw to it that the leaders selected were worthy of the respect demanded of God's people.

The word ""elder"" here could be translated as ""bishop"" or ""overseer."" The more common word for elder, from which the English word ""presbyter"" comes, is used elsewhere to describe the same office. It involves giving direction and spiritual oversight to the church, especially including the work of preaching and teaching the Word.

Someone might look at the demands of spiritual leadership, and the accountability required, and wonder why anyone would want the job of elder. But Paul encourages those who feel that God is calling them to this work.

These verses concerning elders contain fifteen separate qualifications. They range widely across the span of a man's life from the church to his home to his relationships with other people, including unbelievers. A person holding this office should also be ""hospitable"" and ""able to teach"" (v. 2).

Along with his gifts, the elder in any local church--whether pastor or lay leader--needs control and balance in his personal and family life so that he is not vulnerable to falling into some area of temptation. It takes time for someone to establish these kinds of credentials, and it takes maturity not to be carried away by the power associated with leadership. This explains why the elder needs to have a good ""track record"" in the faith.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Any parent who has had to deal with a cantankerous, contrary child knows why the writer of Hebrews urges us not to make things hard for our pastors.

Let's take time right now to pray as a Today family for the leaders God has given us in the church. You may want to get together with your spouse or another prayer partner to ask God's protection and blessing on His leaders. Pray for those who have been entrusted with national and international responsibilities, and for the leaders in your local congregation.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Timothy 3:8-15
I am writing you these instructions so that... you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household. - 1 Timothy 3:14-15
TODAY IN THE WORD
Bible teacher Chuck Swindoll once described a neighborhood kids' club that had a humorous, but wise, list of rules for its members. The rules were beautiful in their simplicity: ""Nobody act big. Nobody act small. Everybody act medium.""

That's a list of rules anyone can keep! Those children may not have read 1 Timothy 3, but their club membership rules come very close expressing the New Testament standard for the body of Christ.

No members of the body should be inflated with pride because they consider themselves bigger or more important than others. Nor does God want His people dropping their heads and shuffling through life with a false idea of humility that someone has aptly termed ""worm theology.""

Acting ""medium"" is a good standard after which to strive. Paul described it as evaluating ourselves with balanced judgment (Rom. 12:3). The office or ministry of deacon is a good example of the balance the Bible wants us to have.

Clearly, this office is subordinate to that of elder in the administration of the church. The ""prototypes"" of the deacon's ministry were the seven men chosen by the church to help administer aid to the church's dependent widows in Jerusalem so the apostles could concentrate on prayer and preaching the Word (Acts 6:1-7).

But while the deacon's role is one of service, there is nothing second-rate about the qualifications needed for the office. Deacons need to be committed to the truth, which means they need to know God's Word. Personal integrity and a solid marriage and home life are also high on the list.

Deacons who do their jobs well are worthy of ""excellent standing"" in the body of Christ. This is not a self-conferred honor, but respect from the church that is given to people who take their spiritual responsibilities seriously and show others an appropriate way to behave in God's work.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Whatever term your church may apply to the people who keep the facilities in good shape and perform other physical services, chances are your congregation couldn't function without these servants.

The deacons of Acts 6 were not only good administrators. Stephen and his friends were also men of the Word. If your church is blessed with people like this, they are worthy of your respect. Why not also encourage one of these special servants with a note or word of appreciation this Sunday? Expressing thanks seems to be our calling this month!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Titus 2:1-10
You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. - Titus 2:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
As you read the last two days' studies on the qualifications of church leaders, the thought may have occurred to you, ""That's wonderful. But what about the rest of us?""

These few important verses of Scripture answer that question admirably. But Paul's instructions to the church through Titus are more than a series of good ideas. As you read these directives in light of the personal, family, and society-wide meltdown happening in American life today, you'll realize the divine wisdom built into the church.

The Bible's admonishments to older men should sound familiar. These personal and spiritual qualifications are many of the same qualities required of elders. While the elders are charged with specific leadership responsibilities in the church, all of the older men in Christ's body need to be examples of godly maturity.

Older women have an incredible mentoring and teaching role to fulfill toward the younger women in the congregation. The New Testament consistently highlights the home as the incubator for the church--a church in miniature, as a matter of fact. The pivotal place of a wife and mother is obvious here, but God knows that being a good spouse and parent doesn't happen automatically. Someone needs to show the way.

