Today I’m sharing in the First 5 app’s study of Revelation. Here’s a preview . . .

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Today’s Reading: Revelation 14:1-13

Revelation 14:1 (ESV) “Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.”

In our home, we have a weekly event called the “laundry party.” I gave it this name years ago to try to trick my kids into thinking that putting away clean laundry is fun. If you look at the laundry party through my eyes, it’s a blast. The clothes get put away, and I’m not the one doing it – hooray! But from my kids’ perspective, the laundry party is a dreaded chore. In laundry and in life, the way we view an event depends on our perspective.

We find shifts in perspective throughout the book of Revelation. There is a great drama unfolding on earth and a great drama unfolding in heaven. John gets to see it all, and through this vision recorded for us, we get to share John’s vantage point. From our current perspective, we easily relate to the turmoil of this world. In the book of Revelation, we see the glory of heaven.

Did you sense the dread John must have felt at the end of Revelation 13? The dragon and the beasts seem to be in charge, and the depiction of events on the earth is horrific. But then John turned his eyes to Jesus. (Revelation 14:1) The vision John beheld gives encouragement to suffering Christians in all times and places. As chaos swirls, God’s redeemed are secure, sealed and singing of Christ’s salvation.

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Click here to finish reading today’s teaching – and we’d love to have you join us in the app as we continue our study of Revelation!

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I’m sharing an audio teaching today in the First 5 app as we wrap up our study of Galatians. I’d love for you to join us as we discuss “Life in the Spirit” from Galatians 5-6. You can listen or read a transcript in the First 5 app or on their website. I hope it is a blessing to you today!

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I’m sharing over on the First 5 app today in our study of Galatians. We’d love to have you join us as we wrap up this study! Here’s a preview . . .

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Today’s Reading: Galatians 5:13-15

Galatians 5:13 (ESV) “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

What comes to mind when you think of freedom? Maybe you remember the first time you drove on your own as a new driver, free to go wherever you pleased. Maybe you dream of financial freedom and not agonizing over every expense. Maybe you cherish the liberty Americans enjoy, such as freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

Those who are united to Christ have been given a freedom unlike anything a government, bank account or driver’s license can provide. Paul shared the good news of our freedom in Christ in Galatians 5:1, and in today’s reading, he adds a caution: “Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13b). Paul knew that as the Galatians turned away from the legalistic message of the Judaizers, they might be tempted to use their freedom to rationalize sin.

Paul wanted his readers – then and now – to understand that giving yourself over to the desires of your flesh (that is, your sinful nature) isn’t true freedom.

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To read the rest of the teaching, head over to the First 5 website or download the app!

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I’m sharing today at First 5 in our study of Galatians. We’d love to have you join us! Here’s a preview . . .

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Today’s Reading: Galatians 3:15-20

Galatians 3:18 (ESV) “For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.”

I’m a planner. In fact, one plan usually isn’t enough – I prefer to have a plan and at least one back-up plan. When my kids were little and my friends planned a girls’ night out, I had a babysitter on stand-by in case my husband couldn’t get home from work in time. When I fly, I like to have a mobile boarding pass and a paper boarding pass. I own two coffee makers so if one malfunctions, I don’t have to go without my all-important morning jolt of caffeine.

As a committed maker of back-up plans, I can identify with the Christians in Galatia. After Paul came to preach salvation by faith alone, the Judaizers spread a false teaching that said Christians needed to be circumcised to be saved. Maybe the Galatians just wanted to cover all their bases. Faith was important, but having the back-up plan of circumcision couldn’t hurt, right?

Paul addressed these issues in Galatians 3:15-20. Through his arguments, we see that our salvation doesn’t depend on our law-keeping but on God’s promise-keeping. And God always keeps His promises.

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To read the rest of the teaching, head over to First 5 or download the app!

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