Revelation about the Book of Revelation's 7 churches

I have been reading and studying the book of Revelation for some time. It is the Revelation of Jesus Christ to the churches. It was revealed to John the Apostle, you may know him from the Gospel of John. He refers to himself as "the disciple who Jesus loved." I love that he knew he was loved and called himself that. 

I have been studying it off and on since the Covid shutdown. Recently, Jen Wilkin published her bible study of the book of Revelation, and I studied it with a group of ladies in our church.  I recommend it highly for those looking for a great study to do. 

One thing that stood out as I studied was our tendency to DO things FOR Jesus instead of allowing him to do those things through us through the power of the Holy Spirit. In the letters to the seven churches, the message to the church in Ephesus from Jesus seems to say, “I don’t want you to do for me, I want you to be with me.” (Perhaps that is why we are called human beings instead of human doings) They were doing the work, but they had forgotten their first love. Interestingly, in doing this study, it occurred to me that Paul went to Ephesus in the early 50s AD. The letter to the Ephesians from Paul was written around 60 AD, and Revelation was written around 95 AD. I find it sadly intriguing that they lost their first love in a mere 35-45 years.

I believe the relationship we experience with Christ is through Him doing things through us by the Spirit which builds a communal connection between ourselves and Him. This is where I find the greatest joy and freedom. Rest comes as He works in me; His work equals my rest. The outcome of what we are doing is not my responsibility, rather I leave the results up to Him. Regardless of the outcome, I grow closer to Him. I end up knowing more of Him. It is worth it.

In the first week, Jen pointed out that the enemy uses three weapons against us. This was very insightful, so I wanted to share it with you. She quoted the theologian Iain Duguid when she noted that Satan only has 3 weapons to use against the believer. Those weapons are Seduction, Deception, and Persecution.

She says the following of each:

“Seduction is the temptation to live like unbelievers. Deception is believing a lie instead of the truth. Persecution is suffering for the sake of our Christian witness.”

Seduction:

Our enemy, Satan, has an easy job when using seduction as a weapon against us. Seduction automatically conjures up thoughts of sexual sin, but she makes the point that we can be seduced to do any type of sin. Sin is simply missing the mark of God’s standard. The enemy comes after God’s children simply to hurt the Lord. However, it is easy to sexually seduce us in our oversexualized culture. There is easy access to any temptation, but those sexual temptations are easy for him and prevalent for us.

We need to be on guard against this tactic and know that the enemy will try to seduce us to sin by the things of this world. These sorts of temptations will feed our flesh which is our desires and our nature.

Deception:

The world system values us by what we “do,” but our value as Christ's followers is in our covering and connectedness to Him by the Spirit. What interferes with this beautiful connection within the church is the lie that we are required “to do” to be accepted and approved.  This comes from our deceiving enemy. I have heard it said that if Satan cannot tempt you, he will just get you busy.

All sin interferes with our connection with the Lord. Sin quenches the Holy Spirit who is with us. That interference can be remedied as quickly as we repent.  That means we stop the sinful activity and turn back to the Lord.

Self-deceived is when we say, “I do not need anything.” It is when you convince yourself that you’re doing these great things for Jesus. The funny thing is, He never called us to do things for him. He called us to surrender to allow Him to do these things through us. He leads us and tells us what we need to do.

Isn’t it interesting that deception and lies simply take the truth and distort it instead of creating a new idea?

Persecution:

So, we learn to walk with Jesus so we will not be seduced by the things of this world or deceived by our efforts. However, when we get to the point where we are overcoming the temptations of the world and overcoming our efforts, we will face a different weapon. The enemy is smart and recognizes those two weapons no longer are working. He pulls out the weapon of persecution. It will come especially when the other two no longer work on us, but remember Jesus is with us during the battle.

Sin causes me to become prey to the enemy. The world mixed with my natural desires seduces me, my focus on myself and the effort that I bring to the table enables me to be deceived, and when I’m walking hand-in-hand with the Lord and surrendering to Him, the weapon used against me will be persecution.

Conclusion:

So, I suppose my takeaway from this is that we need to be on guard against the evil tactics that the enemy uses to attack us. Seek hard after the Lord. Walk closely with Him and confess your sin. Take note of your self-deception and lean into a healthy community of believers who love the Lord and submits their lives to the Word of God. Look for a praying community to do life with. Do not look for perfect people, look for loving and godly people to walk with. Look for companionship among believers who will encourage you to grow up into a strong follower of the Lord.

If you are looking to make some sense out of the days we live in, I encourage you to do this study. Revelation is a book that looks back in the Scripture to point us forward to our future.

