Address—G.H. Hayhoe
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Begin on the first verse, Revelation chapter 2, under the Angel of the Church of Ephesus, Right? These things are he that is, he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand. So what up in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks?
I know a lot of work and brought our labor and patience and how thou canst not bear them that are which are evil.
You always try them with Savior Apostles, and are not, and has found them liars, and hath borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the 1St works.
Or else I will come under thee quickly, and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place, except our repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the beads of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He that happened year, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
And unto the Angel of the Church in Smyrna, right these things say at the 1St and the last.
Which was dead and is alive.
I know that I worked in tribulation and poverty without rich, and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not, but I have the sinning God of Satan. Hear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation. 10 days.
Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
He that half of me, or let him hear what the Spirit said under the churches. He that overcometh shall not be heard of the second death. And to the Angel of the Church in Pergamos writes these things, that he which hath the sharp sword with two edges. I know thy works, and where I'll dwell us even where Satan's feet is.
Now hold as fast my name, and hath not denied my faith, even in those days when Amethyst was my faithful martyr, who was plain among you, Or Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there than the whole adoption of Balaam.
To pass the stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also then that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate the pant, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth, even half an ear. Let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
To him that overcometh will I give to eat as the hidden manna, and will give him a light stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man N saving he that receiveth it. I was just thinking particularly of these first three of the seven churches.
Perhaps most of us know that in the letters that are written here to the southern churches in Asia Minor that we have a prophetic outline of the churches history right from the days of the apostles until the Lord comes. And in these seven churches we have them outlined prophetically, I'd say. And we can see the failure in the beginning.
Their first love coming right down to the last condition. Lukewarmness, indifference, and the Lord Himself on the outside.
What I was thinking particularly of these first three, not so much in the thought of this prophetic aspect, but in the way that we might apply it to our own house because, you know, it's always easy for us to speak of how these things apply to others.
I forget the application to ourselves, and I believe we can see if we carefully look at these letters, to these first three churches especially.
How our hearts tend to grow cold, and how the Lord in His own way seeks to draw us back, perhaps through affliction and trial. And then to how you encourage us even in times when things are broken down and then ruined. He would encourage us just to go on for Him.
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And know that he takes notice of any faithfulness that it is. And so I speak of it more particularly in its personal aspect. And I believe that in the first three churches here we have a certain order brought before us and that it would apply to the testimony gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
And as we think of the freshness, the happiness that there was when God first raised up a testimony, he added to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. But then how quickly?
And there was that tendency which we find in our hearts to leave the freshness of First Life.
Then God allowed testings and trials to come in among the Saints. Perhaps we could save in the many divisions and things that came in.
Were testing us as to whether we really value the place and privilege of being gathered to his name. And then we can stay in Pergamos, the church in the world coming together.
And the great fraud in connection with bergamot is that there would be faithfulness in the midst of such a favorite thing and valuing the Lord's approval. So the Lord addresses himself in a different way to each one of the churches, each one of the settlement, as a matter of fact.
By saying we're Speaking of these first three will notice that the Lord and addressing himself to them.
He speaks to them each in a different way because he addressed himself to them according to the state of things that existed. And so the Lord knows the state of things in which we are called upon to overcome. Those who live in Greenville face a different situation perhaps than those who live in Saint Louis or Ottawa. Each one of us has to face different situations in life.
And the Lord knows all about these things that we have to meet. He knows all about the difficulties and problems connected with each personal life and each gathering. And so in addressing himself to these assemblies in a different way, we can see how he entered into.
All they were going through and encouraged them to go on faithfulness as well as perhaps student to bring before them those things which are to have exercised them. Then we also find in each one of the churches that there was a special word to the overcomer, special according to the state of things that was to be overcome.
And we all know how easy it is to be overcome instead of overcoming.
And that is how to overcome means to go up all over, doesn't it? But it's very easy to allow the things to get over us from here underneath.
And so the word here is to the overcomer, that is, no matter what the state of things may be, imprisoned them at large, and our homes are in the assembly. The Lord can always enable us to be a father in our own soul, and to live to please Him.
And so these words spoken to each each assembly.
