This letter is the first of only two, where there is nothing said against the church. Instead there is an encouragement that we do not fear any of those things which [we] are about to suffer. There is an honest realism to Scripture, which shows that our Heavenly Father is wholly in touch with us; understands our predicament and indeed says that this is all part of My creative plan for your life.

The second part of The Lord’s reassurance here is that He is well aware of the way that the Devil works in our lives that [we] may be tested. This brings the realisation and confirmation the the Devil is actually working to God’s eternal plan, whether he knows this or not. We must understand that the hardships and trials of life are the testing of our faith. This is perhaps the hardest truth to get to grips with.

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
[1 Peter 4:12-14 NKJV]

Finally, we know that the tribulation will end — you will have tribulation ten days — the number ten represents God’s law (as in ten commandments) to show that He has put a legal constraint on any suffering — and there will be the victor’s crown of life, a life eternally with Him, as our reward. There can be no better outcome than this.

The Church at Ephesus is often called ‘The Loveless Church’, but really that is not strictly accurate. The text says that you have left your first love, not that you do not love. Perhaps it would be better called ‘The Misplaced Love Church’, or ‘The Church That Loved Others Before God’.

Plainly the Ephesians were doing many things aright as verses 2 and 3 reveal — they seem adept at religious observance and ‘doing’ things correctly — but it seems that they did not follow the first and second commandments.

Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’
On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
[Matthew 22:37-40]

Can I lay my hand on my heart and say that my first and foremost love is The Lord: do I love Him more than I love my life, my wife, my children or grandchildren? This first love is not an early infatuation before finding true love; it is a love before all others; it is the agape love that God has for each of us; the highest, purest form of love imaginable.

I did not answer my question, and the truthful answer is I believe so, I hope so, I trust so, but only God can judge. He has evidenced His love for me time and again.

In the final analysis, what we seem to be looking at here is passion. We might be great at the work, persevering in faith, patient and resisting evil, but none of these things reveal a passion for Him, certainly nothing like the passion He pours out on us. Let your life be a passionate expression of The Lord.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Your passion is overwhelming and restoring to me. You lift me up when I fall down. You are always there for me and I need your help to keep me focussed on You, acknowledging You as my first and greatest love.

As a fellowship we have looked at the seven churches before and know that John was speaking to the church of Jesus Christ — the fellowship of His saints — and revealing His plan and purpose in this picture.

Christ confirms this by stating at the very beginning that He is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last; He is all, and there is no disputing.

The message is to the gathering of His church, but equally to each one as His called out ones who form His body.

“Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen.

He reassures us that we are secure if we are in Him and goes on to reveal to each one the challenges and trials facing every believer in His company by speaking to the fullness of His church in seven ‘letters’.

These are warnings and encouragements, setting before us a glorious pattern to those who are His overcomers; those who will take the warnings to heart and take joy in the encouragements.

Jesus knows what is in man and His understanding of the depth of us in the letters to the seven churches which are in Asia, reveals an aspect of the Father’s heart which should make us all glad. He wants us to succeed and have the victor’s crown.

With all our here and there activity recently, it might have been easy to put the things of the Spirit on the back-burner, so to speak. We can all get so busy at times that we can readily forget that The Lord is always guiding, illuminating and making the paths straight.

So much stuff (no other word will do) has been thrown away in our mad decluttering of, not only my late mother’s home, but our own as well. 80+ black bin bags sent to the skip from Mum’s house; and today, we began to clear out excess books from Dove Cottage.

Excess books? No such thing I hear you cry, particularly if you are a bibliophile like me, but we feel that The Lord is asking us to de-clutter. He says, in every season, clear out the old because of the new. Our treasures are really ties that bind us, and we need to be free of such encumbrances.

The real danger in holding on to the old is that the old becomes an idol and clouds our relationship with the Almighty. Not in every case of course, but if your possessions take precedence over your life in Christ, you need a fresh infilling from the Holy Spirit to revitalise your faith - and we all need that from time to time.

All of our clearing out work has and continues to be tough, but it is no more than The Lord asks of us. At all times, no matter what the circumstances, we must look to Jesus Christ, first and foremost. Sometimes the choice He asks will be difficult, but His reasoning is always sure and Given in love. Trust in His judgement, for our own is shaky at best. Clear out the old stuff today, so that He can set His tabernacle amongst us.

Paul says there is but one baptism, but in Luke 3, John the Baptist shows us that this one baptism is made up of three; water, Holy Spirit and fire.

