Has your church been listening? Or another way to say it: has your ministry and the people been listening?

I had a teacher once who would express “you hear, but you don’t listen.” The sound reaching your ear and even the ability of your mind to comprehend, does not mean that you are listening. Listening to the Holy Spirit means that you take heed to what has been expressed, and with your whole heart and attention you put into action what was spoken to your soul.

So what part of what the seven Spirits said applies to you and your church?

To the church at Ephesus the Holy Spirit said:

You have labored, had patience, have not fainted, and even by the Word of God have been able to discern between those who are fake Christians and those who are true. That is good, but, I, Jesus, am no longer your first love! The reason you are doing these things is for the social status and attention you get among yourselves: I have been placed in second place in your hearts. If you don’t repent, I will take the clear light of the candlestick away and you will no longer have the ability to discern between the fake Christians and the true. (Read Revelation 2:1-7)

To the church at Smyrna the Holy Spirit said:

You have lost the clear light of the candlestick, and now there are fake Christians who are worshiping with you. Because of this, persecutions are soon to follow coming from these who are claiming to be “the Church.” You who remain faithful to me, be faithful all the way to the death! (Read Revelation 2:8-11)

To the church at Pergamos the Holy Spirit said:

Persecutions from those claiming to be the Church have come! Satan has set up his throne in the hearts of many people, even though they claim to love me. Additionally, like Balaam did, they are placing stumbling blocks in front of my people by seducing them with corrupted doctrines. Now the people have an unfaithful love towards me where they flirt with temptations. But I still know the few remaining ones who are faithful to me and I will feed them a pure and faithful Word that is hidden from the fake Christians. (Read Revelation 2:12-17)

To the church at Thyatira the Holy Spirit said:

Now there are many unfaithful harlot churches claiming to be married to me. These unfaithful harlots seek to kill my true ministry and to seduce my people into being unfaithful also. These harlot spirits bring evil from the very depths of Satan through the false teachings that they speak. But through my Word I will give my faithful servants a rod of iron where by they will conquer all these evil spirits. (Read Revelation 2:18-29)

To the church at Sardis the Holy Spirit said:

The final result of evil spirits working through those claiming to be the church: you will have a name, or an identity that claims to be Christian, but the reality is that you are dead in your soul because of the sins you are still committing. But yet, even in this horrible Sardis church condition, there is a small remnant that still love and obey me with a pure and faithful heart. (Read Revelation 3:1-6)

To the church at Philadelphia the Holy Spirit said:

It is time to place judgement upon all these evil spirits claiming to be the church! I will open the door of heaven so that clear light may pour down upon the church. Then my true people will have clear teachings and light to live by, and to gather together into one to worship by. Even fake Christians who are among them will fall down to acknowledge the true light. But beware: just because they acknowledge the truth, does not mean they love the truth! Don’t let them steal again your crown of righteousness. I will establish those who overcome as an unmovable pillar in my temple, the true church of God. (Read Revelation 3:7-13)

To the church at Laodicea the Holy Spirit said:

The ultimate deception is working against your soul! Your love for me has become lukewarm. You believe because of so much light and understanding that you have, that you are OK, but you are actually about to be spewed out. You hear and comprehend, but you have not been listening because you are not taking heed to what the Holy Ghost has expressed and warned concerning the seven churches. Consequently you have not, with your whole heart and attention, put into action what has been spoken to your soul. I am warning you against the life of spiritual ease that you have chosen. Wake up! Get back to an earnest love for me and my work. Only if you are willing to face the persecutions like I have, will you overcome and sit with me in my throne. (Read Revelation 3:14-22)

Has your Church been listening to what the Spirit says to the seven churches? Have you been listening?

There is an echo coming from Jesus himself that has been heard now seven times. No other place do we have record of the direct words of Jesus being repeated exactly the same way seven times, except in these seven messages to the seven churches in the book of Revelation.

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

Truly the Spirit has also spoken to us today concerning these seven churches, for to us they speak of seven Church ages, or to the spiritual needs of seven spiritual conditions throughout history.

• “John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne” (Revelation 1:4)
• “And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” (Revelation 4:5)

So we see that these seven “Spirits of God”, representing the Holy Spirit working in every age of time, are “before the throne” of God. The throne is that place where God reigns and gives commandment with all authority. And what is being shown is that this is actually the Holy Spirit working through his ministry, or angels – meaning his message bearers. God’s true ministry do God’s commandments, and not their own. They get the Word from God and deliver it to the Church.

