Thought for October 24

History:

• 1492: 24 Jews are burned at the stake in Mecklenberg Germany
• 1818: Felix Mendelssohn performs his first public concert--age 9
•  1861: First transcontinental telegram--San Francisco to Washington DC
• 1901: Anna Taylor is first women to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel
• 1924: Willem Einthoven wins Nobel for the electrocardiogram
• 1929: Black Thursday as stock market crash begins
• 1931: Geroge Washington Bridge dedicated--NYC
• 1938: US forbids child labor in factories
• 1939: Nylon stockings go on sale
• 1944: David McCampbell shoots down 9-11 Japanese planes
• 1948: Bernard Baruch coins term "Cold War"
• 1962: Soviet ships approach the US blockade of Cuba
• 1987: Bork's Supreme Court nomination rejected by the Senate
• 1989: Jim Bakker sentenced to 45 years in prison
• 1996: Last game at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
• 2012: Hurricane Sandy makes landfall in Jamaica
• Born: Domitian, Antonie von Leeuwenhoek [first to see bacteria and protozoa], Belva Ann Lockwood [first woman to argue before Supreme Court], Melvin Purvis [FBI], YA Tittle, The Big Bopper, David Nelson [Ozzie & Harriet], F Murray Abraham, Kevin Kline, Ian Baker-Finch, Drake, Charlie White [Olympic Gold Ice Dancer], 
• Died: Jane Seymour [Henry VIII], Tycho Brahe, Daniel Webster, Louis Renault [automobile], Jackie Robinson, Gene Roddenberry [Star Trek], Rsul Julia [Adams Family], Rosa Parks, Maureen O'Hara, Fats Domino, 

Thought:

Continuing to contemplate what Jesus said to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3.The second church Jesus addressed was Smyrna. Here is a church that received no admonishment from Jesus. Think about that for a moment. Ephesus, founded by Paul and led by John, received the criticism that it had left its first love. And as we consider the other churches, Jesus has something that needs changing or improving. But not in Smyrna. Look at what Jesus says to this church:

• Jesus writes as "the First and Last", the one who was dead but came to life. Why would Jesus choose to identify Himself that way? Look at the last point below.
• As with the church at Ephesus, Jesus begins by saying--I know. Do you ever get to then point of saying nobody understands my feelings, my situation. Nobody knows what I am dealing with or facing. Well, Jesus knows. He knows your troubles, challenges, victories and failures. He knows. I take comfort in knowing that Jesus knows exactly what I need and He is sufficient to meet that need. 
• The next statement is one I need to hear every day--Larry, Jesus knows your poverty and afflictions. Yes, He knows our physical poverty and the church at Smyrna was certainly suffering from poverty. But Jesus knows my spiritual poverty and through the Holy Spirit brings the riches of grace and mercy, the abundance of love, joy and peace. So Jesus can say--I know your poverty, but you are rich--riches that do not fade, rust, or get stolen. Similarly, He knows my afflictions, but reminds me of the riches of His kingdom. Hebrews says "for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross." And now Jesus can say, for the joy set before me, I can endure any affliction.
• Jesus knows that we will be slandered. People will call us fanatics, biased, narrow-minded. Yes, even some within the religious community will call us evil, unloving. He knows.
• Now here is some words for today--your suffering is not over. He tells Smyrna that is living in poverty and affliction that they are about to suffer more. And for us, our suffering is not over. Thankfully, the affliction and suffering will end--here He says 10 days. This is not necessarily 10 24-hour days, but a finite period. He reminds us that our joy and peace is eternal and suffering is for a little while.
• And here is Christ's instruction--do not fear, be faithful, you will be rewarded.
• And why does Jesus identify Himself as the one who was dead and came to life? Because He tells Smyrna that they will face death in the flesh, but no be harmed by the second eternal death. Just as He was raised from death to life, they can count of the resurrection of the body and eternal life. Now that is an encouragement in the face of affliction and poverty and death. 

Today--keep the faith, do not fear, He knows, and He will keep His promises.

Blessings

Larry