On Patmos, John received a prophetic revelation that included seven letters to seven churches that existed at that time in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). These letters contain both correction and encouragement, which are relevant not only to the believers of that time but also to us today.

It's often difficult for us to accept advice from others, especially when we believe we know better. As the saying goes, "The trouble with good advice is that it usually interferes with your plans." Through Peter’s calling to serve and minister with Jesus, we learn valuable lessons that are applicable to our lives. One lesson is watching Peter grow in learning to take advice from the Lord. Like Peter, we too need to grow in listening to and obeying the Lord, even when we thin

Very few things in life are truly reliable. Reliability is the characteristic of being dependable and consistent. Thankfully, the Lord has given us many things in life that we can rely upon. One of those was given after a time of much uncertainty. In another example of God’s consistent grace, He reminds us that we can rely upon Him, as seen in one seemingly simple way.

Everyone loves to hear good news. Maybe it is news of a new job, the birth of a child, or an answered prayer. Paul experienced this type of joy from hearing good news about the Thessalonians. In this section of 1 Thessalonians, Paul’s heart for the believers burst forth knowing how they were doing. Despite the distress and affliction, their firmness of faith brought joy.

An unfortunate reality of our world is that strife between people has become very commonplace. As followers of Jesus, how should we handle strife when it comes up? One helpful example comes from the early days of Abraham.