We Are Either Slaves Of Death or Righteousness

As I read what Jesus says to the church in Thyatira, I am acutely aware of the seriousness of continuing in sin. I am reminded what Paul said:

• "15What, then, does this mean?j Should we go on sinning because we are not under Law but under grace? Of course not! 16Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?" Romans 6 ISV

The death Paul is talking about cannot be the death of the body, as the righteous do not have to fear leaving their bodies. The two choices given are either "death" or "obedience, which leads to righteousness".

Revelation 2 ISV

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. 
• 20But 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.’”

Jesus Will Wage War Against Those Who Continue In Idolatry And Sexual Immorality

While false teachers tell their hearers grace covers sins, Jesus tells us that those who continue in idolatry and sexual immorality will find Jesus waging war against them with the sword of his mouth. Sodom and Gomorrah are an example for us. The people were destroyed by fire and brimstone.

Today we look at the third letter to the church in Pergamum. We can use these letters to see if we are doing what Jesus the Messiah wants us to do.

Revelation 2 ISV

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.’”

So God's Plan Is For "Your Best Life Now"? Not!

Brothers and sisters, do not be deceived! Thousands of false teachers have risen up and are teaching that God's plan is for you to be healthy, rich, and have "your best life now". This is a lie from hell, yet Joel Osteen and deceivers like him are preaching this every day. 


They are liars and idolaters. They love money and distort the truth. They say God does not want you to suffer or be in poverty, but Jesus the Messiah is Truth and told the truth to those of the church of Smyrna - "I know your suffering and your poverty—though you are rich" and also said "The one who conquers will never be hurt by the second death." 
God's true children look for a city that will never fade. They are not in love with this world system and the things of this world. You will not hear these false teachers warning you this coming Sunday and you surely will not hear them teaching the following passages. 

Jesus, the almighty God who created all things says "The one who loves his life will destroy it, and the one who hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life." John 12:25 ISV. 

Do you understand that it was God's will for these people and countless thousands of others since, to suffer, be in poverty and die a martyr's death? Jesus told these people they would not be hurt by the second death. Are you following a lie? Are you on the path to the second death? You must repent while there is time. Countless millions are going to hell.

Revelation 2 ISV

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.’”

Have You Abandoned The Love You Had For Jesus At First?

The New Testament is filled with warnings. Warnings come from the love of God. In our day the pastors and teachers have abandoned the warnings, as a general rule. They are afraid of man and losing their job and many love the praise of people and money. So they tickle the ears of their hearers.

John records Jesus' warnings to the seven churches. It is clear Jesus does not tickle ears. He is concerned about the heart of the hearers. Jesus is Love and the very source of true love. However, we must obey him and turn from our sins. We are not to go on sinning. If we sin we are to confess it quickly and turn away from that sin.

Today we look at John's first letter to the church in Ephesus. It is sobering.

Revelation 1 ISV

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.’”

Mockers Have Arisen, Following Their Own Ungodly Desires

Continuing in the book of Jude, which is a one chapter book,we continue to be warned. Brothers and sisters, no matter what we understand, Jude makes it clear that we are responsible to "remain in God's love as you look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, which brings eternal life". The apostle Paul also tells us there is a race to finish.

If you have not read the first part of Jude's letter, please go back to the previous post and read it. It was filled with warnings which were shown in those who God destroyed in the past. There is a war for our souls and we are responsible for our actions.

The most dangerous place for most believers, is trusting the teachers of today. We are in the falling away and as a general rule, the teachers are not warning. Do not just quickly say "oh, my preacher does". If you do not know the scriptures and judge what the preachers say, you are in serious trouble and filled with false teachings. We are told to assemble together with other believers, but we are not told to listen to a teacher.

Do not trust a man with your soul. If you have not received the gift of languages, ask the Father to give it to you. Seek him earnestly and surrender your all to him. I know of no other way a person can "pray in the Holy Spirit" as Jude tells us to do. I prayed to receive the gift for several years before I received the gift of languages. I believe it was because I had been falsely taught they are not for today and this caused be to doubt and be fearful. If in faith you ask the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for the gift, you can trust him with your all! You can search my blog for "languages" or "tongues". I show the scriptures which clearly explain this.

Jude 1 ISV

17But you, dear friends, must remember the statements and predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah.o 18They kept telling you, “In the last times there will be mockers, following their own ungodly desires.”p 19These are the people who cause divisions. They are worldly, devoid of the Spirit.

20But you, dear friends, 

• must continue to build your most holy faith for your own benefit. 
• Furthermore, continue to pray in the Holy Spirit. 
• 21Remain in God’s love as you look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus the Messiah,q which brings eternal life. 
• 22Show mercy to those who have doubts. 
• 23Save others by snatching them from the fire. 
• To others, show mercy with fear, hating even the clothes stained by their sinful lives.r

24Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling and to make you stand joyful and faultless in his glorious presence, 25to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus the Messiah,s our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time and for all eternity! Amen.