Are special words of encouragement because of the conditions in these assemblies as a very striking thing. That nephesis is the first one mentioned, and we know the officials of the Ephesians, but that's of course an emphasis. It was the assembly that perhaps received the very highest truth.
I am not the pistol. We see the church.
Seated in heavenly places in Christ, we see the unfolding and the most precious truth that the Church is the body of Christ.
And all those things that are so adhere to us, especially as gathered in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And so we can see how it would have a special application to ourselves because I believe we could safely say.
That there is no company on earth so responsible as those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. For it says, Unto whom much is given of the same shall much be required. And if God has given much to us, then it ought to stir our hearts to more affection, more devotedness, more earnest desire to please him.
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And more responsibility if we're unfaithful. So here this first one was addressed to Ephesus, that assembly that was so blessed.
As there are these good things that he that holds the seven stars in his right hand, on the end of the first chapter we find that these seven stars.
Where the angels of the seven churches.
Now when it speaks to the angels of the churches, the word Angel in scripture is representative, and so far it says the Angel of the church. It means that in each assembly there are those who are looked upon as being responsible before God.
It's a very serious thing to be in a possession of responsibility among God's people. And so the each letter is addressed to the Angel of the church, and then in the end it says he would have ears to hear, not appear. That is none of us are exempt from responsibility.
But some of us are more responsible than others because we have been.
Entrusted with more.
We have taken certain responsibilities and God holds us responsible in this way. And so the letters are addressed first of all to the Angel of the Church. But here it says that the Lord holds those in His right hand. Well, this is the proper condition that they should be. That is all those who seek to take a place of responsibility.
Ought to remember and will not to be acting for our own personal glory.
I would not think of ourselves what people say or think of us, but we ought to act as being in His other responsibilities. Even if I might speak of myself tonight, what a responsibility to stand up here before you and to seek to speak on God's behalf.
I remember one time another brother and I were asked to take a funeral and the undertaker said to us now how long is this service going to be?
Well, in the time we said, well, perhaps about 1/2 an hour. Well he said you know such and such a church takes 15 minutes and another church takes 12 minutes. And he said you do want to please the people, don't you? Of the other brothers spoke up really quickly and said we have a message from God for the people. Well, such is our responsibility. We have a responsibility.
To act before God. And so here we find these seven stars were in his right hand.
And so I'll say again all the responsibility in God's assembly that we should act as under His control for his glory and for the blessing of his people. Doesn't He desire the blessing of his people? Christ loved the church and gave him some fun. And then it says to who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks?
When we sell golden candlesticks, that tells us in the first chapter, and they were the seven assemblies that are addressed here, and it's just a lift alarm. Should make a little visit, shall I say, to the various assemblies and then tell us what pleased him and what grieved him, or wouldn't we be very interested to hear that?
Supposing the Lord were to write a letter and it was to start it Ottawa, Smith Falls and Toronto and the assemblies in Ontario.
And tell us what he felt about each one of those testimonies. Or wouldn't that be a very serious thing? Wouldn't we be very much concerned with what the Lord had to say?
I'm not sure that we would, and those of us who live in Ontario, well, how much more? But we think that he has written this down. He walks in the midst of the sudden golden candle sticks. What a responsibility to be a testimony in this world.
Or Christ, and particularly in this church period when the Spirit of God is here gathering out a bride for Christ. What a responsibility that servant had who went to get a bride for Isaac. How anxious he was that that bride would be 1 suited to Isaac. And what a responsibility we have now as those who have been called out of the bride of Christ.
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To be in this world for him. I'm the people in Greenville, elsewhere.
Are working on and they're watching because as Paul tells us in Corinthians, we have been espoused to the chaste virgin cracks and Paul said he was jealous over the Saints from the gods and jealousy. He wanted to see them going on in the way.
That was pleasing to the one who was The Who was the bridegroom of the church.
Well, when it says I know thy works, you'll notice those four words, 5 words I should say, and four words about it. You'll notice those four words in every one of the seven churches. The Psalm, it must have been an encouragement to others. It must have been something that stirred their consciences.
They were seeking to please the Lord, the great comfort to know that the Lord knows what you're seeking to do. But if you and I are doing things that we're not sure are pleasing to the Lord, perhaps not even realize we're not pleasing to him, then it's not so pleasant to hear him say, I know about looks. But here in each one of the churches, I say the Lord uses that same phrase.
