Thursday, February 8, 2024

The Corrupt Church

“I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.”    Revelation 2:19

The church at Thyatira was a corrupt church, but there were still some good things being done there.  Jesus started His message to that church by saying they have works of love, serving others, faith, and patience.  He also said their works are greater or more now than they were in the beginning of that church.   So, they were doing some things right and the church was growing.  However, He went into a list of terrible things that were going on there.  Things such as seducing, eating things sacrificed to idols, and immorality.  Jesus said there was sickness and death in their midst because of the sin that was going on.  He told them the same thing He told the other churches.  Repent and hold on until He comes.  Lastly, He promised to give them power over the sin of the nations of the world.

There was a dominating spirit present that was causing selfish and impure behavior.  However, it was mostly out to destroy marriages and families ordained by God.  This is still evident in today’s church. Even families that are active in the church are torn apart because of this evil spirit of immorality. Because of the sin we allow to come into our homes through media and immoral programing, we are letting our homes be torn apart by being influenced by the worlds mentality, concepts and standard of sinful living, led by feelings and what is popular.

Again, we can apply this to our lives today.  Hopefully none of us are part of the kind of evil that was being done in this church, but the message is the same.  Hold fast to the “good works” of love, serving others, faith, and patience until Jesus comes and believe the promises He has given to you.  He promises to put no burden on you and to give you power over your enemy.  The power that you need to purify and purge out the impurities in your home and in your life.

Today I encourage you to hold on!  No matter what you are struggling with, believe the promises that God has given you in His Word!  He is with you and wants to be even closer.  He doesn’t want you to be loaded down with trouble, He wants you to be free to walk out the plans and purpose for your life.  Get rid of things in your life that cause you to have immoral and selfish thoughts.  Put a guard in place to keep you from areas that you know you struggle with.  Stop looking at media that causes you to be pulled further away from your heavenly Father and fill up your life with His love and Words of truth to purify your thinking.  Trust Him today, be an overcomer, and keep His works and His Word until the end.

Today’s scripture reading:  Revelation 2:18-29

18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 

19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 

20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 

21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 

22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 

23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

24 “Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. 

25 But hold fast what you have till I come. 

26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—

27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’— as I also have received from My Father; 

28 and I will give him the morning star.

29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’