[Theme Music]
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It has stood the test of time.
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God's book, the Bible.
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Still relevant in
today's complex world.
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It Is Written ...
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sharing hope around the globe.
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Thanks for joining me
today on It is Written.
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I'm John Bradshaw and
I am going to start today
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by telling you a little
story that might even be true.
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[Background music].
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A man is driving
in heavy traffic.
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And he's not having a good
morning on his way to work.
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He's getting worked up
about what the other drivers are
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doing, and he starts
shouting at the other motorists.
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DrivinZg Man:"ARE YOU CRAZY?"
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He gets so mad he starts
pounding his steering wheel
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and he shakes his fist
when someone ducks quickly
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in front of him.
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Driving Man:"LOSER!"
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He honks his horn,
makes a scene, and then
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in his rear-view mirror
he sees flashing lights.
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He's being pulled up.
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"What in the world
have I done wrong?"
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he wonders.
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I haven't broken any laws?
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So the police officer
comes -you know what happens--
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takes his license and heads
back to his squad car while
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our man sits there
brooding and stewing.
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"What a terrible morning!
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I'm late, all these
people are driving like maniacs.
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I'm going nowhere...
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and I get pulled up!"
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He stews a while until the
officer comes back and gives
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him his license back.
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The man says,
"Officer, what did I do wrong?
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I don't think I
was breaking any laws!
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I wasn't driving dangerously!"
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The police officer says,
"I saw the way you were acting
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back there - shouting,
and screaming, and shaking
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your fist, and
honking on your horn..."
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The man cut in and he
said "Officer, you can't pull
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someone up for shouting or
shaking their fist, can you?"
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The officer says,
"That's not why I stopped you.
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I saw the sticker on the
back of your car that says, "God
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bless you," and the other
one on the back of your car that
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says, "Honk if you love Jesus.
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And then I saw your
license place holder that says,
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"Follow me to my church!"
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The officer said, "When I
saw all that, I thought you must
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have stolen that car!"
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I know...
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I know ...
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but the story makes a point.
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Very often God's
people don't get it right.
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And that goes for church
members, for pastors, church
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administrators and
church school teachers.
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Sometimes church leaders make
decisions nobody understands,
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and sometimes
church folks just blow it.
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You'll get differences
of opinion in church,
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personality
clashes, hurt feelings...
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And the saints will sometimes
respond by getting mad.
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I'm not going to
come to church anymore.
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I'm not going to return
my tithe or give offerings to
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the church anymore.
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Some people choose to stay
away from church altogether!
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"I'm never going back THERE!"
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You know, people get upset
with hypocrites in the church
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and they stay away.
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I'll tell you what
I've told many people.
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I've often said I'd rather
go to church with hypocrites
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than go to hell
with hyprocrites!
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Now you'll hear people
say for a variety of reasons,
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"I don't like my church".
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And I guess you can
understand that to a point.
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But wait a minute!
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Just whose church is it anyway?
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And when you figure that out,
ask yourself how Jesus feels,
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when He looks on, at HIS church.
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How does Jesus feel when
He sees the way people act in
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church, the way they treat
each other, the way they get
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mad with each other,
refuse to speak to each other.
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You think there are things
about your church that bug
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YOU?
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Jesus sees it ALL.
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He's there when parents go
home from church and yell at
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their kids, He sees when
people smile at the preacher
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and then criticize him
all the way home in the car.
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He is acquainted with all
the different kinds of church
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politics, He hears the gossip
and He sees when God's people
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say one thing and do another.
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Jesus sees dishonesty;
he sees the infidelity that
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sometimes goes on in church.
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You think YOU have problems
with what goes on in church?
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How do you think JESUS feels?!
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Well, the Bible opens some
of this up to our understanding.
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In the Book of Revelation
Jesus comes straight out
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and says what He
doesn't like about His church.
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You might be surprised
with some of what he says, so
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don't go away,
I'll be right back.
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In Matthew 4:4 the Word of
God says "It is written 'Man
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shall not live by bread alone
but by every word that proceeds
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out of the mouth of God'."
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Every Word is a one minute
Bible-based daily devotional
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presented by Pastor
John Bradshaw and designed
00:04:51.76\00:04:54.23
especially for
busy people like you.
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Look for Every Word on selected
networks or watch it on-line
00:04:56.66\00:05:00.10
everyday on our
website itiswritten.com.
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Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:05:04.13\00:05:06.56
Watch Every Word.
00:05:06.56\00:05:07.53
You'll be glad you did.
00:05:07.53\00:05:09.13
Here's a sample
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Abraham Lincoln's son, Robert,
was on a railway platform
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in Jersey City, New
Jersey, when he slipped
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between the
platform and a moving train.
