Don't Allow Yourself To Be Led Astray

"To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:  These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.  I know where you live - where Satan has his throne.  Yet you remain true to my name.  You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city - where Satan lives.  Nevertheless, I have a few things against you:  You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.  Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.  Repent therefore!  Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna.  I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it known only to him who receives it.
Revelation 2:12-17 NIV

When I was young I had to move to a number of different schools because we moved around a lot.  I was in a new school, again, and was trying to make new friends, but when you do that you don't have time to really get to know peoples character.

There was a stream not to far from where the school was and it was close to home also.  One day after school a new 'friend' and I went to the stream, found some cray fish and put them in a bucket to take back to show our teacher.  She  seemed impressed by what we found and how we were handling them.  This new friend didn't want to take them back to the stream and let them go, he dumped the bucket and started stepping on them.  I joined in and the teacher came outside as we were finishing off the last of the crayfish.  Needless to say she was not impressed anymore with us and we ended up doing detention for the rest of the week.

People are easily led astray.  Whether a child in a school yard or like in the adults in Pergamum who were led astray by the teachings of the Nicolaitans.

The Nicolaitans were liberal thinkers that brought in such things as pagan holidays to observe instead of the Jewish holidays as well as sexual immorality in religious worship etc.

Today I'm calling us to be like the Bereans (Acts 17:11), to be astute with Scripture, searching out truth, and knowing when we are not being told it.  Then to be courageous enough to not follow false doctrine, to not tolerate it.  Also, if we have been led astray by it, to ask forgiveness and turn from it.  Not to do as I did in the school yard, to gain friends by stepping on the crayfish.  Instead I should have had the courage to say no and release them into the stream again.  Let's be humble and wise and bring glory to His name.

Value Of Today's Money

"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:  Theses are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.  I know your afflictions and your poverty - yet you are rich!  I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.  Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer.  I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days.  Be faithful, even to the point of 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 will not be hurt at all be the second death.
Revelation 2:8-11 NIV

Living so close to the United States makes me very aware of the similarities and differences between Americans and Canadians.  One of the differences is our currency, the U.S. money is all green no matter what amount it is in, whereas the Canadian currency varies from 1 and 2 dollar coins to blue 5, purple 10, and green 20 dollar bills, etc.  Our American neighbors like to poke fun at us, telling us that our money looks like Monopoly money.  I don't think so, but I do know that the Canadian currency is very real, stable and sought after in the world.

God's economy is completely upside down to every economy on earth.  Many would poke fun at it and tell us it's a joke, not real, of no value.

To people who have a relationship with Jesus Christ, we know the value of His economy, it's eternal lasting value.

If you are a follower of Christ and you are being tried and tested today, Jesus would have you know that you must be faithful and not be afraid.  What is at stake is the eternal value of your "crown of life".

There are not only people but situations and circumstances that are being used against you by the enemy to test you, to rob you of your eternal currency.

I wrote a blog earlier today.  It was a prayer based on Psalm 7 and would encourage you to go there now, read the entire Psalm 7 and the prayer that I wrote to encourage you.

You are not alone, we are in this together and there are others who have gone before us that have successfully completed the race and therefore you can to.

Be faithful, have courage, learn and grow through what you are suffering and be an over comer.