Redemption Hills Church

All Will Be Judged

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Revelation 15:1-8

This week's sermon moves through Revelation 15, where heaven pauses before the final outpouring of God's wrath, and connects that vision to a deeper truth: grace only means something because judgment is real. Sin carries a genuine, weighty cost, and because God is both just and loving, that cost could not simply be waved away - it had to be paid. At the cross, Jesus took upon Himself the wrath His people deserved, satisfying God's justice while displaying grace beyond calculation. The saints in Revelation 15 sing not because judgment is over, but because they have been delivered through it, standing safely on the other side of wrath through the Lamb who bore it for them.

Takeaways

Divine wrath is not loss of control - it is God's righteous, holy response to sin.
Forgiveness and grace only carry weight because sin carries a real, deserved consequence.
At the cross, God's justice and God's mercy were both fully satisfied in Jesus.
The victory song of Revelation 15 belongs to those delivered through Christ, not those who escaped judgment on their own.

Application for This Week

This week, let the weight of what Jesus absorbed on your behalf sink in. When you're tempted to treat grace as ordinary or sin as harmless, return to the cross and remember what it actually cost. Let gratitude, not fear, be the fruit of remembering God's wrath - because for those in Christ, that wrath has already been spent.

Four ideas to reflect on this week:

Devotion 1: The Wrath That Makes Grace Real

Romans 1:18 - "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth."

Reflection Question

Where in your life have you been tempted to soften or explain away the reality of sin's consequences?

Prayer Prompt

Ask God to give you a right fear of His holiness, not to frighten you, but to help you see grace clearly. Thank Him that His wrath was not left unanswered but was fully absorbed at the cross.

Devotion 2: Love While We Were Still Enemies

Romans 5:8 - "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Reflection Question

How does it change your view of God's love to know He loved you before you ever turned toward Him?

Prayer Prompt

Thank God that His love was not a response to your worthiness. Ask Him to help you love others the same way - before they've earned it.

Devotion 3: Mercy Beyond What We Deserve

Psalm 103:10-12 - "He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us."

Reflection Question

Is there a sin you're still carrying guilt over, even though God has already removed it from you?

Prayer Prompt

Thank God for removing your transgressions as far as the east is from the west. Ask Him to help you release guilt He has already released you from.

Devotion 4: A Song for the Delivered

Revelation 15:3-4 - "Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."

Reflection Question

What "song" is your life singing right now about who God is?

Prayer Prompt

Praise God for His just and true ways, even in what you don't yet understand. Ask Him to make worship the natural overflow of your gratitude this week.

Primary Scripture references from the sermon:

Revelation 15:1-8
Romans 1:18
Romans 5:8
Romans 3:21-26
Psalm 103:10-12
Psalm 111:2-4
John 10:17-18
Revelation 16:7
Revelation 6:9-11
Ephesians 2:8-9

Pastor's Note

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 16:42:02 +0000

5 MIN READ

Stay the CourseFear Not

Timidity was never the Spirit's gift to us. Paul's charge to a young, anxious pastor is God's charge to every one of us at Redemption Hills - stay the course, and do it without fear.

2 TIMOTHY 1:7

"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."

God continues to move out and declare His Lordship at Redemption Hills Church. God certainly did "work all things together for good for those who are called according to His purpose." God's people are being transformed by the gospel. At RHC we are seeing people baptized, families reconciled, lives transformed, fellowship increase, and most importantly, God glorified through the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Regardless of the blessings and sufferings in your life, we thankfully know there is one absolute truth through it all for each and every one of us: God is with us - ALWAYS.

God uses joys and sufferings in His decretive and perceptive will to declare His providence and sovereignty. Let's be laser-focused to do the work of ministry.

01Power, Not Fear

Paul wrote his final letter to a young minister in Ephesus named Timothy. Its purpose was to encourage Timothy to continue faithfully in the work of God - to keep the same mindset even as challenges mounted around him.

Paul had argued against false doctrines and faced real persecution for preaching the gospel. Apparently, perhaps due to timidity and youth, Timothy had begun to hold back some of his ministry work. Paul admonishes him to fan the flames of the spiritual gifts God gave him, not to be ashamed of the Lord, and to expect suffering in the proclamation of the Good News: "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God" (2 Timothy 1:8).

Fear comes down to a lack of trust in God. Trusting God is a refusal to give in to fear.

Paul reminded Timothy that he has been given power to encounter all his enemies. The Holy Spirit is the power which Jesus promised would come and fill all believers: "And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49). Genuine love and self-discipline inspire courage and bold authority (1 Corinthians 2:4).

02Called Before the Ages Began

Worse days would come (2 Timothy 3:1-9). But through it all, Paul's solemn charge to Timothy was to remain faithful to the things he was taught - to stay the course without fear. "You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (2:1). To study, and to "preach the word!" Paul told Timothy to be ready in season and out of season - to convince, rebuke, and exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

The Apostle Paul encourages the young Timothy that he has nothing to fear. Why? Because God has already come before him and set the table of successful ministry: "who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began" (2 Timothy 1:9). Paul exhorts Timothy - and us - to stand firm by God's power, exhibiting His love and exercising true Christian character, because He has given us a purpose before the foundation of the world. Our Lord Christ Jesus has gone before us.

Though circumstances around us will shift and change constantly, our God never changes - EVER - and He will never leave our side.

The truth is that He is Immanuel, God with us. And though circumstances and situations around us will shift and change constantly, and though people and relationships will wound and hurt us, and though things will happen that we wish wouldn't happen - the truth is that our God never changes. RHC has many great examples of God not only being at our side, but leading us forward as we followed with faithfulness.

03The Fear That Sets Us Free

When we focus on Paul's words to Timothy, that truth helps me remember that God is in total control - and therefore I can rest in the knowledge that no matter how out of control I feel, or how out of control society can seem, Christ Jesus is still on His throne. What a crazy comfort that is in this unpredictable, insane world we are living in today!

No matter how out of control I feel, or how out of control society can seem, Christ Jesus is still on His throne.

Basically, fear comes down to a lack of trust in God. Trusting God is a refusal to give in to fear of the world. "In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Psalm 56:11). Moses Ibn Ezra, a medieval Jewish philosopher, said, "Your noblest quality before God is your fear of Him." Rather than the spirit of fear of the world, we are to have a reverential, fearful respect of the Person of God. For God, through Jesus Christ, saved us and called us to live for Him. "Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling" (Psalm 2:11).

My prayer is that as we read these verses about new beginnings, we are able to focus on the truth of His Word - that our hearts and minds are filled with these truths, and that we spend each and every day drawing closer to Him, learning more about Him through time spent in His Word, and doing acts of love and service. To Him be the dominion and glory forever and ever! Amen!

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Why the Great Commission Was Never Optional

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 14:31:32 +0000

Disciples Making Disciples: Why the Great Commission Was Never Optional

There is a version of the Great Commission many of us have quietly rewritten in our own hearts, even if we'd never say it out loud. The real one, in Matthew 28:18-20, is unmistakable: Jesus, with all authority in heaven and on earth, commands His followers to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them to observe everything He commanded. The version many of us actually live by sounds more like this: go and make converts, offer them the optional discipleship package, teach them the things you'd suggest, if they're interested. We chuckle at the rewrite because we recognize ourselves in it - too many of us are content to show up on a Sunday and call that good.

This is the third and final message in the series on the life of a disciple, and it lands on the sharpest question of all: not just what a disciple is, but how disciples are made.

What a Disciple Actually Is

Webster's 1828 dictionary - written by a man who took his definitions from a culture still shaped by Scripture - defines a disciple as a follower, an adherent to the doctrines of another. The word adherent matters: it means sticking to something, glued to it. To be a disciple of Christ is to be glued to Him, not casually associated with Him. Notice, too, how the Great Commission ends: with "Amen." That word isn't a polite sign-off - it means let it be established. Jesus is declaring that His followers will go and make disciples, and will stick to Him like glue while doing it.

Jesus Set the Pattern

Look at what Jesus did with the twelve. He led, guided, and taught them, walked with them, told parables and explained what they meant. He demonstrated truth through action, loved them, was patient and encouraging - and He was also, at times, blunt. When Philip asked Jesus to simply show them the Father, Jesus didn't soften His answer: "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?" (John 14:7-11). When the disciples woke a sleeping Jesus in a storm, panicked, He didn't comfort their feelings first - He asked why they had such little faith, then calmed the sea (Matthew 8:23-27). And when Peter rebuked Jesus for predicting His own death, Jesus turned and said, "Get behind Me, Satan" (Matthew 16:21-23). None of that came from a lack of love; it came from a refusal to let comfort stand in the way of truth. Our culture has grown so sensitive about how things are said that we're losing the truth itself under a pile of careful words. Being discipled means hearing hard things without walking away - and some who heard Jesus's hard sayings did exactly the opposite (John 6:60-69). Peter's answer to Him - "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" - is the posture every disciple needs.

Real Discipleship Takes Time - and It Costs Something

Jesus, who is God, could have implanted every bit of knowledge and faith the disciples ever needed in a single day. Instead He walked with them for three and a half years. Almost nothing meaningful in life happens in a moment - a wedding day is the culmination of years of knowing someone, and a graduation is, in a sense, a receipt for years already invested. Discipleship works the same way: a two-way relationship where both sides give something up - time with the other person, in reading, prayer, and study, and less time for television, scrolling, or whatever hobby fills the hours. Nothing else offers what discipleship offers: a deeper knowledge of the God who loves us.

