JMD Devotional 148 Revelation 2: 1-5 Rule of Reason
TO THE angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him Who holds the seven stars [which are the messengers of the seven churches] in His right hand, Who goes about among the seven golden lamp stands [which are the seven churches]:
I know your industry and activities, laborious toil and trouble, and your patient endurance, and how you cannot tolerate wicked [men] and have tested and critically appraised those who call [themselves] apostles (special messengers of Christ) and yet are not, and have found them to be impostors and liars. I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name's sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary. But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love]. Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God's will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lamp stand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent.
Ephesus sounds like a busy church with successful programs; but it was missing the mark. Its heart was cold and Jesus Christ was not its Lord and center. In the Gospels, there are several accounts of those who would be His disciples fishing and catching nothing until He told them to cast their net on the other side. It did not make sense; in human reasoning it would have made no difference; but each time they obeyed the miraculous happened. Boiled down, the elements are: 1. Left to ourselves and our limited minds we often get it wrong. 2. God blesses what God directs. 3. God's ways are not our ways. 4. We are supposed to follow God's lead even when it does not make sense. (This expresses faith in His Lordship).
1 Samuel 15:22,23 (NIV) But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."
Dear God,
Please help me to make application of this truth; show me where Your will is violated due to my 'reasoning'. Worldly guidance says the "Church" is not built through ministering to the poor, sick and helpless; studies say to target a wealthy demographic; households with 2.3 children and disposable income, provide entertainment and filter out negative messages. Oh, Lord, my soap box is creaking...what is the counsel of Your Word to the churches today? Who should be the objects of our ministry? Restore the integrity of the Church. Help us do it Your Way.
Amen
All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)
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I know your industry and activities, laborious toil and trouble, and your patient endurance, and how you cannot tolerate wicked [men] and have tested and critically appraised those who call [themselves] apostles (special messengers of Christ) and yet are not, and have found them to be impostors and liars. I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name's sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary. But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love]. Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God's will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lamp stand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent.
Ephesus sounds like a busy church with successful programs; but it was missing the mark. Its heart was cold and Jesus Christ was not its Lord and center. In the Gospels, there are several accounts of those who would be His disciples fishing and catching nothing until He told them to cast their net on the other side. It did not make sense; in human reasoning it would have made no difference; but each time they obeyed the miraculous happened. Boiled down, the elements are: 1. Left to ourselves and our limited minds we often get it wrong. 2. God blesses what God directs. 3. God's ways are not our ways. 4. We are supposed to follow God's lead even when it does not make sense. (This expresses faith in His Lordship).
1 Samuel 15:22,23 (NIV) But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."
Dear God,
Please help me to make application of this truth; show me where Your will is violated due to my 'reasoning'. Worldly guidance says the "Church" is not built through ministering to the poor, sick and helpless; studies say to target a wealthy demographic; households with 2.3 children and disposable income, provide entertainment and filter out negative messages. Oh, Lord, my soap box is creaking...what is the counsel of Your Word to the churches today? Who should be the objects of our ministry? Restore the integrity of the Church. Help us do it Your Way.
Amen
All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by
the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
*New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)
If you know of someone who would like to subscribe to
my daily devotional, please forward.
jamesdinsmore_32907@yahoo.com
Short, concise, thought-provoking.
More features:
http://SaintJamesPoetry.blogspot.com
http://recoverydevotional.blogspot.com/
http://jamesezadventures.blogspot.com/
posted by James M. Dinsmore at 6:22 AM
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