Seven Churches

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”.
[Revelation 1:10-11 NKJV]

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.

DARLENE ZSCHECH —“Victor’s Crown”

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OSWALD CHAMBERS — RUN TODAY’S RACE
Monday 24th August 2020
“Except your righteousness shall exceed”—not be different from but “exceed,” that is, we have to be all they are and infinitely more! We have to be right in our external behaviour, but we have to be as right, and “righter” in our internal behaviour. We have to be right in our words and actions but we have to be right in our thoughts and feelings”

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