Sardis: The Dead Church

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Revelation 3:1-2

"Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis. This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars:

"I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive — but you are dead.

NLT

When someone puts the word church in front of a building, we are prone to think it is a place where the spiritually, and even physically sick can receive healing and encouragement.  Although this is true for many churches, it sadly is not true for all churches.  Some churches sadly are like the Church in Sardis.

The City of Sardis was the capital of the Lydian Empire and considered one of the greatest cities of the ancient world.  A temple to the goddess Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, the moon, and fertility was located in the city.  Also contained within the city was a synagogue.  This synagogue is one of the largest synagogues excavated in the ancient world and with its location in the center of an urban instead of the periphery as most synagogues, attests to the wealth and strength of the Jewish community in the city.  (1)

A sermon of Melito, a Christian bishop at Sardis, entitled On the Passover testifies of a spirited debate among the Christian and Jewish communities in Sardis.  (2)  However, unlike other churches addressed by John in Revelation, no specific person or group of persons is mentioned as the reason for Sardis becoming a dead church.  We are therefore left to believe that the reason for the spiritual death of the church of Sardis is a falling away from what they believed when they first heard the Gospel (Revelation 3:3). 

We must learn from the church in Sardis and be on our guard not to become separated from our God but to continue growing in our walk with God by,

1)      Communicating with God regularly through personal prayer and Bible study (Colossians 3:10).  Just as our relationship with our spouses or other people grows stronger with regular communication, our relationship with God grows stronger as we regularly study the Bible, God’s Word, to hear from God and pray, speaking to Him.

2)      Quickly confessing any sin in our lives when God reveals it to us (1 John 1:9).  Sin represents a weight that will slow us down in our walk with God and therefore we must quickly shed that weight before it causes our walk with God to go completely dead.

3)      Fellowshipping regularly with other believers (Hebrews 10:25).  As we live our lives in the secular world, we can become discouraged and feel isolated, believing we are the only ones believing as we do.  If we do not balance this with regularly getting with others who do believe as we do, we can become discouraged and begin the dangerous slide to spiritual death. 

Churches can also become spiritually dead when they begin to,

1)      Compromise on the truths contained in the Word of God.  When Pilate asked Jesus if He was a king, Jesus replied by saying he came into the world to bear witness to the truth (John 18:37).  As Jesus’ ambassadors on earth (2 Corinthians5:20) we are to also bear witness to the truth.  However, just as Pilate responded to Jesus with the question “What is Truth?”  As a church, we must have a clear understanding of what the truth is of which we are to bear witness.  Psalm 119:142 tells us that God’s law, the Bible, is truth.  The church fulfills its mission of bearing witness to the truth by teaching the truths contained in the Word of God and when it begins to stray from scripture, the Church begins to die.

2)      Become distracted by side issues (1 Corinthians 10:7).  There is little doubt the Church today is under attack.  Many believers across the globe face brutal deaths for their faith and as a church body we must continually pray for and come to the defense of these fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  However, the church can become distracted by political issues and lose sight of God who is abundantly able to overcome the enemy behind these political issues.  This does not mean the church is to remain silent on issues like abortion and gay marriage but that we must keep in mind that our God is abundantly able to protect us as we declare His truth and even though God abhors the sin, He sent Jesus to die for the sinners.  While we declare God’s abhorrence of the sin, let us not forget to point sinners to Jesus Christ, the source of forgiveness for their sin.

To remain powerful as believers and a church body, let us be on guard not to become like the Church in Sardis.  We must not become a dead church but instead strive to grow stronger in our walk with the Lord.  As individuals we must spend daily time with God in His Word and prayer, we must discard the weight of sin in our lives, and we must regularly fellowship with other believers.  In addition, as a church body let us not become distracted or compromise on the teaching of the truths in the Word of God.  A lost and deceived world needs the freedom that only comes from knowledge of the truth (John 8:32).  A deceived world therefore needs a strong and living church that declares the truths of God’s Word. 

1. bibleplaces.com. Sardis. www.bibleplaces.com. [Online] Bibleplaces.com. [Cited: October 24, 2015.] www.bibleplaces.com/sardis.htm.

2. Biblegateway.com. The Message to Sardis. www.biblegateway.com. [Online] BibleGateway. [Cited: October 24, 2015.] https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Rev/Message-Sardis.

Shiny Objects and Pretty Faces

By:  Dale Weckbacher

1 Samuel 9:2

And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

NKJV

1 Samuel 13:14

But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you."

NKJV

King Saul and King David provide a stark contrast between a leader selected by the people and a leader ordained by God.  This account in scripture begins with the people desiring a king (1 Samuel 8:1-22).  In spite of Samuel’s efforts to talk the Israelites out of having a king to lead them, they insisted and selected Saul as the first King of Israel.  As 1 Samuel 9:2 tells us, the people of Israel primarily selected Saul due to his good looks and the fact he was taller than anyone else in Israel. 

Many believe voters prefer attractive candidates.  This belief is what caused David Cameron to airbrush a campaign poster.  (1)  In fact, recent research has revealed that a candidate’s appearance can lead to a far greater vote swing than even the cynics have imagined.  (2)  As we saw with the selection of Saul as first king of Israel, this attraction to good-looking leaders is nothing new.

One theory as to why people prefer attractive leaders is something called the “halo effect.”  This effect causes us to attribute many positive characteristics to attractive people.  (3)  However, Jesus reminds us that what is on the outside of a person, their appearance, is not important for it is what is inside a person’s heart that is important (Matthew 23:25-26, Luke 11:39-40). 

Candidates also like to distract voters with shiny objects or trivial issues that in the big picture are of little importance.  For example, a candidate may parade an illegal immigrant coming from abject poverty or even oppression into the United States to make a better life for his or her family.  Jeb Bush, a current GOP candidate for President has stated that those illegally coming into our country are committing an act of love.  (4)  However, border patrol agents have witnessed Iraqi terrorists crossing the Texas border.   (5)  I wonder what act of love these individuals may be planning.  The only act of love a radical terrorist might be planning in my opinion is an act of love towards Allah by killing American infidels, such as Christians or Jews. 

