These Things Saith He: Contents

I’ve decided that I am going to write a book on the 7 churches of Revelation and I want to take my readers along for the ride.

That might seem silly considering I only have a handful of regular readers, but in my mind, each person is valuable whether there is one or hundreds and I appreciate the input and perspective of my readers.

So, I plan to share the work as it is written then provide access to the completed and edited work–which will include the insight shared by my readers 🙂 So, please do share your thoughts, questions, things I should cover, etc. You can leave a reply in the comments section or send an email (see the About page for email address).

For starters, here is the content outline of the book in basic terms. I will most likely tweak these titles for improved reader engagement/readability. I have inserted some notes detailing what each section will include.

What would best serve you? Does this seem to cover all the bases you would want covered? Do you have ideas for section/chapter titles or a better way of ordering/dividing up the chapters?

CONTENTS

  • Introduction: The purpose behind the book (edification of the church) with a focus on the defining attributes of Jesus and why He matters most when considering His words to the churches (hence the working title of the book, “These Things Saith He”)
  • Method of Interpretation: My view concerning the use of prophetic scriptures for today and my perspective on how we can best apply the letters to the churches today.
  • Symbolism/Terminology: A look at common symbols and sayings within these letters.
    • Seven Stars and Seven Golden Candlesticks
    • “I will remove your candlestick out of its place.”
    • Doctrine/Deeds of the Nicolaitans
    • Synagogue of Satan
    • “He that overcomes and keeps my works.”
  • The Letters to the Churches: A look at the letters to each of the 7 churches in Revelation Chapters 2-3. I will look at each church. Each church will be divided into three chapters for a total of 21 chapters. The three chapters for each include:
    • Overview: The letter and the interpretation.
    • Scripture: Scripture that relates to the letter and the interpretation.
    • Overcoming: A discussion in how Christians can use the letter, interpretation, and scripture to strengthen their walk with Jesus Christ.
  • Conclusion: I have no plan for the conclusion, but I would like to wrap it all up with an ending chapter.

If you are interested, I have articles written on the 7 churches of Revelation that you can read and comment on. For each church I wrote a post that includes my understanding of these letters in basic terms and a post that includes my personal experiences/lessons learned. As of now, you can find them in the blog roll or under the category tags “Doctrine” “Revelation” I am adding these book chapters under the category tag “These Things Saith He.”

Fear is a Form of Worship

I don’t always fear God as I should. This is especially true when I begin to exalt my fears as being higher and mightier forces in my life than God Himself.

I was talking with a loved one yesterday about this cycle I tend to go through. I have a lot of responsibilities in this life. Too much really for one person, so I eventually work myself into severe physical, mental, and even spiritual exhaustion.

When I am in one of these exhausted states, I tend to fall into fear and depression. I look at my circumstances that are too much for me, and I do not always trust in God as I should.

Or, though I trust in God, I know that I am not entitled to good and easy things, and it seems to be His will that I should suffer certain things that are beyond my control. This suffering causes depression as I begin to question myself and my calling of the Lord. I’m good at accusing and gaslighting myself. It’s a learned behavior that I need to let go of, and instead, trust that the Lord is for me. Even in my circumstances, which He controls, He is there and He is in control.

We need to repent of fearing the “floods” and “heatwaves” of this life because all things that we fear become things that we exalt in our minds as being mightier forces than He who made them.

There are literal floods and droughts that those who worship climate change fear, both those who state that climate change is man-made naturally and those who point to scientific manipulation of the weather.

There are symbolic floods and droughts too. There is a never-ending flood of information, a lot of it false, that sweeps people away into the depths of deception. There is spiritual dryness that results from the tendency of man to trust in things that do not really fill them instead of trusting in Jesus who promises to give us a “well of living water” by His Holy Spirit—the Spirit of Truth.

Our world is flooded with worship of man: lying, manipulative, and deceitful man. Greedy man. Prideful man. Murderous man. Adulterous man. Power hungry man. False spirituality, man-made ideas about societal equity and righteousness, and all sorts of deceptions that lead people away from Jesus.

Not all things are as they seem in the media and in the world at large. Of this I am certain, so I try to remember Jesus who “judged not by the sight of his eyes neither reproved after the hearing of his ears” because there is One who remains despite it all and He is in control. He will judge righteously in manner that favors “the meek of the earth” and not those who who slander, accuse, cause division, and fuel chaos for their own power-grabbing purposes.

Do not fear man. Do not exalt man above God.

Do not say that nature is angry or that “Mother Earth” is angry. The creation is not above the Creator.

Fear God and exalt Him.

Trust in Him also.