00:05:24.73\00:05:26.86
But someone behind him grabbed
his coat collar and lifted him
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to safety on the platform -
saving him from serious injury
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and possibly death.
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The man who saved young
Robert Lincoln was Edwin Booth,
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the brother of John Wilkes
Booth - who later murdered
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President Lincoln.
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The brother of Lincoln's
assassin saved Lincoln's son.
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Coincidence?
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Well, you decide, but when
God is at work in our lives,
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THAT'S "providence".
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Ecclesiastes 11:5 says,
"As you do not know what
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is the way of the wind, or
how the bones grow in the womb
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of her who is with child, so
you do not know the works of God
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who makes everything."
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Even when you don't
see it, God is at work.
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When some see a coincidence,
you can know that God was
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there.
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Let's live today by Every Word.
00:06:09.96\00:06:10.60
[Music] In Revelation
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chapters 2 and 3 you find
the letters to the 7 churches.
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Seven brief
messages, one each to seven
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different churches.
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Now they were real churches
that existed in John's day in
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the area known in the Bible
as Asia Minor, but today we
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call that Turkey.
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The churches involved are
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos,
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Thyatira, Sardis,
Philadelphia and Laodicea.
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These were young
congregations when John wrote
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to them.
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He wrote to them from
the Island of Patmos, a Greek
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Island in the Aegean
Sea rather close to Turkey.
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And he was on the
Island of Patmos as a prisoner,
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a prisoner for his faith.
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The Roman government had
him pegged as a troublemaker
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and a disturber of the peace.
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Imprisoned for his
faith, cut off from friends and
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associates, John still has
strong faith in God and he is
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gifted by God with the
revelation that ended up
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being the Book of Revelation.
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John was writing at a time
when the Christians of Asia
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were suffering
terrible persecution, and these
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messages were designed to
encourage these poor souls
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and inspire them with hope.
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And when you read the Book
of Revelation you discover that
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this is the first of the
many 'sevens' in Revelation -
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you've got seven Spirits,
candlesticks, stars, seals,
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trumpets, plagues, thunders...
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When the number seven is
used throughout the Bible
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in a symbolic sense,
it is generally understood
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to indicate
completeness or perfection.
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And seeing as there were
more than seven churches in Asia
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Minor (there was Colosse
and Hierapolis and others),
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we conclude that Bible
teachers have historically been
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correct in believing that
each of those seven churches
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in early Revelation
represents an era of church
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history.
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Now the first church listed
correlates with the experience
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of the early Christian
church after Christ's death,
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while Laodicea, the
last of the seven, relates to
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the church of the last days.
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Jesus has something to say
to each church, and He doesn't
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hold back.
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In fact, He tells them
exactly what He doesn't like
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about their situation.
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Let's look together.
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The first church is the
church of Ephesus, and Jesus
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addresses Ephesus with
a glowing introduction.
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Revelation 2:2,3, he says:
"I know your works, your labor,
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your patience, and that you
cannot bear those who are evil.
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And you have tested those who
say they are apostles and are
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not, and have found
them liars; and you have
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persevered and have patience,
and have labored for My
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name's sake and
have not become weary."
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But...
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They had their problems.
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In the very next verse,
Jesus says, "Nevertheless I have
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this against you, that you
have left your first love."
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Revelation 2:4 To have lost
your first love is a terrible
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thing.
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Sometimes it happens in
relationships, marriages.
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It starts with
flowers and text messages
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and hand-written notes, but
then spirals downward into habit
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and routine.
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The nice little things
that used to happen are HISTORY.
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Too often that
happens with people and Jesus.
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They were always talking
to Him, always wanting to know
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more about Him, always
telling others how wonderful
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He was or is.
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They were in love.
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But love gave way to a
familiarity that bred apathy.
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The fire went cold.
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Not good.
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But Jesus shows us a way out.
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Look at Revelation 2:5
"Remember therefore from
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where you have fallen;"
Remembering where you were
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can spark a
desire to get back there.
00:09:58.13\00:10:00.56
It's just like in a marriage.
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Remember.
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You really had something
- you could have that again.
00:10:03.73\00:10:07.26
And friend, if you
really once had something with
00:10:07.26\00:10:10.00
Jesus, He's wants
you to have that again.
00:10:10.00\00:10:13.20
Back to revelation, Chapter 2.
00:10:13.20\00:10:15.50
"Remember therefore from
where you have fallen; repent
00:10:15.50\00:10:18.90
and do the first works."
00:10:18.90\00:10:20.90
Revelation 2:5 John tells the
church at Ephesus, Think of what
00:10:20.90\00:10:24.80
it used to be like.
00:10:24.80\00:10:26.33
Remember where you used to be.