Young men are told to be self-controlled, a command that covers an awful lot of territory. Titus himself probably fit in that category in the church on Crete, so young men can read in Paul's words to Titus a spiritual challenge to themselves.

The last group to be addressed is workers with the hardest ""job description"" ever: slaves who were obligated to serve their masters. Even in this situation, a Christian slave was to show good faith and integrity.

Notice how often Paul refers to our testimonies as the reason for being faithful in our actions. No one should be able to ""malign the Word of God"" because of what we do (v. 5). Our behavior should be so blameless that even our opponents can't make any charge against us stick (v. . And workers can make the gospel ""attractive"" by their faithful service (v. 10).

In other words, there is much at stake spiritually in the way we live. The world is still watching.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The days when our culture reflected Christian values and moral standards have gone the way of black-and-white television.

The guidelines for Christian behavior in Titus 2 are not only missing in the culture at large; they are absolutely counterculture today. But then, God has called His people to avoid being conformed to the world. Romans 12:2 addresses this issue of a counterculture commitment. Read this powerful verse as your prayer to the Lord today.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Titus 3:1-11
Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good. - Titus 3:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
Finally, it's easy to tell who the Christians are. They're the ones sporting a witness on their T-shirts or caps, wearing WWJD bracelets, with crosses around their necks. Making a visible statement of belief has come a long way since the days of the ""Honk if you love Jesus"" bumper stickers.

Is there anything wrong with wearing a witness for Christ? Of course not--as long as our behavior lives up to its ""advertising."" No wardrobe accessory can take the place of a Spirit-empowered daily life of humility and obedience that wears well in any situation.

Practical is an overworked term to describe certain sections of the Bible--and probably misleading, since it implies that some parts of the Word are impractical. But having said that, Titus 3 is about as down-to-earth as it gets in helping us understand how to ""work out [our] salvation"" (Phil. 2:12).

Verses 2-3 remind us that we're to be like Jesus for the best reason of all: because He reached down in mercy to save us from a life of sin. And He did it not by reforming us, but by regenerating us, making us alive again. We were dead in sin, not just slightly ill.

If God had done nothing for us except give us eternal life through Christ, we would be eternally grateful. But our loving Father did so much more. After He had rescued us from sin and washed us clean in Christ's blood, God brought us into His house and made us His heirs.

This means all that God has, we now have. Therefore, living to please Him through our obedience to Him and to the human authorities He has established, and through lives of good works and humility, is nothing more than our reasonable service. Anything less would be an insult to the God who appeared in flesh to save us when we were His enemies.

And what about those who are looking to cause trouble and sow discord in the body of Christ? We need to reach out to them in peace. But if they refuse to repent of their sin, we can't afford to let them drain the life from the church.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Actually, the idea of putting on our witness is not new at all.

The Bible tells us to put on a number of things that will protect us against sin and help us live the godly lives God expects of His heirs. For example, we are told to put on the armor God has given us (Rom. 13:12; Eph. 6:11) and to put on ""the new self,"" which is more like God (Eph. 4:24). How complete is your ""witness wardrobe"" today?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Peter 3:1-9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise. - 2 Peter 3:9
TODAY IN THE WORD
Did you remember to perform the annual fall ritual of turning your clock back one hour before going to bed Saturday night? Although there are usually reminders everywhere when it's time to reset our clocks and end daylight saving time for another year, some people always forget. They're the ones who can't figure out where everyone else is when they pull into the church parking lot an hour too early on Sunday morning.

Failing to have your clock set to the right time may cause you some embarrassment once in a while. But the person who ignores God's ""spiritual clock"" is headed for disaster. This is the problem with the scoffers who have been around to harass God's people ever since Noah laid the first beam of the ark. These are the people who don't believe that God will do what He has said He would when it seems as if He were ""delaying.""

So it's not surprising that the church is the target of skeptics and naysayers today. In fact, the closer we get to the return of Christ, the more fanatic these scoffers will get in their false belief that Christ's return and the final judgment is all a hoax.

People who want reasons not to repent and believe the gospel buy into the erroneous idea that since judgment hasn't fallen yet, it never will. Their argument goes something like this: ""It's been two thousand years, and Jesus is nowhere in sight. If this so-called coming you Christians keep talking about were really true, Jesus would have been here by now.""

This is not honest doubt we're dealing with here, but deliberate unbelief. Peter knew the problem was that willful sinners need to justify their sin, so they hide behind religious skepticism.