Sexual Sins Not Repented Of, Bring The Wrath Of God. Period.

Brothers and sisters, we are in a very dangerous and evil time. As prophesied, Satan has come in like a flood. Evil will get much worse, especially sexual immorality. Are you bringing filth into your home and family by watching filth on TV, watching movies with filth, and listening to the worlds ungodly songs? If so, you are hardening your heart and the hearts of your family. There is a war for you and your family. You are responsible. "Touch not the unclean thing", let alone bring it into your minds/hearts! God have mercy.

"We know that the person who has been born from God does not go on sinning". 1 John 5 18

Jude 1 ISV

1From: Jude, a servant of Jesus the Messiah,a and yet a brother of James.

To: Those who have been called, who are lovedb by God the Father and kept safe by Jesus, the Messiah.c

2May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance!

3Dear friends, although I was eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I found it necessary to write to you and urge you to continue your vigorous defense of the faith that was passed down to the saints once and for all. 4For some people have slipped in among you unnoticed. They were written about long ago as being deserving of this condemnation because they are ungodly. They turn the grace of our God into uncontrollable lust and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus the Messiah.d

This is what is going on in our day. Sexual immorality (fornication, adultery, homosexuality) are being condoned and teachers are telling people who commit such sins that "they are under grace". Please notice that Jude tells us those who do so "deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus the Messiah". 

Jude goes on to remind us of the danger of us departing from the truth and disobeying as some of the angels who left their position and married human women. 

5Now I want to remind you, even though you are fully aware of these things, that the Lord who once saved his people from the land of Egypt later destroyed those who did not believe. 6He has also held in eternal chains those angels who did not keep their own position but abandoned their assigned place. They are held in deepest darkness for judgment on the great day.e 7Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities near them, which like them committed sexual sins and pursued homosexual activities,f serve as an example of the punishment of eternal fire.

8In a similar way, these dreamers also defile their flesh, reject the Lord’s authority,g and slander his glorious beings. 9Even the archangel Michael, when he argued with the devil and fought over the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him. Instead, he said, “May the Lord rebuke you!”h 

10Whatever these people do not understand, they slander. Like irrational animals, they are destroyed by the very things they know by instinct. 11How terrible it will be for them! For they lived like Cain didi , rushed headlong into Balaam’s error to make a profit, and destroyed themselves, as happenedj in Korah’s rebellion. 12These people are stains on your love feasts.k 

• They feast with you without any sense of awe.l They are shepherds who care only for themselves. They are waterless clouds blown about by the winds. They are autumn trees that are fruitless, totallym dead, and uprooted. 13They are wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their own shame. They are wandering stars for whom the deepest darkness has been reserved forever.

14Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied about these people when he said,

“Look! The Lord has come with countless thousands of his holy ones. 15He will judge all people and convict everyone of all the ungodly things that they have done in such an ungodly way, including all the harsh things that these ungodly sinners have said about him.”n

16These people are complainers and faultfinders, following their own desires. They say arrogant things and flatter people in order to take advantage of them.

A Letter Written To Mary, The Mother Of Jesus?

As we look at the letter written by John, it appears very likely to be written to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Jesus gave his mother into the care of John while he was on the cross. Chuck Missler brought this to my attention. As Mary was human and a sinner as all women are, she actually receives a warning from John. Among other dangers, Chuck speculates that Mary was in danger of letting false teachers into her house which would then use their relationship with Mary to authenticate their false teachings. I encourage you to read more about this at http://www.khouse.org/articles/2001/335/

2 John 1 ISV

1From:a The Elder

To: The chosen lady and her children, whom I genuinely love, and not only I but also all who know the truth, 2that is present in us and will be with us forever.

3Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesusb the Messiah,c the Father’s Son, in truth and love.

4I was overjoyed to find some of yourd children living truthfully, just as the Father has commanded us. 5Dear lady, I am now requesting of youe that we all continue to love one another. It is not as though I am writing to give youf a new commandment, but one that we have had from the beginning. 6And this is what demonstratesg love: that we live according to God’sh commandments. Just as youi have heard from the beginning what he commanded, youj must live by it.

7For many deceivers have gone out into the world. They refuse to acknowledge Jesus the Messiahk as having become human. Any such person is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8Seel to it that youmdon’t destroy what we haven worked for, but that youo receive yourp full reward. 9Everyone who does not remain true to the teaching of the Messiah,q but goes beyond it, does not have God. The person who remains true to the teaching of the Messiahr has both the Father and the Son. 

10If anyone comes to yous but does not present his teachings,t do not receiveu him into your house or even welcomev him, 11because the one who welcomes him shares in his evil deeds.

12Although I have a great deal to write to you,w I would prefer not to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 13The children of yourxchosen sister greet you.y

Greetings from John