Sometimes what God's Word asks of us doesn't match what our culture has taught, and the temptation is to pull back rather than trust. A woman who lived nearly a hundred years - who as a girl crossed the plains in a covered wagon and later watched a space shuttle launch - once admitted she'd been afraid the first time she rode in a car, afraid she wouldn't be able to catch her breath. Silly to us now, since we grew up around cars. But when God's Word asks something unfamiliar of us - about money, marriage, submission, sacrifice - it's that same fear talking. God does not lie. If it's true, we can trust it, even when it feels like getting in the car for the first time.

Parents, Take Note

Your first and most important disciple-making field is your own children. Proverbs 22:6 doesn't call for an hour on Sunday morning; it calls for training - the same patient, daily investment Jesus modeled with the twelve. Children need daily discipleship, not just protection from every hard thing.

Both a Disciple and a Disciple-Maker

"Meditation is the activity of calling to mind and thinking over and dwelling on and applying to oneself the various things that one knows about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God."

- J.I. Packer

Notice the difference between thinking and dwelling. Thinking can happen in five minutes; dwelling turns something over again and again, sometimes for weeks, until it becomes something we actually apply. That's the posture behind 2 Timothy 2:1-4, where Paul, writing from prison near the end of his life, tells Timothy - his son in the faith - to be strong in grace, to endure hardship like a good soldier, and to commit what he's learned to faithful people who will teach others also. A distracted soldier is a dead one; we can't entangle ourselves so fully with this life that we lose focus on the mission.

This is why the "us four and no more" mentality has to go. We're not meant to hold what we've learned to ourselves, or to think of discipleship as something we eventually graduate out of. It's a both/and calling - even after decades with Christ, we still need mentoring, even as we mentor others.

"Ignorance of God, both of His ways and of the practice of communion with Him, lies at the root of much of the church's weakness today."

- J.I. Packer

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). That's where disciple-making begins - staying hungry to know Him, and willing to help someone else do the same.

Watch the full message: Disciples Making Disciples →

Scripture References (ESV)

Matthew 28:18-20
John 14:7-11
Matthew 8:23-27
Matthew 16:21-23
John 6:60-69
Proverbs 22:6
2 Timothy 2:1-4
Matthew 6:33

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RHC Kids Memory Verse | Phil 4:4

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 13:08:37 +0000

RHC Kids Memory Verse | Phil 4:4

This week, we are encouraging our children to memorize a verse that reminds us not once but twice that we should rejoice in our Lord ALWAYS.

Choosing to rejoice isn't dependent on having a perfect day or getting everything we want. Paul reminds us in Philippians that when we choose to rejoice in Him it transforms the rest of our thoughts and actions.

As you practice this verse together at home, talk with your children about what it means to rejoice in the Lord. Help them recognize that even when we are disappointed, frustrated, or having a difficult day, we can still choose to celebrate who God is and all that He has done for us.

Younger Children:
Rejoice in the Lord always. — Philippians 4:4

Older Children:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. — Philippians 4:4

Our prayer is that these words become deeply rooted in our children's hearts, giving them a lasting foundation of joy that isn't dependent on their circumstances.

Let's rejoice together this week!

Making Disciples

Sun, 16 Aug 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Making Disciples

Matthew 28:18-20; John 14:7-11; Matthew 8:23-27; John 6:60-69; 2 Timothy 2:1-4; Proverbs 22:6

Jesus' final words to His followers weren't a suggestion - they were a command to go and make disciples. Yet it's easy to quietly edit that command into something softer: make converts, offer an optional package, treat His words as advice rather than instruction. This week's message traces what real discipleship looked like in Jesus' own ministry - patient, personal, and sometimes bluntly honest - and what it looked like in the men who followed Him: attentive, questioning, and committed even when corrected. Discipleship was never meant to be a once-a-week event. It's a costly, lifelong relationship of being shaped by Christ and shaping others.

Takeaways

Jesus discipled through presence and patience, not through quick information transfer - and He didn't shy away from hard truth.
True disciples follow, observe, listen, ask questions, and stay committed even when corrected.
Discipleship always costs something - time, comfort, convenience - and is never optional for a follower of Christ.
Discipleship begins in the home and continues for a lifetime of both being mentored and mentoring others.

Application for This Week

This week, take an honest look at where discipleship is actually happening in your life - not just on Sunday, but in your home, your relationships, and your private time in God's Word. Ask who is pouring into you, and who you are pouring into. If no answer comes to mind, let that be the starting point for this week's prayer and action.

Four ideas to reflect on this week:

Devotion 1: The Call to Follow

Matthew 4:19 (ESV)

"And he said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.'"

Jesus' invitation to His first disciples wasn't complicated, but it was costly - it meant leaving nets, boats, and familiar routines behind. Following Jesus still means that today: a willingness to leave behind whatever competes with wholehearted devotion to Him.

Reflection Question

What would it look like this week to follow Jesus more closely than you did last week?

Prayer Prompt

Lord, help me hear Your call to follow and respond without hesitation. Show me what I'm still holding onto instead of You, and give me the courage to let it go.

Devotion 2: Bearing Fruit as a Disciple

John 15:8 (ESV)

"By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."

A disciple isn't identified by good intentions but by fruit - a life that visibly reflects Christ's character and love to others. Bearing fruit isn't something we manufacture; it flows naturally from remaining close to Him.

Reflection Question

What fruit is evident in your life right now, and what does its presence or absence tell you about your closeness to Christ?

Prayer Prompt

Father, I want my life to bring You glory through real, visible fruit. Keep me abiding in You, and prune away whatever keeps me from growing.

Devotion 3: Passing on the Faith

2 Timothy 2:2 (ESV)

"and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also."

Discipleship was never meant to stop with one generation. What has been taught to you in faith is meant to be entrusted to someone else, who will in turn entrust it to another.

Reflection Question

Who is God calling you to entrust what you've learned to, even in a small way?

Prayer Prompt

Lord, give me courage to share what You've taught me with someone who needs it. Help me not to keep Your truth to myself, but to multiply it faithfully.

Devotion 4: Meditating on God's Word

Psalm 1:2-3 (ESV)

"but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers."

True meditation on Scripture isn't a quiet mind emptied of thought - it's a mind actively dwelling on and applying God's Word. That kind of steady rootedness produces lasting fruit and stability, no matter the season.

Reflection Question

What would change in your week if you meditated on God's Word daily instead of occasionally?

Prayer Prompt

Lord, plant me like a tree beside streams of living water. Teach me to delight in Your Word and to return to it again and again this week.

Primary Scripture references from the sermon:

Matthew 28:18-20
Matthew 28:19a
Matthew 6:33
John 14:7-11
Matthew 8:23-27
Matthew 16:21-23
John 6:60-69
2 Timothy 2:1-4
Proverbs 22:6

Behold the Lamb: The Call That Changes Everything

Sun, 02 Aug 2026 21:35:20 +0000

Behold the Lamb: The Call That Changes Everything

Two words have altered the course of history more than almost any others: follow me. They toppled empires, rescued sinners, strengthened martyrs, and built the church - and they are still Jesus's invitation to every generation, including ours.

This week begins a short three-part series on the life of a disciple, and it starts at the beginning: how does someone actually become a follower of Jesus in the first place? The answer is found in John 1:35-51, a passage that reads simply on the surface but carries some of the deepest theology in the New Testament. In just sixteen verses, four different people meet Jesus in four different ways - one through a friend's testimony, one through his own brother, one through Jesus's direct pursuit, and one through honest skepticism. There is nothing formulaic about it. What ties every story together is not the method, but the mover: Jesus is the one doing the calling.

Following Jesus Begins with God's Revelation

When John the Baptist saw Jesus walk by, he didn't say "follow me." He said, "Behold, the Lamb of God" (John 1:36). That distinction matters enormously. John had spent his ministry pointing people toward the coming Messiah, and when the Messiah finally arrived, John didn't gather a following for himself - he redirected every eye toward Christ. He understood, as he'd later say plainly, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).

That's the pattern for every genuine call to follow Jesus: it begins by looking away from ourselves and fixing our eyes on Christ. And that seeing isn't something people stumble into through cleverness or philosophy. Paul writes that "faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17). No one reasons their way into the kingdom. God reveals himself through his word, and the Spirit opens eyes to see it. That truth strips away any room for pride - salvation was never a transaction we initiated. It was, and is, entirely a gift.

Following Jesus Results in Gospel Witness

The moment Andrew met Jesus, he couldn't stay quiet. He found his brother Simon and said, "We have found the Messiah" (John 1:41). Nobody commanded Andrew to evangelize. He simply couldn't help himself - treasuring Christ naturally produces speech about Christ.

That's the pattern that has carried the gospel across two thousand years: not primarily through platforms or crowds, but through ordinary believers introducing one person at a time to Jesus. Andrew never preached to thousands or wrote Scripture, yet he brought his brother - who became the rock the church was built on. Philip did the same for Nathanael, saying simply, "We have found him… Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (John 1:45). His theology was still developing. His words weren't perfect. But faithfulness, not eloquence, is what God uses to draw people to himself.

Following Jesus Depends on Sovereign Grace

Look closely at how Jesus finds Philip: "Jesus found Philip and said to him, 'Follow me'" (John 1:43). Jesus does the finding. This is the comfort underneath the whole passage - Christ seeks and finds his sheep, because left to themselves, sheep don't find their own way home. As Paul put it, quoting the Psalms, "None is righteous, no, not one… no one seeks for God" (Romans 3:10-11).

"Dead people don't choose."

That blunt line captures the heart of it. Scripture is consistent that the initiative belongs to God: "You did not choose me, but I chose you" (John 15:16); "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (John 6:44). None of this erases human responsibility - Philip still had to obey - but behind his willing steps stood Christ's effective call. Even Peter, unstable and impulsive, was chosen not because of anything commendable in him, but because grace transforms ordinary, unworthy people into disciples. That should free every believer from both pride and despair. It was never about being deserving. It was always about being called.