But according to the apostle, these people are overlooking the evidence right in front of them. Creation itself should be enough to convince them of God's existence (see also Rom. 1:18-20). Besides, judgment has fallen on the earth, in the flood of Noah. If God could judge the earth once, He can do it again--and He will, this time by fire.

The saddest thing about the scoffers' attitude is the reason for God's seeming delay in judgment: He loves these skeptics and wants to see them repent. But make no mistake: this world is living on borrowed time.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
These days before Christ's return may be times of spiritual danger for unbelievers, but they are also days of opportunity for the church to bring people to repentance.

Does your church have a regular program of evangelism? This might be the time for you to get involved, or encourage a Christian friend to join you if you are already active in this ministry. And if your church does not offer regular opportunities for evangelism, consider how God may use you to help get something started.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Peter 3:13-18a; 4:1-2
Even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. - 1 Peter 3:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
It has been said that our modern-day distaste for pain or inconvenience in any form has subtly revealed itself in the songs of the church. Many of the hymns from previous generations freely acknowledged the Christian's calling to suffer with Christ and the church's battle with a hostile world. But a lot of today's music has a ""feel good"" theme.

The church doesn't have to choose between the two, of course. There is plenty of both suffering and joy embedded in the Christian life. It's just that you will usually draw a better crowd talking about the good times than you will when suffering is announced as the topic.

But the Bible teaches us that there are positive spiritual benefits to suffering for Christ. We'll get to those below.

Peter's concern was not whether we would suffer; he wanted to make sure God's people were suffering for the right cause. God has constructed His world in such a way that sin carries its own consequences, sometimes immediately delivered. Most of us believers have tasted enough of the pain of sin that we should be ready to run far away from it.

But suffering for the name and cause of Christ is an entirely different matter. It brings profit instead of pain. First, Jesus promises a blessing to those who suffer for His sake (Matt. 5:11-12).

Second, true Christian suffering--whether verbal, financial, relational, or physical--helps believers get past the fear of what people may say, do, or think. Someone said that once you have been ridiculed at work for your witness or your stand against evil, it doesn't hurt so much the second time.

Here's a third benefit of suffering. It helps us break the power of sin in our lives (4:1-2). Here Peter points to Christ as our example. Christ had no sin to overcome, but He still suffered while He was on earth in His battle against sin and the devil. Jesus' forty days of hunger and thirst in the wilderness are one example of His suffering. The cross is the ultimate example.

Peter tells us that since Jesus was willing to suffer, we should adopt the same attitude. The body of Christ has suffered some sort of pain in every generation. We are no exception today.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Millions of our brothers and sisters in the worldwide body of Christ are suffering for Him in ways we can't even imagine.

Religious rights workers and experts on persecution say that believers in about sixty nations suffer some form of harassment or threat for practicing their faith. In at least a dozen countries--including China, Vietnam, and Sudan--Christians are being thrown into prison and losing their lives. Let's pray for the persecuted body of Christ today.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 3:7
I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. - Revelation 3:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
Theologian and educator E. Y. Mullins said concerning Christ's return, ""Among the early Christians the expectation of Christ's near return was a moral and spiritual incentive of the highest value. The age was one of great trial and suffering. The thought of Christ's return in power was a source of great consolation, and inspired zeal and devotion.""

On Monday we talked about the skeptics who ridicule the teaching of Christ's return and see no evidence that He has remembered the people on this planet.

But for believers, the truth of Christ's return is a source of wonderful hope. People can endure a lot of suffering and setbacks when they know there is a purpose for it. Christ's promise to come back for us gives us an ultimate sense of purpose and hope for the future that nothing should be able to shake.

The church at Thessalo-nica needed hope. This was very early in the church's history. These Christians didn't know what we know, so they began to despair over the fate of fellow believers who had died. Paul was eager to peel back a corner of heaven and show them the hope they had.

This great passage is a source of our hope, too, because we understand that Christ appears here not for judgment, but to take His people back to heaven with Him prior to the great tribulation. This ""catching away"" is known as the rapture, and it is our hope.

The promise to the church at Philadelphia, representative of the true church, adds further substance to this hope. The risen Christ assured His followers that because they had been faithful to Him, He would keep them ""from,"" or ""out of,"" the terrible ordeal of tribulation coming upon the whole earth (v. 10).

When the pieces are put together, the picture reveals a future so wonderful that it overwhelms anything we may have to endure now. Paul said we ""will be with the Lord forever"" (1 Thes. 4:17). That's an encouragement no one can take from us.

