Not Forgotten in the Bigger Story
Note from Jesus Dear Precious One, The heart of our Father was beautifully revealed through the prophet Isaiah: For this is what the high and exalted One says — He Who lives forever, Whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isaiah 57:15 NIV) I know there may come times when you don’t feel like your prayers are heard, or you may think that God is taking too long to answer you or that your prayers don’t matter because you are not an important enough person to be heard by the King of Glory. However, if you will lean into the story of My birth, you will see that good, righteous, and faithful people are not forgotten whether they are poor or rich, desperate or confident, disappointed or delighted, old or young. Look at the story of My birth and notice that the key players in the Father’s great drama of grace are all kinds of people — some of whom are folks just like you! If you read even more closely, you will see the joy, laughter, and surprise that God brought these people in His grace! Verses to Live Notice those whom the Father includes in My story… and these are just a few of the precious people caught up in My story of grace! Zacharias and Elizabeth, an old and deeply pious couple who could not have children, are caught up in the drama of grace! One day Zacharias was chosen to perform his priestly duties in God’s presence, according to the temple’s normal schedule and routine. He had been selected from all the priests by the customary procedure of casting lots for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enter the sacred precincts of the temple. There he burned sweet incense, while outside a large crowd of people prayed. Suddenly Zacharias realized he was not alone: a messenger of the Lord was there with him. The messenger stood just to the right of the altar of incense. Zacharias was shocked and afraid, but the messenger reassured him. Messenger [an angel from God]: Zacharias, calm down! Don’t be afraid! Zacharias, your prayers have been heard. Your wife is going to have a son, and you will name him John. He will bring you great joy and happiness — and many will share your joy at John’s birth. (Luke 1:8-14). Meanwhile the crowd at the temple wondered why Zacharias hadn’t come out of the sanctuary yet. It wasn’t normal for the priest to be delayed so long. When at last he came out, he was making signs with his hands to give the blessing, but he couldn’t speak. They realized he had seen some sort of vision. When his time on duty at the temple came to an end, he went back home to his wife. Shortly after his return, Elizabeth became pregnant. She avoided public contact for the next five months. Elizabeth: I have lived with the disgrace of being barren for all these years. Now God has looked on me with favor. When I go out in public with my baby, I will not be disgraced any longer. (Luke 1:21-25) While many of Israel’s greatest early leaders were shepherds — folks like Abraham, Moses, and King David — when it was time for My birth into the world, shepherds had fallen out of favor. But the Father had not forgotten them! Nearby, in the fields outside of Bethlehem, a group of shepherds were guarding their flocks from predators in the darkness of night. Suddenly a messenger of the Lord stood in front of them, and the darkness was replaced by a glorious light — the shining light of God’s glory. They were terrified! Messenger [an angel from God]: Don’t be afraid! Listen! I bring good news, news of great joy, news that will affect all people everywhere. Today, in the city of David, a Liberator has been born for you! He is the promised Anointed One, the Supreme Authority! You will know you have found Him when you see a baby, wrapped in a blanket, lying in a feeding trough. At that moment, the first heavenly messenger was joined by thousands of other messengers — a vast heavenly choir. They praised God. (Luke 2:8-13) Response in Prayer O Father in heaven, thank You for catching up all sorts of ordinary people in the story of Jesus’ birth. What I love, dear Father, is that where there was disgrace, sadness, and an unceasing sameness, You brought joy, delight, surprise, celebration, and wonder. What a powerful way to remind me that You came to bring hope for each of us, even me! In Jesus’ name. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Setting the Right Time… for You!
