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 of Marvelous Worship (9/18/25)

Alexis and Edmund’s music teacher ordered kazoos for their class. Edmund’s excitement had been building for weeks. The kazoos finally arrived, and he couldn’t wait to show me!

God has a more extraordinary instrument gift in store – one that far surpasses a simple kazoo. He has prepared a magnificent reward for His class of victorious martyrs: personal harps to accompany their glorious songs in a majestic place.

Revelation 15:1-4    I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed. ² And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God ³ and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb:

“Great and marvelous are your deeds,
    Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
    King of the nations.
⁴ Who will not fear you, Lord,
    and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
    and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

As John was about to witness the release of the seven last plagues by the seven angels, God interjected a glimpse of glorious events in heaven. This contrast serves as a reminder that we don’t need to fear plagues or death, for the blessings in heaven will be truly marvelous. The greatest joy we’ve experienced on earth celebrating a team victory or achievement will pale in comparison to the joy celebrating Jesus’s victory over Satan, the beast, and all sin in the world. One day, ALL nations will worship Jesus. Why not begin our worship today?