Revelation 2 consists of Jesus giving messages to specific churches and telling them what they were doing well, and what was going wrong.
“I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 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” (Revelation 2:3-5).
Here Jesus is encouraging the church in Ephesus, as well as warning them of some of the pitfalls that their church has fallen into. This is encouraging to me because it shows that Jesus knows what struggles everyone is going through, and he knows what they are doing well as well as where they are going wrong. Just because I’m doing well in some areas doesn’t mean that Jesus just overlooks everywhere where I am failing. Jesus understands what my struggles and strengths are, and he wants me to improve in my weak areas so that I can more fully serve him. John reminds me of Jesus’s greatness and goodness.
“He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:1-4).
These verses are encouraging to me because of the reassurance they provide. Jesus made all things, and the darkness will not overcome his light.
Dear God, thank You for everything that You have blessed me with. Please help me to improve in all the ways in which I am weak, so that I can fully serve You with all my heart. Please help me to remember that Your Word says that You created all things, and that nothing was made without You. In Jesus’s holy name I pray. Amen
Asher (AsherB)
Sixty-six books in a year 