As time permits, I will write more insights if this article has enough interest.

Hope you have a blessed day today.

Warrior or Worrier

I was recently reminded that I cannot be a worrier and warrior. I cannot be a victor and be a victim. I cannot live in both fear and faith. 

It is like being in two places at once. I saw this happen portrayed in the movie, "A Walk to Remember."  But normally we cannot be in two places at once.

Along those lines, I have to either walk in victory or sulk in my victimization, but I cannot do both any more than I can be in two places simultaneously. We all have been victimized in some way or another. How we frame it determines if we will allow it to conquer us. I am not trying to minimize anyone’s experiences. I am only saying that the frame in which we choose to highlight the trauma, and difficulty truly determines how we stand in its aftermath. 

I have experienced suffering through traumatic experiences, emotional wounds at the hands of well-intended friends and family, and even church family, and I have experienced physical trauma at the hands of perpetrators. How I chose to move forward with those pains determined how I walked from that point forward.

I have not been shielded from the difficulties of this life. I have had many trials, hurts, offenses, and painful experiences. Each one was an opportunity to sit in the hurt and difficulty. It was also an opportunity to turn to my Lord or angrily turn away from Him. The latter will always end up hurting me more than the original pain ever could be. So, with each hardship, when I turned to the Lord, He grew me up and drew me closer to Himself. He used that which someone else intended to harm me for my good and His glory.

Out of all of these experiences, I either worry and fret, or walk in faith and trust in God. I know He has a plan. I know He has a purpose. He is in the process of carving me into the image of His Son. He can use any instrument He chooses to perfect this image He is refining. I choose to stand in that victory as a victor even before the battle is won because I choose to trust His handiwork in me and walk in faith, believing He is completing the work He started in me. 

Therefore, if I stand in these choices, I no longer have to worry, be upset, or be anxious about "many things" as Jesus said to Martha in Luke 10:41. I am a warrior, a fighter, a victor. I am an overcomer because I know the One who holds my life in His hands.

So today, let's walk in faith, stand in our victory as we see His hand, set aside those worries and anxieties, and embrace our warrior status. The victory is already determined ahead of time. It may not look the way we choose, but if we are in Christ, we already won the victory. Nothing and no one can take us from His hand. Now that is something to get excited about, actually, it is everything. 

I hope you have a wonderful day today. Stand a bit taller in your confidence of whose you are. Walk a bit more confidently in the One with whom you put your trust. Run the race He has laid out for you for you are in the Lord's army. The battles are so hard, but the overall victory is already determined. Read about the battle gear that is available for us to put on according to Paul.

The Armor of God

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Ephesians 6:10-20

 

 

Jesus' Prays

 At one of the hardest times in Jesus' life, this is the prayer He prayed for us. 

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them, and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began! “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.” John 17:20-26

What can we learn from this? 

What are my takeaways?

What are your takeaways?

To think, Jesus knew he was about to be arrested, brutally beaten, and crucified. Yet he still prayed for us. 

I takeaway my need to pray for others especially when I am going through times of trial, difficulty, and pain. In those times, I tend to be more inward-thinking. Seeing His example, the better approach for me is to look outward and upward.

What are your thoughts?

Life can be Difficult

I know that difficult times are not fun at all.  In fact, they can be really awful. I have been wondering lately though. What if I frame my trials in a new way? What if they are the backdrop to highlight the good times? I wonder if, in the hard times, I will change my perspective if I may not even see light amidst the darkness of my hour.

I don't know how to share exactly what has recently happened to me.  It has been profound, scary, exciting, and very unexpected. 

I had not been feeling great for a few days. It wasn't that odd because I just had indigestion. It was bad enough that I didn't attend church that day.  I just didn't feel great. By Monday, I was able to go to lunch with a sweet friend. The next day, I walked my dog, Ellie, and I taught my cardio class at the Wellness Center. It was Halloween.  It was going to be a very busy day. It had gotten super cold, and my hands hurt while I walked Ellie. I figured it was just because I was cold.  I got home, my hands warmed up and the pain went away. 

I had payroll to process at work, I needed to take my mom to get groceries, and I just didn't have time for what happened next.

I finished teaching my class and I could tell I was just a bit off. By the time I was leaving the facility, I called my sister, and she wisely advised me to go to the doctor to get checked out. 

I headed to the nearby Urgent Care. They determined that I was either at risk or was having a heart attack. Gosh!!! WHAT???

But I eat right and exercise!!! How can this be?

