What is God saying today? Part 1

I have for a long time believed that God speaks to everyone.
Since the beginning of history there are account after account of people hearing God speak to them. From Adam through Moses and then to today. Spoke has spoken and continues to speak.
(Apart from when He promised to be quiet for 400 years - and kept His promise.)

Scripture tells us that God gave us each ears, not just to hear naturally with, but also to hear supernaturally with!
Scripture shows us as well that God can speak audibly, through angels and others, circumstances and His Word. He has a lot of communication tools in His toolbox...

What is God saying today?
A little bit of a dangerous question to pose, especially as it hints that I might have some idea...

I have been reading the Book of Revelation and struck again how God specifically and passionately spoke to each of the 7 Churches mentioned.
And I felt challenged to break each message down and see how that relates potentially to each of us today.
The writer regularly used the phrase "anyone with ears...listen to the Spirit..."
Let's see what the Spirit is saying to each of us today...

Revelation 2:2-6 niv - Message to the Church in Ephesus
2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

God knows all about your life. What you do. Why you do.
He knows what you struggle with as well as the effort you put into following Him.
These few sentences will either encourage or challenge you. Both are a good thing.

Today if you are struggling please know God is noticing and He cares!

While you pursue Christ, be mindful of who you have lead you.
Go after 'godly' leaders not just people who say they are leaders.

4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

No matter how focused we are on being good or hardworking or whatever it is...nothing should ever trump our relationship with Jesus.
If you have stepped back from it in some way come back.
If you need to focus on it because it isn't where it should be, then do that.

God wants a relationship with you over everything else.
He is passionate about that, hence His language around this idea.

One of the worst things I think that can happen to any Christian is to become a professional Christian.
Where you think you have risen up through some experience ranks you don't still do the most basic things of your faith.
For me being a pastor is a dangerous place. I can make my relationship my profession...yuck!
I need to do what I did with Him before I got to this role!
I will never graduate from my own personal devotion time!

From what I can gather, the Nicolaitans had ideas about faith that didn't match God's expectations.
They mixed the things of this world with faith to suit a model they would like, especially around sexuality.
I think God is warning us to come back to our first love and watch we don't mix the world into our faith. You and I are the salt and light.

What is God saying to you today?
Be encouraged, be challenged, be listening...