I will strive to do the same, trusting in the Lord to part the waters of the floods of this world while also providing me with a never-ending supply of living water that no drought can take away. I pray that the floods recede, that the droughts turn away, and that the people of God stop fearing in Man and instead fear Him.

I know what it is like to feel as if you are dried up yet pulled under the depths of the sea at the same time, I know that the Lord, Jesus is still there.

He makes a way, but we need to understand that we do not deserve anything but trouble in this life. We need to humble ourselves and understand that man is nothing but dust and the fact that God considers us at all is amazing.

Not only does He care enough to show mercy and to hold us accountable for what we do wrong, He cared enough to send His Son to die for us so that we can escape the just result of our sin: death. We have all caused death and we all deserve it. Yet, in Jesus there is a way.

So, no matter what floods, droughts, or other disasters come—literally or symbolically—do not fear them or exalt them. Fear God and glorify Him.

If we don’t, we might find that we get more of the same.

“Mother Earth” Isn’t Angry.

God is.

Thanks be to God, that the anger of God is not as the anger of Man. All things are under His full knowledge and control…even the so-called whims and rage of “Mother Earth.”

He is not surprised by anything nor is He undermined by any plan that Man has in store. Neither is He undone by the faithlessness of Man. We can turn to Him, He who is REALLY in charge of this world. We fear Man. We fear nature.

When will Man learn to give God glory?

Psalm 93 (KJV)

93 The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.

2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.

3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.

4 The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

5 Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever.

A Hypothetical Scenario for Christians: If the Tide Turned on Your Enemies

What if the tide were to turn on all of the enemies of Christianity today found within the social sphere? As a Christian, what would you do?

This is pure hypothetical conjecture, as far as I know, but the thought occurred to me…what if?

What if all of this glorification of LGBTQ pride, BLM, extreme feminism, and all the like is not what it seems?

What if these minority groups were made to feel empowered and proud while at the same time oppressed and victimized so that they would out themselves—not so that they could be treated fairly—but so that they could be later identified and exterminated?

As a Christian, what would you do?

Would you think about how much these groups hated Jesus and hated you, then feel a sense of justice had been done?

Would you be glad, thinking that God had avenged you? Would you join in too, thinking that now the Kingdom of God has come?

Or would you preach Jesus to these groups and encourage your brethren to patiently wait on Jesus to come instead of joyfully joining with the vengefulness of man—perhaps even one who claims to be God Himself?

The point is this:

In joining with those who hate and destroy—whether seeming to be against God or for God—we should be exceedingly cautious. It is true that when Jesus returns, there will be vengeance. There will be the “supper of the great God” and much bloodshed. However, “the patience of the saints” requires us to wait on that day, rejoicing in the longsuffering of the Lord that leads us all to repentance.

Those who want to see judgement and destruction are appointed to judgement and destruction.

This goes for both sides of any contentious issue.

What if God is allowing our “enemies” to rise for a time because we went astray within the household of the faith? This allows us to go further astray as we either pander to the wicked, cower in fear, or become filled with self-righteous indignation and hate?

What if another then comes to destroy our enemy?

Should we rejoice in this? Would we Christians join in?

Think about it.

What if the Christians who do not join in are marked as being of the enemy, and therefore fit to also be exterminated? What if “many will kill you, thinking they do God’s service?”

This is purely conjecture—a hypothetical scenario—as I said, as far as I know. However, if this were to be more than conjecture, we might consider how we are approaching those who hate Christians specifically and shift focus to those who hate us all and are pitting us against one another for their own self-serving purposes.

What if these minority groups are being artificially inflated through pride and flattery, and this is made easy because many of these people carry a lot of pain—pain that the Christian world did not properly address and in many ways made worse though misrepresentations of Jesus Christ and His Gospel?

What if they are suffering through a lifetime of gaslighting and manipulation, turning them into codependent pons of a state that only wants to use them to weaken a world that the state wants to control, just to later turn on these minority groups and kill them because they do not fit in with their utopian vision?

What if there are many strawmen fighting strawmen—and the whole works will go up in flames when Jesus returns?

Let’s not create strawmen and fight strawmen.

Let us get to what is true—by He Who is True.

Let us continue to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world.

Jesus taught us to love our enemies for a reason. He taught us to bless those who curse you for a reason. He taught us never to sacrifice truth for a reason, to call evil good or good evil. His ways provide us with a sure foundation that will not fail—but if it fails, then what is there for us?

“If the salt has lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted?”

The Adversary only steals, kills, and destroys. The Adversary flatters with his lips while his heart says another thing. The Adversary uses people for his own gain, turning people against one another. The Adversary is only interested in himself. Doesn’t this sound familiar?

