Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Revelation 2-3

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. v19-22

Session #3 of  David Platt - Revelation: The Hope of Glory (requires login which I have though my church) focuses on Revelation 2-3. Jesus does not pamper His people but confronts, warns, challenges us - He gives us words because we are at war fighting a daily battle with sin, evil, and suffering temptation every day for our marriages, families, homes, hearts, etc - a raging battle exists for our souls and we must be prepared to rise to the challenge.  Jesus wants us to walk with purity, to  walk with the Gospel because something greater than life on earth here is at stake - life for eternity is at stake and we should not fall away - instead we must stand ready.  Jesus provides words that comfort and strengthen us in the battle so that we can stand and fight with deep conviction.

In chapters 2-3, Jesus writes letters to seven churches commending and rebuking them, warning and commanding them, but also encouraging them.

Platt also wants us to understand more broadly:

1. Jesus knows us truly - we cannot hide anything; Revelation 3:1
2. Jesus loves us deeply; even in the most stern and strong moments He still loves us and He disciplines us out of love
3. Jesus guards us zealously
4. Jesus uses us purposely; He wants to send us out to the front lines of the battle against Satan, sin, and evil so others would know his grace, etc. 

In his words to these we are encouraged to fight this battle all the way to the end.

Jesus commends us the seven churches for:

• faithful perseverance; in chapters 2-3 endurance and or perseverance is referenced 5 times in these chapters; for guarding the church internally (for example from false teachers in Ephesus see Revelation 2:6); for advancing church externally
• for faithful proclamation of the name of Christ in the midst of persecution religiously, economically, socially, and governmentally; be aware that today it is increasingly common in our culture for believers to be labeled dangerous and evil and we must not shirk back!  
• trusting God amidst testing (see Revelation 2:10); God allows or ordains suffering for testing of saints throughout the Bible (examples: Jesus in the wilderness, Paul's thorn in side, Joseph in Egypt); Satan is subordinate and although he intends suffering to sabotage us, God is sovereign and uses suffering to sanctify us
• for loving God among temptation and for walking in purity 

Jesus rebukes five of the seven churches for: 

• for compromise; tolerance for evil idolatry and immorality (Revelation 2:14, 2:20); tolerance of error false teaching and teachers; tolerance for sake of financial gain, social acceptance, and personal safety
• for complacency; lukewarm faith (Revelation 3:14-20); church in Laodicea marked itself for self-sufficiency and self-satisfaction; Sardis failed to complete works of God (Revelation 3:2)

Overall, the most dominant commendation is proclaiming Jesus in the face of persecution and the most dominant rebuke is shrinking back from proclaiming Jesus in the face of persecution (example is Ephesus, see Acts 19:10 and Revelation 2:4-5)

Jesus leaves us with two commands (1) to remember who we are (identity in Christ) and what Jesus says, (2) to repent and turn from sin and to trust in Jesus.

We are encouraged to receive and find treasure in Jesus, clothe our life in Jesus, and to fix our eyes on Jesus (see Revelation 2:5, 2:16, 2:22, 3:3, and 3:16).  We are warned from falling away (see also Hebrews 3:14-17) and when we waver, don't fall away. By grace through faith true followers will persevere and work to the end (see Matthew 24, Hebrews 10:36).  Those who fall away were not truly with us to begin with (see 1 John 2:19).

We are promised incredible rewards if we fight and work to the end; secure protection from the horror of hell; shared participation in reign of Christ, permanent citizenship in the city of God which will never be shaken and enjoy perpetual feasting and celebration

• I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7
• The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. Revelation 2:11
• To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. Revelation 2:17
• To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations... I will also give that one the morning star. Revelation 2:26, 28
• The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. Revelation 3:5
• The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Revelation 3:12
• To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Revelation 3:21 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, I know You love me and Your words of warning, rebuke, and discipline are out of love - thank You Jesus!  I know You love me and You will never leave or forsake me.  I am not deserving of such love.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Am I leading a rebellion, said Jesus, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?

Mark 14

Am I leading a rebellion, said Jesus, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? v48

On the heels of my post yesterday, Jesus provides greater clarity about the methods believers are to employ for the battle we face.  This is not a battle to be fought on earthly terms.  Our most powerful weapon is love. 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well....“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:38-40, 43-45 

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8 

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,but do not have love, I gain nothing.1 Corinthians 13:1-3

To love God and love others are the two most important commandments as "[a]ll the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:34-40).

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who knows everything about me - including my sins and unfaithfulness - yet You love me and came to die for me, rescuing me from the grip of sin and death - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love...I worry and I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!

Mark 14

 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer! v42

Jesus wants us to be ready for what we face.  As He goes to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, that night of His arrest, He tells Peter, James, and John to "[s]tay here and keep watch” (v34).   He also tells them to also "pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" (v38).  

Unfortunately, they fall asleep - three times (v37, 39, 41)!

