2008-06-17 - Laodicea

Part 2

Revelation 3:14-22 (NKJV) And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: ¹⁵ I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷ Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'-and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked- ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. ¹⁹ As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 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 he with Me. ²¹ To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. ²² He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

The Laodicean church had lost much of their fire for God but the sad thing was that as it happened over time they didn't even realize it. They thought they were a rich church. Many churches today have forgotten that they are meant to be lighthouses and have instead become social clubs. Have you traded your beacon for some mood lighting? That church was wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked but they didn't even know it.

Jesus spoke of gold refined in the fires. In one of Paul's epistles, he speaks of our works being judged in a fire and all the impure ones being burned off as wood, hay, and stubble. (1 Corinthians 3:11-15) We do not give this gold to him but rather he gives it to us. Jesus leads us and empowers us to good works so that his name may be glorified. Even though the gold is truly his, he gives it to us so we can obtain white robes and ointment for our blind eyes.

Jesus told them to anoint their eyes with a healing salve that they might see their state. God gave us scripture as that salve. If we stay in it, it will help us see all our problems so that we can take them to him and let him cleanse them all. Stay in his word, apply it to your eyes that you may see each day every sin in your life and humbly bring it before him so you may wear the white robes.

IHFHBOH
Adam

adam@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org

All scripture references from KJV unless otherwise noted