Jesus Is

During this month I have been privileged to fill pulpit for a church in Amarillo. Together we have jumped into the first chapter of Revelation with its extraordinary description of Jesus Christ. Our tendencies in life often get us into trouble. We have a tendency to look for other solutions, listen to other voices, follow other persons, instead of fixing our attention completely upon Jesus Christ. John is calling the early church to focus all their attention upon the One who holds the keys of death and hell. The early church was presented with the reality of persecution on a daily basis. The Roman Empire, the voice of Caesar, the godless masses and their unending noise all created a challenge when it came to focusing on Someone they had never seen. Jesus is the Faithful Witness, the Firstborn from the dead, the ruler of the kings of the earth. HE IS the one we must give all attention to. Let's build a new tendency into our daily journey-the tendency to look first to Christ, and only to Christ. That tendency will bring strength, peace, and courage to the daily challenges. John was calling the early church to faith. He is coming again and we will not be in the crowd that mourns (Rev. 1:7). We will rejoice as the end to all that brings sorrow and destruction, death and mourning are vanquished.  P.F. Bresee (founding leader of the Church of the Nazarene) said it well, 'nothing to the left, nothing to the right, Jesus only.'  Get up in the mourning and say it with conviction, "Jesus Is!" Then live it out each day with a renewed sense of hope and joy.