Read Revelation 2:2-3 in your personal Bible or at the link provided.
Review
1. What does Jesus know?
2. What has He seen in the Ephesian church?
3. How does He describe the Ephesians’ suffering?
Reflect
Jesus continues His letter to the church in Ephesus by affirming what they’re doing well. Among the list, He mentions their hard work, patient endurance, lack of tolerance for evil, examination of false teachers’ claims, and patience in suffering. The very actions we saw yesterday in Acts 19 are highlighted in this list.
If you were to look at your own life today, could you say you do these things? Do you work hard? Do you endure patiently? Do you recognize evil for what it is and make sure it’s not welcome in your mind? Do you examine the claims of those who teach God’s Word, making sure they line up? Do you patiently suffer without quitting, keeping your eyes on the end prize?
If you want to experience God’s power for yourself, you have to release your own power, pleasure, and pride. Jesus knows all the things you do. That’s a sobering thought. But on the flip side, He wants to celebrate you for what you’re doing well. Release what’s holding you back, and walk in the mission God has for you.
Respond
• How does it hit you to realize that God knows everything you do? Is there anything you’ve been trying to hide from Him?
• Look back over the list of things that Jesus affirmed in the Ephesian church, and reflect on each one in your own life. Is there a specific opportunity for growth that you see?
• What might be holding you back from taking a step of growth in that area? Is there any power, pleasure, or pride that you need to confess and release?
Pray through these questions, and write down what God is prompting you to do next. Share with a friend, and take a step to apply it.