Quote

"I believe it to be a grave mistake to present Christianity as something charming and popular with no offence in it. Seeing that Christ went about the world giving the most violent offense to all kinds of people, it would seem absurd to expect that the doctrine of his person can be so presented as to offend nobody. We cannot blink at the fact that gentle Jesus, meek and mild, was so stiff in His opinions and so inflammatory in His language that He was thrown out of church, stoned, hunted from place to place, and finally gibbeted as a firebrand and a public danger. Whatever His peace was, it was not the peace of an amiable indifference."

 ~ Anonymous

John 2:15  And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;

Luke 11:39  And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.

Matthew 23:27  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 

Day 350

F. Book of Revelation
1. The seven churches - Revelation 1:1-20; 2:1-29; 3:1-22

I had to chuckle....started typing away and realized that this particular day only had one item, though several chapters.  Looks slightly sparse up there. :-D  Someone had mentioned a correlation between the seven churches and the seven gifts (Romans 12).  I have not had adequate time to really delve into a study on that, but thought it interesting.  Some have postured that the seven churches represent the Bride throughout history and that we are currently in a Laodicean age.

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; (Revelation 1:4)

Seven = Completeness - Spiritual - Perfection

The word translated as seven is used 54x in 31 verses in the Book of the Revelation.

Some of the sevens:  churches ~ Spirits ~ golden candlesticks ~ stars ~ lamps ~ seals ~ horns ~ eyes ~ angels ~ trumpets ~ thunders ~ thousand (men slain) ~ heads ~ crowns ~ plagues ~ golden vials ~ mountains ~ kings.

Wow!  What a list!  Obviously many of the words were used more than once.  I wonder if golden candlesticks and lamps are the same Greek word?

candlestick - G3087 - luchnia - lookh-nee'-ah - From G3088; a lamp stand (literally or figuratively).

lamp - G2985 - lampas - lam-pas' - From G2989; a “lamp” or flambeau.

Flambeau?  What is a flambeau?  Ask and thou shalt receive.

1.

a flaming torch.

2.

a torch for use at night in illuminations, processions, etc.

3.

a large, decorated candlestick.

4.

an ornament having the form of a flaming torch.

Back to my original thought in the verse listing out the seven churches - each church had commendation and reproof.  I am very briefly summarizing:

1. Ephesus - works, labour, patience, abhor evil, tested the spirits, fainted not, hates the deeds of the Nicolaitanes vs left thy first love
2. Smyrna - works, tribulations, poverty, blasphemy from w/out, tribulation
3. Pergamos - works, holds fast the NAME, no faith deniers vs hold to Balaam doctrine, hold to Nicolaitanes doctrine
4. Thyatira - works, charity, service, faith, patience, works vs women teaching (Jezebel spirit), seducing, fornication, eat items sacrificed to idols
5. Sardis - works, name, few not defiled, vs works not perfect, repent, watch
6. Philadelphia - works, open door, little strength, kept His word,  not denied His name, kept the word of His patience
7. Laodicea - No commendation vs works are not hot or cold (lukewarm - spue), deceived with riches, increased with goods, unable to recognize they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, naked.  The Lord rebukes those He loves and calls this church to repent.

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. (Revelation 2:7)

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. (Revelation 2:11)

He that had an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. (Revelation 2:17)

And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 2:26-29)

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 3:5-6)

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 3:12-13)

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 3:21-22)

Attributes of those that overcome:  eat of the tree of life ~ no second death hurt ~ eat hidden manna ~ a new name written in a white stone ~ power over the nations ~ rule with iron ~ morning star ~ clothed in white raiment ~ not blotted out of the book of life ~ name confessed before Father and HIS angels ~ a pillar in the temple of God ~ name of God, name of city, new name written upon ~ sit with HIM in HIS throne.

I paused over the phrase, "I will confess his name before my Father."  That is an astounding thought.  I had never pondered the possibility of my name (or the new name given to me) as being confessed before the Sovereign God, by HIS son.  What a humbling thought.  Will HE find me faithful and overcoming?  I noticed that two of the churches had no rebuke.  One had no commendation.  When He returns what will He find upon this earth?

Day 335...a wee more

Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.  (Acts 20:21)

That is an easily delivered presentation.

Saint:  Repent to God, have faith in Jesus Christ.

Sinner:  Repent, why?

I was browsing for a site which would give information about why someone would need to repent and found this one.  Why would anyone want to repent if they think they have no sin, are not aware of it, or have no clue as to their eternal destination?  The easy believism that is prevalent in our 'churches' today make people think they are 'saved' when in reality they may be deceived.

2Pe 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

The above verse obviously needs to be read in context...which I prayerfully hope all will avail themselves.  We can not earn our salvation...we do not get to choose, no matter how much we may 'think' we have, in reality, HE chose us.  We do, however, have a responsibility to grow in our relationship with Him.  You can not truly know someone unless you spend time with them.

Pondering on the prophecy concerning Paul and the trials that awaited him in Jerusalem.  Father gave him warning over and over again.  It sometimes helps to have a mental mindset for the worst case scenario (for me anyway) in order to deal with trials and tribulations.  Paul had no qualms about continuing to Jerusalem.

The elders in Jerusalem exhort Paul to show that he walks orderly and keeps the law.  (Acts 21:24)

They then reiterate that the Gentiles are to:  Keep themselves from idols ~ from blood ~ from strangled ~ from fornication.  (Acts 21:25).

The first passage regarding the prohibitions the Gentiles were to avoid included that they (the Gentiles) would hear Moses preached in the synagogue.


Act 15:21  For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

That passage keeps reverberating within my mind and soul.  Is there significance to why the church elders were satisfied with only the 4 prohibitions, knowing and/or thinking that those who were regenerated would be instructed from the teachings and writings of the OT?  Again that verse:

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4


Beloved of the Lord, are you giving due diligence to study to show yourself approved?  A workman that needeth not to be ashamed?  Taking in the whole counsel of the Word of God?