On and all their own works. Well, we commended all we possibly could. He said, By works, and thy labor, and my patience, And how thou canst not bear them which are evil. And thou hast tried them which say that they are apostles, and are not, and has found them liars, and has borne, and has patience, and for my name's sake hath labored, and has not fainted.
Or here we can see the Lord took Noah's.
Was commandable and as less encouraging for us. The Lord takes notice of all that's commendable in our lives.
Let me speak from that first before he says one thing against them. And so he's looking down upon us tonight, and every little desire that there is a new apartment in mind to please him, he sees that he values that. He's taking notice of it. And what an encouragement this is. Perhaps we're conscious of the fact that there are failures in our lives.
But the Lord first acknowledged that which was.
Commendable. And so there was much that was commendable in emphasis.
If you had looked upon the low assembly there, you might have said what a faithful assembly.
They're very faithful in judging what's evil, and they're careful too, that they don't allow things in that are not according to the mind of God. And they seem to be a very active little assembly too, that is for my name's sake. Has labored and has not fainted. Yes, always on the exterior looks very nice and very good.
Thought he said, I have against thee. Thou hast left thy first life. All the world didn't normally look at what they were doing.
But he saw the spring behind the dog and all the Evelyn. Doesn't it speak to your heart and mind? We may come to the meetings. We may be faithful, perhaps giving out gospel tracts, perhaps speaking occasions to speak to others. But I wonder if we're enjoying the love of Christ in our souls like we should.
Is there the freshness of that first long witness?
Can we do we have to acknowledge that there was a time when we were enjoying the Lord more than we are now?
And the lower regular at the meetings, we just don't enjoy them like we used to all in the Lord feel blessed. He feels it. You say well we've lost something too. Indeed we have the best portion we have on earth is to walk in the enjoyment of his love by the Lord has lost something because you know he not only died to save us from hell. It was to win our hearts.
The little hymn says Himself, He gave our poor hearts to win. Was ever love Lord like thine from the piles of falling shame and sin filled in the joy of divine. He's going to find His eternal joy in our company.
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Responsible the affections of our hearts, He is going to find his eternal joy and the storm all that love can bestow upon us, and the objects of his love. Or doesn't this touch our hearts? Or the Lord spell it? Thou hast left thy first love.
Remember, therefore, from whence thou God, that was our remarks. If you have looked at the assembly, you'd say, Well, I think everything is in order in that assembly. Everything is very nice. But the Lord said they have fallen, because if they had left their first love, which they had, they wouldn't be long until other things.
Would soon begin to.
When to?
For lost, we have lost first love won't be long until we'll be letting things slip. We'll be giving up this that when we begin to understand ourselves from the meeting, when we begin to neglect a little time leading God's words and prayer, that's not the first departure it's because.
Sometime before, perhaps, we began to lose the freshness of first life.
That's all. The things weren't so dear and precious to us as they used to be. And the Lord, I say, speaks to them about that which you saw at the very beginning of departure with them. And the Lord knows that our hearts are growing cold for Him. Well, how can we get to the store? He said that? He said to do the 1St works and do the 1St works well.
Didn't he say that they were very active and that they had labored and not planted?
Outwardly they were doing the 1St works of What did the Lord mean by doing the 1St works? All He wanted what they did to be done as well. He wanted what they did to to be done with affection for Him and all brother, and that's what He desires. He wants us to do what we do out of love for Him, and so He calls upon Him to repent and do the 1St works.
What do I say again? What is it that will restore our hearts affection?
Can we try to love the Lord more? Impossible. You can't love a person by trying. You never loved anyone in your life by trying to love them. Now the way we love Him is by thinking I thought he was done for all. I don't believe it would be possible for us to really meditate upon what the Lord has done for us and going to Calvert and bring us into such a rich place of blessing. I said I don't think it would be possible.
Over meditate on that without having our hearts affection spirit. Why is it that when we perhaps go to a three day meeting, we come home with more desire to please the Lord? It's just because our hearts affections have been warm. We have been reminded of who's allowed to us and it has created a response to us and so many of us find that our hearts have grown cold for him what we need.
