LEARNING DAILY

 

Revelation 3:15-16, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.  So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”  Jesus

 

We have come to a church with the saddest description of all – it is lukewarm and indifferent to spiritual things.  It has compromised with the world’s philosophies and looks no different from the world.  It has become “politically correct” and does whatever it needs to do to draw people in the doors.  It has become comfortable to the point of being conceited because of its “wealth and need of nothing”.  The Lord Jesus told them they “did not know they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked”.  Because of their spiritual blindness they believed they needed nothing. 

 

Does wealth in a church mean that it has God’s blessing?  Can a church become so comfortable in handling their situations that their relationship with God becomes an afterthought?  Take another look at what the Lord said to the church at Laodicea and you will see the answers to these questions is a resounding YES!  He tells this church that true wealth (that’s spiritual wealth) comes from walking with Him.  He tells them put on clothes of white garments of righteousness (comes only through the salvation He offers).  And, He tells them to “anoint their eyes with eye salve (with the Word of God) in order to truly see their spiritual needs.

 

This is the church the Lord Jesus sees just before He sounds the trumpet that signal the rapture of all true Believers, the Church.  Too many people are in churches where the preacher tickles their ears with an incomplete gospel, incorrect doctrine, and fills their ears with what they want to hear.  The church of Laodicea is all around us.  The people of these churches believe all is well – just look at us, our church and how God has blessed us.  Just look at this, and this, and that over there.  We must be doing the right thing because God keeps giving us money to do these things.  Look at this magnificent campus we have for the school we have.  We must be blessed.  But God looks at the spiritual side of things!  What sort of fruit is being produced from what you have?  It always comes back to the fruit produced!

 

Then the Lord Jesus tells the people of this church in verse 20, ”Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and him with Me.”   When I first got saved, I preached a message about this verse.  I told the people it was Jesus telling unsaved people to open their hearts and receive Him as their Savior.  I was so wrong!  He was (and still is) talking to those who have already given their hearts to Him.  Yes, He is saying to nonbelievers that He wants them to open the door of their heart to Him as well.  But to Believers, He is telling them He wants to join them (us) in fellowship, not be shut out of their lives.  When Believers open their hearts to Him in fellowship, we learn of the great love He has for us and then we can experience the great spiritual blessings He has for us.  This is the Creator and Lord of all things telling us this!

 

The message for this church is the same as for the others churches.  Repent!  The message for each of is to repent!  Turn away from anything and everything that keeps you from walking on the narrow path to God’s kingdom and His righteousness.  Being apathetic to God’s Word and walking according to our own desires must stop! 

 

To each of the churches, the Lord Jesus said, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.”  He is emphasizing the need for us to pay close attention to what He is saying.  Hear what He is saying and pay special attention to it.  Don’t just hear; be obedient!  Do not harden your hearts to what He is saying.  Pay attention and diligently seek Him in every aspect of your life.  To do so is to find life for eternity with Him.

 

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