Following Jesus Results in Being Conformed Into His Image

Jesus doesn't just love people as they are - he loves them too much to leave them there. When Nathanael approached, skeptical that anything good could come from Nazareth, Jesus told him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you" (John 1:48). Nathanael was stunned. Jesus already knew him completely - his doubts, his history, his future - and called him anyway.

"Come and you will see."

That was Jesus's answer to two curious disciples who asked where he was staying, and it remains his invitation today. Following him isn't first about activity; it's about communion, staying with him, being known by him, and slowly being remade into his likeness. Notice the progression across these sixteen verses: Jesus is called the Lamb, then the Messiah, then the one Moses and the prophets foretold, then the Son of God and King of Israel. Understanding deepens the longer someone walks with him - and it never stops, not for Andrew, not for Peter, not for anyone still following him today.

Jesus closes the passage by pointing back to Jacob's ladder in Genesis 28: "You will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man" (John 1:51). Jesus is declaring himself the bridge between heaven and earth - the one through whom every prayer ascends and every grace descends.

The call to follow Jesus has never changed. It isn't a call to religion, morality, or church activity. It's a call to a person - the Lamb of God, the Messiah, the Son of Man, the only mediator between God and humanity. He is still calling. He still finds people in the most unexpected places, still gives them new names and new identities, and still says to anyone willing to listen: come and see.

Watch the full message here: The Call to Follow Jesus

Scripture References (ESV)

John 1:35-51
John 3:30
Romans 10:17
Romans 3:10-11
John 15:16
John 6:44
Genesis 28:10-17

The Call to Follow Jesus

Sun, 02 Aug 2026 13:00:00 +0000

The Call to Follow Jesus

John 1:35-51

In this passage, we witness the first gathering of Jesus' disciples, and no two of them come to Him the same way. One hears a testimony and follows. One is invited by a brother. One is personally sought out. One wrestles with doubt before believing. Yet every road leads to the same Savior. Behind each different story stands one glorious reality: Jesus calls His own. Salvation begins with God-Christ seeks sinners before sinners seek Christ, and grace always precedes faith.

Takeaways

Following Jesus begins with God's revelation, not human reasoning or willpower.
Genuine conversion naturally produces a desire to introduce others to Christ.
Christ's call rests entirely on His sovereign grace, never on our potential or performance.
Following Jesus is a lifelong process of being conformed into His image-He already knows us completely and calls us anyway.

Application for This Week

This week, remember that your story doesn't have to look like anyone else's. Whether you came to faith gradually or suddenly, through a friend's invitation or your own wrestling with doubt, the same grace that called the first disciples is the grace that holds you now. Let that truth free you from comparison and fuel you to gently point someone else toward Christ.

Four ideas to reflect on this week:

Devotion 1: Come and See

John 1:38-39

"Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, 'What are you seeking?' And they said to him, 'Rabbi' (which means Teacher), 'where are you staying?' He said to them, 'Come and you will see.' So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour."

Reflection Question

What are you seeking from Jesus right now-comfort, answers, purpose, or simply Him?

Prayer Prompt

Ask God to reveal Himself to you today, not just as an idea to understand but as a person to know. Thank Him that His invitation to "come and see" is still open. Ask for the desire to abide with Him, not just learn about Him.

Devotion 2: Unable to Stay Silent

John 1:40-42

"One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah' (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, 'You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas' (which means Peter)."

Reflection Question

Who in your life might God be prompting you to quietly bring to Jesus, the way Andrew brought Peter?

Prayer Prompt

Thank God for the person who first introduced you to Jesus, whether through words or example. Ask for courage to do the same for someone else this week, trusting that ordinary faithfulness is exactly what God uses.

Devotion 3: Chosen, Not Choosing

John 15:16

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."

Reflection Question

How does it change your view of yourself to know that God's call on your life began with His initiative, not your merit?

Prayer Prompt

Praise God that your standing with Him rests on His sovereign choice, not your track record. Ask Him to help you rest in that security rather than striving to earn what He has freely given.

Devotion 4: Fully Known, Still Called

John 1:47-48

"Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, 'Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!' Nathanael said to him, 'How do you know me?' Jesus answered him, 'Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.'"

Reflection Question

What is one area of your life you've assumed might disqualify you from following Jesus closely-and how does His complete knowledge of you change that?

Prayer Prompt

Thank God that nothing about your past or your struggles surprises Him. Ask Him to help you live today in the confidence that His love for you preceded your performance and will outlast your failures.

Primary Scripture references from the sermon:

John 1:35-51John 1:35-39
John 1:40-42
John 1:43-46
John 1:47-51
Romans 10:17
Romans 3:10-12
John 15:16
John 6:44
Luke 19:10
Genesis 28

RHC Kids Memory Verse | 1 Thess 5:18

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:46:50 +0000

RHC Kids Memory Verse | 1 Thess. 5:18

This week, our children are learning a powerful reminder about having a grateful heart. Gratitude is more than saying "thank you" when life is going well. This verse teaches us that God calls us to be thankful in every circumstance because we can always trust His goodness, His faithfulness, and His plan for our lives.

As you practice this memory verse together at home, take a few moments each day to ask your children what they are thankful for. Whether it's family, friends, a beautiful day, or God's love, these conversations help cultivate hearts that recognize God's blessings in both the big and the small moments.

Younger Children: Sing to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"
In everything give thanks — 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Older Children:
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
— 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Thank you for partnering with us as we help our children grow in God's Word—one verse at a time!

I've Never Enjoyed Pink So Much

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:56:32 +0000

When Urban Immersion was first kicked around as a youth summer mission trip, I was at a loss on what to do for fundraising. Mission trips are an act of service and a formative experience for students, therefore, the logistics of money to the families should be a pulverized obstacle whenever possible.

And in my loss of ideas, Adam came to me with one word: "flamingos". Adam had, by this point, cemented himself as a necessary and beloved member of our youth leadership team. He brought a fantastic dimension of fun, excitement, and honest heart to our ministry. So, with a perplexed look but a trusting mind, I responded, "go on". His face lit up saying, "We did this when I was in youth group way back when. You take a bunch of plastic flamingoes and leave them in people's yards with a flyer for 'Flamingo Removal Service'. They can then hire our services by giving to the mission trip! It's sort of like extortion..but like...for Jesus".

Bingo - that was it. In the moment I thought, "I don't care about the how or the moral gray area of that idea - we're gonna do it!". And having just been blessed with a new bus to our ministry, the idea of packing it with students and dispersing flamingoes late at night just sounded like a good ol' time.

And it sure was. I was both thrilled with the fellowship bonding of the fun and grateful for the generous members of our church. After assembling piles of plastic flamingoes, driving around town in our new bus, and catching this unique wave of ministry action, I've never enjoyed pink so much.

Final Mom's Focus Group | The FORGE

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:15:11 +0000

Our Final Moms Focus Group Is Here!

What an incredible journey it has been!

This coming week marks the final Moms Focus Group as we wrap up an important season of listening, learning, and discovering the real needs of families in our community. We are so grateful for every mom who has taken the time to share her experiences, insights, and heart throughout this research process.

At The FORGE, we believe that lasting impact begins by listening well. These focus groups have given us the opportunity to hear firsthand about the joys, challenges, and needs that exist within the home, helping us build a stronger foundation for future ministries, programs, and partnerships.

As we prepare for this final session, we ask our church family to join us in praying for the women who will be participating. Pray that they would feel comfortable sharing openly, that meaningful conversations would take place, and that God would provide wisdom and clarity through every discussion.

We are excited to see how the Lord will use everything we've learned to shape the future of The FORGE and help us better serve Southwest Jefferson County. Thank you for praying with us and supporting this important step as we seek to bring hope, strengthen families, and love our community well.

Together, we're building a foundation for what God has next!

Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: Faithful to the End

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: Faithful to the End

Revelation 14:1-20

This week's study opens Revelation 14 and confronts us with two futures. On one side stands the Lamb on Mount Zion with His redeemed people - sealed, singing, and secure forever. On the other stands a coming harvest of judgment, where God's righteous wrath falls in full on all who follow the beast instead of Christ. God's justice is perfect: every person will be judged rightly, though not everyone will be judged the same way, because salvation is found only through Jesus. This chapter calls us to examine our devotion honestly and to trust that following the Lamb, whatever it costs, is always worth it.

Takeaways

Believers who follow the Lamb are secure, sealed, and destined for a glorious eternity.
God's justice is perfect - every person will be judged righteously, and salvation is found only in Jesus Christ.
The reality of God's coming judgment should fuel urgency in sharing the gospel, not fear that silences us.
Jesus has already won the ultimate victory over sin, death, and evil, and His people share fully in that victory.

Application for This Week

This week, let this chapter reshape your ordinary moments. When you're tempted to shrink back from talking about Jesus, remember that the gospel is genuinely good news for "every nation, tribe, language, and people" - including the people in front of you today. And when the weight of the world feels heavy, remember where the story ends: with the Lamb, His people, and a glory that cannot be shaken.

Four ideas to reflect on this week:

Devotion 1: Sealed and Secure

Revelation 14:1

"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."

Reflection Question

Where in your life do you find your sense of security - in circumstances, achievements, relationships - rather than in belonging to Christ?

Prayer Prompt

Lord, thank You for marking me as Yours and holding me secure. Root my identity in You above everything else. Help me rest today in the permanence of Your claim on my life.

Devotion 2: Following the Lamb Wherever He Goes

Revelation 14:4-5

"It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless."

Reflection Question

What would it look like this week to follow Jesus "wherever He goes," even into something inconvenient or costly?

