Hebrews 12:1-4...

FROM TODAY'S READING (7/29/2013)...

Hebrews 12:1-4 (NLT) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin. 

NOTE - Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I have never heard of anyone stumbling on something sitting down. 

by Charles F. Kettering

Revelation 2:1-3...

FROM TODAY'S READING (7/25/2013)...

Revelation 2:1-3 (NLT) Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus...“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting."

Jesus commended the church folk at Ephesus for...
- their hard work
- their patiently enduring hard times
- their not tolerating or condoning evil people
- their critically examining questionable teachers
- their not quitting during hard times

Revelation 1:9-11, 17-20

FROM TODAY'S READING (7/24/2013)...

Revelation 1:9-11, 17-20 (NLT) I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus. It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”...
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. “Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen. This is the meaning of the mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Some "Lord's Day" reminders for the church...
- Should be preaching the Word of God
- Should give testimony of Jesus
- Should meet Jesus
- Should testify of the resurrected Christ
- Should remember He holds the keys of death and the grave
- Should be spiritually aware of present world conditions...and future events.

Revelation 1:4-7

FROM TODAY'S READING (6/8/2013)...

Revelation 1:4-7 (NLT) ...Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him— even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen!

~ Jesus is the first one to come back from the dead and die no more.
~ He is Supreme eternal ruler over all His creation.
~ He "...loves us..." (Greek: a present continuous action).
~ He "...freed us..." (Greek: a past completed work).
~ He paid a high price for our eternal life..."...by shedding his blood for us."
~ He freed us to be priests for God His (our) Father. As priests we offer up spiritual sacrifices to Him (our selves, our praises, our possessions, and our service). We also tell others of His enumerable excellences.