The Church of Ephesus had many good attributes.

It rejected evil, persevered in a corrupt society and had patience. They were commended for using discernment for those who claimed to be apostles, but weren't.

But still a group of false teachers called the Nicolaitans had tried to get into their leadership.

The Church of Ephesus was founded by Paul and pastored by John for many years after Paul's death.

It was an "on fire church" and existed in a corrupt, pagan city. The city was a worship center of Diana. The temple of Diana was one of the seven wonders of the world then.

The Lord's message to the seven churches apply to every church and individual today.

If we apply them to our own lives and churches; Jesus has a powerful confrontive, delivering and cleansing message for us.

Many Bible scholars teach that the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse represent seven distinct ages of church history:

EPHESUS - the Apostalic Church
[Pentecost A.D. 100]
SMYRNA - the Persecuted Church
[A.D. 100-316]
PERGAMOS - the World Church
[A.D. 316-800]
THYATIRA - Medieval Church
[ A.D. 800-1517]
SARDIS - Rise of the State Church
[A.D. 1517-1750]
PHILADELPHIA - Missionary Church
[A.D. 1750-1900]
LAODICIA - Apostate Church
[A.D. 1900 - present]

What is coming out of many of the pulpits in America is
a few scriptures verses taken out of context,
humorous stories,
pop psychology,
and political and religious correctness,
rather than Biblical correctness.

The full gospel is not being taught. It's called 'apostasy'.

Many churches in America don't teach on
heaven,
hell,
sin,
repentence,
holiness,
judgment,
the Second Coming of Christ,
the Rapture,
the Great White Throne Judgment,
the Judgment Seat of Christ,
and the Book of Life.

Many of the Pastors and Churches do not believe that the Bible is God's inspired and inerrant Word.

This is the same sin Adam and Eve committed by being deceive by Satan. They are doubting God's Word.

Many of the Seminaries and Churches today have deserted the faith for the mixture of humanism and psychology.

Some preach a counterfeit love based on gushy feelings.

The Word of God is the 'word of truth'!

Some of the modern church has been seduced by the "spirit of this age"

They are built on humanism and psychology which opens the door to heresy and apostasy.

Instead of preaching the truth of God's Word, there is an entire generation of pastors who are trying to market Christianity to the public.

The Book of Revelation brings us into a closer personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

A study of it will help us renew our minds with God's Word and allow strongholds to fall from our souls.

We will be prepared to rule and reign with Him.

Read Revelation 1:5-6

Many of today's churches have accepted much of the humanistic worldview of the unbelieving world.

They accommodate the sin and false doctrine which the Book of Revelation tells us not to tolerate.

The Book of Revelation emphysizes such things as...
*the need to live for eternity,
*dying to self,
*moral absolutes,
*the choices of heaven or hell,
*the judgment for unbelievers,
*accountability for believers,
*the nature of spiritual warfare,
*Israel's role in the last days,
*the Second Coming of Jesus,
*and eternity.

"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot. I will vomit you out of My mouth. .....As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therfore be zealous and repent."
Revelation 3:15,16 & 20.

The Book of Revelation confronts "the spirit of this age" more than any other book of the Bible. It presents the humanistic world view, which has taken root even in those who call themselves 'born again' Christians.

One of the reasons that many of the modern churches of today rejects studying and teaching the Book of Revelation is because its writings must be faced and dealt with.

Some of these churches could be characterized by the Laodiciean Church.

A Biblical worldview is believing that absolute truth exists and that it is based on the Bible.

A Biblical worldview has six core beliefs:
*The accuracy of Bible teaching.
*The sinless nature of Jesus.
*The literal existence of Satan.
*The omnipotence of God.
*Salvation by grace alone.
*The responsibility to evangelize.

In January 2004 a poll was taken that revealed only 9% of born again adults and 7% of Protestants have a Biblical worldview.

Interviews with 601 Senior Pastors nationwide, which represent a random cross-section of Protestant churches, only half of them have a Biblical worldview.

According to a Research Group, morality in America is decaying.

83% are concerned about the nations morality.
61% believe gambling is ok.
60% believe just living together is ok.
45% believe abortions are ok.
42% believe sexual relations outside of marriage is ok.
38% believe porn is ok.
35% believe drunkenness is ok.
30% believe homosexuality is ok.

Data suggests that America's morality is likely to continue to decline.

The Book of Revelation asks us to look at the destruction of Planet Earth,
God's judgment on a sinful human race,
a new heaven and a new earth,
Satan and his followers sentenced to the lake of fire,
the Great White Throne Judgment,
the resurrection of the dead,
heaven,
and the restoration of Paradise.

The reason the Book of Revelation is rejected so much is because it has an advanced theme that demands us to examine God's love, holiness, and judgment.

Masterminds of the 9/11/01 attacks

The purpose of the Tribulation Period isn't only judment, but to give men and women one last opportunity to join Jesus Christ in heaven and live there forever.

God sent His Son into the world to save every man, woman and child from their sins.

In the Book of Revelation it is made clear that God is loving and trying to save everyone who will turn their hearts to Him.

Even though the Book of Revelation tells of the outpouring of God's wrath on the world that has rebelled against Him;

there is still a clear message that He is a God of love who desparately wants to rescue every person from it.

The message in the Book of Revelation is totally contrary to those who preach that there are many paths to God.

The Tribulation Period described in the Book of Revelation is worse than any modern horror movie.

It describes the wrath of God's judgment against a world that has deliberately rebelled against Him.

The Book of Revelation contains graphic details of an horrific judgment that people will face if they reject Jesus Christ and fall for the deceptions of the Antichrist.

The Book of Revelation isn't a friendly book for seekers because it warns those who reject Jesus and whose names aren't written in the Book of Life, of eternal damnation.

In today's world of Political Correctness, Diverity and Tolerance, the Book of Revelation describes the destiny of both those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior and those who reject Him.

Detailed descriptions are given of both heaven and hell.

In America, we may be getting close to where the Book of Revelation will be made illegal and even censored by the government.

In Canada, certain passages of the Bible are already illegal to teach.

This important book of the Bible isn't being taught in many churches in American and around the world.

In China, the government believes that the Book of Revelation is such a threat that Christian churches are forbidden to teach or quote from it.