Prayer Prompt

Jesus, I want to follow You closely, not just admire You from a distance. Purify my heart and my words so my life reflects genuine devotion to You. Give me courage to obey even when it's hard.

Devotion 3: The Judge of All the Earth

Genesis 18:25

"Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?"

Reflection Question

Do you fully trust that God's judgment is always right, even when His timing or methods are hard to understand?

Prayer Prompt

Father, I confess I don't always trust Your justice when the world feels unfair. Help me rest in the certainty that You always do what is right. Strengthen my faith in Your character today.

Devotion 4: Blessed Are the Dead Who Die in the Lord

Revelation 14:13

"And I heard a voice from heaven saying, 'Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' 'Blessed indeed,' says the Spirit, 'that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!'"

Reflection Question

How does the promise of eternal rest change the way you view your labor and sacrifice for Christ today?

Prayer Prompt

Lord, thank You that nothing done in faithfulness to You is wasted. Give me endurance for today's work, knowing rest and reward await. Help me live now in light of eternity.

Primary Scripture references from the sermon:

Revelation 14:1-20
Psalm 94:1-2
Psalm 2:6
Isaiah 24:23
Genesis 18:25
Joel 3:12-13
Daniel 7:13-14
Matthew 13:30, 38-40
Isaiah 63:3-4
Zechariah 14:1-5
2 Corinthians 5:8
Philippians 1:21

RHC Kids Memory Verse | Psalm 23:1

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:14:25 +0000

RHC Kids Memory Verse | Psalm 23:1

This week, our children are beginning to memorize one of the most beloved passages in all of Scripture—Psalm 23. These verses remind us of a beautiful truth: The Lord is our Shepherd.

Just as a shepherd lovingly cares for, protects, and guides his sheep, God faithfully watches over each one of us. He provides for our needs, leads us in the right direction, comforts us when we are afraid, and is always with us—no matter what we face.

As your family practices Psalm 23 together this week, take a few moments to talk about what it means for Jesus to be our Good Shepherd. Ask your children how they have seen God care for them or how they can trust Him when life feels uncertain.

Younger Children: Song HERE
"The Lord is my Shepherd." — Psalm 23:1

Older Children: Song of Psalm 23 from Young David HERE
"The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want."
— Psalm 23:1

Thank you for partnering with us as we help our children grow in God's Word—one verse at a time!

Look Out for False Prophets

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Look Out for False Prophets

Revelation 13:11-18

Pastor Stu opens this week's message with a warning as old as the church itself: deception is Satan's most effective tool. In Revelation 13, John describes a second beast rising from the earth - a False Prophet who performs signs and wonders to deceive the world into worshiping the first beast. From Paul's warnings to Timothy, to Jude's urgent plea to contend for the faith, to John's own instruction to test every spirit, Scripture consistently calls believers to watchfulness. This False Prophet's ultimate aim is idolatry - pulling our devotion away from Jesus toward the beast's counterfeit image, marking those loyal to it so that no one can buy or sell without it. But even the notorious number 666 is a description, not a mystery to fear: it falls short of the number 7, the number of divine perfection, because the beast - however deceptive - is nowhere close to displacing Jesus.

Takeaways

Deception, not brute force, is Satan's most effective weapon against God's people
False teaching diverts our worship and devotion away from Jesus toward idols of this world
The mark of the beast is a counterfeit of the true mark believers already carry - the indwelling Holy Spirit
Standing firm against deception requires putting on the whole armor of God daily

Application for This Week

This week, take an honest look at what's competing for your worship - not just false teachers, but the quieter idols of comfort, approval, or control. Put on the armor of God each morning, and let His Word, not the noise around you, shape what you believe.

Four ideas to reflect on this week:

Devotion 1: Test the Spirits

1 John 4:1, 3-4 (ESV)

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world...and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."

Reflection Question

Where in your life do you need to slow down and test what you're believing against the truth of God's Word, rather than simply accepting it?

Prayer Prompt

Lord, give me discernment to recognize what does not come from You. Thank You that the One who lives in me is greater than anything in this world. Keep my heart anchored in Christ alone.

Devotion 2: Known by Their Fruit

Matthew 7:15-17 (ESV)

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit."

Reflection Question

What fruit is your own life producing right now, and does it point others toward Jesus?

Prayer Prompt

Father, make me discerning toward teaching that sounds good but doesn't bear good fruit. Grow good fruit in my own life through Your Spirit. Let my life point clearly to Jesus.

Devotion 3: No Other Gods

Revelation 13:16-17 (ESV)

"Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name."

Reflection Question

What "mark" - habit, pressure, or allegiance - do you feel pulling your loyalty away from Christ?

Prayer Prompt

Jesus, You alone are worthy of my worship and allegiance. Free me from any idol competing for my devotion. Seal my heart to You alone.

Devotion 4: Stand Firm

Ephesians 6:13-17 (ESV)

"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

Reflection Question

Which piece of the armor of God do you most need to put on this week?

Prayer Prompt

Lord, clothe me in Your truth, righteousness, and peace today. Strengthen my faith to extinguish the enemy's attacks. Let Your Word be the sword I carry into every battle.

Primary Scripture references from the sermon:

Revelation 13:11-18 (primary text)
1 Timothy 4:1
2 Timothy 1:13-14
2 Timothy 4:3-4
Jude 3-4
Matthew 7:15-17
1 John 4:1, 3-4
Mark 13:21-23
2 Thessalonians 2:9
Ephesians 6:13-17

Pastor's Note

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 18:28:00 +0000

5 MIN READ

The Prayer Lifeof Jesus

A model for every believer at Redemption Hills Church

Prayer is the fuel of all Bible-believing churches of Jesus Christ, thus prayer is the fuel for Redemption Hills Church. We have been studying the Book of Revelation at RHC and here is what we have learned about the importance of prayer:

And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.

REVELATION 8:3-4

Christ's mediatory office at the right hand of the Father guarantees that prayers offered in His name are received by Him. Because the Lamb has been slain and raised, the prayers of the redeemed people of RHC carry covenantal authority - always heard and answered in God's time and in His determined manner.

Jesus' example of prayer life while on earth provides timeless principles that can transform the prayer life of every Christian.

Prayer was the heartbeat of Jesus' earthly ministry. Although He was the Son of God, Jesus consistently sought intimate fellowship with His Father through prayer. Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus praying in moments of joy, sorrow, decision, temptation, thanksgiving, and triumph.

Prayer Was Jesus' Daily Habit

Jesus made prayer a consistent part of His daily life. Despite demanding schedules, growing crowds, and constant ministry, He always found time to be alone with His Father.

"But Jesus would withdraw to desolate places and pray." - Luke 5:16

A busy life should never replace a praying life. If Jesus, who was without sin, needed regular communion with the Father, we RHC believers certainly need it even more.

Jesus Sought Solitude for Prayer

Jesus intentionally separated Himself from distractions. Solitude enabled Him to hear the Father's voice clearly.

"And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed." - Mark 1:35

Jesus Prayed Before Important Decisions

Before He selected the twelve apostles, Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and all night He continued in prayer to God (Luke 6:12-13). Only after an entire night in prayer did He choose His disciples.

Jesus Prayed During Temptation and Suffering

The Garden of Gethsemane reveals the depth of Jesus' dependence on the Father. Facing the agony of the cross, He prayed:

"Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." - Luke 22:42

Prayer life at RHC is not escaping suffering but receiving strength to endure it while trusting God's purposes.

Jesus Prayed with Thanksgiving

Before feeding the five thousand and before raising Lazarus, Jesus gave thanks first: "Father, I thank you that you have heard me" (John 11:41-42). Faith at RHC means expressing gratitude even before seeing the answer.

Jesus Prayed for Others

Jesus consistently interceded for people - praying for Peter before his failure, and for Himself, His disciples, and future believers in the High Priestly Prayer of John 17. When we pray at RHC, our prayers should extend beyond personal needs to include family, church, community, and the world.

Jesus Prayed in Complete Dependence

"The Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing" (John 5:19). Prayer demonstrated Jesus' continual reliance upon His Father's guidance and power.

Jesus Prayed Publicly and Privately

Jesus balanced private devotion with public prayer - before feeding the crowds, before raising Lazarus, at the Last Supper, and during His crucifixion - always glorifying the Father rather than drawing attention to Himself.

Jesus Prayed Even on the Cross

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). His final words - "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" (Luke 23:46) - reflected complete trust in His Father.

Jesus Taught His Disciples to Pray

In response to the disciples' request, "Lord, teach us to pray," Jesus gave the model prayer of Matthew 6:9-10, and taught persistence through the parables of the Friend at Midnight and the Persistent Widow.

The prayer life of Jesus challenges we believers at RHC to develop a personal relationship with Jesus and a deeper relationship with the Godhead.

Jesus' Example for RHC

The prayer life of Jesus reveals a perfect relationship between the Son and the Father, marked by intimacy, obedience, humility, thanksgiving, perseverance, and unwavering trust. As we at RHC imitate His example, we too can experience deeper fellowship with God and greater effectiveness in our lives and ministry.

Ultimately, the prayer life of Jesus invites all of us at Redemption Hills Church into a life of continual communion with the Father - a life in which every decision, every challenge, and every joy is brought before God in faith, trust, and love.

Beware of the Beast

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 20:47:27 +0000

Beware of the Beast: What Revelation 13 Teaches Us About the Spirit of Antichrist

There is hardly a more fascinating, or more controversial, subject in all of Scripture than the antichrist. The word itself conjures images of evil, ultimate deception, even Armageddon. Yet as we turn to Revelation 13:1-10, we find something far more sobering and far more relevant than mere end-times speculation: a portrait of a spiritual reality that has been at work since the fall of man and remains at work today.