It's a more occupation with him and with his love. This is what will give us that freshness in our soul. This is what will give us to love Him more. It's not by effort, I say. And so he says, to repent and do the 1St work. And Rodney says, Or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy Candlestick.
Out of his place. Now this is a very solemn thing. I will remove thy Candlestick out of his place.
And no other help in places that I can think of many places in Ontario where I live where the views the established, but there's no assembly today. There isn't the company in many of these places gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus like we used to be. Why is it, well, very often?
If we look back and we find that there was that there was unfaithful.
There was first coldness apart when the meetings began to be neglected, and it wasn't long until the Lord removed the council. There was no longer a testimony there, and I believe in the last days after exercise, each one of us.
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In a place where we live, while there's been greens on our wall, wherever it is that we would seek to go on in the enjoyment of Christ. And then I believe we can count upon the Lord and His faithfulness to preserve the testimony. It's not our faithfulness, it's His faithfulness. But He wants our affections. He wants a testimony that would be honoring to Him.
And so here he says.
I will come on to me quickly, and we will move by Candlestick out of this place, except our repent and if you were to go over the Asia Minor and visit these seven places, Ephesus, Merlin, Pergamon, Thyatira, Saudis, Philadelphia, and Lady Sia.
There isn't a cap of Slick and anyone.
There is no assembly got into the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, you find that almost all Mohammedans.
One solemn thing there were once little assemblies there, there were once they were charged to the Lord's name as they didn't keep in that freshness of first love and see what's happened or some great responsibility. It's a great privilege to be gathered through the name of the Lord Jesus. Another word I just mentioned this in the sixth verse. This thought half that thou he was the deeds of the Nicolaitans.
Which I also hate. I believe this Nicolaitans.
Comes from the same root word is what is often called in the church is the levy. You often hear about the clergy and the levy, while it comes from this rude word Nicolaitans, and it just simply means this and I've run when there is not the freshness of first love, there's always a tendency to drift into the principle of clergy.
This is not even coming in among the gallery Saints. That is, if we're not enjoying the Lord, we hope somebody else will go ahead and take the whole responsibility of the meeting and we'll be related. But if we're enjoying the Lord, we're glad to feel our own little privilege to open our mouths and Thanksgiving and praise and assume our own responsibility in the local assembly.
Or I'll say again, if our hearts are grown cold and we're not in the freshness of these love, why we tend to want somebody else to take all the responsibilities. And this is the very thing that was coming in at at Ephesus and came out in its full blown fruit and cry of fire because.
When spiritual life decline and freshness to a love for the Lord Jesus wanes.
By them this sort of thing comes in and what is that one is because this was already beginning back there in emphasis, but now the word to the overcomer.
It says in the seventh verse to him that overcometh will I give to read of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
All this is most beautiful because the soul is here, lifted entirely above all the ruin that man has brought him. You remember in the paralyzed spirit that God made for man in the Garden of Eden, how soon came in and man wasn't able to partake of the tree of life. And man's history has always been one of constant failure.
Even the Church as a Candlestick has failed in the earth. But what is it that encourages the soul in a day of coldness and departure, all to look on the other brethren to those bright and blessed things where sin can never come, and saw What is hauled out to the one who overcomes here is that he will eat with the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
That is, that he would enjoy.
And all its freshness, and all its power and blessedness, and a seeing her sin could never all that was in the heart of God for man and all. What a funny encouragement this is. We might feel discouraged by time as we look out and see the ruin that has come in.
But by the Spirit of God would lift our souls above the state of things here and occupy us with and that which is before us. And if we have this before our souls, we will be overcomers because.
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If you and I are enjoying the love of Christ and we have a vision of that coming glory before our souls, then when we come to the meeting I will not be thinking about the sad state that we might see perhaps.
Instead of that, we'll bring something to the assembly that will be a blessing to others because of this deal. Mr. Darby said that he said Christianity is known by what it brings, not by what it finds. And wasn't there ugly of each one of us would be exercised when we come to the meeting to bring that which would lift the souls of the Saints to be a blessing to them. And in this way we overcome.
And the Saints of blessed.
