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Chapter 4 THE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST
(Rev 2:1-7 KJV) "Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; {2} I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: {3} And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. {4} Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. {5} Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. {6} But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. {7} He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."
To each church the Lord gives a revelation and through these examples we can understand what it is that God deals with in His church today. Although there are seven churches, these revelations are for the church at large today. Any one of these areas can be in any church. We need to pray for the Spirit to show us what is operating in our lives today. We do not know what is in our hearts unless we ask and then are willing to listen.
Verse 1 - We are going to get a revelation of Jesus Christ. The right hand represents “hand of authority." The authority of the church is given by Jesus! He is not just in heaven seated on the throne. He is walking among His church. Where two or three are gathered in His name, which means “where His authority is operating," He is with us. This is personal. He loves His church. Jesus is not out roaming the streets. He may not be able to get into all the church structures today, but He does have a church that is alive and operates by His authority, and that is where He is found.
Verse 2 - “I know” (this is revelation). Just because He doesn’t correct you immediately doesn’t mean He doesn’t know everything you are. What does He know? Your works! Everything you are doing daily. He knows how hard you work. He knows if you give your all when you take on a task. He knows if you are grumbling or complaining. He also knows when you feel you are being taken advantage of and you do not get recognition. HE KNOWS! He sees how patient or impatient you are. Patient endurance says, “When the test is on, I will not stop or give up.”
Verses 3 and 6 - The commendation is hard workers, unto weariness, with patience and suffering. Next He adds discernment. These know how to test evil vs. good with those who minister by the flesh instead of the Spirit. He includes false leaders and Nicolaitanes, which means heretics who gain victory over people. When people are drawn away from the church it is because they do not discern truth and do not discern the wolves. Nicolaitanes lived by faith alone (today = Antinomians). This belief says "Grace alone will get us through. I do not have to go through this suffering to be a Christian. I only have to live by faith alone.” That is a pretty strong belief system, but it isn't Scriptural. Jesus says the Ephesian church came to hate this doctrine. The Lord was commending them for this, BUT, He still had something against them.
Back to Verse.4 - How can you leave your first love and still do all these things? Why do we base our salvation on such things?
(Mat 7:22 KJV) "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful works?"
It is important to do your work and your job, to even do it diligently. But when you do it without Him, it is worthless. You will live a mechanical life. We should be able to sense when people are working for their own merit, because we will not see agape flowing. We will see them building their own kingdom and its fruit.
Verse 5 - We come back to our first love by remembering “From what heights you have fallen.” I used to hear this as “I have not fallen, I am restored.” But what He wants us to see is that in the beginning what man fell from was RELATIONSHIP! It is not a matter of whether we are backslidden. The question is, do we have relationship with Him like Adam did before the fall? Adam was on earth; the Father was a spirit who walked and talked with Adam in the cool of the day, which means “in His rest.” DO WE HAVE THAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP TODAY? Even where we have fallen from His presence, we think we are close to Him because of all that we have thus far done while serving Him. But have we entered into His rest with sweet fellowship?
To Whom was this written ? The Ephesians!
Eph 1:16-19 KJV) "Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; {17} That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: {18} (The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, {19} And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,"
Paul had prayed for this church to receive the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ and to receive the light so they would know the calling on their life, so they would know the inheritance that awaited them. They had the revelation of the power of God in their life. They had all the doctrinal truth, but they didn’t have relationship. There was nothing wrong with what they were doing. But the relationship was missing.
(Eph 2:9-10 KJV) "Not of works, lest any man should boast. {10} For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
They knew it was by free grace and not by works. We can have all this word and still not walk in it. We have more than they had and we are still learning what it means. They had been recreated in Christ Jesus. The new creation was coming forth. They were the temple where His presence dwelt.
(Eph 2:21-22 KJV) "In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: {22} In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."
(Eph 3:16-19 KJV) "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; {17} That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, {18} May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; {19} And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."
This is a prayer (verse 19b), not just knowledge -- “I know He loves me, I know I love Him.” Instead, it is experientially flowing in reality. There is an innate desire to be loved, but man cannot satisfy it. People will not satisfy the hunger. Immorality is out of control because people do not know this truth today. Christians cannot stay married today because they do not know this! You cannot find unconditional acceptance today, not even in the church - WHAT HAVE WE FALLEN FROM? Yes, we are saved and working for the kingdom, but what is our true relationship?
When we are in pain because we do not feel love, it is flesh! We are not in relationship. People do not want to stay in relationship with others today because they feel they lose their identity; they lose control of what they can do. But in relationship with Him, loss doesn’t matter anymore. It’s not what you do or do not do that makes you feel important. It's not what you do or get to do or are trained to do, (like the Nicolaitanes). It's relationship that comes through true agape love. There is a realm that only the spirit man can enter! And in that realm alone can you find true satisfaction. He is LIFE. Everything else is death and darkness.
The book of Ephesians is where we are today. The assumption is that they walked in this truth that is coming forth today in the church. But they didn’t. Revelation came later and said they didn’t get there! Unless you repent “I will remove my lampstand” I will not come to this church any longer. Do you see how deceived we are today in believing we can do whatever we want with no leadership and authority? [ Jesus does not "show up" when two or three people gather together and begin to pray using Jesus' name.] Not every one who says “Lord, Lord” has this relationship.
The day is over when you can come in to the church and praise the Lord and then go home and curse your family. That’s not relationship with Him. The day is over when we can go wherever we want without asking Him first and then come back to Him and think everything is alright.
Do you know what it means to stay in His agape today? Let Him deal with your heart and do whatever it takes to change you. It’s not enough to receive His love. I have to walk in it too, toward others. True Christ-like character comes forth when you walk with others.
(Rev 2:7 KJV) "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."
You will not eat of the tree of life until you do this. THAT IS ABUNDANT LIVING: (John 10:10 KJV) "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." |
Biblical Counseling for Leaders
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