Our Pilgrimage -- 30 and Letter to the Church in Smyrna

In the post to FaceBook on 2021.07.29, I discussed a pattern I discovered in Jesus' assessment of the seven churches in Revelation 2-3.  In the post to my blog on 2021.08.03, I went through the letter to the Church in Ephesus [Revelation 2.1-7] and identified what I saw for each of the six elements of Jesus assessment.  This post will continue with the Letter to the Church in Smyrna [Revelation 2.8-11].

1. Authority Of The Assessor

    1. These are the words of the First and the Last, who died and returned to life. [2.8]

2. An acknowledgment of some good things

    1. I know your affliction and your poverty — though you are rich! [2.9]

    2. And I am aware of the slander of those who falsely claim to be Jews, but are in fact a synagogue of Satan. [2.9]

3. A condemnation of some negative things

    1. NONE

4. A plan of action

    1. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days.  [2.10]

    2. Be faithful even unto death. [2.10]

    3. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches  [2.11]

5. A consequence for failing to complete the plan of action

    1. NONE

6. A promise / reward

    1. I will give you the crown of life. [2.10]

    2. The one who is victorious will not be harmed by the second death. [2.11]

7. Other Noteworthy Observations

    1. No mention any negative behavior

    2. No consequence for failing to complete the plan of action

How would you assess your church?

How would you assess the American church as a whole?

Walking deets:

Continued north bound on US 281 to Sioux-Per Propane (The marker on Google Maps is just a few miles north of Burnet, but the business address is in North Dakota)

This walk: Dist: 14.40 km; Time: 3+38; Steps: 17,700

Total: Dist: 336.98 km; Time: 76+02; Steps: 406,210

#BeReady #ComeLordJesus #pilgrimage #US281 #Texas #Burnet #HoneyCreek #church #Revelation #assessment #Smyrna 

Social Media Links

I started working on a WordPress blog.  However, until I get it up and working, I'll post things on blogger.  Regardless, the URL hopefully will remain the same.

www.blog.tenminas.net

www.facebook.com/10MinaMan

www.linkedin.com/in/budabbott

twitter.com/TenMinasNetwork

rumble.com/user/TenMinasNetwork

www.instagram.com/ten_minas

BTW, the pictures have nothing to do with the post.  I hope you enjoy them.

I had to cross the Delaware.  It wasn't nearly as cold as when Washington did it

   

I found it interesting that the fire hydrant was so far past the other utilities

I walked through some really tall grass that was up to my waist

I walked through a portion of Hamilton Creek Park

Another view of Hamilton Creek Park

Made it past Burnet!

Saw this rock that appeared to be point NORTH!!

Lots more highway ahead!

Our Pilgrimage -- 29 and letter to the Church in Ephesus

In my last post, I discussed a pattern I discovered in Jesus' assessment of the seven churches in Revelation 2-3.  In this post, I will go through the letter to the Church in Ephesus [Revelation 2.1-7] and identify what I saw for each of the six elements of Jesus assessment.

1. Authority Of The Assessor

    1. These are the words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. [2.1]

2. An acknowledgment of some good things

    1. Deeds, your labor, and your perseverance [2.2]

    2. Cannot tolerate those who are evil [2.2]

    3. Have tested and exposed as liars those who falsely claim to be apostles [2.2]

    4. Without growing weary, you have persevered and endured many things for the sake of My name. [2.3]

    5. Hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate [2.6]

3. A condemnation of some negative things

    1. Have abandoned your first love [2.4]

4. A plan of action

    1. Keep in mind how far you have fallen [2.5]

    2. Repent and perform the deeds you did at first [2.5]

    3. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches [2.7]

5. A consequence for failing to complete the plan of action

    1. Jesus will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place [2.5]

6. A promise / reward

    1. To the one who is victorious, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God. [2.7]

How would you assess your church?

How would you assess the American church as a whole?

Walking deets:

TOTAL DISTANCE > 200 MILES

Continuing north bound on US 281 to Honey Creek

This walk: Dist: 14.67 km; Time: 3+35; Steps: 17,971

Total: Dist: 322.58 km; Time: 72+24; Steps: 388,510

#BeReady #ComeLordJesus #pilgrimage #US281 #Texas #Burnet #ColoradoRiver #MarbleFalls #HoneyCreek #church #Revelation #assessment #Ephesus 

Social Media Links

I started working on a WordPress blog.  However, until I get it up and working, I'll post things on blogger.  Regardless, the URL will remain the same both before and after.

blog.tenminas.net

www.facebook.com/10MinaMan

www.linkedin.com/in/budabbott

twitter.com/TenMinasNetwork

rumble.com/user/TenMinasNetwork

www.instagram.com/ten_minas

BTW, the pictures have nothing to do with the post.  I just liked the pics.