Go away feeling refreshed, just like in the case where Mary broke that box of Alabama, the feet of the Lord. I don't believe she had any thought at all that she was going to be noticed in what she was doing. But it says the house was filled with the Order of the Honor, everyone there, particularly of the Order of the Ottoman, because there was one person there.
Was pouring her all at the feet of the Lord, and so it will be that if you and I are in the enjoyment of the Lord, the whole assembly will be benefit and blessed by so here is the word then to the overcomer. He's lifted the ball. The condition of things.
To have a vision before his soul of that scene above where we'll have we will be able to enjoy inform us all in the heart of God for his people.
And then remember we come to the next one under the Angel of the Church in Smyrna. Write these things that the 1St and the last which was dead and alive. Well Smyrna was that period.
Our persecution that followed the death of the apostles and many who have read church history know that there were 10 successive Roman rulers who.
Persecuted the people of God.
And we know that God allows this because departure had begun to come in. And I might say, this is all this God's way with us. He first of all called us to repent. He first of all would seek to warm our hearts and draw us back by his love.
But if we're not ruled by love, we have to wean us through circumstances.
I'm sorry for the churches history. He brought this period of persecution, this period of testing so that the hearts of his people would be drawn back. And I said God Berlin, it will not drawn back by his love. One is a faithful God.
And he may have to allow things in our own lives to draw us back to the Lord, love us, He chasing us. And how many times we have found ourselves drifting along. And then the Lord has brought some crimes to our lives, and we've been reminded that the things that are seen are temporal, that the things that are not seen are eternal.
And those things down here, even though they and we accepted them as blessings from the Lord.
But we can even set our hearts upon them, and the Lord desires to clean our hearts heavenly, to be occupied with him. A little bit touching the way the Lord addresses himself to this church, he says.
These things that the 1St and the last which was dead and it's a lot, well really passing through the time of persecution. Wasn't it beautiful as well? The Lord should say why?
I've been through the whole pathway before, even into death itself and risen again. Part of encouragement. Little him says all the paths of things are threading trodden by the Son of God. All the stars in our feelings felt by him along the road. Highly trial in your life, a little or no level thoughtful.
The Lord's halfway with one of the amount of stars and acquaintance of Greece.
Even a lot of wireless could be inspired and rejected. You know what it allows to be misunderstood? You know what it wants to be humbly, thirsty, weary, and then finally more. Our sins upon that cross over. What a word to this little assembly here at Smyrna. I know that I worked in tribulation and poverty.
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Without rich, well, they didn't have much as far as the riches of this world were concerned.
History tells us that during this period they were living under the city of Rome in those miserable catacombs.
Where they're just these passages that were dugout under the city of Rome and they lived in abject poverty of rich yes, they had riches with always in that grand city of Rome is 95.
And you and I have wretches in Christ, which is untold.
And how often the Lord has to let us see that the things here that we grasp so much, they're all going to pass away. How good it is when He allows us to realize that our true riches are up there and nothing can touch them.
And so he says, I know of a blasphemy of them which clearly are Jews nor not.
But are the synagogue of Satan, unless I remark before there was the beginning of this sort of thing, clergy and Judaism, that was coming in in the early church.
And the Lord, the lot of the affections of these people was speaking to them in this world. He mentioned disease in a glasses. Then he mentions those that failure Jews.
Judaism. Don't we find Christian and Paul, that sort of thing, all kinds of things borrowed from Buddhism.
Find the bonding buildings, music, observance of days, Rd. salt. This all comes from Judaism. It appeals to the senses. Well, the Lord was allowing this to come in to the early church so that they wouldn't get taken up with these things that they could see. How could they have a fine building when they were down in the catacombs under Rome?
How did they have grand pipe organs?
When they were down there in the darkness of both passages under Rome, that they could enjoy the war, and they did.
Those those places under there were sayings that I'm sure will be remembered from all for all eternity are those dear souls.
Didn't have anything material that they could look to that they were enjoying the water.
They were enjoying his precious life. And now he says, feeling all of those things which thou shalt suffer.
Behold, the devil shall cast some of you and the person, that she may be tried, and he shall have tribulation. 10 days.
This is very beautiful. Here you shall have tribulation 10 days. The Lord had it all numbered before man.
