December 9

<p>Revelation 2-6 We are in the Church Stream reading from the New King James Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @7streamsmethod | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis</p> <blockquote> <div>God, don't let us risk walking away from our faith as is the manner of some. Increase our faith as we exercise it in your powerful Name.  Lord we want to walk with and hear you now v.s. waiting until trouble is so thick that hearing you is a horrible challenge.  Thank you Jesus for calling us while you may be found.  Amen.</div> </blockquote> <div>In ch's 2,3, John relays a seven-fold message to the seven churches of Asia. This is John speaking from the heart he had for God who gave him these straight-on messages to seven churches.  Each message has:</div> <div>1] opening instruction for John to relay. 2] an aspect or title that Christ has that pertained to each churches' condition.  3] Christ says encouraging words and commendation to, well, <em>five</em> of the churches. 4] then there is keen criticism for five of the seven churches (the lists are not identical)  5] each church receives their due instruction; which was correction for those who needed it.  6] an identical admonition goes out to each church; "...let him hear..."  7]  Lastly, each church receives a promise from Christ.   These were all current conditions that John is addressing.  As we read ch's 2 and 3 did anything apply to you/us today?</div> <p>2 - To Ephesus: [a prestigious church who received Paul's finest teaching] they were diligent and thorough but they had become unloving. Yet they stood firm against false teaching and were promised eternal life. To Smyrna, a persecuted church, they are comforted and receive no condemnation. They seemed purified through their sufferings and would be preserved. Christ promised they would not die (the second death). Pergamos/Pergamum was a staunch and resolved church but they were compromised. They had gone lax on a couple of doctrines and thought that certain sexual sins were tolerable. Some in the congregation needed rebuk