Rev. 3:19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20Behold, I stand at the door, andknock: if any man hear my voice,and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.22He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Verse 19 is similar to the verse we find in Proverbs 3:12 "For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." What Christ is saying here is that it is the people who are dearest to him are the ones he uses the sternest discipline. Please be careful here, Christ is not taking pleasure in dealing out discipline, he is showing his concern for the ones he loves the most and is taking every measure to make sure they get through this with Him! You discipline your child for their safety and well being, this is exactly what Christ is doing here with us.
So, next verses we see, He is standing at the door and knocking. YOU must let Him in, he will not force his way. The rewards and privileges are great to those who hear, see and overcome! Take warning to the letters to the churches that have been written by John from Christ's direct words. The end time is drawing close!
This is a short blog but I wanted to take a minute to remind you that we are through all the letters to the churches. It is a good time to go back and reflect, make sure you fall outside the warnings and that you are right with your Heavenly Father. If not, see you spiritual leader, write to me, go to The Word...whatever it takes!
Next blog will start chapter 4
Blessings on all!
Calabash
Materials utilized the most:
Prophecy Study Bible, by Tim LaHaye
Lectures on the Revelation, by Ironside
The Revelation of John Vol 1 & 2, by Wm Barclay
A Light in the Darkness, by Rick Renner
The Holy Bible, KJV (many authors!)
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Revelation 3 :17 & 18
Rev 3:17"Because thou sayest, I am rich,and increased with goods, and haveneed of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable,and poor, and blind, and naked 18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see."- KJV
Verse 17 is very direct. It is staying that the Laodicean church is thinking it self rich, they have replaced the need for God with material goods, prosperity and success thinking they no longer need the approval of God. They were no longer meditating on The Word, the truth it possesses, or the power of The Spirit. They had become of this world not of God's plan. The Risen Christ is telling them what they really are.
Verse 18 gives the solution from Christ himself.
A. Christ is telling the church to purchase, fro Him, gold tried in fire. The meaning here is one of divine righteousness. See 1 Peter 1:, "7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire,might be found unto praise and honorand glory at the appearing of JesusChrist:" Here Peter is talking about being tried through persecutions and suffering, (which happens to believers) and it tries our faith, to lean Christ , to let Him have control and count on Him through these times which strengthens our faith in Him. (also see Job 23 :10). One way that we as Christians place ourselves in trial is by fasting, to lean on Christ and to come closer to Him through the denial of self. If a person can walk through the experiences of trials and persecutions with Christ, that person is wealthy beyond any gold or riches.
B. The white raiment is practical righteousness. "The Practical Righteousness of God is that righteousness worked out in a Christian’s life resulting in integrity, virtue, purity of life and rightness or correctness in feeling, thinking and acting." By Lyn Mize of First fruits ministry.
C. Christ is saying that they are not clothed. In the ancient world, it was the worst humiliation ever to be naked. See 2 Sam. 10 :4, where Hanum treated the servants of David. See Isaiah 20:4 of the threat to Egypt of leading her people naked. Ezekiel had this threat to Isreal, and God's threat passed on by Nahum. Shame, guilt and sadiness came with nakedness. Laodicea prided itself in its garments it produced and remained spiritually naked.
d. Finally, recall that Laodicea was home to one of the first medical centers, specializing in eye conditions and salves. Christ is saying use the salves on yourself to open your eyes and see...YOURSELF! All ancient eye salve had a property of stinging with the first application. Laodicea had no desire to apply any anointing salve to see their own nakedness or poverty.
Remember, the Laodicea Church is alive and well today. This warning is for us! Examine your walk with Christ. Make sure you are right with Him and are following the right path.
Blessings on all,
Calabash
Verse 17 is very direct. It is staying that the Laodicean church is thinking it self rich, they have replaced the need for God with material goods, prosperity and success thinking they no longer need the approval of God. They were no longer meditating on The Word, the truth it possesses, or the power of The Spirit. They had become of this world not of God's plan. The Risen Christ is telling them what they really are.
Verse 18 gives the solution from Christ himself.
A. Christ is telling the church to purchase, fro Him, gold tried in fire. The meaning here is one of divine righteousness. See 1 Peter 1:, "7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire,might be found unto praise and honorand glory at the appearing of JesusChrist:" Here Peter is talking about being tried through persecutions and suffering, (which happens to believers) and it tries our faith, to lean Christ , to let Him have control and count on Him through these times which strengthens our faith in Him. (also see Job 23 :10). One way that we as Christians place ourselves in trial is by fasting, to lean on Christ and to come closer to Him through the denial of self. If a person can walk through the experiences of trials and persecutions with Christ, that person is wealthy beyond any gold or riches.
B. The white raiment is practical righteousness. "The Practical Righteousness of God is that righteousness worked out in a Christian’s life resulting in integrity, virtue, purity of life and rightness or correctness in feeling, thinking and acting." By Lyn Mize of First fruits ministry.
C. Christ is saying that they are not clothed. In the ancient world, it was the worst humiliation ever to be naked. See 2 Sam. 10 :4, where Hanum treated the servants of David. See Isaiah 20:4 of the threat to Egypt of leading her people naked. Ezekiel had this threat to Isreal, and God's threat passed on by Nahum. Shame, guilt and sadiness came with nakedness. Laodicea prided itself in its garments it produced and remained spiritually naked.
d. Finally, recall that Laodicea was home to one of the first medical centers, specializing in eye conditions and salves. Christ is saying use the salves on yourself to open your eyes and see...YOURSELF! All ancient eye salve had a property of stinging with the first application. Laodicea had no desire to apply any anointing salve to see their own nakedness or poverty.
Remember, the Laodicea Church is alive and well today. This warning is for us! Examine your walk with Christ. Make sure you are right with Him and are following the right path.