And the thinnest encourage into our heart. Sometimes we're going through a trial. We say, well, how long is this going to last? I can only bear so long. The Lord has it all, number. It has it all planned. He told them before the first day started, but it was in the last 10 days. Well, the Lord has all. He has it all.
Not just for us to and this time in Scripture is.
Our responsibility to offer, and the Lord knows just how much is necessary in each one of our lives or our goods, and for our blessings. And so here he tells them, Thou shalt have tribulation 10 days.
Our heart, including this, would be to their hearts as they pass through these different kinds of persecution.
To be able to realize.
And at the Lord knew all about it, and he said that he thou faith unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He doesn't speak about their mistakes in this, in this church. That is, you don't mention anything about their failures because when they were going through trial, he would seek to comfort and encourage them. And this is most blessing for us too, because.
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When we're going through trial, the Lord, the Lord will speak to us of himself.
He will tell us of His love, He will seek to produce enough the desired result from these trials that we have to go through. And so He just encouraged them to be faithful unto death, not to give up, not to compromise, but to stand faithfully for Him. Oh, may we have grace too. Or I believe, brethren, there's no time when we're more likely to give up and under trust.
I believe that this is the time when discouragement comes in, you know, and while the great attempts of the devil is to discourage the people of God, and when trial comes, then to say, well, it's no use.
That's why it tells us in first Peter 5 and verse seven it says passing all your care upon the employee care for you. The next verse is the sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil is a roaring lion walk at the park speaking whom he may devour. And shall I put it like this, if when trials come, if we don't cast our care upon the Lord?
Then the enemy gets the advantage through discouragement and leads our souls away from him.
For the world here in the midst of the trial was not to reduce them, but to say, you know, clinical brother, and if any of us are going through any trial, let us remember the enemy is going to try and use it to discourage it. May the Lord give us grace to be faithful in the midst of them, to turn to Him, and to know that He has numbered the days of the trial.
And that he's able to sustain it. And he said, And I will give thee.
Crown of life, oh how beautiful this is. The Lord will reward any faithfulness to Him, even will. Perhaps it might come through some failure on our part, because I believe this was allowed in Smyrna because of departure. Yet the Lord would encourage them. He values any place for us, but there is in our lives, even Charles, He might bring upon ourselves.
To our own mistakes. Still, it was faithful in the mysticism.
Embodies that law that counts upon him for the Lord prays for Peter when Peter denied the Lord or before he denied him. I should say the Lord said I have prayed for these of God, but they don't mind what a word for Peter, he said. And Peter, I know that when you fail.
Why? The enemy is going to try and encourage it, but I pray that your faith won't fail.
And then he said still no, he said, and I'm going to use you again here after they are converted. Strengthen my brother, because the devil very hardly whispered in the ears of Peter double up with you now. The Lord will never use you again. Peter, how lovely that was or touching grace. And so here this word of encouragement is given to the.
Things that Smyrna he placed along with death and I will give the crown of life and that mentioned here.
That this is the only crown that's mentioned twice in the Bible. There is a crown of righteousness and found glory, but this is this is the only one that's mentioned twice. I mentioned again James first chapter it says plus it is a manager endure a temptation.
The running of pride he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord has come for them that love them and why I was mentioned twice. Well, you or I might say, oh, we're not living in days and marketing them. We're not likely to be called upon delay on our lives for Christ. So we can't expect an artist crown the crown of life. Oh yes.
James tells us that it's not just for the martyrs, but it's for those who endure.
Competition, but you and I are called upon in everyday life to enjoy temptation, and if we seek to be faithful to the Lord in the midst of these things, while He said there will be a crown of life, if some might put it in this way, it can be a marker every day that is based on us to Him, putting obedience to Him and believing Him.
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Before life itself is what pleases the law.
And now the special words of the overcomer here.
And so he that overcometh shall not be heard of the 2nd.
All the devil could do was to bring in physical death, and only if God allowed that. But he could never bring in the second death. The devil has no power beyond his life. He has. He has no power beyond this life. Sometimes in man's imagination. Why?
They think that that hell is a place where the devil has his domain. It's not true. Satan himself in that place will be under the judgment of God. He will have no liberty in hell. The place where Satan has powers here in this world. And you and I have a way of all those coming to power.
It says greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. And so the word to the overcomer is and to be faithful, the devil has no power beyond his life.
