Focus
Pay attention to the tension in your body. Let go of it and any expectations to do anything other than God’s will today. Prepare yourself to hear God’s word.
Read
The Message to Smyrna
8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the first and the last, who was dead and came to life:
9 “I know your affliction and your poverty, even though you are rich. I know the slander on the part of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Beware, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have affliction. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Whoever conquers will not be harmed by the second death.
Reflect
This is Christ’s message to the Church in Smyrna. They are a church under great persecution. It was a port city between Ephesus and Pergamum, however, in this church the persecution of Christians was intense. Philadelphia and Smyrna are the only two churches that really get off without a rebuke. They both were under heavy persecution. Often churches under persecution have intense worship and often for many hours. They have to memorize Scripture because it is often contraband in many non-Christian countries. I know some pastors with missionary friends in China who told me of this man who was arrested and when he was returned, there was a woman crying and the missionary asked why and she said because she was not found worthy to suffer for Christ because she had not been arrested. In the west, we have all this freedom and we are afraid to share the gospel. We often find ourselves lukewarm like the church in Laodicea.
Pray
May God bless the underground church in foreign countries that show us what real persecution is. May we be humble and use the freedom God gave us to share the Gospel boldly.
Go with God!
