Hello! I am Jon Paulien and I’m glad you came to this page to check out my work. I am a New Testament scholar and Professor of Religion at Loma Linda University. On this website you will find a collection of my articles, commentary on Revelation, and links to my blog, videos, and other resources. Make sure you check the articles link above regularly to see the latest postings. In my hand above is an exact replica of p52, the earliest extant New Testament manuscript fragment, containing portions of John, chapter 18. Centered above my head is a replica of ancient Greek pottery. At either end above are two sets of books from, and about, my favorite spiritual author, Ellen G. White. I hope you enjoy the site.
Daily Devotional For April 12, 2026
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The twenty-four elders fall down before the One sitting on the throne and worship the One who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns before the throne, saying. You are worthy, our Lord and God, . . . . Rev 4:10-11.
When you open a Bible for the first time you find poetry and songs, prophecy and proverbs, but mainly narrative– a story of sorts. It is the history of a people, but it is more than this. It is the history of a nation in relationship with God. It is not so much the history of a nation as it is the history of the acts of God.
We often think of worship as a time when some preacher reminds us of what we’re supposed to do. But biblical worship is not about what we should do, it was about what God has done. “He has caused his wonders to be remembered. . .” (Ps 111:4, NIV) When Israel recounted what God had done for them, their relationship with God was enhanced. But more than this the acts of God were powerful acts, acts that changed history in a mighty way. In rehearsing these acts, the power of the original act was rekindled. God would again break into history and change things for the better. When the Israelites recounted His deeds in the past, God became real to them in the present.
The lay leader of a large church felt his spiritual experience going dry. For whatever reason he couldn’t connect with the preaching in his church. His walk with God was slipping away and he was about ready to give up. He decided to give it one more chance. On Sunday morning he went down to the little Baptist church in town.
Bad luck. The preacher was away that week and the deacon was up there reading something or other. He was mumbling along and the congregation was half asleep. The lay leader thought, “Good grief, this is my last chance and this has to happen.” But a funny thing happened on the way to a nap. Every five or ten minutes the deacon, who seemed totally clueless, lifted his eyes from the reading and said, “Well I don’t know about that, but I do know one thing, God is able,” and then he mumbled on for five or ten minutes. Then he said again, “Well, I don’t know about that point, but I do know this, God is able!”
About twenty minutes into that sermon, the lay leader began to sense God’s presence warming his heart. He reported, “I just suddenly realized God is really able. God is able to take me where I am, it doesn’t matter who is preaching.” It doesn’t matter how dead the church is or how out-of-date the worship service is. If you rehearse the mighty acts of God, He is able to resurrect the dead!
Lord, turn my eyes away from the many distractions of life to the mighty things You have done for me. May Your character and Your actions become the substance and focus of my life.