Revelation

We have officially started our new bible study.  We started it last week actually I just haven't had the time to tell you all about it yet, but it was fabulous!  


So, I can't wait to tell you all about it.  While we were reading over Chapter 1, the leader asked if we had read the whole book of Revelation, after most of us said no, he told us to have that done before the next meeting because as we read over it, he wants us to be able to look at what the whole book is saying and not just the chapter we happen to be reading.  So, I read the whole thing!


When we started going over the letters to the seven churches, our leader gives us some background information on the areas of the churches and what is taking place in the towns.  Makes the whole process that much more interesting to me, I love when he just makes it come to life for me.  


Anyway, didn't mean to get carried away there, just got a little excited.  One of the things we discussed was that in each letter, the author gives us a description of Christ, usually in the beginning and he always gives the churches a promise.  Like in the letter to Ephesus, the promise is, "To those who win the victory I will give the right to eat fruit from the tree of life, which is in the garden of God."  Revelation 2:7.


Not a bad promise, huh?  If they will just straighten up and fly right, they get to eat from the tree of life.  The warning to them was that they had left their first love, gotten away form what was most important, hmmmmm, sound familiar?


When we talked about the letters one thing we all agreed on was that there was each warning could be talking about all of us at some point in our faith journey.  At some point don't we all forget what is really important?  Don't we sometimes fall prey to the trappings of things/idols of this world?  We all fall short.  At least around here we do.


But it looked like the church of Smyrna, and the church of Philadelphia must have been on top of their game because he didn't really have anything bad to say about the way they were living.  It kind of makes you stop and think, if God were going to write a letter to your church, what do you think it would say?


Are you reaching out to EVERYONE?


Are you helping the needy?  Feeding the hungry?  


Are we pleasing him?  


I'm trying.