To understand where this passage lands, we have to look back one verse, to the close of Revelation 12. There John writes that the dragon, Satan, became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus (Revelation 12:17). That is us. That is the church. And it is a war that has raged since Genesis 3:15 and will continue until Jesus returns and makes all things right.

Interestingly, the word antichrist never appears in Revelation itself, not once. It is John who coins the term, and only in his epistles, where he writes that as we have heard antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come (1 John 2:18). John makes clear that antichrist is not simply a single figure reserved for the far future. It is anyone or anything that denies that Jesus is the Christ, denies the Father and the Son, or refuses to confess the Word of God (1 John 2:22). In that sense, the spirit of antichrist has already been at work in the world for two thousand years, and Paul agreed, writing that the mystery of lawlessness was already at work even in his own day (2 Thessalonians 2:7).

So when we come to the beast of Revelation 13, we are reading the biography of something bigger than one man at the end of the age. Four truths rise out of this text.

Satan works through individuals and governments to advance his kingdom. John describes a beast rising out of the sea with ten horns and seven heads (Revelation 13:1), an image of great power and political authority arrayed against the throne of God. Throughout history, this beast has taken many forms: the Roman Empire under Nero, the Arian heresy that denied Christ's deity, the atheistic ideologies of the twentieth century, and every philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts itself above God. Nearly every generation has pointed to someone and called them the antichrist. That parade of candidates misses the point. The beast is not confined to one man or one moment; it is, as John describes it in his epistles, a transcultural, transtemporal symbol of every collective and individual opposition to Jesus Christ and His people. And yes, Scripture promises there will also be a final, climactic embodiment of it all at the end of the age (2 Thessalonians 2:3-8).

Satan desires to be worshiped and treated like God. Revelation 13:3-4 tells us the beast's fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. Notice the language: it deliberately echoes the Lamb who was slain in Revelation 5. The beast is always a counterfeit of Christ, a parody of His death and resurrection. Satan, Paul warns, disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), offering the world false christs to worship in place of the true one: money, power, politics, celebrity, self. Everybody worships somebody or something. The only real question is which kingdom holds your allegiance, because Scripture allows no third option. It is Christ or antichrist.

Satan and his minions are given great power, but only for a short time. The beast is permitted to exercise authority for forty-two months (Revelation 13:5), a defined, limited window granted, remarkably, by God Himself. Satan may blaspheme and even make war on the saints, but he does so on a leash. His authority is borrowed, not owned, and it has an expiration date.

Satan's deceptive devices will not fool the followers of Jesus, who will persevere. This is the good news buried inside a hard passage. Revelation 13:8 says all who dwell on earth will worship the beast, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. But there is another group, those whose names were written in that book from before the foundation of the world (Philippians 4:2-3). Their salvation is not partial, not conditional on their own strength. As John writes, everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith (1 John 5:2-4). Believers will not be deceived (Matthew 24:24), because the One who wrote their names in the book is the One who keeps them.

Which brings us to Revelation 13:9-10, the call that closes this passage: if anyone has an ear, let him hear. Following Jesus has always been costly. There is no cheap discipleship.

As one voice describing the antichrist's persistent, patient menace put it:

"Somewhere at this very moment on planet Earth, the antichrist is almost certainly alive, biding his time, awaiting his cue… Already a mature man, he is probably active in politics, perhaps even an admired world leader whose name is almost daily on everyone's lips."

- Dave Hunt

That warning is sobering, but it is not the last word. Jesus wins. He has already won. The invitation before every reader is the same one given two thousand years ago: do not compromise, hold fast, and choose whom you will worship. There is no neutral ground (Matthew 12:30).

Scripture References (ESV)

Revelation 13:1-10
Revelation 12:17
Genesis 3:15
1 John 2:18
1 John 2:22
2 Thessalonians 2:7
2 Thessalonians 2:3-8
Revelation 13:1
Revelation 13:3-4
Revelation 5
2 Corinthians 11:14
Revelation 13:5
Revelation 13:8
Philippians 4:2-3
1 John 5:2-4
Matthew 24:24
Revelation 13:9-10
Matthew 12:30

Duty and Delight: Returning to Our First Love

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 20:27:23 +0000

There's a particular kind of exhaustion that doesn't come from doing too little for God - it comes from doing so much that somewhere along the way, the doing became the point. It's possible to walk from the sin of doing nothing straight into the sin of doing everything, and never once stop to ask whether we actually love the God we're working for. That's the tension worth sitting with this week: not duty versus delight, but the discovery that one was never meant to exist without the other.

The starting point is Jesus' letter to the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2:2-7). It's a remarkable commendation before it's anything else. Jesus knows their works, their toil, their patient endurance. He knows they can't tolerate evil, that they've tested false apostles and found them wanting, that they've endured for His name's sake without growing weary. This is, by any measure, a strong, discerning, hardworking church. And yet Jesus says one thing against them: "you have abandoned the love you had at first." Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, He warns, He will remove their lampstand - unless they repent.

Let's do ourselves a favor: don't be the church in Ephesus. Not because we're already there, but because the warning fits any congregation that works hard, cares about theology, and stays busy - which, honestly, describes a lot of healthy churches. It's dangerously easy to delight in the work itself rather than God Himself. When that happens, the ministry becomes the prime focus, almost as if God wasn't the one who gave the work in the first place. We get swamped, bogged down, burnt out - and bitter.

Scripture gives two pictures of exactly this trap. The first is the prodigal son's older brother (Luke 15:25-30), who hears music and dancing and refuses to go inside. "These many years I have served you," he tells his father, "and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends." Talk about a man with a high regard for duty. And right under his nose, his younger brother had just been brought from death to life - but consumed with his own duty, the older brother was blind to the delight in front of him.

The second picture is Martha (Luke 10:38-42), "distracted with much serving," while her sister Mary sits at Jesus' feet and simply listens. Martha, pent up and stressed, asks Jesus why He doesn't care that she's been left to serve alone. It's a question anyone who leans toward duty over delight will recognize - the quiet bitterness of watching someone else not carry what you're carrying. But that bitterness is a warning sign, not a badge of honor. A good thing has quietly become a god thing.

John Piper puts words to the remedy in Desiring God:

"The real duty of worship is not the outward duty to say or do the liturgy. It is the inward duty, the command: 'Delight yourself in the Lord'! ... 'Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice!' The reason this is the real duty of worship is that it honors God, while the empty performance of ritual does not."

- John Piper, Desiring God

He illustrates it with a marriage: if a husband takes his wife out for their anniversary and she asks why, the answer that honors her is "Because nothing makes me happier tonight than to be with you" - not "It's my duty." Duty dishonors; joy honors. Don't let your honeymoon phase with God die out.

None of this erases the place of works. Ephesians 2:8-10 is clear: salvation is by grace through faith, not of works, so that no one may boast - and yet we are His workmanship, created for good works prepared beforehand. We are not saved by works. We are saved for works. That truth leaves no room for comparing our sanctification to anyone else's, since, as 2 Corinthians 3:4-5 reminds us, our sufficiency was never in ourselves to begin with.

So how do we hold both duty and delight together? Jesus answers plainly in John 15:4-6: abide in Him, the way a branch abides in the vine, because apart from Him we can do nothing. Abiding isn't a suggestion - it's a command, a command to intimately know the Lord (John 17:2-3), not merely to know facts about Him. Jeremiah 9:24, Hosea 6:6, Psalm 46:10, and Philippians 3:8 all point the same direction: God desires steadfast love and the knowledge of Him more than sacrifice, ritual, or religious busyness. Put down the five study Bibles, the six highlighters, the stack of sticky notes and podcasts for a moment, and simply behold Christ. He is worth it. "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you" (Psalm 73:25).

If that's not how we delight in the Lord, the answer is simple: repent. Turn back. Faith that never manifests in action isn't faith at all (John 14:15; 1 John 3:24; Matthew 22:37) - so yes, serve, obey, keep every spiritual discipline. That's duty. But let it flow from delight, not replace it. This is not duty or delight, not duty versus delight - it's duty and delight, duty from delight.

Paul's prayer for the Ephesians is a fitting place to land: that Christ would dwell in our hearts through faith, that we, rooted and grounded in love, would grasp the breadth and length and height and depth of His love that surpasses knowledge, and be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14-19). That's the invitation this week - not to work harder, but to return, delight, and abide.

Watch the full message: Duty and Delight - Watch on YouTube

Scripture References (ESV)

Revelation 2:2-7
Luke 15:25-30
Luke 10:38-42
Ephesians 2:8-10
2 Corinthians 3:4-5
John 15:4-6
John 17:2-3
Jeremiah 9:24
Hosea 6:6
Psalm 46:10
Philippians 3:8
Psalm 73:25
John 14:15
1 John 3:24
Matthew 22:37
Ephesians 3:14-19

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Beware of the Beast

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Beware of the Beast

Revelation 13:1-10

Antichrist is a word that conjures images of supreme evil and ultimate deception, but the spirit of antichrist has been at work since the earliest days of the church - in anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ. This week, Pastor Stu walked through Revelation 13:1-10 to show how Satan works through evil individuals and governments to advance his counterfeit kingdom. The beast rises from the sea, given power and authority by the dragon, desiring the worship that belongs to God alone. Yet his power to persecute the saints is real but limited - 42 months, not forever - because he remains on God's leash. Those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life will not be fooled by his deception; they are called instead to endurance and faith.

Takeaways

Antichrist is not a distant, future-only figure - the spirit of antichrist has been at work in individuals and empires throughout history.
Satan counterfeits everything good that God makes, including worship itself, and desires to be treated like God.
The beast's power and permission to persecute God's people is real, but it is limited by God's sovereign hand.
Believers whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life can face deception and pressure with unwavering, enduring faith.

