he who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. --Revelation 2:7 NKJV
To the angel of the Church in America write:
These are the words of the One who holds the seven stars and walks among the golden lampstands. I know your deeds. You live in luxury and self-indulgence, and you have forsaken your first love. I hold this against you. woe to those of you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left. Surely the great houses will become desolate, the fine mansions left without occupants.
Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded your wealth in the last days. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' Yet it is those who are poor in the eyes of the world that are rich in faith. I have chosen them to inherit the kingdom I have promised to those who love Me. Therefore, do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Seek first My kingdom and My righteousness, and all these other things will be given to you as well. Remember, even I, the Lord Jesus Christ, though I was rich, for your sakes became poor, so that you, through My poverty, might become rich.
Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' but do not do what I say? Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says, for whoever obeys My commands--that is the one who loves Me.
What does the Lord require of you, you ask? To act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. In fact, the entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
There will always be poor people in the land. I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in the land. Defend the cause of the weak and the fatherless, maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Now let's talk about fasting. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? No, this is the fast that I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke. It is to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but had no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?
Even now, return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity.
I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Why spend money on what is not bread and labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. then you will call, and I will answer; you will cry for help, and I will say, "here am I." If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and the malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then you light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become as the noonday. I will guide you always; I will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
Therefore, My dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. --Jesus
(Rev 2:1-2; James 5:5; Rev. 2:4; Isaiah 5:8-9; Haggai 1:5-6; James 5:2-3; Rev, 3:17; James 2:5; Matt. 6:19-21, 33; 2 Cor. 8:9; Luke 6:46; James 1:22; John 14:21; Micah 6:8; Gal. 5:14; Deut. 15:11; Ps. 82:3; Isa. 58:4-7; I John 3:17; Joel 2:12-13; Eph. 4:1-2; Rom. 12:2; Isa. 55:2; 58:9-11; I Cor. 15:58)
Sunday, January 24, 2010
A Letter to Laodicea
To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: "This is the message from the Amen, the faithful and true witness, who is the origin of all that God has created. I know what you have done; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were either one or the other! but because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth! You say, 'I am rich and well off, I have all I need.' But you do not know how miserable and pitiful you are! You are poor, naked and blind. I advise you, then, to buy gold from me, pure gold, in order to be rich. Buy also white clothing to dress yourself and cover up your shameful nakedness. Buy also some ointment to put on your eyes, so that you may see. I rebuke and punish all whom I love. Be in earnest, then, and turn from your sins. Listen! I stand at the door and knock; if any hear my voice and open the door, I will come into their house and eat with them, and they will eat with me. To those who win the victory I will give the right to sit beside me on my throne, just as I have been victorious and now sit by my Father on his throne. If you have ears, then, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches!" (Revelation 3:14-22)
**Commentary by Richard Stearns from "A Hole in Our Gospel."
'Laodicea was an important center of trade and communication, strategically located on a main Roman road stretching from Ephesus, on the coast, inland to Asia. This city was famous for both its banking industry and a great school of medicine. In fact, the Laodiceans produced a well-known ointment for the eyes. They also boasted a one-of-a-kind, glossy black wool for weaving, which created great wealth for their city. They were even rich enough to refuse help from Rome when their city suffered a major earthquake in AD 60. And because they had achieved prosperity by themselves, Laodicea had a reputation for self-sufficiency and pride.'
In constrast to its glowing attributes, Laodicea was also known for its poor water. On the other hand, nearby Hierapolis was famous for its hot springs, which boasted medicinal properties. People traveled there daily for a dip in the healing waters. Colossae, also a neighbor, was known as well for its cold, pure waters. A drink from the springs of Colossae was refreshing to many a traveler in the heat of the day. But Laodicea's waters were brought in by aqueduct and were neither hot nor cold--but lukewarm. Interestingly, as Christ looked at His church there, He was essentially saying that their works--like their waters--were so tepid that they were good for neither spiritual healing nor spiritual refreshment. The result? 'You make me want to vomit'(v.16 MSG). the Lord found them thoroughly disgusting."
I think that the things that the church thought that they had down, God condemns and tells them that it is not good enough. They needed pure gold from Him, they needed white clothing from Him and they even needed eye ointment from Him. Even though these things were all good things, they were not good enough and they did not buy them any special favors from Him. In reality, He wanted them to have humble hearts and He wanted them to rely on Him.
**Commentary by Richard Stearns from "A Hole in Our Gospel."
'Laodicea was an important center of trade and communication, strategically located on a main Roman road stretching from Ephesus, on the coast, inland to Asia. This city was famous for both its banking industry and a great school of medicine. In fact, the Laodiceans produced a well-known ointment for the eyes. They also boasted a one-of-a-kind, glossy black wool for weaving, which created great wealth for their city. They were even rich enough to refuse help from Rome when their city suffered a major earthquake in AD 60. And because they had achieved prosperity by themselves, Laodicea had a reputation for self-sufficiency and pride.'
In constrast to its glowing attributes, Laodicea was also known for its poor water. On the other hand, nearby Hierapolis was famous for its hot springs, which boasted medicinal properties. People traveled there daily for a dip in the healing waters. Colossae, also a neighbor, was known as well for its cold, pure waters. A drink from the springs of Colossae was refreshing to many a traveler in the heat of the day. But Laodicea's waters were brought in by aqueduct and were neither hot nor cold--but lukewarm. Interestingly, as Christ looked at His church there, He was essentially saying that their works--like their waters--were so tepid that they were good for neither spiritual healing nor spiritual refreshment. The result? 'You make me want to vomit'(v.16 MSG). the Lord found them thoroughly disgusting."
