Letters to The Churches in America-- Revelation 2
To the angel which is in the fellowship of Ephesus, write: This says the one who holds the seven stars in his right, He who walks in the middle of the seven lampstands of gold: I know your deeds and your work and your endurance and that you are unable to endure evil and you have put to the test those who call themselves apostles and are not and you found them to be false. And you have endurance and have born because of my name and have not been overburdened. But this I have against you that you have left behind your first love. Therefore remember from where you have fallen and repent and do the first works. Or else I come to you and move your lamp from it's place unless you repent. But this you have, That you hate the works of the Nikilatians which I also hate. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the fellowships. To him who conquers I will give to him to eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of God.John, take this dictation.
To the Power which rules over the congregation of Jesus’ people in Colorado Springs:
This is from the King, who rules over God’s stars, the Powers that stand before God.
This is from the High Priest of the congregations, who brings the prayers of the people of God to God’s throne.
I know all that you have done for Me, all of your service. I know that you have upheld my name despite those who deny me.
I know that you won’t put up with false teachers, but test every so called “apostle” or “prophet” or “teacher” that comes in my name. Some you have found to be untrue, denying Me, and you have rightly labeled them “heretics”.
I know that some have attacked you because of your stand for me, and yet you are ready to continue to be standing on my behalf.
But there is a serious issue that I take stand against you: You have walked away from the love you initially lived out. You would be kind to all my brothers, helping the weak, and now you deny them, and so you deny Me. You have forsaken your love for the needy and so forsaken Me.
Correct yourself. Remember the acts you did previously and do them again. If you do not, I will take you from God’s presence and your prayers will not be heard. Heaven will become a ceiling to you, unless you renew your love.
Admittedly, you are opposed to the “Victorious People”, whom I am opposed to as well.
If anyone can hear, then pay attention to the Spirit’s word to the people of Jesus.
The conquering heroes will receive fruit from the tree of life and so obtain eternal bliss in the paradise of God.
And to the angel which is in the fellowship of Smyrna write: This says the first and the last, who was dead and came to life: I know your suffering and your poverty, but you are rich, and the blasphemy from those who call themselves Judeans and are not but of the synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold the devil is about to cast of you into prison in order to test and you will have suffering for ten days. Be faithful unto death and I will give to you the crown of life. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the fellowships. He who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.
John, take this dictation:
To the Power of the congregation of God’s people in Boston:
I am the ruler of all things from the least to the greatest.
And I am the one who was killed unjustly, but God vindicated me by raising me from the dead.
O My people, I know your great suffering and your poverty in the sight of all around you—
Yet, here with Me, you have great wealth!
I know about the traditionalists, the so-called “congregation of God” who speak terrible slander about You
But they are not of God’s congregation, but Satan’s.
Don’t be afraid of your suffering—that which you have received nor what is coming.
The Great Liar and Evil Prosecutor is going to throw some of you into prison
For a limited period of time.
This is done to test your faith.
If you remain true to me—even to death—then I will give you the reward of life that never ends.
If anyone can hear, then pay attention to the Spirit’s word to the people of Jesus.
The Victor may die, but won’t be touched by the death which comes at the judgment of all people.
And to the angel of the fellowship in Pergamum, write: This says the one who has the sharp two-edged sword: I know where you live, where the throne of Satan is and you hold to my name and did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas, my witness, my faithful one, who was killed from you where Satan lives. But I have against you a few things because you have there some who hold the teachings of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have in the same way those who hold to the teaching of the Nikolatians. Therefore repent, or else I come to you quickly and I will wage war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who conquers I will give to him the manna which is hidden and I will give to him a white stone and a new name which is written that no one knows except he who receives.
John, take this dictation:
To the Power of the congregation of God’s people in Washington D.C.:
This is a message from He whose sword—the Word of Power—cuts both against the world and the people of God.
I know the difficulties you face, and that you live in the city of Satan’s throne, where people worship politics as the replacement of God. But you did not deny me, even in the days of Martin Luther King, my witness who faithfully spoke the truth, who was killed by Satanic forces.
But I hold these things against you:
The teaching of Balaam, who taught Barak how to compromise the people of God by seducing them and leading them into false worship, is rampant among you. I have taught to love your enemies and you teach that killing your enemies at times is justified. I have taught that the least shall be the greatest, but you uphold the boasters, not the humble. I have taught to seek God’s kingdom, but you teach to seek the kingdom of this world.
You also adhere to the teachings of those who advocate compromise with the government of the world, so that the church can have success in this life.
You need to turn away from compromise of all kinds. If you stand with the world, then when I come to judge the world, I will judge you as well. Only those who remain steadfast in me, in opposition to the ways and powers of the world, will remain standing on the final day, for I will cut down every compromiser with the word of my mouth.
If you have an ear, hear what God says to His people.
The steadfast, victorious one will receive the loaves and fishes from my hand. That one will receive the “not guilty” verdict from the jury of the council of heaven.
And to the angel which is in the fellowship of Thyatira, write: This says the Son of God, who has the eyes as a flame of fire and his feet are like brass. I know your deeds and your love and faithfulness and service and your endurance and your later deeds are greater than the first. But I have against you that you forgive the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet and she teaches and leads astray my slaves to commit sexual immorality and to eat that which is sacrificed to idols. I gave her time so that she would repent, and she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold I throw her to a couch and those who commit adultery with her into great suffering unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children with death and all the fellowships will know that I am the one who examines the minds and hearts and I will give to each of you according to your deeds. And I say to you, the rest of those in Thyatira, who do not have this teaching, who have not known the "deep things of Satan" as they call them, I put upon you no other burden. But what you take hold of until I come. And he who conquers and he who keeps my deeds until the end I will give to him authority over the nations and he will watch over them with a rod of iron as the vessels of the potter are broken, as I also have received from my Father. And I will give to him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the fellowships.
John, take this dictation:
To the Power of the congregation of Portland:
This is what the Father of your country says who wears a white robe, bare feet and has the power of heaven:
I know how powerful your work for the kingdom is. I know your love for my people, your remaining in my ways, that you have served the community well and the fact that you’ve stuck by me in hard times. You are a great collection of my people!
However, I have something which I hold against you:
You have completely accepted the Jezebel in your midst, who comes to you as a teacher and has encouraged you to worship other gods. She encourages you to worship the god of Mammon, to find your security in your wealth. She encourages you to worship the god of Employment, to find your salvation in working for another. She encourages you to worship the god of Government, to find your hope in all that politics can offer you. And her servants openly worship these other gods.
I have given her an opportunity to repent, but she has refused—she still openly teaches and promotes these other gods. I will cause her to become sick, so she can mingle with the demons of judgment for a while. And everyone who followers her will catch the same sickness, and some will even die. Then every congregation will know that I am the One who knows the intents of all, but judges each person on their actions.
If you have not participated in the honoring of false gods, then you need have no fear of judgment. If you have not pursued the “deep truths”, which actually comes from the enemy, then please just keep doing what you have been.
The Victor is the one who acts like me until the end, and that one will watch as I take over every power and every human realm and I crumple them like a piece of paper and toss them aside as garbage is thrown away. And that one will share in my authority over heaven and earth.
Whoever has an ear, pay attention to what God tells his people.
Labels: Bible, Boston, compromise, Ephesus, first love, gods, idols, John, John the prophet, Nikilatians, Pergamum, Revelation, Revelation 2, Satan, Symerna, Thyatira, translation, Washington D.C.
posted by Steve Kimes @ 8:25 AM
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