And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write
These things saith the first and the last
which was dead and is alive
I know thy works
and tribulation
and
poverty
but thou art rich
and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews
and are not
but are the synagogue of Satan.
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer
behold,
the devil shall cast some of you into prison- that ye may be tried
and ye shall have tribulation ten days
be thou faithful unto death
and I will give thee a crown of life.
He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches
He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
(((If, as we talked about already, the seven churches spoken of represent God's people throughout time- the period of time suggested by others who have studied Revelation for the first chruch- Ephesus is.. 'the period from the resurrection of Christ to the close of the first century, or to the death of the last of the apostles.' And the second chruch - Smyrna - 'the date of the Smyrna church would be A.D. 100-323.' How do they come to this date?
Well first let's look at what's said.
'And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write
These things saith the first and the last
which was dead and is alive'
John through the Spirit is writing to the angel of the people of God in Smyrna. The first, the last, which was dead and is alive. Jesus.
'I know thy works
and tribulation
and
poverty
but thou art rich'
He knows the works- the actions of His people in Smyrna. He also knows their tribulation. He understands what they're going through. Tribulation. If I say I'm going through tribulation am I talking about a little bit of a hard time? No. I'm talking about a very hard time, a time of such suffering, of such afflicition it doesn't compare to ordinary upsets. Jesus knows the actions, the works, and He knows of the intense suffering of those people. He also knows of their poverty- their deficencies, unproductiveness, their lacking but even as He knows of their poverty He knows they are rich. A conflict? Can one be in poverty and be rich at the same time? They sure can be if we are thinking along the lines of being poor in one thing while rich in another. You can have a person poor in finances and rich in optimism. Jesus know it all- the suffering the poverty and the riches. We are told in the Bible this--
Matthew {19:24} And again I say unto you, It is
easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for
a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
With this in mind it's easy to imagine the 'rich' spoken of here is something other than monetary riches but rather riches that God treasure.
Matthew {6:20} But lay up for yourselves
treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal
Heavenly riches.
A person can be rich in heavenly treasures and in poverty upon the earth. You can be rich in one thing and lacking in another. You can have a richness of love and a poverty of kindness. Jesus knows all of us the good and the bad in us - His people throughout time.
'and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews
and are not
but are the synagogue of Satan.
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer
behold,
the devil shall cast some of you into prison- that ye may be tried
and ye shall have tribulation ten days'
Blasphemy- 1. a. A contemptuous or profane act, utterance, or writing concerning God or a sacred entity. b. The act of claiming for oneself the attributes and rights of God.
2. An irreverent or impious act, attitude, or utterance in regard to something considered inviolable or sacrosanct.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
There are those who claim to be God's but are really from where? The 'synagogue of Satan.' Devil worshippers who claim to be God's people. God knows who those people are and truly there are those in all age who are guilty of this- of claiming to be God's people while their lives, their hearts say otherwise.
God doesn't want His people to fear things that will be suffered by them. Again in all ages we face suffering for our faith and yet we are to fear not.
The devil will put some of God's people in prison- those people will be tried and have tribulation ten days. Now this is where we have to ask ourselves a question- ten days? In prophecy days can stand for years. Is there any notable ten year period of tribulation for God's people?
There is...
'The Diocletianic Persecution (or Great Persecution) was the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman empire.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diocletianic_Persecution
In 303, Emperor Diocletian and his colleagues Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius issued a series of edicts rescinding Christians' legal rights and demanding they comply with traditional religious practices. Later edicts targeted the clergy and demanded universal sacrifice, ordering all inhabitants to sacrifice to the gods. The persecution varied in intensity across the empire—weakest in Gaul and Britain, where only the first edict was applied, and strongest in the Eastern provinces. Persecutionary laws were nullified by different emperors at different times, but Constantine and Licinius's Edict of Milan (313) has traditionally marked the end of the persecution.'
303 to 313 - ten years!
The revelation was-
'the devil shall cast some of you into prison- that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days'
Ten days- Ten years of GREAT tribulation, great suffering, great persecution.
The prophecy goes on to say-
'be thou faithful unto death
and I will give thee a crown of life.
He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches
He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death'
Be faithful unto death. Telling them what? They would die! God's people, His church, would be persecuted to the death.
Faithful unto death. In truth we all throughout time must be faithful unto death, we must be determined to be God's until we die no matter what the cost might be. Faithful unto death.
The reward for such faithfulness is a crown of life! The crown of life given for those who receive life eternal in Jesus. The price is well worth the sacrifice to obtain such a priceless gift.
We are told once more--
'He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches'
LISTEN!
And the promise-
'He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death'
Meaning the death that is eternal- the death that comes when the 1000 years in heaven with Jesus are over and evil and sin are wiped out of existence the death of all those who are evil and are destroyed forever- that deah will not hurt those who are God's faithful.
May God bless and keep us through the tribulations we have and will have, may we remain faithful unto Him forever. May the second death not hurt any of us as we seek life in Jesus, our Lord and Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Seemingly Impossible
C.S. Lewis - Mere Christianity
'...many people are deterred from seriously attempting Christian chastity because they think (before trying) that it is impossible. But when a thing has to be attempted, one must never think about possibility or impossibility.
Faced with an optional question in an examination paper, one considers whether one can do it or not: faced with a compulsory question, one must do the best one can.
You may get some marks for a very imperfect answer: you will certainly get none for leaving the question alone.
Not only in examinations but in war, in mountain climbing, in learning to skate, or swim, or ride a bicycle, even in fastening a stiff collar with cold fingers, people quite often do what seemed impossible before they did it.
It is wonderful what you can do when you have to.
We may, indeed, be sure that perfect chastity-like perfect charity-will not be attained by any merely human efforts.
You must ask for God's help.
Even when you have done so, it may seem to you for a long time that no help, or less help than you need, is being given.
Never mind.
After each failure, ask forgiveness, pick yourself up, and try again.
Very often what God first helps us towards is not the virtue itself but just this power of always trying again.
For however important chastity (or courage, or truthfulness, or any other virtue) may be, this process trains us in habits of the soul
which are more important still.
It cures our illusions about ourselves and teaches us to depend on God.
We learn, on the one hand, that we cannot trust ourselves even in our best moments, and, on the other, that we need not despair even in our worst, for our failures are forgiven.
The only fatal thing is to sit down content with anything less than perfection.
C.S. Lewis - Mere Christianity
(((I really get a lot from this excerpt from C.S. Lewis' book Mere Christianity.
So often we want to give up because things do seem impossible. It's impossible to give up that cherished sin, or those cherished sins. We try and try and pray until we think we can pray no more and yet still we fall victim to the cherished sin. We soon focus on the sins that do so easily beset us. -- Paul had this to say --
Romans {7:18} For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [how] to perform that which is good I find not. {7:19} For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. {7:20} Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. {7:21} I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. {7:22} For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: {7:23} But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. {7:24} O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? {7:25} I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
He had a lot to say didn't he? Can you empathize with him? I can. Lewis says that 'many are deterred'. We become deterred because we feel it's impossible. Then he says this... 'You must ask for God's help. Even when you have done so, it may seem to you for a long time that no help, or less help than you need, is being given.'