Don’t let the Adversary turn your hearts against your fellow man. Turn on him instead by sticking to the lessons we received by Jesus Christ and the Apostles.

The Almighty is in control of it all.  This is mind-bending, no-doubt. What if—hypothetically speaking, as far as I know—the Almighty allows this so that the hearts of all men are tried and tested, believer and non-believer alike?

I believe in a Millennial Kingdom reign of Jesus. I also believe that a competing Kingdom that “was and is not and yet is” will come first, and I believe that every ultra-authoritarian regime in history shows us what this looks like.

Manipulation is part of the game. False fears and false promises are part of the game. Turning people against one another as “victims and heroes” is part of the game. Identifying those to be exterminated is part of the game. Massive genocide made possible by average, everyday people who think they are doing righteously is part of the game.

Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness so that we can stand against the Adversary, not be used as his pons.

If we are allowing hatred to be stirred up in us, if we are forgetting the patience of the Lord that leads us to repentance, if we are tempted to call evil good and good evil in order to please people (thereby flattering, lying to them, and aiding in their manipulation), then we are pawn of the enemy.

This is true, whether the above ideas are conjecture and hypothetical or not.

Do not be overcome with evil but overcome evil with good.  

*Note – I saw my error in using the word “conjuncture” instead of “conjecture” and I have fixed it. :p*

Are you Concerned About “Overcoming?” You Aren’t Alone.

“I still struggle with fear that I will be cast out on the day of judgment. The promise to those who overcome and keep his works comforts me though it is that same promise that scares me. Am I keeping his works? Am I overcoming? Is my faith and struggle enough for Jesus when I periodically “fall off the wagon” and fall into sinful and world states of mind which ALWAYS accompanies depression. But Jesus keeps bringing me back, replacing the zeal in my heart that is so often lost to the pain of this world, my past and mental health issues. And guilt and fear etc. etc. Is that keeping his works? I don’t know.”

Someone shared a journal entry they wrote after reading the Thyatira posts. I was given permission to share and to respond publicly for the edification of our brethren.

I want to look at each statement and provide some scripture.

“I still struggle with fear that I will be cast out on the day of judgment. The promise to those who overcome and keep his works comforts me thought it is that same promise that scares me.”

I know what you mean. Jesus says that His word—which include His promises—are like a sharp, two-edged sword. I think it is natural to feel both comfort and fear when we consider His words. Jesus by the prophet Isaiah said this in Isaiah 66:

“To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit that trembles at my word.” If you fear the word of God, this is good. Paul the Apostle said that we should “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” There is a level of fear that is natural, considering we are dealing with the Almighty. This fear shows that you have faith. You know that He means what He says.

You also show that you are of a “poor and of a contrite spirit” which means you see your lack apart from Jesus. Jesus says, “blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Though it is good to fear the word of God, do not fear being cast out on the day of judgment. Instead, try to look at your fear as a comfort. God looks to you. “He shows mercy to those who fear Him.”

Am I keeping his works? Am I overcoming? Is my faith and struggle enough for Jesus when I periodically “fall off the wagon” and fall into sinful and world states of mind which ALWAYS accompanies depression.

What does it mean to keep His works? What does it mean to overcome? We might debate on this issue. I’m sure many do, but I do not want anyone to be led away from the comfort that we find in the simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“This is the will of my Father: that you would believe on He whom He sent.”

I believe that “keeping His works” means that we trust in Jesus to do what He said He would do. He promises to forgive us of our sins, to send the Holy Spirit who will “guide you to all truths” and to raise us from the dead at His coming. Paul the Apostle said, “he who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it.”

As we trust in Jesus, we learn about Him and what it means to be a Christian. We “keep” these sayings near and dear to our heart. We struggle to perform them, but we know that Jesus will work all good things in us if we continue to seek Him. We do not reject His ways. We do not try to replace His ways with our own righteousness or what the world says is good. If we respect His ways, do our upmost to honor them according to what He has given us and trust in Him to keep working in us, then we are “keeping His works.”

We are also overcoming.

“Falling off the wagon” is part of every Christian walk. Sometimes it seems like one step forward and many steps back, but if we keep going, then we are “overcoming.”

There is much to overcome, as we read about in the letters to the 7 churches.

There are many things out there that attempt to replace Jesus and the work of His Holy Spirit. There is the temptation to view our Christianity as a mere mental exercise, so if we have the right doctrines, we have all we need. There is temptation to forget the love, mercy, and patience of God as we fight against false doctrines and “sinners.” There is temptation to consider ourselves righteous using outward actions and regulations. There is the temptation to use His mercy and grace as an excuse for sinful living. There are false forms of spirituality. There is temptation to look to the securities and pleasures of this world instead of Jesus.

