God's Word for Me Today
Friday, January 4, 2002
Unwrapping a Christ-Centered Christmas!
A note about online study
Introduction to God's Word for Me Today
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, thank You for another day of life in which to offer You praise and thanksgiving. I praise You for who You are, for Your grace and faithfulness. I thank You for all You do, and most of all for sending Jesus to bring me salvation. I ask You to forgive my sins, and to restore me to the joy of Your salvation. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. God release Your Holy Spirit in me that I may submit to Your will and Your ways in every thought, word and action of life. Use me this day to be an agent for the advancing of Your kingdom, may it come here on earth as in it is in heaven. These things I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God's Word for Me Today: Revelation 2:12-17
12 "Write this letter to the angel of the church in Pergamum. This is the message from the one who has a sharp two-edged sword: 13 "I know that you live in the city where that great throne of Satan is located, and yet you have remained loyal to me. And you refused to deny me even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was martyred among you by Satan's followers. 14 And yet I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you who are like Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to worship idols by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin. 15 In the same way, you have some Nicolaitans among you – people who follow the same teaching and commit the same sins. 16 Repent, or I will come to you suddenly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 "Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Everyone who is victorious will eat of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.
Questions for Reflection
If Jesus sent you a letter today, what do you think it would say?
What influence does Satan have in our world today? Where is his influence the most prominent?
How do you picture Jesus when you think of what He looks like?
Questions for Exploration
When Jesus wrote to the church at Pergamum, what were the things they did right? (2:12-13)
What were the things they did wrong? (2:14-16)
What will be the ultimate reward if the people are faithful? (2:17)
Questions for Understanding
What is the reason for Jesus’ message to the church at Pergamum?
What is the main point of this text?
Questions for Application
Jesus wrote “letters” to seven churches through John in the Book of Revelation. Each was to affirm or rebuke (or both) a church for its actions. Think of someone to whom you ought to write a letter of affirmation for their role in your development as a Christian—Take time and write the letter TODAY!
What one practice do you need to repent of today?
The One with the Two-Edged Sword!
The Book of Revelation portrays Jesus in many ways: as the Lamb of God, as the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega, and so on. In the each of the letters to the seven churches found in Revelation 2 and 3, some characteristic of Jesus is emphasized. In the letter to Pergamum, Jesus is seen as the one who has the sharp-two edged sword. It is pictured as coming out of Jesus’ mouth. While this offers a strange image of Jesus, it reveals a vital reality. Jesus is the Word of God—in the flesh, and he speaks the Word of God out of His mouth. In Ephesians 6, when the apostle Paul tells us to put on the whole armor of God, there is only one offensive weapon in the armor—the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. In Hebrews 12:4 we’re told that the Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword, that it separates joint from marrow and soul from spirit. The frequency with which the image of the two-edged sword is used for the Word of God, shows us how vital it is for us to be armed with God’s Word. We must not only read the Bible, and memorize it, but have it become part of us. Just as Jesus’ “sword” comes from His mouth, so we are called to have the Word of God come from our mouths. We are just to be “Bible-thumpers” always quoting Scripture, but we are to be “salt” and “light”. We are always to be ready to give an account of the faith that lies within us. In other words, just as Jesus IS God’s word and speaks God’s word, we are to have Jesus live in us, and be able to speak God’s word to others. As we move into this New year, may we make the commitment to let the word of God dwell in us richly. May we be found faithful and true by those around us, and one day, when we face Him, by Jesus as well. May all that we are and all that we do bring honor to Jesus this day, this week, this year!
To view the studies for other days, visit the God's Word for Me Today calendar.