It does seem this way doesn't it? Even getting that desire to give up cherished sin seems hard. The sin seems to become more ingrained, harder than ever to give up. The harder we try, the more elusive and hopeless it seems, right?
I really like this part of what Lewis says-
'Very often what God first helps us towards is not the virtue itself but just this power of always trying again.'
To me that says we don't give up! God works in ways we can't possibly understand and if we're not given the answers in the ways we want we can't give up on God. That's what we do isn't it? When we give in to our sins and never try to rid ourselves of them, if we give up the fight, if we give up hope, we are giving up on Jesus and we are saying that He doesn't have the power to save us. Whether we want to admit it or not, that's what we're saying. We can try and blame ourselves by saying we'll never be good enough so why bother, but that's only stating the obvious truth that Jesus already knows. Is this a license so sin, no, no, no. Admitting that we can't save ourselves is essential towards the true realization that only Christ can save us. Paul called himself a wretched man and then asked who could deliver him from the body of death... he answered himself, he thanked God through Jesus' Christ our Lord. We have to thank God knowing that even though we can't imagine a sinless life that He can do even that for us. We can't give up the hope! And we can't ... like Lewis said, 'be content with anything less than perfection.' And that perfection is Jesus' Christ.
May God help us now and always, by the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus!
Amen.
'...many people are deterred from seriously attempting Christian chastity because they think (before trying) that it is impossible. But when a thing has to be attempted, one must never think about possibility or impossibility.
Faced with an optional question in an examination paper, one considers whether one can do it or not: faced with a compulsory question, one must do the best one can.
You may get some marks for a very imperfect answer: you will certainly get none for leaving the question alone.
Not only in examinations but in war, in mountain climbing, in learning to skate, or swim, or ride a bicycle, even in fastening a stiff collar with cold fingers, people quite often do what seemed impossible before they did it.
It is wonderful what you can do when you have to.
We may, indeed, be sure that perfect chastity-like perfect charity-will not be attained by any merely human efforts.
You must ask for God's help.
Even when you have done so, it may seem to you for a long time that no help, or less help than you need, is being given.
Never mind.
After each failure, ask forgiveness, pick yourself up, and try again.
Very often what God first helps us towards is not the virtue itself but just this power of always trying again.
For however important chastity (or courage, or truthfulness, or any other virtue) may be, this process trains us in habits of the soul
which are more important still.
It cures our illusions about ourselves and teaches us to depend on God.
We learn, on the one hand, that we cannot trust ourselves even in our best moments, and, on the other, that we need not despair even in our worst, for our failures are forgiven.
The only fatal thing is to sit down content with anything less than perfection.
C.S. Lewis - Mere Christianity
(((I really get a lot from this excerpt from C.S. Lewis' book Mere Christianity.
So often we want to give up because things do seem impossible. It's impossible to give up that cherished sin, or those cherished sins. We try and try and pray until we think we can pray no more and yet still we fall victim to the cherished sin. We soon focus on the sins that do so easily beset us. -- Paul had this to say --
Romans {7:18} For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [how] to perform that which is good I find not. {7:19} For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. {7:20} Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. {7:21} I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. {7:22} For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: {7:23} But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. {7:24} O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? {7:25} I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
He had a lot to say didn't he? Can you empathize with him? I can. Lewis says that 'many are deterred'. We become deterred because we feel it's impossible. Then he says this... 'You must ask for God's help. Even when you have done so, it may seem to you for a long time that no help, or less help than you need, is being given.'
It does seem this way doesn't it? Even getting that desire to give up cherished sin seems hard. The sin seems to become more ingrained, harder than ever to give up. The harder we try, the more elusive and hopeless it seems, right?
I really like this part of what Lewis says-
'Very often what God first helps us towards is not the virtue itself but just this power of always trying again.'
To me that says we don't give up! God works in ways we can't possibly understand and if we're not given the answers in the ways we want we can't give up on God. That's what we do isn't it? When we give in to our sins and never try to rid ourselves of them, if we give up the fight, if we give up hope, we are giving up on Jesus and we are saying that He doesn't have the power to save us. Whether we want to admit it or not, that's what we're saying. We can try and blame ourselves by saying we'll never be good enough so why bother, but that's only stating the obvious truth that Jesus already knows. Is this a license so sin, no, no, no. Admitting that we can't save ourselves is essential towards the true realization that only Christ can save us. Paul called himself a wretched man and then asked who could deliver him from the body of death... he answered himself, he thanked God through Jesus' Christ our Lord. We have to thank God knowing that even though we can't imagine a sinless life that He can do even that for us. We can't give up the hope! And we can't ... like Lewis said, 'be content with anything less than perfection.' And that perfection is Jesus' Christ.
May God help us now and always, by the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus!
Amen.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
To him that overcometh
Revelation
...
But this thou hast,
that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes
which I also hate.
He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
(((Jesus commends His people in Ephesus for yet another thing - Hating the deeds of the Nicolaitanes. It didn't say hating the Nicolaitanes, but hating the deeds of the Nicolaitanes; deeds that Jesus himself hates. What are some things Jesus hates?
Heb. {1:9} Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, [even] thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Deut. {16:21} Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee. {16:22} Neither shalt thou set thee up [any] image; which the LORD thy God hateth.
Ps. {5:5} The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
Ps. {45:7} Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy
fellows
It's easy to see what God hates- sin, graven images worship to other gods, wickedness, workers of sin. What is sin?
1 John {3:4} Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Transgressing the law.
What is the law?
Matthew {22:36} Master, which is the great commandment in the law? {22:37} Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. {22:38} This is the first and great commandment. {22:39} And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. {22:40} On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
So Jesus hates the actions of those who hate God and those who hate others treating them as they would not want to be treated. Any actions that hurt others are sinful. There is a lot to hate in our world, a lot of sinful acts. The fact God's people hated those who were wicked comitting wicked deeds was a good thing, because Jesus hates sin. ))))
'But this thou hast,
that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes
which I also hate.
He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.'
((('He that hath an ear'
Don't we all?
'let him hear'
Can we choose not to hear? Yes. We can choose not to hear, we don't have to listen, we aren't forced to listen. We who have ears need to hear, we need to choose to listen.
What are we to listen to? 'let him hear what the Spirit saith unto th churches' We have to listen to what we are being told! What the Spirit is relating to us through His prophets. And a promise is given...
'To him that overcometh...'
Overcomes what? Overcomes that which would bring us down- losing our first love.
'To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.'
If we keep to our first love, if our first love is Christ we will eat of the tree of life, a tree that is in the midst of God's paradise!
If we eat of the tree of life we will have life forever in Christ. How beautiful is that promise? How wondrous is that knowledge!
Let us ALL overcome! Let us all hear! Let us all keep our first love in Christ! By His amazing grace, by His mercy unlike any other mercy.