There are many ways in which we can “fall off the wagon,” but as you mentioned, you are not content there. This leads to depression and Jesus pulls you back. This is His grace towards you—and this is something to trust in. He will cause you to overcome.

But Jesus keeps bringing me back, replacing the zeal in my heart that is so often lost to the pain of this world, my past and mental health issues. And guilt and fear etc. etc. Is that keeping his works? I don’t know.”

Jesus brings you back! That is the key. He is the Good Shepherd who will leave the 99 to go after that 1. You might be interested in Psalm 119. One of my favorite scripture songs was made for this song (I will share it with you if you would like). This song speaks to that struggle, in my view. The final verse states, “I have gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy commandments.”

Part of our “keeping His works” and “overcoming” means we wrestle with the things of this life, including painful things in this world, guilt over past and present sins, and a slew of physical and mental troubles. Jesus is near and He does not turn away from those who trust in Him.

Psalm 22 – another favorite of mine for these exact reasons you mention in this post – states “he does not despise nor abhor the affliction of the afflicted. Neither hast he hid his face from him. But when he cried unto him, he heard.”

He hears your cries and He will come through for you because He is always faithful and true to His word—a word that you both love and fear—which is fitting!

When you are feeling heavy-hearted, turn your heart to praising Jesus. This is very helpful. Think on how wonderful He is. If you need some help because your words fail you, look to the Psalms. Find audio versions on YouTube if you want, or I can send you some scripture music. You can also ask the Lord to give you the gift of praying in the Spirit. The Spirit will intercede on our behalf, revealing things in our heart that are too deep for us to fully understand.

There is much to praise Him for, and praise lifts us up. His judgements are always just and merciful. He is gracious and slow to anger. He desires that all who belong to Him will repent and come to fuller understanding of who He is and He “rewards those who diligently seek Him.” Keep seeking Him—and you will “keep His words.” You will “overcome.” You will inherit the promises—because He who made these promises and He who began this transformative work in you is Faithful and True!

I love, love, love it when I get feedback on the writings published here at thelordalone.com. Positive, negative, neutral—all things work out for good and help build all of us up in Jesus.

Please do not hesitate to respond, though sometimes it might take me some time, depending on the nature of the conversation. I don’t care if I am detained from writing the final work on the 7 Churches for months or more if it means having real-to-life conversations with my brethren. For me, this is what it is all about and I trust that the Lord’s timing is at work in all things!

Discerning Salvation Issues: Be Careful About What You Build

Which Christian doctrines are necessary for salvation? Last night, I made a post about my perspective concerning where to draw the line concerning Christian doctrine as it pertains to salvation.

I stated that Jesus is the line. Period. We put our faith in Him and continue in this faith.

We like to add to this our favored doctrines, and when we do, we are creating an unjust line that will lead to a building that is out of whack.

I think my statement might cause some to worry that I had conceded to a “faith plus nothing” mindset.

I have not.

A building with nothing more than a measuring line is not a building. As James stated, “faith without works is dead being alone.”

Paul the Apostle also said, “take heed what you build.”

Jesus is the measure by which all else is built. As we see concerning New Jerusalem, the foundations also include the 12 Apostles. The teachings of Jesus and His Apostles are critical. So, if we have faith in Jesus, we will also learn what He and His Apostles said concerning Him.

Many have built in the name of Jesus and much has gone astray. I will not back down from that. However, it is also written that “a foolish woman tears down her house and a wise woman builds it up.”

As the faithful church, of which we all are who trust in Jesus, we should build.

What are we building?

We are building up individual Christians after the likeness of Christ—many Christians who make up that Holy City, New Jerusalem.

However, we do so by putting Jesus first knowing this: He is the measuring line. He and His Apostles provided the foundation and though we are participants in His work, He alone will finish the work. He is the Alpha and the Omega. The Beginning and the Ending. When He returns, we will see this kingdom. There will be a competing kingdom that comes first—and is now already in some form and has always been in some form. “The beast that was and is not and yet is.”

As Christians, we should do what we can to build the Lord’s Kingdom, but we do so in humility knowing that the end work will not be completed until He returns. However, we build in faith, looking to Jesus: The beginning and ending of our faith.

Much has been built in the name of Jesus but not with Jesus as the central focus point.

