Author: dreamwalker1960

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About dreamwalker1960

Just so some will understand where I stand on some things. 1) if you choose to be homosexual that is your choice. If you want to get married then having a civil ceremony is your choice. I don't believe the church should let you feel you are not living in sin by allow you to marry in a church. I wish you the best and wish you no harm. 2) I support abortions in the case of rape and threat to the mother life. I do not support it for those that wish to live a life without responsibility or consequences for their sexual activities. To me that baby is a living being the moment he or she is conceived

Blog for Podcast #8

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Intro

Welcome to another Podcast. I am Dreamwalker1960.
Now remember you can read what is in my podcast at dreamwalker1960.com. You can also listen on Apple, Spotify and YouTube as well as look for my page on Facebook. I am also accepting donations on fundly at:

Discussion

To reach a full understanding of who are those that are considered the “Lukewarm.” We must come to an understanding of the city of Laodicea itself.
It was a city of wealth. Made so by trade and a type of manufacturing. It was situated at the crossroads of major trade routes and so the populous became extremely wealthy. As a result of this luxury they became complacent in their faith and believe in God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
Does any of this sound familiar?
Well it should. It describes the current state of most of the world we now live within. Not all of it is like this. There are areas of the world that still live in squalor and those within it struggle. However, for the most part most of the world lives in a type of luxury and have need of little.
This was how it was for Laodicea when they were included in the book of Revelation. The city had even been rebuilt from destruction only a few decades before hand from an earthquake. All done without the help of any outside moneys.
When taking this imagery into account and following the chronological order of the seven letters I established in an early podcast. We come to a realization that we are in the era of the lukewarm. But to be in that era there must be those that are lukewarm within it that outnumber those of the other six churches.
This is the recognition of why I am here. This is my calling from God. To make those out there that are willing to open their ears and minds to these truths I have set before them in all the podcasts I have done to date.
Let us take a look at James 2. From verses 1 -12 it describes the behavior many live by today who profess to call themselves “Christian.” They embrace those that reflect worldly wealth and they turn away from those that are poor or live in rough areas. Within these verses James makes this reference:
James 2:5 – Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?
This leads us back to the story of the young rich man I once mentioned in another broadcast. This is described in Matthew 19 and Mark 10. Why did I made mention of this? Because it describes those that lived in Laodicea. It labels those that place the wealth of this world before their own faith in Jesus Christ. It tells us all who are the “lukewarm.”
The young man was told by Jesus Christ to follow the commandments. The man replied that he followed them all, and Christ looked upon him with love. SO this clearly shows that God loves us all.
So then Jesus told the young man to sell all he had and to give it to the poor. The young man stood and left Jesus in sorrow. Key in on that he turned his back on Jesus Christ and walked away from salvation.
This shows that WE have an active part in the relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ. What did the young man choose? He chose the world and all it had given him over his own salvation. This is made clear in these verses.
Matthew 19:23 – Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 24 I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
In the KJV:
Matthew 19:23 – Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Shall hardly – G1423 – dyskolios – impracticably
a: impracticably – impracticable – impossible in practice to do or carry out (Oxford Dictionary)
24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
The eye of the needle was a gate into Jerusalem. it was too narrow and too low for a camel to use, especially when laden with cargo. Once all the merchandise was removed from the camel it was doable but still difficult. So no one bothered to use this gate into the city with a camel.
So the analogy Jesus was making to His disciples gave them a clear meaning of what He was trying to teach them. That being, those that embrace the world with all its riches would rather reject God than to surrender all they had here in this temporary life we now live within.
Again we return to James:
James 4:1 – What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
Befriending worldly possessions shows that those that do it are the lukewarm. So this was why the Glorified Jesus Christ said what He did to those in the church of Laodicea. And thus since we are now in the age of the lukewarm it is what the Glorified Jesus Christ is saying to the majority of those that say they are “Christian” yet live within mansions here within this temporal earthly realm.