00:10:26.33\00:10:28.56
Then repent.
00:10:28.56\00:10:29.56
And then do the
first works again.
00:10:29.56\00:10:31.56
And if we don't?
00:10:31.56\00:10:33.20
Let's read the entire
verse, Revelation 2:5 "Remember
00:10:33.20\00:10:36.96
therefore from where you
have fallen; repent and do the
00:10:36.96\00:10:40.06
first works, or else I
will come to you quickly
00:10:40.06\00:10:43.73
and remove your lampstand from
its place--unless you repent.
00:10:43.73\00:10:47.60
Revelation 2:5
The light will go out.
00:10:47.60\00:10:51.83
But Jesus can help you
get that first love back.
00:10:51.83\00:10:54.33
He can heal a
wounded relationship,
00:10:54.33\00:10:57.70
especially if that
relationship is with Him.
00:10:57.70\00:10:59.73
The reward promised
to the Ephesian church
00:10:59.73\00:11:03.30
is that it would - if faithful
- eat of the tree of life (v7),
00:11:03.30\00:11:07.53
and that's
promise is for us today.
00:11:07.53\00:11:10.03
You see, even though
these letters were written to
00:11:10.03\00:11:12.03
actual churches long ago,
we can see that they contain
00:11:12.03\00:11:14.46
counsel, advice -
and hope - for us.
00:11:14.46\00:11:18.13
We will look at the remaining
churches in just a moment.
00:11:18.13\00:11:21.66
[Music]
00:11:21.66\00:11:24.96
I hope you'll get the book
I am offering you this week.
00:11:32.56\00:11:33.90
It's called Revelation Today.
00:11:33.90\00:11:35.66
It adds a lot of
details to the end-time scenario
00:11:35.66\00:11:38.16
presented in the
Book of Revelation.
00:11:38.16\00:11:40.26
This little book is going
to help you understand what
00:11:40.26\00:11:41.66
the Book of
Revelation is really all about.
00:11:41.66\00:11:43.40
It untangles the end-time
prophetic scenario to let you
00:11:43.40\00:11:47.20
see how the battle
between good and evil ultimately
00:11:47.20\00:11:49.16
plays out.
00:11:49.16\00:11:51.00
Just call or write and I
will send you Revelation Today.
00:11:51.00\00:11:53.20
There is no cost, no obligation.
00:11:53.20\00:11:55.43
It is absolutely free.
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All you need to do is
call 1.800.253.3000 and ask for
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Revelation Today.
00:12:00.23\00:12:02.30
You can call 24-hours a day.
00:12:02.30\00:12:04.13
If the line is busy,
please just keep on trying.
00:12:04.13\00:12:07.03
You can also request your
free copy of Revelation Today
00:12:07.03\00:12:10.90
by writing It Is Written,
Box O, Thousand Oaks, CA 91359
00:12:10.90\00:12:14.13
and we will mail a copy to
your address in North America.
00:12:14.13\00:12:17.76
Now please note: This free
book is limited to the supply
00:12:17.76\00:12:20.60
on hand.
00:12:20.60\00:12:21.90
To get it right away you
can download a free electronic
00:12:21.90\00:12:23.60
version of the book Revelation
Today from our website,
00:12:23.60\00:12:26.60
itiswritten.com.
00:12:26.60\00:12:28.66
It Is Written is a faith-based
ministry, made possible
00:12:28.66\00:12:31.40
by viewers like you.
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00:12:35.70\00:12:42.53
In the book of Revelation
you will find the letters to the
00:12:44.83\00:12:48.56
seven churches.
00:12:48.56\00:12:49.70
A moment ago, we left
off at the church at Ephesus.
00:12:49.70\00:12:53.33
Next is Smyrna.
00:12:53.33\00:12:55.70
Now Jesus doesn't have
anything negative so say to
00:12:55.70\00:12:58.86
the church at Smyrna.
00:12:58.86\00:13:00.80
This time period here is
when the church went through
00:13:00.80\00:13:03.26
brutal persecution
under the Roman Caesars.
00:13:03.26\00:13:05.16
The ten days mentioned
in verse 10 of Chapter 2 are
00:13:05.16\00:13:10.23
said to refer to the 10
years of persecution under the
00:13:10.23\00:13:14.00
Emperor Diocletian when
thousands of people were
00:13:14.00\00:13:16.33
martyred.
00:13:16.33\00:13:17.33
But during that time of
intense persecution, the
00:13:17.33\00:13:19.33
church possessed an
ardent love for Christ and His
00:13:19.33\00:13:22.33
truth.
