In the first three chapters of Revelation, Jesus spoke directly to seven churches about their faith and and how they were living it out in the midst of the Roman Empire. Each message begins the same way: These are the words…

The words that followed were both deeply comforting and profoundly challenging. Comforting because they were being spoken by the risen and victorious Lord Jesus. Challenging because they called the Church to deeper faithfulness and perseverance, even in the midst of great difficulty.

The Church of Jesus Christ needs to continually hear his words today, knowing that while victory belongs to Him, we must still walk the road of faithfulness. These are the words that comfort, challenge, and call us to do just that.