Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Revelation 1 ... 7 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.
8 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.
9 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. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11 Saying, 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.
12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 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. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 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. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:18 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. 19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; 20 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.
In Revelation chapter 2, Jesus speaks of one of the candlesticks which would be one of those 7 churches.
Jesus says: Rev. 2 ... 1 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; 2 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:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 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.
When I think of a "candlestick", I think of a "holder of light".
Jesus in the midst of the 7 golden candlesticks is the source of light for those 7 churches.
To "love" God is to keep his commandments. I John
To stop following scripture would show lack of love toward God. To give up your first love, for a church, would be to stop loving Jesus.
Churches that change doctrine and cast away scripture show a lack of love toward scripture, thus a lack of love toward Jesus.
So many churches today have cast away their first love, Jesus, and have gone after strange flesh.
Consider that various churches have cast away the following words of Jesus and have set up another doctrine for their church group.
Jesus said: 32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery:and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. Mt. 5:32
Paul confirmed the Word spoken by Jesus when Paul said the following is a rule for the NT church today:
I Cor. 7 ... 10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband:and let not the husband put away his wife.
The churches should be a repository of light. But by leaving light and following darkness these churches have become a way of darkness.
Unless they "repent" and return to their first love, the Holy Scriptures which is Jesus and HIS commandments, their candlestick will be removed, says Jesus.