Today, we’ll hear the last of the seven letters JESUS wrote to the churches in the book of Revelation: The final letter being addressed to the church of Laodicea. As Pastor Terry explains, this church became extremely wealthy and had allowed materialism to take the place of God in their lives. When JESUS spoke to them about their self-sufficiency, He used an analogy that the people would be familiar with. The water that flowed into their community was neither hot nor cold. JESUS made it clear that the church of Laodicea had become lukewarm in their relationship with God.

One of the greatest experiences a Christian will ever have is to be used by God to help lead someone to Christ. If we operate ministry HIs way, JESUS will open doors to others ready to accept Him in our communities. As Pastor Terry shares in today’s teaching, God wants to use men and women fully consecrated to Him to win others to Christ. The people of Philadelphia were faithful to God as a church, so doors were opened in ministry. For those who remain faithful, JESUS opens doors in the Kingdom nobody else can open and shuts doors nobody else can shut.

One of the most loving things we can ever do is offer loving words of correction. In JESUS’ letter to Sardis, we’ll hear the strong warning given to the sleeping people of this church. While Sardis was in sin, JESUS didn’t forsake or abandon it. As Pastor Terry explains in today’s teaching, every Christian must learn to depend on the Holy Spirit to be pleasing to JESUS and profitable in the Kingdom of God. JESUS promises white garments of righteousness to those who overcome in the power of the Holy Spirit. Neither will their names be removed from the book of life.

Compromise with sin is something JESUS will always deal with in the Church. While believers struggle to stay true to JESUS, He promises to reward those who keep Him first in their lives. The church of Thyatira was a hard working church living in a prosperous area. But as Pastor Terry explains, the believers in Thyatira were mingling the Name of Christ with the local brand of idolatry. While God patiently waits for us to repent of such practices, He WILL discipline those who ignore His warnings. In this letter, God clearly calls believers to keep compromise OUT of the church.

If JESUS were to write a letter to your church, what do you think He’d say? As we open up the longest of seven letters JESUS addressed to local churches, we hear HIS thoughts about this congregation. Thyatira was a small but industrious town. And while Christians in this city lived free from roman persecution, the city was filled with idolatrous commercial activity. On the outside, the church looked great! But as Pastor Terry explains in this teaching, compromise crept into the church through the sinful practices of local industry; inviting false doctrine into the church.

The problem of false doctrine is nothing new to the church. One of the letters JESUS wrote to the early church brings this to our attention. As Pastor Terry opens in today’s teaching, we’ll hear The Lord’s commendation for the faithfulness of these believers in the midst of severe persecution, followed by a call for repentance regarding the false teaching that infiltrated the church. As believers in Pergamos got away from the Word of God, their witness became weak. The Lord will not overlook the problem of false teaching working its way into our fellowship.

The only book a Christian will ever need is the Bible. In today’s lesson with Pastor Terry, we’ll open up to a letter JESUS wrote to the church of Pergamos. The Lord’s commended them for their faithfulness and good works in the midst of severe persecution. Yet because these believers were under the influence of false teachers that infiltrated the church, JESUS called them to repentance. While the church in Pergamos stood firm against external threats and persecution, their acceptance of false prophets and their teachings corrupted their relationship with JESUS.

The vitality of a church can often be measured by the outworking of the supernatural activity of the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, church services go on year after year without the help of the Holy Spirit. Without Him, the church falls asleep. As Pastor Terry opens in today’s study, we’ll hear what JESUS had to say to the church in Sardis. This church was in trouble. There were no words of commendation from JESUS for this local congregation. While outward religious practices continued, the church of Sardis was inwardly dead. Bodies were moving but their heart wasn’t in it.

The genuineness of our faith is revealed by way we love other people. In His letter to the church of Philadelphia, JESUS expressed His pleasure in them because of their brotherly love. As Pastor Terry teaches, we’re reminded to remain strong, true, and faithful to JESUS. In doing so, an open door is set before the church for the ministry of the gospel. In all that we do as God’s people, we must always stay true to the fundamentals of the faith in the Word of God. It is our strongest witness and will bring many open doors for the furtherance of the gospel in the Kingdom of God.

There were no words of rebuke necessary for the church of Smyrna. As JESUS wrote to these believers who were being crushed for their faithfulness, the fragrance of their suffering filled the nostrils of JESUS. In today’s teaching, Pastor Terry helps us to understand the place of suffering in our relationship with Christ. JESUS knew best what it meant to suffer for the gospel. The fruitfulness that comes from suffering cannot be substituted. If we suffer for staying faithful to JESUS, we will not only be comforted by the Lord Himself, but we’ll be rewarded for all eternity.