Application for This Week

Take an honest look at where your devotion actually lands - your time, your fears, your ambitions. Whatever is at the center of your life is what you worship. Let this passage push you back toward Jesus as the only rightful object of your worship and the only secure hope for your soul.

Four ideas to reflect on this week:

The Beast Rises

Revelation 13:1-2

"And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority."

Reflection Question: Where do you see the "spirit of antichrist" - a denial of who Jesus is - showing up in the culture or conversations around you this week?

Prayer Prompt: Lord, help me see clearly the counterfeits Satan offers in place of Your truth. Guard my heart from being impressed by power, authority, or influence that does not bow to Jesus. Keep me anchored in what Your Word says is real.

Worshiping the Wrong Throne

Revelation 13:3-4

"One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, 'Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?'"

Reflection Question: What "wounds" in your own life or in the world tempt you to marvel at something other than the risen Christ?

Prayer Prompt: Father, You alone are worthy of worship. Forgive me for the times I have been impressed by the wrong things and given my attention to lesser thrones. Fix my eyes back on Jesus, who has already defeated Satan at the cross.

A Leash, Not a Free Rein

Revelation 13:5-8

"And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain."

Reflection Question: How does knowing the beast operates only within limits God has set change the way you respond to fear or discouragement?

Prayer Prompt: God, thank You that nothing evil operates outside of Your control. When I feel overwhelmed by what I see in the world, remind me that You hold the leash. Help me trust Your timing and Your sovereignty completely.

Written From the Foundation of the World

Revelation 13:9-10

"If anyone has an ear, let him hear: If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints."

Reflection Question: What would it look like this week to hold fast to your faith even if following Jesus costs you something?

Prayer Prompt: Lord Jesus, thank You that my name was written in Your Book of Life before the foundation of the world. Give me courage and endurance to follow You faithfully, whatever the cost. I trust that You have already won.

Primary Scripture references from the sermon:

Revelation 13:1-10
Revelation 12:17
Revelation 12:7-12
1 John 2:18-19
1 John 2:22
1 John 5:2-5
2 John 7
2 Thessalonians 2:7
1 Peter 1:20
Acts 2:23
Philippians 4:2-3
Matthew 24:24
Matthew 12:30

Duty & Delight: Returning to Our First Love

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Duty & Delight: Returning to Our First Love
Revelation 2:2-7; Luke 10:38-42; Ephesians 2:8-10; John 15:4-6

Saturday's message comes to us from Youth Pastor Matt Freddolino, drawing us into Jesus's letter to the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2. That church was commended for its works, its patient endurance, and its discernment against false teachers — yet Jesus brought one charge against them: they had abandoned the love they had at first. Through the stories of the prodigal son's older brother and Martha's frantic service, we see how easy it is to delight in the work of ministry rather than in God Himself. But Scripture is clear: we are not saved by works, we are saved for works. Our duty must flow from delight, and our delight must be found in abiding in Christ.

Takeaways:

It's dangerously easy to delight in the work itself rather than in God Himself.
You are not saved by works — you are saved for works.
Abiding in Christ is not a suggestion; it is a command.
All faith must manifest in action, but that action must flow from delighting in Christ.

This week, take an honest look at your own heart. Are you busy for God, or are you delighting in Him? Set aside the striving, the to-do lists, and the ministry tasks for a few quiet moments each day, and simply behold Christ. Ask Him to restore the love you had at first, and let your obedience this week flow out of that delight rather than out of obligation.

Four ideas to reflect on this week:

Devotional 1: Abandoning Our First Love
Revelation 2:2-7 - I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you: that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Reflection Question: Where in your life might busyness for God have quietly replaced delight in God?
Prayer Prompt: Lord, search my heart and show me if I have abandoned the love I had at first. Rekindle in me a genuine delight in who You are, not just in what I do for You. Draw me back to my first love. Amen.

Devotional 2: Distracted by Much Serving
Luke 10:38-42 - Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.' But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.'
Reflection Question: When you feel resentful toward others who seem to be doing less than you, what might that reveal about the condition of your own heart?
Prayer Prompt: Father, forgive me for the times I have chosen the anxiety of much serving over the good portion of sitting at Your feet. Teach me to slow down and listen to You before I rush to work for You. Help me choose what will not be taken away. Amen.

Devotional 3: Saved For Good Works
Ephesians 2:8-10 - For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Reflection Question: Have you ever compared your works to someone else's in a way that fed pride or bitterness rather than gratitude?
Prayer Prompt: Lord, thank You that my salvation rests entirely on Your grace and not on my performance. Help me walk in the good works You've prepared for me without ever using them to boast or compare. Keep me humble and grateful. Amen.

Devotional 4: Abiding in the Vine
John 15:4-6 - Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
Reflection Question: What would it look like for you to intentionally abide with Christ this week, beyond just checking a spiritual box?
Prayer Prompt: Jesus, I confess that I try to bear fruit on my own strength more often than I'd like to admit. Teach me to abide in You first, and let my work flow out of that abiding. I can do nothing apart from You. Amen.

Primary Scripture references from the sermon:

Revelation 2:2-7
Luke 15:25-30
Luke 10:38-42
Ephesians 2:8-10
2 Corinthians 3:4-5
John 15:4-6
John 17:2-3
Jeremiah 9:24
Hosea 6:6
Psalm 46:10
Philippians 3:8
Psalm 73:25
John 14:15
1 John 3:24
John 15:6
Matthew 22:37
1 John 3:1
John 3:16
Ephesians 3:14-19

Coffee Makers Make It: Finding Freedom in a Life of Service

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:33:01 +0000

Ten years ago, someone at a recovery meeting said something that changed the trajectory of a life: "coffee makers make it." It sounds almost silly on the surface. But for someone freshly out of rehab, still stunned that Christ had shown up and proven himself real, those four words became an anchor. After a life that felt like one long disaster, the idea of finally making it was irresistible. So the instruction was simple: make the coffee.

That's where it started - not with a grand calling or a stage, but with a coffee pot. Soon it turned into more: an old, faded sign for a Thanksgiving gathering caught the eye of a former graphic design student, and an offer was made - "I could redraw that for you." Sobriety held, a sponsor came alongside, and eventually there were other men to sponsor, other people to walk toward freedom.

That's the pattern in Proverbs 18:16: "A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before the great." Every gift God places in us, however small, is a door - not meant to sit closed. There's a difference, though, between simply making it and becoming a servant. Every child of God makes it; Christ holds on to every one the Father has drawn to him. Servants go further - which is the real question worth sitting with: not just whether you're saved, but whether you're willing to serve, even to the point of giving everything, the way Christ did.

Freedom Means You Choose How You Serve

Hebrews 13:16 puts it plainly: "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." God made every believer differently, but each of us holds the same three resources - time, talent, and treasure. All of it is on loan, and all of it is easy to hoard.

Sharing doesn't come naturally, even with a heart made new in Christ. Watch a toddler cling to a favorite toy and you'll see how the human heart still tends to operate - out of fear of not getting what we want, or losing what we already have. Jonah knew that fear well, running toward Tarshish rather than the calling God gave him in Nineveh. Fear delays obedience; it doesn't cancel it. The same fear shows up with treasure. Giving isn't about hitting some Old Testament tithing percentage; it's giving generously from the abundance God has already poured out.

A University of Zurich study from 2017 tracked participants who committed to spending money on others using fMRI scans. Even small acts of generosity - or simply planning to give - triggered neural changes in the brain, significantly boosting self-reported happiness.

Giving was never meant to be a grim duty; it's how we were designed. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:58, our labor in the Lord is never in vain - every gift given, however small, is doing something, shaping a heart if nothing else.

Freedom Means You Choose the Capacity in Which You Serve

Ask most believers if they'd like to be great in the kingdom, and the hands go up quickly. Matthew 20:20-28 tells of a mother - Salome, mother of James and John, the "sons of thunder" - who asked Jesus that her sons sit at his right and left hand in his kingdom. "You do not know what you are asking," Jesus answered. "Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" The other ten disciples were indignant, not because the request was wrong, but because someone else had asked it first. Jesus used the moment to overturn the whole idea of greatness.

"It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Greatness in the kingdom doesn't look like proximity to power - it looks like servanthood, taken all the way to laying a life down. James and John did, eventually, receive the greatness they'd asked for; both gave their lives for the gospel. Choosing our capacity to serve doesn't mean the choice comes without cost.

Freedom Means You Choose Why You Serve

Motive matters as much as method. Genesis 8:15-20 tells of Noah stepping off the ark after a year watching the world drown - and the first thing he does is build an altar and sacrifice to the God who spared him. Gratitude was the impulse behind the gift. Reason one to serve: love and gratitude for what God has already done.

Reason two is love for people. 1 Peter 4:10 says, "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." And 1 John 4:19: "We love because he first loved us." Even a believer walking through a hard season can find her deepest prayer is simply to be well enough to serve her friends again - proof the desire to serve isn't dependent on easy circumstances.

Reason three is simpler still: we are commanded to. God doesn't need any of us, but in his mercy he chooses to use broken people anyway. Picture someone who slips into the back row late, knowing almost no one - until they take up a small role serving, and isolation gives way to community. That's what serving does.

Jesus Paid It All

Colossians 3:1-2 draws it back to center: "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." Time, talent, and treasure are real, but they're not the final things - just tools of gratitude for the one who gave everything first. Jesus paid it all, and all to him is owed. That's the freedom described here: not a freedom that lets us walk away from responsibility, but the greater freedom to choose how, where, and why we give ourselves away.

Take the invitation seriously this week. Say what a nervous newcomer once said over a coffee pot: here I am. Use me.