“And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom…  …But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Hebrews 1:7-8 & 13-14)

The true ministry filled with the Holy Spirit are those ministering spirits. They are as the eyes of the Lord in the earth to warn and show people how to be saved through Jesus Christ. These ministering spirits are sent forth by the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

“And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” (Revelation 5:6)

And why are these seven Spirits of God working through the seven angel messengers to the churches? They are being sent from before the throne of God to put away all evil ways from before the Lord and to establish God’s kingdom in righteousness only.

“Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.” (Proverbs 25:4-5)

In God’s mercy he is sending his true ministry to clean up and clear the way for every honest soul to be saved and live in true holiness. But for everyone who will not put away their evil and religious self-righteousness, God will bring them before his final throne of judgement, but there will no longer be mercy anymore at that time.

Jesus on His Throne

“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:31-32)

For the seventh and final time he states also to the Laodiceans: do you have an ear anymore to hear?

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

“I 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 eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” (Revelation 3:18)

To sum up all of the message to the Laodiceans, I will leave the full scripture of Luke 12:30-48, which I have already partially quoted many times in previous posts concerning the Laodicean Church age. The complete passage is provided here, and the reader must see (even by Peter’s comment “Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?”) that the Lord certainly also had us, in our present Laodicean Church age, on his mind and heart.

“For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” (Luke 12:30-48)

So for the new year, are you really broken of yourself and your ways, or will you make another Laodicean new years resolution?

Jesus said that those that “overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame…” This lets us know plainly that we, like Jesus, will also have to come through great tribulation, to be able ovecome. Much of this will happen at the hands of loved ones and long time friends who supposedly are saved. But when we ourselves awake out of lukewarmness, the spirit that some of our “friends” really are of gets offended, and then goes to resisting us. It is very hard for those who believe they are “rich and increased in goods” (whether physical or spiritual goods) to forsake their own riches to receive the true riches in Christ Jesus.

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.” (Matthew 19:23-30)

But this throne is a spiritual one. One where we also can reign over all the evil of this life, and by holy living judge by living the righteous judgements found in the Word of God.

• “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?” (1 Corinthians 6:2-3)
• “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us” (2 Timothy 2:12)

Note: how we over come, as he overcame – by suffering for his sake. And also note, if we are suffering right, we will still maintain a sweet spirit and be able to continue worshiping Jesus from the heart. And it is this spirit of worship that raises our spirit right up to the throne of Jesus Christ!

“And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.” (Revelation 4:2)

Again, as with all the other church ages, we have also been tasked with a responsibility to overcome the spirit of our age. This spirit tries to convince us that “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing”. Just because we have much knowledge available to us concerning the Gospel – does not mean we “have need of nothing.” To the contrary, we actually have a greater accountability and responsibility to be fervant in love with Jesus and to be laboring for him in the Kingdom! Jesus said:

“And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” (Luke 12:47-48)

But Jesus never brings a need to our attention without the providing us the way to fight and overcome.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

When we “wake up” and repent of the lukewarmness, we will suddenly discover that all the spirits of the enemy that have worked throughout every church age are actually present in this last age; and they have been set in array against us to defeat us! But this battle fight is also is part of God’s great plan. He has determined that Jesus Christ might receive all glory and honor by placing judgement upon all these spirits and defeating them. He has determined to defeat these spirits through His Holy Spirit working through us:

“These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” (Revelation 17:14)

“And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” (Revelation 20:7-9)

Are you spiritually ready to fight, or have you already been defeated by sin working in your life again? Wake up!

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.”  (1 Timothy 6:12-15)

The invitation and desire of the Lord has always been to have us “sup with him.”

The notion of eating with the Lord is a great privilege, but it means partaking of the cup that he drank (the griefs and persecutions), and the bread that he ate (the full Word of God.)

“They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.” (Mark 10:37-40)

Concerning the last supper that Jesus had with the Apostles before he was to be tried and crucified, Jesus expressed his desire for it this way: 

“With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 22:15-16)

Jesus desires to eat this supper with us, but we have to be willing to partake of both the Word of God along with the griefs and persecutions that will follow. If we are not willing to put aside our own plans, agendas, and comforts, Jesus will find someone else that will.