00:13:22.33\00:13:23.33
History says that when the
Bishop of Carthage was sentenced
00:13:23.33\00:13:25.33
to die, the
Christians listening cried out,
00:13:25.33\00:13:27.90
"We will die with him!"
00:13:27.90\00:13:30.46
Christ doesn't rebuke these
faithful ones who have been
00:13:30.46\00:13:34.00
through so much, but He
promises them in verse 10
00:13:34.00\00:13:37.00
that they will receive
from Jesus "a crown of life."
00:13:37.00\00:13:41.43
You'll read in Rev 2:8
that Jesus says, "These things
00:13:41.43\00:13:45.96
saith the first and the last,
which was dead and is alive."
00:13:45.96\00:13:51.50
Imagine the
encouragement that would be!
00:13:51.50\00:13:54.03
Jesus says, "You're going
through misery, but you know
00:13:54.03\00:13:56.66
what?
00:13:56.66\00:13:57.66
I went through that too -
I died, but now I am alive."
00:13:57.66\00:14:01.83
What an encouragement that
had to be for the believers
00:14:01.83\00:14:03.96
in Smyrna, many of
whom were facing death.
00:14:03.96\00:14:06.86
You know, Jesus doesn't
always deliver you from the
00:14:06.86\00:14:09.30
calamity facing you, but
He promises you that if you're
00:14:09.30\00:14:12.73
faithful in whatever comes
your way, ultimately you're
00:14:12.73\00:14:16.00
going to experience
the greatest blessings
00:14:16.00\00:14:18.00
imaginable.
00:14:18.00\00:14:19.36
When you're going through
a difficult time you can know
00:14:19.36\00:14:21.63
that Jesus is near.
00:14:21.63\00:14:23.40
You don't have to feel
it, just need to believe it.
00:14:23.40\00:14:26.46
When the heat is
turned up, Jesus is close by.
00:14:26.46\00:14:29.50
And this is what John
told the church at Smyrna.
00:14:29.50\00:14:32.53
But then there's Pergamos.
00:14:32.53\00:14:35.83
Pergamos is in western
Turkey about 20 miles from the
00:14:35.83\00:14:38.66
Aegean Sea.
00:14:38.66\00:14:39.90
It was a fabulous
city in ancient times.
00:14:39.90\00:14:42.20
It had a library with 200,000
volumes in it - Mark Anthony
00:14:42.20\00:14:47.66
gave the library to Cleopatra.
00:14:47.66\00:14:50.33
(She must have liked to read!
00:14:50.33\00:14:52.00
Today I guess he'd just give
her a Kindle or a Nook or an
00:14:52.00\00:14:54.46
e-book or an e-book
reader or something.) There was
00:14:54.46\00:14:56.76
a theatre there that seated
10,000 people, and they say
00:14:56.76\00:15:00.56
it had the steepest seating
of any known theatre in the
00:15:00.56\00:15:02.93
ancient world.
00:15:02.93\00:15:04.33
Now this is the church
period when Christianity became
00:15:04.33\00:15:06.86
popular under the
Roman Emperor Constantine.
00:15:06.86\00:15:09.96
And just what does Jesus
say He doesn't like about His
00:15:09.96\00:15:13.86
church?
00:15:13.86\00:15:15.03
We'll look in Revelation
2:14: "But I have a few
00:15:15.03\00:15:19.30
things against you, because
you have there those who hold
00:15:19.30\00:15:22.16
the doctrine of Balaam,
who taught Balak to put a
00:15:22.16\00:15:25.00
stumbling block before
the children of Israel, to eat
00:15:25.00\00:15:27.66
things sacrificed to
idols, and to commit sexual
00:15:27.66\00:15:31.13
immorality."
00:15:31.13\00:15:33.06
So what was it with Balaam?
00:15:33.06\00:15:35.50
His whole story is one
that it would be good to take up
00:15:35.50\00:15:38.03
at length if we had the time.
00:15:38.03\00:15:40.06
Balaam was a prophet of God,
one of God's people, and the
00:15:40.06\00:15:43.66
Moabites wanted him to
curse Israel to weaken Israel so
00:15:43.66\00:15:47.63
that Israel could be overcome.
00:15:47.63\00:15:49.86
According to 2 Peter
2:15, Balaam loved the wages
00:15:49.86\00:15:54.90
of unrighteousness.
00:15:54.90\00:15:56.60
He was a covetous man,
and when he was offered large
00:15:56.60\00:16:00.13
sums to turn against
God's people, it was too much
00:16:00.13\00:16:03.50
for him to refuse.
00:16:03.50\00:16:04.83
He refused once, but
the second time he refused
00:16:04.83\00:16:08.20
and then, then he said to the
men sent to him, hang around,
00:16:08.20\00:16:11.36
while I enquire
further of the Lord.
