Prayer – Lord, flaming eyes seem scary—but knowing that those are Your eyes takes on a new light.
Write this letter to the angel of the church in Thyatira. This is the message from the Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire, whose feet are like polished bronze: "I know all the things you do. I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things. But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman—that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality. Therefore, I will throw her on a bed of suffering, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer greatly unless they repent and turn away from her evil deeds. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve. But I also have a message for the rest of you in Thyatira who have not followed this false teaching ('deeper truths,' as they call them—depths of Satan, actually). I will ask nothing more of you except that you hold tightly to what you have until I come. To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end, to them I will give authority over all the nations. They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots. They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning star! "Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Revelation 2:18-29
Meditate. Consider what you deserve…honestly. Hold on
tightly to what you have until Jesus comes. What have you got?
Thyatira was a city about thirty-five
miles southeast of Pergamum. It was known for it wool and dyeing industry. On
his second missionary journey in Philippi, Paul met Lydia, a lady from Thyatira
who was a seller of purple cloth. She was converted to Christianity there in
Philippi and took her faith home to Thyatira. She could very likely been in
the group of people that Jesus was addressing in John’s vision. Those people
were known for their faith, love, good deeds, service, and perseverance, but
they were tolerant of those, like Jezebel, who led people astray immorally.
Jesus did not like that. He gave her, and those seduced by her, an opportunity
to repent—but they didn’t. Jesus actually gives everyone a chance to repent. Nevertheless, Jesus wants people to hang onto what they
have—the good things—and to be overcomers. I think that would mean that they can overcome their sinful nature by having a relationship with Jesus Christ. They will be rewarded in the end by named
the ruling authority over the nation. Is that when they will see the flaming
eyes of our Lord Jesus Christ?
Is the rose a Christ-like
fragrance?
This one in my yard has a lovely smell.
Verse of Salvation ~ But thank God! He has made us his
captives and continues to lead us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now
he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.
Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is
perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are
perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and
doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who
is adequate for such a task as this? 2 Corinthians 2:14-16
© 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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