It might be allowing God to bring him death, but always can never rob us of the future that's beyond the Lord. Jesus has the keys of hell and of death.
Now the last one that we read here, programmer.
Notice how the Lord addresses himself to Fergimon these things, that he which hath the sharp sword with two edges.
Well.
In one sense, the way the Lord addressed himself to the others might bring in some heart of encouragement, but here in Pergamos, when the Lord says that he's the one that has the sharp sword with two edges, it seems to me it's very strong.
And with the period when the church in the world was coming together, and surely that's the time, it's very similar to the day in which we live.
That is, the great popular idea today is that Christians should go along with the world and not reform it, not to be in separation from it, and that we should be like the world so that we can win the world.
I will never till we try and win the world. God is gathering out of the world of people for heaven. It tells us in the word of God we are not of the world. Even as I am not of the world, God has visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name.
And I believe the thought in this sharp story with two edges is that it takes realism.
The next day to know how we should how we should live in such a time so that we don't compromise or don't settle down to the level of the world. The sharks soared with two edges means that it's dividing and separating from those things that are not according to God.
And we all know how much wisdom it takes.
All were confronted with situations. Every day of our lives were confronted with problems.
Is this worldly necessary? Is it not? Can I do this and be loyal with Christ? These things are continually facing us and those who meet the world in business.
And who have to do with the world in their calling in life on their own very difficult is well, the Lord is says I have a shock sword with two edges and I can enable you to walk in the midst of a day like this. The policeman and that's the word that is given here to Pergamos and I believe especially fixed holiday. He says I know.
Albella even worse he did where is Satan state I was just remarked a few moments ago.
This world, he's the God and Prince of us. And here we found the church is actually down where statement seed is, right down to the level of the world.
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And that was where they were. And now here in this condition of saying how could a person overcome, well, surely we can say that we find ourselves in such a condition right now. And we find those that are known as church people occupy high positions and government or social leaders and all kinds of things.
They're they're the line that marks between the church and the world.
Is almost unnoticed, and so here the Lord says the Lord for Satan he did, and the oldest past my name and hast not deny my faith. There were those in such a condition.
Or seeking to be faithful and the lonely God of God, the Lord God is right and you and I see the value or we say, well, everything has been ruined to day. I will just have to go along with things as they are. And so we're all said in Rome, Do the wrongs do and we just have to go along with things. Is that what we're told here All in all in the midst of this condition.
Why it says?
Thou holdest fast my name.
And has not denied my faith all driving or neither howl difficult the days may become. No matter how much we find the church in the world link together. There is a path for faith. There is a path for faith and you and I was looking through the Lord and following his word that sharp stars with two edges we can find in the midst of all the confusion.
A path bounced out or we can walk to please God. And how encouraging this is.
To those who want to please the Lord or not give up, don't say it's no use. They can't help it. In a day like this. There is a path with the vultures. I have not seen the long 12 is not flattened and it says even in those days when Oedipus was my faithful martyr.
Slamming among you for Satan dwelleth. Yes, we find that even in professing Church of those who seek to act in faithfulness to God are persecuted. And how true it is that often ones who seek to please go and find themselves persecuted, but they're still attacked for fight.
And he says in the 14 first that I have a few things against me, because I have there then the whole the doctrine of Balaam.
The top better art contrast assembling blocks before the children of Israel, each thing sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication.
Well, many of us recall the story in Numbers of how big a life hired Balaam to curse the people of God. And when Balaam came, God wouldn't allow him to curse the people of God. Instead, God turns into a blessing and they don't bless the people.
But we find that Darren did something else.
When Bellum couldn't curse the people of God, he suggested to Daylight that daylight would prepare sacrifices and then invite the children of Israel and their young people to come over and for take of their sacrifices and mingle together.
And in this way he broke down a new separation. In this way he made them part of the Amorite company. And God had to bring judgment upon his people.
Was mingled in this way with the Moabites. And that's exactly what the present danger is. That's what the enemy does. He can't curse the people of God, because God loves his people and a blessing has been pronounced upon them.
While he will do what he can to break down separation that there should be between God's people and the world. And this is what they're on me. They like bailing to do. And so it says that each thing sacrificed to idols and they sat down and mingled with these more lights. And then the next thing was.