Blessings on all,
Calabash
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Revelation 3:14-16
Rev 3:14And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.
The "Laodicean" churches that are around today (the style) are the kind of churches that seem to have a "form" of godliness, but do not embrace the power of the church. In these churches the Bible is seldom taught, alter calls are few, and sinners are rarely converted. This is what the Risen Christ is addressing in this letter. We start with Him reminding us of who He is.
"The Amen"- Isaiah 65:16 in the Hebrew, he is called the God of Amen. The word "amen" at the end of a statement is there to promise truth, it is a form of guarantee that the statement is true. So, if Christ is referring to himself as the "Amen" he is saying He is the one to rely on, where the promises are not to be doubted. The Greek word for truly is Amen.
"the faithful and true witness"- There are three characterics of a reliable, true witness:
1. Must have seen what he is reporting
2. Must be honest and able to repeat the facts accurately.
3. Must be able to communicate the information on who it is to be told to.
Christ is declaring that He has all the facts, is who he says he is, and can be counted on for the accuracy of the statement.
"the beginning of the creation of God;"- "apxnyos" is the Greek word for beginning. It translates as leader, originator. This is not new for us, we know that God is the Alpha and Omega....the beginning and the end. Christ being part of the Holy Trinity is God, all things begin in Him.
John 1:3; "All things were made through him, and without him, was not anything made that was made".
Colo 1:16 - 18: Paul says, "16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning,..."
Doesn't it seem a shame that Christ has to explain to the church who He is, that this church doesn't know, or has forgotten, or is indifferent to Him!
"15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot."
Cold: Greek word, pschros meaning almost freezing. Have you ever heard someone say, "that person is being "cold"?" It means that person is ignoring them, or has nothing to do with the situation, has no emotion concerning the item or person at hand.
Hot: Greek word, zestos meaning almost to the boiling point. The expression, "to be on fire" for Christ is a statement meaning you wanna learn all you can, to talk about Christ and The Word, to be totally committed to Him! An awesome statement for someone to make about you. We should all strive to be that person!
Tepid or lukewarm: Greek word, chliaros, tepid is chilaros. Have you ever had a meal that was suppose to be hot or cold but was not? Think of hot soup or a cold can of soda, the wrong temperature can actually be nauseating. This is what Jesus is talking about. This church is "blah" neither denies or testifies Christ....it is just going through the motions without meaning. This church is so "unemotional" in their worship, works and feelings for The Word that Christ wants to "spew thee out of my mouth.", or just spit them out! The Lacdicea Church is just indifferent to Christ. W. Barkley states that, "indifference can be broken down only by the actual demonstration that Christianity is a power to make life strong and a grace to make life beautiful." What a beautiful statement that is!
This is something we need to search ourselves and determine if we are "lukewarm". If we are, we will be spit from His mouth, this is our warning.
Know that I am an e-mail away if you want to talk.
Blessings on all,
Calabash
The "Laodicean" churches that are around today (the style) are the kind of churches that seem to have a "form" of godliness, but do not embrace the power of the church. In these churches the Bible is seldom taught, alter calls are few, and sinners are rarely converted. This is what the Risen Christ is addressing in this letter. We start with Him reminding us of who He is.
"The Amen"- Isaiah 65:16 in the Hebrew, he is called the God of Amen. The word "amen" at the end of a statement is there to promise truth, it is a form of guarantee that the statement is true. So, if Christ is referring to himself as the "Amen" he is saying He is the one to rely on, where the promises are not to be doubted. The Greek word for truly is Amen.
"the faithful and true witness"- There are three characterics of a reliable, true witness:
1. Must have seen what he is reporting
2. Must be honest and able to repeat the facts accurately.
3. Must be able to communicate the information on who it is to be told to.
Christ is declaring that He has all the facts, is who he says he is, and can be counted on for the accuracy of the statement.
"the beginning of the creation of God;"- "apxnyos" is the Greek word for beginning. It translates as leader, originator. This is not new for us, we know that God is the Alpha and Omega....the beginning and the end. Christ being part of the Holy Trinity is God, all things begin in Him.
John 1:3; "All things were made through him, and without him, was not anything made that was made".
Colo 1:16 - 18: Paul says, "16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning,..."
Doesn't it seem a shame that Christ has to explain to the church who He is, that this church doesn't know, or has forgotten, or is indifferent to Him!
"15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot."
Cold: Greek word, pschros meaning almost freezing. Have you ever heard someone say, "that person is being "cold"?" It means that person is ignoring them, or has nothing to do with the situation, has no emotion concerning the item or person at hand.
Hot: Greek word, zestos meaning almost to the boiling point. The expression, "to be on fire" for Christ is a statement meaning you wanna learn all you can, to talk about Christ and The Word, to be totally committed to Him! An awesome statement for someone to make about you. We should all strive to be that person!
Tepid or lukewarm: Greek word, chliaros, tepid is chilaros. Have you ever had a meal that was suppose to be hot or cold but was not? Think of hot soup or a cold can of soda, the wrong temperature can actually be nauseating. This is what Jesus is talking about. This church is "blah" neither denies or testifies Christ....it is just going through the motions without meaning. This church is so "unemotional" in their worship, works and feelings for The Word that Christ wants to "spew thee out of my mouth.", or just spit them out! The Lacdicea Church is just indifferent to Christ. W. Barkley states that, "indifference can be broken down only by the actual demonstration that Christianity is a power to make life strong and a grace to make life beautiful." What a beautiful statement that is!
This is something we need to search ourselves and determine if we are "lukewarm". If we are, we will be spit from His mouth, this is our warning.
Know that I am an e-mail away if you want to talk.
Blessings on all,
Calabash
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)