▶ Watch the Full Message: Freedom to Serve Christ

RHC Kids Memory Verse | Mark 10:27

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:13:47 +0000

RHC Kids Memory Verse | Mark 10:27

This week, we're encouraging our children and families to hide another powerful truth from God's Word in their hearts:

Younger Children: (Sing along with London Bridges tune.)
"Everything is possible with God." — Mark 10:27

Older Children:
"With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God."
— Mark 10:27

Life often brings challenges that can seem too big for us to handle on our own. This verse reminds us that while we have limitations, God has none. He is faithful, all-powerful, and able to do what seems impossible.

Thank you for partnering with us as we help our children grow in God's Word—one verse at a time!

Freedom to Serve Christ

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Freedom to Serve Christ
Proverbs 18:16; Hebrews 13:16; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Matthew 20:20-28; 1 John 4:19; 1 Peter 4:10; Colossians 3:1-2

True freedom in Christ isn't freedom from service — it's freedom within service. God has gifted every believer, and that gift opens doors, creates opportunity, and gives each of us a role to play in His work. This week's focus is on three freedoms every Christian has been given: freedom in how we serve, freedom in what capacity we serve, and freedom in why we serve. None of these are burdens to carry — they're gifts to enjoy, rooted in a love that loved us first.

Takeaways

Your gifts open doors — a man's gift makes room for him
Generosity isn't just commanded, it's good for you — even secular research shows giving produces joy
Greatness in God's kingdom looks like service, not status
We don't serve to earn love — we serve because we've already received it

This week, look for one place where you can use whatever gift God has given you — time, resources, skill, or presence — and give it freely, without needing anything in return. Let your service flow from gratitude, not obligation.

Four ideas to reflect on this week:

Devotional 1: The Gift That Makes Room for You
Proverbs 18:16 - A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before the great.
Reflection Question: What gift or ability has God given you that you've been hesitant to use?
Prayer Prompt: Lord, thank You for the gifts You've placed in my hands. Help me stop underestimating them and start offering them freely for Your purposes. Give me courage to step into the room You're making for me.

Devotional 2: Free to Give
Hebrews 13:16 - Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
Reflection Question: Where in your life has generosity become routine or forgotten rather than a joyful sacrifice?
Prayer Prompt: Father, remind me that generosity pleases You, not because You need anything from me, but because it shapes my heart to look like Yours. Make me quick to share and slow to hold back.

Devotional 3: The Servant's Path to Greatness
Matthew 20:26-28 - It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Reflection Question: Where have you been chasing recognition instead of embracing the freedom to simply serve?
Prayer Prompt: Jesus, You had every right to be served, yet You chose to serve and to give Your life for me. Reshape my definition of greatness. Let me find joy in the low places, not just the high ones.

Devotional 4: Set on Things Above
Colossians 3:1-2 - If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Reflection Question: What earthly motive tends to creep into your service — approval, guilt, or image — instead of a heavenly one?
Prayer Prompt: Lord, pull my eyes upward. Let my service flow from a heart fixed on You, not from a need to be noticed or approved of by others. Free me to serve simply because I love You

Primary Scripture references from the sermon:

Proverbs 18:16
Hebrews 13:16
1 Corinthians 15:58
Matthew 20:20-28
1 John 4:19
1 Peter 4:10
Colossians 3:1-2

An Apocalyptic Christmas Story: The Battle Behind the Manger

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:22:03 +0000

An Apocalyptic Christmas Story: What Revelation 12 Reveals About the Battle Behind the Manger

The Christmas story most people know begins with a star over Bethlehem, shepherds in the fields, and a baby in a manger. But Revelation 12 tells a different version - one that begins long before that night in Judea and stretches forward to the end of time itself. There is no silent night here, no lullabies, no wise men bearing gifts. Instead, there is a woman clothed with the sun, a great red dragon standing ready to devour her child the moment He is born, and a cosmic war of staggering proportions. And yet, at the heart of it all, the message is exactly the same: God keeps His promises, and Jesus wins.

God Sent a Savior Just As He Promised

The biblical Christmas story doesn't begin in Bethlehem. It begins in a garden called Eden, where our original parents yielded to the temptation of the ancient serpent - Satan - and all of creation fell with them. But even there, in the wreckage of the fall, God made a promise. He said to the serpent in Genesis 3:15, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." Theologians call this the proto-evangelium - the first gospel. It would be confirmed again to Abraham in Genesis 12 and to David in 2 Samuel 7. What we read in Revelation 12 is nothing less than its cosmic fulfillment.

The woman clothed with the sun in verse 1 is best understood as the entirety of God's people - the consummation of Israel, both Jew and Gentile together, as Paul describes in Romans 11. She is pregnant, crying out in labor pain, longing for the Messiah. And in verse 4, the great red dragon takes his position directly in front of her, poised to devour her child the moment He is born. This is the Christmas story from heaven's vantage point - not cozy and quiet, but fierce, urgent, and eternal.

From Genesis 3 forward, Satan has worked relentlessly to prevent or destroy the promised offspring. He moved Cain to kill Abel (1 John 3), Pharaoh to slaughter Hebrew baby boys (Exodus 1-2), Saul to hunt David (1 Samuel 18), Haman to plot genocide against God's people (Esther), and Herod to massacre the innocents of Bethlehem (Matthew 2). The attempt is not new. The fury of the dragon is ancient. But here is the headline of Revelation 12: in all of his attempts throughout world history, the dragon has failed. He failed then. He is failing now. He will fail forever.

Because Jesus defanged the great red dragon.

The birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem inaugurated the death of the ancient serpent, exactly as God had promised back in Genesis 3:15. Verse 5 captures the entire arc of the first coming in one sweeping line - the child was born, and "her child was caught up to God and to his throne." His birth, perfect life, atoning death, resurrection, and ascension are compressed into a single verse. And the ascension is the unquestionable proof that Satan was defeated. The devil could not prevent the resurrection. He could not stop the exaltation. Jesus is right now seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding for His people. Satan coveted that throne. Jesus occupies it.

God Has Accomplished a Salvation That Is Certain

In verses 7-12, the scene shifts to open war in heaven. Michael and his angels fight the dragon, and the dragon is cast down - thrown to the earth, stripped of his place before God. And then one of the most beautiful hymns in all of Scripture rings out across the passage:

"Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down… And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death." - Revelation 12:10-11

This is the bedrock of Christian assurance. When Satan accuses you - and he will - you can look him in the eye and say, "You're right. I am a sinner. But I have a Savior greater than my sin." Your salvation has been signed, sealed, and settled. Not by anything you have done, but by what He has done. We have not been forgiven and redeemed because of who we are; we have been forgiven and redeemed because of who Jesus is and what He has done for us. You did not save yourself. He saved you. And what God has secured, no dragon can steal away.

It is worth pausing to consider the root cause of Satan's fall: pride. C.S. Lewis wrote that pride is "the sin that makes all other sins seem like mere flea bites." Augustine called it "the pregnant mother that gives birth to all sin." Satan fell because he wanted to be God. And pride always results in disgrace and dishonor, because it is, at its core, idolatrous ambition.

Jesus, on the other hand - fully God, holding all authority, deserving every crown - humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross. And the Father honored Him for it. The lesson embedded in the incarnation is one the whole world needs to hear: the way up is always found in a willingness to go down.

God Provides All We Need in the War Against Satan

The final section of Revelation 12 shows the dragon's fury redirected toward the woman and "the rest of her offspring" - every believer who keeps the commandments of God and holds to the testimony of Jesus. Satan cannot destroy the church. But he fights dirty, and the battle is real. World wars, the destruction of families and marriages, violence against children, the assassination of God's servants, holocausts and genocides and school shootings - it can seem, at times, that hell itself has come to earth. And the reason, Revelation 12 makes plain, is that a defeated dragon is still a raging dragon.

But the good news woven throughout this passage is that God provides for His people in the wilderness. He gives eagle's wings to those who are pursued (Exodus 19:4). He nourishes them. He sustains and refines them. He does not abandon them in the hard seasons - He meets them there. The wilderness is not a sign of His absence; it is a place of His provision, His protection, and His transforming grace.

Maybe you're in the wilderness right now. Whatever that looks like, the promise of Revelation 12 is that God has prepared a place for His people, and He will sustain them to the end. Satan will not succeed. His time is short, and his defeat is certain.

The final chapter of the cosmic war has not yet been written in visible history - but its outcome is not in doubt. An empty cross and an empty tomb sealed the dragon's fate. As Charles Wesley wrote in his great hymn:

Born thy people to deliver, Born a child, and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever, Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit, Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit, Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

Satan has been defeated. Jesus is winning. And Jesus wins. That is the apocalyptic Christmas story - and it is the only one that ends in glory.

An Apocalyptic Christmas Story

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 13:00:00 +0000

An Apocalyptic Christmas Story
Revelation 12:1-17; Genesis 3:15

Revelation 12 tells a Christmas story unlike any we've heard before — not the nativity scene we picture every December, but the nativity story nonetheless. In three parts, John shows us that God sent a Savior just as He promised in Genesis 3:15, that God has accomplished a salvation that is certain through the blood of the Lamb, and that God provides everything His people need for the ongoing war against Satan. The dragon stood ready to devour the woman's child, but he failed — Jesus has won, Jesus is winning, and Jesus wins.

Takeaways

God keeps His promises — Jesus is the fulfillment of Genesis 3:15.
Satan is a defeated foe whose every attempt to destroy God's people has failed throughout history.
Our salvation is certain, secured by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.
God provides everything His people need to endure the ongoing war against Satan.

Applying it this week:
This week, remember that whatever wilderness you're walking through, God has prepared a place for you in it — to protect you, provide for you, and grow you. The dragon may still rage, but he is a defeated foe. Stand on what Christ has already accomplished, and let that truth steady you through whatever comes.

