Short Daily Devotionals for Our Daily Living

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2022

TEXT: Revelation 2:1-11

1. Write this to Ephesus, to the Angel of the church. The One with Seven Stars in his right-fist grip, striding through the golden seven-lights’ circle, speaks:

2. “I see what you’ve done, your hard, hard work, your refusal to quit. I know you can’t stomach evil, that you weed out apostolic pretenders.

3. I know your persistence, your courage in my cause, that you never wear out.

4. “But you walked away from your first love – why? What’s going on with you, anyway?

5. Do you any idea how far you’ve fallen? A Lucifer fall! “Turn back! Recover your dear early love. No time to waste, for I’m well on my way to removing your light from the golden circle.

6. “You do have this to your credit: You hate the Nicolaitan business. I hate it, too.

7. “Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. I’m about to call each conqueror to dinner. I’m spreading a banquet of Tree-of-Life fruit, a super plucked from God’s orchard.”

8. Write this to Smyrna, to the Angel of the church. The Beginning and Ending, the First and Final One, the Once Dead and Then Come Alive, speaks:

9. “I can see your pain and poverty – constant pain, dire poverty – but I also see your wealth. And I hear the lie in the claims of those who pretend to be good Jews, who in fact belong to Satan’s crowd.

10. “Fear nothing in the things you’re about to suffer – but stay on guard! Fear nothing! The Devil is about to throw you in jail for a time of testing – ten days. It won’t last forever. Don’t quit, even if it costs you your life. Stay there believing. I have a Life-Crown sized and ready for you.

11. “Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. Chirst-conquerors are safe from Devil-death.”

(The Message Translation Holy Bible)

TOPIC: YET, I HOLD THIS AGAINST YOU

The lesson focuses on the very influential city of Ephesus which was famous for the Temple of Artemis and its very magnificent manufacturing industry (cf. Acts 19:21-41). However, the church in that city was found wanting.

Despite the fact that the resisted false teachers, labored hard, persevered against persecution and hardship, God, who knows every man and his deeds, pointed out to the church that she had forsaken her first love (vs. 1-4).

So He gave them the opportunity to make a ‘U’ turn by loving the Lord with much enthusiasm (vs. 8-11; cf. Ephesians 1:15). Perhaps, the church was overwhelmed by the pressures of the time, carried away by the pursuit of wealth and became lackadaisical, just as most Christians today (vs. 5-7).

But the owner of the lampstand (our lives) is calling on the Church to repent before the lampstand is removed from its place.

QUESTION: What does God detest in your life?

PRAYER: O God, forgive me, restore my love for You and remove anything that is working against You in my life, in Christ’s name, Amen.