Then we have the shiny object of the supposed “war on women.”  It has now become clear that Hillary Clinton cites her major qualification for President as the fact she is a woman.  (6)  The fact that her gender is different from the other democrat candidates is somehow supposed to trump, no pun intended, her flip-flopping in issues like the Keystone Pipeline, her email scandal, or Benghazi.  (7)  Now, I am not against a woman being President of the United States, but gender is part of one’s appearance and smart voters will dig deeper to find what is in the heart of a candidate and not just their outward appearance.  For the Clintons, all I see are hearts full of lies and deception, something we have had enough of at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. 

This election cycle I encourage voters to become smart voters by

1)      Deciding what issues are most important for our nation.

2)      Not just going by what slick marketers and campaign operatives place in campaign ads and web sites but dig deeper into the candidates past accomplishments and activities. 

3)      Pay attention to a candidates values for they provide a glimpse into the heart of the candidate. 

This election is a crucial fork in the road for the United States.  Do we continue down the road of bigger government and socialism like Europe, the result of which will be what we have witnessed in Greece, or do we reverse course and turn back to the constitutional and godly values of liberty that made the United States great. 

For me, I plan to vote for candidates supporting change back to our Constitutional and godly roots.  The United States cannot afford to elect another Saul that looks good on the outside, but inside is an empty suit.  Instead, we must elect a David, a man after God’s own heart that supports the God given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 

1. The Telegraph. Voters 'prefer attractive politicians'. www.telegraph.co.uk. [Online] The Telegraph, January 27, 2010. [Cited: October 20, 2015.] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/7080729/Voters-prefer-attractive-politicians.html.

2. The Guardian. A candidate's looks count for far more than voters like to believe. www.theguardian.com. [Online] The Guardian, June 17, 2012. [Cited: October 20, 2015.] www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/jun/17/candidate-winning-look-voters-romney-obama.

3. Kenrick, Andrew Edward White and Douglas T. Why Attractive Candidates Win. www.nytimes.com. [Online] The New York Times, November 1, 2013. [Cited: October 20, 2015.] mobile.nytimes.com/2013/11/03/opinion/sunday/health-beauty-and-the-ballot.html?referer=&_r=0.

4. Breitbart TV. JEB BUSH: CROSSING THE BORDER ILLEGALLY AN 'ACT OF LOVE'. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, April 6, 2014. [Cited: June 24, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2014/04/06/Jeb-Bush-Crossing-The-Border-Illegally-Is-An-Act-Of-Love.

5. Ollstein, Alice. Rick Perry: Iraqi Terrorists Likely Crossing The Texas Border. thinkprogress.org. [Online] ThinkProgress, August 21, 2014. [Cited: August 26, 2014.] http://thinkprogress.org/election/2014/08/21/3474264/rick-perry-immigration-2/.

6. Schow, Ashe. Hillary Clinton 2016 Strategy revealed: I'm a Woman, Vote for Me. www.washingtonexaminer.com. [Online] The Washington Examiner, April 25, 2015. [Cited: October 21, 2015.] http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/hillary-clinton-2016-strategy-revealed-im-a-woman-vote-for-me/article/2560695.

7. Spiering, Charlie. Hillary Clinton's Top 7 Worst Moments of the CNN Debate. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, October 14, 2015. [Cited: October 21, 2015.] www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/10/14/hillary-clintons-top-7-worst-moments-cnn-debate/.

Thyatira, the Corrupt Church

By:  Dale Weckbacher

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, 2 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.

NKJV

Years ago when I was in High School, and I will not say how many years, I played basketball.  I was much shorter than most of the guys I played with so to compensate, I would wear ankle weights in practice in order to build up my leg muscles and be able to jump higher.  However, I would never wear those weights in a game. 

Romans 3:23 reminds us that we all have sinned and as Hebrews 12:1-2 reminds us, the sin in our lives is a weight holding us back.  However, verse 2 reminds us that Jesus bore the weight of our sins on the cross and we have no need to be held back by carrying this weight.  Therefore, just as I was able to jump higher without the ankle weights when playing basketball, when we shed the weight of sin in our lives, we too will be empowered to better serve our Lord.

The fourth church mentioned in Revelation 2 is the church in Thyatira.  This church is often referred to as the corrupt church and the harsh words in scripture towards this church are a warning to us not to allow corruption to enter our lives, or the lives of our churches.  Unfortunately, however, I fear many churches and many church members have started compromising their stance on God and his Word and with this compromise, corruption is beginning to creep into the church. 

One of the biggest areas where corruption is entering the church is in the family and the sacred covenant of marriage.  Previously, in my post about the church in Pergamum, I wrote about church denominations that condone same sex marriages and even some denominations that ordain gay and lesbian bishops.  However, the most vicious attack on the family by Satan is the high divorce rate among Christians, and Christians living together outside of marriage. 

Statistics typically have reported that the divorce rate among Christians is around 50 percent, but recent research by Harvard trained researcher Shaunti Feidhahn claims that the overall divorce rate in the United States is around 30 percent with the rate among couples regularly attending church being at 15 to 20 percent.  (1)  On the surface we may view this reduction as good news but in the eyes of God, who hates divorce (Malachi 2:16), it is 15 to 20 percent too many. 

There are even some Christians questioning whether Christians should shack up before marriage.  (2)  Many justify shacking up by citing that one would not by a used car without test-driving it first.  However, our spouses are not a used car we plan on driving a few years and then trading in on a newer model for our spouses are someone we are pledging to be with until death do we part. 

Genesis 2:24 reminds us that we are to leave our parents, be joined to our spouses, and become one flesh.  Therefore, if we were to apply the used car scenario, we would be saying it is okay for one to become one flesh with their spouse and lop off that portion of their flesh and trade it in once it has outlived its usefulness to us, how absurd. 

