Remember the song that says; “Do You Hear what I Hear?”
Today I want to finish this series with that thought. My prayer is that I can communicate in such a way that it will reach into your heart & perhaps change things forever!
Get this; READY OR NOT, JESUS IS COMING SOON!
I. Church of Sardis… verse 1-6
…you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead.
…Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead.
…I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God.
What is Jesus trying to say to the church?
Is He being condemning or concerned?
I hear the heart of the Savior crying out to a generation of people that HE laid down His life to save.
…Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again.
…If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.
Look over at 2 Peter 3:7-18 NLT READ!
As we have been noticing, the message of REPENTANCE was preached very much by Jesus Himself!
He always gave stern warning as to the results of a life that does not heed to true repentance in their life!
1 John 2:15-16 NLT Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
But there is great victory for those who choose to live the life that is filled with true repentance & a love for Jesus Christ!
… All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.
II. Church of Philadelphia… verse 7-13 NLT
…This is the message from the one who is holy and true
And that ain’t E.F. Hutton!
This is the Christ, the Savior of the world!
…You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me.
What did He say He would do, in the gospels, for those don’t deny Him???
… I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:32
Always remember that HE is aware of all the things you go through in this life & HE is always working in your behalf to bring you all the way with great victory!
…Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown. 12 All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of my God—the New Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will also write on them my new name.
III. Church of Laodicea… verse 14-22 NLT
…I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!
Are you noticing that Jesus gets very frustrated with indecision!!! Remember when the question was asked; “Why do you linger between two opinions? If God be God then serve Him; if Baal be God then serve Him!”
Once again the Lord saying, stop with the double mindedness, make a decision one way or the other!
…You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.
As Jesus stated to another group; “Then the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy…”
Many people claiming Jesus as Savior have learned how to look good on the outside but are still full of darkness on the inside!
One guy said; I don’t know why things just don’t seem right in my Christian life?
Well it could be because you need to turn on the light inside!
John 15:18-19 NLT “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.
You should not fit into the world anymore! Things should change in your life in every way.
You don’t desire the same stuff!
• Friends change
• Movies change
• Entertainment places change
• Etc.
1 John 2:14-16 NLT I have written to you who are God’s children because you know the Father. I have written to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I have written to you who are young in the faith because you are strong. God’s word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one.
Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
Jesus is crying out to the church world today; You must come out from among them & their desires before it catches you eternally too late!
James 4:4-5 NLT Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
Ephesians 5:10-12 NLT Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.
(Do we assume HE will welcome us even if we choose to ignore HIS warning?)
…All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life.
If no one’s name could be erased from the Book of Life then He just told a lie! Think about it????
…So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. 19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.
…Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.
… Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.
