Podcasts about Thyatira

In this teaching, Jacob Prasch weaves together Revelation 2:18–23 (the church of Thyatira) with Hosea 1–2 to explain how Scripture consistently portrays idolatrous religious systems as a harlot that seduces God's people into spiritual adultery. He interprets Jezebel as the archetype of false teaching, syncretism, and institutional corruption, arguing that when churches refuse repentance, Christ no longer addresses the institution but instead calls individual believers to separate. Drawing on Hosea's marriage to a prostitute and the naming of her children (Jezreel, Lo-Ruhamah, Lo-Ammi), Prasch shows how God judges corrupt systems while still extending mercy to a faithful remnant who heed His call. He emphasizes that idolatry inevitably produces immorality and that false gospels—though they use biblical language—represent a different “Jesus” altogether.Prasch further connects these themes to history and prophecy, contrasting Israel (numbers, wealth, power) with Judah (truth, temple, covenant) to illustrate how God preserves His purposes through a minority that remains faithful. He applies this pattern to modern Christianity, asserting that believers may be genuinely saved within corrupt churches but are commanded by Christ to “come out” lest they share in judgment (Revelation 18:4). The teaching culminates in an eschatological framework where Hosea's prophecies point simultaneously to ancient judgment, Christ's first coming, and the future gathering of Israel leading toward Armageddon (Jezreel). Throughout, Prasch underscores God's mercy toward individuals, His intolerance of unrepentant apostasy, and the urgent necessity of choosing truth over institutional loyalty.Revelation 2:18–23 and the church of ThyatiraJezebel as a biblical pattern of spiritual seduction and false religionHosea chapters 1–2 and prophetic “acted parables”Idolatry as spiritual adulteryFaithful remnant theology (Judah vs. Israel)“Come out of her, My people” (Revelation 18:4)Children of the harlot vs. God's compassion for individualsFalse doctrine, apostasy, and institutional religionEnd-times fulfillment: Jezreel / Armageddon, first and second comings of ChristPersonal testimony of salvation within corrupt religious systems

Scripture: Revelation 2:18-29 Dr. Stephen Kim continues his series of classes from the book of Revelation, covering the Church in Thyatira. Slides Download Revelation Notes Download

In this message from Jesus' letter to the church in Book of Revelation, we unpack the sobering warning to the believers in Thyatira. Though they were loving, serving, and growing, they tolerated a deceptive voice inside the church that led people away from truth. The real danger wasn't culture, it was compromise disguised as depth. In a world full of charisma, confidence, and “new revelations,” how do we discern between hype and holy? Jesus shows us that if it takes you past Him, it's not deeper, it's deceptive. Learn how to guard your heart, anchor yourself in Scripture, and build habits that protect you from “almost right” teaching.

What happens when a church is full of love, but unwilling to say “no”? We'll examine Jesus' sobering warning to Thyatira, a vibrant and compassionate church that drifted into dangerous compromise. Discover why real love requires discernment, why repentance is more than regret, and how holding fast to Christ is the only path to lasting life.We'll approach this in three movements:1) The pathology of permissiveness2) The prognosis of permissiveness3) The prescription for permissivenessText: Revelation 2:18-29

Revelation 2:18-29At the start of 2026, we're exploring Jesus' instructions to the 'Seven Churches' in Revelation (chapters 2-3). As we long for a move of God in our city, we can often feel the cost of following Jesus in testing times. Revelation offers a practical message to stay faithful to Jesus, despite the pressures to compromise.

In this message from Revelation 2:18–29, the church at Thyatira is revealed as a congregation that was thriving in love, faith, service, and spiritual growth—yet dangerously compromised at its core. Through the striking image of a healthy body hiding a life-threatening disease, this sermon exposes the subtle danger of cultural compromise and the high cost of tolerating false teaching in the name of love or survival. Ultimately, it is a sobering yet hope-filled call for the believer to hold tightly to Christ, reject compromise, and cling to the promise of the Morning Star.

Pastor James Kaddis' study on the letters to the seven churches in Revelation continues today with letter number four - the letter to Thyatira. Like several other churches, The Lord has something good to say. They were loving, faithful, growing and serving, among other things. But there was something terrible going on in this church too. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1459/29?v=20251111

Hello and welcome to our message of the week podcast. This week, we continue our series called "Last Letters: John, Jude & Jesus" with "The Seven Churches of Revelation: Tolerance vs Truth in Love" as we look at the church of Thyatira.  YouVersion Event: http://bible.com/events/49565099 Please prayerfully consider partnering with our church. Visit www.lovekey.church/partner Tithe, offering & Giving information: EFT: Banking Details: LoveKey NPC, FNB, Current Account Number: 62824888525, Branch code: 250655 https://lovekey.church info@lovekey.co.za

River of Life is an inter-denominational, interracial, Spirit-filled church located in the heart of Wakulla County, Florida. We share the sermons from our services in the hopes they'll reach others determined to worship God in spirit and truth.

River of Life is an inter-denominational, interracial, Spirit-filled church located in the heart of Wakulla County, Florida. We share the sermons from our services in the hopes they'll reach others determined to worship God in spirit and truth.

Derricke Gray teaches the Wednesday Night Bible study at River of Life, an inter-denominational, Spirit-filled church in the heart of Wakulla County, Florida. We share them for those determined to worship God in spirit and in truth.

Derricke Gray teaches the Wednesday Night Bible study at River of Life, an inter-denominational, Spirit-filled church in the heart of Wakulla County, Florida. We share them for those determined to worship God in spirit and in truth.

Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. [1 hour 2 minutes]

“Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicia.” -Revelation 1:11   Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.   On this episode, host Sandra Flach, talks with Alice H. Murray—a retired adoption attorney, who pursues her passion for writing with a weekly blog and faith column, articles, and online and print devotions. Her writing also appears in numerous compilations publications such as Guideposts and Chicken Soup For the Soul.    Alice recently released her second book, God Adopted Us First: Faith Lessons From An Adoption Attorneys Adventures.   Listen to Sandra's encouraging conversation with Alice Murray on Episode 519 wherever you get your podcasts.   Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.   Links mentioned in this episode: The Adoption & Foster Care Journey AFCJ on YouTube justicefororphansny.org justicefororphansny.org/hope-community     Email:  sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org sandraflach.com Soul Care Saturday—52 Devotions for Foster and Adoptive Moms Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on Amazon Mobilize Ohio ReNew Retreat in NC Alice H. Murray - Website

“The Seven: Thyatira” based on Revelation 2:18-19, given by Pastor Ryan Landt at Cornerstone Church in Pella on February 15, 2026. Continue reading The post The Seven: Thyatira first appeared on Cornerstone Church.

A closer look at the churches in Thyatira and Sardis reveals that they are encouraged to wake up and repent, and persevere, even when everything around them looks hopeless.

The Letter to Thyatira: The Danger of Moral Compromise and the Divine Call to Holiness (Revelation 2:18–29) - Dr. Bill Cook

I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea." 12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[a] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels[b] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

