Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Extend Eternal Healing (4/23/26)

On Monday we headed to Detroit for the kids’ Hobbit show costume fittings, followed by their regular Detroit Opera Youth Chorus rehearsal. With a couple of hours to spare between the fittings and rehearsal, we explored Belle Isle, situated in the middle of the Detroit River. The youngest two kids were excited to visit for the first time. They thought it was cool to essentially be standing between two countries – the US and Canada – while also enjoying the beauty of Spring and the dazzling sunshine reflecting off the river water.

As unique and exciting as this was, it’s nothing compared to standing in the middle of the river in Heaven, which will be far more spectacular and glorious.

Revelation 22:1-5    Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. ³ No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. ⁴ They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵ There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

We’ve finally reached the final chapter in Revelation! In this new Jerusalem, those who follow Jesus will experience no more pain or suffering. Instead, they will be met with healing, blessings, and fulfilling work serving our perfect Creator. We’ll get to see Him face-to-face daily! What hope and encouragement do these promises bring to you today?

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Be Our Lamp (4/16/26)

Yesterday, a severe storm hit Michigan, leaving many without power, and the rest of us concerned about losing ours. We have a generator that usually comes on when we lose power, as our sump pump must keep running so that our basement doesn’t flood. However, it doesn’t power every light in the house and is a less-than-ideal substitute. In the new Jerusalem, we won’t need to worry about power or light or floods! Jesus will be a far better substitute.

Revelation 21:22-27 ²² I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ²³ The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. ²⁴ The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. ²⁵ On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. ²⁶ The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. ²⁷ Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

The beauty of the magnificent new Jerusalem, as described last week, will be accentuated by the glory of God the Father and Jesus the Son. Imagine the streets, walls, and foundations bathed in bright sunlight. It will be even more grand by the pure and perfect light of God’s glory, making the sun and moon unnecessary.

This glorious place is our guaranteed inheritance for those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Do you know if your name is written in the book? You can be certain.

Ephesians 1:13-14 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Those who have believed in God’s salvation through Jesus, our perfect sacrifice, are included with Christ as children of God and heirs of His glorious kingdom. Let’s praise Jesus as our worthy source of salvation, eternal life, and eternal light!

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Make Everything Beautiful (4/9/26)

After all the Spring rain this past week, our neighborhood’s grass transformed into a lush green. As Edmund, Alexis and I ran last night, I couldn’t help but comment on the sudden change and the beautiful scenery. The bright blue sky, with traces of white clouds, met the waves of green grass sprinkled with blooming yellow daffodils.

We marveled at God’s beauty, achieved with just a few colors. I can’t fathom the beauty as He decorates the new Jerusalem using more than all the colors imaginable in different textures of stones and jewels. It won’t be a small area, either. Its length, width, and height of 12,000 stadia, equivalent to 1,400 miles (or 2250 kilometers) is roughly the distance between Detroit, MI and Miami, FL.

Revelation 21:15-21 ¹⁵ The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. ¹⁶ The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. ¹⁷ The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick. ¹⁸ The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. ¹⁹ The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. ²¹ The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.

The variety of stones mentioned is stunning. In our world today, jasper can display a wide range of earthy tones, while sapphire, agate, onyx, beryl, and topaz come in almost every color. Agate is a type of quartz, and onyx is known for its high polish. Jasper, sapphire, beryl and topaz can be translucent. Emerald typically appears in shades of green, ruby in shades of red, chrysolite in shades of yellow, turquoise in shades of blue, jacinth in shades of orange, and amethyst in shades of purple. Plus, there will be pure gold streets, huge pearl gates and walls over 200 feet thick!

As we celebrated Jesus’ resurrection on Easter, His triumph over death gives us confidence in eternal life in this beautiful new Jerusalem. He is worthy of making everything beautiful. As we marvel at beautiful new life in nature this Spring, let’s give God the glory and express gratitude for an even more beautiful life to come!

