Jesus Knows What We Are Doing

Looking at the warnings in Revelation, we find Jesus writing a letter to seven churches. In chapter 2, he addresses the first four churches. He warns or encourages each church. We can individually see ourselves in one or more of the churches. 

I encourage you to read these letters in entirety and ask the Lord to show you where you are. They are sobering and the love of God wrote them to us. The time to repent is short. Jesus does not tickle ears. We must do what he says. He even warns of the danger of having their name blotted out of the Book of Life, or of spitting them out of his mouth. 

I know this post is long, but it is about our souls so I quoted Jesus' words to all 7 of the churches. .

Revelation 2 ISV

The Letter to the Church in Ephesus

1“To the messengera of the church in Ephesus, write:

‘The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lamp stands, says this:

• 2‘I know what you’ve been doing, your toil, and your endurance. 
• I also know that you cannot tolerate evil people. You have tested those who call themselves apostles, but are not, and have found them to be false. 
• 3You have endured and suffered because of my name, yet you have not grown weary. 

4However, I have this against you: 

• You have abandoned the love you had at first. 
• 5Therefore, remember how far you have fallen. 
• Repent and go back to what you were doing at first. 
• If you don’t, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place—unless you repent. 
• 6But this is to your credit: You hate the actions of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7‘Let everyoneb listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To everyone who conquers I will give the privilege of eating from the tree of life that is in God’s paradise.’”

The Letter to the Church in Smyrna

8“To the messengerc of the church in Smyrna, write:

‘The first and the last, who was dead and became alive, says this:

9‘I know your suffering and your poverty—though you are rich—and the slander committed by those who claim to be Jews but are not. They are the synagogue of Satan. 

• 10Don’t be afraid of what you are going to suffer. Look! 
• The devil is going to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested. 
• For ten days you will undergo suffering. 
• Be faithful until death, and I will give you the victor’s crown of life.

11‘Let everyoned listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will never be hurt by the second death.’”

The Letter to the Church in Pergamum

12“To the messengere of the church in Pergamum, write:

‘The one who holds the sharp, two-edged sword, says this:

13‘I know where you live. Satan’s throne is there. 

• Yet you hold on to my name and have not denied your faith in me,f even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was killed in your presence, where Satan lives. 
• 14But I have a few things against you: You have there some who hold to the teaching of Balaam, the one who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel so that they would eat food sacrificed to idols and practice immorality. 15You also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16So repent. If you don’t, I will come to you quickly and wage war against them with the sword of my mouth.

17‘Let everyoneg listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone. On the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the person who receives it.’”

The Letter to the Church in Thyatira

18“To the messengerh of the church in Thyatira, write:

‘The Son of God, whose eyes are like flaming fire and whose feet are like glowing bronze, says this:

• 19‘I know what you’ve been doing—
• your love, faithfulness,i service, and endurance—and that your last actions are greater than the first. 
• 0But I have this against you: 
• You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet and who teaches and leads my servants to practice immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21I gave her time to repent, but she refused to repent of her immorality. 
• 22Look! I am going to strike her with illness.j 
• Those who commit adultery with her will also suffer greatly, unless they repent from acting like her. 23I will strike her children dead. 
• Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will reward each of you as your actions deserve.

24‘But as for the rest of you in Thyatira—you who do not hold to this teaching and who have not learned what some people call the deep things of Satan—I won’t burden you with anything else.

• 25Just hold on to what you have until I come. 

26To the person who conquers and continues to do what I’ve commandedk to the end, I will give authority over the nations.

• 27‘He will rule them with an iron scepter;
• shattering them like clay pots.’l

28‘Just as I have received authority from my Father, I will also give him the morning star.

29‘Let everyonem listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Revelation 3 ISV

The Letter to the Church in Sardis

1“To the messengera of the church in Sardis, write:

‘The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this:
‘I know what you’ve been doing. 

• You are known for being alive, but you are dead. 
• 2Be alert, and strengthen the things that are left, which are about to die. 
• I note that your actions are incomplete before my God. 
• 3So remember what you received and heard. 
• Obey it, and repent. 
• If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you won’t know the time when I will come to you.

4But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me in white clothes because they are worthy. 5The person who conquers in this way will wear white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the Book of Life. I will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and his angels.

6‘Let everyoneb listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

The Letter to the Church in Philadelphia

7“To the messengerc of the church in Philadelphia, write:

‘The one who is holy, who is true,

who has the key of David,

who opens a door thatd no one can shut,

and who shuts a door thate no one can open,

‘says this:

8‘I know what you’ve been doing. Look! I have put in front of you an open door that no one can shut. You have only a little strength, but you have obeyed my word and have not denied my name. 

• 9I will make those who belong to the synagogue of Satan—those who claim to be Jews and aren’t, but are lying—come and bow down at your feet. 
• Then they will realize that I have loved you. 
• 10Because you have obeyed my command to endure,f 
• I will keep you from the hour of testing that is coming to the whole world to test those living on the earth. 
• 11I am coming soon! Hold on to what you have so that no one takes your victor’s crown. 
• 12I will make the one who conquers to become a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, and he will never go out of it again. 
• I will write on him the name of my God, the name of the city of my God (the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God), and my own new name.

13‘Let everyoneg listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

The Letter to the Church in Laodicea

14“To the messengerh of the church in Laodicea, write:

‘The Amen, the witness who is faithful and true, the originator of God’s creation, says this:

15‘I know your actions, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. 

• 16Since you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth.
• 17You say, “I am rich. I have become wealthy. I don’t need anything.” 
• Yet you don’t realize that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 
• 18Therefore, I advise you to buy from me gold purified in fire so you may be rich, white clothes to wear so your shameful nakedness won’t show, and ointment to put on your eyes so you may see. 
• 19I correct and discipline those whom I love, so be serious and repent! 
• 20Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eati with me. 
• 21To the one who conquers I will give a place to sit with me on my throne, just as I have conquered and have sat down with my Father on his throne.

22‘Let everyonej listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”