God’s main criticism of the church in Thyatira was that it allowed that woman Jezebel, a proclaimed prophetess to seduce members of the church to commit sexual immorality (Revelation2:18).  I fear the corruption of the condoning of same sex marriage, divorce, and cohabitation in the church today demonstrates how our churches may have allowed Jezebels to come in and begin seducing Christians into sexual immorality. 

However, this does not mean our churches are not to allow sexually immoral people, or people who have been divorced, into our services for the main mission of the church is to share the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20).  However, we must be on guard not to compromise on God’s Word about marriage in order to entice these guests into our congregations.  Instead, we as Christians and especially pastors need to proclaim God’s truth on marriage and extend his hand of mercy and grace to those who have been guilty of the sin of sexual immorality.  We also must extend a hand of love and healing to those that have suffered through a divorce.  However, the church must not soften its stance on the important issue of marriage and proclaim the truth of God’s Word on marriage in order to prevent corruption from creeping in as it did at the church in Thyatira. 

I want to close this post with an invitation to those who have committed sexual sin.  1 John 1:9 tells us that,

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

NKJV

So if you have committed a sexually immoral sin, know that our gracious merciful God forgives you if you confess it and ask for His forgiveness.

If you have already gone through a divorce, know that God still loves you and forgives you.  He also grieves with you and wants to restore your joy and take care of you. 

If you are contemplating divorce, or having an extra marital affair, stop a moment and consider that divorce grieves the heart of God, not to mention the effect it has on your children, if you have any.  Consider that an extra marital affair may bring temporary satisfaction but in the long term will break the heart of your spouse, the one you vowed to be faithful to until death do you part. 

Finally, if you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, please take a moment to pray this prayer with me for having Jesus Christ as you savior not only saves you from your sins but also brings stability to your marriage and strength to resist temptation to compromise leading to corruption. 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life (Romans 10:9-10).

If you prayed this prayer, know that all your sins, including any sexual sins are now forgiven.  This, however, does not mean you have permission to continue living in sin for that would in essence be allowing corruption to enter your life, something God harshly condemned in Revelation2:20-23.  Instead allow God to renew your mind (Romans 12:2) by reading the Bible, finding a church teaching the Bible, and connecting with other believers in that church for this is your shield against allowing corruption to creep into your life. 

1. Bohon, Dave. Research challenges "50 percent" Divorce Statistics for Christians. www.thenewamerican.com. [Online] The New American, June 30, 2014. [Cited: October 17, 2015.] www.thenewamerican.com/culture/faith-and-morals/item/18596-research-challenges-50-percent-divorce-statistics-for-christians.

2. Parrish, Alec. Cohabitation - "Shacking Up". www.overcomingchurch.org. [Online] April 24, 2014. [Cited: October 17, 2015.] www.overcomingchurch.org/page_to_print.cfm?id=151&blog_id=19.

Voters not Donors

By:  Dale Weckbacher

1 Timothy 6:9-10

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

NKJV

Many take 1 Timothy 6:10 out of its context and interpret it to mean that a Christian cannot be rich and should give all of their wealth away to demonstrate their faith.  However, when we look at the previous verse, we see that Paul is telling Timothy that the desire to chase after riches can lead to foolish and harmful lusts and destruction.  It does forbid us from accumulating wealth but is a warning to watch that you do not fall in love with money. 

It has been said that money is the mother’s milk of politics.  Granted, it does take money to run a campaign for office for there are ads to buy and candidates must travel to meet voters.  However, when a candidate begins focusing on donors and fund raising, they begin to fall in love with the money from donors and can lose connection with the voters. 

Efforts to take the money out of politics such as the McCain Feingold have failed and in fact may have made the situation worse.  The theory of the legislation was that by restricting large donations to candidates, candidates would have to depend on smaller donations directly from voters.  However, opponents of the legislation claimed it would create a tectonic shift of political power from the parties to outside special interest groups.  (1)

Unfortunately, the critics were correct and instead of candidates seeking small donations from voters, they seek large donations from special interests.  Of course, these special interests expect political favors once the candidate they financially supported wins the election.  For example,

1)      Crony capitalist companies support organizations favoring amnesty for illegal aliens so they can have an abundant supply of cheap labor.  (2)

2)      Environmental special interests contribute to candidates that will appropriate money for them to continue their economic growth killing policies.  (3)

3)      Organizations like Planned Parenthood financially support candidates that will guarantee they continue to receive federal funding.  (4)

Politicians are definitely in love with money and as such are more interested in satisfying those organizations that contribute to them instead of the voters that elect them to office.  However, voters continue to elect these money-loving candidates to office.  To solve this dilemma, we must find out why voters continue supporting these candidates.

Mitt Romney took heat from a comment he made about the 47 percent during the 2012 election.  If you are unfamiliar with the comment he made, let me explain it and provide a link to it.  In his comment, he said that it was difficult for someone to win election because 47 percent of people in the country receive some form of compensation from the government.  (5)

Crafty money loving politicians are thus able to essentially bribe these people to vote for them by claiming their conservative small government opponents plan on taking away their government check.  An example of this is the furor that occurred when President W. Bush announced his plan to privatize a portion of Social Security (SSI).  (6)

Opponents of this plan scarred seniors by claiming this plan would put SSI at risk by allowing some to put a portion of their SSI withholding in a private account.  They created fear in seniors by telling them their SSI money would also be at risk in the stock market and that when it was lost, the program would go broke, and the checks would stop.  The truth, however, is that Bush’s plan protected the benefits of anyone 55 or older and was providing an opportunity for those younger than that to contribute a portion of their retirement savings in a private account that had an opportunity to grow.  (6)

The sad truth about SSI is that if it continues on its present course, the plan will go broke for according to a study out of Harvard and Dartmouth, Social Security is set to go broke by 2031.  According to this study, the only way to rescue the program is to follow the rescue plan in Canada, which removed the government from the program.  Their plan worked with the Canadian Pension Plan reserves increasing by six fold.  (7)  In other words, had we gone forward with President Bush’s privatization plan, SSI would be in much better financial shape today.  Essentially, the answer to rescuing SSI is taking the government out of the equation and letting retirement savings grow in the private market.