Amen.))))
...
But this thou hast,
that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes
which I also hate.
He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
(((Jesus commends His people in Ephesus for yet another thing - Hating the deeds of the Nicolaitanes. It didn't say hating the Nicolaitanes, but hating the deeds of the Nicolaitanes; deeds that Jesus himself hates. What are some things Jesus hates?
Heb. {1:9} Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, [even] thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Deut. {16:21} Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee. {16:22} Neither shalt thou set thee up [any] image; which the LORD thy God hateth.
Ps. {5:5} The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
Ps. {45:7} Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy
fellows
It's easy to see what God hates- sin, graven images worship to other gods, wickedness, workers of sin. What is sin?
1 John {3:4} Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Transgressing the law.
What is the law?
Matthew {22:36} Master, which is the great commandment in the law? {22:37} Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. {22:38} This is the first and great commandment. {22:39} And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. {22:40} On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
So Jesus hates the actions of those who hate God and those who hate others treating them as they would not want to be treated. Any actions that hurt others are sinful. There is a lot to hate in our world, a lot of sinful acts. The fact God's people hated those who were wicked comitting wicked deeds was a good thing, because Jesus hates sin. ))))
'But this thou hast,
that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes
which I also hate.
He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.'
((('He that hath an ear'
Don't we all?
'let him hear'
Can we choose not to hear? Yes. We can choose not to hear, we don't have to listen, we aren't forced to listen. We who have ears need to hear, we need to choose to listen.
What are we to listen to? 'let him hear what the Spirit saith unto th churches' We have to listen to what we are being told! What the Spirit is relating to us through His prophets. And a promise is given...
'To him that overcometh...'
Overcomes what? Overcomes that which would bring us down- losing our first love.
'To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.'
If we keep to our first love, if our first love is Christ we will eat of the tree of life, a tree that is in the midst of God's paradise!
If we eat of the tree of life we will have life forever in Christ. How beautiful is that promise? How wondrous is that knowledge!
Let us ALL overcome! Let us all hear! Let us all keep our first love in Christ! By His amazing grace, by His mercy unlike any other mercy.
Amen.))))
Monday, August 24, 2009
Remember from whence thou art fallen
Write the things which thou hast seen
and the things which are
and the things which shall be hereafter
The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand
and the seven golden candlesticks.
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches
and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches
...
(((John is being requested to write the things he had just seen. The things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. Amazing isn't it? Asked to write the things which are- something we all could do. I could sit here and write about the things I'm seeing right now without a problem- what I can't do is write about how things will be in the future because I don't know the future. John is being asked to write about things which shall be hereafter - that's the future - prophecy.
John is told - the mystery of the seven stars which he saw in Jesus' right hand and the seven golden candlesticks.
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. Seven stars- seven angels of the seven churches.
The seven candlesticks are the seven churches.
God's people make up God's church. The perfect church. The true church. God's people throughout all time. God's people from then and hereafter- future.
God's people will one day be before Him. There is no wonder that the seven candlesticks represent the perfectness of God's people before Him.
The mystery was revealed. John saw a vision and the vision was interpreted.))))
...
Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write;
These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand,
who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks
I know thy works,
and thy labour,
and thy patience,
and how thou canst not bear them which are evil
and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles,
and are not
and hast found them liars
And hast borne
and hast patience
and for my name’s sake hast laboured
and hast not fainted.
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee
because thou hast left thy first love.
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen
and repent
and do the first works
or else I will come unto thee quickly
and will remove thy candlestick out of his place
except thou repent.
But this thou hast,
that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes,
which I also hate.
He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life
which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
(((Unto the angel write- the seven stars in Jesus' hand were the seven angels of the churches. John was to write to the first of those angels - the angel of the church of Ephesus.
Jesus who was and is, who died and lives, the alpha and omega; Jesus who holds the seven stars, the seven angels, who walks among the seven churches- Jesus who lives among His people. This message was being sent to them by Jesus' and the message was...))))
...
'I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not and hast found them liars and has borne and hast patience and for my name's sake hast laboured and hast not fainted.'
...
(((God's people working, their laboring, their patience, their abhorance of those who do evil and claim to follow God, their patience all for Jesus and without fainting- Jesus recognizes it all! The work does not go unnoticed and yet there is more He notices.))))
...
'Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent.'
(((Jesus has somewhat against the first church, against His people, those who lived when the apostles lived and this message is for all time because we learn from mistakes of the past don't we? Shouldn't we? If we don't learn from mistakes then we are guilty of being negligent aren't we? Of not learning when we had everything available to us to learn.
Jesus has somewhat against His people of Ephesus, He says- Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love.
Thy first love.
How easy it is to leave our first love in all things. Think about it. How many things have you once love and no longer love? How many things do you love but not in the same way? Most people who have experienced love understand how easy it is to lose that newness of first love. When we lose our first love with Jesus what are we losing? Our first love - losing it is losing what it's all truly about. If we lose Jesus as first and foremost in our lives then we've lost it all. Anything that comes before Jesus will only get in the way of Jesus. We can't lose our first love of Jesus. The love is everlasting and if we find ourselves putting anything before the love of Jesus we need to repent. We have to keep Jesus as our first love.))))
...
'Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent, and do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent.'
(((Remember! Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent! Repent! Do the first works. Works brought on by having the first love Jesus. Jesus first! Or else Jesus will come quickly and take away the fact you are God's people. You will no longer be God's people, because the candlestick is the church, the church is God's people, and if the candlestick is taken away then the consequence is the people that were once making up the church are no longer the same people making up the church. Repent.
Repent- ask for forgiveness and return to the first love, to putting Jesus first above all else. Amazing advice, amazing encouragement, loving guidance from the source of Love. May we all heed the advice given to us by our Lord and Savior! By His mercy and grace may we repent and keep Him our first love, forever!
Amen.))))
and the things which are
and the things which shall be hereafter
The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand
and the seven golden candlesticks.
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches
and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches
...
(((John is being requested to write the things he had just seen. The things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. Amazing isn't it? Asked to write the things which are- something we all could do. I could sit here and write about the things I'm seeing right now without a problem- what I can't do is write about how things will be in the future because I don't know the future. John is being asked to write about things which shall be hereafter - that's the future - prophecy.
John is told - the mystery of the seven stars which he saw in Jesus' right hand and the seven golden candlesticks.
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. Seven stars- seven angels of the seven churches.
The seven candlesticks are the seven churches.
God's people make up God's church. The perfect church. The true church. God's people throughout all time. God's people from then and hereafter- future.
God's people will one day be before Him. There is no wonder that the seven candlesticks represent the perfectness of God's people before Him.
The mystery was revealed. John saw a vision and the vision was interpreted.))))
...
Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write;
These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand,
who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks
I know thy works,
and thy labour,
and thy patience,
and how thou canst not bear them which are evil
and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles,
and are not
and hast found them liars
And hast borne
and hast patience
and for my name’s sake hast laboured
and hast not fainted.
