Do you feel stagnant in your love for Jesus? Do you see new people come to know Jesus and yearn after their passion and excitement? Often times, when you are in love with Jesus you get excited about serving and doing the works of God. The Church in Ephesus struggled with their excitement and love for Jesus and the people of the church. Jesus told them to repent and get doing the works they did at first. I really believe that through our works and service, comes the excitement. When a body of believers come together and serve, love for eachother strengthens. I have personally experienced this just this past week. There was VBS (Vacation Bible School) at our church, and although our kids are too young to participate, we were encouraged to go to the adult Bible Study. We weren't even in a volunteer position, but to be with our brothers and sisters in Christ for 4 out 5 days, a new love was born for our church. It was awesome. We couldn't get enough! We left filled with love for our church and more love for Jesus.
Are you struggling financially? If you follow Jesus and love Him with all you are, you are spiritually rich! Money will pass away with the rest of the world, but your roots in Jesus will bring eternal reward. Jesus knew what the Church of Smyrna was about to face and He said "Do not fear". Christ challenged them to stay faithful to Him until the end. What trial or suffering are you going through right now? Christ says to you, "Fear not! Be faithful unto death." Jesus wants you to trust in Him despite your circumstances. It can be hard not to question God's control and faithfulness when you face difficulty. I have not personally faced such a challenge that I have questioned God's faithfulness, and I hope that I never do. I not only hope that I am never in a situation that difficult but I also hope that I would never doubt who God is based on my circumstances.
The Church in Pergamum still followed some teachings of Balaam. Balaam was a prophet that advised Moab's king to seduce the Israelites who were passing through into sexual and spiritual adultery. Obviously, submitting to some of Balaam's teaching contradicts the Word of God, therefore, Christ told them to repent. Are you aware of things your friends struggle with? Do you choose to avoid these things around them in order that they stay pure and uphold their righteousness (as well as yours) before God? I remember a few times when our small group at a church unmentioned, would serve wine and beer at our Bible study times together. At the time, I was trying my hardest to quit drinking alcohol because I was enslaved to it deeply. I struggled time and time again to quit. My friends who knew me then, can attest to how difficult it was for me to give it up completely. Anyway, I asked a few times that people would not have alcohol there for the sake of my purity. At the time, it didn't seem to matter to them. I had to ask a few times before they respected my wishes. These were supposed to be my brothers and sisters in Christ, yet they didn't take seriously the result of disobedience or respect my wishes to avoid temptation. My honest opinion was that maybe others' had the same enslavement I did, and didn't want to admit or face it at the time. It is so important to not place stumbling blocks in front your spiritual family- and maybe that means avoiding it at all costs. Could you imagine if you were an accomplice in someone's spiritual death? I personally, would not want to live with that. Jesus says, "Repent".
Again, a similar example in the Church in Thyatira. There was a woman who created stumbling blocks to people who want to follow Jesus. Except in this chapter Christ says that he "gave her time to repent" and since she refused to repent, she was given over to her sin, and not only that, but Christ said, "I will strike her children dead." Christ "searches mind and heart". What does He find in yours? If you are not willing to repent of your sin and you call yourself a Christian, are you really? Jezebel called herself a prophetess yet she was unwilling to stop her sexual sin. Do you need me to remind you of what Christ said was her punishment for her unrepentance? I am not saying that God will strike your children dead but I am saying that you will go to hell- and that is a far worse punishment! Jesus not only rebukes her but also the people who tolerate her acts of disobedience.
Whether you have lost your love for Jesus and His church like the Church in Ephesus, need to be more aware of how you might be a stumbling block to your brothers and sisters in Christ like the Church in Pergamum or if you are tolerant of people like Jezebel like at the Church in Thyatira- the consistent command of Jesus is displayed throughout- REPENT. If you are like the Church of Smyrna and fear suffering, Jesus calls you to stay faithful to Him until the end.
~Leanne!
Are you struggling financially? If you follow Jesus and love Him with all you are, you are spiritually rich! Money will pass away with the rest of the world, but your roots in Jesus will bring eternal reward. Jesus knew what the Church of Smyrna was about to face and He said "Do not fear". Christ challenged them to stay faithful to Him until the end. What trial or suffering are you going through right now? Christ says to you, "Fear not! Be faithful unto death." Jesus wants you to trust in Him despite your circumstances. It can be hard not to question God's control and faithfulness when you face difficulty. I have not personally faced such a challenge that I have questioned God's faithfulness, and I hope that I never do. I not only hope that I am never in a situation that difficult but I also hope that I would never doubt who God is based on my circumstances.
The Church in Pergamum still followed some teachings of Balaam. Balaam was a prophet that advised Moab's king to seduce the Israelites who were passing through into sexual and spiritual adultery. Obviously, submitting to some of Balaam's teaching contradicts the Word of God, therefore, Christ told them to repent. Are you aware of things your friends struggle with? Do you choose to avoid these things around them in order that they stay pure and uphold their righteousness (as well as yours) before God? I remember a few times when our small group at a church unmentioned, would serve wine and beer at our Bible study times together. At the time, I was trying my hardest to quit drinking alcohol because I was enslaved to it deeply. I struggled time and time again to quit. My friends who knew me then, can attest to how difficult it was for me to give it up completely. Anyway, I asked a few times that people would not have alcohol there for the sake of my purity. At the time, it didn't seem to matter to them. I had to ask a few times before they respected my wishes. These were supposed to be my brothers and sisters in Christ, yet they didn't take seriously the result of disobedience or respect my wishes to avoid temptation. My honest opinion was that maybe others' had the same enslavement I did, and didn't want to admit or face it at the time. It is so important to not place stumbling blocks in front your spiritual family- and maybe that means avoiding it at all costs. Could you imagine if you were an accomplice in someone's spiritual death? I personally, would not want to live with that. Jesus says, "Repent".
Again, a similar example in the Church in Thyatira. There was a woman who created stumbling blocks to people who want to follow Jesus. Except in this chapter Christ says that he "gave her time to repent" and since she refused to repent, she was given over to her sin, and not only that, but Christ said, "I will strike her children dead." Christ "searches mind and heart". What does He find in yours? If you are not willing to repent of your sin and you call yourself a Christian, are you really? Jezebel called herself a prophetess yet she was unwilling to stop her sexual sin. Do you need me to remind you of what Christ said was her punishment for her unrepentance? I am not saying that God will strike your children dead but I am saying that you will go to hell- and that is a far worse punishment! Jesus not only rebukes her but also the people who tolerate her acts of disobedience.
Whether you have lost your love for Jesus and His church like the Church in Ephesus, need to be more aware of how you might be a stumbling block to your brothers and sisters in Christ like the Church in Pergamum or if you are tolerant of people like Jezebel like at the Church in Thyatira- the consistent command of Jesus is displayed throughout- REPENT. If you are like the Church of Smyrna and fear suffering, Jesus calls you to stay faithful to Him until the end.
~Leanne!
RSS Feed