“And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.” (Luke 14:15-24)

We must prove ourselves worthy to partake of this great supper.

“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” (I Corinthians 11:23-29)

We need to discern the Lord’s body! The Lord’s body are the ones that have put aside their own plans, agendas, and comforts to fully embrace and live the Word, and suffer for it. Those are the ones that both the Father and the Son will sup with.

“At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 14:20-23)

The marriage supper of the Lamb has come. Today is the day of salvation! Jesus is even knocking at the door.

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” (Revelation 19:7-9)

It is the Lord’s plan that our hearts be an epistle “known and read of all men” (II Cor 3:2-3). A temple where our hearts are open and people can see God reigning on the very throne of our heart.

“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O LORD God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” (Rev 11:15-19)

God has always wanted the temple of our heart, where true worship comes from, to be “open.” It has always been God’s plan for people to open their hearts fully to the Lord and the preaching of the full truth:

• “And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.” (Acts 16:14)

• “Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord” (II Cor 2:12)

• “But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” (I Cor 16:8-9)

• “And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.” (Acts 14:27)

As the temple of the Lord in the New Testament (see I Cor 3:16), the “door” we need to fully open to all the will of God is the door of our heart! This is so that worship from the heart can be properly “repaired” and maintained. In the Old Testament, this is exactly what King Hezekiah did to properly re-estabilish the full, true worship of God:

“He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them. And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street, And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place. For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs. Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel.” (II Chron 29:3-7)

Today we need to be sure that “other gods/idols” are not competing for space within the New Testament temple of the Lord. Our personal goals, plans, personalities, and preferences must be appropriately purged out to make room for God to “fill the temple”.

“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (II Cor 6:16)

So What did Jesus say about a man knowing the final day?

“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:36-39)

Further, does the Bible teach that the judgment day will start six months before the end of the World?

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:52-55)

The book of Revelation describes the end of the world and the judgment, but no mention at all is made about the the judgment taking 6 months. In fact, the Revelation shows the end of the world first, and then the judgment (different from what the false prophet states.)

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15)

In fact, the Bible states that the earth will be destroyed on the day of judgment (the same day):

“But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” (2 Peter 3:7)

Listen, are you willing to just follow along with such a false prophet. Are you so cheap with your soul that you don’t even carefully check the Word of God to see if it is true, and you just fall for some story someone made up? Don’t be foolish with your eternal bound soul! Don’t be a “follow anyone” person. God gave you a brain – use it! Have some integrity to face yourself honestly and repent of all your sins to live obedient and holy every day so it does not matter what day is the end of the world for you. You just fully follow Jesus and you’ll be OK!

“I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” (John 5:43-44)

Seek to honor and obey Jesus’ words, not some man who does not obey Jesus himself. Take heed what you do with what the Word of God says!

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:18-19)

This false prophet should be terrified to mess around with changing what God’s word says about the end of the world and the final judgment! Are you?

Jesus instructed us that he is the door to the Church:

• “Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10:7-9)
• “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)

So what door is this now that stands between Jesus and his Church? Could it be that with all the truth and understanding that the Church has gained over the years that she has become so self-sufficient and self-confident that she has lost her fervent love for her husband and his purpose, and the lost souls he came to save? Has her lukewarmness in her love placed a door between her and Jesus?

This door is not Jesus, because why would he knock on himself? This door can only be the hearts of men and women who claim to be the Church!

• “I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.” (Song of Solomon 5:2)
• “And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.” (Acts 16:14)

Do not fall asleep with the lukewarmness of this current age! If you do, you are not ready and watching for his return from the marriage feast. He has come, and you will miss it!

“Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” (Luke 12:33-40)

Behold! – Jesus has returned from the wedding! Biblical wedding feasts lasted a week (note: 7 days of the Gospel day – see Isaiah 30:26) and included all the friends and family of the bride and groom. (Remember the wedding feast is spoken of again in Philedelphia where the door was opened – but Christ has always been married to his Church throughout every age.) He is at the door now in this seventh day of the Gospel day – there is no more time to put off. The time is now – we must be ready to open the door of our hearts!

“Be zealous!” the definition of zealous: “Warmly engaged or ardent in the pursuit of an object.”

