Revelation Chapter 2:18-29

1) When it comes to living out your faith, how are you doing today compared to where you were a year ago?  How can you tell that you’ve changed?

2) Have you ever done something that you were surprised you did and then wondered where that came from?  What do you really know about the real you?

3) Jesus describes Himself as the Morning Star.  What does this communicate about Who He is?

Do you remember the early days of your faith journey?  What were they like?  What did you do?  Jesus’ words of commendation to the church in Thyatira show that they were doing more than they did at first (2:19).  I pray that this is what can be said of us as we continue to grow in understanding and living out our faith.  Ours is not a destination, but rather a journey.  Our goal should be to live more like Jesus today than we did yesterday.  When this is true, we can also be commended for doing more than we did at first.

Although Jesus calls out a woman named Jezebel (or at least her namesake) for specific and obvious acts of sin, He refers to Himself as “he who searches hearts and minds.”  While we all have outward areas of disobedience, God sees the motives behind our actions; He sees our heart.  Our desire must be to do more than simply go through the motions and look good when it comes to our faith.  We must desire to live with a clean conscience before God.  “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139:23-24

In closing the letter to the church in Thyatira, Jesus says that He will give the morning star to those who overcome.  What does He mean?  Based on Revelation 22:16, where Jesus describes Himself as the Morning Star, this may be a reminder that He has given us the gift of Himself and His presence.