Revelation 2:7
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."
Eight times, John writes, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." God sent angels to the seven churches in Asia Minor, speaking to them through the Spirit, encouraging them to not only hear, but to heed the words of the Lord.
I have to wonder. Does the Lord still speak to churches through the Spirit? Does he have a specific message for churches today? Does he have a word of encouragement for the local church where I pastor? I have to assume he does, for the Lord still speaks through the Spirit, so why not also through the Spirit to churches. While he might not bring us a message through an angel, when we listen for the Spirit, the Lord will have a word for us.
To the seven churches mentioned in Revelation, the Spirit's message was one of both encouragement and a pointing out of shortcomings. From this, let there be no doubt, our God notices each and every church and he has a message tailored for us today.
Where ever you attend church, I encourage you to ask the Spirit to speak to the congregation. And then, don't just listen, but respond to the Spirit in your life and in the church.
LORD JESUS
Lord, I thank you for caring for your church and sending your Spirit to speak to us today. We now listen and await your voice. Amen.
See also Revelation 2:11,17,29; Revelation 3:1,6,13,22
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