When we put our favored doctrines, pastors, denominations, and the like as our center or as part of our center, our building is not one that looks like Christ—but one that is more like our favored doctrines, pastors, and denominations. There are many such constructs. These will be “removed out of their place” because they are not building in faith—trusting in Jesus to build—but they instead out of a lack of faith took it upon themselves to build according to their own understanding.

When Jesus returns, we will all face things we got wrong. He will judge the works done in His Name and we look to Him for grace as one who says, “I am an unprofitable servant. I did that which was my duty to do.”

However, we should strive to be faithful to our works done in His Name. It is also true that we can learn much about His judgements if we are of a truth trusting in Him and putting Him first. I do believe He is revealing things in our time so that we can strengthen ourselves as those who wait for Jesus. As things stand now, we are at risk of deception from the false prophet because we do not properly trust in Jesus. We trust in man.

So, there is much to do—with faith that Jesus will cause us to do it—and when He returns, He will repair all that went astray. He will judge graciously to those whose faith in Him leads to a faithful life in Christ. He will judge with great wrath for those who did not.

The letters to the Churches and the book of Revelation in entirety along with all the writings of the Apostles provide great insight into His judgments. If we have faith in Him, we should consider. Trust in His mercy and grace, but also trust that He is not to be trifled with and all the works done under His Name but not in His Name will come down.

If you want to fault me for doing my upmost to use the talents the Lord gave me faithfully as one who wants to have a hand in building His Kingdom, then what can I say?

I am not building the Kingdom of this world and leading people into that place of death. I’m calling people out of it, as are many, because this is a big world and us small people only have a small role. However, we should want our small role to be as perfect as possible while trusting in Jesus to lead the way and to weigh our work with grace.

Since I want grace, I think the gracious position is to say that the only doctrine that is needed for salvation is to put your faith in Jesus and continue in this faith.

It is true that continuing in this faith means much, but He will cause these things to take place so we trust in Him. We do not “make lies our refuge and under falsehoods hide ourselves” thinking that we know it all because we trusted in our religious authorities who have by and large “made their covenant with death and with hell are they in agreement.” These who say, “when the overwhelming scourge shall pass through it will not come to us.” “I sit a queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow.”

I know there are some who say this of me. There are some who have compared me and my work to the villainous women in the scriptures. I say this so you can judge for yourself. Who considers that they might be the villain? I have. I always do. I know that I can be removed at any time and I know that deception is called deception for a reason.

However, I also see the Lord’s work in my heart and in my life, so I trust in Him. Weigh my work for yourself. I do what I can to judge my work along the way, but I cannot judge it in the ultimate sense. Jesus will, and I look to Him for gracious judgment for all of us who trust in Him.

Those who trust in Him will not be desolate, as the scriptures say. I will do my best to inspire trust, but also fear. God is to be feared. Our work in His Name matters. Fear Him. He gives mercy to those who fear Him and grace to the humble. “Take heed what you build” and I will do the same.

Determining Salvation Issues: “These Things Saith He”

These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;

He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

And I will give him the morning star.

These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars;

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

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.

– Opening and closing of the letters to the 7 Churches of Revelation found in Revelation Chapters 2-3

I wanted to look at these scriptures as a whole and separate from the commentary that the Lord, Jesus spoke by His Spirit to the 7 churches. I think these scriptures paint a lovely picture, so I wanted to share.

I am working on a writing that considers the ideas we see in the letters to the churches, with a focus on He who wrote them. With a proper focus on Him, all else falls into place.

I am eager to get this work done, but I have been detained by a discussion with a couple of brothers in Christ who have disagreements about a Christian doctrine.

A related discussion with one of these brothers deals with how to properly discern which Christian doctrines are salvation issues and which are not.

From my perspective, determining which doctrines are salvation issues and which are not is quite simple, though coming to this point was not a simple process, so the Lord has taught me patience with it. I understand that we tend to peg our favored doctrines as being salvation issues. However, they are not.

Jesus is the salvation issue. If we put our faith in Him and continue in this faith, all else will follow. It’s quite a stern yet gracious line.

If we draw that line anyplace else, our scale is unjust. This is pertinent to the troubles Ephesus deals with, so I am glad to be having this discussion, though it is deterring me in a way. People like it when we go after false doctrines, false teachers, and false prophets. There is a time and place for all things, but we have to have our center well established first.

So, I want to post this here for consideration. Jesus is the center of it all, and we all see Him in part and know Him in part. He reveals Himself more fully to those who sincerely want to know Him and keep His ways of love towards God and our fellow man.

He reveals all things according to His perfect will and timing, so we must be patient with one another and trust in Him. Put our “first love” first or else we are going to judge unjustly, and as is the case very often, our pride blinds us. Love overcomes pride, and without it, the Lord does not reveal Himself to us as readily.