I believe the book of Revelation is intentionally shaped by the rhythm of the seven Jewish feasts, with deep echoes of the Exodus and Israels wilderness journey woven throughout its visions. We have already seen how this works in chapter 1, where the imagery echoes Passover. Passover marked Israels deliverance from slavery through the blood of a substituteand in Revelation 1:1216, that substitute is revealed in all His risen glory. Jesus stands among His churches as the victorious Lamb who was slain and now lives forever. Because of His sacrifice, the Christian belongs to God. If you have been redeemed by Almighty God through His Son, what is there to fear? Jesus Himself answers that question: Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades (Rev. 1:1718). Our confidence is not rooted in our circumstances, but in the One who has conquered death itself. As we move into Revelation 23 and read the seven letters to the churches, the dominant echo is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which immediately followed Passover. This feast called Gods redeemed people to live holy lives, set apart for Him (Lev. 11:4445; 1 Pet. 1:1617). Israel removed all leaven from their homes as a visible reminder that they belonged to the Lord and were no longer to live under the old patterns of corruption. That same call still comes to us today: You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Cor. 6:1920). Each of the seven churches faced real and pressing challenges in their own dayand what they struggled with are many of the same things we struggle with today, just dressed differently. While we will look at each church individually, here is a brief snapshot of what we will encounter: The church in Ephesus had lost its first love. The church in Smyrna was about to suffer tribulation for ten days. The church in Pergamum struggled with faithfulness to sound doctrine. The church in Thyatira tolerated a false teacher within the congregation. The church in Sardis was spiritually lethargic and nearly dead. The church in Philadelphia faithfully clung to the word of God. The church in Laodicea was lukewarm and missionally useless. In every one of these churches, there was the danger of leavensin quietly working its way through the house. And the call of Christ was to remove it: through renewed love for Jesus and for one another, faithful endurance in suffering, a commitment to truth, intolerance for evil, vigilance against spiritual apathy, unflinching obedience to Christ, and a wholehearted devotion to the mission of God. About forty years before Revelation was written, Paul wrote about Gods expectation for His church: Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Eph. 5:1-2). Revelation 1 is about the One who makes our salvation possible. Revelation 2-3 addresses the kind of people He calls us to be. So, when we come to Revelation 4, we encounter the One on the throne who is holy, holy, holy! The City of Ephesus When the gospel came to Ephesus, it was a wealthy and influential trading city, best known for the Temple of Artemis (also called Diana), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The citys economy, culture, and moral life centered on the worship of this goddess. Artemis worship was deeply sexualized and demonic, marked by ritual immorality and idolatry (1 Cor. 10:20). Ephesus was a place where spiritual darkness was not hiddenit was celebrated, institutionalized, and profitable. Into this city, the gospel came with unmistakable power, as it always does in Gods timing and in His way. What we read in the epistle to the Romans was experienced in Ephesus: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes... (Rom. 1:16). When the apostle Paul preached Christ in Ephesus, lives were transformed, and the worship of Artemis was directly challenged. So disruptive was the gospel that those who profited from idolatry feared economic collapse, admitting that Paul had persuaded many that gods made with hands are not gods at all (Acts 19:26). Paul spent over two years there, and in this spiritually hostile environment, God birthed a faithful churchthe same church later addressed by Christ Himself in Revelation 2. What makes Jesus words to Ephesus so sobering is not the citys darkness but the fact that a church born in such devotion, perseverance, and truth would later be warned: You have abandoned the love you had at first (2:4). So what happened? To answer that question, we need to first recognize the many things Jesus praises the church for. What the Ephesian Church Was Doing Right The Ephesian church was commended for many things by Jesus such as their toil, patient endurance, and intolerance for evil. Heraclitus, a native of Ephesus and philosopher, spoke with open contempt of his citys moral corruptionso severe that later writers summarized his viewby saying no one could live in Ephesus without weeping.1 The fact that the church was able to endure for forty years in a city known for its sexual promiscuity and demonized idolatrous worship, while holding on to biblical orthodoxy, is staggering! Because of their orthodoxy and fidelity to the Word of God, the church was intolerant of evil, refused to ignore false teachers, and shared Jesuss hatred of the Nicolaitans. Forty years earlier, Paul warned the elders of the Ephesian church: I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears (Acts. 20:29-31). This is what the church did well, and Jesus praised them for it. Now, notice what Jesus does not say to the church in Ephesus. He does not say they were being too orthodox. He does not say they were too truthful, or that their intolerance of evil, false teachers, and the works of the Nicolaitans was too extreme. Jesus does not tell the church to dial it back but instead celebrates these as examples of what they were doing well. What the church did well was refusing to yield to the pressures from their city to conform. Before we look at what the church got wrong, we need to address who the Nicolaitans were and why Jesus hated their teaching. From what we know, the Nicolaitans were a heretical Christian sect associated with the teaching of Balaam (Rev. 2:14-15). They taught that the grace of God permitted freedom to engage in the kinds of things their pagan neighbors enjoyed, such as sexual immorality and full participation in pagan temple feasts. Why? Because grace covered it all. We will come back to Balaam when we look at the church in Pergamum, but for now what you need to know is that Balaam is known for his false teaching that served to seduce the men of Israel to engage in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab that also resulted in the worship of their gods in place of obedience and worship of Yahweh (see Num. 25). The Nicolaitans did not deny Jesus, they just reinterpreted what obedience to Jesus really meant, in that you could both be loyal to Jesus and actively pursue and participate in the kinds of things the Word of God commands the people of God to flee from. The Ephesian church was rightfully commended for their hatred and intolerance of the works of the Nicolaitans because Jesus shares their hatred for the same reasons. Listen carefully. Jesus does not merely disagree with teachings of the Nicolaitans He hates them. He hates any belief that suggests a person can remain loyal to Him while willfully embracing the very sins He died to free us from. The cross was not a license to make peace with sin; it was Gods declaration of war against it. To claim Christ while pursuing what nailed Him to the tree is not freedomit is self-deception. Christ did not die to make sin safe, but to make His people holy. 1 Richard D. Phillips, Revelation, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing, 2017), 91. What the Ephesian Church Got Wrong So what was it that the church in Ephesus lost? Well, we know it wasnt the churchs orthodoxy. It was the love they had at first. What love did they have at first? I believe the love the church lost was a combination of their love for Jesus and others. I believe this because of what the apostle Paul wrote in his epistle to the Ephesians and what Jesus said the church needed to do to regain the love they had lost. First, lets look at Jesus criticism in verses 4-5, But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. The way back to regain what they had lost was to first remember where they had fallen or had lost sight of their love, then to repent by doing the works they had done at first. What were the works they had done at first? We are given a few clues in Ephesians about the church from what Paul says at the beginning and the end of his epistle to the Ephesians. 1st Clue: For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers... (Eph. 1:15-16) 2nd Clue: Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (Eph. 6:24) I believe that the love the Ephesian church lost had to do with the love they had for Jesus and for one another. The New Living Translation captures this in their translation of Revelation 2:4, But I have this complaint against you. You dont love me or each other as you did at first! When a group of religious leaders asked Jesus to identify the most important commandment, His response was clear: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:3739). Genuine love for God leads to love for othersyou cannot claim to love God while refusing to love those who bear His image. As our love for God grows, it overflows into love for those around us, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. If you find this hard to accept, consider the words of the apostle John: If someone says, I love God, but hates his brother, that person is a liar; for anyone who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20). I believe the Ephesian church, first known for their faith in Jesus and their incorruptible love for Him, became the catalyst that fostered in them a love for one another, which they were known for in the early days of the churchs existence. Their love infused their faith in Jesus, and their love for all the saints was the cocktail God used to push back evil and transform lives! What Revelation 2:1-4 teaches us is that Jesus wants our obedience, but He also wants our hearts! In fact, if Jesus has your heart, He will have your obedience. Conclusion I believe the Ephesian church is listed first among the seven churches because of the danger we face when what we believe and what we do are no longer tethered to a living love for Jesus and His people. Listen carefully. Rather than criticizing the Ephesian church for its zeal for the truth of Gods Word, Jesus praised them for it. Orthodoxy is essential to the spiritual health of both Christians and the church as a whole. When believers abandon orthodoxy, spirituality does not become freer or deeperit becomes hollow and lifeless. So do their churches. But love keeps orthodoxy from hardening into something Jesus also hated. When truth is severed from love, orthodoxy collapses into legalism. And legalism is not holiness; it is a corruption of orthopraxyright living. Christian, we are called to be holy as our heavenly Father is holy. Scripture commands us: As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy (1 Pet. 1:1416). But the way we pursue holiness is not through cold precision or moral superiority. It is through the kind of love the Ephesian church once hadand then lost. This is the first of seven ways Christ calls His people to cleanse His house of leaven. What is that love? Scripture defines it plainly: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth Love never ends (1 Cor. 13:48). This is the love Jesus spoke of that must be true of His followers: By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35). We live in a nation deeply fracturedso fractured that many believe we are in a cold civil war. Civil conversation between the left and the right is nearly impossible. But it must not be that way in the church Jesus redeemed from the world. Our love for Christ must overflow into genuine love for one anotherstrong enough to allow disagreement without division, conviction without contempt, and truth without hatred. Let me take this one step further. If you love the Jesus who died to ransom people from every tribe, language, people, and nation, then you must be liberated from the partisan blindness that grips both the left and the right. Christian, you belong to another kingdom. Your allegiance is not to a political ideology but to King Jesus. Please hear me: the world will not see, hear, or receive the gospel from the left or the rightbut only from Jesus Christ Himself. By Gods design, His gospel is not entrusted to government but to His church. The mess in the White House, ournation, and the world is evidence that what people need is the One who makes the Gospel the Gospelnamely, Jesus! If you cannot see thatif you cannot believe that while still calling yourself a Christianthen you are in danger of the very thing that threatened the church in Ephesus. You have lost your first love. So I leave you with the same words Jesus spoke to them: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