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee
because thou hast left thy first love.
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen
and repent
and do the first works
or else I will come unto thee quickly
and will remove thy candlestick out of his place
except thou repent.
But this thou hast,
that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes,
which I also hate.
He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life
which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
(((Unto the angel write- the seven stars in Jesus' hand were the seven angels of the churches. John was to write to the first of those angels - the angel of the church of Ephesus.
Jesus who was and is, who died and lives, the alpha and omega; Jesus who holds the seven stars, the seven angels, who walks among the seven churches- Jesus who lives among His people. This message was being sent to them by Jesus' and the message was...))))
...
'I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not and hast found them liars and has borne and hast patience and for my name's sake hast laboured and hast not fainted.'
...
(((God's people working, their laboring, their patience, their abhorance of those who do evil and claim to follow God, their patience all for Jesus and without fainting- Jesus recognizes it all! The work does not go unnoticed and yet there is more He notices.))))
...
'Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent.'
(((Jesus has somewhat against the first church, against His people, those who lived when the apostles lived and this message is for all time because we learn from mistakes of the past don't we? Shouldn't we? If we don't learn from mistakes then we are guilty of being negligent aren't we? Of not learning when we had everything available to us to learn.
Jesus has somewhat against His people of Ephesus, He says- Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love.
Thy first love.
How easy it is to leave our first love in all things. Think about it. How many things have you once love and no longer love? How many things do you love but not in the same way? Most people who have experienced love understand how easy it is to lose that newness of first love. When we lose our first love with Jesus what are we losing? Our first love - losing it is losing what it's all truly about. If we lose Jesus as first and foremost in our lives then we've lost it all. Anything that comes before Jesus will only get in the way of Jesus. We can't lose our first love of Jesus. The love is everlasting and if we find ourselves putting anything before the love of Jesus we need to repent. We have to keep Jesus as our first love.))))
...
'Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent, and do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent.'
(((Remember! Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent! Repent! Do the first works. Works brought on by having the first love Jesus. Jesus first! Or else Jesus will come quickly and take away the fact you are God's people. You will no longer be God's people, because the candlestick is the church, the church is God's people, and if the candlestick is taken away then the consequence is the people that were once making up the church are no longer the same people making up the church. Repent.
Repent- ask for forgiveness and return to the first love, to putting Jesus first above all else. Amazing advice, amazing encouragement, loving guidance from the source of Love. May we all heed the advice given to us by our Lord and Savior! By His mercy and grace may we repent and keep Him our first love, forever!
Amen.))))
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Such a Vision!
And I turned to see the voice that spake with me.
And being turned,
I saw seven golden candlesticks
And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man
clothed with a garment down to the foot
and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
His head and his hairs were white like wool,
as white as snow
and his eyes were as a flame of fire
And his feet like unto fine brass
as if they burned in a furnace
and his voice as the sound of many waters.
And he had in his right hand seven stars
and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword
and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength
...
(((John turned- the voice was coming from behind him as noted earlier, but tell me, did John turn right away upon first hearing the booming trumpet-like voice behind him? No. The voice had time to tell John --
'I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send [it] unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.'
If you read that aloud you realize that's quite a bit of talking to someone's back. A knee-jerk reaction you'd think would have been to turn upon the first few words. But John isn't himself here is he? What I mean is, John is being guided by the Spirit. If he's in the Spirit then he has to be guided by the Spirit and obviously he wasn't guided to jerk about but able to listen and then turn to see the voice that had spoken with him. It's just interesting to imagine the situation, isn't it? John is on an island, he's in the Spirit. I'm picturing him sitting outside in some nice spot, and yes, I imagine there are nice spots there- I've seen pictures of the Island of Patmos and while they are modern pictures I can't believe the island was some desolate rock unable to sustain life. Anyway, I imagine John sitting outside and while he's praying the Spirit fills him fully and he hears the great voice behind him. Taking a moment to listen to the voice John I imagine is amazed and turns to see from whom this voice is coming because clearly it's behind him and not just generally surrounding him on all sides. He turns and what does he see...
...
'I saw seven golden candlesticks'
Exodus {25:31} And thou shalt make a candlestick [of] pure gold: [of] beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. {25:32} And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: {25:33} Three bowls made like unto almonds, [with] a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, [with] a knop and a
flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. {25:34} And in the candlestick [shall be] four bowls made like unto almonds, [with] their knops and their flowers. {25:35} And [there shall be] a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick. {25:36} Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it [shall be] one beaten work [of] pure gold. {25:37} And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. {25:38} And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, [shall be of] pure gold. {25:39} [Of] a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.
{25:40} And look that thou make [them] after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.
Exodus {39:32} Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they. {39:33} And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets, {39:34} And the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers’ skins,and the vail of the covering, {39:35} The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat, {39:36} The table, [and] all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread, {39:37} The pure candlestick, [with] the lamps thereof, [even with] the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light, {39:38} And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door, {39:39} The brasen altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot, {39:40} The hangings of the court, his pillars, and his sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation, {39:41} The cloths of service to do service in the holy [place,] and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons’ garments, to minister in the priest’s office. {39:42} According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. {39:43} And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they have done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
2 Chronicles {4:19} And Solomon made all the vessels that [were for] the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the shewbread [was set; ]{4:20} Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold
Seven candlesticks- in the tabernacle erected in the wilderness by Moses and by Solomon for the permanent temple- the house of God. And John turns to look at who spoke to him and saw seven golden candlesticks. There's that number again- seven. And we know for a fact that God placed importance upon having seven lamps in His temple, so what is John seeing? No longer is the terrain behind him the same as it was when he walked to where he was. Everything had been changed. The Spirit had altered things and in this vision he was seeing seven golden candlesticks a sure sign of the temple of God, only not the temple John knew on earth in Jerusalem. He didn't say he'd been taken to the Jerusalem temple, but here he was seeing a very amazing sight, seven golden candlesticks but not only that...
...
'And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man'
Dan. {7:13} I saw in the night visions, and, behold, [one] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. {7:14} And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed.
Matthew {8:18} Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. {8:19} And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. {8:20} And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head.
Matthew {11:16} But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, {11:17} And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. {11:18} For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. {11:19} The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
Matthew {12:8} For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
Matthew {13:41} The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity
(((Is it safe to say that the Son of man John was seeing was Jesus? Read on...))))
...
'...clothed with a garment down to the foot
and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
His head and his hairs were white like wool,
as white as snow
and his eyes were as a flame of fire
And his feet like unto fine brass
as if they burned in a furnace
and his voice as the sound of many waters.
And he had in his right hand seven stars
and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword
and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.'
(((What a vision! What a sight to behold! Clearly John is describing something very magnificent! What did John do upon seeing such a wonder?))))
...
'And when I saw him
I fell at his feet as dead.'