What do you see when you consider the scripture above? What is Jesus revealing about Himself? This is our focal point. He is the straight and narrow line from which all else proceeds, and if we build upon Him who is our Rock, then our building will be sure (our building being our individual selves as Christians and our work to edify one another as the faithful church and body of Christ).  

The 7 Churches of Revelation: Reflect, Discuss, and Expect a Revival

There is a wealth of understanding for us in the letters of Jesus to the 7 churches of Revelation and in the Book of Revelation in totality–a book that reveals Jesus, the nature of the true church, the nature of the unfaithful church, and the results both can expect.

As it pertains to the letters to the 7 churches:

The introductions come together to create a picture of who Jesus is as we learn of His divine attributes. His words to the churches provide understanding of His judgments so that we can repent of ways in which we have gone astray from His will. His concluding promises provide encouragement that ties His messages together in a way that points us to Him more fully.

If we were to consider these letters with a focus on our individual heart towards God and our fellow servants, we can find ways in which we need to be strengthened.

We can also begin to lay aside a lot of the disputes that have long divided the true church of God—the called out who are found within every physical church and united under one spirit, even the Spirit of God. The true church of God is of the Spirit of God, and there are members of this church found in every denomination/sect of the faith.

A house divided cannot stand against the enemy. One of Jesus’s final prayers were that we would be one even as He and the Father are one. “I in them and them in me, that they may be made perfect and one and that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.” This pertained to His disciples but we who follow the Lamb of God are also His disciples.

When Jesus returns to set all things right, we will be one. However, Jesus said that He will “set fire to the earth, and what will He be if it is already kindled? He will be glad.”

Let us kindle a fire of love for our God and our fellow servants that will shine bright against all the ways of the Adversary—an Adversary that presently accuses our fellow servants before God, man, and among the household of the faith—an Adversary that will find no more place in heaven once we face the spirit of the Synagogue of Satan that presently takes our hearts away from the Lord and our brethren—and an Adversary that will come for a short time to try the hearts of man.

Everything we need is prepared for us. Let us consider it more fully, with a willingness to repent, lay aside our pride, and hear what the Spirit is saying to us—the Holy Spirit of Truth who encourages righteousness, holiness, unity among the brethren, and an intimate knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ who will one day return to judge it all. He has already judged it. Let us read His letters and understand.

I will be spending some time going over this information more carefully and compiling a single, concise work. In the meantime, I encourage you to read the articles on the 7 Churches of Revelation and consider these ideas for yourself, leave comments and discuss, and send email replies if you want to. I’d love to hear your take! I will be back, Lord willing, and we will see what Jesus will do! I expect wonderful things are in store for His true church. I expect that many people are saying these same things, not just me.

He will not leave us ensnared by the Adversary. He will teach us to “come out of her my people that you partake not of her sins and receive not of her plagues.” When this world turns on the churches, as they “burn her with fire,” we will not be caught unaware because we will be long gone at a place that He will prepare for us in the presence of our enemies!

I expect a revival among the household of the faith—a revival that precedes great sacrifice as we “love not our lives unto the death.” How long until that dreadful day? I have no idea, but we only have this one life and we need our present lives to be revived in Christ, and on this point, I think most of us can agree.

The 7 Churches of Revelation: I Was a Lukewarm Laodicean Too

There is none like Jesus. He is worthy of our full devotion, yet we often take Him for granted. I know I did. Sometimes I think about the years I wasted and I regret it. Sometimes I think about choices I made that hinder my ability to serve Him even now as I’d like to. Yet, I also know that He is in control.

Grace is an amazing thing. I’m thankful to have experienced grace in such a way as to know that Jesus is the beginning and ending of our salvation.

I could not create zeal for Jesus within myself anymore than I could “add one cubit to my stature.” It simply was not in me. I fell asleep if I tried to read my bible. I seldom prayed. I was mostly consumed with this life and pursuing personal goals. I was ambitious, yet also very emotionally damaged, so I made some “bad” life choices that led me into rapid ruin.

It was the grace of God that kept a seed of faith within me, so that I could reach out to Jesus in one last plea for Him to show me the truth before I gave up on the faith or adopted a corrupted version of it. He answered and lit a fire in my heart that turned me to Him in a real and meaningful way.

I could not simply create this in myself. So, I sympathize with people who believe in the facts of Jesus, but something is missing in heart, and I know that it is the grace of God towards us that we can have a sincere desire for the Lord.

