He is Faithful to the End
How faithful am I? Jesus says at the end of vs.10 in Revelation 2 “Be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life.” Oh Lord, would you please give me the desire, heart, passion, courage and strength to be faithful until the end? Father, please open up my eyes to see You in a new way- You who is coming for your bride- pure and spotless... oh that I would live my life pure and spotless. Church, what is He saying to us? God gives us the book of Revelation so that we can know what to expect in the days to come- so we can be ready for when judgement day comes. You see, right now Christ is sitting on the mercy seat- lovingly granting mercy for all of our repented transgressions...hallelujah! Praise Jesus for that! However, soon He will no longer be on the mercy seat but rather He will be on the judgement Seat and we will all individually give account for the way that we lived our lives. I want to be ready for this day! Let’s see what the Lord says to the 7 churches in Revelation- I feel it’s truly an eye opener to really look at my life and see today what it reflects in similarity to some of the churches and what sin may be lurking in my life that I need to repent from.
Rev 2. Starting in vs. 1 – To the Church of Ephesus:
Jesus says: I know your works, your labour, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say that they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have laboured for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place-unless you repent...
WOW! I think sometimes it’s easy to let “small” things slide under the rug- missing quiet times, not praying as much, etc....but eventually those “small” things can turn into losing our first love. When I first started reading the way He was describing the church in Ephesus – to me I thought “wow, these are people who they lived their lives for Christ.” And while that is true, when we read the latter – Christ is saying that they do good works and from the outside the church looks as though it truly is an example for what church should look like and then we read in vs.4 “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”
Vs.8 to the Church in Smyrna:
Jesus says: I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation tend days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.
Oh that we would be overcomers....
Vs.12 to the Church in Pergamos
Jesus says: I know your works, and where you dwell, where satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and do not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where satan dwells. But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before he children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword in My mouth.
Compromise- keep it from our lives
Vs.18 to the church of Thyatira
Jesus says: I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who oevercomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations.
Chapter 3 vs.1 to the Church in Sardis:
Jesus says: I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name form the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
Let’s be sure that we do not just have a reputation that we are “alive” in Christ but truly we are “dead” .....
Vs.7 to the Church of Philadelphia
Jesus says: I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it: for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie-indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him a new name.
I want to be in this group! J
Vs.14 to the Church of Laodicean
Jesus says: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’-and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked- I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. “
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Help me Lord, to live like You, for you here on this earth. God- may MANY more people come to know Your truth each and every day...and may we LIVE for you here on this earth...until You come or call us home! May we be ready and truly faithful until the end!
THANK YOU LORD FOR YOUR WORD that you have given us so that we can seek to know You and know how to live like You on this earth.
Have a great week!
:)Love, Melissa
