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revelation

We Cannot Be Conquered

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Revelation 2:8-11 

8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

9 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.

10 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.

11 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.

  1. I know thy works and tribulation
  • Jesus knows of our every act of obedience and sacrifice
    • by the one who was dead and alive we have our advocate through the beginnings and ends of every situation
    • as we strive in obedience we win the hearts of those who do not know Christ
    • by seeking the kingdom of Heaven and its ministry we receive from that
  • Jesus knows all out troubles
    • most go through things they didn’t think they should
    • most go through things they didn’t think they could

– John 16: 33 told us we would have it

  • physical (the early persecutions)
  • emotional (suffering of bad relationships and death of loved ones)
  • mental (attacks of the imagination)
  • spiritual (temptations and ensnarement by satan)

2. I know thy poverty

  • This was a poor church: no temples, plush carpets or tall steeples
    • yet, in the eyes of God they were rich
  • There are many ways we can be rich in Christ
    • Rich in our position with Christ (2 Cor. 8:9)
    • Rich in works for Christ (1 Tim. 6:18)
    • Rich when sharing the reproach of Christ (Heb. 11:26)
    • Rich in faith (James 2:5)

3. In knowledge of the good and bad Christ offers instruction for our future until His return

– there have been many that have suffered much

– Polycarp burned at the stake

– Ignatius cast to the lions

– Some tortured to death by dogs

– some crucified, waxed, stoned or burned

Ultimately we must learn that if Christ was resurrected then we should not fear vexation, persecution nor death. As we remain faithful to God’s promises we will learn no matter the persecution we shall endure.

The Things We Take For Granted Are Things We Miss When They Are Gone

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As I am learning day by day to be an ambassador of God’s love there is one fact that stands very clear to me: the things that we take for granted are things we miss when they are gone. I apologize if this sounds like a golden-age’ish trip to the past, but I assure you there is a revelation for you.

Starting out in my childhood I never really realized (and we typically do not as kids) how good life really was. Having  little responsibility and having the only worries of what that note said that was passed at school was definitely a care-free time in my life. Sports were great…well…playing sports with an energy that did not run out was great! Christmas was a different experience as a child than an adult; for I can honestly say that the look on my face when I got presents I wanted let me know what pure glee felt like. I never knew that the experiences I would have with my family that we would seemingly be rushing through would be moments that I would give anything to have had more time in. There were people that I got to be around that were such a joy to my life that have passed away as I have gotten older. What I would not give for that chance to thank them with the same love they have shown me.

Moving on into my teenage years I plainly see my attitude was always objective with rebellious actions and always wanting more. I got what I wanted and thought I was entitled to it, as if being totally irresponsible and ungrateful were not enough in my opinion to deserve it. And even though my teenage years had a lot of bad decisions involved I am happy to say that there were some people that still attempted to invest in me. I had 3 teachers I specifically remember that took the time to make sure they knew I cared. I still remember their names and faces and now know what it was they were trying to do for me. I remember beginning to pay attention in church and seeing people do things that went completely against my outlooks and perspectives of things I thought were true as I was discovering life for myself. Yet there were those who still loved me even when who I thought I was changed all the time. Those people have never left my heart and I am so grateful that I was taught by example about what it means to love through God’s love.

I guess it would be safe to say that I am about in the mid-point in my adult life now. I’m not sure how much more time God will give me to live. Since I have been saved and delivered from my addictions life has totally changed. Something else changed: the numerous amount of people that were as a support around me began to let up little by little. I began to wonder if it was something that I had done to have people start only calling when they were in need of something. I thought I must have surely done something wrong to get in a situation where I always gave and never received a return. I went my entire life knowing one way and now was lost in this part of the journey. The one thing I had to learn in what seemed like the hard way at first was that God was there all along! I then began to learn about how much help I could have through God, that it was so much more than just knowing you had salvation. There was a relationship with God that began to bloom in my life that began to feel just like the people that were around me in my past. And now more than ever I now understand that this stage was a transition to God’s full purpose for my life. There are people now, as I have stepped into the faith, that are in great need of that person that will love through God’s love. Sure I could be sad about losing all of the loved ones and experiences I have had, but I now know why I ever got to feel the good times to begin with. It is now my time to pay it forward.

This ministry and the calling God has on my life was built by every good memory, good experience, and good person that invested in all of our lives. We were being built by people who had the love of God that wanted the best for us. When I really think about that my heart goes out for so many. I could never repay them all, just as much as I could ever fathom of repaying God’s free pardon of sin and love that has been shown to me. God’s love for all of us is shown to us so that we not only know God but show that same love in kind to others. It is so important to not stay selfish and always looking to find more for you. As you grow up and mature in your life God can teach you how to change from being selfish to selfless. In closing this thought I now know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the things I always took for granted are things that I wish I could get back. And though I cannot get back what I had I can still give out of what I had received. That is where the bible all of a sudden opened up to me like a flood and these verses hit me like I had just read it for the very first time.

1 John 4-7-11

[7] Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

[8] He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

[9] In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

[10] Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

[11] Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

Are You Gonna Let This One Thing Stop You?

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When I was tossing and turning in bed a while back my mind was brought to peace by a thought God was putting in my heart: “Are you gonna let this one thing stop you? Is your joy not worth more to you than this one thing?”

In that moment in time when I heard that word everything that was trying to keep my mind racing was brought into peace. I realized how small that I was letting God be in the presence of my current distress. Looking back on it now I know that this was one of my burning bush moments with God.

