Prayer – Lord, I am listening. Open my ears and heart
that I would understand exactly what the Holy Spirit is speaking to me. I want
to live victoriously in Paradise…in Heaven…eternally. Today, my relationship to
You is important—so that all of my tomorrows will be with You. I praise You—for
You are my Lord and Savior, my God.
Do you love Jesus Christ with your
whole heart?
Write this letter to the angel of the church in
Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his
right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands: I know all the
things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know
you don't tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say
they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have
patiently suffered for me without quitting. But I have this complaint against
you. You don't love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have
fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don't repent,
I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. But
this is in your favor: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I
do. Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he
is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from
the tree of life in the paradise of God. Revelation 2:1-7
Meditate. Consider God’s promises in scripture.
Look again at this letter to the church at Ephesus. Paul was
actually there in Ephesus briefly during his second missionary journey (see
Acts 18:18-19) and returned there on his third trip, staying for there for more
than two years (Acts 19:10). The Gospel was spread throughout the providence of
Asia at that time. There were believers there in Ephesus who didn’t really know
the big picture—the whole story—about Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They had merely
been baptized into John. Paul taught them the Way of the Lord and yet there
were some who still followed evil practices. Those were the ones referred to in
the Revelation text: You have examined the claims of those who say they are
apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. I think there may
be people like that even today. They say they are followers, but truly deep in
their hearts, they are not. They go to church and go through the Sunday church
motions, but they are not true believers. They are only deceiving themselves.
Examine yourself—just as we are instructed to do before
taking communion.
For I pass on to you
what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the
Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in
pieces and said, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember
me." In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying,
"This cup is the new covenant between God and his people--an agreement
confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it."
For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the
Lord's death until he comes again. So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this
cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of
the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the
bread and drinking the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without
honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon
yourself. 1 Corinthians 11:23-29 (Underlined for emphasis.)
The church at Ephesus represents not only that specific
church, but anyone who has those qualities that are mentioned in this portion
of scripture. Examine yourself. Are you…
A hard worker with patient endurance?
Tolerant of evil people?
Considering others, and yourself, as to
one’s true belief in Christ?
Patiently suffering for Christ without
quitting?
Loving Christ and other Christians as
you did at first?
Having a repentant attitude?
Hating evil deeds of others?
Listening to the Spirit and understanding
what He is saying?
Victorious?
God will reward those who are victorious with eternal life—life
in the New Jerusalem with Him. Forever.
Verse of Salvation ~ All who are victorious will become
pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I
will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of
my God--the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will
also write on them my new name. Revelation 3:12
© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All
rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless
otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale
House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M.
Hunacek
Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com
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