Conclusion

When the young rich man said he followed all the commandments Jesus looked upon him with love. I know I keep coming back to this point, but it is this point that needs to be understood without question. God Loves ALL of humanity be they rich or poor, sinner or saint. That is why we have the Bible. This Bible is the owner’s manual of salvation. It is something that those that received these letters when they were first written didn’t have. They just had letters. Letters they read and re-read. Copied and recopied. The Bible is the only book that has so many copies that it has hardly changed and those copies that were found to be false cast aside and called evil.
The Bible is nearly 100% pure and accurate. This is the only book in existence that is thousands of years old that can truly boast this.
How is this possible if God is not real? How is this possible when those like Josephus mention James the half-brother of Jesus wrote this about him:
Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the sanhedrim of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others, [or, some of his companions]; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned:
So even outside the Bible Jesus is called Christ. And from a book thousands of years old that has barely changed Jesus is called Christ. And He has sent a letter to the lukewarm saying he will cast them out if they do not turn away from the world and return to Him.
So turn to Jesus Christ and ask His forgiveness, but do not turn away in sorrow like the young rich man. If you must get rid of your riches and give them to those in need within the body of Christ then do it. Seek out God through our Savior for you can only get into heaven though Him.

God Bless

Blog for podcast #7

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Intro

Welcome to another broadcast, and I am Dreamwalker1960.
Today we will begin to explore the mindset of the lukewarm. So they can begin to understand why it is that the Glorified Jesus Christ spit them from His body.
Again this will be a painful message. However it must be said. The world has had enough of pampering and as it says in Proverbs 13:24:
Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.
Discussion
In Revelation 3:17 we are given a description of the lukewarm:
“You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”
Now it continues to say which rewards you are to seek after in verse 18:
So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.
Christ says to seek after purified gold which ties into verse 17’s “I am rich.”
Then he states to buy a white garment from Him. This goes partly to “I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing.”
In this world we live within today. The lukewarm can boast to all about them that they are rich. They live in a huge house, they drive a fancy car. Their house has many room. Many of which are not even used unless they have guests. Yet every room is filled with items they have collected unto themselves for their own satisfaction and grandeur. Sacrificial offerings all unto themselves.
They dress in their finest when they go to the buildings called “church.” Showing off their foofaraws.
I remember one day in the early years of my faith as I sat in the balcony at church I was attending with my family. A lady stood up from her seat in the pews down below me. She caught my eye because she was waving her hand to someone a few pews away and was trying to get her attention. When she caught the other woman’s eye. I could see this lady mouthing the words:
“I love you hat!” to the other lady.
All I could do was shake my head. This was my enlightening that this church I was in was not a God focused church. It was focused upon the people within it, not God.
This is one of the main issues that those that are lukewarm suffer. They are self-absorbed. Their god is not THE God. But themselves.
The very first commandment given to us in Exodus.
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
For decades I away thought of this as if God were referring to the ancient gods of Egypt, Greece or Rome. These gods are another topic altogether. Then for decades I thought He was referring to Hollywood actors or sports personalities. Well He was, but that wasn’t all He was referring to. He was also referring to the greatest god all humans worship. It is themselves. Each and every human worships themselves over God and His Son our Savior. It is something that we can never truly purge from our souls as long as we live within these corrupt earthly bodies. It is why we must have a daily, if not hourly, relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Jesus actually added two new commandments in a fashion.