(((He fell! And not only did he fall, he fell as one dead. What's that mean? He lost all ability to remain standing. His very strength was gone. The shock of what he was seeing completely floored him. We hear about people being frightened into fainting, frightened into falling down in fact we may have done it ourselves a time or two, but it would be a very amazing fright to cause us to just fall down as dead, yes? John fell at the feet of the Son of man as dead and no wonder by how he's described Him. Fear coursed through John, such a fear that it had him all but fainting.))))
...
And he laid his right hand upon me
saying unto me
Fear not
I am the first and the last
I am he that liveth,
and was dead;
and, behold,
I am alive for evermore,
Amen;
and have the keys of hell and of death.'
(((The Son of man laid his right hand - the hand that held seven stars- upon John and spoke. What's the first thing He says to John after being seen by him? 'Fear not'
Fear not! John was filled with fear! We like to imagine that the only encounter one could have with the Spirit and such would be peaceful and calm, we envision an otherworldly tranquility assoiciated with God. It's not altogether wrong to believe in such because Jesus was a peaceful man upon earth and He advocated peace and love. He admonished His disciples for their fear when they were in the stormy seas. But it's understandable that fear isn't altogether unexpected when we deal with the Spirit. Is it a crippling fear? Well, it was a fear that knocked John off his feet as if he were dead, falling to the ground. Obviously it wasn't a fear that sent him running for the hills. This fear took total control of John and then the Son of man said to him...'Fear not'
He didn't stop there did he? He went on to explain why John should not fear.
He says... 'I am the first and the last' Again the association of God! The ever was and ever will be.
He says... 'I am he that liveth and was dead.' John knows who died and rose- the Son of God, the Son of man.
He continues... 'And, behold, I am alive for evermore, amen!' Never will death touch Him again. Death took the Son of man, the man who was the Son of God and pulled Him down to the grave. Released from death He would live forever!
And He says... 'And have the keys of hell and death.' The keys! What do keys do? They unlock and when you unlock something you're opening it, you're freeing what was locked within. The keys of hell and death are whose? Jesus! Jesus the Son of God, the Son of man who died and rose from death defeating death has the keys that can free everyone from death and the grave! Everyone!
Jesus! Jesus in the heavenly temple of God surrounded by the seven golden candlesticks! Jesus reaching to touch John to revive him from his stupor over the very sight of all he was being shown. What wonder! What amazing, miraculous sights to be seeing! To be in the presence of Jesus in all His glory, so unlike Jesus when He walked the earth so unassuming. This is Jesus in all His power, His heavenly garb, His transformed self. No wonder John needed reviving.
Amazing the setting for this message to us, and make no mistake it is for us. For God's people throughout time and we are God's people. We need to study this thoroughly, we need the blessings offered to us. May we truly be blessed and guided by the Spirit as we endeavor to understand more fully all that was given to John and in what manner it was given to Him. Such an amazing description of the setting deserves a true recognition for the importance placed upon what message is being told to John for us.
By His mercy and His grace, His everlasting love, now and forever! Amen!
And being turned,
I saw seven golden candlesticks
And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man
clothed with a garment down to the foot
and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
His head and his hairs were white like wool,
as white as snow
and his eyes were as a flame of fire
And his feet like unto fine brass
as if they burned in a furnace
and his voice as the sound of many waters.
And he had in his right hand seven stars
and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword
and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength
...
(((John turned- the voice was coming from behind him as noted earlier, but tell me, did John turn right away upon first hearing the booming trumpet-like voice behind him? No. The voice had time to tell John --
'I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send [it] unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.'
If you read that aloud you realize that's quite a bit of talking to someone's back. A knee-jerk reaction you'd think would have been to turn upon the first few words. But John isn't himself here is he? What I mean is, John is being guided by the Spirit. If he's in the Spirit then he has to be guided by the Spirit and obviously he wasn't guided to jerk about but able to listen and then turn to see the voice that had spoken with him. It's just interesting to imagine the situation, isn't it? John is on an island, he's in the Spirit. I'm picturing him sitting outside in some nice spot, and yes, I imagine there are nice spots there- I've seen pictures of the Island of Patmos and while they are modern pictures I can't believe the island was some desolate rock unable to sustain life. Anyway, I imagine John sitting outside and while he's praying the Spirit fills him fully and he hears the great voice behind him. Taking a moment to listen to the voice John I imagine is amazed and turns to see from whom this voice is coming because clearly it's behind him and not just generally surrounding him on all sides. He turns and what does he see...
...
'I saw seven golden candlesticks'
Exodus {25:31} And thou shalt make a candlestick [of] pure gold: [of] beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. {25:32} And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: {25:33} Three bowls made like unto almonds, [with] a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, [with] a knop and a
flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. {25:34} And in the candlestick [shall be] four bowls made like unto almonds, [with] their knops and their flowers. {25:35} And [there shall be] a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick. {25:36} Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it [shall be] one beaten work [of] pure gold. {25:37} And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. {25:38} And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, [shall be of] pure gold. {25:39} [Of] a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.
{25:40} And look that thou make [them] after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.
Exodus {39:32} Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they. {39:33} And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets, {39:34} And the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers’ skins,and the vail of the covering, {39:35} The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat, {39:36} The table, [and] all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread, {39:37} The pure candlestick, [with] the lamps thereof, [even with] the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light, {39:38} And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door, {39:39} The brasen altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot, {39:40} The hangings of the court, his pillars, and his sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation, {39:41} The cloths of service to do service in the holy [place,] and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons’ garments, to minister in the priest’s office. {39:42} According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. {39:43} And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they have done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
2 Chronicles {4:19} And Solomon made all the vessels that [were for] the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the shewbread [was set; ]{4:20} Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold
Seven candlesticks- in the tabernacle erected in the wilderness by Moses and by Solomon for the permanent temple- the house of God. And John turns to look at who spoke to him and saw seven golden candlesticks. There's that number again- seven. And we know for a fact that God placed importance upon having seven lamps in His temple, so what is John seeing? No longer is the terrain behind him the same as it was when he walked to where he was. Everything had been changed. The Spirit had altered things and in this vision he was seeing seven golden candlesticks a sure sign of the temple of God, only not the temple John knew on earth in Jerusalem. He didn't say he'd been taken to the Jerusalem temple, but here he was seeing a very amazing sight, seven golden candlesticks but not only that...
...
'And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man'
Dan. {7:13} I saw in the night visions, and, behold, [one] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. {7:14} And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed.
Matthew {8:18} Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. {8:19} And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. {8:20} And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head.
Matthew {11:16} But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, {11:17} And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. {11:18} For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. {11:19} The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
Matthew {12:8} For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
Matthew {13:41} The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity
(((Is it safe to say that the Son of man John was seeing was Jesus? Read on...))))
...
'...clothed with a garment down to the foot
and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
His head and his hairs were white like wool,
as white as snow
and his eyes were as a flame of fire
And his feet like unto fine brass
as if they burned in a furnace
and his voice as the sound of many waters.
And he had in his right hand seven stars
and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword
and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.'
(((What a vision! What a sight to behold! Clearly John is describing something very magnificent! What did John do upon seeing such a wonder?))))
...