John Piper writes that the reason for this story in the Bible is "so that we can watch all of that and be ready for the battle of Gethsemane. That is, be ready to move with Jesus into his saving work. To join him in making the greatest difference in the world".  Piper wants us to join Jesus in His work and mission - today's verse Jesus' battle call for us to fight for and with Jesus.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who came to earth knowing everything about me and my sin, and everything about what You would endure on the cross - and You willingly laid down Your life for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such an effort and sacrifice.  I worry and I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.

Matthew 18

If your hand or  your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. v8

John Piper indicates - and I agree with him - that we should view life as war in terms of the battle for our soul over sin.  From Piper:


"Until you believe that life is war — that the stakes are your soul — you will probably just play at Christianity with no blood-earnestness and no vigilance and no passion and no wartime mindset. If that is where you are this morning, your position is very precarious. The enemy has lulled you into sleep or into a peacetime mentality, as if nothing serious is at stake. And God, in his mercy, has you here this morning, and had this sermon appointed to wake you up, and put you on a wartime footing."

That is why we MUST go to God.  He is the only One to help us defeat the sting of sin and death.

See also Ephesians 6:10-18 and "[p]ut on the full armor of God".

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has helped me so far immeasurably in the battle for my soul - thank You Jesus!  You have transformed my heart and life.  I am not worthy of such love and blessing.  I worry - I neglect my relationship with You....please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.

2 Chronicles 20

You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you. v17

Although Jehoshapat "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord" (v22), he sinned - as do we all.  See verses 35-37.

In the face of a grave threat from the Moabites and the Ammonites with some of the Meunites, Jehoshapat, with the people of Judah, sought the Lord's help (v3-4).

Indeed, on a daily basis, we will face the forces of darkness and Satan (see 1 Peter 5:8).  Yet we have God on our side (see Ephesians 6:10-20) and we should recognized that God will fight for us.

This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. v15

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."  Exodus 14:13-14

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who will never leave us or forsake and who fights for us - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, you shield my head in the day of battle.

Psalm 140

Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, you shield my head in the day of battle. v7

We know that sin is everywhere and that it is more powerful than we are.  We need to be alert!

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

 

And as David writes in this Psalm, God is our deliverer from sin - He is the only one that can protect us from sin and temptation.  See Matthew 4 and Luke 4 where Jesus is tested by Satan and defeats Him by calling on scripture.  Jesus of course defeated the sting of sin and death by rising from the grave after His resurrection.  What a great God and deliverer we have!

 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are my strong deliverer and my shield.  Thank You for being there to help me defeat sin and temptation.  I am not worth such efforts and love because I worry...and far too much.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength. Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.

2 Timothy 4

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. v18

There is indeed a battle for my soul, fought by God and the forces of evil.  This battle is being waged not only for my soul, but also for the souls of those in my care - in my household - Lisa, Zach and Dustin.

We have been told many times by Paul, James, and others that we will face trials, suffering, persecution, evil...so we must be prepared.

See Ephesians 6, Deuteronomy 20:3-4

Lord Jesus, Give me strength to fight and win this battle - leaning on you.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You ARE incredible in all that You are and all that You do.  You bless me beyond what I deserve - You are gentle, compassionate, patient, etc....for me.  I am not worth such love and care.  I continue to think harsh thoughts and sometimes act on these harsh thoughts.  Thank You that You are so gentle, compassionate, patient, etc. with me but please forgive me!  Help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Protect me from evil. Give Lisa strength, comfort, and freedom from pain.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord."

2 Corinthians 10

But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” v17

There are several nuggets in this chapter, including the following that also speak to me:

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. v3-4

...

We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. v12

I know I have pride issues and from time to time I also carry the sin of arrogance...both of which I pray that God can help me turn from these sins and towards Him.

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are indeed worth boasting about...You created the heavens and the earth, and everything in it...Your love for Your children abounds beyond what we can describe.  You know everything about me...yet You suffered and died for me.  You bless me beyond what I deserve.  I am not worth the love and blessings You pour out for me.  I am disobedient, lazy, selfish, etc.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me Jesus!  Help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Give me strength.  Cure and give Lisa strength and comfort.  Help me serve and lead Lisa, Zach, and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

2 Corinthians 2

Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. v10-11

Jesus is real..I know this and He lives daily in my life and in the lives of those around me.  Satan is real too...less powerful than Jesus but more powerful than us and it is only through Him that I can beat Satan and his schemes.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, I know You are real and You are great!  You are all powerful, and more  powerful than anyone or anything...You even beat death and You can certainly beat Satan.  I need You to help my battle sin and Satan because it is difficult and beyond my power...I am weak, selfish, lazy, harsh with my thoughts, words, actions, etc.  Thank You that You love me anyway Jesus but please forgive me!  Help me turn away from my sin and towards You!  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength to be Jesus for Lisa and to serve her.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.