But what he wants the Church to be zealous about is repenting under the strong rebuke, because he is correcting them in love. He wants them to repent (meaning to turn away from) their coldness towards fully obeying Jesus, and their lack of concern for lost souls. Most people who have attended church for years don’t believe they need to repent because they are long-term members of the Church.

“And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons…”

If you are calling yourself a Christian, but yet you still sin, you are being unfaithful to your savior. If you are doing this, and you don’t feel any guilt in your heart, you have certainly drifted far away from God; even though you may be a regular Church goer.

“Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” (Hebrews 12:5-14)

The Lord rebukes so strongly because he loves us! And he expects a demonstration of sincere repentance, therefore “be zealous” about repenting! The lukewarm condition is so strong that people who are made aware of their condition move slowly, with reservations, and definitly without the earnestness of one who recognizes the urgency of the situation. We need to be urgent and desparate – recognizing it is our only hope, and also the only hope of rescuing billions of souls that are lost!

“Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.” (John 9:10-11)

When we anoint our eyes with the eyesalve that Jesus provides we will be able to see spiritual things that we did not see before. The anointing we need is the “single” and “only” fervent love for Jesus, his plan, and his work. The lukewarm are too busy with the “riches” of this life to properly focus their love, time and devotion where it needs to be. Jesus is speaking about the eye of the heart’s desire!

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:19-24)

The light of the Church is the burning love for Jesus. If that love-eye is not “single” for Jesus, then the condition is described as “evil” and “full of darkness.” The reason Jesus describes it this way is because, like the Ephesus Church, the lukewarm have left their first love, and the consequence is that Jesus will “remove thy candlestick out of his place.” (see Revelation 2:5) Without the light of the true bride of Christ’s fervent and faithful love, the place of worship becomes dark. Without the true light, there will be no revelation to souls of their eternal needs!

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:17-18)

How’s your eyes? Do you have a “single” love-eye for the Lord in obeying his commandments and seeking the lost? Do you need Jesus to anoint your eyes?

When the spiritual nakedness of fake Christianity is exposed, it is a very grievous judgment to receive. Often those who are exposed as such will protest and resist vehemently. Misery loves company so they will go about to divide and gather to themselves anyone else who will listen to their false message or gossip. Because they are already under the influence of an evil spirit, they especially have an ability to tell who has become spiritually lukewarm and naked like them – and they seek to gather them. This is why it is especially dangerous to become lukewarm right around the true Church of God where judgment against false religious conditions is poured out.

“And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Revelation 16:12-15)

There has always been two spiritual gatherings of people going on: one to Jesus, to worship him only in spirit and in truth and perfect unity, and the other to gather apart and away from Jesus’ true gathering. If you will not be gathered out from: sin, the divisions of religion, and the lukewarm condition – you will be gathered by “unclean spirits like frogs.” This has been the situation from the beginning:

“… Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.” (Acts 4:25-28)

Prior to Jesus going before Pilate and Herod to be judged by them, these two men were at odds against each other. But after meeting Jesus and not humbling themselves to serve him, the Bible tells us that they became friends:

“And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.” (Luke 23:12)

If you do not overcome lukewarmness, you will eventually openly reject the full truth, or work to cause division in the one, sin-free Church of God. You will then be gathered by frog-like spirits working through people and religions that will convince you to put aside your differences to fight the Church of God. It has happened over and over again – people who do not agree on much of anything, can agree on one point: to fight Jesus’ one true Church of God.

We already spoke of the need for spiritual gold tried in the fire in an earlier post. Secondly, you need “white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear.” If we have not fully repented from all sin and have not kept our selves clear and free from it, then our garments are spotted and defiled. We are actually spiritually naked. This is because if we are not spiritually clothed with “white raiment” (no spots of sin), then we are effectively not spiritually clothed. Remember what Jesus told them back in Sardis?

“Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” (Revelation 3:4-5)

One of the distinctions especially noted in Revelation concerning those who would “overcome” and be saved is that they would be spiritually clothed in white:

• “And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.” (Revelation 4:4)
• “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10)
• “And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.” (Revelation 15:6)
• “And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” (Revelation 19:13-14)

“…that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear” The shame of spiritual nakedness especially applies to those who at one time have actually been saved and used to wear spiritual “white raiment.” But because they have not kept their love fervant toward their spiritual husband Jesus, their love eventually wanders towards other things – and that will eventually lead to a naked, unfaithful harlot, church condition:

“Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts. Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.” (Nahum 3:4-5)

“Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.” (Lamentations 1:8)

Jesus’ counsel to overcome this horrible lukewarm spiritual condition requires people to do three things. All three must be addressed for sucess in our day and age! They are: “gold tried in the fire”, “white raiment”, and “anoint thine eyes”.