If we were to get the government out of other entitlement programs (i.e. welfare and healthcare), we could save the government trillions of dollars and create more independent instead of dependent people, thus taking power to bribe them with government money away from money loving politicians.  Private charities and churches could not only better administer welfare but also help people with problems (i.e. chemical dependencies, mental problems, and lack of economic knowledge), thus solving the problems that caused them to be stuck in poverty.  (8)   We could also take government out of the equation for healthcare by promoting health savings accounts so patients are encouraged to shop around for affordable health care, (9) and allowing people to buy health insurance across state lines as they can do with their auto insurance.  (10)  This increased competition among health insurance providers would genuinely bring premiums down, making health insurance genuinely affordable. 

The answer therefore to taking money out of politics in my opinion is in making individuals less dependent on government, freeing voters to vote for candidates promoting more freedom and less government dependency.  Please feel free to add your comment to this post if you agree, or even if you disagree. 

1. Raja, Robert Kelner and Raymond La. McCain-Feingold's Devastating Legacy. www.washingtonpost.com. [Online] The Washington Post, April 11, 2014. [Cited: October 13, 2015.] www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/mccain-feingold-devastating-legacy/2014/04/11/14a528e2-c18f-11e3-bcec-b71ee10e9bc3_story-html.

2. Federation for American Immigration Reform. Senate Immigration Bill Delivers Amnesty and Cheap Labor, but Not Immigration Reform. www.fairus.org. [Online] April 16, 2013. [Cited: December 27, 2013.] http://www.fairus.org/news/senate-immigration-bill-delivers-amnesty-and-cheap-labor-but-not-immigration-reform.

3. Bailey, Ronald. Union of Concerned Scientists Cooks the Books, Media Swallow It. Reason.com. [Online] Reasomn.com, June 5, 2012. [Cited: October 14, 2015.] https://reason.com/archives/2012/06/05/follow-the-pennies.

4. Zagorski, Sarah. Planned Parenthood Received Millions After Lobbying Hillary Clinton's State Department. www.lifenews.com. [Online] Lifenews.com, August 1, 2015. [Cited: October 14, 2015.] www.lifenews.com/2015/08/01/planned-parenthood-received-millions-after-lobbying-hillary-clintons-state-department/.

5. The Daily Conversation. Mitt Romney's "47 Percent" Comments. www.youtube.com. [Online] YouTube. [Cited: December 26, 2014.] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2gvY2wqI7M.

6. Sahadi, Jeanne. Bush's Plan for Social Security. www.money.cnn.com. [Online] CNN Money, March 4, 2005. [Cited: October 14, 2015.] www.money.cnn.com/2005/02/02/retirement/stofunion_socsec/.

7. Tea Party. Social Security Set to Go Bankrupt Much Sooner Than Expected. Teapartyupdate.com. [Online] Tea Party. [Cited: October 14, 2015.] www.teapartyupdate.com/social-security-set-to-go-bankrupt-much-sooner-than-expected/.

8. Pew Research Center. Faith-Based Programs Still Popular, Less Visible. www.pewforum.org. [Online] Pew Research Center, November 16, 2009. [Cited: October 14, 2015.] www.pewforum.org/2009/11/16/faith-based-programs-still-popular-less-visible/.

9. Lankford, Kimberly. FAQs About Health Savings Accounts. m.kiplinger.com. [Online] Kiplinger, December 1, 2014. [Cited: October 14, 2015.] http://www.kiplinger.com/article/insurance/T027-C000-S002-health-savings-accounts.html.

10. McLaughlin, Dan. Why Selling Health Insurance Across State lines Is a Good Thing. www.thefederalist.com. [Online] The Federalist, May 28, 2014. [Cited: October 14, 2015.] www.thefederalist.com/2014/05/28/why-selling-health-insurance-across-state-lines-is-a-good-thing/.

The Church in Pergamum: The Compromising Church

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

NKJV

Pergamum, a city located in what is now modern day Turkey sits in ruins.  However, when the Apostle John wrote his letter to the church located there, it was one of the most influential cities in the Roman Empire.  As a political center, Pergamum was where rulings affecting the whole of Asia Minor originated.  The people of Pergamum were also inventors and innovators.  (1) 

Pergamum was also a center for the worship of Dionysus, Zeus, and other pagan gods.  This is most likely why Revelation 2:13 refers to Pergamum as the place where Satan dwells.  (2)  Christianity presented a threat to the city’s pagan worship, resulting in much animosity towards Christians in the city.  This animosity escalated to the martyring of Antipas, possibly the first Christian martyr in Asia.  (3)

Even though God commends the church for remaining true to the faith in the middle of great animosity from the pagan worship of the city, the church was not perfect for some in the congregation held to the teachings of Balaam.  (2)  There were also some in the congregation holding to the teachings of the Nicolaitans.  Balaam’s teaching was an effort to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols (Numbers 25:1-3, Numbers31:15-16).  Even though we are free in Christ and at liberty to eat all foods, not all believers share that knowledge and may equate eating of food offered to an idol as permission to worship that idol (1 Corinthians 8:4-13).  The church in Pergamum most likely consisted of many coming out of pagan worship so the teachings of Balaam would be an obstacle to these new believers and represented a danger. 

As for the teachings of the Nicolaitans, theologians are mixed.  One view is that they were a cult either following, or perverting, the teachings of Nicolas, one of the seven men chosen by the congregation in Acts 6:5.  It is interesting to note that the Balaam and Nicolaitans have similar meanings in their derivative languages with Balaam meaning “swallowers of the people” and Nicolaitans “conquerors of the people.”  (4)  In other words, in his letter to the Church in Pergamum, John is warning them of false teaching that threatens to swallow and conquer the church. 

