Suffering Purifies
Recently I've been going through the letters to the churches in the book of Revelation found in chapters 2 and 3. This is for us too as though each letter is a word from Jesus, to an angel, and transcribed by the apostle John (Revelation 1: 1-2) and addressed to a single church, the letters end with the phrase "the Spirit says to the churches." This means that it is news for us even today. Today I read about Smyrna in Revelation 2: 8-11. As it is so short, I will post it here. 8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. 9 “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty ( but you are rich) and the slander [ a ] of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you w...