When we look the letters that John wrote to the messengers of the 7 churches of Asia Minor, we see that many of the churches were not in good shape, but they still had lampstands.
When a congregation has a lampstand, then they are a congregation of God and Jesus is in the midst of them (Rev 1:13).
Here is the status of the 7 churches:
1. Ephesus Rev 2:1
–Left their first love
–Fallen
–Repent or your lampstand will be removed
2. Smyrna Rev 2:8
–Good report
3. Pergamos Rev 2:12
–Hold the doctrine of Balaam
–Hold the doctrine of Nicolaitanes
–Repent or I will fight against you with the sword of my mouth
4. Thyatira Rev 2:18
–Allowed Jezebel to seduce God servants to commit fornication and eat things offered to idols
–Repent or Jezebel will be cast into a bed of suffering
–Repent or those that commit adultery Jezebel will be thrown into great tribulation
5. Sardis Rev 3:1
–Have a name that you live but are dead
–Called to repent
6. Philadelphia Rev 3:7
–Good report
7. Laodiceans Rev 3:14
–Lukewarm
–Think you are rich and increased with good, but are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, naked
–Called to repent
January 15th, 2010 at 9:29 pm
Sardis
3Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
4Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
5He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
I thought this was worth mentioning.
Pray for me, Paul