A GLORIOUS CHURCH
For the Church to be a glorious Church, things may have to change. Seven churches were recognized and messages given to them by the Lord in the Book of Revelation Chapter 2&3: of those seven, five needed to repent.
Repentance: to make a 180-degree turn to God, letting go of things holding us back including sins (disobedience to God) that so easily entrap us. Repentance also includes beginning to do the things the Lord would have us do that we may not yet be doing. Let us have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches and to us personally.
Let us examine ourselves and let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us.
Let us determine to be obedient to His Word.
The ultimate sin that ensnares us is believing in something other than Jesus Christ and His death for us on the cross. To place our faith in something other than Jesus Christ and Him crucified for our salvation will cause us to fall short of making it to eternity with Him.
John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
In this day of increased persecution let us be steadfast like the church of Smyrna (Rev. 2:8-11) and moving forward powerfully against the gates of Hades like the church of Philadelphia (Rev 3:7-14) having an open door that no man can shut. The greatest thing that the enemy has are living souls destined for an eternity apart from God. The Lord has opened a door for us in the Niagara Region to revive and come alive, reaching those that are lost, bound, wayward and without hope.
That we would emulate the church of Philadelphia (Rev 3:8):
1. dependent on the Holy Spirit because in and of ourselves we have little strength,
2. determined to know His Word, keep His Word and be doers of His Word,
3. lift up the Name of Jesus Christ who came and died for us on the cross 2000 years ago.
To Him be all glory and dominion forever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 5:25-27
Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
The Lord is returning for a glorious church without spot or wrinkle…
We have much to look forward to on this side of heaven as well as the eternity we have by faith in Jesus’ Name.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.