I believe the book of Revelation is intentionally shaped by the rhythm of the seven Jewish feasts, with deep echoes of the Exodus and Israels wilderness journey woven throughout its visions. We have already seen how this works in chapter 1, where the imagery echoes Passover. Passover marked Israels deliverance from slavery through the blood of a substituteand in Revelation 1:1216, that substitute is revealed in all His risen glory. Jesus stands among His churches as the victorious Lamb who was slain and now lives forever. Because of His sacrifice, the Christian belongs to God. If you have been redeemed by Almighty God through His Son, what is there to fear? Jesus Himself answers that question: Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades (Rev. 1:1718). Our confidence is not rooted in our circumstances, but in the One who has conquered death itself. As we move into Revelation 23 and read the seven letters to the churches, the dominant echo is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which immediately followed Passover. This feast called Gods redeemed people to live holy lives, set apart for Him (Lev. 11:4445; 1 Pet. 1:1617). Israel removed all leaven from their homes as a visible reminder that they belonged to the Lord and were no longer to live under the old patterns of corruption. That same call still comes to us today: You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Cor. 6:1920). Each of the seven churches faced real and pressing challenges in their own dayand what they struggled with are many of the same things we struggle with today, just dressed differently. While we will look at each church individually, here is a brief snapshot of what we will encounter: The church in Ephesus had lost its first love. The church in Smyrna was about to suffer tribulation for ten days. The church in Pergamum struggled with faithfulness to sound doctrine. The church in Thyatira tolerated a false teacher within the congregation. The church in Sardis was spiritually lethargic and nearly dead. The church in Philadelphia faithfully clung to the word of God. The church in Laodicea was lukewarm and missionally useless. In every one of these churches, there was the danger of leavensin quietly working its way through the house. And the call of Christ was to remove it: through renewed love for Jesus and for one another, faithful endurance in suffering, a commitment to truth, intolerance for evil, vigilance against spiritual apathy, unflinching obedience to Christ, and a wholehearted devotion to the mission of God. About forty years before Revelation was written, Paul wrote about Gods expectation for His church: Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Eph. 5:1-2). Revelation 1 is about the One who makes our salvation possible. Revelation 2-3 addresses the kind of people He calls us to be. So, when we come to Revelation 4, we encounter the One on the throne who is holy, holy, holy! The City of Ephesus When the gospel came to Ephesus, it was a wealthy and influential trading city, best known for the Temple of Artemis (also called Diana), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The citys economy, culture, and moral life centered on the worship of this goddess. Artemis worship was deeply sexualized and demonic, marked by ritual immorality and idolatry (1 Cor. 10:20). Ephesus was a place where spiritual darkness was not hiddenit was celebrated, institutionalized, and profitable. Into this city, the gospel came with unmistakable power, as it always does in Gods timing and in His way. What we read in the epistle to the Romans was experienced in Ephesus: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes... (Rom. 1:16). When the apostle Paul preached Christ in Ephesus, lives were transformed, and the worship of Artemis was directly challenged. So disruptive was the gospel that those who profited from idolatry feared economic collapse, admitting that Paul had persuaded many that gods made with hands are not gods at all (Acts 19:26). Paul spent over two years there, and in this spiritually hostile environment, God birthed a faithful churchthe same church later addressed by Christ Himself in Revelation 2. What makes Jesus words to Ephesus so sobering is not the citys darkness but the fact that a church born in such devotion, perseverance, and truth would later be warned: You have abandoned the love you had at first (2:4). So what happened? To answer that question, we need to first recognize the many things Jesus praises the church for. What the Ephesian Church Was Doing Right The Ephesian church was commended for many things by Jesus such as their toil, patient endurance, and intolerance for evil. Heraclitus, a native of Ephesus and philosopher, spoke with open contempt of his citys moral corruptionso severe that later writers summarized his viewby saying no one could live in Ephesus without weeping.1 The fact that the church was able to endure for forty years in a city known for its sexual promiscuity and demonized idolatrous worship, while holding on to biblical orthodoxy, is staggering! Because of their orthodoxy and fidelity to the Word of God, the church was intolerant of evil, refused to ignore false teachers, and shared Jesuss hatred of the Nicolaitans. Forty years earlier, Paul warned the elders of the Ephesian church: I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears (Acts. 20:29-31). This is what the church did well, and Jesus praised them for it. Now, notice what Jesus does not say to the church in Ephesus. He does not say they were being too orthodox. He does not say they were too truthful, or that their intolerance of evil, false teachers, and the works of the Nicolaitans was too extreme. Jesus does not tell the church to dial it back but instead celebrates these as examples of what they were doing well. What the church did well was refusing to yield to the pressures from their city to conform. Before we look at what the church got wrong, we need to address who the Nicolaitans were and why Jesus hated their teaching. From what we know, the Nicolaitans were a heretical Christian sect associated with the teaching of Balaam (Rev. 2:14-15). They taught that the grace of God permitted freedom to engage in the kinds of things their pagan neighbors enjoyed, such as sexual immorality and full participation in pagan temple feasts. Why? Because grace covered it all. We will come back to Balaam when we look at the church in Pergamum, but for now what you need to know is that Balaam is known for his false teaching that served to seduce the men of Israel