Friday, September 16, 2016

Revelation 2:1-7, the Church in Ephesus ... Reading through the Bible

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

Here is a promise associated with doing the instruction given in the book of Revelation:

Revelation 1 ... 3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein:for the time is at hand.

We not only read the Book of Revelation ... we must also do those instructions given in the Book of Revelation.

Jesus gave instruction to the churches cited in Revelation 2 & 3 ...

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. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7 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.

Can you remember how you felt when you were first born again ... how much you longed to hear things of God and things about God ... This is like that first, new love.

But along the way, the love in some weakens.  The cares of this world, the lust of other things, the deceitfulness of riches surface to weaken the initial love.  And sometimes the disillusionment of people in church groups causes that love to weaken.  They leave us, they do things contrary to doctrine, we begin to think, "Who can we trust?", and we hold back that initial love, not wanting to be hurt again by deceitful people in church groups.  We become damaged along the way.  Jesus said:  12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Mt. 24

We must return to our first love ... loving God, loving Jesus, loving the Holy Spirit and having a good heart toward the faithful in Christ.

We can pray for God to restore us.  We can repent from our determination not to trust anyone in churches again.  We can recall that first love we had toward God and the church, remembering from whence God pulled us from that horrible pit of the world where we once live.

We can renew our minds, determined to read scripture and go forward and delight again in things of God.

How can we not delight when we read of Abraham, Joseph, Daniel, of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, of Gideon, of Elijah and Elisha, of Peter and Paul ...

Determine to read scripture often, several times a day.  You will find you enjoy those scriptures and want more scripture.  You will begin to feel that new love again toward God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and toward the people of God.

You will be restored.