He who has an ear, let him hear .....

I will admit, Revelations is NOT the easiest book in the world for me to read. It really isn't.

When I think of this book all I think is two things... it's a book about the glory of God (courtesy of Dr. Shell at RBC) AND.... boy is this book hard to understand and does it really matter?

And yes... I know it really matters, but I just wonder if it matters for ME personally to try to figure it out when other folks have tried and sometimes failed. :) I guess what it really comes down to is that I don't trust myself to make heads or tails out of it in the long run.

So today's reading in Revelations was from chapter 2. The first two chapters of Revelations are spent talking about the seven different churches.

What I found interesting in reading these was the repeated line:

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

Regardless of which church God was talking with, this line was repeated with some type of saying attached to it.

So I have to ask this....how many churches today really hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches? Seriously...do we listen or do we blithely go about our own business not really paying attention and just doing what we think is best?

Do we tolerate things that we aught not?
Do we seek after things that should not be sought?

I really wonder about this sometimes because we just seem to be rushing head-long into garbage, just stuff that GOD says no to, but we find a way to justify it.

I'm no better in my personal life...not better than some of these churches John writes about. I tolerate things I shouldn't because I don't want to make waves. I'm learning to stand my ground, but still I give way to the world's way of thinking because the battle just seems too much at times.... BUT this scripture reminds me that GOD himself is watching me. He is the one who will judge me, and the churches. He will note the good but he will also hold the bad out for me to see as well. How well will I listen to the Spirit? How well will the churches around me listen to the Spirit?