The hope and promise of our future with Christ should also motivate us to please Him and live for Him now, as Mullins said. Our hope is a purifying force as well as a comforting and reassuring reality.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The apostle John said that when we see Jesus, ""we shall be like Him"" (1 John 3:2).

Then John drew the logical conclusion from this fact. If we are going to be like Jesus for all of eternity, we had better learn how to be like Him here in time. So John urged us to purify ourselves, just as Jesus is pure (v. 3). This same writer told us how to keep our lives clean: by confessing our sins and receiving Christ's forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 19:1-10
The wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. - Revelation 19:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
How many people take special notice of their wedding rings day in and day out? Some newlyweds may gaze at their rings in a moment of rapture, but as the years go by a wedding ring tends to escape notice in the busyness of the daily routine. Yet a wedding ring is an important symbol of love and commitment that is meant to last a lifetime. (Tradition says putting the ring on the third finger of a person's left hand came about because ancient people believed that a vein ran from this finger directly to the heart.)

The church has symbols of its commitment, too. It isn't a ring or any other piece of jewelry, but the inward assurance of the Holy Spirit and the confirming witness of Scripture that we belong to Jesus Christ, the Head of the body and the Bridegroom to whom we are pledged.

It's good to stop and remind ourselves that the love Jesus has for His church will last for eternity. We have been studying the church as the body of Christ, a metaphor which suggests our intimate connection to Him for life and direction. Another familiar New Testa-ment metaphor for the church is the bride of Christ--a relationship of enduring, exclusive, committed love.

We are still in the betrothal stage of this marriage, because Christ is still completing His bride as people are saved and added to the church. But when He returns at the end of the tribulation to establish the thousand-year millennial reign, Jesus will claim His bride.

The announcement of that great wedding has been sent out in the verses we read today. There will be more than enough reasons to celebrate on that day. The enemies of God, particularly Babylon the Great, have been defeated. God's righteousness, power, and glory have been vindicated.

When the tribulation is over, the inauguration of the earthly kingdom of Jesus Christ will be the next event on God's prophetic calendar. That glorious period will be ushered in by the wedding supper of the Lamb, a celebration of Christ's redemption that will last at least throughout the kingdom period, if not forever.

Notice the joy of those invited to this wedding-to-end-all-weddings. They are ""blessed,"" or happy. We are those invitees!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Christians are often accused of being so preoccupied with the next world that they forget they are living in this world.

It's true that God doesn't want us to go off to a mountain somewhere and forget the world. But as far as being preoccupied with the wonders of heaven and the future Christ has secured for us, we also have great motivation to live in faithfulness to Him. If possible, spend some time today in praise and worship of our wonderful Lord.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 20:1-6
Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. - Revelation 20:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
We are finishing this study of the church on a high note. That's appropriate, because it's how the story ends for those of us who belong to Jesus Christ.

Yesterday we read that those who are called to the wedding supper of Jesus Christ hold invitations that are addressed ""Blessed."" This wonderful invitation also gets us in the door for another glorious event--Christ's thousand-year kingdom reign on earth that is called the Millennium.

We certainly don't know everything that our Head has in store for His body during this incredible period of time. But judging from this brief description of the kingdom age, two important realities will make the kingdom glorious.

The first is the presence of the church's Head--her Bride-groom, King, and Lord. The promise is that we will rule with Christ for a thousand years (Rev. 22; 2 Tim. 2:12). We will be joined in the kingdom by those who were faithful to Christ during the tribulation because they refused to worship the Antichrist. Their testimony will cost them their lives, but what a reward for loyalty to Christ!

The absence of Satan will also make the kingdom glorious. Our ancient enemy won't quite be finished when the kingdom is established (vv. 7-9), but he will be put out of commission for a long time. Satan's binding is a powerful preview of his eternal judgment.

Righteousness will be the rule of the day when Jesus Christ comes back to the claim the throne that has rightfully been His for all eternity. We're so immersed in the evil of this world that it's almost impossible to imagine what a world free of satanic influence will be like. We'll have one thousand years to get used to it!

This is definitely a celebration you don't want to miss. For us, the ""first resurrection"" occurs at the church's rapture when dead believers come out of their graves to join the living saints and all of us together go to be with Christ (see the October 28 study).

That event is the end of death as far as we are concerned. And as we will see tomorrow, it gets even better. The climax of the kingdom will lead us into eternity, and paradise with God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
While we look forward to the day when Satan will be put out of business permanently, we need to remind ourselves that in terms of his power over us, he has already been put out of business.