Note from Jesus Dear Child of God, The right time came for My birth into the world — God in human flesh entering the world to be raised as a child of human parents. Far from her home, My mother went into labor in the town of Bethlehem, the ancestral home of King David. This birthplace was a reminder that I descended from royalty in both My human heritage and My heavenly identity. I AM Son of David and Son of God. In a similar way, My birth’s timing was a coming together of the Father’s work in history on three levels. On a human level, My mother went into labor like all birthing mother’s do. Think of it: the Son of God coming into the world through the birth pains of a human mother. I was born a vulnerable little baby to share your humanity. On a world history level, the Father had been tuning history to prepare for My arrival. For centuries through the Jewish prophets, God had announced I would come. God had preserved Israel through all sorts of political and military intrigues. So when the Father had tuned time to be right in the world — the great Roman Peace, called Pax Romana, with all of its political stability, common language of trade (Greek), and the ability to travel throughout the world — the time was right for My birth, the birth of the Son of God Who is also the Son of Man. There was still a third level on which My birth happened at just the right time: your time! You see, all of these events were chosen to be perfectly tuned not just for the world, in general, but also for you. The Father did all this to adopt you into Our family — He wanted you to be one of His children. God — Father, Son, and Spirit — determined the time for My coming as Son of God and Son of Man, fully human and fully divine, so that all people could have the right to be born not just in the way all humans are born, but also born of God (John 1:10-13) and adopted into Our family! My birth is the guarantee that you can be born again and adopted into Our family! Verses to Live As you read the following verses, notice the underlining. In the first two cases, the underlining emphasizes two different aspects of the “right time” for Me to be born. The other underlining emphasizes your relationship to the Father. I came to earth at just the right time as the Son of God so that you could become God’s child, too! Notice the human reality of the timing of My birth: And while they [Mary and Joseph] were there [in Bethlehem], the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. (Luke 2:6-7 NLT) Notice it was the right time in human history for My birth: When the right time arrived, God sent His Son into this world (born of a woman, subject to the law) to free those who, just like Him, were subject to the law. Ultimately He wanted us all to be adopted as sons and daughters. (Galatians 4:4-5) From heaven’s perspective, the time was made right so you could be adopted into God’s forever family: Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One, Who grants us every spiritual blessing in these heavenly realms where we live in the Anointed — not because of anything we have done, but because of what He has done for us. God chose us to be in a relationship with Him even before He laid out plans for this world; He wanted us to live holy lives characterized by love, free from sin, and blameless before Him. He destined us to be adopted as His children through the covenant Jesus the Anointed inaugurated in His sacrificial life. This was His pleasure and His will for us. (Ephesians 1:3-5) Response in Prayer Abba Father, God Almighty, thank You for making the time right to send Jesus to our world. Thank You for making a plan to bring all of Your lost children back home to You by giving us new birth and adopting us into Your family. I am humbled and amazed that You would love us, and love me, so much. I praise You for Your grace and thank You for Your plan, in the name of Jesus! Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Father’s Time, Human Time, and My Time
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, Please know that I treasure everyone who follows Me. I know that many in your world do not believe in Me and that many who claim they believe in Me really don’t know what it means to follow me — to love Me, to follow My teachings and My example, and to depend upon God’s grace through Me. Thank you for taking this year to walk with Me through the New Testament. My birth into your world came at just the right time! You will notice that the Scriptures talk about My coming, My advent, as an intersection of the Father’s time, human time, and My time. There are at least two ways to look at time. One way you understand easily in your world view: using the Greek word chronos, time is linear sequential time that passes from second, to minute, to hour, to day, to year… That’s why a technical name for your watch is a chronometer. However, there is also another view of time: kairos time, again using the Greek word. There are special, God-tuned moments in time where more is going on than just the passage of time. In kairos time, God’s timing and human timing intersect. Miracles can happen. World-shaping events can occur. Most of all, the Father is at work to bring heaven’s salvation to earth through events shaped by heaven’s grace. When I was born Jesus of Nazareth — fully God and fully human, conceived by the Holy Spirit in My mother’s womb — the world was in kairos time! Prophecy was being fulfilled. God had conditioned the world to be in the right time for My message to spread like wildfire. The Jewish people were hungry for an authentic messenger from God, so John the Baptizer was born miraculously in his mother’s old age (Luke 1:5-25) to precede Me and to prepare the Lord‘s people for My coming. This was such a special time; prophets and even heaven’s angels were standing on tiptoe for ages trying to figure out when it would occur! Verses to Live Yes, prophets and angels figuratively stood on tiptoe trying to figure out when I would come! The apostle Peter describes this beautifully: Although you haven’t seen Jesus, you still love Him. Although you don’t yet see Him, you do believe in Him and celebrate with a joy that is glorious and beyond words. You are receiving the