I was taken by ambulance to the hospital. I remember traveling in reverse looking out the window at the all too familiar road. I began to pray with a bit of excitement and peace that this could be my last day here on earth. I wasn't hating my life; I was just getting excited that I may be face-to-face with Jesus today!!!!  Oh wow!!

I immediately began to think of all of my wonderful family and friends that I would be leaving behind, which made me tear up. But the peace that fell on me was beyond what I could ever have imagined or put words to. It was that heavy deep breath followed by a full exhale that makes up a sigh of relief and release. (Yeah, still words just cannot do it justice)

For any of you who know me well, this next part will not surprise you. The ambulance driver, the person who was taking care of me, and I started joking around. I smiled, and they smiled. The young lady who rode with me was so busy with my care, but she was still light-hearted with me. Still very much doing everything to keep me alive on that ride. She told me once we got to the ER that she didn't want me to know how bad it was. She elevated my status to get me into a specific room for urgent care. 

I was surrounded by a sea of medical staff all doing their part to get me treated ASAP. The entire staff at Huntsville Hospital was absolutely amazing. I cannot begin to thank them all for the treatment from start to finish. It was quite a day. 

I had a procedure and had to have two stents in two branches of a main artery, and I heard it called the widow maker. 

I was taken to ICU where I slept and struggled with nausea. I remember family and friends coming and going into my room. My daughter Sara Kate stayed with me that night. Unfortunately, she was awakened by hospital ICU staff who quickly removed her from the room. She recalls seeing my body flailing around on the bed. The staff hooked me up to an AED and began chest compressions. I was awakened by a nurse trying to get an oxygen mask on my face. I remember freaking out because I couldn't understand why they had awakened me from such a great sleep. I can attest to a PEACE and rest I have never known. It was the best and deepest sleep. But to be brought back to such chaos was strange. I am still very thankful to the wonderful staff that provided such quick and skillful care for me. 

In the meantime, Sara Kate had been taken to a room to wait. She proceeded to contact Marc, my husband, and my daughter Taylor. Taylor and her husband Caleb were about to board when Sara Kate told her what had happened to me. She didn't know if I had made it or not.  At that point, she was taking off and not able to receive updates until she landed. Taylor said she just slept on the plane. Being in the room alone, Sara Kate turned to see a bible sitting near her. During this difficult storm, she began to read and found peace, hope, and care in the words she kept reading. 

It was one scary event after another. But I can tell you I felt the presence of God during it all. He draws near to us when we seek Him. I sensed His presence more intimately. I don't want to have another heart attack but what happened to me was better than any revival I have experienced in my life.

My heart's ability to pump blood out to the body known as the EF was 30% at the time I was leaving the hospital. I was informed by the cardiologist that the number would need to improve into the 40's and optimally 50's or I would require a pacemaker. 

I began 3 months of cardiac rehabilitation. I am still doing it. But my latest ECO showed my EF is 56%. The optimal range is between 50-70.  I had people praying for me from the east coast to the west coast. Sara Kate placed her hand on me and prayed believing God would heal my heart. My cardiologist said the muscle looked as if I had not had a heart attack. He said from the EKG he could tell I had. 

So why would I want to share this story with you on this Blog? Well primarily to offer hope. I want anyone reading it to know that dark times will come.  The number one thing I heard after this was "But you are the healthiest person I know." Dark times come to all of us at one time or another. Life is not all a bed of roses, but my trials and difficulties provided the perfect context to reveal to me the beautiful perspective of God's love, care, presence, and peace. I would not know just how close He is, how much He comforts me and those I love, had I not gone through it. I would know it with my head, but now I know it because I experienced it. I experienced God through this time. I was so thankful to see Him comforting my family in a variety of ways.

Another reason I wanted to share my experience is to say do not ignore the warning signs. I didn't know that indigestion could be a sign of a heart attack. But since my event, I have been informed. Is every bout of indigestion a reason to go to the ER, NO. But it is good to know that it is a possible sign. 

My family tree has several branches that have a history of heart issues. This was not something I could exercise out or eat well enough to improve it. So, listen to your body. Do not ignore signs but also do not read this and start working yourself up into anxiety that can lead you to a panic attack. Just listen to your body, talk to family and medical staff, seek help if needed, and know that if you call on the LORD Jesus, He will be with you and can provide intimate care for you in the middle of it all.

Call out to Him. He draws near to those who seek Him with their whole heart. He will walk with you through the difficulties. 

Take care of your body. I am including some links for you to check out.

Taking Care of Yourself | American Heart Association

Cardiac Heart Care and Cardiovascular Program by Huntsville Hospital

What Is a ‘Widowmaker’ Heart Attack? | Sharp HealthCare