Alice 

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Promise a New Jerusalem this Maundy Thursday (4/2/26)

Last week we celebrated Jesus’ humble entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey colt. Today, on Maundy Thursday of Holy Week, we remember how Jesus humbly washed the disciples’ feet, demonstrating again that His first coming was about selfless sacrifice and not about making everything new. As He continued to teach His disciples on that Thursday night, He shared with them a promise of a new place He would prepare for them.

John 14:1-3   “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

At that moment, He personally assured His disciples of a place He would prepare for them. What He didn’t tell them, was that their names would be etched on the twelve foundations of the New Jerusalem! This revelation would come later, through John in Revelation 21.

Revelation 21:9-14 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” ¹⁰ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. ¹¹ It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. ¹² It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. ¹³ There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. ¹⁴ The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The new Jerusalem will be far more glorious than the disciples or you and me could ever imagine! As we reflect on Holy Thursday and Good Friday, let’s genuinely express our gratitude to Jesus for all He sacrificed which enables us to be His cleansed bride, dwelling with Him for all eternity within the magnificent new Jerusalem! 

Alice

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Make Everything New (3/26/26)

My kids are super excited that today is the last day of school before Spring Break starts! They can’t wait for a break from their regular routines and extra free time to play and do fun things. When was the last time you felt that kind of excitement?

The crowd on Palm Sunday was ecstatic as they welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem.

John 12:12-13   The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. ¹³ They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Blessed is the king of Israel!”

The crowd’s excitement was rooted in their expectation of a reigning and conquering king. At His first coming, Jesus was indeed king, but not that kind of king. He was a selfless, sacrificial king that came to give His life so we could have eternal life. His first coming wasn’t about making everything new, but His second coming will usher in everything new.

Revelation 21:5-8 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

⁶ He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. ⁷ Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. ⁸ But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

For those who reject Jesus as the only King and Savior, eternal torment awaits. On the other hand, for those of us that have surrendered to Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we have everything for which to look forward! EVERYTHING will be new, perfect and satisfying.

As we celebrate Palm Sunday this Sunday, we can also anticipate Jesus’ second coming when everything will be made new.

Jesus is worthy to celebrate as both a humble sacrificial king and one who will reign forever!

Alice

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Wipe Away Tears (3/19/26)

Sarah came home in tears last night from horseback riding. Her favorite horse has a disease that appears incurable after several different treatments. He has been declining, and she was told that he will be put down soon. She hasn’t been able to ride him in quite some time.

Death is inevitable on this earth. However, God is preparing a new heaven and new earth, free from death and suffering. After the millennium and after Satan and his followers are thrown into the lake of fire (as we’ve studied recently in Revelation), Jesus’ followers will join God in the new and perfect creation.

Revelation 21:1-4 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

What painful struggles are you experiencing right now? How are you encouraged knowing there will be a day when that won’t be the case anymore, ever again? How does the promise of a future free from suffering bring you comfort and hope?

It is beyond imagination how glorious the new heaven and new earth will be! No death, no hurt, no fear, no pain, no conflict, no stress, no disappointment. The most elated feeling we have ever experienced won’t compare to the joy in God’s presence on that day and for all eternity!

Alice

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Judge the Dead (3/12/26)

A couple of days ago we enjoyed an unseasonably warm March day here in Michigan! In fact, we had our first outdoor dinner on our patio this year. As we were enjoying the sunshine, one kid pointed out the beautiful sun rays gleaming through the clouds. We talked about how much more magnificent it will be when Jesus returns to take us to heaven.

As the conversation continued, another kid started talking about the end times and persecution of Christians. We discussed that we may have to die for our faith, but life with Jesus for all eternity will be far better than anything we may give up in this life. The alternative, as described below, is unimaginable torture in the lake of fire forever.  

Revelation 20:11-15 ¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. ¹⁴ Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. ¹⁵ Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Death in this life is not the end. As Christians, we know that is true (although sometimes we don’t live like we know that is true). For non-Christ followers, death in this life is also not the end. They will face Judge Jesus and then be thrown into the lake of fire experiencing their second death. As we saw last week, Satan, the beast and the false prophet are the first to be thrown into the lake of fire. The torment isn’t temporary, but continuous.    