Mark 12:29 – Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
They also appear in Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18.
A quick Note here. This statement by Christ tells us two things. First there are 12 commandments and second there are actually more than just twelve. We are to follow all the teachings within Deuteronomy and Leviticus and apply where required in a post resurrection world. But that is a topic for another day perhaps.
But enough of the side note, let’s get back on topic.
Each person is their own greatest god.
Due to this they seek after what is pleasing to them. Be it possessions; to complements; to entering into sexual encounters, which at times result in a child they don’t want. So they go down to the nearest temple to the ultimate god of selfishness. Offering up this child as gift upon the altar of self-indulgence. Many times professing they are “Christian” and doing what is best for all concerned. All save the child whose life just ended.
Was this child loved as those that chose to abort it love themselves, as we are told to do by Jesus Himself? The answer is no.
What is truly sad is that due to people thinking themselves “Christian” or not. They have truly no concept of this basic knowledge due to the removal of God from where God once could be easily found. That is one way we know we are in the last part of the church age, and why I am teaching upon these difficult and even heartbreaking topic. For I want all to stand before God in joy and happiness, and not sorrow and horror.
The mere fact that there is so much unrest going on in our streets is a testament to the truth I am speaking right now. Other signs we are in the end times is:
Matthew 24:7 – Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world.
Additionally in Mark 13:12 Jesus says this:
“Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.”
Nations translates to races, while kingdoms translates to countries. Have we not experienced a race against race upheaval? Are we not in a war as I speak? Isn’t there reports of earthquakes nearly monthly? I just saw a video the other day of a young black man who on his birthday told his family that he was conservative. They disowned him on the spot. Plus you add on top of this we are in the church age of the lukewarm.
Jesus is coming and soon.
Stop worshipping yourself. Stop hording your riches unto yourself. You don’t need to live in a huge home if there is only two people or even one person living in it. The money you spent upon yourself could be uses to help those in true need.
“But that is why I pay taxes!” someone just said.
It is not the government’s job it is your job as a Christian. If you have the money to live in a huge house. You have the money to live in a two bedroom condo and use the rest to love your fellow humans as you would love yourself. We are to give our money to needed charities that help those in need. We are to do it not the government. This comes from 1 John 3:17.
The greatest leader is someone who desire to serve his fellow humans not lead them. Any who seek to lead and control are to be shunned and turned away from. Any who wish to dominate are worshipping themselves and see themselves as gods that deserve to be worshipped. They wish for you to look upon them as a god. Does this not sound like the Pharaohs and the Roman emperors of old? All humanity is equal be they ruler or pulpier; sinner or saint. Look to Mark 10:42-44.
Conclusion
Humanity are not the gods. Only the Creator of the Universe is. Stop seeking after self-glorification. Turn toward the true God. Who sent His Son to walk amongst us, to be the ultimate sacrifice so that we can speak to God freely and without shame. Cast off the worldly gold and seek after the gold that is purchased from Jesus Christ upon the pyres of trials and tribulations. That we as Christians are told we must endure. Seek out the white robes of salvation that can only be purchased by being bathed in the Blood of Jesus Christ.
Bow your knee to God and beg for His forgiveness in the name of His Glorified Son, the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. Seek out those that do not seek to rule or control. Seek out those willing to stand their ground for God. Seek out those willing to teach the true Word of God. Accept the trials and embrace the pain that comes with being a true disciple of Jesus. For our path is not easy, and we are told it will become even worse the closer we come to the return of our Savior Jesus Christ. As we are seeing by being denied the rights to even gather to worship our true God.
God Bless.