to engage in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab that also resulted in the worship of their gods in place of obedience and worship of Yahweh (see Num. 25). The Nicolaitans did not deny Jesus, they just reinterpreted what obedience to Jesus really meant, in that you could both be loyal to Jesus and actively pursue and participate in the kinds of things the Word of God commands the people of God to flee from. The Ephesian church was rightfully commended for their hatred and intolerance of the works of the Nicolaitans because Jesus shares their hatred for the same reasons. Listen carefully. Jesus does not merely disagree with teachings of the Nicolaitans He hates them. He hates any belief that suggests a person can remain loyal to Him while willfully embracing the very sins He died to free us from. The cross was not a license to make peace with sin; it was Gods declaration of war against it. To claim Christ while pursuing what nailed Him to the tree is not freedomit is self-deception. Christ did not die to make sin safe, but to make His people holy. 1 Richard D. Phillips, Revelation, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing, 2017), 91. What the Ephesian Church Got Wrong So what was it that the church in Ephesus lost? Well, we know it wasnt the churchs orthodoxy. It was the love they had at first. What love did they have at first? I believe the love the church lost was a combination of their love for Jesus and others. I believe this because of what the apostle Paul wrote in his epistle to the Ephesians and what Jesus said the church needed to do to regain the love they had lost. First, lets look at Jesus criticism in verses 4-5, But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. The way back to regain what they had lost was to first remember where they had fallen or had lost sight of their love, then to repent by doing the works they had done at first. What were the works they had done at first? We are given a few clues in Ephesians about the church from what Paul says at the beginning and the end of his epistle to the Ephesians. 1st Clue: For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers... (Eph. 1:15-16) 2nd Clue: Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (Eph. 6:24) I believe that the love the Ephesian church lost had to do with the love they had for Jesus and for one another. The New Living Translation captures this in their translation of Revelation 2:4, But I have this complaint against you. You dont love me or each other as you did at first! When a group of religious leaders asked Jesus to identify the most important commandment, His response was clear: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:3739). Genuine love for God leads to love for othersyou cannot claim to love God while refusing to love those who bear His image. As our love for God grows, it overflows into love for those around us, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. If you find this hard to accept, consider the words of the apostle John: If someone says, I love God, but hates his brother, that person is a liar; for anyone who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20). I believe the Ephesian church, first known for their faith in Jesus and their incorruptible love for Him, became the catalyst that fostered in them a love for one another, which they were known for in the early days of the churchs existence. Their love infused their faith in Jesus, and their love for all the saints was the cocktail God used to push back evil and transform lives! What Revelation 2:1-4 teaches us is that Jesus wants our obedience, but He also wants our hearts! In fact, if Jesus has your heart, He will have your obedience. Conclusion I believe the Ephesian church is listed first among the seven churches because of the danger we face when what we believe and what we do are no longer tethered to a living love for Jesus and His people. Listen carefully. Rather than criticizing the Ephesian church for its zeal for the truth of Gods Word, Jesus praised them for it. Orthodoxy is essential to the spiritual health of both Christians and the church as a whole. When believers abandon orthodoxy, spirituality does not become freer or deeperit becomes hollow and lifeless. So do their churches. But love keeps orthodoxy from hardening into something Jesus also hated. When truth is severed from love, orthodoxy collapses into legalism. And legalism is not holiness; it is a corruption of orthopraxyright living. Christian, we are called to be holy as our heavenly Father is holy. Scripture commands us: As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy (1 Pet. 1:1416). But the way we pursue holiness is not through cold precision or moral superiority. It is through the kind of love the Ephesian church once hadand then lost. This is the first of seven ways Christ calls His people to cleanse His house of leaven. What is that love? Scripture defines it plainly: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth Love never ends (1 Cor. 13:48). This is the love Jesus spoke of that must be true of His followers: By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35). We live in a nation deeply fracturedso fractured that many believe we are in a cold civil war. Civil conversation between the left and the right is nearly impossible. But it must not be that way in the church Jesus redeemed from the world. Our love for Christ must overflow into genuine love for one anotherstrong enough to allow disagreement without division, conviction without contempt, and truth without hatred. Let me take this one step further. If you love the Jesus who died to ransom people from every tribe, language, people, and nation, then you must be liberated from the partisan blindness that grips both the left and the right. Christian, you belong to another kingdom. Your allegiance is not to a political ideology but to King Jesus. Please hear me: the world will not see, hear, or receive the gospel from the left or the rightbut only from Jesus Christ Himself. By Gods design, His gospel is not entrusted to government but to His church. The mess in the White House, ournation, and the world is evidence that what people need is the One who makes the Gospel the Gospelnamely, Jesus! If you cannot see thatif you cannot believe that while still calling yourself a Christianthen you are in danger of the very thing that threatened the church in Ephesus. You have lost your first love. So I leave you with the same words Jesus spoke to them: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