Four ideas to reflect on this week:

Devotional 1: The Promise That Never Fails
Genesis 3:15 - I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.
Reflection Question: Where in your life right now do you need to remember that God always keeps His promises?
Prayer Prompt: Lord, thank You that You made a way for our redemption before sin had even finished its first day. Help me trust Your promises today, even in the waiting. Strengthen my faith to stand on Your Word no matter what I'm facing.

Devotional 2: A Defeated Foe
Revelation 12:9 - And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Reflection Question: How does knowing Satan is already defeated change the way you face the spiritual battles in your life this week?
Prayer Prompt: Father, thank You that the dragon has already lost. Remind me that I don't have to fear an enemy You have already cast down. Give me the courage to walk in the victory You've secured.

Devotional 3: Conquered by the Blood of the Lamb
Revelation 12:11 - And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
Reflection Question: What would it look like for you to hold your testimony of Jesus more loosely to your own comfort and more tightly to His glory?
Prayer Prompt: Jesus, thank You for the power of Your blood that covers every sin and every accusation against me. Give me boldness to speak of what You have done. Let my life testify to Your victory, whatever the cost.

Devotional 4: Rejoice, Heaven and Earth
Revelation 12:12 - Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!
Reflection Question: What is one specific thing from this sermon you can rejoice over today, knowing the devil's time is short?
Prayer Prompt: Lord, turn my heart toward rejoicing even when the enemy seems to rage. Remind me that his time is short and Your reign is forever. Let my joy in You be a witness to those around me.

Primary Scripture references from the sermon:

Revelation 12:1-17
Genesis 3:15
Isaiah 14:12-15
Daniel 7
Exodus 19:4
Zechariah 13

When the World Celebrates Your Suffering, God Has the Final Word

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 14:56:28 +0000

Happy Dead Witnesses Day: When the World Celebrates Your Suffering, God Has the Final Word

This message was first preached on Father's Day, yet one of the men held up that morning never had the chance to become a father himself. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor and theologian who resisted Nazism, hoped for a family of his own, but God's plan had a different path. He joined the resistance against Hitler, was arrested by the Gestapo in 1943, and was hanged at Flossenbürg on April 9, 1945, days before the camp was liberated.

Those who witnessed his final hours never forgot them. Before climbing the steps to the gallows, he spoke his last recorded words to a friend:

"This is the end, but for me, it's the beginning of life."

The camp doctor who watched him pray said he had hardly ever seen a man die so submissive to God's will.

History is full of such witnesses, men and women who have sealed their testimony with blood, and Scripture promises many more. The church of Jesus Christ has always been built on the blood of the martyrs. There are only two kingdoms here, Christ's and the world's, and though the world may celebrate when it thinks it has silenced God's witnesses, He honors their deaths for His kingdom and glory. That truth sits at the heart of Revelation 11, part of the long interlude running from chapters 10 through 14, where God's people, protected spiritually, remain vulnerable to persecution. Five truths rise to the surface here that every believer needs to hear.

God's Sovereign Plan Marches On Despite Opposition

John is handed a measuring rod and told to measure God's temple and count those who worship there (Revelation 11:1-2), echoing Ezekiel 40-42 and carrying the idea of ownership and protection. The temple motif runs throughout Scripture, from Jesus identifying Himself with it (John 2:19-22) to believers being called temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Scholars disagree on the precise referent, but the details matter less than the certainty beneath them: sinful humanity has its say for a day, but the Lord God Almighty has His say for all eternity.

We Have God's Promise of Protection to Complete Our Ministry

God gives the holy city over to the nations to be trampled for three and a half years, yet in that same breath He raises up two witnesses, clothed in sackcloth, empowered to prophesy (Revelation 11:3-7). They come in the spirit of Moses and Elijah, pictured as two olive trees and two lampstands, light-bearers anointed by the same Spirit at work in every believer, just as Jesus described His own followers:

"You are the light of the world… let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
Matthew 5:14, 16, ESV

Whoever these witnesses represent, the principle holds for every generation: God's Spirit empowers His people to finish the ministry He has given them, then, now, until history's climax.

We Can Expect Persecution for Telling the Truth

When their testimony is finished, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit makes war on the witnesses and kills them, leaving their bodies in the street while the world rejoices and exchanges gifts (Revelation 11:7-10). Telling the truth as citizens of Christ's kingdom, we should expect such opposition. Missionary Jim Elliot, martyred in his twenties serving the Huaorani people of Ecuador, wrote to his parents before his death:

"Remember you are immortal until your work is done. But don't let the sand of time get into the eyes of your vision to reach those who still sit in darkness. They simply must hear."
- Jim Elliot

His wife, Elisabeth Elliot, later returned to live among the very people who killed her husband, faithfully serving them the rest of her life.

Jesus told His followers plainly that the world hates them because they no longer belong to it (John 15:18-20). Revelation 11:10 even pictures unbelievers celebrating the witnesses' deaths, call it, on this Father's Day, fittingly, Dead Witnesses Day. It is a stunning indictment of human depravity that their deaths could ever be cause for joy. And yet, here is the good news.

We Can Be Assured God Will Honor Our Faithful Service

After three and a half days, breath from God enters the witnesses, and they stand on their feet before being called up into heaven (Revelation 11:11-14), resurrection language echoing Ezekiel's valley of dry bones. Paul's reminder applies directly: vengeance belongs to the Lord, not us (Romans 12:19). God's payday is certain; He vindicates those who serve Him and deals justly with those who reject Him.

We Can Be Certain God's Kingdom Will Come and He Will Be Glorified

The chapter closes with the seventh trumpet and a declaration heaven has waited for:

"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever."
Revelation 11:15, ESV

words later immortalized in Handel's Messiah. The twenty-four elders fall on their faces in worship as the nations' rage meets God's righteous wrath and His temple opens to reveal the ark of the covenant. Because of the Lamb's redemptive work, every believer now shares the access once reserved for the high priest alone.

This is the very prayer Jesus taught us to pray, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10), and in Revelation 11, that day arrives. Every reader stands on one side or the other, a trophy of God's grace or a trophy of His wrath, and there is no more important question to settle.

The empty tomb still stands as a perpetual monument to this truth: Jesus wins, and He is winning today. Yes, the world will oppose and even mock faithfulness. But a resurrection day is coming, a kingdom is arriving, and a reward awaits every servant who reveres His name. To every father, and every faithful witness: keep on, press on, and proclaim His gospel. He is worth all of it.

Watch the full message: Happy Dead Witnesses Day - Revelation 11:1-19

Happy Dead Witnesses Day

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Happy Dead Witnesses Day
Revelation 11:1-19

In Revelation 11, Pastor Stu walks us through one of the most sobering and ultimately triumphant passages in Scripture. Through the measuring of the temple, the ministry of the two witnesses, the rage of the beast, and the sounding of the seventh trumpet, we are confronted with a truth that changes everything: God's sovereign plan cannot be stopped, and His faithful servants will not be forgotten. The church faces real opposition, persecution, and even death in this age — but God promises resurrection, vindication, and final victory. The kingdom of the world will become the kingdom of our Lord.

Takeaways

God's sovereign plan marches on despite all opposition, and sinful humanity only has its say for a day.
The church is called to faithful witness — in sackcloth if necessary, in the power of the Spirit always.
Persecution for telling the truth is not a sign of God's absence but a mark of faithful discipleship.
God will honor every act of faithful service, and His kingdom will come without fail.

Application for the week:

This week, let Revelation 11 be your anchor. You are not forgotten by God. Your witness matters, even when the world hates it. Like Bonhoeffer, like the two witnesses, like Jim Elliot — remain faithful to the Word and faithful in your witness. God's payday is coming. Press on.

Four ideas to reflect on this week:

Devotional 1: God's Plan Cannot Be Stopped
Revelation 11:1-2 - Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, "Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.
Reflection Question: When you look at the opposition the church faces today, what does it mean to you personally that God has already measured and claimed His people as His own?
Prayer Prompt: Lord, remind us that opposition does not mean abandonment. You own Your church and You protect what is Yours. Give us the peace that comes from knowing Your plan cannot be stopped — not by any power in this world or under it. Amen.

Devotional 2: Shine Like a Lampstand
Matthew 5:15-16 - Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Reflection Question: In what specific area of your life is God calling you to be a brighter, bolder witness for Him this week?
Prayer Prompt: Father, fill us afresh with the oil of Your Spirit so that our light does not grow dim. May our lives be lampstands in dark places. May what people see in us cause them to look past us and glorify You. Amen.

Devotional 3: Immortal Until Our Work Is Done
John 15:18-20 - If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
Reflection Question: How does the reality of the world's hostility toward Jesus shape the way you face hostility or rejection in your own life right now?
Prayer Prompt: Jesus, thank You for warning us and not leaving us blindsided. When the world hates us because it hated You first, strengthen us to hold fast and not shrink back. We are Yours, and no opposition can change that. Amen.

Devotional 4: He Shall Reign Forever and Ever
Revelation 11:15 - Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.
Reflection Question: How does the certainty of Christ's coming reign change the way you approach discouragement or fear today?
Prayer Prompt: Lord God Almighty, You are and You were, and Your kingdom is coming. When we grow weary or wonder if any of it matters, remind us of this moment — the trumpet will sound and You will reign. Help us live today in light of that certain and glorious victory. Amen

Primary Scripture references from the sermon:

Revelation 11:1-19
Luke 21:24
John 2:19-22
1 Corinthians 3:16
Ephesians 2:21-22
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Matthew 5:15-16
John 15:18-20
Romans 12:19
Ezekiel 37
Psalm 2:10-12
Matthew 6:10
1 John 2; 4
2 John 7