“Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.” – Revelation 6:11

Our faith in Christ often requires us to hold several things in tension. This naturally makes us uncomfortable and in our human weakness, we want to simplify our faith by oversteering toward one side or the other of the tension. We must resist that temptation. This verse is an excellent example of the tension we must carefully navigate as we follow Jesus.

As Christians, we’re called to do everything possible to live peaceably with EVERYONE (Romans 12:18). We’re called to pray for ALL leaders so that the church might enjoy peace (1 Timothy 2:1-2). This is God’s will for each of us. Yet it’s also His will that at certain times, Christians will suffer for our faith. Some will die for it. We must simultaneously seek, make, and pray for peace and be willing and prepared to suffer or die for Christ.

We must prepare ourselves mentally and spiritually for both. Some Christians focus so much on living peacefully that we aren’t prepared if persecution should come to us. If we aren’t prepared, we won’t endure. We’ll renounce or compromise Christ for comfort, safety, or social standing. Other Christians focus so militantly on their willingness to die gloriously that they refuse to seek or make peace. We must do all these.

Take time to reflect on which side of this tension is your preference and which is your weak area. Reflect on God’s call to do both. In the days to come, study, meditate, pray, and prepare yourself deep within your soul to be both an agent of peace and a bold witness for Christ, whatever the cost!

“I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” – Revelation 3:8

It’s easy to get stuck thinking about what we can’t do. That’s true for individuals and for entire churches. We view the possibilities of the world in terms of our abilities and resources, convincing ourselves that we’re stuck with the status quo. That isn’t how God’s universe works!

Christ asks His church and His followers to be faithful. He asks us to obey His instructions and confess our faith in Him no matter the cost. It isn’t easy, but it’s something we are all capable of doing. When we do that, Christ takes care of creating the opportunities. Christ takes care of giving the power. Christ takes care of providing the people and resources.

In a year characterized by things we can’t do, we mustn’t let that discourage us from doing what we’re called to do. 2020 was a revelation of our own weakness as people, as churches, as nations. That isn’t a bad thing! Let’s use this wake up call to draw nearer to Christ and commit to something we can control: being increasingly faithful to Christ this Christmas (and beyond).

Christ doesn’t ask us to be extraordinary for Him. He asks us to be faithful to Him, then He does the extraordinary. That’s His specialty!

“The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.” – Revelation 3:5

This sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Spending eternity clothed in white garments symbolizing our purity, seeing our name permanently written into the book of life, and hearing our name proclaimed by Jesus Himself before God and the angels.

So what does it mean to conquer? Probably not what you’re thinking! This conquering isn’t about a muscular and militant Christianity that defeats all opponents. Jesus actually means conquering the everyday challenges and temptations of our lives to truly follow Him every hour of every day.

Conquering is about resisting the temptations of suburban life and pursuing personal holiness and a life of faithful obedience to Jesus. Conquering means resisting the many temptations in our ordinary lives: sexual temptations, financial temptations, ethical temptations. Temptations to indulge our anger, greed, lust, ambition, pride.

Our most fundamental calling as Christians is to actually follow Jesus – doing what He did, caring about what He cares about, and seeking, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to become like Him in personal holiness, righteousness, kindness, wisdom, mercy, and grace. We conquer when we commit and live our lives like that. Of course, we’ll make mistakes along the way, but we conquer those when we confess them to God, ask forgiveness, and pursue increasing holiness and Christlikeness.

Conquering isn’t easy, but there is joy, now and forever, in seeking to conquer – not the world, but the world’s influence on our hearts and minds. Go forth and conquer today. Then do it again tomorrow.

“Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” – Revelation 2:10

We don’t know why Christ decrees for some churches to suffer persecution while others live in peace for long periods of time. What we do know is that when faced with persecution, we are given a wonderful opportunity to glorify God! While we should never seek suffering or try to provoke persecution (that would be ungodly), we should never shy away from it either.

There is enormous persecution of Christians in the world today. We should be praying for persecuted Christians and also preparing ourselves should our own comfortable situation begin to change. If our King decrees that we should suffer for our faith, then may we each be found faithful in that time!

Choose now, while things are pleasant, what’s more important to you: Christ or comfort, life on this earth or the crown of eternal life in heaven. Reflect now on what compromises you will refuse to make to hold on to your popularity, social status, finances, freedom, family, or life.

While persecution isn’t good and we’re called to pray that we would live in peace, greater good for God’s Kingdom can come out of persecution. We should understand that Christ rewards us for faithfulness in the face of whatever persecution we may encounter. He will place the crown of life on the heads of those who are faithful to their death. Commit yourselves now to always choose faithfulness over any personal benefit on earth.

“I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
and he shall speak peace to the nations;
his rule shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.”
– Zechariah 9:10

The verse before this one was famously fulfilled when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey on Palm Sunday. This verse is a promise of the comprehensive world peace we will one day enjoy after Christ’s return. One day, Messiah will return and the weapons and equipment of war: chariots, horses, and bows, tanks, fighters, and guns will no longer be needed or wanted.

Nations will be at peace under the world-wide rule of King Jesus. This is a glorious and encouraging reminder that the present world situation and all the darkness, violence, war, terrorism, fear, refugees, and suffering we see around us is temporary. One day, we will see the final and forever fulfillment of the angel’s proclamation of peace on earth on the night Jesus was born.

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace at Christmas, we look ahead to the day He will make peace across the entire earth. We look ahead with eager anticipation to creation as it was meant to be and the enjoyment of eternity in Christ’s peaceful presence and reign.