8th February 2026Morning service

To get a copy of our new book "Embracing the Truth" or to have TS Wright speak at your event or conference or if you simply want spiritual or life coaching or just a consultation visit:www.tswrightspeaks.comVisit our website to learn more about The God Centered Concept. The God Centered Concept is designed to bring real discipleship and spreading the Gospel to help spark the Great Harvest, a revival in this generation.www.godcenteredconcept.comKingdom Cross Roads Podcast is a part of The God Centered Concept.Title: Unpacking the Message to the Church in Thyatira: Lessons for TodayIntroduction: Welcome to our exploration of the Church in Thyatira, a topic that resonates deeply with both historical and contemporary audiences. In this blog post, we will delve into the lessons derived from Revelation 2:18-29, exploring the warnings and encouragements directed at this early church and how they apply to our lives today.Main Content:1. **The Image of Christ** The passage opens with a powerful description of Jesus as the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like polished bronze. This imagery conveys authority and judgment, reminding us that Jesus is not only our savior but also a figure of immense power who sees and knows all. This establishes a foundation for understanding the message to the church in Thyatira.2. **Commendation for Good Works** Jesus acknowledges the congregation's deeds, love, faith, service, and perseverance, stating that their latter works exceed their first. This commendation emphasizes the importance of growth in our faith and actions. Thyatira was praised for its commitment to the gospel and its ability to withstand challenges while actively demonstrating love and service to others. This serves as an encouragement for us to continually strive to deepen our faith and increase our good works.3. **A Serious Warning** Despite the positive remarks, Jesus delivers a stern warning against the tolerance of a false prophetess named Jezebel. Her teachings led many astray into sexual immorality and idolatry. This aspect of the message highlights the dangers of complacency and the acceptance of moral compromises within the church. It serves as a crucial reminder for modern believers to remain vigilant against influences that contradict biblical teachings.4. **The Challenge of Cultural Compromise** The church faced the challenge of pluralism, where the teachings of Christ were mingled with societal norms that contradicted the gospel. This is akin to many contemporary issues where believers may unintentionally adopt values that are contrary to their faith. Jesus calls His followers to reject such compromises, urging a commitment to purity and holiness in their walk with Him.5. **The Call to Repentance** Jesus expresses His desire for Jezebel to repent, highlighting His patience and mercy. However, the refusal to turn away from sin leads to dire consequences. This aspect of the message serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of repentance in our own lives. It challenges us to reflect on areas where we may be compromising and to seek a return to a pure and devoted relationship with God.Conclusion: In summary, the message to the Church in Thyatira offers timeless lessons about faithfulness, the importance of good works, the dangers of cultural compromise, and the necessity of repentance. As we reflect on these teachings, let us strive to be a community that embodies love and service while remaining steadfast in our commitment to the truth of the gospel. Key...

Pastor Andrew Peterson preaches from Revelation 2:12-29 on February 8th 2026

In this sermon, Jesus message to the church in Thyatira is meant to encourage faithfulness in the face of strong pressure to compromise devotion to Him with work, security, and cultural expectations. In this sermon, believers are called to trust Jesus fully with their future, rejecting God-and living, because He alone is the true Son of God and promises both victory and His presence to those who remain faithful.

Four Churches. Four Responses. One Jesus. This week in our Revelation series, we continue through the seven letters in Revelation 2–3 by looking at Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Each church represents a different spiritual condition: Compromise under pressure A reputation that hides spiritual deadness Quiet faithfulness with little strength Comfortable self-sufficiency that pushes Jesus outside Though the struggles are different, Jesus' call is the same: Return. Wake up. Hold fast. Open the door. These letters remind us that Jesus is not distant from His church. He sees, corrects, calls, and invites — not to condemn, but to restore. This sermon ends at the communion table, where the invitation of Jesus becomes personal: not based on how strong our faith has been, but on how great His love has always been.

Thank you for joining us! If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call the church office at 661-833-2800 or check out our website www.laurelglen.org.Scripture Reference: Revelation 2:12-29

Main Idea: "Some tolerance can be deadly."1. The Correspondent2. The Commendation3. The Correction4. The Caution5. The Encouragement

By Aaron Creech - In part four of the sermon series on the seven churches, we will review the letter to the church of Thyatira. In this letter, the church is known for its good works, but at the same time, it had problems tolerating the false prophetess Jezebel. We will learn the importance of not tolerating and

A "compliment sandwich" - criticism layered between two compliments. To these 2 churches, Jesus says, "You have refused to deny me," and "I see your patient endurance." Ok, well done. But then, Jesus gets right to it. "And yet I have a few complaints about you." Jesus was bringing to light all the ways some in these churches were missing the mark... tolerating sin, idolatry and evil deeds. Those who weren't? "Hold on tightly until I come back", he says. 

Revelation 2:18-29 Geoff Brown January 25, 2026

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Revelation 2 To the Church in Ephesus 2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. To the Church in Smyrna 8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor's crown. 11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. To the Church in Pergamum 12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. 14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. To the Church in Thyatira 18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.' 26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery'—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Drama Evangelist Rich Swingle continues our series on the Book of Hebrews with 4:14-16.Rich makes reference to the following:* Pastor Jim Warren's message from last Wednesday: “The Word: Living, Active, Sharp”* Pastor Linda Warren's message “The Church of Thyatira” Click the arrow below, or if you're reading this in an email you can click this link, to play the service: This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store. If you want to know more about starting a relationship with Jesus Christ visit www.WestchesterChapel.org/salvation. 

