Though man-made organized religion continues trying to force theocratic government and “conversion” from other religions, force and coercion are not the answer to immorality and idolatry.

No one can curse those whom God has blessed. The Lord Jesus gave Himself up for us to present us as His spotless bride. We are blessed of God and no curse is possible.

When we fall into performance patterns instead of depending on Him, our love for others is an expression of the flesh rather than of Christ.

We Do not have an absent, abusive, petty, or neglectful Father God is clear that He knows what is best for us. If we are honest, we know this. The Lord is faithful and trustworthy, He is Love and there is no evil in Him. Knowing all this, we can look forward to His reproof, correction, and discipline.

One thing will be clear in the end. The Lord Jesus wants the very best for His bride. As we read in Ephesians 5:25–27, Christ “loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”

Sardis helps us see that the Lord sees everything as it is. He sees “the good, the bad, and the ugly.” Paradoxically, because this is true, we who are in Christ by faith can take great comfort. How so? Knowing that the Lord God is not faking Himself out, but sees everything as it truly is, we can trust Him when He calls us holy, blameless, and beyond reproach (Colossians 1:22, Philippians 2:15b).

The deeds, or works, God values are those done by faith in Him, not those done by our attempts to merit His favor.

As we face ever increasing tribulation, we can take great comfort in the sure knowledge that the Lord Jesus sees all of it. He knows every aspect of the persecution we face, and it grieves Him. He takes it rather personally because we are His family, His body, His bride.

Many of us feel spiritually poor, but the Lord Jesus will have none of that. We are rich. Come and see.

All we need is the Holy Spirit of Christ living in us and a willingness to be led by Him in searching the scriptures to see if what we are being taught is the Truth.

The Lord sees and knows the things the Church does, how hard we work, and that we stick with it; He values it.

Over the course of our study, we will become very familiar with the word “witness.” The Greek from which it is translated is martus from which we derive our word martyr.

The Lord Jesus introduces Himself to the church at Philadelphia as “He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens.”