Read Revelation 22:21

The purpose and intent of this the Bible as well as the Book of Revelation is to excite us about the promises of our Lord Christ and challenge us to get ready by our perseverance of faith in Him. We are too long for Him, but not just that; we are to know Him and seek Him so we will grow in Him with prayer, study, and fellowship. If not, we may be the ones on the outside of His love and care-both now and for eternity.

Jesus invites us to Him, to partake of His incredible wonders now and forever more! He wants us to be focused on Him and not to stray. If we do stray, His arms are open for our prodigal wanderings-arms which we do not deserve, yet they are there, nonetheless. He calls us to repent and proclaim Him. He contentedly and continually extorts us to righteousness, and in the general context of this Book, to lead and manage His Church in His Way and means. We do this by first managing our own spiritual formation before we lead others with their spirituality in Christ.

Revelation's purpose is also to inform us that faith and our loyalty to Christ matter. We have a hope and we can be assured He has a plan and will love and care for us into and throughout eternity. It is all about a living loving God who loves us, then for us longing for Him even in times of waiting and confusion, in times of stress, and in times of joy. We must place Christ first and foremost in all things personally and then collectively as a body of believers.

• Amen. This refers to a title for Christ as "the God of Truth." When we say "amen," it means "so be it," and "most assuredly." We proclaim the affirmation of His Truth and ways. Christ is the promise arrived as Isaiah prophesied that a remnant from among the nations would return to God (Isa. 42:6; 49:6; 52:15). This now brings to a completion not just the book of Revelation, but the entire Bible! However, this does not close the Book. The call is to keep it open, studied, taught, and applied as in the fruit of righteousness that is expected of all Christians (Isa. 65:16; Amos 6:12; Matt. 5:20-48; John 15:5; 21: 24; Rom. 1:7; 15:8; 2 Cor. 1:20; 5:10; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 1:6, 12, 14; 2:10; Phil. 1:9-11; 1 Thess. 3:12; 4:10; 2 Thess. 1:3; Heb 12:11; James 1:22-25; 3:18; Rev. 3:14)!

• God's Word conveys His will, it is His authority, and it is sacred Scripture. Therefore, it is not to be altered or manipulated by our will! God's Word contains His instruction and His covenant to us; it is most sacred and binding. When one seeks to manipulate or distort it, it is more than a slap in the face of God, it is a heinous evil. False teachers and those who use God's Word for their own personal gain insult Christ and deceive others, and they will be heavily judged (Deut. 29:20-27; Prov. 30:5-6)!

· Consider this; a leader can't lead where he or she has not been, just as a church can't grow when its leaders are not growing. Here is Christ-beckoning, warning, and even pleading for us to get it right and then do it right-our lives and His Church in Him.

• How do we respond when life gets hard? Turn our backs on God, or stick closer to Him? Disconnect from others who can help? Become prideful? Or, be open to learn and grow?

Are you a committed Christian or a surrendered Christian?

Revelation takes us beyond mere commitment. Commitment is very good; it shows us our direction so to hold onto Christ, seek Him first, know His will, and then do his will. But, commitment has a negative aspect to it we rarely notice or preach about. We are still in control, whereas, surrender means God is in control, so we are not only willing to know God's will, we seek to do God's will. This is the essence of maturity, allowing God to be in control and making a commitment to surrender so He is in charge… Come to Him!

As this passage and the Bible ends with this phrase, so also I say to you: may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you forever more! Christ wants us to love Him, not what is wicked and that will only destroy us!

The bottom line is this: God is in control. His hand is intervening in us, in time, and in the situation-in His timing. We will have the bad; but most of all, we have the ultimate Good-we have Christ when we are in Christ! The application for us is what He seeks in us, the distinction of real, effectual faith that makes us able to teach (if one is a Bible teacher.) For a leader, it is discernment between good and false teaching, and/or good versus bad love, Fruit, and character, and/or a good versus a failing church.

Questions

1. Are you Loyal to Jesus? How so and when are you not?

2. So, how can you be better focused on Him and not stray?

3. What can you do to be better at allowing your meaning in Christ be more infused by Him?

4. How do you treasure God's Word? What about His precepts?

5. What gets in your way of appreciating or obeying God's Truths?

6. What can you do to put into practice some of the main precepts from this passage?

7. How can you get excited about the promises of our Lord Christ?

8. What have you done with this? What should you do?

9. Why do you suppose (if you do) that a leader can't lead where he or she has not been, or a church cannot grow when its leaders are not growing?

10. How can you help increase yours and your people's character, and Fruit so you/they can develop your/their faith and be ready for His return?

© 2007, R. J. Krejcir Ph.D. Discipleship Tools http://www.discipleshiptools.org/