Quill’s Blog

“To the angel of the church in Smyrna write the following:

“This is the solemn pronouncement of the one who is the first and the last, the one who was dead, but came to life: ‘I know the distress you are suffering and your poverty (but you are rich). I also know the slander against you by those who call themselves Jews and really are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. The devil is about to have some of you thrown into prison so you may be tested, and you will experience suffering for ten days. Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself. The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will in no way be harmed by the second death.’ Revelation 2:8-11

New English Translation

Continue reading “Revelation: Lessons from Smyrna”

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write the following:

“This is the solemn pronouncement of the one who has a firm grasp on the seven stars in his right hand—the one who walks among the seven golden lampstands: ‘I know your works as well as your labor and steadfast endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil. You have even put to the test those who refer to themselves as apostles (but are not), and have discovered that they are false. I am also aware that you have persisted steadfastly, endured much for the sake of my name, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you: You have departed from your first love! Therefore, remember from what high state you have fallen and repent! Do the deeds you did at the first; if not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place—that is, if you do not repent. But you do have this going for you: You hate what the Nicolaitans practice—practices I also hate. The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will permit him to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God.’ Revelation 2:1-7

New English Translation

Continue reading “Revelation: Lessons from Ephesus”

I’m not gonna lie—there are times when I cringe when the book of Revelation enters the conversation. Why? Because so many people just over complicate it and miss the point! Revelation isn’t for us to try and guess the Second Coming, Jesus even told us that the time is not for us to know in Acts 1:7. That’s why I want to take a blog series to talk about the practical lessons we learn from Revelation. We’re not going to complicate it; we’re not going to even discuss the potential time for the Second Coming. Instead, we’re just going to talk about what God is teaching us in His Word.

Continue reading “Revelation: Let’s Keep it Simple”

Have you ever done something for so long and then suddenly realize you have no idea why you do it?

Continue reading “But…Why?”

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” So the disciples began to say to one another, “No one brought him anything to eat, did they?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to complete his work.^“ John 4:31-34

New English Translation

Continue reading “Sustained By God”

God saw all that he had made—and it was very good! There was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day. Genesis 1:31

New English Translation

Continue reading “Birthmarks: Part 2 – Good or Sinful?”

“Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.” John 13:35

New English Translation

Remember that song that goes “they will know we are Christians by our love, by our love”? I mean, how could a person forget it after the first time they hear it… after all, it does have a habit of getting stuck in people’s heads. You’re welcome for the earworm.

Continue reading “Birthmarks: Part 1 – Known By Love”

Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; indeed, sin is lawlessness. And you know that Jesus was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. Everyone who resides in him does not sin; everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him. Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Jesus is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil. Everyone who has been fathered by God does not practice sin, because God’s seed resides in him, and thus he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed: Everyone who does not practice righteousness—the one who does not love his fellow Christian—is not of God. 1 John 3:4-10

New English Translation

Continue reading “Actions Speak Louder Than Words”

For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him. The one who believes in him is not condemned. The one who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed. John 3:16-20

New English Translation

Continue reading “Love Him Back”