Because of this, I do not want to beat down people who have trouble feeling zealous for Jesus. There might be some good reasons. Maybe there are some common Christian teachings that are problematic for you. Maybe you’ve been treated badly by Christians or by churches. Maybe you haven’t been instructed in the scriptures in a way that speaks to where you are and leads you to Christ. Maybe there are just too many distractions in this life.

I don’t know how to inspire zeal in people. I would that I could. What I can do is tell you that I know for a fact that faith and zeal for Jesus comes from God, so don’t let anyone tear you down because of your lack and don’t tear yourself down either.

Instead, reach out to Jesus. Sometimes all we have is a thin thread of faith, and if you have that, know that God gave it and He is faithful to give you everything that you need.

We serve the Alpha and Omega—the Beginning and the End. All things were made by Him and for Him. He holds all things, even the keys of death and life. He sees all. He knows all. His word searches hearts, heals hearts, and cuts away dead things that keep us from Him. His authority is second to none and He will not be moved by the whims of man or by the failings of our faith. The Fullness of the Spirit of God is Him, and He gives of Himself to whoever He chooses as He chooses. The Kingdom and all the riches thereof are of Him and He will grant authority to those who are faithful to Him—and it is by Him that we are made faithful. Yet, we are participants in this process, so let us seek Him, knowing that He will save all who belong to Him because He is Faithful and True. He is God with us. He is the Creator. He is the Redeemer. Any good thing we receive came from Him and any good works we do in His name is only made possible by His working in us.

He is in full control and all things are of Him, by Him, and for Him. When we really get this, we come to know grace—which is the undeserved favor of God.

Seek the grace of God. Ask Him to look favorably upon you, though you are a sinner, because you know that there is nothing you can do to be anything else because all goodness is of God. See your poverty in heart and know that all riches are of God through Jesus Christ alone. It is all Him. Seek Him and keep seeking Him.

There is nothing and no one more worthy to be honored. All things fall short of Him, and without Him, we have nothing. We can spend our whole lives living to the fullest, but if we do not have Jesus, we don’t have anything.

Yet, we also don’t have the proper perspective to know just how “wretched, miserable, poor, and naked” we are. If the grace of God is for us, we will see. We will turn to Jesus because He is our Salvation.

There is no room for lukewarm in the Kingdom of Heaven. We cannot receive of someone we do not desire to know and order our lives around. Get to know Jesus and see for yourself how great He is, and when you do, you won’t be able to resist loving Him as you see how much better He is than all the dead things in this world.

No matter where we are in our walk, no matter how zealous or lack thereof, there is always more to gain in Jesus. There is always more to seek. We can always live for Him better. Let’s keep looking to Him so He can search our hearts, show us our lack, show us the way and give us more of Himself. “Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hears my voice, I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me.”  

We do not want to be of the spirit of the Church of Laodicea, and I trust that we will not be–we who love Him will find renewed zeal for Jesus. He Is Everything.

The 7 Churches of Revelation: Laodicea

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. – Revelation 3:14-22

Jesus introduces Himself to the Laodiceans as the Amen, the faithful and true witness, and the beginning of the creation of God. What do these mean?

The Amen. Amen means, “truly,” or “let it be so,” according to my understanding. This reminds me of God as the I Am. Jesus is one with the Father, the Great I Am. That’s how I take it. It is by Him that we know of God because Jesus is the “express image of His person,” therefore, Jesus is THE true witness of God. He is our “Emmanuel,” and “God with us.” Jesus is also the Creator. In John we read that Jesus is the word of God that moved upon the creation and brought all things into being.

Jesus is not someone to be “lukewarm” about.

He says, “because thou art lukewarm, and are neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.” This makes me think of our spiritual “offerings” to God. Though we do not make offerings as they did under the Old Covenant, there are offerings to make.

Paul the Apostle said, “offer yourself a living sacrifice, which is your reasonable service.” We can also give a “sacrifice of praise” as we openly honor His Name and all He stands for without shame.

If we aren’t really into living for Jesus or if we are ashamed of Him, then our offerings are going to be unpalatable to the Lord.

Why doesn’t this church care much for living for Jesus?

It appears they are too concerned with being enriched in this world.

I see this in two ways.

We can look at this in terms of worldly prosperity. Jesus teaches that the “cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches” will choke the word of God from people. If we are content with this life to the exclusion of Jesus and His Kingdom, then we are going to be lukewarm towards Him.

I also look at this as a church who thinks they have all that they need from Jesus, so they do not really seek Him. They have all the knowledge and understanding they need. They have their Christian motions to go through. They have no need for repentance, growth, and continual striving in the things of God and the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. They consider themselves “enriched” in the Lord but are in-fact impoverished.