00:16:11.36\00:16:13.53
As though God was
going to change his mind!
00:16:13.53\00:16:15.93
Balaam was the one who had
a conversation with a donkey,
00:16:15.93\00:16:18.13
met with an angel and
STILL carried on in his own evil
00:16:18.13\00:16:21.16
way, because he
wanted the money.
00:16:21.16\00:16:24.16
Balaam speaks to those of
us who are motivated by our own
00:16:24.16\00:16:27.03
desires and not
by God's desires.
00:16:27.03\00:16:30.16
Balaam would have had no
trouble knowing God's will
00:16:30.16\00:16:32.93
if only God's will had
been the same as HIS will,
00:16:32.93\00:16:35.80
and sometimes some of
God's people are like that.
00:16:35.80\00:16:38.90
Some folks want their
own way, and not God's way.
00:16:38.90\00:16:41.30
That was Balaam's issue,
and John writes to a church that
00:16:41.30\00:16:44.53
was wrestling with that.
00:16:44.53\00:16:46.13
And in that period when
Christianity became popular
00:16:46.13\00:16:48.53
because the state was smiling
on it, things evidently got
00:16:48.53\00:16:52.46
a little easy for believers.
00:16:52.46\00:16:54.83
Not always the best thing.
00:16:54.83\00:16:57.06
The overcomer in Pergamos
is promised the hidden manna -
00:16:57.06\00:17:00.86
the forever spiritual food
of the believer which promises
00:17:00.86\00:17:03.86
eternal life and health-
the white stone of the high
00:17:03.86\00:17:07.20
priest also, and the new
name indicating a victorious
00:17:07.20\00:17:10.93
experience and a
changed character.
00:17:10.93\00:17:13.50
Friend, thank God
we can all have that.
00:17:13.50\00:17:17.03
Now to the church of Thyatira
in verse 20, Jesus says,
00:17:17.03\00:17:21.90
"I have a few things against
you, because you allow that
00:17:21.90\00:17:24.26
woman Jezebel, who
calls herself a prophetess,
00:17:24.26\00:17:27.96
to teach and seduce My servants
to commit sexual immorality
00:17:27.96\00:17:32.30
and to eat things
sacrificed to idols."
00:17:32.30\00:17:35.90
In the Bible, Jezebel
was married to King Ahab
00:17:35.90\00:17:38.96
and introduced all kinds
of falsehood into the midst
00:17:38.96\00:17:43.43
of God's people.
00:17:43.43\00:17:44.43
In fact, Jezebel managed
to mix light with dark, truth
00:17:44.43\00:17:49.96
with error, so that although
Israel hadn't totally given
00:17:49.96\00:17:53.53
up on God, they
were worshipping both God
00:17:53.53\00:17:56.60
and Baal.
00:17:56.60\00:17:57.60
That's disastrous
for a Christian church,
00:17:57.60\00:17:59.96
to be mixing truth with error,
light with dark, true worship
00:17:59.96\00:18:03.23
with false worship.
00:18:03.23\00:18:04.36
Disastrous!
00:18:04.36\00:18:05.96
God is looking for people
who will be faithful, radically
00:18:05.96\00:18:09.03
committed to truth and right.
00:18:09.03\00:18:11.30
And then God says to this
church, I will give you power
00:18:11.30\00:18:13.56
over all nations,
that you will rule them.
00:18:13.56\00:18:16.60
Interesting - Jesus says,
There's a lot I don't like
00:18:16.60\00:18:20.13
about my church, but I'm
telling you that I'm going to
00:18:20.13\00:18:22.90
give you everlasting life,
because I'm going to save you
00:18:22.90\00:18:26.30
anyway, if you want to be saved!
00:18:26.30\00:18:29.73
Now to Sardis (in Revelation
3:1,2) Jesus says this,
00:18:29.73\00:18:35.30
"I know your works, that
you have a name that you are
00:18:35.30\00:18:38.63
alive, but you are dead.
00:18:38.63\00:18:41.40
Be watchful, and strengthen
the things which remain, that
00:18:41.40\00:18:45.03
are ready to die, for I have
not found your works perfect
00:18:45.03\00:18:49.36
before God."
00:18:49.36\00:18:51.53
What a thing for
Jesus to say to His church.
00:18:51.53\00:18:54.90
You're dead!
00:18:54.90\00:18:56.56
Now that's a wake-up call!
00:18:56.56\00:18:58.43
Dead people in the church.
00:18:58.43\00:19:00.10
You think there's
any of that today?
00:19:00.10\00:19:02.96
Now here's the good news.
00:19:02.96\00:19:04.36
Remember the prodigal son?
