One of my favorite games to play is chess. I am certainly no expert, but I love to play the game. It is a game of strategy. It is a game that challenges my mind. The Christian life is similar to a game of chess. You must maneuver through various strategies in order to protect…
We have learned a lot of interesting things as we have studied the book of Revelation. Bible prophecy is a very intriguing thing to study. But, now that our study of Revelation is coming to a close, what do we do now? How do we respond to these things? What do we do while…
In Revelation chapter 21 and 22 we have the culmination of human history. There are several major events in human history to keep in mind. (1) The fall. Because of the fall of man, the earth and all its inhabitants is cursed. Because of Adam’s sin, all have inherited a sin nature and we…
One of the great doctrines of our faith is the doctrine of reconciliation. The term ‘reconciliation’ comes from the Greek word ‘katallage’ (kat-al-lag-ay), which means to restore. It gives the sense of changing position. In relation to God it is changing from being an enemy of God to being a friend of God. When…
The final chapter of the book of Romans should not be overlooked. They are Paul’s final words to the church at Rome. The chapter consists of five basic parts. It begins with greetings to the church at Rome in verses 1-16. Paul then encourages the church to avoid divisions as he warns the church…
I have always been intrigued by the thought of the millennial kingdom or the thousand year reign of Christ. It will be a glorious utopia on earth for one thousand years. There will be a perfect peace that will rule the planet. At the end of the millennial reign, there will come a great…
The apostle Paul was a missionary who had a pastor’s heart. When we think of the term ‘pastor’ it is important that we differentiate between the gift of pastor and the office of pastor. The word ‘pastor’ basically means to ‘shepherd.’ According to Ephesians 4:11, to ‘pastor’ is a spiritual gift given to the…
Believe or not, there are times when believers in Christ just simply do not get along. One of the beautiful things about the body of Christ is its diversity. However, such diversity brings many challenges. The Apostle Paul encourages us in Romans chapters 14 and 15 to accept one another as brothers and sisters…
The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is a much anticipated event. As we approach this text, however, we must understand that there is a difference between the second coming of Christ and the rapture of the church. The biggest difference between the rapture and the second coming is that at the rapture…
Babylon is a reference to the empire of the antichrist during the tribulation period. In chapter 17 we saw the religious aspect of that empire and here in chapter 18 we see the political aspect of the empire. Babylon is mentioned as a city. However, Old Testament prophecy shows us that the actual ancient…
Pastor Chris Noland 