The Seven Churches (Part 8) – The letter to Laodicea

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re-post
The City is Laodicea was found on the road to Colossae some forty miles southeast of Philadelphia. The city had become wealthy under Roman rule and were known for their production of wool garments. They were so wealthy in fact that after an earthquake in 60 A.D. the city had rebuilt itself off its own resources. There had been references to the existence of the church up into the fourteenth century, but now the city is nothing but ruins. Paul mentioned Laodicea in his letter to Colossae.

Revelation 3:14 – And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: “The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.”

CHRIST THE ETERNAL AND FAITHFUL WITNESS: Christ called Himself the “Amen” which mean “so be it,” something He used frequently during His time when He walked amongst us. As Dr. Walvoord states it: “As a title for Christ it indicates His sovereignty and the certainty of the fulfillment of His promises.”
He also called Himself the faithful and true Witness, which tells us that he see all and knows all. Within our minds and in our actions and when the time comes and those that do not understand why they are standing before the Great White Throne instead of in the audience looking upon the judgment that is soon to follow will then simply look upon the Glorified Jesus and they will instantly know the answer without even having to ask the question.

Revelation 3:15-16 – “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Christ does not mince words with those that lived in Laodicea. It made it clear and plain. Without works and faith together you are dead and a bitter taste unto God and must be cast out of the Body.
James 2 (KJV) – 14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Christ makes it very clear he would rather you be cold or against God then to be lukewarm. But what are works? The key to works is found within the two new commandments given to us by Christ:
Matthew 22(KJV) – 34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Revelation 3:17-18 – “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.”

This is also today’s church which has been seduced by the luxuries of this soft and pampering world we now live within. Even now the children revolt against their elders. Thinking they know better than those that have been in this world longer. They have been so spoiled that they wish to have everything just handed over to them. This is selfishness to the extreme. This is the total opposite of placing God first and treating all those about you as you would wish to be treated yourself. The golden rule is dead and it was killed by those that wished to kick God totally out of the world. Well now as violence is on the increase. Different social groups begin to self-segregate, refusing in interact with none but their “own.”

Revelation 3:19 – “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent”

Christ here makes it clear that those HE LOVES he will “reprove and discipline.” So the next time you feel like accusing someone, especially someone who appears to be a Christian, of “judging,” remember it may not be.
2 Timothy 4(KJV) – 4 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
We are as Christians are instructed by the Bible to reprove, rebuke and to exhort and any that calls this “judging” are wishing to stay lukewarm and desire to be spit out of the Body of Christ.

Revelation 3:20-22 – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

The Seven Churches (Part 7) – The letter to Philadelphia

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re-post
The city of Philadelphia now known as Alasehir has existed for a long time even though located in a region that suffered from earthquakes. It is twenty-eight miles southeast of Sardis.

Revelation 3:7 – And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: “The words of the Holy One, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.”

CHRIST THE HOLY SOVEREIGN: Jesus being the son of God and who walked amongst us to know us and then took our sins was given the keys of David upon His arrival in heaven. Between the time of His crucifixion and His resurrection Christ went into the hell itself and took the keys of death and hell. He is the holder of the keys and all actions go through Him. Any door of opportunities are opened and closed by Him. Biblically this is also associated with Isaiah 22:22 in reference to Eliakim the son of Hilkiah who was placed in charge of the kings treasure. As Dr. Walvoord says in his commentary: “The Philadelphia church, surrounded by paganism and wickedness, needed the assurance Christ gives that He has to power to bring about His sovereign will.”

Revelation 3:8-9 – “I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is about to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie – behold. I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.”

Dr. Walvoord believes the image of an open door is in reference to opportunities for the witness of the gospel and to spread the word of that Jesus is the Messiah. Of all the options he listed this one makes the most sense. I do not agree with his opinion of the fallen away Jews though. Christ and God have never let their desire and love for the Jewish people fade. This does not mean that the Jewish people have done the same for Him. It has been twenty-five years since the destruction of the Temple by the Roman army. It is my personal believe that these Jews fell away in their true faith of God and had started to embrace the world about them since in their eyes God had abandoned them. Then to have the Christians of their city professing the Son of God and the Messiah made the Jewish congregation turn to wrath not only out of hearing a group profess of a true Messiah but also out of their falling away from their believe in God and their own guilt was a factor as well.

Revelation 3:10-11 – “Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.”

To me this praise given to the church of Philadelphia supports my above statement. For in prophecy the Jewish nation is not given this promise that the Christians are given. We are offered the Rapture while the Jewish nation is to stay upon the earth during the Tribulation to come.
Historically for the church as a whole this period of praise, worship, and ability to spread the gospel took place between the 1500s till the middle of the 1960s. After this the time of the great falling away started to take place and in my opinion was celebrated at Woodstock by Satan in 1969.

Revelation 3:12-13 – “The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from My God out of heaven and My own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

To those that overcome and live a faithful life to Christ are promised glorious rewards in this closing. They who have an ear, let them hear.

The Seven Churches (Part 6) – The letter to Sardis

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Sardis the capitol of the country Lydia was located fifty miles east of Smyrna and thirty miles southeast of Thyatira. It was also located on the main trade caravan route. Much of the wealth for this city came from textiles, dyes and jewelry. Found near each other are the ruins of the Temple of Artemis and a Christian Church.

Revelation 3:1 – And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: “The words of Him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.”