00:19:04.36\00:19:05.63
His father said, "My son
was dead, but now he's alive."
00:19:05.63\00:19:10.26
The gospel is the work of
bringing the spiritually dead
00:19:10.26\00:19:13.03
back to life.
00:19:13.03\00:19:14.30
So Christ says to the church
in Sardis, in Revelation 3,
00:19:14.30\00:19:19.53
"He who overcomes shall
be clothed in white garments,
00:19:19.53\00:19:23.26
and I will not blot out
his name from the Book of Life;
00:19:23.26\00:19:26.50
but I will confess his
name before My Father and before
00:19:26.50\00:19:30.80
His angels."
00:19:30.80\00:19:32.93
I'm glad the Lord is
able to raise the dead.
00:19:32.93\00:19:35.50
That means there's
hope for all of us!
00:19:35.50\00:19:39.46
Now the church in Philadelphia.
00:19:39.46\00:19:41.76
It doesn't appear that Jesus
reproves this church at all.
00:19:41.76\00:19:45.26
He does say the church
has little strength, but maybe
00:19:45.26\00:19:48.36
that's a commendation,
that they have strength at all.
00:19:48.36\00:19:51.26
It is said that the time
period represented here is
00:19:51.26\00:19:53.83
the time after the
Reformation has taken place.
00:19:53.83\00:19:56.73
And if you study that
history, you'll see that the
00:19:56.73\00:19:58.76
church got stuck in a
rut after the reformation had
00:19:58.76\00:20:01.33
brought it back to life.
00:20:01.33\00:20:03.00
But then God makes another
promise to a faltering body
00:20:03.00\00:20:06.10
of believers: God's
promise to his church is to be
00:20:06.10\00:20:10.10
a pillar in the temple,
and to have His new name.
00:20:10.10\00:20:14.36
See, we receive the character
of Christ, because we receive
00:20:14.36\00:20:18.53
the gift of His life.
00:20:18.53\00:20:21.23
Then Laodicea, which
correlates with the church in
00:20:21.23\00:20:24.96
the last years
of Earth's history.
00:20:24.96\00:20:27.16
Notice what God says:
This is Revelation 3:15,16.
00:20:27.16\00:20:32.80
"I know your works, that
you are neither cold nor hot.
00:20:32.80\00:20:36.93
I could wish you
were cold or hot.
00:20:36.93\00:20:40.10
So then, because you are
lukewarm, and neither cold
00:20:40.10\00:20:43.30
nor hot, I will
vomit you out of My mouth."
00:20:43.30\00:20:48.30
Lukewarm -- not cold or hot.
00:20:48.30\00:20:52.23
The result is that God will
spew many of these people out
00:20:52.23\00:20:54.70
of His mouth.
00:20:54.70\00:20:55.80
And if I can be agricultural
for just a moment, spewing is
00:20:55.80\00:21:00.20
not a voluntary action.
00:21:00.20\00:21:01.60
It is involuntary.
00:21:01.60\00:21:02.80
Which is to say, this isn't
something God wants to do, or
00:21:02.80\00:21:05.56
tries to do, but it is
something He has to do.
00:21:05.56\00:21:09.26
Something very curious here
is that there is something in
00:21:09.26\00:21:12.26
God's eyes that is worse
than being against God, and that
00:21:12.26\00:21:17.13
is being lukewarm.
00:21:17.13\00:21:19.70
To be going through the
motions as a Christian is
00:21:19.70\00:21:22.03
more dangerous than
to be opposed to God.
00:21:22.03\00:21:25.46
You see, if you're
self-deceived - that is truly
00:21:25.46\00:21:28.26
hazardous to your
spiritual well-being.
00:21:28.26\00:21:30.46
And clearly it is
entirely possible to be in that
00:21:30.46\00:21:32.73
condition.
00:21:32.73\00:21:33.73
I heard a few years ago
about people living in a part of
00:21:33.73\00:21:36.26
Rhode Island.
00:21:36.26\00:21:37.56
They thought they had
lived their whole life but when
00:21:37.56\00:21:40.16
the map was re-examined
it was found that they
00:21:40.16\00:21:43.23
had actually been living
the entire time in Connecticut,
00:21:43.23\00:21:46.90
even though they had
a Rhode Island zip code,
00:21:46.90\00:21:48.30
area code,
address, the whole thing.
00:21:48.30\00:21:50.76
All their lives they lived
in a state different to the
00:21:50.76\00:21:53.60
state they thought
they were living in!
00:21:53.60\00:21:56.00
You know that can happen to
Christians, who think they're
00:21:56.00\00:21:58.26
fine but they're not
because they're self-deceived.
00:21:58.26\00:22:04.73
Reading Revelation 3:17 and on.