The letter to the church in Thyatira was a warning. Jesus is judging His church. He is pictured with eyes like fire, searching them out. His feet are like burnished brass, representing judgment. But Jesus also commended them for their love for Him and how it prompted works of service, faith, patience, and endurance—all produced by the Holy Spirit. A practical study from Dr. J. Vernon McGee on this fifth church of Revelation.

 Drawing extensively from Revelation 2–3, this teaching examines the seven churches as real historical congregations, recurring spiritual conditions present throughout church history, and a prophetic mirror especially relevant to the last days. Beginning with Christ's warning to Laodicea, the speaker exposes how material affluence, consumerism, and “people's opinions” have produced a lukewarm church that believes itself rich while remaining spiritually blind and naked. Moving church by church—from Ephesus' loss of first love, Smyrna's persecution, Pergamum's compromise, Thyatira's false sacrifice, Sardis' dead orthodoxy, and Philadelphia's faithful mission—the message traces how cultural shifts repeatedly force the church to choose between biblical recontextualization (changing the packaging, not the gospel) and theological redefinition (changing the gospel itself). Through historical examples ranging from Augustine and Aquinas to Wesley, the Jesus Movement, and modern evangelical trends, the teaching issues a sober warning: when the church replaces repentance, discipleship, and truth with programs, experiences, tolerance, or prosperity, it risks becoming Laodicea—called not to innovate, but to repent, open the door to Christ, and recover true spiritual sight. 

As we look at the fourth church in Revelation we come to the church in the city in Thyatira. They had excelled in many good works such as love, service, faith, and patient endurance. These works was not just good fruit in their life, it had increased since it's Genesis. There were different people in the church doing different things, some good, some bad to a different degree. As we study this church, we will see the different ways that Jesus judges and weighs out different types of people. (Proverbs 11:1) Josiahmovius12@yahoo.comBible portal website:https://www.bibleportal.com/commentaries

Jesus calls us to live a worthy life that reflects the high price He paid for our salvation. Through His letters to the seven churches in Revelation, we see the dangers of spiritual lukewarmness and compromise that threaten our faith. The church in Laodicea thought they were rich but were actually spiritually poor, while churches like Pergamum and Thyatira struggled with tolerating sin. In contrast, the faithful churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia persevered through suffering and persecution by keeping God's Word and never denying His name. Living worthily means inviting Jesus into every area of our lives, maintaining biblical boundaries while loving others, and growing in spiritual maturity while keeping childlike faith.

Acts chapter 16, we explore Timothy's background in Derbe and Lystra as the son of a Jewess and a Greek father, his circumcision by Paul to reach the Jews without linking it to salvation, and the principle of sacrificing personal liberty for the gospel's sake as outlined in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. The discussion covers Paul's journey through Phrygia and Galatia, being forbidden by the Holy Ghost to preach in Asia or Bithynia, and receiving a vision to go to Macedonia. In Philippi, it examines Lydia from Thyatira worshiping God and her household's baptism after hearing the gospel, the damsel possessed with a spirit of divination following Paul and Silas before her exorcism, their imprisonment and beating for disrupting profits, the earthquake opening the prison, the jailer's question of what he must do to be saved with the answer to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and their release after Paul asserts Roman citizenship.

Study of the Book of Revelation

Study of the Book of Revelation

#top .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-65b785c0db25aefd639c228c1e5ed58a{ padding-bottom:10px; } body .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-65b785c0db25aefd639c228c1e5ed58a .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{ font-size:25px; } .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-65b785c0db25aefd639c228c1e5ed58a .av-subheading{ font-size:15px; } Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 31Revelation 2:18-29 LISTEN HERE Through My Bible – December 31 Revelation 2:18-29 (EHV) https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1231db.mp3 See series: Through My Bible Revelation 2 Letter to the Church in Thyatira 18 To the messenger of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, whose eyes are like fiery flames and whose feet are like polished bronze, says this: 19 I know your works and love and faith and service, as well as your patient endurance, and that you are doing more now than you did at first. 20 But I have this against you: You allow that woman Jezebel, the one who calls herself a prophetess, to deceive my servants and to teach them to commit sexual immorality and eat things offered to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Look, I am going to throw her onto a bed and throw those who commit adultery with her into great suffering, if they do not repent of her [1] works. 23 And I will put her children to death. And all the churches will know that I am the one who searches hearts and minds, and that I will give to each of you according to your works. 24 To the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold to this teaching, who do not know Satan's “deep things,” as they call them, I say that I will not lay any other burden on you. 25 Only hold fast to what you have until I come. 26 To the one who is victorious and continues to do my works until the end, I will give him authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with an iron staff and shatter them like clay pots, 28 just as I myself have received authority from my Father. I will also give him the morning star. 29 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Footnotes Revelation 2:22 Some witnesses to the text read their. #top .hr.hr-invisible.av-aocsdx-89cb4ca21532423cf697fc393b6fcee0{ height:10px; } The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. #top .hr.hr-invisible.av-4vzadh-3f04b370105df1fd314a2a9d83e55b26{ height:50px; } Share this entryShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare by MailLink to FlickrLink to InstagramLink to Vimeo