salvation of your souls as the result of your faith. The prophets who spoke of this outpouring of grace upon you diligently searched and inquired of the Lord about this salvation: to Whom and to what time was the indwelling Spirit of the Anointed referring when He told them about the suffering of the Anointed and the honor that would follow it? The Spirit revealed to them they were not serving themselves but you. And you have learned from those who told you the good news by the Spirit that was sent down from heaven. Even the heavenly messengers [angels] would like to explore this news. (1 Peter 1:8-12) The time was right for Me, the Messiah, to come. God had conditioned time and was beginning to fulfill great promises made through the prophets. This was when I came into the world, as a Jew, born of Jews, born under the Torah and traditional law. This was God’s time for Me to come for you: When the right time arrived, God sent His Son into this world (born of a woman, subject to the law) to free those who, just like Him, were subject to the law. Ultimately He wanted us all to be adopted as sons and daughters. (Galatians 4:4-5) My coming was preceded by the miraculous conception and birth of John the Baptizer to Elizabeth and Zechariah — two old, faithful, righteous, and devout people. This was also under the rule of the Romans, and the Father used every condition to prepare the time for My coming: Around the time of Elizabeth’s amazing pregnancy and John’s birth, the emperor in Rome, Caesar Augustus, required everyone in the Roman Empire to participate in a massive census — the first census since Quirinius had become governor of Syria. Each person had to go to his or her ancestral city to be counted. Mary’s fiancé Joseph, from Nazareth in Galilee, had to participate in the census in the same way everyone else did. Because he was a descendant of King David, his ancestral city was Bethlehem, David’s birthplace. (Luke 2:1-5). With all of this, you also need to remember that My coming was for your benefit at God’s expense! My coming was determined long before you were born, but for your benefit! You know that a price was paid to redeem you from following the empty ways handed on to you by your ancestors; it was not paid with things that perish (like silver and gold), but with the precious blood of the Anointed, Who was like a perfect and unblemished sacrificial lamb. God determined to send Him before the world began, but He came into the world in these last days for your sake. Through Him, you’ve been brought to trust in God, Who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him for the very reason that your faith and hope are in Him. (1 Peter 1:18-21) Response in Prayer O God, how can I, a mere mortal made of flawed flesh and blood, ever fully thank You for the divine plan You prepared, prophesied, and delivered to save me from sin and death and adopt me into Your family? Thank You. I trust fully in what You did in Jesus through His birth, life, death, and resurrection to save me. Thank You for this assurance and the foundation of my deep and abiding joy. Through the intercession of Jesus, my Savior, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is
My Mother’s Situation Proves Joseph’s Faith
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, I know most of you hate tests! Some of those tests are medical tests which can be terrifying. Some tests are necessary to get you into universities or special programs and I know you can feel anxiety as you face them. Other tests are required to receive licenses or to achieve professional certifications, and these can cause great stress in your lives. I hear your prayers and recognize your anxieties and stress over these tests. I know the long hours you’ve put into preparing for some types of tests. I care about you and these tests that you face. Other tests are life tests. They have to do with tough times in your lives, times that are hard, painful, and discouraging. They may involve a time of illness, hardship, persecution, marriage problems, family upheaval, job difficulties, loneliness, grief, or a host of other painful experiences. I care about you having to face these kinds of tests, too! Many of these tests come because you live in a broken world. Some periods of testing invade your lives because other people do evil things or make unwise choices. Sometimes, times of testing come because Satan wants to discourage you and lead you to doubt My love and grace. Sometimes, testing comes because of your unwise or sinful choices. Bottom line: The fallout from times of testing can blow into your world and wreak havoc in your lives. So please, know two things about your times of testing: I will never leave you or forsake you (Romans 8:32-39; Hebrews 13:5). I came to earth and shared in times of testing, facing many of the same kinds of challenges that you face so I can help you when you are tested (Hebrews 2:14-18). You can grow stronger, develop character, and have the compassion to share with others by faithfully living through your times of testing (James 1:2-4; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4). One of the things I most appreciated about Joseph, who served as My earthly father, was that he faced an incredibly difficult test and proved himself faithful. He had shown himself to be completely committed to being a man of God. He had lived in purity so he could honorably marry a woman who had saved herself for him. Joseph was committed legally to marry a young woman named Mary, My mother — this is sometimes called betrothal, something much more binding than modern engagement. Then, she told him that she was pregnant by the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit. After that, she disappeared and went away to be with her cousin Elizabeth for several months. What was Joseph supposed to think? How could he understand My mother’s pregnancy? He thought that there was only one way for her to be carrying a baby: she had betrayed him sexually. There was no other way, except… Joseph believed what My mother told him. Joseph believed what the angel told him. Joseph believed that I — the Messiah, the Son of God — was conceived by the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit. He