00:22:04.73\00:22:08.93
"Because you say, 'I am rich,
have become wealthy, and have
00:22:08.93\00:22:13.06
need of nothing'--and do
not know that you are wretched,
00:22:13.06\00:22:15.76
miserable, poor, blind,
and naked--" (Revelation 3:17)
00:22:15.76\00:22:18.36
They are self-deceived.
00:22:18.36\00:22:20.06
Man, is there any hope?
00:22:20.06\00:22:22.76
Yes there is.
00:22:22.76\00:22:23.76
Here is what the Bible says:
"I counsel you to buy from Me
00:22:23.76\00:22:28.16
gold refined in the
fire, that you may be rich;
00:22:28.16\00:22:31.40
and white garments, that you
may be clothed, that the shame
00:22:31.40\00:22:35.13
of your nakedness may not
be revealed; and anoint your
00:22:35.13\00:22:38.96
eyes with eye
salve, that you may see.
00:22:38.96\00:22:41.36
As many as I love,
I rebuke and chasten.
00:22:41.36\00:22:45.26
Therefore be
zealous and repent."
00:22:45.26\00:22:48.96
Revelation 3:18-19
Gold tried in the fire.
00:22:48.96\00:22:53.16
Someone said that's
faith that works by love.
00:22:53.16\00:22:56.13
White garments - the
righteousness of Christ.
00:22:56.13\00:23:00.06
And that eye salve?
00:23:00.06\00:23:01.13
That's the Holy Spirit
- He can help us to see
00:23:01.13\00:23:04.50
as He sees.
00:23:04.50\00:23:05.83
And notice what
God tells us to do.
00:23:05.83\00:23:08.03
Be zealous, and repent.
00:23:08.03\00:23:11.26
God calls us to
have zeal for Him.
00:23:11.26\00:23:14.63
You know what zeal is?
00:23:14.63\00:23:15.63
Enthusiasm.
00:23:15.63\00:23:16.63
Passion.
00:23:16.63\00:23:17.63
Fervor.
00:23:17.63\00:23:18.63
Ardor.
00:23:18.63\00:23:19.63
Are you passionate for Christ?
00:23:19.63\00:23:21.63
Because I'll tell you
what, he's passionate about you.
00:23:21.63\00:23:24.10
Are you fervent for Jesus?
00:23:24.10\00:23:25.50
Are you ardent for God?
00:23:25.50\00:23:28.23
God says that if we open
up the door of our hearts to
00:23:28.23\00:23:30.50
Jesus, He'll come in and then
he will allow us to sit with
00:23:30.50\00:23:35.50
Him on His throne.
00:23:35.50\00:23:38.23
Isn't it amazing?
00:23:38.23\00:23:39.80
God tells us candidly
exactly what He thinks is wrong
00:23:39.80\00:23:43.86
with His church, what he
doesn't like about his church
00:23:43.86\00:23:47.26
and the things that look bad.
00:23:47.26\00:23:48.90
A group that has left its
first love; that is tied up
00:23:48.90\00:23:51.96
in the same mess as
Balaam was, that tolerates
00:23:51.96\00:23:55.23
the foolishness of
Jezebel, and whose works
00:23:55.23\00:23:58.40
are not perfect before God.
00:23:58.40\00:23:59.50
There are people claiming
to be believers who really are
00:23:59.50\00:24:01.66
not, and people who
have deceived themselves into
00:24:01.66\00:24:05.06
thinking they're okay
when they're a total spiritual
00:24:05.06\00:24:08.03
basket case.
00:24:08.03\00:24:09.90
Is it any wonder there
are people who say they don't
00:24:09.90\00:24:12.03
like their church?
00:24:12.03\00:24:13.90
Hold on.
00:24:13.90\00:24:15.10
Hold on.
00:24:15.10\00:24:16.20
What is Jesus saying?
00:24:16.20\00:24:18.23
Jesus, who died for this church,
only points out the foibles
00:24:18.23\00:24:22.30
of it in an effort to
spur it on to repentance.
00:24:22.30\00:24:27.23
And through it all,
Jesus is depicted as being
00:24:27.23\00:24:30.76
in the midst of His church.
00:24:30.76\00:24:33.80
He has the leaders in His
hand, according to Revelation
00:24:33.80\00:24:36.26
1, and He
stands with His people.
00:24:36.26\00:24:39.20
So even if you're at the
point where you're about to
00:24:39.20\00:24:41.73
say, The church is just too
bad, remember that it's Christ's
00:24:41.73\00:24:47.36
church and He has all the
help we need to be all that He
00:24:47.36\00:24:52.36
can help us to be.
