Through looking at the book of Philemon, we can see how biblical it is to show appreciation. Gratefulness actually improves our outlook on life. As we trust Christ in this difficult time, let’s continue to love one another well and know that the church is moving forward and God is at work.

Heaven will be filled with the nations; therefore, our earthly plans must involve discipling the nations. Let’s have open hands and humble hearts, and ask God to use us for His glory and our joy.

We know that the plans of God are sweet, but they can be tough to take at times. He wants all to come to repentance, and He is faithful to continue to share His Word through His messengers, even at the end. And though Satan is at work, we can rest assured that there is victory in Jesus!

Studying the seven seals and seven trumpets can feel scary, but we need to remember in all of this that God desires repentance in order bring relationship. God’s strange work is His wrath, but His normal work is His mercy and love. While we are still in this age of grace with the tribulation yet to come, today is the day to turn to Him.

God has a Kingdom calendar, and as we look ahead to the 7 years of tribulation, we can see that the antichrist is coming and much difficulty, disaster, and death. As we live in this age of grace, don’t wait but turn and believe in Jesus Christ today for the forgiveness of your sins.

Hearing from God is at the center of the Christian well being. To hear God, we need to be disciplined in our daily walk with Him, and we need to be not only desperate and desiring to hear His voice but also dedicated to responding and obeying when He speaks. God is listening when we pray, so let’s love Him in return by leaning in to hear Him as well.

As we begin a new year, allow the difficulty of 2020 to draw you into deeper devotion of the Lord in 2021. Let’s be determined this year to do what needs to be done and walk in a way that shows faith and trust in the Lord. When we devote ourselves to the things of the Lord, we will see how it makes a difference in our hearts and lives.

As we look toward 2021, may our expectations be reset. Even if the world around us becomes worse, we need to keep doing what we have been called to do. We need to love well, live in purity, and eagerly wait for His return.

We have just come through Revelation 5 which is all about worshipping Christ. As we head towards Christmas, let's join with the chorus of Heaven and creation that worshipped Him in the manger and that is worshipping Him now.

As we study Revelation, we get a window into Heaven and what it will be like. We see praise, bowls full of prayers, and people from every tribe, nation, and tongue. May we live each day with fresh praise and prayerful hearts, and may our love for others reflect the heart of God and the unity we see in Heaven.