believed that My mother was not only pure and faithful to him but also that both of them together were chosen to parent their Savior, Christ the Lord — Me. Incredibly, Joseph accepted this truth by faith. He knew he would be tested all the days of his life for his faith. People would talk behind his back. People would say he wasn’t My father and that My mother had “stepped out” on him and been unfaithful to him. He chose to accept this ridicule and he also accepted taking care of Me with all of the associated risks, hardships, and impenetrable mysteries. Joseph passed all these tests and helped Me be ready when My time came to serve. So here’s my message for you today: You never know who will be blessed — even saved — by the character and compassion you show while you go through your tests! I know this may seem hard to believe. So remember Joseph. Please remember that My situation on earth depended — and your faith depends — on Joseph’s faithfulness. Also remember this: Someone is watching and depending upon you to pass your test! Hang in despite the hardship… keep your faith despite the pain… I’m with you and won’t ever forsake you… and your testing will not be wasted. Your character and your compassion will be blessings to others — some of whom you will never know till you share in eternal glory with them. When you remember Me, please remember these truths! Verses to Live Here are some Scriptures I want you to think about as you face your tests and remember Joseph’s test. The first one comes from my half-brother James, who with the Spirit’s help learned the lesson about tests from Joseph, too! The second comes from Matthew. He tells the story of my birth and the struggle of Joseph very clearly and simply. The third set of verses comes from Luke’s gospel. Luke shares the story of My conception with a little bit different focus from Matthew’s account. Notice how the wonder and amazement of Luke’s story pairs beautifully with the testing Joseph faced as recorded in Matthew’s story. When you recognize the challenges that Joseph faced in taking My mother as his wife, you have to recognize that both My mother and Joseph were people of amazing faith! Don’t run from tests and hardships, brothers and sisters. As difficult as they are, you will ultimately find joy in them; if you embrace them, your faith will blossom under pressure and teach you true patience as you endure. And true patience brought on by endurance will equip you to complete the long journey and cross the finish line — mature, complete, and wanting nothing. (James 1:2-4) So here, finally, is the story of the birth of Jesus the Anointed (it is quite a remarkable story): Mary was engaged to marry Joseph, son
An Outsider’s Story
Note from Jesus Dear Friend, You just have to love the apostle Levi! You may know him better as Matthew since that is the name of the first gospel in your New Testament — same guy, just known by both names. My choosing Matthew as one of My 12 apostles was a big surprise to many folks. He had a good, priestly, Jewish name — Levi. However, his profession was considered anything but Jewish. He was a tax collector, and tax collectors were hated by Jewish people in the first century. People assumed that tax collectors were unclean, sharing in an anti-pious lifestyle. Most Jewish tax collectors in Matthew’s time had sold out to the Romans and financially preyed upon their fellow Jews. They also ran around with people generally considered to be sinners. So when Matthew became My disciple, he also threw a big party for his “sinful” friends so they could meet Me (Matthew 9:9-13). Whew! That party created a lot of negative chatter. It also revealed plenty about Matthew’s heart, and also Mine! Notice two things today about Matthew. Both reflect the heart of the Father. First, Matthew cared about those who were left out. If you read My story from the Gospel of Matthew, you will notice that Matthew wants to show that all kinds of people came to know Me. There were magi from far away, people from all nations becoming disciples, a Roman centurion with great faith, a humble Syrian woman who had a seriously ill child and who gave a clever response to Me, and a lost sheep that needed to be found. Second, Matthew may have been considered an outsider, but he connected My story to the Father’s promises told centuries before I came. Over 15 times, Levi reminds you that My coming was foretold by the prophets. Bottom line: Matthew wants you to know that God — Father, Son, and Spirit — has always had the plan to bring everyone, including outsiders, true HOPE. That plan was spoken by the prophets centuries before I came. That plan was fulfilled in Me! My coming was not an afterthought. My association with sinners and tax collectors was not a mistake. My death was not a miscalculation. My resurrection was not a last minute fix. Levi wants you to know that no matter how far on the outside you may feel, I came for you. That’s God’s long-term plan — the very plan that I came to fulfill! Verses to Live Notice just two of the many references to Me from the ancient prophets of Israel that Levi (the apostle Matthew) shares in My story. These references to the prophets can help you see God’s long-term plan to include you. The Father has had the plan to reclaim you that goes back a long way before the miracle of My birth! Joseph woke up from his dream and did exactly what the messenger had told him to do: he married Mary and brought her into his home as his wife (though he did not consummate their marriage until after her son was born). And when the baby was born, Joseph named Him Jesus, Savior. Years and years ago, Isaiah, a prophet of Israel, foretold the story of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus: A virgin will conceive and bear a Son, and His name will be Immanuel (which is a Hebrew name that means “God with us”). (Isaiah 7:14 in Matthew 1:22-25) But you, Bethlehem of Ephrathah, of the clans of Judah, are no poor relation — From your people will come a Ruler Who will be the shepherd of My people, Israel, Whose origins date back to the distant past, to the ancient days. (Micah 5:2 quoted in Matthew 2:6) Response in Prayer Holy God and loving Shepherd, thank You for having the plan to include all of us who felt we were on the outside and without hope. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for choosing someone like Matthew to be one of Your 12 apostles and using him to write Your story in a way that includes us all. Thank You for including me in Your family of grace. Thank You, in Jesus’ name. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Your Invitation
