“I know your works, your labor your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil.  And you have tested those who say there are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; “and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.  “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.  “Remember therefore from where you have fallen: repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lamp stand from its place-unless you repent.  “But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolai tans, which I also hate.  “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and Last, who was dead, and came to life:  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  “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer.  Indeed the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days.  Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.  “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”‘  Revelation 2:2-11

Do you look away when faced with this irrefutably clear message from the Lord Jesus to the churches?  Does this apply to you or was He speaking to someone else?  Are you testing all the prophets, pastors, priests and teachers with regard to the soundness of their doctrine?  Are your ears being tickled?  Are you ready to preach the Word in and out of season.  The evidence is overwhelming, substantial and present pointing to the need for repentance and prayer in advance of the Great Day of Our Lord.  Are you prepared?  If not are you asking those who are for guidance/assistance?  If not isn’t this cause for trauma?

So tired of Christian counter-intelligence sponsored by the prince of this world and readily accepted by all those who desperately want to escape God’s judgment through other means than surrender to the Lord Jesus.  Pushers are not solely responsible for wide dispersion of narcotics throughout our society we the consumers are equally at cause.  Absent takers the marketers fail.  We have been warned of those who will pray upon despair, naivete and slothfulness, offering candy coated sin yet we go out of our way to saunter through enemy territory.  We must quit looking for the easy road, gazing upon the unrighteous with envy or listening to honey tongued false-teachers and stay on the path to life.

Lord I commend my life to your hands. Let me not stray from Your path for a moment.  Remove from me any curiosity for sin.  Let me be mindful that there will always be enticements in this world and that I must keep myself Holy as You are Holy.  Let me reside in Your Spirit and think, reside and act in congruence with Your will, in righteousness.  Save me again this day King Jesus, for without you I am surely conquered.  Amen.