Wednesday 31 December 2014

The Church: Thyatira

To the Church in Thyatira

“To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: 
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.  
I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 
Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.  
I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.  
So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.  
I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.  
Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you):  
Only hold on to what you have until I come. 
To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 
‘He will rule them with an iron scepter;he will dash them to pieces like pottery’— 
just as I have received authority from my Father.  
I will also give him the morning star.  
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." 
                                                                                                   Revelations 2:18-29
Here we have the church at Thyatira here Jesus compliments them saying,
“I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.”
Then he goes on to say,
“Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.”
Like other Churches mentioned in Revelations there is a problem in this church. Here she is called Jezebel a universal name used in the bible for a woman not doing what is right. Someone who is teaching wrong doctrine.
In this case she is misleading people into sexual immorality and probably other things that are not of God.
Again and again as you look at the various churches mentioned in Revelations you see that while the church is doing good there is a flaw. Here it’s a woman who’s leading people astray by claiming to be a prophetess and is not. She is instead leading people astray.
We need to look at what we are being taught in the church. We need to watch that we are not being led astray.
We cannot compromise with the outside world. We have a standard of morality that is set by God. One that is higher than man himself sets. It is God’s morality that we must live up to.
Christ encourages the church to hold onto the things of God that are good and correct. In doing so we will receive a reward for our faithfulness.
Why not take time now to examine where you are with respect to God’s standards. Where the church congregation you attend stands with respect to the standards of God.
At the same time evaluate those who call themselves Christian teachers and evangelist whom you listen to in the media. Ask yourself are they truly teaching the word of God.
Compare everything you are taught to the Bible.
One pastor I had encouraged us to take note on the sermon. To look at the scriptures given and what is being said on Sunday or by any minister, evangelist or priest at any time. Take time at home to study what has been said.
See that the scriptures are used correctly and in context. That what the minister is saying lines up with the word of God and is not wrong teaching.
I believe it is something we all should be doing.
Think about it.

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