CHRIST THE POSSESSOR OF THE SPIRIT: This is the first of two letters that have no commendation. Instead it goes straight into a rebuke. Here Christ is in possession of the seven spirits of God, the same which were shown before the throne of God in the first chapter of Revelation. This is a reference to the sevenfold character of the Holy Spirit as described in Isaiah 11:2-5. He also holds the seven stars which are the angels of the seven churches. This is to show Sardis that He has the power to judge them in righteousness.

Revelation 3:2-3 – “Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.”

Even though most were seen as dead to Christ, there were those that still has a spark of the life of Christ within them. His admonishment in these verses is to cause them to awaken from their decline unto death like the rest of those about them. Wealth and luxuries were all about them. The world was pleasing to look upon and so they felt contentment and peace. This wealth allowed them to live a life where the actions of faith were seen and heard, but the fruits they bore were dead and rotten.
It is also amazing how the hand of God works. For though this letter was written to the church of Sardis in the mid 90s A.D. God had planted His message to this church hundreds of years before. First in 549 B.C. when Cyrus the king of Persia conquered the city and again in 214 B.C. when Antiochus the Great conquered Sardis in the exact same way. It was at night and it was where the guards were not looking.
For the church as a whole this reflects the point in history between the time of the first discovery of the Americas (or rediscovery, however you wish to view that), till the time of the landing of the Puritans at Plymouth Rock. Within this time events like the later part of the inquisition were still in practice as well as the formation of the Church of England. Both of which were dead, but from them rose the Quakers and the Puritans.

Revelation 3:4-6 – “Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.”

Here is a critical part of the Bible. Something many do not wish to hear or accept. For to do so would mean that they have to change their lives. That they need to awaken for the slumber unto to death.
The sentence is setup for what is to follow within these three verses. “Yet you have still a few names in Sardis,” is directly set to work with “and I will never blot his name out of the book of life.”
The other setup is “people who have not soiled their garments, and they walk in white,” which connects to “the one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments.”
Why is this important? To the first point. The way the sentence is worded at the beginning “yet you still have,” this implies that at one time their names were in the book of life. They had been saved, they had been known, they had been seen by God. So to the next point. They had white garments and they then soiled them and fell into death as a result.
John 15:1-2 – I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
2 Peter 2: 20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
So per the Bible the man-made doctrine of “once saved always saved” is just that man-made, a lie, a falsehood. Designed to put those not willing to hear to sleep unto death in the eyes of God. As was stated earlier to the church of Sardis we are to stay ever vigilant by learning the word of God, but staying true to the teachings of the Bible and not allowing in those things that are called sins, or allowing the luxuries of a soft and pampered life to overwhelm us and send us into a sleep we will never awaken from.

The Seven Churches (Part 5) – The letter to Thyatira

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re-post
The city of Thyatira is about forty miles southeast of Pergamum in a rich agricultural area. It was known for the making of purple dye. How the church of this community come into existence is unknown. What is known is that a woman named Lydia was brought to Christ by Paul in Acts 16.

Revelation 2:18 – And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: “The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.”

CHRIST THE HOLY ONE: Here Jesus introduces Himself as the “Son of God” instead of what He usually called Himself the “Son of man.” Since in every church how He describes Himself is part of the message to each church, how he depicts Himself is important. Here He is stating clearly that is the only way to God.
John 14:6 – Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
As Dr. Walvoord puts it: “The church of Thyatira was tolerating a departure from the true worship of Christ that was so serious that He responded with burning indignation and purifying judgment.”

Revelation 2:19 – “I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.”

COMMENDATION: None of the preceding churches were commended for their love of Christ, but this church is. Those that are loyal to God within this church truly are, but….

Revelation 2:20-23 – “But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am He who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.”