In our post-modern society, churches today face similar pressure to compromise on beliefs clearly outlined in scripture.  Christian business people come under pressure to compromise on their values by facing fines for not baking a cake for a same sex wedding.  (5)  Christian government employees face jail time for refusing to license same sex marriages, which violate their Christian values, values protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.  (6) (7)  Christian owned businesses are also mandated by law to provide health insurance, which includes contraceptives and abortion inducing drugs.  (8) 

These well known cases do represent a threat to Christian values but the pastor of my church recently made our congregation aware of something even more disturbing.  In a the spring 2009 issue of Knowing and Doing, cited a major study conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life on religious affiliation, beliefs, and practices in the United States.  The study’s findings revealed that 70 percent of all Americans believe that many religions can lead to eternal life.  On its own, this finding would not be surprising in the context of our post modernistic society.  However, the study also revealed that 65 percent of all self-identifying Christians believe in multiple paths to eternal life.  (9)   

This is in direct opposition to Jesus statement that He is the only way to salvation and eternal life (John 14:6-7).  Therefore, for a professed believer in Jesus Christ as savior to claim there are many ways to salvation and eternal life is to say that Jesus statement in John 14:6-7 is untrue.  If Jesus statement is untrue, Jesus lied and if Jesus lied, he is not without sin and therefore disqualified from being the sinless Lamb of God.  Fortunately, for us all, Jesus claim is totally true. 

What is disturbing about this finding is that it illustrates how many Christians have compromised their faith by accepting other ways to salvation.  Perhaps these people see other well-meaning people who have morals and have difficulty believing that a loving God would condemn them to death for not accepting Jesus as their Messiah.  However, the belief in other paths to salvation is a slap in the face of God who gave the world his only Son as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of fallen humanity.  I urge anyone reading this that has fallen for this Balaamic and Nicolaitianic type compromise to search scripture and realize that Jesus Christ is the only path to salvation and eternal life. 

It is great that the Church takes a stand politically and socially against issues like abortion and gay marriage but like the Church in Pergamum, let us not compromise on the foundational belief that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation for the only answer our lost and dying world has to its problems is Jesus Christ. 

1. The 700 Club. The Seat of Satan: Ancient Pergamum. www1.cbn.com. [Online] CBN. [Cited: October 11, 2015.] www1.cbn.com/700club/seat-satan-ancient-pergamum.

2. Got Questions.org. What was Jesus' Message to the Church in Pergamum in Revelation. www.gotquestions.org. [Online] Got Questions.org. [Cited: October 11, 2015.] www.gotquestions.org/church-in-Pergamum.html.

3. Biblegateway. The Message to Pergamum. www.biblegateway.com. [Online] Biblegateway.com. [Cited: October 11, 2015.] https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/rev/Message-Pergamum.

4. Biblestudytools.com. Nicolaitans. www.biblestudytools.com. [Online] Biblestudytools.com. [Cited: October 11, 2015.] www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/revelation/related-topics/nicolaitans.html.

5. Smith, Samuel. Oregon christian Bakers Ordered to Pay $135K After Refusing to Work Gay Wedding; Told to Stop Speaking About 'ObeyGod, Not Man'. www.christianpost.com. [Online] The Christian Post, July 3, 2015. [Cited: August 26, 2015.] www.christianpost.com/news/oregon-christian-bakers-ordered-to-pay-135k-after-refusing-to-work-gay-wedding-told-to-stop-speaking-about-obeying-god-now-man-141137/.

6. AP. Kentucky Clerk in Gay Marriage Case Ordered to Jail. www.6abc.com. [Online] ABC 6, September 3, 2015. [Cited: September 7, 2015.] www.6abc.com/news/kentucky-clerk-in-gay-marriage-case-ordered-to-jail/968407.

7. The U.S. National Archives & Records Administration. The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription. www.archives.gov. [Online] [Cited: August 6, 2013.] http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/print_friendly.html?page=constitution_transcript_content.html&title=The%20Constitution%20of%20the%20United%20States%3A%20A%20Transcription.

8. Patterson, Tom. Patterson: Hobby Lobby decision a narrow win for liberty. www.eastvalleytribune.com. [Online] East Valley Tribune, July 11, 2014. [Cited: July 11, 2014.] http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/columns/east_valley_voices/article_b1c88b88-0892-11e4-b2c7-0019bb2963f4.html.

9. Ph.D., Dennis P. Hollinger. Is Jesus Really the Only Way to God. Knowing & Doing. 2009,Spring 2009.

Political Correctness, Fear, and Faith

By:  Dale Weckbacher

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

NKJV

Fear does not come from God but is a powerful tool used by Satan to paralyze the people of God, making them ineffective in their calling to spread the Gospel and stand courageously for godly values.  It was fear that caused Gibeon to thresh his wheat in the winepress in order to hide it from the Midianites prompting God to send an angel to remind him the Lord was with him (Judges 6:11-12).  Fear caused Peter to deny Jesus in his time of greatest need (Matthew 26:69-75).  Jesus even prophesized that in the last days, men’s hearts would fail them with fear of what they see coming on the earth (Luke 21:26).

Faith, however, is the opposite of fear.  Once Gibeon heard from the angel that the Lord was with him, he was able to defeat the Midianites with a small army of 300 men (Judges 7:1-25, Judges 8:1-21).  It was faith in the mercy of God that prompted Peter to seek forgiveness for his denial of Jesus instead of hanging himself as Judas did (Matthew 26:25, Matthew 27:3-5).  It is faith in God that will dispel fear of the future in our world today for God’s Word reminds us that in the end, our God reigns. 