First the gold – in particular Jesus states two things about it: a) you can’t get it anywhere – you must buy it from me, b) this gold must be tried in the fire:

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” (1  Corinthians 3:11-15)

The true gold can only come from Jesus Christ – you must go directly to him for real salvation and true faith. You cannot rely on parents, friends, even the pastor – to get your salvation. The only way they can help is by truely pointing you to the throne of God and helping you, from the true depths of your heart, to do business directly with Jesus.

The fire will try every man’s work. If his work has built gold into his spiritual house – fire will not burn gold, it will only purify it. But fire will burn up things that are spiritually “wood, hay, and stubble.” Where did the spiritual wood, hay, and stubble come from? Not from Jesus. Jesus only sells us things that are of true lasting spiritual value, and then he further purifies what he sells us with the fire of the Word of God and the fire of trials. This is why he instructs us “to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich.” A lukewarm love and devotion will cause you to buy the idea that spiritual wood, hay, and stubble is good enough – but it will bring you spiritual poverty when the time of the trial by fire comes.

But note again, Jesus said you must “buy of me gold tried in the fire.” You must “buy” it. This is an expression not often used within the context of what we receive from God. But Jesus uses it here to drive home an important point if we are going to get help. We need to see this as something highly valued and desired so much that we are urgent to pay any price for. We live in an age of convenience and complacency. Until we become desparately earnest, we will not be willing to pay what it takes to obtain a faith that has been tried in the fire!

It is your faith that needs to be tried. Your faith is likened to gold – but gold that is fully purified by fire can be stretched to the thinest and finest degree, but yet not break – because it is pure gold with nothing else mixed. This is the type of faith we need to overcome lukewarmness. Else when the trial by fire comes, we’ll seek for the comefortable place of ease, rather than face the battle head-on and stick to the difficult race. A large part of this battle of faith is against the lukewarm, indifferent religious condition of the so-called “christian” faiths! We are either going to fight the lukewarm, indifferent condition with fire, or we will be overcome with it!

“That 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 honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7)

Let us not be ignorant for while our Lord was still yet on earth, he warned us that it would be this way at the final wedding feast:

“And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:11-14)

You may have been “called out” of false christian religions to the light of the true Church of God, but this does not mean you will be “chosen” in that final day. You and I have a responsibility to keep the lights of our fervent love for God and his truth and work, else we will be gathered out again into a lukewarm and dead religious condition – yet still calling ourselves “the Church.”

“And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Revelation 16:13-15)

Again, who was the revelation message written to? Check out for yourself, it was addressed to the Church. So who is this warning to? It is to those claiming to be the Church! Jesus does not waste his breath and words. There are serious needs facing us today that Jesus is warning us of! There are religious spirits that want to divide the Church up into various splintered groups, and yet keep everyone satisfied that it is OK that way. These spirits want ministers to believe that they can continue on that way and God will never call them into account for what has divided sincere and faithful believers.

“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.” (2 Corinthians 5:1-3)

What do your spiritual garments look like? Are they spotted by fleshly ways and attitudes? Are they clean? Do you have the same garments that Christ first gave you when he washed you and made you clean?

“and knowest not…”

“For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:38-39)

The ark was the vessel built in the last days of the then known world to provide a heaven of safety from the judgment of the flood that destroyed all life on the earth. Only one family was on board and was saved. Today the Church of God is that vessel that God has ordained to bring people safe through the judgment. Jesus Christ is the door to get on board and only one family, the true family of God, will be on board in the final judgment. We need to know we are on board and in it with all our heart! May God bless you to be found so on that final day.

Again, Jesus said that they “knowest not that thou art…” “…blind…” Blind – meaning that you cannot see and discren spiritual matters, yet believing you clearly see! How could this be?

It has happened many times before:

• “Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’s servant? Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not. The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable. But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?” (Isaiah 42:18-23)
• “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (Matthew 15:14)

You are blind when you know what to teach others, but you do not do it yourself. The Laodicean age is an age of great gifts of knowledge concerning spiritual truths – yet with this great gift of knowledge comes an even greater accountability to fervently love, live, and share it!

“Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?” (Matthew 23:16-19)

What is greater, the gift of knowledge and understanding we have today – or the altar of God where the gift is wholly purified and consecrated to God, for only his purpose and use – nothing withheld. The gift alone is less than worthless! Without the Holy Ghost fire of love from the altar of sacrifice that consumes the gift for the glory of God, the gift is of no value! When our love becomes “lukewarm” we spiritually “fall asleep” into a life of self purposes and plans – yet still worshiping God via knowledge of a discipline or form.

• “What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.” (Romans 11:7-10)
• “His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.” (Isaiah 56:10-11)

We must treat the great truths of the Gospel that we understand today as most precious! We must continue to nurture these truths amongst ourselves and fervently to a lost an dying world – else we will become as blind as the lost world!

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” (2 Peter 1:4-9)

Are we labor laboring to add to our faith: virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity? If we are comfortable with “our faith” then we are blind! If we are comfortable with no growth spiritually and few souls being delivered, and with little concern in true fellowship of the Word and Spirit being restored, then we are really blind! If our love is not fervent, our love will not only grow cold towards the needs of the lost, but also towards the Lord himself, and eventually, a lack of love even amongst ourselves will become evident as a testimony to our own blindness:

“Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.” (1 John 2:8-11)

Spiritually, we are in the poorest of the ages of all time. Much physical riches. Many spiritual truths and testimonies of past history to draw from. Many free Bible software tools and references on the Web to be able to study in depth the will of God for our lives. And yet, right amongst all this great potential, people can attend right where the truth is preached and taught, and they are still largely ignorant of it in their heart and in their daily living.

• “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.” (Proverbs 21:17)
• “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.” (Proverbs 13:7)

Have our priorities shifted towards ourselves? We have our: families, careers, plans, vacations, retirements… and we fit the work of God somewhere in between, if there is room left. Is Jesus still looking down and having to say “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few” (Luke 10:2)

“He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.” (Prov 10:4)

Neglect of spiritual things will produce a definite result!

“Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it. And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely. O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return. Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God. I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds. Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.” (Jeremiah 5:1-6)

We will quickly become poor when we do not take heed to the warning from Jesus – and he will have to say “surely these are poor.” In addition, we will not realize it until too late that a “wolf of the evenings” has come right in amongst the people of God to tear, rend, divide and scatter the people. Have we not seen enough of this already in this evening time of the Gospel day to realize what is happening! The Church of God in Laodicea needs to repent!

Have we been so busy that over and over again we neglect the lost around us that so desperately need the truth of the gospel shared with them? Wkipedia has a sober definition for “neglect”:

“Neglect is a passive form of abuse in which the perpetrator is responsible to provide care for a victim who is unable to care for oneself, but fails to provide adequate care to meet the victim’s needs, thereby resulting in the victim’s demise.”

Neglect is abuse? Will there be victims of our neglect who will cry against our soul at the final judgment?

Do you know the love that produces true devoted love and divine unity amongst God’s people. It is not accomplished by human religious governments and ecumenical movements. This love is from God himself! This love draws no lines with God, but is willing to suffer the loss of all for Jesus sake, his works sake, and his Church’s sake.

Remember the rich man who sought Jesus? He obeyed and pleased God (like many around the true Church of God,) and the scripture says Jesus loved him, yet there was a limit to this rich man’s love for Jesus. But the limit was not known – until Jesus, knowing what was very important to him, required that very thing of him:

“And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.” (Mark 10:17-31)

It was by the unwillingness of the rich man to meet Jesus’ requirement that he essentially became “spewed out” and spiritually very poor. And now consider the very drastic condition in Laodicea, believing that you are way beyond any needs, and yet your real spiritual condition is exactly the opposite!

“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” (Revelation 3:17)

What a rude awakening to the reality you had been believing the opposite of what is true, and that yet, right around the true Church of God! Yet it is the mercy of God to awaken people to this reality. And this is the reason the Revelation message needs to be preached in all its fullness, by the Spirit of God.

Jesus tells it like it is – and the words are very plain and cutting. “Wretched” he says. The word denotes a most low condition that requires deliverance! The Apostle Paul used this very word to describe his religious condition prior to being saved!