'And when I saw him
I fell at his feet as dead.'
(((He fell! And not only did he fall, he fell as one dead. What's that mean? He lost all ability to remain standing. His very strength was gone. The shock of what he was seeing completely floored him. We hear about people being frightened into fainting, frightened into falling down in fact we may have done it ourselves a time or two, but it would be a very amazing fright to cause us to just fall down as dead, yes? John fell at the feet of the Son of man as dead and no wonder by how he's described Him. Fear coursed through John, such a fear that it had him all but fainting.))))
...
And he laid his right hand upon me
saying unto me
Fear not
I am the first and the last
I am he that liveth,
and was dead;
and, behold,
I am alive for evermore,
Amen;
and have the keys of hell and of death.'
(((The Son of man laid his right hand - the hand that held seven stars- upon John and spoke. What's the first thing He says to John after being seen by him? 'Fear not'
Fear not! John was filled with fear! We like to imagine that the only encounter one could have with the Spirit and such would be peaceful and calm, we envision an otherworldly tranquility assoiciated with God. It's not altogether wrong to believe in such because Jesus was a peaceful man upon earth and He advocated peace and love. He admonished His disciples for their fear when they were in the stormy seas. But it's understandable that fear isn't altogether unexpected when we deal with the Spirit. Is it a crippling fear? Well, it was a fear that knocked John off his feet as if he were dead, falling to the ground. Obviously it wasn't a fear that sent him running for the hills. This fear took total control of John and then the Son of man said to him...'Fear not'
He didn't stop there did he? He went on to explain why John should not fear.
He says... 'I am the first and the last' Again the association of God! The ever was and ever will be.
He says... 'I am he that liveth and was dead.' John knows who died and rose- the Son of God, the Son of man.
He continues... 'And, behold, I am alive for evermore, amen!' Never will death touch Him again. Death took the Son of man, the man who was the Son of God and pulled Him down to the grave. Released from death He would live forever!
And He says... 'And have the keys of hell and death.' The keys! What do keys do? They unlock and when you unlock something you're opening it, you're freeing what was locked within. The keys of hell and death are whose? Jesus! Jesus the Son of God, the Son of man who died and rose from death defeating death has the keys that can free everyone from death and the grave! Everyone!
Jesus! Jesus in the heavenly temple of God surrounded by the seven golden candlesticks! Jesus reaching to touch John to revive him from his stupor over the very sight of all he was being shown. What wonder! What amazing, miraculous sights to be seeing! To be in the presence of Jesus in all His glory, so unlike Jesus when He walked the earth so unassuming. This is Jesus in all His power, His heavenly garb, His transformed self. No wonder John needed reviving.
Amazing the setting for this message to us, and make no mistake it is for us. For God's people throughout time and we are God's people. We need to study this thoroughly, we need the blessings offered to us. May we truly be blessed and guided by the Spirit as we endeavor to understand more fully all that was given to John and in what manner it was given to Him. Such an amazing description of the setting deserves a true recognition for the importance placed upon what message is being told to John for us.
By His mercy and His grace, His everlasting love, now and forever! Amen!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
All of God's People
I John,
who also am your brother,
and companion in tribulation,
and in the kingdom
and patience of Jesus Christ,
was in the isle that is called Patmos,
for the word of God,
and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
(((John was on an isle called Patmos- why? For the word of God, for the testimony of Jesus Christ which we read later is -- Rev. {19:10} 'And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See [thou do it] not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.'
John was in the isle of Patmos for the word of God and for the Spirit of prophecy- the testimony of Jesus. John, who like all who are followers of Christ from the beginning until the end, are brothers and companions in tribulation- the tribulation the world offers us. John {16:33} 'These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good
cheer; I have overcome the world.'
John was no stranger to the world's tribulations that followers of Christ suffer. John was a part of it all, he had his part in the suffering of the tribulation and his part in the kingdom- the promise of the kingdom in Jesus, the patience. For what Christian can truly be a Christian without the patience necessary to endure all that the world offers and be victorious in Christ?
John - a brother, a companion, a believer in the kingdom, a possessor of the patience of Jesus Christ- John was where he was for God, for the Spirit of Prophecy for the testimony of Jesus Christ.}}}
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day
and heard behind me a great voice,
as of a trumpet,
(((John was in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit- the Holy Comforter -
John- {16:7} Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come
unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. {16:8} And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: {16:9} Of sin, because they believe not on me; {16:10} Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; {16:11} Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. {16:12} I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. {16:13} Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come'
Jesus talked of sending the Spirit, the Comforter to us after He was to leave the world. This Comforter, this Spirit of truth is for all of us. John was in the Spirit, John was given the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, and while He was absorbed in the Spirit he heard a great voice, as of a trumpet. Can you imagine the sound of that voice?! As of a trumpet. Now I've heard a trumpet before and they're nothing like a soft flute are they? They are loud and commanding. Trumpets are used to bring people to attention, to listen, to be heard. A great voice as of a trumpet- this would indeed be a voice commanding attention, a voice that could not be ignored.
What did the voice say? ))))
...
Saying,
I am Alpha and Omega,
the first and the last
(((Again the emphasis on the beginning and the end, the first and the last, and there is only one Alpha and Omega, only one! God.))))
and,
What thou seest,
write in a book,
and send it unto the seven churches
which are in Asia
unto Ephesus
and unto Smyrna
and unto Pergamos
and unto Thyatira
and unto Sardis
and unto Philadelphia
and unto Laodicea.
(((Write in a book, the voice, the commanding voice from the Alpha and Omega wants John to write a book and even tells him where the book was to go to. Was it to be broken up and part sent here and part there? No. A book was to be written and sent to all seven churches. So clearly the first church- Ephesus would read what John had to say to the six after them. The last church Laodicea would be able to read all that was written for the six churches before them. This book was clearly to be written for all seven churches with specific points mentioned for each church and yet all the churches would read what was written for all.
Remember talking about the number seven? Remember talking about what constitutes God's church? The number seven is a number signifying completeness, perfection. God's church isn't a building but God's people. Think about it... John wrote a book and sent it to seven churches, were there more than seven churches then? More than seven groups of God's people? Did they feel neglected and left out because they weren't given a specific message? Or is it possible that the message given to each of God's people in those various seven locations was a message that would travel with those people and be given to all of God's people? Seriously, if I have an important message from my mother I'm going to share it with my sisters and brother, aren't I? I won't say this important message is just for me and for me alone. It's important and like most important things they are shared with others.
The ways of God aren't our ways. We do know that we who are alive today are getting the same message that was given to those seven churches. We are part of God's church, we are part of God's people and as such we share in this important message. So yes, John was to write a book and send it to seven groups of God's people in seven different areas, and yet we know this message was for ALL of God's people to live before His return, from that time unto our time and right up until the time of Jesus' return.
May God open our hearts and minds to Him, may we be in the Spirit, may we have the Spirit of truth in us comforting us, guiding us leading us as Jesus would have us led. When we read and study God's word to His people may our hearts be in Him, open to receive any blessing He would bestow upon us. May our insight be solely guided by Him, our Savior, our Redeemer, by His grace and His mercy now and forever!