The crafters of the U.S. Constitution envisioned a government with power separated between three co-equal branches of government.  They believed this was the best way of dispelling their fear of the United States becoming a tyrannical monarchy like the one they fought with to gain their independence.  Unfortunately, in spite of their Constitutional restraints on power, we are beginning to see a blurring of Constitutional separation of powers and are seeing the United States slide down the slippery slope to tyranny.

Political correctness has contributed to this slide towards tyranny for because of political correctness we are seeing.

1)      Cowardly leadership in the legislative and judicial branches of government out of fear of being branded a racist because they disagree with the policies of Barak Obama.  These cowards talk tough on the campaign trail, promising to rescind the failed policies of liberals and progressives but when it comes to taking action once in office, they cower in the corner when called racist.

2)      Cowardly leadership in the House of Representatives, the branch of government that controls spending, refusing to defund Obamacare, Obama’s unconstitutional amnesty, and the use of taxpayer money to fund the butchery on unborn babies at Planned Parenthood.  They fear being accused of shutting the government down because of the almost certain veto of any spending bill not funding these items.  This totally ignores the fact that by passing a spending bill, the legislature is funding the government keeping it open and it would be Obama’s veto that would shut down the government.

3)      Churches compromising on the truths of God’s Word on marriage by ordaining gay pastors and bishops instead of standing strong on the truths of God’s Word.  Leadership in these churches most likely believes that softening their stance on these issues will make them appear more open and cause more people to come to their churches.  However, the numbers indicate that the only church denominations not shrinking in membership are those uncompromisingly standing upon the truths of God’s Word.  (1) (2)

Government leaders and church leaders succumbing to political correctness are in essence, giving in to fear which, as we know from 2 Timothy1:7 does not originate from God.  People are yearning for fearless and courageous government and church leaders.  This explains the surging of outsider or insurgent candidates for President of the United States as people see these candidates as leaders not enslaved by fear of not being politically correct.  As far back as 2011, Dr. David Hill, writing in The Hill observed the desire of voters to vote for “the opposite of what has most recently failed them.”  (3)  It appears that in this election cycle voters are seeing what they desire in the insurgent candidates of Donald Trump, Dr. Ben Carson, and Carly Fiorina.  We can even include Senator Ted Cruz in this group due to his courage in going against the establishment in the Senate and his own political party.

Church members are also tired of religious leaders more interested in compromise in order to increase membership and prevent themselves from being viewed as closed-minded.  Instead, those of us who have accepted Jesus as our Savior are hungry to hear and learn from the Word of God.  If that makes us closed minded, so be it for the desire of those following Jesus Christ is to have our minds transformed by the Word of God and not conformity to this worlds system (Romans 12:2).  There is no room in this transformational process for fear of not being politically correct. 

Let us not give in to the godless fear of not being politically correct and instead put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians6:10-20) to do spiritual battle in these times.  A lost and dying world is seeking men and women of faith who will not succumb to fear.  Will you join me in being one of these men and women of faith? 

1. Pew Research Center. America’s Changing Religious Landscape. www.pewforum.org. [Online] Pew Research Center, May 12, 2015. [Cited: May 17, 2015.] http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/.

2. Limbaugh, Rush. Pew Poll on Religion Shows the Power Christians Could Still Have in This Country -- If They Used It . www.rushlimbaugh.com. [Online] EIB Network, May 12, 2015. [Cited: May 17, 2015.] http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2015/05/12/pew_poll_on_religion_shows_the_power_christians_could_still_have_in_this_country_if_they_used_it.

3. Hill, Dr. David. Door is Open for Insurgent Candidates. www.thehill.com. [Online] The Hill, December 14, 2011. [Cited: October 9, 2015.] http://thehill.com/opinion/columnists/david-hill/199231-door-is-open-for-insurgent-candidates.

Smyrna, The Persecuted Church

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Romans 8:16-18

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

NKJV

Ancient Smyrna was a vibrant city on the western coast of Asia Minor located on a gulf reaching 30 miles inland.  In addition, Smyrna is located at the head of one of the chief highways to the interior, making it a great trading center and the chief port for export trade.  During Roman times, Smyrna was considered the most brilliant city of Asia Minor, successfully rivaling Pergamos and Ephesus.  (1)

With its strategic location, Smyrna was a rich city.  It is unknown how Christianity reached Smyrna but it most likely came because of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus.  Even though the city was rich, it appears the Christians in Smyrna did not share in these riches but had their own riches in the Lord (Revelation2:9).  (2)

There was a group of Jews in Smyrna known as etenic Jews.  They consisted of a group of Jews that refused to accept Jesus as Messiah.  By the end of the first century Christians, even Gentile Christians regarded themselves as Jews and actual etenic Jews as not Jews at all.  (2)  The hostility of the etenic Jews towards Christians escalated to the point of the martyring of Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna, in 156 AD without the sanction of the Roman Government.  (1)  (2)  This is most likely why the message to the church at Smyrna includes a message not to fear any of the things they were about to suffer (Revelation 2:10). 

As a reward for suffering persecution, God promises the Church at Smyrna the crown of life along with a promise to all churches that he who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.  The first death is death of our physical bodies, something we cannot avoid but in Christ it does lose its sting (1 Corinthians 15:54-58).  The second death, however, is something we can avoid and we should make it our life’s goal to avoid it for it is eternal separation from God (Matthew 25:46, Revelation 20:11-14).  (3)

There is absolutely no need for anyone reading this to experience the second death for God’s gift of salvation is available to all for free (Ephesians 2:8).  To escape the second death, please take a moment and pray this prayer with me now,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Persecution of Christians did not stop with the Church at Smyrna and continues today.  We should continue to pray for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who profess their faith under penalty of death.  Pray that they will have the courage of the Church of Smyrna remaining faithful until death and receive the crown of life just as those in Smyrna did.  In the United States, Christians have been able to escape persecution and martyrdom mostly due to the Constitutional protection of the First Amendment.  However, we are beginning to see that protection erode. 