I love the architecture!

This was the view at the bottom of a steep hill

Had to do a selfie!

Our Pilgrimage -- 28 and Biblical Assessment of Seven Churches in Revelation 2-3

In 2017, I did a study on Biblical Assessment and discovered a pattern in Jesus' assessment of the seven churches in Revelation 2-3.

For the most part, Jesus followed a similar pattern in each of the letters. Generally, there were six elements to an assessment:

1. The authority of the assessor

2. An acknowledgment of some good things

3. A condemnation of some negative things

4. A plan of action

5. A consequence for failing to complete the plan of action

6. A promise / reward

There were some exceptions. For example, there were two churches with no condemnation and there was one church with nothing good said about it.

In future posts, I share my observations.

Be sure to check out my first IGTV video: https://www.instagram.com/p/CR6fzUcK5pZ/

Walking deets:

Continuing north bound on US 281 to Marble Falls

This walk: Dist: 11.72 km; Time: 2+43; Steps: 13,920

Total: Dist: 307.91 km; Time: 68+49; Steps: 370,539

Sunrise on the road

Crossing the Colorado River

Prayer Bible Study

As the world deals with the fear of the virus, many people are turning to prayer. A recent Pew poll found the following:

“The virus also has impacted Americans’ religious behaviors. More than half of all U.S. adults (55%) say they have prayed for an end to the spread of coronavirus. Large majorities of Americans who pray daily (86%) and of U.S. Christians (73%) have taken to prayer during the outbreak – but so have some who say they seldom or never pray and people who say they do not belong to any religion (15% and 24%, respectively).” [See Most Americans Say Coronavirus Outbreak Has Impacted Their Lives]

I am convinced that the answer to all of our problems is Jesus! I am also convinced that the way to know Jesus is through His Word and through prayer.


Consequently,I thought I would share my study on Prayer. So, it is now available on our website at: www.tenminas.net/prayer This study like the others I shared is a work in progress and the product of numerous format changes.


I welcome your thoughts and feedback.

The world is gripped with fear over the virus. However, the Bible is clear that we shall not fear.

I started a Bible study on fear in 2015. Over the years I have done work on it here and there and have changed study format numerous times. It is still far from complete.

Nevertheless, I wanted to get it on our website sooner than later for anyone interested in seeing what the Bible has to say about fear. Please bear with its “under construction” nature.

Also on the web page are links to two videos. One of them is a 90-minute sermon and the other is a 4-minute intro to the sermon.

Here is the link to the website:  www.tenminas.net/fear

I welcome your comments and thoughts.

God's Names & Attributes

After a lengthy time of prayer yesterday, I feel God telling me to take a break from posting the UPG of the day.

All across the world, there is overwhelming fear and anxiousness. Although there are lots of Christians demonstrating the peace that only Jesus can give, there are too many that are struggling.

According to one website , the most frequent command in the Bible is “Do not fear / Do not be afraid”. It occurs 70 times in the NIV. When we violate a command in the Bible, the Bible calls it sin. But for some reason, we explain away fear as something that is acceptable.

Paul said, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4.6-7)

I am firmly convinced that God has everything under control. When we are anxious and afraid, it shows that we don’t know who He is, His character.

So, for the foreseeable future, instead of posting the UPG of the day, I will be posting one of God’s names or characteristics.

These will also be posted on our website at:  www.tenminas.net/Names-of-God

Prayer for the American Church based on Psalm 51

Have mercy on Your Son's Bride, the American Church, O Father. Blot out our transgressions according to your loving devotion and your great compassion. Wash us clean from our iniquity and cleanse us from our sins. For we know our transgressions and our sins are always before us. Against You and You only have we sinned and done what is evil in Your sight so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge. We admit that the American Church was sinful at birth, sinful from the time we were conceived.

Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach the American Church wisdom in the inmost place. Purify us with hyssop and we will be clean; wash us, and we will be whiter than snow. Let us hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. Hide Your face from the sins of the American Church and and blot out all of our iniquities.

Create in the American Church a clean heart, O Father, and renew a right spirit within us. Cast us not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from us. Restore to us the joy of Your salvation, and sustain us with a willing spirit. Then the American Church will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You.

Deliver the American Church from bloodguilt, O Father, the God of our salvation, and our tongues will sing of Your righteousness. O Father, open our lips, and our mouths will declare Your praise. For You do not delight in sacrifice, or we would bring it; for you take no pleasure in tithes and offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O Father You will not despise.

In Your good pleasure, cause Your Son's Bride, the American Church to prosper; build up the body of the American Church. Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, as we offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy pleasing to You as our spiritual service of worship.