It is doubtful that the woman’s name was actually “Jezebel” it was a reference to the wife of Ahab of 1 Kings 16 who was known for her subtle corruption, immorality, and idolatry. This same influence has welcomed its way into this church and was corrupting it in the worst way possible. Jesus said He would cause her to fall ill and those that follow her practices into great tribulation.
Dr. Wolvoord found it notable that “adultery” was specifically called out against this church, since other churches has encountered “sexual immorality” as he states this: “is indicated, a reference to the violation of the marriage vow. Those in Thyatira who had sinned in this way had not only violated the moral law of God, but had sinned against their covenant relationship with God that bound them to inward as well as outward purity.”
This church is seen in the overall church throughout the Middle Ages. In this time Catholicism worshipped the mother of Jesus Christ and began placing statues everywhere. This is idolatry and also tries to approach God through someone that cannot and should not be used to gain access to God. Also in this time period took place such great events as the Plague, The Crusades, and various other hardships that devastated the population of humanity. From within this also came the Protestant Reformation which were those that saw the corruption within the Catholic Church and so separated themselves from it.
Dr. Wolvoord stated it this way: “The idolatry being tolerated in Thyatira also foreshadows the departure from the scriptural doctrine of the finished sacrifice of Christ. In the Middle Ages the false teaching of the continual sacrifice of Christ was advocated, transforming the observation of the elements of the Lord’s Supper into another sacrifice of Christ. This fundamental error of the church in the Middle Ages has been corrected in modern Protestantism by the recognition of the bread and the cup as symbols, but not the sacrifice itself, which Christ performed once and for all on the cross of Calvary, In contrast to the false doctrine exalting the Virgin Mary, Christ introduces Himself to the church of Thyatira as the Son of God, The One to whom alone we owe our redemption and in whose hands our final judgment rests.”
As I stated in part 1 of this series that the doctor was not a fan of Catholicism, but he himself was blind to the erroneous teaching of “once saved always saved,” which in itself is leading to the great apostasy and will be witnessed later in the letters that follow.

Revelation 2:24-25 – “But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold the teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come.”

Here is the first time in all the letters that a group is singled out within a local church as being true to Christ and He encouraged them to continue to do so. This also shows that the idea that these churches do truly reflect the church as a whole throughout the centuries could be fact. Since as mentioned above the Reformation took place, separating those that saw the corruption within the Catholic Church and like Martin Luther who started it, left that church behind. Here also is made mention for the first time of Jesus return to earth in His second coming.

Revelation 2:26-29 – “The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
In this closing Jesus promises those that overcome will be shepherds unto the nations that exist after His return and as God gave Him authority, He shall pass that authority on to those that prevail.

The Seven Churches (Part 4) – The letter to Pergamum

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Pergamum was a prominent religious centered city that was north of Smyrna. Within it were multiple religions and cults that worship various gods that were known throughout the known world at that time. Here a small group had come together in all honesty to worship Christ. This letter from Jesus is His message to them.

Revelation 2:12 – And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: “The words of Him who has the sharp two-edged sword.”

CHRIST THE JUDGE: The sharp two-edged sword refers to the Word of God. As stated in Dr. Walvoord’s commentary on the book Revelation: “Its representation as a double-edged sword indicates on the one hand the way God’s Word, by its promise and message of salvation, cuts loose the chains of sin and condemnation that bind the helpless sinner. On the other hand, the same Word is the means of condemnation and refection of those who refuse the message of grace. The Word of God is both the instrument of salvation and the instrument of death.”

Revelation 2:13 – “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.”

COMMENDATION: Jesus gives them praise for continuing to exist in as He Himself states “where Satan dwells.” He also mentions a man named Antipas who had been martyred. Nothing is known of him save that he died for Christ who called him His “faithful witness.” Those there tried to stay faithful to His name.
Now there are those that believe that the gods in all the ancient Polytheistic cultures were none other than the fallen angels which included their leader Satan. When you actual think upon it there is some credence to this being true. So Jesus making the statement that this is “where Satan’s throne is” could actually pertain to a temple of Zeus which was one of the gods worshiped here since most times Statues of him showed him seated upon a throne.

