Remain Faithful

Prayer – Lord, give me strength to endure any suffering that may come my way. Help me to remain faithful to You, even if it means facing death. You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. You give life meaning and joy—even in the face of death. Thank you, Lord Jesus, my Rock and my Redeemer. 

Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive: "I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. Don't be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life. Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.” Revelation 2:8-11

 

Meditate. Read God’s word and listen to what He is saying.

 

Smyrna is about thirty-five miles north of Ephesus. Take a look at your map or Google it. This is now the modern city of Izmir, Turkey. The name Smyrna means “myrrh” which is a resin like substance that is used in perfume making. Recall that it was among the gifts given by the Wise Men to the baby Jesus. Smyrna is not listed in the churches that were established or visited by Paul, but being so close to Ephesus, it is likely that Paul or other early Christians did visit this city. A synagogue was established there, although it looks like there was a satanic influence of that organization during the time that John was given his vision of prophecy.

 

Angels are messengers. It is feasible that this angel messenger was actually a minister or preacher associated with the church at Smyrna. Was their message one of NO FEAR?

Don't be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days.

Purity of the white rose.
Keep your conscience clear.
Remain faithful.

Trust the Lord to take care of you. No fear.

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil. Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don't worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! 1 Peter 3:12-17

Second death. Just what is that? It is not something that anyone of us wants to experience.

And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!" And then he said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true." And he also said, "It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." Revelation 21:5-8

No second death for believers. No lake of fire. That is reserved for Satan, his angels, and his followers. Listen to the Holy Spirit and choose wisely whom you will follow. If you choose to follow Jesus, don’t be afraid. Remain faithful and you will be given a crown of life. Eternal life. Victorious life.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ (Just as God saved and rescued the Jews, He will rescue each of us.) But Moses told the people, "Don't be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm."  Exodus 14:13-14

 

© 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. 

 

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