This means the only authority the devil has over you is that which you allow him to have. As a believer who has all of Christ's power available to you, you can say no to sin and Satan. This is a good day for a brief biblical refresher on the power Christ has given us over sin. You'll find it in Romans 6:1-14.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 21:1-8; 22:1-17
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. - Revelation 22:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
The Scottish pastor Alexander Maclaren asks the church this perceptive question: ""Did it ever occur to you, Christian, that your hope was a thing to be cultivated, that you ought to exert specific effort for that purpose? Get into the habit of meditating upon the object toward which [your] hope is directed. . . . If you never lift your eyes to the goal, you will never be drawn toward it. If you never think about heaven, it will have no attraction for you.""

There you have it, permission from a godly pastor and Bible teacher to daydream about heaven! Far from being a futile ""pie in the sky, bye and bye"" exercise that distracts us from the needs of a dying world, meditating on heaven should have a purifying and strengthening effect on the members of Christ's body.

How can we fail to be more motivated to love and serve Christ when we know He has prepared a place for us where all pain and tears are gone forever?

It's obvious that God wants us to look ahead to our eternal home, because He gave us a thrilling glimpse of its wonders. But it's true that the Bible's description of heaven isn't just for our speculation. The angel who revealed all of this to John had some final, important words of comfort and caution for us.

The comfort comes because we who know Christ are promised a place in eternity. That word ""blessed"" appears again in Revelation 22--several times, in fact (vv. 7, 14). So the revelation of heaven is meant to bring us peace and assurance while we are still in the ""waiting stage"" today.

The angel's words of caution are directed at the central issue for us, and for those who have not put their faith in Christ. The warning is to make sure that we know where we are going to spend eternity. Revelation 21 contains a sobering picture of the judgment waiting for those who reject Christ. The specific warning of chapter 22 is to anyone who would tamper with this book, the Bible.

But primarily, this chapter is a glorious glimpse of what is to come. So go ahead and spend all the time you want thinking of heaven. Then think of someone who needs to get ready, and share what you know with this person.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If you want an additional blessing this weekend, compare Revelation 22:1-5 with Genesis 3 and see how God will restore to us everything that was lost when sin entered the world.

Notice, for example, the change in access to the tree of life. Compare the curse of Genesis 3 with Revelation 22:3. And compare the way Adam hid from God (Gen. 3:10) with Revelation 22:4. When you finish your study, why not finish the month with a prayer of gratitude to the Lord for your place in His body, His bride?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 13:10-14:35
It will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it. - Ezekiel 17:23
TODAY IN THE WORD
It was 1971 when a fledgling coffee shop named Starbucks opened in Seattle's Pike Place Market. In just 35 years, the company has expanded at a staggering pace, serving customers in over ten thousand locations.

It didn't matter that the kingdom of God was starting small. When Jesus healed the woman in the synagogue on the Sabbath but was again met with hard-hearted opposition by the Pharisees, some observers may have wondered how the kingdom of God could spread. Jesus answered those doubts with an illustration that alluded to the Old Testament, where Ezekiel prophesied of the restoration of Israel out of a spiritual desert. The kingdom would rapidly flourish like a tiny mustard seed as if out of nowhere.

The void of faith in Jerusalem was oppressive. The leaders had turned the Sabbath from its God-given purpose as a respite for spiritual refreshment and into a vehicle of hypocrisy. How cold does a person's heart have to be to get angry when a suffering woman is miraculously cured?

But not all of the Pharisees rejected Jesus. The scene at the house of one of the prominent religious leaders is fascinating because we can't be sure of the spiritual condition of those in attendance. The mere fact that He was being welcomed for a meal at this intensely controversial stage in His ministry (the Crucifixion was likely only months away at this point) shows that His host was not openly hostile to Him. And the miracle Jesus performed on this Sabbath was watched closely but met with silence.

The nature of Jesus' teaching there seems to indicate that Jesus was training them as followers rather than rebuking them as opponents. He was steadily expanding His reach, working His truth throughout every segment of society like yeast into flour.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Just as the kingdom of God spread from small beginnings, your personal testimony can have a widespread, explosive effect. Never underestimate the power of sharing your faith with even one person. You don't need to be named Billy Graham or D. L. Moody to build up the kingdom of God. All you need to do is faithfully plant the seed of the gospel. Look and pray for an opportunity to tell someone about Jesus today.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Lamentations 3:19-26
His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. - Lamentations 3:22-23
TODAY IN THE WORD
British scientist James Smithson never visited Washington, DC, but his name is prominent in the nation's capital. In 1829 Smithson left half a million

dollars to the United States to establish an institution for the ""increase and diffusion of knowledge among men."" The Smithsonian Institute, with its sixteen museums, zoo, and collection of more than 140 million objects, was begun in 1846 with Smithson's generous donation.