Revelation 2:14-15 – “But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teachings of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teachings of the Nicolaitans”

Here is the last time the “Nicolaitans” are mentioned and again no detail is given and so their acts fall into the darkness of history only to ever be seen again upon the day of the Great White Throne Judgment when their membership will stand exposed before God as He passes judgment upon them.
Also mentioned thou is the false prophet Balaam found in Numbers 22-25. In Numbers 31 we find that he had advised King Balak to corrupt Israel by tempting them to intermarry with pagan women and begin worshiping their wife’s gods in acts which included eating sacrificed food and precipitating various sexual immoralities. Some within the church had fallen prey to these practices. The same is true today for those churches that have embraced and welcomed homosexuality into their churches.
This same mentality is the mentality that embraced the church as a whole soon after Constantine allow them to worship God freely and openly. Shortly after attempts to bring into it the use of pagan rituals which entered the church and began to defile the structure of the church. This is also per Dr. Walvoord where the beginning elements of Catholicism began to take hold with the church adding rituals which were never given to the church by Christ.

Revelation 2:16 – “Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.”

Again I turn directly to the words of Dr. Walvoord: “In this abrupt command, Christ issued a sharp word to the church at Pergamum – and their modern counterparts. Even though many in the church at Pergamum had been faithful and one of their number had dies as a martyr, it was still true that the church was being invaded by an evil so serious that Christ warned He would fight against it. There is no alternative to continued impurity and compromise with the truth but divine judgment. The apostasy that is seen in it early stage in the church at Pergamum has its culmination in the still-future apostate church in Revelation 17, which is ultimately brought into divine judgement by Christ, the Head of the church.”

Revelation 2:17 – “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who received it.”

Again there is the exhorting for those that can hear to hear, for not all will. For those that do hear and overcome the sins listed against the church of Pergamum they are promised not only a special mana that is hidden to the world, but they are to receive a white stone on which a name only known to the Trinity and those that are given this stone.

The Seven Churches (Part 3) – The letter to Smyrna

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The city of Smyrna was about thirty-five miles north of Ephesus. It too was a wealthy city, second only to the afore mentioned city south of it. Today though Smyrna still exists yet under a new name. It is the third largest city in Turkey and is called Izmir. It was a commercial center at that the end of the first century since it had a good harbor.

Revelation 2:8 – and to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: “The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.”

CHRIST THE ETERNAL ONE. When the Glorified Christ called Himself “the first and the last” He identified Himself with God, who in the first chapter of Revelation was referred to as “the Alpha and the Omega.” This statement showed that not only was He the Son of God, but was as well God even though He has taken human form as is denoted in the next part of the salutation. He was the one “who died and came to life.” This shows that even though He took human form He has always been and always will exist since he rose from the dead upon the third day.
By Him dying and rising also shows God’s love for all, by the fact that Christ came down and suffered for our sins and became our replacement for the death we all so deserve. However, He rose from the dead as we are promised to stand alive before His Father the Lord God, clean and unblemished by the sacrifice of His blood.

Revelation 2:9 – “I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the lander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan”

Those that followed Christ in the city of Smyrna were under persecution. To the point that they had been denied the ability to possible work within the city making them destitute. They most likely resorted to menial tasks to get by and survived, but still stayed loyal to their belief in God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amongst those that were against them were those that were once of Jacob, but had abandoned their belief in God to a belief in the world and all that includes and so they embraced their new master Satan.

Revelation 2:10-11 – “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.”

This persecution they were experiencing was only the beginning of their trials. They would strife and hold onto their faith and become strong in their belief that God and His Son are both real.
It is recorded that approximately sixty years later the bishop of Smyrna named Polycarp was burned alive on a Saturday, for the historian and commentator Ryrie states that the wood gathered was in part was provided by the fallen away Jews that gathered this wood on the Sabbath.
Even though under persecution Jesus exhorts them to stand fast to their faith and belief in Him. For by doing so even though it may last their entire life upon this planet it is remember that this life here is like the blink of an eye to what the rest of our true life will be like in length. For Jesus promise them the “crown of life” another reference to eternal life. All life that will last billions of years.
The persecution the church as a whole was also in the process as it was for those at Smyrna. It continued until Constantine granted Christians the freedom of worshiping within the Rome Empire in the early part of the fourth century.