Dwell On These Things

This morning, as we deal with the reality of being snowed in, and hunkered down in our homes, I thought it might be interesting to take a quick pause from our study of Revelation to look at one of the most overlooked chapters in the New Testament, Romans 16. Romans 16 doesn’t get quoted very often. It doesn’t contain a famous doctrinal statement or theological argument. And at first glance, it looks like it's just a long list of names, greetings, and personal notes.

But Romans 16 is a lot more interesting than that, and you don't have to look far to figure that out.  That passage of Scripture actually opens a window into how the early church lived.  They enjoyed patterns and practices that our present-day church can absolutely benefit from.  And, on a day when we're all stuck inside, I wanted to take a quick moment to show you a few things.

.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

.

If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

.

The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

.

To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

From a pastoral perspective, I think the easiest portions of Scripture for me to preach through are the New Testament epistles.  Those passages include a lot of direct language that's highly practical in nature.  They basically say, "Here's what to believe and what to do.  Now, live it out."

Revelation isn't that kind of book, and for that reason, many pastors choose not to preach on it during Sunday morning services.  I suspect that if they choose to teach through its content, they probably elect to reserve it for mid-week Bible studies and other similar contexts.

Admittedly, the portion of Revelation that we're looking at today (Revelation 9:1-11), is a challenging passage to wrap our minds around.  It includes futuristic and apocalyptic language, some of which might leave us scratching our heads a little.

But even as we examine this passage that speaks of future things, please also allow it to remind us that God is patient, purposeful, and just. It also reminds us that rebellion against Him has real consequences, and that this season of divine patience that we're currently living in the midst of will not last forever.  A reckoning is coming.

.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

.

If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

.

The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

.

To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

There’s a noticeable shift when we move from Revelation 8:1–5 into Revelation 8:6–13. The silence in heaven has passed. The prayers of the saints have risen before God. The censer has been hurled to the earth. And now, the angels prepare to sound their trumpets.

John writes, “Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them” (Revelation 8:6, ESV). John's choice of the word “prepared” tells us something important. What follows isn’t random chaos or uncontrolled destruction. It’s measured, intentional, and purposeful judgment from a holy God who has already shown incredible patience.

I believe these trumpet judgments occur during the future Tribulation. The church has already been removed at the rapture, and God is now dealing directly with a rebellious world and, ultimately, restoring Israel. This passage doesn’t describe symbolic struggles inside the human heart or vague cycles of history. It describes real judgments that will one day fall on a real world that has persistently rejected God’s truth.

And yet, even here, the gospel still shines.

.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

.

If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

.

The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

.

To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Some moments carry so much weight that words can’t do them justice. We’ve all experienced times like that. A diagnosis changes everything. A phone call stops you in your tracks. A moment arrives when conversation fades, and silence takes over, not because nothing matters, but because everything does.

Revelation 8 opens with one of those moments.

“When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour” (Revelation 8:1).

The emphasis on silence in this verse gets my attention.  Heaven has been filled with worship, singing, thunder, and praise. Suddenly, it goes still. This isn’t awkward silence. It isn’t confusion. It’s reverence. It’s anticipation. Something decisive is about to happen.

This silence marks a turning point during the future Tribulation period. The seal judgments have unfolded, and the seventh seal now introduces the trumpet judgments. God’s righteous judgment on a rebellious world is about to intensify. Yet even here, the focus doesn’t drift away from Jesus. The silence comes when the Lamb opens the seal.

.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

.

If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

.

The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

.

To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

I have always enjoyed the pace and the feel of Christmas Eve. I enjoyed it as a child and I still enjoy it as an adult. The evening has a way of slowing us down, at least for a moment. The lights are a little softer. The songs feel heavier with meaning. Even people who rarely think about spiritual things tend to pause and reflect. There’s something about this night that invites us to consider the reality that God might actually be nearer than we think.

That’s why John 1:14–18 is such a powerful passage to sit with on Christmas Eve. It doesn’t begin with shepherds or angels or a manger. It walks us through some of the deeper aspects of Christ’s divine mission to rescue lost humanity. In a way, it pulls back the curtain and shows us what was really happening behind the scenes when Jesus was born.

.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

.

If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

.

The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

.

To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

When John describes Jesus as the “true light” in John 1:9, he isn’t just offering poetic language or an interesting metaphor. He’s making a bold, theological declaration about the identity of Christ. He’s saying that Jesus is the fulfillment of everything God hinted at throughout the Old Testament. Every glimpse of light, every shadow of hope, every prophecy that promised redemption, finds its substance in Him. John wants us to recognize that Jesus didn’t appear randomly. He came as the long-promised light who would shine on people sitting in darkness.

.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

.

If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

.

The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

.

To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today’s guest is someone whose voice has shaped the soundtrack of Christian rock for more than four decades. You probably know John Schlitt as the lead singer of Petra, one of the most influential Christian bands of all time. But his story is much bigger than chart-topping albums and sold-out concerts. It’s a story about redemption, calling, and discovering that God has a purpose for every season of your life. As someone who has been listening to and enjoying Petra's music for quite some time, I am extremely excited to welcome John to the show today.

John Schlitt: https://johnschlitt.com/

Petra: https://petraband.com/ 

.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

.

If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

.

The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

.

To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Most people start the Christmas story in Bethlehem. The apostle John doesn’t. He doesn’t begin with a manger or a star. He forces you to see Jesus as He truly is. Not just a child born to Mary, but the eternal Son of God who existed before time. Not just a baby wrapped in cloths, but the Creator who designed everything you’ve ever seen.

John 1:1-5 isn’t soft or sentimental. It’s strong, clear, and unapologetic. John wants his readers to understand without a doubt that Jesus is God. Jesus created everything. Jesus is life. Jesus is light. Darkness cannot overcome Him, no matter how hard it tries.

If you want to read a passage that cuts through confusion about Jesus, here it is. Let’s walk through it with the same clarity John uses.

.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

.

If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

.

The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

.

To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The Lord knows what our hearts are longing for, and multiple times in Scripture, we’re shown that He intends to satisfy our deepest longings. Revelation 7:9-17 is one of those moments. It shows us a scene that feels almost too beautiful to take in, yet the Lord wants us to see it clearly. He wants us to let this picture shape the way we live right now.

The apostle John has been walking us through terrifying judgments in earlier portions of Revelation 6. The seals are being opened, the world is trembling, and humanity is facing the consequences of long-rejected mercy. But before we continue with more judgment in Revelation 8, God gives us a pause. It is a pause full of grace. It is as if the Lord says, "Before you see what comes next, I want you to know how my story ends for my people. I want you to see the future I have prepared."

That is where Revelation 7:9-17 comes in. It shows us a redeemed family, a victorious King, and a hope that never fades.

.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

.

If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

.

The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

.

To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

You can order a copy of "Making Faith Magnetic" on Amazon at this link:  https://amzn.to/48qP9aO

.

Please visit https://www.biblestudyheadquarters.com/ for more tools and resources to help you grow in faith.  You can also become a regular supporter of this podcast on the website.

.

If you enjoy the show and want to buy John a coffee, please click here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnstange

.

The "Desire Jesus One Year Devotional" can be found here:  https://amzn.to/41v1DKh

.

To email John Stange directly, please send your message to [email protected].

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.