The fourth letter from Jesus, shared by Aije Barnes, April 5, Issue 2, Vol 6

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. “Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations— ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’ — as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” 

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭2:18-29‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

This fourth letter from Jesus, is entitled 'The Corrupt Church' in the New King James Version.  

What made her corrupt? The thing Jesus did not like about this church, was their tolerance of Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess and by her doctrine, teaches and seduces His servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. This is a nasty doctrine purported and promoted by this wicked woman who in the name of religion seemed to have captivated the hearts of people of God, who should have had nothing to do with her in the first place. She appeared to have used a form of religion to appeal to the sensual lust of the flesh and an indulgence in indirect idolatry. She has been sly in her approach by using seduction which usually works by camouflaging the hidden poison she is presenting, with religious quotes and making indirect idolatry feel 'not so bad, as long as you are not actually bowing down or sacrificing to the idols directly' when this is just as bad. 

What Jesus sees in all of this, is the  state of the heart of everyone - the one that tolerates Jezebel and her doctrines; the one who is allowed to be taught by and seduced by her; Jezebel herself who refuses to repent; the children she has produced; and those  who refused to be drawn in by her and her doctrine. 

The moment we begin to turn away from God's word and begin to have itching ears to hear or want to know  what other people teach or permit outside of His word, or even tolerate it in your hearts, is the moment we allow the devil to have an opportunity to lead us astray.  We must guide our hearts and minds from hearing anything other than the voice of Jesus and do only what as He says. 

Jesus is coming for a bride without blemish. So let us be faithful to Him  and not commit adultery by giving ourselves back to the world, driven by our fleshly desires. Or commit   idolatry, by allowing anything else take His place in our lives - directly or indirectly.  Let us always give Him our total devotion in body and mind. 

In the last few verses of the scriptures above, Jesus knows that this is not easy for us and the devil will use all kinds of means to distract us from Him, through our eyes and minds. But Jesus said: ' I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works...'  '...hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations— ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’ — as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” 

The sad truth is, we are not all ready for Jesus' second coming. We, the bride of Christ, need to redeem the time, be wise and be ready, and do his works until the end because His coming is near. 

Finally, I shall leave you with this scripture:

“Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5:14-18‬ ‭KJV

Shalom