Note from Jesus Dear Friend, I am inviting you to spend this next year getting to know Me more completely through a daily time together in the Scriptures. Each day, you will learn a little more about Me — what I did, what I taught, and Who I am — with the help of aYearwithJesus.com. The four gospels known as Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, tell part of My story as these books give just what I “began to do and teach.” That’s how Luke describes his record of My ministry in his introduction to the book of Acts (Acts 1:1 NLT). As Luke writes the book of Acts, he emphasizes that I continued My ministry through the Holy Spirit’s work in the lives of My followers. These disciples recognized My presence and power when they lived, prayed, gathered together, and did miracles in My name. Still today, I am working in the world and in My church through people like them and through people like you! We will devote approximately the next four and a half months to lessons primarily from the Gospels. Then during the week of Jewish Passover, you will join Me as I endure My passion, followed by My resurrection from the dead and My appearances to My disciples. During the remainder of the year, we will look at the of the story of My early work through the early church found in the rest of the New Testament: Acts, the letters written to various churches and individuals, and finally the Revelation that I gave to John. So more than just wanting you to know about Me, I really want you to know Me. That’s the goal of our year together. So let’s start that journey today! Verses to Live Here are a couple of truths I want you to know! Life is found in knowing me, so get to know Me! This is what I prayed in front of my followers the night I was betrayed: After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. And this is the way to have eternal life — to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.” (John 17:1-3 NLT) I am the fullest message of God to you, so come to Me to know God’s message for you! This is what one of My followers wrote to help My Jewish brothers and sisters. He wanted them to know Who I Am and how I fit into their story: Long ago, at different times and in various ways, God’s voice came to our ancestors through the Hebrew prophets. But in these last days, it has come to us through His Son, the One Who has been given dominion over all things and through Whom all worlds were made. This is the One Who — imprinted with God’s image, shimmering with His glory — sustains all that exists through the power of His word. He was seated at the right hand of God once He Himself had made the offering that purified us from all our sins. (Hebrews 1:1-3) Get to know Me and you’re going to find real life — life that can never be taken from you! Not only that, as you get to know Me, you learn what God most wants you to know: that I AM His fullest, most complete message to you. I know you will be blessed by this year we will have together! May the peace of God, our Father, be with you. Response in Prayer Thank You, dear Father, for sending Jesus so that I can know You and so that I can find life that is full and rich — the life that You created me as Your child to discover and live. Please bless me, dear Father, as I get to know Jesus better as we journey through this year together. I pray this in my Savior’s name, Jesus. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
I AM Coming Soon
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved Disciple, Today, we finish our journey through the New Testament that we began a year ago. If you have been with us throughout the year, you have relived My earthly ministry when I was in human flesh. You have read My words. You have examined My ministry. You have read about the birth of My church and the power of the Holy Spirit that empowered and sustained My people. You have looked into the letters of Paul, Peter, John, James, and Jude as well as the “word of exhortation” you call Hebrews. Over the last few days, you have been reading from My Revelation to John. This year’s cycle ends today. Today’s message is not only a great way to end the book of Revelation, but it is also a great way to finish the whole collection of books you call the Bible, the Holy Scriptures. Yesterday (from Revelation 21 and Revelation 22:1-5) you saw how sin, death, and evil would be completely defeated by My returning in glory. You heard about the great celebration known as the wedding supper of the Lamb of God (Me) and My bride (the church). This celebration awaits you in My presence. The awful results of the Fall and the impact of sin, evil, and death will be fully conquered and their power fully removed from My people when I return in glory. Victory and reunion are assured for My disciples from every age as they join together before the throne! Today, you will read some words of promise, blessing, and warning about the importance of the visions I gave to John and the words he used to write down these visions. These were important for the folks who were facing critical challenges when I revealed this message for them. They have continued to be important to My people throughout the years of suffering because of their faith in Me. My early disciples needed an immediate dose of comfort, encouragement, correction, and hope. These words from Revelation are important for the people of every generation if they — and you — are to remain faithful and hopeful in times of oppression, persecution, and martyrdom. I will indeed bring My victory for all who are My disciples so that they can share in the joyous and victorious celebration. I sent My messenger to John so that you would not be afraid when you are facing the fiery trials that can sometimes befall My people. Believe this message, this Revelation, I shared