Amen.))))
who also am your brother,
and companion in tribulation,
and in the kingdom
and patience of Jesus Christ,
was in the isle that is called Patmos,
for the word of God,
and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
(((John was on an isle called Patmos- why? For the word of God, for the testimony of Jesus Christ which we read later is -- Rev. {19:10} 'And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See [thou do it] not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.'
John was in the isle of Patmos for the word of God and for the Spirit of prophecy- the testimony of Jesus. John, who like all who are followers of Christ from the beginning until the end, are brothers and companions in tribulation- the tribulation the world offers us. John {16:33} 'These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good
cheer; I have overcome the world.'
John was no stranger to the world's tribulations that followers of Christ suffer. John was a part of it all, he had his part in the suffering of the tribulation and his part in the kingdom- the promise of the kingdom in Jesus, the patience. For what Christian can truly be a Christian without the patience necessary to endure all that the world offers and be victorious in Christ?
John - a brother, a companion, a believer in the kingdom, a possessor of the patience of Jesus Christ- John was where he was for God, for the Spirit of Prophecy for the testimony of Jesus Christ.}}}
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day
and heard behind me a great voice,
as of a trumpet,
(((John was in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit- the Holy Comforter -
John- {16:7} Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come
unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. {16:8} And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: {16:9} Of sin, because they believe not on me; {16:10} Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; {16:11} Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. {16:12} I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. {16:13} Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come'
Jesus talked of sending the Spirit, the Comforter to us after He was to leave the world. This Comforter, this Spirit of truth is for all of us. John was in the Spirit, John was given the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, and while He was absorbed in the Spirit he heard a great voice, as of a trumpet. Can you imagine the sound of that voice?! As of a trumpet. Now I've heard a trumpet before and they're nothing like a soft flute are they? They are loud and commanding. Trumpets are used to bring people to attention, to listen, to be heard. A great voice as of a trumpet- this would indeed be a voice commanding attention, a voice that could not be ignored.
What did the voice say? ))))
...
Saying,
I am Alpha and Omega,
the first and the last
(((Again the emphasis on the beginning and the end, the first and the last, and there is only one Alpha and Omega, only one! God.))))
and,
What thou seest,
write in a book,
and send it unto the seven churches
which are in Asia
unto Ephesus
and unto Smyrna
and unto Pergamos
and unto Thyatira
and unto Sardis
and unto Philadelphia
and unto Laodicea.
(((Write in a book, the voice, the commanding voice from the Alpha and Omega wants John to write a book and even tells him where the book was to go to. Was it to be broken up and part sent here and part there? No. A book was to be written and sent to all seven churches. So clearly the first church- Ephesus would read what John had to say to the six after them. The last church Laodicea would be able to read all that was written for the six churches before them. This book was clearly to be written for all seven churches with specific points mentioned for each church and yet all the churches would read what was written for all.
Remember talking about the number seven? Remember talking about what constitutes God's church? The number seven is a number signifying completeness, perfection. God's church isn't a building but God's people. Think about it... John wrote a book and sent it to seven churches, were there more than seven churches then? More than seven groups of God's people? Did they feel neglected and left out because they weren't given a specific message? Or is it possible that the message given to each of God's people in those various seven locations was a message that would travel with those people and be given to all of God's people? Seriously, if I have an important message from my mother I'm going to share it with my sisters and brother, aren't I? I won't say this important message is just for me and for me alone. It's important and like most important things they are shared with others.
The ways of God aren't our ways. We do know that we who are alive today are getting the same message that was given to those seven churches. We are part of God's church, we are part of God's people and as such we share in this important message. So yes, John was to write a book and send it to seven groups of God's people in seven different areas, and yet we know this message was for ALL of God's people to live before His return, from that time unto our time and right up until the time of Jesus' return.
May God open our hearts and minds to Him, may we be in the Spirit, may we have the Spirit of truth in us comforting us, guiding us leading us as Jesus would have us led. When we read and study God's word to His people may our hearts be in Him, open to receive any blessing He would bestow upon us. May our insight be solely guided by Him, our Savior, our Redeemer, by His grace and His mercy now and forever!
Amen.))))
Friday, August 21, 2009
The Beginning and the End
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John. Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
...
I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the ending,
saith the Lord,
which is,
and which was,
and which is to come,
the Almighty.
*
Grace be unto you
and peace
from him
which is
and which was
and which is to come.
(((The similarities right there within such a short bit of writing does what? Usually we call such repetativeness redundant and any writer worth their salt would have deleted such reiteration as unnecessary use of words. Change things up we say; learn how to say the same thing in a new way so it doesn't come off as repetative. But here in the Bible we know for a fact that the writers of this holy book got it right the first time with no need for an editors sharp pen to run through any lines and make little notations to change things up a bit. These are God's words to man through the Holy Spirit inspiring them to write and if these are holy words we read they are being written for a reason. If there is any repetition it's there for a reason as well, there to show emphasis perhaps? There to indicate important knowledge that we shouldn't overlook. The Bible isn't a novel, the Bible is unique and the message it holds for any who reads it is unique.
Reading the beginning of Revelation and these words- which is, which was, which is to come, we can find again further along--
Rev. {4:8} '...saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.'
There is no mistaking the importance of this is there? The fulness glorified in those words is amazing. The Alpha and the Omega - the beginning and the ending. Through it ALL the Lord is present, in all stages- past, present, and future. Never was there a time and never will there be a time without the Lord living in it, never. People tend to read the Bible as if it's OLD news, or confusing and complicated and for those interested in such things. People look for the spectacular all over the place. People thrive watching movies, reading books, all about the supernatural and one of the supernatural beings that fascinates them is the vampire who can supposedly live forever and ever. The idea of a being living hundreds of centuries, thousands of years is just incredible and secretly people wish they were able to live that long- that they could be one of these beings with this power over death in life, not power over death and living on another plane of existence either right off or at some future time. The wondrous idea of being able to live among finite creatures holds an allure that has captured the imagination of many people and it's no wonder- Satan's lie way back in the garden of Eden was what? Gen. {3:4} 'And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.'
Power over death. Satan has His own brand of life and he offers the allure of living forever in any way that pleases man so long as man doesn't believe in living forever through Jesus' Christ. Did God lie when He told Adam and Eve they would die? No. We are living proof of that fact and yet Satan would use all the tricks He can to get us to believe that we can live forever without God.
Satan was a created being. Satan can not lay hold of the claim that he is from the beginning, yet he would have people think he is. He wants people to believe that he is God. That they too can be God. It's no joke. There are a lot of people searching for inner power and laying claim to their lives and finding empowerment from themselves. In fact there are a whole slew of people who will try and convince you that you are the captain of your own ship, the ruler of your own destiny, the power over a good life is in your own hands. The stress on self is the same lie satan used at the start. Gen. {3:5} 'For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.' Do you hear the lies? Yet that same lie is being spouted today and embraced as something wonderful. People want to be as gods. People want to believe they have a godly power.