Reading in 1 Peter 4 brought this out even further to me:

12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you:

13 But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy.

14 If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you; for the spirit of glory and of God rests on you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

So today I ask all of us who have those moments in our lives: Are we going to let one small thing take over our goals and ambitions in the grand scheme of our lives? Are we going to let the enemies around us take away from us the one thing that is essentially? Today I urge and encourage you to refuse to let the trials (though hard at times) overtake you. God’s peace and comfort is far greater than the pain of the trial. Never lose this revelation in your heart!

Where I am today is of far more worth to me than where I was yesterday. I cannot change yesterday and am not going to let the past attempt to rule the present! As a child of God we know that today is the day of salvation, or the day and time to use and redeem. Let your past stay behind you and only be a reminder of how that you have overcome trial after trial! And I say this in a very catchphrase way, but if God did it for you then God will do it for you again!

Riches In Revelation

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Revelation 3:14-22

[14] And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
[15] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
[16] So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
[17] Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
[18] I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
[19] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
[20] Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
[21] 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.
[22] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Let us analyze some verses as we go through:

Verses 14-16

Laodecia had two different kinds of water in other nearby cities:

–        Hierapolis was known for its hot waters that was often used for spa-like healing purposes.

–        Colossae was known for pure and cold drinking water.

One point to take note of here is that the waters of Laodecia was known for their waters that would make one sick and was often undrinkable. The significance of this shows several things, but one above all: it shows that the church is not useful when the waters they keep are not for healing and refreshment. When water grows stale and still it is more susceptible for things to intermingle into it, which in turn proves it not able to be consumed. Another common way to say this is that the lack of power in the church was being identified as without and not pleasing.

Verse 17

The type of complacency being shown here caused the church to be blind to the true state of how worldly things were destroying them. Case and Point? Lukewarm people actually feel satisfied in their life but yet lack the power of God to really be the true church full of the substance of the spirit.

Verse 18

Buying Gold Tried In The Fire – this is to say that it will refine the faith that was lacking from a people that had been satisfied with its own worldly goods.

White Raiment – is washed by the blood of the lamb and used to cover the spiritual nakedness and shame. (read verses 15 to 16 again for clarity)

Eye Salve – anointing the eyes with salve would remedy the spiritual blindness and encourage people to be earnest and repent when they are aware of the magnitude of sin.

The solution as it was read here was to not be complacent but to repent of their sins , search out the joy of God’s will, and to take the true faith of God. This is what will cause us in today’s church to not be blind and continue the ever-raging battle for those in need of a relationship with Christ.

Verse 20

The analogy of the door represents being able to be alert enough to hear a knock. In other words, we are saying that we must not be asleep or idle in our walk with God just in case there is a call to do or change something! The great thing about it is that God will knock and give the chance for everyone to come and to change!

When it comes to overcoming your life faith and obedience are everything when done together! As we work through our trials to victory we must mix these together to be led by God to realize our real riches in life: the relationship and benefits of God!

Additional notes also provided by Brent Griffith

God’s On Facebook. What’s Your Status?

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Today I had a riveting revelation. I was praying and began to be deep in thought, and wanted God to show me how to improve my life in a greater way, and to tell me in a way that I could understand. I was essentially saying, “Show me the things about me that need to change, that I can be a better Christian, not just a better person to everyone”. And boy, did I ever get what I asked for!

God always has a funny way of showing me things, and today he took my mind to Facebook. It’s something that pretty much everyone that I know uses all the time and very frequently, a tool used to keep up with each other and communicate in ways that was never possible before. So here’s something to wrap your mind around.

What if every so often, rather than uploading pictures to your profile of all the ones that you liked, that God took ones of the good and bad moments of your life, and let everyone see them?

What if the same principle applied to uploading videos? Can you imagine what kind of videos we would see of ourselves in the bad moments?

What if rather than posting your status for what you were doing, that you wanted people to know about, that God posted your status for some of the things that you didn’t want people to know about?

What if every single time we had a bad thought about someone, that God posted this thought about them and wrote it to their wall for them to see?

What if rather than being able to state all the information about yourself that you want people to know, that God posted all the information about you that you maybe were trying to keep a secret from everyone?

Can you even imagine if this was how it really was? If this were the case, I’ll go ahead and tell you, no one would have a facebook, or a MySpace, or anything for that matter. People would be too afraid of things coming out, because we all have our problems every day that we all go through. It’s easy to make an online profile and paint the pretty picture of the perfect life online, but God sees us exactly as we are in our real lives:

Matthew 9:4

[4] And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

Isaiah 40:12-14

[12] Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

[13] Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

[14] With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

We often forget that God is essentially keeping a status of our life, taking snapshots of our every day, keeping record of all that we do, and we are going to have to answer for it one day, and it’s not going to be something that we can just delete, like we can on Facebook. It’s not something that we can update later. We will be held accountable; we will have to answer for what we are called to do. And to me, that’s a scary thought, and something we need to adjust to now.

God has shown me through this that I need to be able to be caught at any point in my day and be able to be seen having a Christian profile: being able to be a light 24/7, ready to lead people to Christ at any time, and not just fronting when it’s convenient, or when I feel like logging into it. It’s a call, not a voluntary thing you sign up for. Praise God for giving us guidance in this walk of life. Where would we be without it?