#top .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-bdcfe9de08060bf68e8e81dcafe29f78{ padding-bottom:10px; } body .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-bdcfe9de08060bf68e8e81dcafe29f78 .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{ font-size:25px; } .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-bdcfe9de08060bf68e8e81dcafe29f78 .av-subheading{ font-size:15px; } Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 28Revelation 1:9-20 LISTEN HERE Through My Bible – December 28 Revelation 1:9-20 (EHV) https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1228db.mp3 See series: Through My Bible Revelation 1 God Tells John to Write Down What He Sees 9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingship and patient endurance in Jesus, [1] was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus. [2] 10 I was in spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard a loud voice behind me, like a trumpet, 11 saying, “Write what you see on a scroll and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” Jesus Appears 12 I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me. When I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was one like a son of man. He was clothed with a robe that reached to his feet, and around his chest he wore a gold sash. 14 His head and his hair were white, like white wool or like snow. His eyes were like blazing flames. 15 His feet were like polished bronze being refined in a furnace. His voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand. A sharp two-edged sword was coming out of his mouth. His face was shining as the sun shines in all its brightness. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He placed his right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last— 18 the Living One. I was dead and, see, I am alive forever and ever! I also hold the keys of death and hell. [3] 19 “So write what you have seen, both those things that are and those that will take place after this. 20 “The mystery of the seven stars, which you saw in my right hand, and the seven gold lampstands is this: The seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” Footnotes Revelation 1:9 Some witnesses to the text read Christ. Revelation 1:9 A few witnesses to the text add Christ. Revelation 1:18 Greek hades #top .hr.hr-invisible.av-aocsdx-89cb4ca21532423cf697fc393b6fcee0{ height:10px; } The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. #top .hr.hr-invisible.av-4vzadh-3f04b370105df1fd314a2a9d83e55b26{ height:50px; } Share this entryShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare by MailLink to FlickrLink to InstagramLink to Vimeo

Send me a Text Message!In this episode we will look at two "Christmas" letters, one to Thyatira and one to Sardis. With both churches there is this sense of unfinished business. There's a need to keep progressing, keep growing, keep become more of a force for good and God. With Thyatira, it was a bit more of a commendation and with Sardis it was a bit more of an urgent diagnosis. Both churches had good and bad; but both also have this theme of preserving growth. Sometimes in the church and perhaps even in our personal lives we find ourselves exerting a lot of energy, putting on a lot of programs but not really strengthening what matters, not really growing in areas that count. If we want to honor Jesus on his birthday, perhaps the gift of spritual growth would put a smile on His face, so consider this a bit of a Christmas guide to growth!

“Whose heart the Lord opened.” — Acts 16:14 In Lydia's conversion there are many points of interest. It was brought about by providential circumstances. She was a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, but just at the right time for hearing Paul we find her at Philippi; providence, which is the handmaid of […]

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!Good morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)YouTube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comRevelation 2 Jesus sends messages to the first four churches in Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, and Thyatira. To Ephesus, He praises their hard work and endurance but warns them that they have lost their first love and urges them to return to it. To Smyrna, He encourages them to stay faithful despite suffering and promises the crown of life. To Pergamum, He acknowledges their loyalty but rebukes their tolerance of false teachings and calls them to repentance. To Thyatira, He commends their love and service but condemns their acceptance of corrupt and immoral influences within the church. Each message includes spiritual and eternal promises to those who overcome. The Son of God reveals that He sees every action, knows every heart, and calls His people to holiness, truth, and perseverance through trials.  Jesus knows our actions, struggles, and hearts, as individuals and as local churches. He sees both our strengths and weaknesses. We are called to remain faithful during trials, to hold onto the truth, and to reject anything that pulls us away from Him. When our love grows cold or when we tolerate sin, Jesus does not stay silent. He corrects us because He desires what is pure and lasting within us. We are reminded that faithfulness matters, even in small things. Jesus walks among His people and speaks with authority. We must listen, repent where necessary, and press on with courage. If we overcome through Him, He promises us a place in His kingdom and eternal life. Let's follow Him together.  Gracious Lord, You have spoken through Your Son to the churches, calling us to faithfulness, love, and truth. You see our hearts, our deeds, and our struggles. When we grow cold in our love, stir us to return. When we face suffering, give us strength to endure. When false teaching surrounds us, help us hold firmly to the truth of Christ. Let His presence among us be our hope and our guide. Shape our lives to reflect His authority and holiness. May we listen to His words, repent where needed, and remain faithful until the end. Help us overcome through Him.  Thought Questions: What does it mean that the church in Ephesus left its first love? How can churches be strong in truth but also equally robust in love?  What are the promises Christ makes to those who overcome? Are they amazing enough to promote faithfulness until death in Jesus' name? Sadly, idolatry and immorality were threats to local churches in John's time. Why is it important to directly address them in our fellowship?

In this Bible Story, Paul and Silas are beaten brutally and thrown into prison for casting a demon out of a little girl. As they dwell in the dark and cold chamber, they sing to the Lord, and a mighty earthquake and they escape. This story is inspired by Acts 16. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is Acts 16:25 from the King James Version.Episode 232: As Paul, Luke, Silas, and Timothy were traveling through Thyatira, they were being followed around by a demon-possessed slave woman. The woman kept yelling at the crowd that these people were God’s servants and they will tell them how to be saved. Annoyed beyond the point of tolerance, Paul commanded the evil spirit to come out of the woman. The slave woman’s owners were not pleased. They beat Paul and took him and Silas to court where they were beaten yet again and thrown deep into prison. Around midnight as Paul and Silas were singing psalms to God, an earthquake shook the prison, opening the gates of all the prisoners. The Jailer, thinking that the prisoners had escaped, was about to fall on his sword when Paul and Silas spoke up.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world’s greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.