CANDLING

CANDLING

Wednesday, March 02, 2016

Mark 4:1-21 Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed?

Revelation [MKJV] 2:1-7 To the angel of the church of Ephesus write: He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands, says these things. I know your works and your labor and your patience, and how you cannot bear those who are evil. And you tried those pretending to be apostles, and are not, and have found them liars. And you have borne, and have patience, and for My name's sake you have labored and have not fainted. But I have against you that you left your first love. Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and will remove your lampstand [KJV “candlestick”] out of its place unless you repent. But you have this, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Revevelation [MKJV] 3:19-22 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame and have sat down with My Father in His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Dear fellow travelers,

  I continue to ponder and pray about the church at large and in particular our local congregation, in the latter examining my condition first of all. I am not alone in this exercise. Leaders and else are exercising.

  I know not what others consider, but I’ve been contemplating the letter to the church at Ephesus most of all. In particular I’ve been thinking on several points:

·         The common misapplication of Revelation 3:20 as having to do with individually gaining eternal salvation when its imperative application is to listen to what the Holy Spirit says about local congregations’ pluses and minuses. (2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13,22)

·         Then there is penalty for active and yet unrepentant congregation = removal of light. (2:5) Is this the same light that Jesus speaks of as recorded in Mt.5:15, Mk.4:21, Lk.11:33? I believe so. An illustrative memory: In the good old days blood clots were sometimes in eggs from free ranging hens. Before sale the eggs were “candled” in a dark room -- between forefinger and thumb examined visually with candle flame behind. Later when Edison’s filaments were used it was still referred to as “candling”. (Housing in celibate stalls by and large solved flawed eggs problem.)

·         “I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first.” has involved my most serious personal reflection; as Jon Mayo said in a recent sermon (THE GREATEST OF THESE … [1Cor.13:1-13]), “You cannot control the actions of the other person in the relationship nor should you try. The only person’s actions you can truly affect are your own and those should be guided by Godly principles.” And what is this abandonment that the Lord referred to? I do indeed believe it is what He speaks of, saying “If ye love me, keep my commandments. … If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. … If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.”(Jn.14:15, 23; 15:10)

  Knowing these things and thinking upon them I now sincerely before God and man continue in our journey toward the “reasonable worship” Paul wrote of and typified.

EBB4