November 15, 2022 IT’S SERIOUS
Revelation 3:17-22”Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,’ and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eyesalve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent. 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. He who overcomes, I will grant to Him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
If we believe that the bible is the word of God, then this passage should grab our attention in a powerful way. The book of Revelation is God speaking directly through the writer, most assume is the Apostle Paul. In chapter three, God has a message to seven churches; the passage above was written to the church in Laodicea. Even though these letters were written to specific churches, what God has to say certainly applies to all believers. The passage above is like a RED ALERT! Note that God says “I advise you;” if God is giving advice to us-it behooves us to hear and take His advice! First, let us make sure that we do not see ourselves and being wealthy, in need of nothing, while apart from Him we are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind. God invites us to buy from Him gold refined by fire that we may become rich-to be clothed with white garments-and have eyesalve to anoint our eyes that we may see. We could get into a lot of detail and could have a lot of questions in the book of Revelation; but let us get the clear message that God has for us in this passage. If you read the book of Revelation, you will find many verses that have the words “To him who overcomes.” I believe the main thing for us to overcome is that of overcoming ourselves and our desires, viewpoints, and understandings, and living life according to our preferences. The world is constantly telling us and tempting us to live according to the ways of the world-and that is what we must overcome. Overcoming also certainly involves resisting the lies and temptations of the enemy. Overcoming is a matter of living life according to God’s design and God’s plans-and not according to how we think life is to be lived. Overcoming the world’s philosophy and living according to God is the big deal. There is much more to discover in this passage, so we will continue this in the nest blog on or about November 17th. Be re-reading this passage and be meditating on the advice that God is giving.
Blessings,
Buddy
RSS Feed