Truthfully, while we get all caught up in the fantasy and lies of satan, while he projects his evin into every facet of our lives, when we find a certain hope or wish fulfillment from reading of beings that live forever we are showing that we do have a need for such hope in our lives- only Satan has twisted it and pulled it down to the the level of man as men exist full of sin-- the very opposite of the truth.
There is a being who 'was, is, and is to come', God.
There will never be a time without God. Never. He is all.
He is the beginning and the end, there is nothing before and nothing after God.
We can struggle to find understanding and bring God down to our level and we can even pretend we are gods ourselves, but realizing that as creatures of the Creator we will never be the Creator ourselves is paramount. There is no shame in a son wanting to be like his father, but there is shame in the son wanting to be the father as if the father never was, as if the father isn't, and as if the father will no longer be. If you want to be like your father that's a good thing if you are embracing the good qualities of your father. But if you want to push your father aside and take his place, that's not so good. Usurping the life of another is never right. Creatures trying to usurp the Creator is completely wrong. If I'm told to be like someone, it's not the same as being told to take over that person's life.
Satan full of pride wanted to take over the Creator's position. He didn't want to be like God, he wanted to be God, the same as God without any distinction. And failing at that he wants us to believe we can obtain that position. He wants us to desire to have control over ourselves in place of us allowing God to control us. He's twisted things around perfectly.))))
...
I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the ending,
saith the Lord,
which is,
and which was,
and which is to come,
the Almighty.
(((No other can make this claim. We can know this wonderful, amazing, Alpha, Omega, which was, which is, and is to come. We can cling to Him and the promises we find in Him knowing there is no other like Him nor will there ever be. We will always have had a beginning that includes many before ourselves, we will never be the Was at the beginning no matter what we believe. Some can embrace Satan's lies and most will, but by the grace of God I pray I'm not among them; that my Creator, my Redeemer, my God will always be first and foremost in all that I am and all that I do, it's only by His great mercy and love that this can be and I cling to Him through the Holy Spirit, hoping and praying in His everlasting, ever-existing love!
Amen.))))
...
I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the ending,
saith the Lord,
which is,
and which was,
and which is to come,
the Almighty.
*
Grace be unto you
and peace
from him
which is
and which was
and which is to come.
(((The similarities right there within such a short bit of writing does what? Usually we call such repetativeness redundant and any writer worth their salt would have deleted such reiteration as unnecessary use of words. Change things up we say; learn how to say the same thing in a new way so it doesn't come off as repetative. But here in the Bible we know for a fact that the writers of this holy book got it right the first time with no need for an editors sharp pen to run through any lines and make little notations to change things up a bit. These are God's words to man through the Holy Spirit inspiring them to write and if these are holy words we read they are being written for a reason. If there is any repetition it's there for a reason as well, there to show emphasis perhaps? There to indicate important knowledge that we shouldn't overlook. The Bible isn't a novel, the Bible is unique and the message it holds for any who reads it is unique.
Reading the beginning of Revelation and these words- which is, which was, which is to come, we can find again further along--
Rev. {4:8} '...saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.'
There is no mistaking the importance of this is there? The fulness glorified in those words is amazing. The Alpha and the Omega - the beginning and the ending. Through it ALL the Lord is present, in all stages- past, present, and future. Never was there a time and never will there be a time without the Lord living in it, never. People tend to read the Bible as if it's OLD news, or confusing and complicated and for those interested in such things. People look for the spectacular all over the place. People thrive watching movies, reading books, all about the supernatural and one of the supernatural beings that fascinates them is the vampire who can supposedly live forever and ever. The idea of a being living hundreds of centuries, thousands of years is just incredible and secretly people wish they were able to live that long- that they could be one of these beings with this power over death in life, not power over death and living on another plane of existence either right off or at some future time. The wondrous idea of being able to live among finite creatures holds an allure that has captured the imagination of many people and it's no wonder- Satan's lie way back in the garden of Eden was what? Gen. {3:4} 'And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.'
Power over death. Satan has His own brand of life and he offers the allure of living forever in any way that pleases man so long as man doesn't believe in living forever through Jesus' Christ. Did God lie when He told Adam and Eve they would die? No. We are living proof of that fact and yet Satan would use all the tricks He can to get us to believe that we can live forever without God.
Satan was a created being. Satan can not lay hold of the claim that he is from the beginning, yet he would have people think he is. He wants people to believe that he is God. That they too can be God. It's no joke. There are a lot of people searching for inner power and laying claim to their lives and finding empowerment from themselves. In fact there are a whole slew of people who will try and convince you that you are the captain of your own ship, the ruler of your own destiny, the power over a good life is in your own hands. The stress on self is the same lie satan used at the start. Gen. {3:5} 'For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.' Do you hear the lies? Yet that same lie is being spouted today and embraced as something wonderful. People want to be as gods. People want to believe they have a godly power.
Truthfully, while we get all caught up in the fantasy and lies of satan, while he projects his evin into every facet of our lives, when we find a certain hope or wish fulfillment from reading of beings that live forever we are showing that we do have a need for such hope in our lives- only Satan has twisted it and pulled it down to the the level of man as men exist full of sin-- the very opposite of the truth.
There is a being who 'was, is, and is to come', God.
There will never be a time without God. Never. He is all.
He is the beginning and the end, there is nothing before and nothing after God.
We can struggle to find understanding and bring God down to our level and we can even pretend we are gods ourselves, but realizing that as creatures of the Creator we will never be the Creator ourselves is paramount. There is no shame in a son wanting to be like his father, but there is shame in the son wanting to be the father as if the father never was, as if the father isn't, and as if the father will no longer be. If you want to be like your father that's a good thing if you are embracing the good qualities of your father. But if you want to push your father aside and take his place, that's not so good. Usurping the life of another is never right. Creatures trying to usurp the Creator is completely wrong. If I'm told to be like someone, it's not the same as being told to take over that person's life.
Satan full of pride wanted to take over the Creator's position. He didn't want to be like God, he wanted to be God, the same as God without any distinction. And failing at that he wants us to believe we can obtain that position. He wants us to desire to have control over ourselves in place of us allowing God to control us. He's twisted things around perfectly.))))
...
I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the ending,
saith the Lord,
which is,
and which was,
and which is to come,
the Almighty.
(((No other can make this claim. We can know this wonderful, amazing, Alpha, Omega, which was, which is, and is to come. We can cling to Him and the promises we find in Him knowing there is no other like Him nor will there ever be. We will always have had a beginning that includes many before ourselves, we will never be the Was at the beginning no matter what we believe. Some can embrace Satan's lies and most will, but by the grace of God I pray I'm not among them; that my Creator, my Redeemer, my God will always be first and foremost in all that I am and all that I do, it's only by His great mercy and love that this can be and I cling to Him through the Holy Spirit, hoping and praying in His everlasting, ever-existing love!
Amen.))))
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