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WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE CHURCHES

About 95 A.D the Apostle John was banished to the Greek island of Patmos during the persecution of the Church under the Roman Emperor Domitian.   While there, John was given the Revelation of Jesus Christ and shown the events that would take place in the last days when Christ returns and receives the Kingdom prepared for Him by His Father.     In the beginning chapters of the book of Revelation, the Lord gave to John messages that the Apostle was to write down and deliver to seven churches in Asia Minor (modern Turkey).  They were the Churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.  The messages were very intimate and personal to the believers they were addressed to.  They contained recognition for the things that each Church was doing well, but also reprimands for things that they were not doing so well.   It is significant to note that John saw the Lord Jesus “in the midst of” the golden candlesticks whi...

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

When our first child was born, my wife, Terry, and I had not yet been converted to Christianity.   We were both very young, having been married the summer after we graduated from high school.   On the night that Terry went into labor we were still unclear about what we were going to name our new child.   At that time, there were no ultrasound images to reveal the gender of the child, and the fathers were not allowed in the labor or delivery room to support their wives.   So, I was delegated to a waiting room and anxious to hear any news of what was happening with my wife.   As I waited, I picked up a Reader's Digest condensed book that contained the story of Christopher Columbus' life and the discovery of the New World.   When the nurse came to inform me that I was the father of a healthy baby boy, I was overjoyed, and couldn't wait to see my new son and his mama.   While Terry and I were admiring our boy, it suddenly came to me what we should call him...

FAITHFUL IS HE

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it ." (1 Thessalonians 5:23, 24).   God's salvation is perfect and all-encompassing.  Christ is able to save completely, or as the King James says, "to the uttermost , " those who come to God through Him. (Hebrews 7:25).  Saint Paul's prayer and desire for the Christians in Thessalonica - and for you and me as well - was that we be sanctified wholly , and that our whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless until Jesus returns.    Many Christians are living far below their potential, however.  They are besieged by habitual sins that keep them in a state of guilt, anxiety, frustration, and doubt.  They find themselves overcome by the very things that Christ came to save them from.  Lust, addiction, anger, bitternes...