be encouraged - Jesus knows...
Topic: actually 2001
revelation 2:8-11

to the angel of the church in smyrna write:

these are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.

i know your afflictions and your poverty - yet you are rich! i know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. i tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. be faithful, even to the point of death, and i will give you the crown of life.

he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

he who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.


- isn't it cool that when Jesus writes to a church about to go through suffering and persecution - he reassures them with the fact that HE FACED DEATH and has already overcome it - that is why we can have hope in suffering - we can also be reassured by the fact that he knows our affliction and poverty - when it seems like no one else notices or cares - Jesus know and is there to help us.....

james 1:2-4

consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that hte testing of your faith develops perseverance. perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

only for people with ears...
Topic: actually 2001
- so, i've been reading the letters to the churches in revelation and the next several (7?) days, we'll look at them - why? well, each one finishes by stating that "he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" - as far as i know, you all have ears - the question becomes - how well are you listening?????????????

revelation 2:1-7

to the angel of the church in ephesus write:

these are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands:

i know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. i know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. you have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

yet i hold this against you: you have forsaken your first love. remember the height from which you have fallen! repent and do the things you did at first. if you do not repent, i will come and remove your lampstand from its place. but you have this in your favor: you hate the practice of the Nicolaitans, which i also hate.

he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

to him who overcomes, i will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.


***points to notice - each letter will begin with a description of Jesus - the 7 lampstands are described as the churches in chapter 1 - so Jesus is describing his presence in the churches - HE DOESN'T LEAVE US ALONE!

secondly - 5 of the 7 letters specifically state "i know your deeds" - good or bad God knows!! check out 1 timothy 5:24-25 and ecclesiastes12:13-14

third - the church at ephesus has lots of plusses - (i count 8) - but the losing of their first love outweighs it all - check your motivation - do you have a fresh love for Jesus? is your relationship with him healthy or comatose?

finally - each letter concludes with a blessing for overcoming - KEEP ON!!

all the fixins
Topic: actually 2001
today's verses call us to think about our focus, priorities, motivation, attitudes and reactions... read em through several times

hebrews 3:1-2

therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. he was FAITHFUL to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house.

(consider Jesus' faithfulness - it is an example for us - don't take the word too lightly - it was not EASY for him to be faithful - (read the next verses))

hebrews 12:1-3

therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with PERSEVERANCE the race marked out for us. let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

(what was the "joy set before him"? only the knowledge that obedience to the Father would provide a way to him for us - so what kept him going in the midst of great opposition? His love for YOU!!!!)

romans 5:1-5

therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. and hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

(our rejoicing begins and ends with hope - even in the midst of our hardest circumstances, we are able to continue rejoicing - not because the circumstances are wonderful BUT because our focus is on our goal - "the hope of the glory of God" - if we lose our focus, we lose our hope (not the fact, but the feeling) and our circumstances can bog us down.... so today we'll close off with:

colossians 3:1-4

since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. for you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. when Christ, who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

perseverance
Topic: actually 2001
1 John 2:28

and now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.

Philippians 1:9

and this is my prayer:
that your love may abound more and more in
knowledge
and depth of insight,
so that you may be able to
discern what is best
and may be
PURE and
BLAMELESS
until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ -
to the glory and praise of God.

deception
Topic: actually 2001
it's the devil's oldest tool - you know how he did it with eve.... "did God REALLY say that?" - he knows that if he can get our thinking out of whack - then the actions will follow eventually - so, as we're thinkin about thinking this week - what are some areas that God's Word warns us to be wary of deception????

Galatians 6:7-8

do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. a man reaps what he sows. the one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

(ok - this one's a real DUH but we miss it - we get frustrated cause we don't grow and we struggle with sin and yet we don't investigate what we are planting in our lives... think about it and read luke 8 - remember "the seed IS the Word of God")

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

do you know know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor theives nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. and that is what some of you were. but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

(don't let down your moral guard - God's pretty blunt here - definitely NOT politically correct)

1 Corinthians 15:33-34

do not be misled: "bad company corrupts good character." come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God - i say this to your shame.

(is isolation the answer? NO - we ARE called to be "salt" and "light" - but the important thing to keep in mind is that we should be the influencers NOT the ones being influenced - make sure that you have other Christians around you who you can trust to honestly tell you if you are being wrongly influenced...)

James 1:16

don't be deceived, my dear brothers. every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

(pride and selfishness are right out - why should we be giving and generous? nothing is really ours in the first place!!!)

Colossians 2:8

see to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

(am i a principled man? we need to know everything we can about how Christ lived - so that we can follow his example - you have to KHJL if you're gonna WWJD!)