Open moral stem over the kind of sad thing it is, and how clever.
The enemy is almighty. Give us grace. Walk in separation from the world. Never was there a time when it has such an appeal to us. And when we'll say, well, we're Christians just like you are. We're not Mohammedans, we're not even. We're Christians too. Don't treat us as if we were any different to yourself.
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And so here we're seeing our plan that the bailing brought about.
These mobile bodies, one of these Moabites, were defendants of lost amount. Lot was the one who picked his tent towards Sodom, and Abraham dwelled on the mountain top. But now we find Abraham's seed and lock seed mixing together. And that's the way it is world. That's the enemy's plan.
And then he saw in the 15th verse there were those that held the doctrine of the Nicolaus.
But then I hate that is, this is a very small expression, isn't it? Which thing I hate that is, for the Spirit of the Lord is great liberty, and God delights in his assembly to have a go and gather there in liberty.
Around around the Lord's evening, so that he might lead out our hearts and praise, time is given to Him.
How would you like it if when the family sat down to the table, someone came up and said no, I'm going to tell everybody here when to speak and they're not to speak or unless I tell them and do the math and to do it at all. They did something, stuff to take control of your table. Would you like that? Very well. I'm sure I wouldn't like it at my table.
Well, at the table of the Lord, the Spirit of God.
Threatened from the lawyers and the medals and he would seek to leave out the hearts of his people and praise and by his and it's very, very hateful. It says here to the Lord and any person should take the part that belongs to the Spirit of God so that each one there might be land by the Spirit.
And praise amongst his lost.
Now he says the 16th verse was Tantra, Else I will come under you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
That is, you have used the word to rebuke them. Now what a lovely word of encouragement here is given in 17 First, he that happened here, let him hear what the Spirit said unto the churches to him. And all the cometh will I give to either the hidden manner, and will give him a white stone. In the stone a new name written.
Which no man not stating he that receiveth it or seems to me there's something very rich and gracious and encouraging here in this word to be overcomer. There was a condition of things existing in Furthermore that must have grieved the heart of those who sought to keep his word and.
The Holy Cross, my name and hast not denied in my faith.
Them it was very easy to give way and exposed compromise. It was very easy to go along with this favorite thing. But there were those who overchained. There were those who sought to be faithful in the midst of all this. And not His word is given to Him that overcometh. Or I give to eat of a hidden manner.
Well, a manner brings before us the Lord Jesus and his pathway here, and so the Lord his pathway here.
On the path of cruise separation to the office here we find you walking in this world, and he said I will always do those things which place the Father are you and I content to have only the large approval, even if we're misunderstood by others, I satisfied just to have the Lord's approval.
I said there'll be a special.
Communion with the Lord.
That you will enjoy and glory that you have shared something of that down here.
That is, if one might put it in this way.
The apostles call was imprisoned for Christ.
When he gets the glory, what an intimacy there will be between him and the Lord. And the Lord himself was imprisoned, and Paul was imprisoned for Christ, and there will be an intimacy and joy between Paul and the Lord.
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Person that has never been in prison for Christ wouldn't understand. So he said I'll give him to read man. And if you and I try to escape the research of following a rejected Christ, the loss is going to be his honor. But if you and I share something in common with what the Lord Jesus shared in his pathway, but he was rejected here and he still rejected 1.
If we're content to share his rejection.
Right now will be a special communion with him up there as to the path that we walked for His glory down here, the hidden manner. And then it very low gave him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man nor saving he that receiveth it.
Our strong was a storm was a special.
Special and must say just the same as you give a person a ring and that person holds that random value that because it was given by you it it's a special mark of affection. And so the Lord says I will give him a Whitestone minister on a new name written. I like to think of that in connection with the.
Your name is no man N saving he that receiveth it. I've come up with where I live, our intimacy.
No. You love someone very much. You have a sort of what I call a pet name, and you call that person by that name. That's the name that's expressive of your affection.
No one else uses that name. To your, to your loved one. You're the only person that uses it.
It's an end of monthly until it's an affection. The male may be just some funny little name that doesn't mean a thing in itself, but it expresses an intimate feeling soul. I think this is beautiful.