I think that the things that the church thought that they had down, God condemns and tells them that it is not good enough. They needed pure gold from Him, they needed white clothing from Him and they even needed eye ointment from Him. Even though these things were all good things, they were not good enough and they did not buy them any special favors from Him. In reality, He wanted them to have humble hearts and He wanted them to rely on Him.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Thoughts on Luke 9:57-62
57)As they went on their way, a man said to Jesus, "I will follow you wherever you go." 58)Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lie down and rest." 59)He said to another man, "Follow me." But that man said, "Sir, first let me go back and bury my father." 60)Jesus answered, "Let the dead bury their own dead. You go and proclaim the Kingdom of God." 61)Someone else said, "I will follow you, sir; but first let me go and say good-bye to my family." 62)Jesus said to him, "Anyone who starts to plow and then keeps looking back is of no use for the Kingdom of God."
So these are kind of harsh words, but I don't think that it's an accident that they are in the Bible. The title in my Bible over these verses says: 'The Would-Be-Followers of Jesus.' So I meditated on this passage for a long time this weekend; 'what does he mean?' 'should I never go back to see my family?' 'should I live on the streets?' 'what does he mean by this?!' If I take it exactly as it is written, that would be what I would gather. But then I stepped back and tried to see the bigger meaning behind this.
In verse 58 maybe he his referring to a place to call 'home' that place that is so comfortable and that we want to make it really nice and we will live there for the rest of our lives raising our families; having our white picket fence, two cars--or three or four; a nice neighborhood; over and all--I think for us this is our status--how the world sees us. God doesn't want to fit into our status; He doesn't want to be a little extra perk, that makes us look better to the world because we attend church on Sunday mornings with our perfect little family.
Verse 59 I think maybe refers to our immediate plans or maybe longer term. God calls us and we always have an excuse. 'God, there's stuff that I have to do first, I'll just do that really quick and then I'll follow you.' Or maybe even, 'God I'm doing this and you're just going to have to give me something to do that will go along with my plans.' Jesus is quick to say that is not how it's going to be! He wants us all! He is an all-consuming fire and all-consuming fires don't leave anything uncharred. They burn everything in the way.
And then in verse 61, this other person wants to turn to their family/relationships before they follow God. And sure it's nice to have support of family in what we are doing for God, but ultimately whatever God has called us to is between us and Him. Not me and Him and my parents and my siblings and my grandparents and my best friends. If HE is calling me, I better follow because He is the one that I have to answer to. Friends and family love you--A LOT! And they want the best for you. They want you to have a happy, safe, comfortable little life. But sometimes God isn't safe or comfortable, but HE IS GOOD! He has this all worked out for our best use of our talents and gifts that He has given.
So, what if I said, 'I love you family and friends, but I need to serve God first'. What if I said, 'I have all these plans, but they're going out the window because HIS will comes first.' And what if I said, 'Safe, comfortable lives are nice, but I'm ready for the adventure that comes with following and serving the creator of the universe!'
So these are kind of harsh words, but I don't think that it's an accident that they are in the Bible. The title in my Bible over these verses says: 'The Would-Be-Followers of Jesus.' So I meditated on this passage for a long time this weekend; 'what does he mean?' 'should I never go back to see my family?' 'should I live on the streets?' 'what does he mean by this?!' If I take it exactly as it is written, that would be what I would gather. But then I stepped back and tried to see the bigger meaning behind this.
In verse 58 maybe he his referring to a place to call 'home' that place that is so comfortable and that we want to make it really nice and we will live there for the rest of our lives raising our families; having our white picket fence, two cars--or three or four; a nice neighborhood; over and all--I think for us this is our status--how the world sees us. God doesn't want to fit into our status; He doesn't want to be a little extra perk, that makes us look better to the world because we attend church on Sunday mornings with our perfect little family.
Verse 59 I think maybe refers to our immediate plans or maybe longer term. God calls us and we always have an excuse. 'God, there's stuff that I have to do first, I'll just do that really quick and then I'll follow you.' Or maybe even, 'God I'm doing this and you're just going to have to give me something to do that will go along with my plans.' Jesus is quick to say that is not how it's going to be! He wants us all! He is an all-consuming fire and all-consuming fires don't leave anything uncharred. They burn everything in the way.
And then in verse 61, this other person wants to turn to their family/relationships before they follow God. And sure it's nice to have support of family in what we are doing for God, but ultimately whatever God has called us to is between us and Him. Not me and Him and my parents and my siblings and my grandparents and my best friends. If HE is calling me, I better follow because He is the one that I have to answer to. Friends and family love you--A LOT! And they want the best for you. They want you to have a happy, safe, comfortable little life. But sometimes God isn't safe or comfortable, but HE IS GOOD! He has this all worked out for our best use of our talents and gifts that He has given.
So, what if I said, 'I love you family and friends, but I need to serve God first'. What if I said, 'I have all these plans, but they're going out the window because HIS will comes first.' And what if I said, 'Safe, comfortable lives are nice, but I'm ready for the adventure that comes with following and serving the creator of the universe!'
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