I believe the erosion of this protection began with the removal of prayer in schools in 1962.  (4)  Since public schools are government property, a majority of justices on the Supreme Court ruled that having students pray in public violated the “separation of church and state.”  I put this phrase in quotes for in reality there is no constitutional mention of such a separation.  The phrase came about from a letter written by President Jefferson to the Danbury Baptists in order to calm their fears that the government might someday attempt to regulate religious expression.  (5) 

Ironically, since Jefferson coined the phrase, the idea of a separation of Church and State has changed from the government not intruding upon the free practice of religion to the prohibiting of churches from citing their religious values in the political arena.  This is not only evidenced by the removal of public prayer in schools but most recently we have seen this evidenced by businesses being fined for refusing to perform services, i.e. baking a wedding cake for a same sex couple.  (6) 

Similar to the Church in Smyrna, we are beginning to see a form of persecution in the United States that deprives Christians of the right to participate in the riches and opportunities the nation has to offer.  Not only is this evidenced by the bakers in Oregon being fined and losing their business, (6) we have also seen the CEO of a corporation lose his position simply because he contributed his own money to a California referendum defining marriage as between a man and woman.  (7)  How soon will it be before we see acceptance of gay marriage as a requirement of employment, or worse yet, churches threatened with loss of their tax-exempt status if they fail to perform same sex weddings. 

I pray that this persecution does not escalate to Christians losing their lives because of their faith as happened in Smyrna.  However, Christians should follow the example of Smyrna and fearlessly practice their faith, knowing we will receive the crown of life for our steadfastness. 

Many in our world live their lives today full of fear.  They fear the next terrorist attack.  They fear an economic collapse.  They fear losing their jobs.  Without Jesus Christ in their lives, they have nothing to place their hope in and live in danger of suffering the second death. 

What these fearful people need to see is Christians who fearlessly stand strong knowing Jesus is coming back soon to straighten everything out.  That is why it has never been more important for us as Christians to pray, study the Bible, and live our lives courageously for Christ.  Jesus commanded us to let our light shine before men so that they could see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).  Will you join me in courageously letting God’s light shine through you?

1. biblestudytools.com. Smyrna. www.biblestudytools.com. [Online] BibleStudyTools. [Cited: September 30, 2015.] www.biblestudytools.com/encyclopedias/isbe/smyrna.html.

2. BibleGateway. The Message to Smyrna. www.biblegateway.com. [Online] BibleGateway. [Cited: September 30, 2015.] https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Rev/Message-Smyrna.

3. Quinn, Jon W. "You Will Not Be Harmed By The Second Death" "I will Give You the Crown of Life". www.bible.ca. [Online] The Expository Files, February 2011. [Cited: September 30, 2015.] www.bible.ca/ef/expository-revelation-2-11.htm.

4. United States Courts. Facts and Case Summary - Engel v. Vitale. www.uscourts.gov. [Online] United States Courts. [Cited: September 30, 2015.] www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/educational-activities/facts-and-case-summary-engel-v-vitale.

5. Barton, David. The Separation of Church and State. www.wallbuilders.com. [Online] Wall Builders, January 2001. [Cited: September 30, 2015.] www.wallbuilders.com/libissuesarticles.asp?id=123.

6. Smith, Samuel. Oregon christian Bakers Ordered to Pay $135K After Refusing to Work Gay Wedding; Told to Stop Speaking About 'ObeyGod, Not Man'. www.christianpost.com. [Online] The Christian Post, July 3, 2015. [Cited: August 26, 2015.] www.christianpost.com/news/oregon-christian-bakers-ordered-to-pay-135k-after-refusing-to-work-gay-wedding-told-to-stop-speaking-about-obeying-god-now-man-141137/.

7. Hannity, Sean. Was Mozilla CEO Ousted For Stance on Gay Marriage. nation.fox.com. [Online] Fox News, April 8, 2014. [Cited: August 26, 2015.] http://nation.foxnews.com/2014/04/08/was-mozilla-ceo-ousted-stance-gay-marriage.

Be Strong and Courageous

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Joshua 1:7

Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.

NKJV

Moses has died and the people of Israel are on the brink if entering into the Promised Land.  They have been wandering in the wilderness for 40 years and with the rebellious generation gone except for Joshua and Caleb, there must have been a great feeling of anticipation among the people.  However, for Joshua, there must have also been great fear for Moses left giant shoes for Joshua to fill hence, God’s words of encouragement to Joshua.

Fast forward a few thousand years and we see Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane uttering the following words. 

Matthew 26:35

He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."

NKJV

Jesus too finds Himself on the brink of leading humanity into the Promised Land of salvation through his brutal death burial and resurrection on the cross.  Jesus death for us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8) demonstrates his love for us as well as great courage.  The disciples also demonstrated great courage by not renouncing their faith when facing death, something many continue to face today. 

The source of courage for each of these individuals is their faith in an all-powerful God through which we can do all things (Philippians4:13).  In the challenging times the people of God find themselves in today, we must tap into this source of courage.  In other words, we as the children of God must connect with our God through prayer and His Word as well as connecting with each other. 

I, like most of you reading this, have a busy life.  As such, it is sometimes difficult to find time to pray and study God’s Word.  However, I find it interesting that no matter how busy our lives become, we always seem to find time to eat and nourish our bodies.  Deuteronomy 8:3 reminds us that we do not live by just bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.  In other words, without feeding on the Word of God, we do not have full nutrition in our lives and become malnourished.  So important is this aspect of our nourishment that Jesus, after spending 40 days fasting, used this passage of scripture against Satan (Matthew 4:4, Luke 4:4). 

Here are some tips I have found useful in making daily Bible Study and prayer a part of my life

1)      Set aside a time and place to be with God.  This does not need to be hours of time for even 15 to 20 minutes a day in the Word praying with our Creator can accomplish great things in our lives.  Make sure your place is a quiet place free from distractions, enabling you to focus on God and His Word.  I also find that listening to quiet worship music is helpful.