We want to begin a

collection of our own this month. This collection may appear to be more modest than that of the Smithsonian, but it is certainly more valuable: it is a collection of God's mercies. Throughout this Thanksgiving month and season, we are going to celebrate God's faithfulness.

To do this, we are drawing on Scripture passages that will encourage, remind, and teach us that our God is eternally faithful. And along the way, we also pray that these studies will challenge you to faithfulness in your own life.

Given our topic, we have to begin with Jeremiah's wonderful declaration, ""Great is your faithfulness."" The prophet's life and ministry alone were enough to give this statement all the credibility it needed. Jeremiah suffered rejection and persecution by his own people throughout his long service as God's faithful prophet.

But the faithfulness of God shines even brighter in its biblical setting of Lamentations. The book is a series of poems mourning the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. God's anger toward unfaithful Judah and His judgment of sin hang heavy over Lamentations. The word lamentations actually means ""loud cryings.""

As Jeremiah looked at the destruction around him, he was filled with despair (vv. 19-20). But then he looked up and saw something else--the promises of a faithful God. Jeremiah remembered that even though God's people were going into exile, they were not completely destroyed.

On the contrary, the people of Judah could still cling to God's promise of ultimate restoration. The prerequisites for this blessing were to hope in the Lord, seek Him in confession and repentance, and wait for His salvation. Those who met the prerequisites would be restored, because God is full of love and compassion to those who make Him their portion (v. 24). He is faithful!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Celebrating God's faithfulness does not mean we have to start looking at life through the proverbial rose-colored glasses.

As we read in Lamentations, God's faithfulness often shines brightest when times are the darkest. So whether this new month finds you rejoicing or lamenting as you look around, we encourage you to look up and see what Jeremiah saw: the eternal faithfulness of God, which is our source of hope (v. 21). In fact, we suggest you write ""Great is your faithfulness"" on your calendar for November to remind yourself each day of God's goodness.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Psalm 33:1-5
The word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. - Psalm 33:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called the rituals of life ""secret anniversaries of the heart."" He was referring to the moments, the remembrances, and the routines that add meaning to daily life.

We hope each day this month is an ""anniversary of the heart"" for you as we celebrate the faithfulness of our loving God. Today's reading suggests a ritual that will enhance your celebration and add new meaning to these days leading up to Thanksgiving. The Bible calls us to ""sing joyfully to the Lord"" (v. 1).

The psalmist's call is to those who are ""righteous"" and ""upright,"" terms that describe those who are in right standing before God. In New Testament terms, these are people who have joyfully received God's forgiveness and cleansing for sin by putting their faith in Christ and His work on the cross. That's something worth singing about!

The song is ""new"" (v. 3) because nothing like our redemption in Christ has ever been seen before. The psalmist refers to this new song prophetically--it will be sung when the risen and exalted Christ opens the scroll in heaven (Rev. 5:9-10). Notice that the subject of the song is Christ's worthiness because He is the Redeemer.

As we return to Psalm 33, we are urged to sing praises to God because His Word is true and ""He is faithful in all He does."" That applies to anything that could happen to us, regardless of whether it seems good or bad from our perspective.

In other words, God's faithfulness is not an escape hatch from trouble or temptation. Rather, we have the rock of His person and His promises to cling to in any kind of storm. God's faithfulness also means we never have to question His motive in allowing trials in our lives (James 1:2-4). He remains righteous and just in everything He does--no exceptions.

In verse 5 we are introduced to one of the greatest manifestations of God's faithfulness: His ""unfailing love,"" which God will never rescind or recall, no matter what happens. Remember this word, because we will meet it again and again. Because of God's loyal love, we can sing joyfully to Him.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The psalmist says it is ""fitting"" that God's people should sing a song of praise to Him.

That means praise is appropriate anytime and anywhere for those who know God and have enjoyed His faithfulness in their lives. Why not sing to the Lord right now? Praise Him through your favorite hymn or chorus. Or, turn to Revelation 5:9-14 and let the words of heaven's ""new song"" refresh your heart. Praise God for His salvation, and for the promise that His unfailing love is yours in any situation.