Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 2 and 3 refers to the seven sprinklings of blood before the Ark of the Covenant. It is the last sanctification done by God to the seven churches of the Gentiles or the ones on the last days to be without blemish, but as perfect as Jesus or becomes the Bride of God.
We are learning the second church, namely the church of Smyrna.
Revelation 2:9
2:9 "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
They are in poverty, tribulation, and being slandered. It means the experience of cross or suffering together with Jesus.
1 Peter 2:19
2:19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.
God lets us experience the cross to make us receive the gracethat costs the sacrifice of Christ.
2 Timothy 2:1
2:1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the gracethat is in Christ Jesus.
The grace of God gives us extra power as follows.
There are three kinds of power of God’s grace as follows.
God blesses you.
Revelation 2 and 3 refers to the seven sprinklings of blood before the Ark of the Covenant. It is the last sanctification done by God to the seven churches of the Gentiles or the ones on the last days to be without blemish, but as perfect as Jesus or becomes the Bride of God.
We are learning the second church, namely the church of Smyrna.
Revelation 2:9
2:9 "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
They are in poverty, tribulation, and being slandered. It means the experience of cross or suffering together with Jesus.
1 Peter 2:19
2:19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.
God lets us experience the cross to make us receive the gracethat costs the sacrifice of Christ.
2 Timothy 2:1
2:1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the gracethat is in Christ Jesus.
The grace of God gives us extra power as follows.
- To make us able to face the hindrance or threat so that we are not defeated and destroyed.
- To keep on following and ministering to God until the end line, namely we pass away or Jesus comes a second time.
- To make us able to wait for and welcome Jesus’ second coming on the glorious clouds.
There are three kinds of power of God’s grace as follows.
- The power of a soldier.
2 Timothy 2:3-4
2:3You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldierof Jesus Christ.
2:4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.- For suffering because of doing the will of the commander.
It means the power to be obedientto the true teaching Word although it is not in line with the will of the flesh.
Philippians 2:8-9
2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
2:9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
Jesus is obedient to the will of the Father until He dies on the cross and receives the power of the name which is above every name or the power of victory over the trinity of Satan.
Obedience means victory and success. Disobedience means defeat and failure. - The power to fight.
It means the power to keep faithful and fervent in spiritin doing the service and ministry to God without being hindered by anything.
Revelation 17:14
17:14 "These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."
Faithfulness means victory. Unfaithfulness means defeat.
As a result, we do not worry of our daily and future life because the Lord has provided all our needs abundantly and we can give thanks to God. He gives us peace and quietness. All things become easy and light.
Revelation 3:8
3:8 "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
The Lord is able to open the doors for us and give the solution of all problems. The impossible can be made possible. He opens the door of beautiful future, the marriage supper of the Lamb, paradise, and New Jerusalem. - For suffering because of doing the will of the commander.
- The power of an athlete.
2 Timothy 2:5
2:5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
It is the power to obey the rule or be in the true consecration.
Matthew 7:22-23
7:22 "Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
7:23 "And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
If the service and ministry are not in line with God’s will, He will reject it.
The requirements of the true consecration are as follows.- A priest must be in the sanctuary or the Holy Place of Tabernacle.
Leviticus 21:12
21:12 'nor shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.
It refers to the shepherding pen or perseverance in doing three main services as follows.- Golden Candlestick or perseverance in doing General Service to have fellowship with Holy Spirit God in the gifts.
- Table of Showbread or perseverance in doing Bible Study Service with Holy Communion to have fellowship with the Son of God in the true teaching Word and Christ’s sacrifice.
- Golden Altar of Incense or perseverance in doing Prayer Service to have fellowship with Father God in His love.
Hebrews 12:1
12:1 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 endurancethe race that is set before us,
Our body, soul, and spirit are sanctified by the trinity of God from these two things.- The weight of sin, namely the sins that have been thought, said, and done up to the peak in the sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage. We must lay aside it by confessing it to God and others honestly when the sword of the Word shows us our sins. After being forgiven, we must not do it again. We must forgive and forget the sins of others.
- The sin which so easily ensnares us.
The snare of sin may happen through the false teachings, evil sins or the will to be rich and uncleanness or the sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage.
12:2 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.
If we are set free from the weight and snare of sin, our eye can look Jesus, the High Priest who sits at the right hand of Father God.
Leviticus 21:12
21:12 'nor shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oilof his God is upon him: I am the LORD.
If we are sanctified in the shepherding pen, we will be anointed by Holy Spirit.
The anointing of Holy Spirit gives us the gifts or the miraculous ability to enable us to minister to God.
Ephesians 4:11-12
4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
We are given the ministry and used for building the body of Christ.
The gifts and ministry are the same as the tunic of many colors. Our life is made more beautiful by God. We have the beautiful future life. - Golden Candlestick or perseverance in doing General Service to have fellowship with Holy Spirit God in the gifts.
- We must fight until the end.
2 Timothy 4:7-8
4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
4:8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
It means that we must be faithful in the service and ministry until the end, namely we pass away or Jesus comes a second time. As a result, we get the crown of righteousness or the one of the Bride to be worthy of welcoming Jesus’ second coming.
- A priest must be in the sanctuary or the Holy Place of Tabernacle.
- The power of a farmer.
2 Timothy 2:6
2:6 The hard–working farmer must be first to partake of the crops.
James 5:7-8, 11
5:7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.
5:8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
5:11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord––that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
It means being strong and of good courage to be patient and persevere in these things.- Facing the suffering when Jesus will come a second time or the atmosphere of Gethsemane (the time before the persecution of the antichrist happens), namely crisis in all aspects of life, hatred without any cause, false teachings, and sins up to the peak that is sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage.
We do not murmur, but always give thanks. We do neither deny the Lord nor sin, but keep on living in righteousness. We do not leave the ministry, but keep on following and ministering to God until Jesus comes a second time. - Waiting for God’s time.
John 7:6
7:6 Then Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.
The time of God has not yet come means that if God has not helped us yet in our problem or suffering, it means that He is still busy to correct our life that has many infirmities so that we can please Him.
Our time is always ready means that we have the time to fully surrender and entrust our life to God and worship Him.
For example, God permitted Job to get total test and suffering to make Him sit in dust and ashes.
Job 42:5-6
42:5 "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You.
42:6 Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes."
Confessing that we are only clay means that we confess our unworthiness because of many faults we have, powerlessness, and despicable life for we are not precious, but we only rely on the grace of God. We also pull out our false saying. We are silent much more to correct ourselves. We only worship God, saying “Alleluia.”
We worship God with the voice of the bride in resurrection experience when we are in success.
Song of Solomon 2:14
2:14 "O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret places of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely."
We keep on worshiping God with the voice of the bride in death experience in the suffering.
Nahum 2:7
2:7 It is decreed: She shall be led away captive, She shall be brought up; And her maidservants shall lead her as with the voice of doves, Beating their breasts.
As a result, the merciful hand of God, the Creator, is stretched out to us as follows.- Healing us doubly in our physical and spiritual life.
- Forming the clay to be the vessel of glory used by God for His glory.
- Creating us to be as glorious as Jesus is.
Galatians 5:22-23
5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
5:23 gentleness, self–control. Against such there is no law.
Love, joy, and peace are the image of Father God.
Longsuffering, kindness, goodness are the image of the Son of God. Faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are the image of Holy Spirit God.
- Facing the suffering when Jesus will come a second time or the atmosphere of Gethsemane (the time before the persecution of the antichrist happens), namely crisis in all aspects of life, hatred without any cause, false teachings, and sins up to the peak that is sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage.
God blesses you.