“For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:22-24)

Could it be that around where the truth is preached and lived that you can get into a place that you have become “wretched”?

Jesus also said they were actually “miserable.” The Apostle Paul used this same word to describe what it would be like for Christians if there was no hope of an eternal reward!

“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (I Cor 15:19)

Again, Jesus said that they “knowest not that thou art… …poor…” Poor – implies that spiritually they have very little. Yet they believed they were spiritually rich! How can this be?

“A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.” (Prov 28:3)

Has the message to the lost become nothing more than judgment without a corresponding show of compassion and mercy? Does our heart earnestly yearn and reach out to the lost? Has our “defence the gospel” become nothing more than oppression for the lost with no love and long-suffering for their needs of nurturing and compassion? Many oppressed in sin have been abused and betrayed by those who should have loved them; and often this happened while they were a child. Sometimes their parents oppressed them with religious judgment right as they were abusing them. Are these poor confused souls able to see something different in us. Do we have to love and long-suffering with their mental weaknesses to be able to show compassion on them so we can go the distance to instruct them while we comfort them? Do we have the patience to long-suffer with their mistrust, so that we may gain their trust?

Does your spiritual riches include the sacrificial love of God?

Now being “Rich and increased with goods” can be a physical thing that could have an impact on your spiritual life – and people typically think of physical riches and goods when they read this scripture. But those who have the opportunity to be around where a true Church of God congregation meets and worships, also have the opportunity to receive many spiritual riches. And let us not forget that this revelation message from Jesus, after all, is addressed to the Church. Consider the following great spiritual riches:

• Rich in wisdom and knowledge: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33)
• Riches in the truth that is preached: “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;” (Ephesians 3:8)
• Riches of his grace – his divine favor: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7)

But unless divine love, or charity (God’s love that goes beyond human love) is working in our hearts and lives, even spiritual acts and riches will not benefit:

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-8)

The point especially made in 1 Corinthians 13 – divine love: endures, is consistent, and is self-sacrificing. It does not depend upon the approval, help, or sanction of people for its strength. Rather, this love is first grounded in Jesus Christ himself. It is a love of devotion and faithfulness to Jesus’ work for the lost, and of worship and adoration towards Jesus himself. It is the love of the bride of Christ for Jesus. A deep, devoted, close spiritual relationship. The very presence and approval of Jesus supplies true and lasting riches!

Perhaps the poorest spiritual condition on the face of the earth is the one with all the spiritual riches handed to them, but they show little interest in putting them to work in their lives. They lose their vision of being a servant of love, one who serves from the heart. I have seen this often in children who are raised around great spiritual riches. And I have see this often amongst those who once valued these riches, but then later took them for granted.

Oh how very poor is the individual who once had the greatest of riches, only to have lost them completely to the vices of open sin, or to the lukewarm deception of self-serving, social Christianity! Truly it is the poorest of the poor who thinks themselves OK, but have been “spewed out” a long time ago by Jesus Christ! They are liken to the fairy tail of the King who was convinced he had on the finest of clothing, but yet he knew not he was actually naked.

“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” (Revelation 3:17)

The Laodicean Church Age is the last Church Age and we are in it today – and if ever was a time that people are physically “rich and increased with goods” it is today. There are still many that are physically poor, but in many places those who call themselves poor, are rich compared to what their predecesors had. It is far better to be rich towards God, than to be financially comfortable in this life.

• “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:6-10)
• “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:20-21)
• “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?” (James 2:5)
• “A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold… …By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.” (Proverbs 22:1 & 4)
• “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.” (Proverbs 13:7)
• “They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:” (Psalms 49:6-7)

Being rich and increased with goods can bring a snare on your life. When Jesus told of the parable of the different types of ground (or the hearts of men) where the Word of God was sown to bring forth fruit (in Mark 4:3-20), he noted one of the grounds or hearts as having “thorns” growing in it. These “thorns” became a great hindrance to the spiritual life of those who had them: “And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful” (Mark 4:18-19).

If physical thorns are all around you, they can be painfully effective in restricting your movement in any type of work you may try to do. So too, the same is true if you carelessly allow cares, riches, lusts, entertainments, personal goals, etc. fill your life and time. Doing much for God will become “painfully” inconvenient and wearisome. Love first for God and lost souls will not be your primary motivator. You will become “unfruitful” for God.