From Revelation Chapter 2 v2
“I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate the wicked; you have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not, and discovered that they are impostors.* 3 Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name, and you have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first.
5 Realize how far you have fallen. Repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
10 Do not be afraid of anything that you are going to suffer. Indeed, the devil will throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will face an ordeal for ten days. Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
** My thoughts on this mention of number 10. (My research said that the number 10 is the symbol of obedience and responsibility of people towards the God’s law. So perhaps the Time of our ORDEAL will be until we learn to OBEY.)
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Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
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* Yet I have a few things against you. You have some people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block before the Israelites: to eat food sacrificed to idols and to play the harlot. (This line is mentioned twice in this chapter, so important!)
Thoughts that come to my mind; regarding "to eat food sacrificed to the idols." In the beginning of time, Adam and Eve were tempted with an apple from the tree of knowledge. What has come to my mind is the ways that we--the world and governments all over believe that KNOWLEDGE and trying to know all we can about 'life' --should be our goal in life. Do we not think like the people of Babylon? Let us build that building higher to honor our abilities, to glorify SELF.
The world feels deeply now that we no longer need God's Word to teach us; and we spend billions going into space to search as high as we can to reach 'knowledge.' In other words, is An Intelligent Life Machine form an idol. We know what technology has brought into our world and how it now has become another golden calf in the hands of Billions who worship self! The Holy Spirit has spoken to my heart that Technology is being used by the "Beast" spoken of in Revelation. Think about it --what beast is within any of us. Greed, anger, pride, envy, lust, gluttony, and SLOTH. Oh how all forms of technology are contributing to idolization. Time for us to stop being lazy or lukewarm.
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Likewise, you also have some people who hold to the teaching of [the] Nicolaitans. (impostors who claim to hold the truth or trying to sell us 'snake oil or lies'. Also some voices who try to convince us to buy into something to good to be true--scammers out to just get your money, using God's words even. Ouch)
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Therefore, repent. Otherwise, I will come to you quickly and wage war against them with the sword of my mouth. (THE WORD OF GOD--The Scripture we read and heed--God has spoke it.
19“I know your works, your love, faith, service, and endurance, and that your last works are greater than the first.
"20 Yet I hold this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, who teaches and misleads my servants to play the harlot and to eat food sacrificed to idols.* 21 I have given her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her harlotry. 22 So I will cast her on a sickbed and plunge those who commit adultery with her into intense suffering unless they repent of her works. 23 I will also put her children* to death. Thus shall all the churches come to know that I am the searcher of hearts and minds and that I will give each of you what your works deserve."
My thoughts, or insight that came as I read this. Could this woman prophetess represent the 'women's movement of our time. This movement using "my body, my choice" cry---has led to the billions of deaths of 'their' children. For years also since the 60's the sexual revolution has led many down the road of promiscuity, sex before marriage, living together, women dressing like a 'Jezebel' then wondering why they are not respected. Tragically also the children of this revolution are trafficked and are abused, and even murdered. Society has accepted the lies of freedom of choice. Where as--we the children of God, the followers of Christ KNOW that our life is NOT our own ---we are HIS.
Lord, thank You for leading us on this path, this journey in life with Your Word. It is very important that we know WHAT truth you want us to see now, in life TODAY.
