In this post Jesus is asking a very simple question. That question is, “Do You Need Me to Do It Over Again”? Of course, He is not talking about dying for your sins or clearing the pathway so that you can have a proper relationship with God. That was done once and once is enough. The question has to do with your status in Him. The words over again imply that He is speaking to those who are, or have once been, His. As you read this post, please examine your relationship with the Lord to determine what the “It” may be in your own life.
We begin this post in the Book of Revelations. This book promises that we will be blessed if we read it. Revelation 1:3 (KJV) states:
3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Apostle John was sent to the Isle of Patmos as a punishment for preaching the gospel. It turns out that John was honored by God during what man intended to be one of his hardest trials. The Isle was a dry, treeless place only about 6×10 miles. It was a place where criminals were sent by the Roman Empire for the most heinous of crimes. John’s “heinous crime,” however, was simply obeying God.
Revelation 1:9-11 (KJV)
9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
What the devil meant for evil, God meant for good. This should help us to remember that not everything that comes against us is from the devil. Some things are simply circumstantial because we live in a physical world. The key thing we need to remember is that no matter what the source of our trials, God will make it work out for our good.
Romans 8:28 (KJV)
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
You may wonder how on earth the situation that you may be going through could possibly be working together for your good. The answer is, just trust God. He has everything under good control.
While Apostle John was on the Isle of Patmos, God commissioned him to write the Book of Revelation.
John was told to write the things which thou have seen; the things which are; and the things which shall be hereafter. The first thing that he was to do was write a letter to the seven churches of Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. The focus of this post is the first letter which was written to the church at Ephesus. This letter contained a total of ten wonderful accolades. Let’s review that letter that is found in Rev. 2: 1-7.
Revelation 2:1-7 (KJV)
1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write;
The angel in this passage is not the created being called an angel. This is God’s own man, the Pastor, the head, the leader. What we have to realize is that God deals with the leader of the church. He has an order that He operates under and we are responsible for honoring and following leadership. Some may have the attitude that, “He puts his pants on one leg at a time just like I do.” You imply that you are on equal standing with your pastor but that is not so. God will never deal with you in the same way that He deals with the leader. We must honor the man and woman of God. Why? Because God said so. Do you remember what happened to Moses’ own sister Miriam when she got beside herself? God struck her with Leprosy until she learned to honor God’s anointed. Your very salvation is tied up with your leader. He is accountable to God for leading those of his congregation into heaven. That is, he is responsible for those who are willing to be lead. The problem today is that some people just don’t want to be pastored. They want to do what they see as right to do and override the man of God. God says not so. If you have leaders that are praying for you, seeking God for your welfare and are accountable to God for you, you need to honor and obey them.
that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
In other words, He holds the leaders in His hand as He walks among the churches. We will now hear a beautiful list of the next nine positive accolades that the Ephesus church receives:
2 I know thy works,
You have been working in the house of God.
and thy labour,
Some have been busy working to win souls for the Lord. When He speaks of labour He means work related to trying to bring the unsaved in. Sheep bear sheep. Ask yourself how many souls you have witnessed to in the last month. The Bible says the harvest is ripe but the labourers are few. Churches are full of labourers. The problem is that some are just lazy and don’t want to work.
and thy patience,
You’ve been patient with the lost.
and how thou canst not bear them which are evil:
You’ve separated yourself out from the wrong doers and you have not been ashamed to call yourself a Saint of God.
and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
People have not been able to deceive you because you know how to try the spirit by the spirit.
3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
4 Nevertheless
Uh-oh! In spite of all of the good things listed here comes the zinger…
I have somewhat against thee,
I’ve got a bad thing against you. Only one rotten egg can spoil the dish; only a little leaven will leaven the whole lump; It’s the little foxes that spoil the vine.
because thou hast left thy first love.
Anything but that. Who exactly is our first love?
*Read part 2 for the conclusion to this powerful entry…
