MONDAY 3RD JULY 2017 MORNING
Revelation 2:8-11 New International Version (NIV)
To the Church in Smyrna
8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.
The Book of Revelation contains visions from Jesus Christ given to The Apostle John when he was imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos. In Chapters 2 and 3 there are letters to 7 churches. These were real churches in what is now Turkey.
The messages were relevant to those churches when they were written but they might also have something to say to our church today. Let us examine our lives and be faithful to God. Let us be patient in suffering and not become discouraged but persevere in following Christ. We will be victorious if we persevere unto the end.
JUMATATU TAREHE 3 JULAI 2017 ASUBUHI
UFUNUO WA YOHANA 2:8-11
8 Na kwa malaika wa kanisa lililoko Smirna andika; Haya ndiyo aneneyo yeye aliye wa kwanza na wa mwisho, aliyekuwa amekufa, kisha akawa hai.
9 Naijua dhiki yako na umaskini wako, (lakini u tajiri) najua na matukano ya hao wasemao ya kuwa ni Wayahudi, nao sio, bali ni sinagogi la Shetani.
10 Usiogope mambo yatakayokupata; tazama, huyo Ibilisi atawatupa baadhi yenu gerezani ili mjaribiwe, nanyi mtakuwa na dhiki siku kumi. Uwe mwaminifu hata kufa, nami nitakupa taji ya uzima.
11 Yeye aliye na sikio, na alisikie neno hili ambalo Roho ayaambia makanisa. Yeye ashindaye hatapatikana na madhara ya mauti ya pili.
Ufunuo wa Yohana ni maono ambayo alipewa Mtume Yohana wakati alikuwa amefungwa katika Kisiwa cha Patmo. Mlango wa 2 na 3 ina waraka kwa Makanisa 7. Makanisa haya yalikuwa makanisa halisi katika karne ya kwanza ya Ukristo, na yalikuwa katika eneo ambalo siku hizi ni ndani ya nchi ya Uturuki. Nyaraka hizi zilikuwa na ujumbe halisi kwa makanisa haya wakati ule. Lakini pia ni ujumbe kwetu leo. Pengine kuna ujumbe unaotugusa hata leo.
Tuvumilie katika maisha yetu ya Imani. Tuendelee kumfuata Yesu Kristo. Tusikate tamaa hata kama kuna magumu. Tuwe waaminifu hata mwisho na Yesu atatupa ushindi.
