John was exiled to Mount Patmos, a very small deserted and desolated island, that had no other life form, but himself. Mount Patmos was located 40 miles outside of Ephesus; it was only ten miles long, and six miles wide, with rising rocky hills. He was sent there as persecution for preaching and teaching the Word of God.
In Revelations, Jesus spoke to seven Churches which had issues that relate to the churches of our day. By speaking to these seven churches; Jesus spoke to the world in whole. The message was not only for the seven churches, but for all churches that would later follow in the same pattern. So, it is to all mankind that we have a ear to hear, and a heart to listen, to the message, given to all that believe.
Jesus warning was that the church of Ephesus was falling away from God as their first love. They were very much dedicated to their doctrine and the Word of God; however, they came to love their church more than they loved God. The zeal and fever that they held for God in the beginning slowly dissipated. They began a good Christian race: following God's commands, setting devoted time aside for prayer, helped the poor and widows, and taught the Word of God with foremost dedication; yet, their love fleeted. They were no longer praying, helping the less fortunate, teaching the Word with diligence... What happened??? They became consumed with placing personal affairs before God; they were easily moved to feeling for other things. They became lazy in the work and laboring for God in whole; however, they remained steadfast in only upholding church programs, services, ministries, and fellowshipping amongst the church, without warmth, sensitivity, or the focus being on Christ. They failed to rejoice in Christ throughout their daily lives, as they once did; altogether, they no longer held Christ in the forefront of their minds. They came to be people who were once loving, kind, helping, disciplined, to people who were critical, self-important, jealous, and of grumbling.
Jesus message is to encourage us to remain in fellowship with Him. He does not want us to place our focus on worldly events within the church, but on the affection, adoration, and the preaching and teaching of Him, salvation, repentance, and forgiveness. He wants us to remain in grace to our free gift, while helping those who have not been taught the understanding of His Word, to understand. He wants believer's to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves, being a witness to the hopeless, that God's love sustains them, bringing truth to His promises. He wants all people to turn away from being attached to anything else other than Him; whether it is our: jobs, family, spouses, mates, personal activities, worldly events, and so on. Anything that takes more space in our mind than God is idolatry. He wants us to focus on everlasting life instead of the life that is before us daily that will soon perish. He wants us to hold purity for ourselves in: body, spirit, and soul.
WHAT IS IT THAT YOU ARE TO OVERCOME??? WHAT PULLS YOUR HEART AWAY FROM GOD IN THIS WORLD??? ARE YOU COMMUNING WITH GOD IN PRAYER DAILY??? DO YOU FIND YOURSELF REJOICING IN HIM, SINGING PRAISES, OR EXALTING HIM??? WHAT TIME HAVE YOU PLACED ASIDE TO READ HIS LOVE LETTER TO YOU OFTEN??? WHAT FRUITS CAN YOU SAY YOU ARE BEARING IN OBEDIENCE AND LOVE???
GOD WATCHES EACH OF US WITHOUT HASTE, SLUMBER, OR FLICKER. HE KNOWS WHEN WE ARE DOING HIS WILL AND WE ARE NOT, WHEN WE ARE DISTRACTED AND WHEN WE ARE FOCUSED, WHEN WE ARE DISCIPLINING AND WHEN WE ARE LAZY, WHEN WE ARE FULL OF ENERGY AND WHEN WE ARE TIRED.... HE KEEPS US ACCOUNTABLE EVEN IF WE ARE NOT KEEPING ACCOUNTABILITY OURSELVES.
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