You beat me to it...lol. I was fixing to share in summary what I believe I heard the Holy Spirit say.....here is what I started.....
Okay, I want first thank everyone for their input on this subject. Here is what I am going to share as I heard in my spirit from the Spirit of Truth...
and it is only in part but I didn't want you guys to think I had abandoned this thread.
....
1.
Ephesus - had false apostles show up among them (a test), and they properly dealt with them. But they had left their first love (works of charity), and had need of doing the first works. They apparently had turned to orthodoxy. Paul showed in 1 Corinthians that even if we have the spiritual gifts but are without charity (love), then we are nothing. They were against the doctrines of the followers of Nicolas (Nicolaitans). According to Irenaeus, a 2nd century Greek bishop, the Nicolaitans were followers of Nicolas whom he relates to Gnosticism, those who mixed pagan Greek philosophy with Christian doctrine, and treated Christ's grace as a license to sin.
In the world today, the Gnostic movement is still with us, and in many Churches today. They teach the licentiousness ideas that the Nicolaitans had, even the false idea that once in Christ we can sin no more, thus there is no more need to repent or ask forgiveness of Christ for future sin. So it's not unusual that our Lord Jesus would mention these Nicolaitans in His 1st Church Message, for it is very applicable to today's time as we approach the end of this world. The reason why this matter is so important today, is because it is a type philosophy that permits sin, and brings in a larger membership that will think they are saved, thus it is a favorite method of the prosperity preachers.
2.
Smyrna - Jesus had no rebuke. Persecuted by the "synagogue of Satan", those who say they are Jews, but are not. The devil is to cast some of them in prison to be tried 10 days, a pointer to tribulation. These represent a Church of Christ's very elect.
The devil doesn't have to work hard against those who are already deceived into his hand. This is why he especially hates Christ's elect and works hard to try and destroy them.
3.
Pergamos - a city in Asia Minor strong in the paganism of Baal. Antipas was martyred there. Followers of the doctrine of the Nicolaitans were also there. So here is a Christian Church claiming to be followers of Jesus, yet they included pagan Baal worshipers and 'free sin' followers (like the concept of 'free love', do what you want, law is dead doctrines of the Nicolaitans). Instead of driving those false worshipers out of the Church for not repenting and changing their lives to follow Jesus, they allowed them to stay in attendance.
Do we have these kind of things going on in some of today's Christian Churches? Yes. We are admonished by our Lord Jesus and His Apostles to live a holy life, not a life of sin. And allowing someone into the Church that we know is doing idol worship, or living in sin without being rebuked? Why should our Lord Jesus bless that kind of Church? Want your Church to be blessed? then get rid of the evil doers in it. Good to do a little pruning every once in a while, and especially in lands which are more loaded with followers of the devil.
4.
Thyatira - had a Jezebel teaching in it, and she was teaching idolatry and fornication, i.e. the doctrines of Baal. She claimed to be a prophetess. The Jezebel pattern is from the Old Testament times of the prophet Elijah. King Ahab of northern Israel married Jezebel who was a Baal worshipper from Sidon. She had all of God's prophets killed except for Elijah, and sought his death.
With this Church example, it is pointing to a Christian Church who allows a woman to preach that claims to be a prophetess, but who teaches Baal doctrines also. The doctrines of Baal included sex orgy rituals as part of their religion. Because our Lord Jesus told others at Thyatira that did not have this doctrine were to hold fast to what they already had, and wait for His coming, it reveals the Baal practices likely were done behind closed doors among a certain portion of the Church members. Are you in a Church where some of the members hold secret meetings behind closed doors, practicing rituals? Don't laugh. This is serious business.
5.
Sardis - they had a 'name' that they were a living Church, but Jesus said they were actually 'dead'. Must assume He meant like those He rebuked of the scribes and Pharisees, who were like beautiful whited sepulchres outside, but inside were full of dead men's bones (Matthew 23:27). Jesus warned them to remember how they had heard, to strengthen what remained, and to repent, lest He would come upon them 'as a thief', and they would not know what hour He would come upon them.
What doctrines in some Churches today prevent the Christian from understanding the events leading up all the way to Christ's 2nd coming on the last day of this world to gather His Church? We are supposed to know
"the times and the seasons" leading up to the end when Jesus returns, like Apostle Paul mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 5. He told us there that the
"day of the Lord" will come
"as a thief in the night". Our Lord Jesus specifically mentioned this matter of His coming "as a thief" upon the deceived to those at Sardis (Revelation 3:3).
If you need a stronger hint, here it is. Those "times and the seasons" are
not... about a pre-tribulational rapture. That "day of the Lord" will only begin on the final last day of this present world, and it is what will burn man's works off this earth on that day (2 Peter 3:10). Some of these Sardis type Churches are even using men's books of the pre-trib rapture theory to teach their Sunday school classes instead of keeping to God's Word as written. They don't realize their Church is as 'dead' for heeding those things. So why would our Lord Jesus call these followers as being 'dead'? It's because the pre-trib rapture theory is a theory designed to lead the believer to fall away to worship the coming pseudo-Messiah that will appear first, prior to our Lord Jesus' return to destroy that false one. That false one is to work such a great deception with great signs and wonders upon the whole world, that even Christ's elect, IF it were possible, would also be deceived (Matthew 24:23-26).
6.
Philadelphia - the key of David is mentioned to these. Jesus set an open door before them that no man can open nor shut. They had kept His Word and not denied His Name. They were persecuted by the "synagogue of Satan", i.e., those who say they are Jews, but do lie and are not. In final, Jesus said He will make those false Jews to come worship at their feet (future Millennium timing). Jesus had no rebuke for them.
All that points emphatically to another Church group of His very elect, those who cannot be deceived, and are sealed with God's seal. That is what that open door that no man can open or shut from them points to. Their being kept from the "hour of temptation" is about their being sealed for the end with God's seal against the deception that is to occur during the end at the great tribulation that Jesus warned. The locusts of Rev.9 are allowed to 'sting' only... those NOT sealed with God's seal. These are sealed with God's seal, another pointer to their being Christ's very elect. You want to understand what to prepare for and watch for? then study about the two Churches for the end that represent Christ's very elect, i.e., the Churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia. And if you don't yet understand about the false Jews of the "synagogue of Satan" that Jesus mentioned to both of those Churches, then it's time to get on that and study. That matter begins in Genesis 3 and continues throughout God's Word.
7.
Laodiceans - They weren't either cold nor hot. They were rich with goods. They thought they had need of nothing, but were wretched and naked, miserable, poor, and blind (all in the spiritual sense). In other words, their materiality is where most of their faith was placed. Jesus instead told them to buy of Him gold tried in the fire, meaning spiritual riches of the world to come that won't perish nor rust, nor stolen, etc., which are gotten through overcoming trials of this world.
Basically the idea of... material peace and safety. If everyone's material needs are fulfilled, one is fat and happy, then there's a tendency to not want to move. It feels good being comfortable and in a place where you have most of life's pleasures. You kind of don't want to upset that apple cart by sticking your neck out for Christ's work which may cause you to lose some of those material comforts. With the coming time of 'great tribulation' in our near future, having all your material needs is going to be one of the peace and safety themes pushed by the coming pseudo-Christ. Craft is to prosper in his hand, and by peace he will destroy (spiritually) many (Dan.8), causing them to believe he is God.