2)      Continue the conversation with God throughout the day.  God lives in us through the Holy Spirit and as such never leaves us.  I am not calling on us to speak aloud with God throughout the day for that would look weird and may even end up with someone trying to commit you.  What I am talking about is carrying on a conversation with God in our hearts.  Not only does this continual conversation bring peace and comfort in our hearts but also pleases God who wants to hear from His children.

3)      Make praying and speaking the Word of God your initial reflex action when trouble comes.  As we read about the temptation of Christ, we see that each time Satan attacked Jesus, he quoted Scripture to stop the attack (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12,13, Luke 4:1-13).  We can only develop this reflex action of prayer and quoting scripture as we study the Word and make prayer a continual habit.  As a young person, I used to play sports.  My two favorite sports to play were basketball and baseball.  In order to excel at these sports, I would spend time practicing to hone my skills.  Studying the Word and praying are how we hone our spiritual skills, preparing us for spiritual warfare. 

Another example of courageous faith is the students murdered at the community college in Oregon.  We now know that the shooter murdered these people after telling the shooter they were Christians.  Some may say they should have remained silent or answered no but that is not what courageous faith is all about.  Jesus could have refused to go to the cross but did not for had He done so, we could not have salvation from our sins. 

We all hope we will never be faced with having to be martyred for our faith.  However, if the question comes up, I for one will answer yes and if it means my premature death, I will be with the Lord. 

These are challenging times for us as Christians but they are not too much for our God.  As we hone our spiritual skills by connecting with God through prayer and His Word, as well as connecting with other believers, we will become prepared for any and all attacks Satan may throw at us. 

We need strong and courageous people in these challenging times.  We must have courageous men and woman like Joshua full of courage from their faith in God who look at the challenges ahead and know that their God can do all things and will lead them to victory.  The question is will we answer the challenge.

The Actively Militant but Loveless Church

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Revelation 2:2-3

2 "I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;  3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary.

NKJV

The first church addressed by John in the Book of Revelation is the Church at Ephesus.  Paul addressed this same church in the Book of Ephesians.  In Paul’s letter to this church he told them to put on the whole armor of God because our enemy is not a flesh and blood enemy but the spiritual hosts of wickedness (Ephesians6:12-13). 

As the site of the ancient Temple of Artemis, (1) life for Christians in Ephesus was not easy.  Acts 19 records Paul’s trip to Ephesus.  Upon arriving in Ephesus Paul met some disciples and discovered the Holy Spirit had not yet baptized them.  Perhaps familiar with the pagan worship in the city Paul knew they would need the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to effectively minister. 

After the believers in the city received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Paul began to teach.  Paul's teaching began first at the synagogue for three months but when he encountered resistance, he withdrew the disciples to the school of Tyrannus and continued teaching there for two years.  During this period, God performed many miracles of healing and cast out demons. 

However, this presented a threat to those profiting from the worship of Artemis.  This threat prompted Demetrius, a silversmith who profited greatly from the worship of Artemis to stir up others profiting from pagan worship and a riot ensued (Acts19:28).  No doubt, this animosity between the Christians in the city and those profiting from the worship of Artemis continued and is why Paul taught them to put on the full armor of God to battle the spiritual powers behind the pagan worship of Artemis in the city. 

In the Book of Revelation, John commends this church for their stand against the evil of their city but he also has something against them.  They may have been a strong militant church when it came to spiritual warfare but they were also a loveless church that had left its first love, Jesus Christ. 

The church today also finds itself in the middle of a spiritual battle.  We may not be battling a pagan religion worshiping a pagan god but we are battling the ungodly philosophy of post-modernism that does not adhere to any absolute truth such as the Word of God.  (2)  Secular society’s adherence to this ungodly philosophy has led to the acceptance as normal sinful lifestyles like gay marriage and sins like abortion.  Like Christians in Ephesus, Christians today face persecution such as loss of their business or job because of their beliefs.  It has also led to the acceptance of the barbarian harvesting of organs from living babies in the interest of medical research.  Like the Ephesian church, today’s church must stand strong against these ungodly practices but we must also heed God’s warning and not abandon our first love Jesus Christ.

In our busy society, it is easy to get so busy we neglect daily devotional time with our Lord.  As persecution of Christians in our society increases, as I believe it will, we must maintain a strong connection with our Lord and fellow believers in order to remain strong.  We as believers must,

1)      Be baptized with the Holy Spirit.  Just as Jesus warned his disciples to wait for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit prior to beginning their ministries (Acts 1:4), we too need this empowerment to battle the spiritual battles facing us today.

2)      Spend time daily with the Lord in prayer and study of the Bible.  God speaks to us through His Word, the Bible.  As our first love, we should have a desire to hear from our Lord.  If Jesus is our first love, we should also want to hear from Him daily and not just once or twice a week at church.  Prayer is how we speak to God.  God loved us so much that he sent His Son to save us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8).  Just as our love for God should cause us to want to hear from Him, God also wants to hear from us.

3)      Gather regularly with other believers.  When we experience persecution, we begin to feel isolated, thinking we are the only ones experiencing this persecution.  However, as we gather with other believers, we will discover that we all suffer some form or persecution for our beliefs.  Gathering together to worship and study the Word allows God to strengthen us and when we gather together and pray for each other, we strengthen each other. 

Let us learn from the church in Ephesus and become a strong militant church that is connected and empowered by its first love, Jesus Christ. 

Next Saturday, we will look at God’s message to the Church at Smyrna. 

1. Starkweather, Helen. Exploring Ancient Ephesus. www.smithsonianmag.com. [Online] Smithsonian.com, January 2008. [Cited: September 25, 2015.] www.smithsonianmag.com/lifelists/exploring-ancient-ephesus-11753958/.

2. PhD., Louis Hoffman.  Premodernism, Modernism, & Postmodernism:. www.postmodernpsychology.com. [Online] [Cited: September 7, 2013.] http://www.postmodernpsychology.com/Philosophical_Systems/Overview.htm.