The Seven Churches Unveiled. Pt.2

The Seven Churches Unveiled.

Revelation 1:1-3, 9-11NKJV

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches

Revelation chapter 2, Under the caption in my Bible—Ephesus, The Loveless Church.

Revelation 2:1NKJV “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:

We established last week that the angels spoken of as stars, regarding each church would be the messengers, the pastors, or shepherd of each church.

We also established last week that the seven golden lamp stands are the seven churches.

Revelation 2:1NLT “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands:

I love verse 1 because the ‘One’ in control reveals His authority, might and power.

You’re hearing directly from the ‘One’ who holds the stars, messengers, or pastors in His hands!

The Lord also stands, “I walk among my churches! —The gold lamp stands!

In the book of Acts, the apostles went out as missionaries and started churches and then retraced their steps in order to see how they were doing (Acts 13; 15:36) In Acts 15:41 the Bible says that Paul “went through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the churches.”

Interestingly, The book of Exodus established the fact, that in the making of the golden lamp stands, God wanted it made of pure gold.

What I understand, that the making of these lamp stands had to be a God thing, or miracle, because 100% pure gold will not keep its shape, it’s too soft.

I believe that as God walks around our golden lamp stands He see nothing but—Love, Prayer and Grace.

He sees and hears about the Blood of Jesus—the testimony of Jesus. He hears the words of our testimony; He sees our testimony.

Revelation 2:2-3NKJV “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.

I love the fact that God is in the know about CECC! He sees and hears our praise, our call for help, our needs. He sees and hears of our service, and our servants heart, He’s aware of every sacrifice, and best of all, He sees and hears our daily obedience.

 Revelation 2:2-3TM “I see what you’ve done, your hard, hard work, your refusal to quit. I know you can’t stomach evil, that you weed out apostolic pretenders. I know your persistence, your courage in my cause, that you never wear out.

Apostolic pretenders—they go through the motions of worship like Apostolics. Yet there is an emptiness to their praise, and their testimony is hollow. Their witness is weak and ineffective. They are spiritually tepid. They have a form of godliness but they lack its power.

The church of Ephesus did many things right. They stayed faithful. Verse 2, states…I know your works, your labor, your patience. Verse 3, God states, You never give up, never wear out!

During this time, Ephesus became possibly bitter, a little cold and callused. They had the rules down, but they became too rigid. They left the main thing.

What’s the main thing? God’s love.

Verse 3 of Revelation 2, God states, you can’t stomach pretenders. Maybe they had their feel of pretenders.

Spiritual pretenders would be those that have, and live with wrong motives. They’re just not right. P.H

Revelation 2:4NKJV Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

What’s in a first love? In the physical—flowers, nice dinners, a lot of attentiveness, phone calls, smiles, and affection.