John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
[Luke 3:16-17 KJV, which gives a clearer distinction between ‘Holy Spirit’ and ‘Fire’, than do some other translations]

We know that God has established a principle of three-in-one; He is the Triune God. So just as He is The one true God of Father, Son and Holy Spirit; His one baptism is by water, Holy Spirit and fire. (See also Run Today’s Race below).

Paul is not wrong in his declaration to the Ephesians; he is uncovering the deeper truth in three verses packed with three-within-three revelations:

• One body, one Spirit, one hope
• One Lord, one faith, one baptism
• God who is above all, through all and in you all

The simple lesson for all of us in our daily walk is to be aware of our God’s threefold working in us through His word, His Spirit and His life.
... And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
[Ecclesiastes 4:12b NKJV]

“Just As I Am” is a beautiful hymn, with a poetic appeal that readily holds in the mind — particularly if it was regularly sung at primary school assembly, which is where I first encountered it. Yet something about it always makes me pause and consider.

It may be that the phrase just as I am, can be interpreted in different ways. In the way that Jesus used it in John 17 (Jesus says the expression twice, and it is found only in John 17), but it is really just as I am not, rather than Him saying who He is.

No, I believe that my problem with it — and I am aware of being overly pedantic in this — is that the repetition of just as I am implies that I do not need to change, because Jesus will always accept me just as I am no matter how badly I behave, no matter what the problem. However, there is an element of Victorian complacency here; the idea that I need take no responsibility for my attitudes and behaviour, because Jesus will still save me; all of which stresses ‘me’ instead of ‘Him’.

What I am saying is that this is a song of reassurance, but not necessarily theologically precise. It may be however that it is saying that at whatever place we reach on our walk of faith is just as I am at that time.

For all that, I love the song, and appreciate the comfort it was no doubt intended to give, but I feel - generally - that we should always be careful and aware of what we are singing in praise to Him. Listen for His voice.

Just as He is not of this world, He wants us to be not of this world also, and to hear His heart. Be just as He is.

“Seed, Scattered and Sown” — Dan Feiten

So often we do not see the hand of God upon us, and we mistake the trials of life as a snare from which God has failed to protect us. Then we cry out to God “Why have You abandoned me?”. Seen like this, our God can seem selfish and unconcerned about His people.

Moses and Aaron felt the rising resentment amongst the Israelites and were getting the blame from the many who merely saw the store of provisions dwindling and nothing but misery on the path ahead. “We would be better back in Egypt!” was the cry. “This was all a big mistake.” Aaron and Moses then tried to reassure their people that God had it covered - that He hears your complaints.

Notice the progression of Moses’ attempt to convince the Israelites to put their trust in God in adversity:

1. and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD; for He hears your complaints against the LORD.
2. when the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the LORD hears your complaints which you make against Him.
3. Come near before the LORD, for He has heard your complaints.

We see a number of telling points that reveal the Lord’s guiding Spirit. Firstly, His word begins in the morning, then in the evening and in the morning, before concluding with come near. Secondly, there is you shall see the glory of the Lord, He will provide meat to eat and bread to the full, so you should come near. Finally, we see that He hears your complaints, He hears your complaints and He has heard your complaints, the repetition giving the emphasis that there can be no doubting that The Lord not only hears, but has heard and will answer when you draw near to Him.

These verses help us to see that we must trust our Heavenly Father to care for us. This is the trial of our faith; to continue walking the road with God, knowing He will lead us in His way. And so it proved in the next verses ... God honours His promises.

Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'"
[Exodus 16:10-12 NKJV]

The land around us is special and glorious to be sure, but God is concerned above all things about the land within us, and when we give that land to Him, we see His glory, for He is the glory of all lands.

I cannot help but think of our late and much lamented John Whitefield. If I had to link John with one word it would be ‘glory’, for that was something that was ever present for him.

John desired the glory of The Lord, and he surely found that glory in everyday living. The Lord assures us — indeed gives an oath — that if we heed His voice, He will bring us out of Egypt (a type of the world) — and lead us into His promised land, the one flowing with the good things of milk and honey, to enter His glory of all lands, which is His eternal presence. Let us glory in that today — even for a little moment.

One of my favourite Christian singing groups is ‘The Cathedrals’, particularly the great George Younce with his amazing vocal range. Here he is with a glorious song, “Movin’ Up To Gloryland” ...