FINALLY

james 1:22

do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. do what it says.

(hopefully you've got some stuff to think about today - if God's shining some light on stuff in you - do something about it!!!)

thought...
Topic: actually 2000
this week i'm gonna be putting some verses on that have to do with our thinking......

romans 12:1-2

dear friends, God is good. so i beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, PURE and PLEASING. that's the most sensible way to serve God. don't be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him.

psalm 1:1-2

God blesses those people who refuse evil advice and won't follow sinners or join in sneering at God. instead, the Law of the Lord makes them happy and they think about it day and night.

proverbs 4:2-3

carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life.

in the secret, in the quiet place...
Topic: 2002
hmmmm - some of you may recognize the subject as the first two lines of the song that says "...i want to know You more." - well, today, i thought we'd look at a couple of psalms that list some attributes of God - so that we can think about them AND know Him more....


psalm 103:8-19

the Lord is compassionate and gracious
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will He harbor His anger forever;
nor will He treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
for as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is His love for those who fear Him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
as a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him;
for He knows how we are formed,
He remembers that we are dust.
as for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like the flowers of the field;
the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
but from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord's love is with those who fear Him,
and His righteousness with their children's children -
with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey His precepts.
the Lord has established His throne in heaven,
and His kingdom rules over all.


Psalm 145:8-20

the Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
the Lord is good to all;
He has compassion on all He has made.
all you have made will praise You, o Lord;
Your saints will extol you.
they will tell of the glory of Your kingdom
and speak of Your might,
so that all men may know of Your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of Your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and Your dominion endures through all generations.
the Lord is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all He has made.
the Lord upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
the eyes of all look to You,
and You give them their food at the proper time.
You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
the Lord is righteous in all his ways
and loving toward all He has made.
the Lord is near to all who call on Him,
to all who call on Him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;
He hears their cry and saves them.
the Lord watches over all who love Him,
but all the wicked He will destroy.

you can't hear it enough...
Topic: actually 2001
Philippians 3:10-ff

not that i have already obtained all this or have already been made perfect, but i press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. brothers, i do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. but one thing i do: forgetting what is behind and STRAINING toward what is ahead, i press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. all of us who are mature should take such a view of things. and if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. ONLY LET US LIVE UP TO WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY ATTAINED. join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. for, as i have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach and their glory is in their shame. THEIR MIND IS ON EARTHLY THINGS. but our citizenship is in heaven. and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, WILL TRANSFORM OUR LOWLY BODIES so that they will be like his glorious body. therefore my brothers, you whom i love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends....i know what it is to be in need and i know what it is to have plenty. i have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. i can do everything through him who gives me strength.

***good stuff from philippians.... i was just kinda thinkin about some of this stuff comin off a conversation yesterday - thinkin about the energy that we put into following Jesus - paul talks about straining - and i was kinda thinkin about how God judges us based on how we use the abilities and gifts he gives us NOT by comparing us to other people - "he who has been given much, much will be required"... and that made me think about judging others - you know, kinda like "are they a christian or aren't they?" well, really, only God knows the heart and the primary person we are responsible for is ourselves and making sure that we are living up to the call - encouraging and spurring others by our actions and attitudes just as much as we do through our words - who knows - a cheerful smile may impact someone as much as a 45 minute sermon - an act of kindness or a display of true gratitude or respect - my christianity must necessarily be my WHOLE life - it is who i am - "i no longer live, but Christ lives in me" - and then thinking about the popularity thing and what we long to be - the idea of bein content and satisfied in Christ and WHATEVER he gives us "EVERY good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows"...

well, that's some of my meditation on the Word today - now it remains for me to put it into practice - maybe some of it'll help you too.....

thought provoking question
Topic: actually 2001
1 timothy 4:12
don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

***hmmmmmmm - if all believers followed YOUR example in speech, life, love, faith and purity, what would the body of Christ be like? take your responsibility seriously!! :)

psalm 97:10-12
love the Lord and hate evil! God protects his loyal people and rescues them from violence. if you obey and do right, a light will show you the way and fill you with happiness.you are the Lord's people! so celebrate and praise the only God.

more than skin deep... who's in control?
Topic: actually 2001
isaiah 29:13-16

the Lord has said: "these people praise me with their words, but they never really think about me. they worship me by repeating rules made up by humans. so once again i will do things that shock and amaze them, and i will destroy the wisdom of those who claim to know and understand." you are in for trouble, if you try to hide your plans from the Lord! or if you think what you do in the dark can't be seen. you have it all backwards. a clay dish doesn't say to the potter, "you didn't make me. you don't even know how."