00:24:52.36\00:24:54.83
And if you're
dissatisfied with the Church,
00:24:54.83\00:24:56.83
disillusioned with
Christianity because of what
00:24:56.83\00:24:59.13
you see in the church,
these 7 messages help us to see
00:24:59.13\00:25:02.76
that Jesus is
still with the church.
00:25:02.76\00:25:05.96
No point trying to tear
the church down, when Jesus
00:25:05.96\00:25:08.13
is trying to build it up.
00:25:08.13\00:25:09.76
You don't have to be a
genius to see the shortcomings
00:25:09.76\00:25:11.96
of something, but
seeing the way out of the mire
00:25:11.96\00:25:17.30
takes some vision.
00:25:17.30\00:25:18.30
If Jesus can list the weaknesses
of the church and still see
00:25:18.30\00:25:20.30
a future for it,
then we can apply this
00:25:20.30\00:25:22.96
on a personal basis.
00:25:22.96\00:25:24.53
The church is made up of
people, and if there's a future
00:25:24.53\00:25:26.63
for a wayward church,
there has to be a future
00:25:26.63\00:25:29.56
for a wayward person.
00:25:29.56\00:25:31.10
There has to be hope
for a struggling soul.
00:25:31.10\00:25:34.10
You know there's
hope for a lost sheep.
00:25:34.10\00:25:36.93
I hope you'll pardon this
story I'm about to tell you,
00:25:36.93\00:25:38.93
but it's true and I
think it makes the point.
00:25:38.93\00:25:42.16
In the city of Suwa in
Japan, city authorities found
00:25:42.16\00:25:47.43
treasure in an unexpected place.
00:25:47.43\00:25:50.80
In an effort to get rid
of the city's sewage waste,
00:25:50.80\00:25:54.96
they decided to incinerate it.
00:25:54.96\00:25:57.16
They had been having
someone take it away and paying
00:25:57.16\00:25:59.43
for someone to do that.
00:25:59.43\00:26:01.10
They decided they would burn
it down into industrial waste.
00:26:01.10\00:26:04.46
Now what do you think
they found in the ashes?
00:26:04.46\00:26:08.23
They found gold -
$200,000 worth a year.
00:26:08.23\00:26:12.13
See, mineral waters flow
through the town, and there's
00:26:12.13\00:26:14.70
an industry in the area
that uses gold to gold-plate
00:26:14.70\00:26:17.20
things.
00:26:17.20\00:26:18.20
So even though it is in
the sewage in tiny amounts,
00:26:18.20\00:26:21.83
it's there, and when they stuff
is burned up, this gold remains
00:26:21.83\00:26:25.96
and can be seen in
the ashes of the waste!
00:26:25.96\00:26:29.03
Sewage - just sewage
-- and there was valuable
00:26:29.03\00:26:33.90
treasure in it!
00:26:33.90\00:26:35.40
Before you decide that something
worthless, consider that God
00:26:35.40\00:26:38.30
can find great worth
where you'd least expect it.
00:26:38.30\00:26:42.96
That goes for His church,
it goes for you, and thank God
00:26:42.96\00:26:46.93
it goes for me.
00:26:46.93\00:26:47.93
We are valuable in God's
eyes - His church is so valuable
00:26:47.93\00:26:53.90
he considered it to be worth
the cost of the life of his
00:26:53.90\00:26:58.03
own Son.
00:26:58.03\00:26:59.03
How valuable does that make you?
00:26:59.03\00:27:03.23
Let's pray.
00:27:03.23\00:27:04.53
Father in heaven, thank
you that even though Jesus is
00:27:04.53\00:27:07.40
able to say "here's what I
don't like about my church"
00:27:07.40\00:27:09.03
we can know that Jesus
still values it and every
00:27:09.03\00:27:13.36
circumstance and situation
shows a way out or a way
00:27:13.36\00:27:16.40
back.
00:27:16.40\00:27:17.70
Thank you, Lord, that even
if we are struggling, even if we
00:27:17.70\00:27:19.30
are getting it wrong, there
is a way out and there is a
00:27:19.30\00:27:21.86
way back.
00:27:21.86\00:27:22.63
Let us be encouraged
that we've always got hope in
00:27:22.63\00:27:25.60
Jesus and thank you for that.
00:27:25.60\00:27:27.36
In Jesus' name, Amen.
00:27:27.36\00:27:30.96
[Music]
00:27:33.56\00:27:37.50
Thanks for joining me today.
00:27:47.10\00:27:48.93
I look forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:48.93\00:27:51.43
Until then, remember -
It Is Written: man shall not
00:27:51.43\00:27:55.30
live by bread alone, but
by every word that proceeds
00:27:55.30\00:27:58.90
from the mouth of God.
00:27:58.90\00:28:00.96