Jesus’s records are perfectly accurate, and He is worthy to judge all people. None of us could ever measure up to His standard on our own. By His grace, He has paid for our sin on the cross and offered us life through faith in Him. Then, we are judged based on His merit, and He writes our names in the book of life.

Let’s praise Him for His grace! Let’s also prayerfully recognize and take opportunities to share His grace with others so they may enjoy life with Him now and for all eternity!

Alice

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Outwit Satan (3/5/26)

I have often been surprised when a child tries to get away with something they have already attempted before, only to face severe consequences over and over. For instance, one kid snuck candy several times and faced steep consequences afterwards. Somehow it wasn’t enough to deter him from sneaking candy again or he thought the next time he might get away with it.

Similarly, I’m surprised Satan continues to try to thwart God’s plans and people, despite knowing he will ultimately lose. All of God’s promises and plans have come to fruition. Satan didn’t defeat Jesus on the cross and certainly won’t defeat Jesus at the end of time.

Revelation 20:7-10 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison ⁸ and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. ⁹ They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. ¹⁰ And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Last week we read about Satan being bound for the millennium. This week, we see his final judgment where he’ll face continual burning torment. Satan will deceive nations worldwide to fight against God’s people, but they will be consumed by fire. Satan’s reign will come to an end, but Jesus will reign eternally. How does this truth encourage you, especially considering current events?

In our recent Bible study on the book of Zechariah, which also contains numerous end-times prophecies, our memory verse from the final chapter stood out: Zechariah 14:9 The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day, there will be one LORD and His name the only name. I’m so thankful to know the end of the story. It’s comforting to know Jesus triumphs over Satan!

Alice

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Reign with His Followers (2/26/26)

After the war Jesus justly and rightly wages against all opposing nations and individuals, He has Satan bound. He then reigns for a thousand years with His faithful martyred followers. This is what some believe is the “millennium” on this earth before the new heaven and new earth come.  

Revelation 20:1-6 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. ² He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. ³ He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

⁴ I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. ⁵ (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. ⁶ Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

It seems only those martyred during the tribulation come to life for this millennium reign with Jesus. This is great encouragement, though. Those who face and endure the worst persecution will be the first to be rewarded. All other followers of Jesus will still experience the New Heaven and New Earth for all eternity, which we will cover in future weeks.

With all the evil in the world, I’m encouraged knowing Satan will one day be bound. Then, as we will see next week, he will eventually be thrown into the burning lake of sulfur, never to deceive anyone again. How else are you encouraged by the promises in these verses?

Alice

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Wage War (2/19/26)

Recently, my kids were discussing war and wondered if they would have to fight if World War III were to start. I was able to reassure them that, as children, they wouldn’t be recruited to fight.

This conversation got me thinking - from my human perspective, war often seems evil. Can there be a righteous war? Let’s look at the war to take place at the end.

Revelation 19:11-21 ¹¹ I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. ¹² His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. ¹³ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. ¹⁴ The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵ Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

king of kings and lord of lords.

¹⁷ And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, ¹⁸ so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”

¹⁹ Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. ²⁰ But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. ²¹ The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

This Bible passage reveals that Jesus (the rider on the white horse) is the only one that can wage war rightly. His war is righteous because He judges with perfect justice. He knows all truth and accurately administers judgment.

In this passage, it doesn’t sound like there will be much of a battle. It appears one-sided. Jesus will single-handedly strike down nations, the beast, the false prophet and their followers. At that time, it seems the armies of heaven following Jesus will witness the victory without having to participate in the actual battle. Jesus, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Faithful, True, and Just Judge, righteously wages and wins the war for Himself and all His followers!

As we begin the Lent season, we can expand our focus beyond just anticipating Jesus’ resurrection. We can also look forward to Jesus’ ultimate victory over all sin and evil in the world. With the start of Lent yesterday, where will your focus be, considering all we’ve studied in Revelation this past year?  

Alice