Contrast this with the Church of Smyrna—a church that considers themselves to be in poverty, but Jesus considers them to be rich.

If we are overly content with the riches of this world or if we consider ourselves “rich in spirit” and no longer in need of new revelations and on-going growth in Jesus, then we are at risk of becoming lukewarm towards Him. This makes us “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”

You might say, aren’t we clothed with the righteousness of Christ? Don’t we know the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ? How is it that a believer can be reckoned as “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked?”

Let’s consider.

Jesus says, “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich.” The scriptures say that our faith is tried as by fire. Our God is as a “consuming fire.” Our faith is made “golden” when it is tried by the fire of God and by the fiery trials of this life. This faith is more precious than any worldly prosperity and this faith is not attained by a Christian who thinks they have their salvation all wrapped up without enduring trials for the Namesake of Jesus.

Jesus says that they need “white raiment that thou mayest be clothed and the shame of thy nakedness doth not appear.” We might claim salvation by His sacrifice, but where is our sacrifice? Where is our “reasonable service?” If there are no works done in His name, then our faith is dead, as James says. If our faith is dead, we are not clothed with His righteousness. We stand before God naked and wretched.

Jesus says, “anoint thy eyes with eye salve that thou mayest see.” There is more to salvation than accepting grace through faith then laying that up someplace and going about your daily life. There is more to the truth of Jesus than the cross also. There is the resurrection, and that entails much—both in this present world as the Lord renews our minds by His Spirit and at His coming when we are raised or transfigured.

Jesus, who is the Amen and the Faithful and True Witness said this: “For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Jesus has a lot to say, and it is by Him that we can have “eyes to see and ears to hear.” If we do not receive Him, then we are blind. We are poor. We are miserable. We are naked.

Jesus says, “as many as I love I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous therefore and repent.” If we are sons of God, we will be chastised. He will not lose a single soul that belongs to Him. If He must, He will cause our faith to be tried by fire. He will cause us to offer acceptable sacrifices and due respect for His blood. He will cause us to see and to hear. This means pain for us if we have gone astray from His will.

It is far better for a the Laodiceans to be “zealous” and to “repent.”

They need to remember Who the serve. He is deserving of all devotion, not a lukewarm attitude. He is deserving of their whole heart and their whole life. He is deserving of their attention so that they can know Him of a truth, learn of His ways, and grow in the true riches of His Kingdom.

Jesus says, “behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me.” This is incredible. If we hear Jesus, and those who are of the truth should hear His voice, then He will come to us. He will show us our errors so that we can repent, He will teach us a better way, and He will give us of Himself.

Jesus said that we must “eat His body and drink His blood.” This means more than free salvation. This means taking Him into your very being. Living of Him. Knowing Him in your innermost parts and being renewed by Him.

Jesus promises that “he who overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am sat down with my Father in His thrown.”

There are things to overcome as Christians. We must hold our faith to the end, learn to live as faithful servants, and continue seeking more from Jesus because there is always more to gain.

This makes me think of Revelation 12. I believe there are multiple correct interpretations, but my favorite is that of a faithful Christian bringing forth a Christ-like nature.

If we overcome as Christ is formed in us, we will bring forth a new creature that is renewed in Christ Jesus. This is more than a judicial freedom from sin. This is a life dedicated fully to Jesus as we love not our own lives but instead take up our cross and follow Him. In so doing, we are “called up to God and to His throne.”

This takes reverence for the truth and a willingness to walk in the truth as one clothed with the light of the sun. This takes walking after the word of God and allowing Him to direct our steps so that we can overcome the things of this world as one who has the moon under their feet.

This requires pain as we suffer the trials of this life and learn to keep His commandments of the New Testament which we wear as our crown of glory as we learn to love God with all our being and to love our neighbor—which requires much sacrifice of self.

Jesus did not just die to judicially free us from sin so that we could live as we please on this earth without real dedication to Him. He died so that we could grow up into Him.

This is the calling we have been called to, and if we overcome, we are given authority in this age and in the age to come.

We can overcome the ways of the Laodiceans!

I know what it is like to live many years as a lukewarm Christian. I also know that the Lord chastens those He loves. He will light a fire in us that cannot be quenched, though we might dim and brighten at times. He will try us and refine us. He will work in us a great respect for Him as we experience His grace and mercy, learn of His incredible ways, and desire to live for Him. He will give us understanding so that we can see and hear what He is really about and what He expects from us.

We can repent of our stale faith and seek the Lord. He will do the rest. He made us and He can remake us again. Have faith in that!