Deception & Sardis - Part 1

 Watching for Deception

1. Jesus comes as a thief to those who are watching, awake 

 and sober. 

2. But to those that are asleep, not watching or spiritually drunk they will not recognize His thiefly coming. And Jesus steals their garments.

3. So we need to watch our lives and seek continued spiritual growth internally at all cost because…

1. Eze 46:1  

Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened. 

2. Coming of Christ to His temple just like in Malachi 4

Mal 4:1-3  

For, behold, the day cometh, it burneth as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith Jehovah of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2  But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings; and ye shall go forth, and gambol as calves of the stall. 3  And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make, saith Jehovah of hosts. 

4. But Jesus also speaks of deception in Matt 24:3 “take heed lest any man deceive you”. Therefore deception shall be a sign of His coming

5. Lets look at one example of GREAT DECEPTION today: Russia, Why did Russia invade Ukraine?

“I am referring to what causes us particular concern and anxiety – those fundamental threats against our country that year after year, step by step, are offensively and unceremoniously created by irresponsible politicians in the West.”

“I am referring to the expansion of NATO to the east, moving its military infrastructure closer to Russian borders. It is well known that for 30 years we have persistently and patiently tried to reach an agreement with the leading NATO countries on the principles of equal and inviolable security in Europe. In response to our proposals, we constantly faced either cynical deception and lies, or attempts to pressure and blackmail, while NATO, despite all our protests and concerns, continued to steadily expand. The war machine is moving and, I repeat, it is coming close to our borders.”

6. Why does no major media ask “why did Russia invade Ukraine?”
   It would implicate the US as HUGE instigators. GREAT MIS or DISINFORMATION!

7. NATOs Response: 

“NATO condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine – which is an independent, peaceful and democratic country, and a close NATO partner. The Alliance calls on Russia to immediately cease its military assault, to withdraw all its forces from Ukraine and to turn back from the path of aggression it has chosen.”

8. What sovereign nations have the US invaded in the past 20 years? Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Pakistan and five additional

9. https://www.pasenategop.com/blog/argall-introduces-resolution-urging-congress-to-take-further-action-against-russia/

The resolution will urge Congress to do the following:

• Designate the Russian government as a state-sponsor of terrorism;

• Designate President Putin as a war criminal;

• Enforce the Magnitsky Act by sanctioning Russian leaders who have violated human rights;

• Block all assets and all transactions of Russian banking institutions;

• Place an embargo on Russian oil and gas;

• Increase NATO reinforcements to all Baltic nations especially our key ally, Lithuania;

• Provide humanitarian assistance to displaced Ukrainians;

• Recognize the Holodomor (The Great Famine of 1932-1933) as genocide;

• Ban Russian propaganda accounts from social media; and

• Ban all air travel over Russia.
  
  

10. This is just one example of many where the US stands as the head or leader of the world to push a hidden agenda. And seemingly have the might to CRUSH anyone who stands in its way. Irregardless of the truth. (global warming, collective mind)

11. Day 7 fighting against God

Sardis

Share '7 churches map.jpg'

Quick history of Sardis

Sardis was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia, one of the provinces of Asia Minor, and was situated at the foot of Mount Tmolus, in a fine plain watered by the Pactolus River, famous for its golden sands. It was taken by Cyrus of Persia(548 bc), and was at that time one of the most splendid and opulent cities of the East. It subsequently passed into the hands of the Romans, and under them sank rapidly in wealth and importance. In 17AD (when Jesus was approx 20 yrs old) it was destroyed by an earthquake, but was rebuilt by order of the Roman emperor Tiberius. The inhabitants of Sardis bore an ill repute among the ancients for their voluptuous modes of life. 

Successive earthquakes, and the ravages of the Muslims and the Turks, have reduced this once-celebrated city to a heap of ruins, though exhibiting still many remains of former splendor. The name of the village which now occupies the place of this ancient capital is Sart. It is a miserable village, comprising only a few wretched cottages, occupied by Turks and Greeks.

Share "5 photos" of Sardis

Rev 3:1-2

And to the angel of the church in Sardis write:  These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and thou art dead. 2 Be thou watchful, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die: for I have found no works of thine perfected before my God. 

Similar pattern of how each church is spoken of in Rev:

1. The message is given to the angel (messenger) of each church

2. A reference to Jesus is made that has been already mentioned in Rev 1 in relation to that particular church

1. Jesus hath the seven Spirits of God? But look at Rev 1:4-5

Read

Rev 1:4-5 

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from him who is and who was and who is to come (God?); and from the seven Spirits that are before his throne (HS?); 5 and from Jesus Christ (Jesus), who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood;

Reading these verses might make you think these seven spirits are separate from Jesus?

Yet back to Rev 3:1, Jesus has the Seven spirits of God… They aren't separate.

2. What are the 7 Spirits of God?

1. Is this verse a reference to it?

Read

Zec 3:9 

For, behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; upon one stone are seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

Is Jesus in this passage? Yes, the stone w seven eyes…hmm, then who is Joshua???

Read

Rev 5:6 

And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth.

Where is Jesus in this verse? The lamb w seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven Spirits of God.

2. But what exactly are the seven Spirits? Maybe these?

ASV

Isa 11:2 

And the Spirit of God shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of God. (6?)

Septuagint

Isa 11:2-3 

2 and the Spirit of God shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and godliness shall fill him; 3 the spirit of the fear of God. He shall not judge according to appearance, nor reprove according to report. (7?)

Seven fold ministry of the Holy Spirit? Probably but it's not completely clear what these actually are.

3. the seven stars (angels of the seven churches)

3. Jesus starts Sardis with a negative citation instead of a positive statement (the only church he does this with) in which the church is told to repent of.

Rev 3:1c-2…I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and thou art dead. 2 Be thou watchful, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die: for I have found no works of thine perfected before my God.  

4. Jesus "I know thy works…"?

acts, deed, doing, labour, work.

5. Jesus "thou hast a name that thou livest"?

reputation that you are alive

6. Jesus "thou art dead"?

Nekros - tissue of the body that has died

7.  Vs2 Jesus "Be thou watchful"?

keep awake, watch, same word…like Jesus has repeatedly told us to do

8. Jesus "establish the things that remain, which were ready to die"?

strengthen/make stable the rest of the things that are about to die off

Seem like a bunch of unfulfilled works?

9. Jesus "I have not found thy works perfected before my God"

Perfected = filled to the full, fulfilled, complete

Seems like Jesus desired Sardis to go on to a greater level of perfection and they didn't. They drifted off to sleep, possibly considered themselves adequate enough?

Jesus continues on in verse 3…

Rev 3:3

 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and didst hear; and keep it, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.  

1. Jesus "Remember therefore how thou hast received and didst hear"?

uniqueness in the manner in which the gospel was conveyed to them?

Hear? earnestness and attention with which they embraced the gospel

2. Jesus "keep and repent"?

attend to carefully AND to change one's mind for better

3. Jesus "if thou shall not watch"?

Remember in vers 2 Jesus says 'Be thou watchful'...

So, if you refuse to stay awake or watch…

Jesus comes as a "thief"