with John. Obey the truth that you know has come from the Father and through Me. Let these words stir you to faithfulness. My coming is on the horizon. Live each day without fear and with great joy as if this could be THE day of My coming. Verses to Live The last sentences of Revelation, the last verses in your Bible and in this book of Revelation, finish with an invitation for Me to return in My glory for you. I want you to pray for My coming: hasten My arrival with your words of anticipation, praise, and invitation. Guide (speaking to me [John]): These words are faithful and true. And the Lord, the God Who inspired the prophets, has sent His heavenly messenger to show to His servants what must soon take place. The Anointed One [Jesus]: Look now, I am coming soon! The one who remains true to the prophetic words contained in this book will truly be blessed. I, John, am the one who heard and witnessed these visions. And when I heard and witnessed them, I fell prostrate at the feet of the heavenly guide who showed them to me. But he refused. Guide: You must not do that! I am a servant with you, with your brothers and sisters the prophets, and with those who keep the words contained in this book. Worship God instead! (continuing) Do not seal up the prophetic words contained in this book for another day, for the finale is near. Let the one given to evil continue down evil’s path and the one addicted to filth continue to be its servant. But let the one who is righteous journey along the righteous road, and let the holy continue in holy ways. The Anointed One: See, I am coming soon, and I will bring My reward with Me. I will pay back every person according to the deeds he has done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the First One and the Last One, the beginning and the end. Blessed are those who wash their garments. In the end, they have rightful access to the tree of life and will enter the city through its gates. The dogs, the sorcerers, those who commit immoral acts, the murderers, the idolaters, and all who love and practice deception must remain outside the gates for all eternity. Jesus: I, Jesus, have sent My messenger to show you and guide you so that you in turn would share this testimony with the churches. I am the Root and the Descendant of David, the Bright Morning Star. The Spirit and the Bride: Come. And let everyone who hears these words say, “Come.” And let those who thirst come. All who desire to drink, let them take and drink freely from the water of life. Beware, everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book. Know this for certain: if anyone adds to these words, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. And if anyone subtracts from the prophetic words of this book, God will remove that person’s access to the tree of life and to the holy city which are described in this book. The One Who testifies to these realities makes this promise: The Anointed One: Yes. I am coming soon. To which we say, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” May the grace of the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, be with all the saints [His disciples]. Amen.
Everything New
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, You are part of My people, the church, My bride. A time is coming when all My people will share in the glorious eternal day when everything has been made new. The fatal flaw (mortality) brought on the creation because of sin will be eliminated. The threat of sin, death, and hell will be gone for My people forever. My church will no longer be oppressed, but will be glorious. She will be My beautiful bride. All who are mine will share in the joyful wedding feast, the victorious reunion party of all My people from throughout all of time. There will be no need for a temple because the Father, the Spirit, and I will dwell in and among Our people. There will be no need for light for there will never be darkness in the place where Our glory shines. The beauty of this glory will outshine any description that your earthly mind can comprehend. What many consider precious in your world — gemstones and gold — are nothing more than building materials and paving stones in the place of Our glory. Every barrier that has separated you from Us — Father, Son, and Spirit — will be removed. Every hurt and wound will be removed by the gentle touch of the Father’s finger as he wipes every tear from your eyes. Healing fruit will be your food, and the water of life will be your drink. No division between nations or peoples will exist as all will live together with Us sharing in the grace and glory that are found in Our presence and are the very essence of Our presence. This place where everything is made new, pure, and glorious will be our home, forever, together! Verses to Live As you read the words below, let your mind explore the imagery and see which ones of the images lead you to see and feel the coming glory: Healing. Grace. Evil banished. Joy. Celebration. Beauty. Glory. Water of life. God’s child. Everything new. No death — and many more. Realize this is your future in Me! I [John] looked again and could hardly believe my eyes. Everything above me was new. Everything below me was new. Everything around me was new because the heaven and earth that had been passed away, and the sea was gone, completely. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride on her wedding day, adorned for her husband and for His eyes only. And I heard a great voice, coming from the throne. A Voice: See, the home of God is with His people. He will live among them; They will be His people, And God Himself will be with them. The prophecies are fulfilled: He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; Mourning no more, crying no more, pain no more, For the first things have gone away. And the One Who sat on the throne [the Father] announced to His creation, The One: See, I am making all things new. (turning to me [John]) Write what you hear and see, for these words are faithful and true. It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will see to it that the thirsty drink freely from the fountain of the water of life. To the victors will go this inheritance: I will be their God, and they will be My children. It will not be so for the cowards, the faithless, the sacrilegious, the murderers, the sexually immoral, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all those who deal in deception. They will inherit an eternity in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. And then one of the seven messengers in charge of the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came over to me. Heavenly Messenger: Come with me, and I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. He took me away in the Spirit and set me on top of a great, high mountain. As I waited for what I thought was a bride, he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. It gleamed and shined with the glory of God; its radiance was like the most precious of jewels, like jasper, and it was as clear as crystal. It was surrounded with a wall, great and high. There were twelve gates. Assigned to each gate was a messenger, twelve in all. And on the gates were inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of Israel’s sons. On the east wall were three gates. On the north wall were three gates. On the south wall were three gates. On the west wall were three gates. And the city wall sat perfectly on twelve foundation stones, and on them were inscribed the names of the twelve emissaries of the Lamb. My guide held a golden measuring rod. With it he measured the city and the gates and the walls. And the city is laid out with four corners in a perfect square, the length the same as its width. He measured the city with his measuring rod, and the result was that its length and width and height are equal: 1,444 miles, a perfect cube. And my guide measured the wall; it was nearly 72 yards high, in human measurements, which was the instrument the guide was using. The wall was made of jasper, while the city itself was made of pure gold, yet it was as clear as glass. The foundation stones of the wall of the city were decorated with every kind of jewel: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. The twelve
A Time for Praise
Note from Jesus Dear Faithful Follower, What John saw and shared in the verses below is the powerful image of Me coming as a conquering warrior to destroy the evil power that persecutes and oppresses My people. Every Babylon will fall! Those who belong to me — whether in heaven or on earth, whether human or heavenly — will rejoice. There will be a time when I do this once-and-for-all: I will bring down evil and destroy it, so it never returns to oppress My faithful people. There will be celebration and feasting for all who are Mine! The praise that you share now is a prelude to the praise you will share in when I come as your conquering King and glorified Savior. Remain faithful. Be steadfast. Continually offer your praise in anticipation of My return in glory. Trust that I AM coming and will give you victory. As John shared from his vision, Paul promised the Thessalonians, and I am assuring you: On that day when He [I, your Lord Jesus] comes, all the saints in heaven and on earth will celebrate the glory of His power, and all who believe will stand and be amazed — this includes you because you believed us when we testified on His behalf. All this is why we are constantly praying for you, so God will make you worthy of the great calling you have received from Him and will give you the power to accomplish every good intention and work of faith. Then the great name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified through your lives, and you will be glorified in Him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, our Liberating King. (2 Thessalonians 1:10-12) Verses to Live As you read these verses, think of how comforting and full of hope these words would have been for My followers who were facing hardship and even death for their faith. I AM coming for them and they will share in My victory. Now, dear follower, remember that this promise is true for you as well! The scene changed. After this, I [John] heard the great sound of a multitude echoing in heaven. Multitude: Praise the Lord! Salvation and glory and power truly belong to our God, for true and just are His judgments. He has judged the great whore [Babylon] who polluted the entire earth with her sexual immorality, And He has vindicated the blood of His servants, which she shed. Again praise spilled from heaven. Multitude: Praise the Lord! The smoke rises up from her ruins forever and ever. And the twenty-four elders and four living creatures fell on their faces and worshiped God Who reigns on the throne. Four Living Creatures and 24 Elders: Amen. Praise the Lord! A Voice from the Throne: Give praise to our God, all of you, God’s servants, All who reverence Him, small and great. And I heard what seemed to be an immense crowd speaking with one voice — it was like the sound of a roaring waterfall, like the sound of clashing thunder. Multitude (in unison): Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the All Powerful, reigns supreme. Now is the time for joy and happiness. He deserves all the glory we can give Him. For the wedding feast has begun; the marriage of the Lamb to His bride has commenced, and His bride has prepared herself for this glorious day. She had been given the finest linens to wear, linens bright and pure, woven from the righteous deeds of the saints. Guide: Write this down: “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb.” What I am telling you are the true words of God. At that, I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he refused my praise. Guide: Stop it. Don’t you see? I am a servant like you and your brothers and sisters, all who hold fast to the testimony of Jesus. Address your worship to God, not to me! For the testimony about Jesus is essentially the prophetic spirit. I looked up and saw that heaven had opened. Suddenly, a white horse appeared. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and with righteousness He exercises judgment and wages war. His eyes burn like a flaming fire, and on His head are many crowns. His name was written before the creation of the world, and no one knew it except He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name He was known by is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, outfitted in fine linen, white and pure, were following behind Him on white steeds. From His mouth darts a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule over them with a scepter made of iron. He will trample the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God, the All Powerful. And there on His robe and on His thigh was written His name: King of kings and Lord of lords. (Revelation 19:1-16) Response in Prayer Dear Father, I look forward to Jesus coming in glory, and I want to share in that glory when He comes. I pray that He comes soon and delivers all of my brothers and sisters who are being persecuted and that He brings celebration for all who joyfully await His coming. In His name, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
My Powerful and Tender Presence
Note from Jesus Dear Precious Believer, The history of your planet is pockmarked by violence, famine, war, disease, fear, sin, torture, persecution, and death. This was not how We — Father, Son, and Spirit — created the world to operate. The gift of great beauty and diversity in Our creation was broken by human rebellion that resulted in sin (Genesis 3:9-19; Romans 5:12-14). Creation continues to writhe and groan in pain as people abuse each other and ravage the wonderful place created to be your home (Romans 8:18-22). As the seven seals are opened in the story of Revelation, the created world shudders in fear as judgment is exercised on a world gone mad in its own evil. My people are oppressed, persecuted, abused, and martyred for their faith in Me. However, as bad as the world condition seems, it is not as bad as it could be. No matter how powerful evil appears to be, I AM still at work to preserve, redeem, and restore My people. Nevertheless, a high price is paid among My beloved faithful followers. Physical lives are lost, good people are abused, and faithful disciples are persecuted and martyred. These problems are why I want you to get a glimpse of the glory they share with Me before the Father. Stephen saw this glory as he died as an early martyr for My cause (Acts 7:54-60). Those who like Stephen have paid such a high price for their faith in Me are in My presence. Their sorrow, fear, and loss are caught up in the joyous celebration of victory as they share in My presence and glory. I AM their Shepherd Who protects, sustains, and nourishes them. I AM gentle with them and gently wipe away their tears, acknowledging their hurt while welcoming them into a life of grace, peace, joy, and fellowship. They will find the water of life, My never-ending supply of grace and life to sustain them forever. On the hearts and from the mouths of My martyred people come the most powerful songs of praise and blessing you will ever hear. They acknowledge My control and My plan to intervene when and how it is best for all of My people. Evil will not defeat them. The worst that Satan, his demons, his human co-conspirators, and his oppressive ways can do to My beloved disciples is to send them into My eternal presence. Paul’s words said it well as he faced his own possible death: I [Paul] don’t expect that dishonor and shame will plague me in any way, but I do hope that I will continue to be able to speak freely and courageously about Jesus, and that now and forever the Anointed One will be glorified and placed above all else through this body of mine — whether I live or die. For my life is about the Anointed and Him alone. And my death, when that comes, will mean great gain for me. So, if it’s His will that I go on serving here, my work will be fruitful for the message. I honestly wouldn’t know how or what to choose; I would be hard-pressed to decide. I lean toward leaving this world to be with the Anointed One because I can only think that would be much better. To stay in this body of flesh — even with all its pains and weaknesses — would best serve your needs. Now that I think of it, I am sure of this: I would prefer to remain to share in the progress and joy of your growing belief. When I return to you, we will celebrate Jesus the Anointed even more. (Philippians 1:20-26) If you face persecution today, please take heart. Be faithful no matter what you face. Unending glory in My presence awaits you. If you do not face persecution, remember your brothers and sisters who do. As you minister to them, please know you are doing My work, the very work I do with those who have been faithful unto death and come into My presence. Despite how things may appear, My people will triumph. They will share in My victory and the conquering power of My grace. Your sorrow, hardship, and tears are not wasted or are they forgotten. Verses to Live With all the powerful and sometimes violent images revealed to John, I want you to focus on two non-violent images in today’s verses. First, notice that “a huge crowd of people, which no one could even begin to count, representing every nation and tribe, people and language” gathered around Me to praise Me with shouts of praise and joy. Persecution and martyrdom could not strip them of their faith or their victory. Second, notice My tenderness with those who have been oppressed and who have suffered because of My name. Remember this tenderness for those who are mine when you read about the destruction of the wicked, the demonic, and the allies of Satan. I AM both the “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5) and the Lamb Who voluntarily let himself be slain to buy you from the clutches of Satan and his desire to have hell be your future. After this vision, I [John] saw four heavenly messengers standing at the four corners of the earth. They were holding back the four winds so that the earth would not be overcome by violent, rushing winds blowing over the land or over the sea or blowing down any tree. Then I saw a fifth messenger, coming up with the sun as it was rising in the east, carrying the seal of the living God. He called with a great and loud voice to the four messengers who had authority to harm the earth and its seas. Fifth Messenger: Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we seal the servants of our God with a mark of ownership on their foreheads. Then I heard that 144,000