Reality Bites!

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,
Revelation 3:17

These words were said to the church of Laodicea… one of seven churches for which the apostle John was given God’s view of the their coming days, spoken by the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Originator of God’s creation (Revelations 3:14)

To a church! A place where people meet in order to worship, fellowship,  and glorify God. A place where, if two or more gather in His name, He, Jesus, the Messiah in their midst.

One would think, if Jesus is in the midst, EVERYTHING would be about HIM! But He says… Behold, I stand at the door and knock;  Mmmm… looks to me like the church doors are shut and Jesus is on the outside.

If anyone hears My voice and opens the door… It doesn’t appear anyone is listening… maybe they are all too busy boasting about how rich and independent they all are… yep… healthy – wealthy – and wise!

THIS IS a perfect example that perception IS NOT reality! Especially the perception seen through the lens of LUST and PRIDE.

Evidently even church people can suffer from filthy rags (all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment Isaiah 664:6), the secret shame of nakedness (Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. Genesis 3:7), and vision problems, without the light of Christ in the house (the darkness has blinded their eyes 1 John 2:11).

When Jesus isn’t actively present in our lives or we have placed Him in our Quiet Time closet (which some of us rarely go into) or we have locked Him out completely because we refuse any confrontation for our sins. Thus, we turn our backs on the repentance that is required of a child of God, and become like, the tithe paying members of the church of Laodicea. When the majority of members, elders and shepherds sit in its pews without regard to their Savior, the WHOLE CUP becomes TEPID! Neither hot nor cold toward Jesus!  But get out of their way when it’s Testimony Time!

Please believe me, I am not judging people like this. However, the REALITY is… where your heart is is where your treasure is. The REALITY is… where the Holy Spirit is, there is no room for worship of our flesh and the things it desires, there is ONLY room for the Passion of Christ! For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. Galatians 5:17

Interestingly Jesus says He prefers either hot or cold – tepid He spits (vomits) out. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Revelation 3:15-16 

I (and I am no expert) do not think this is about non-believers. The cold is not about being an atheist. I believe this cold is the result of not pursuing the PERSON of Jesus Christ. This cold is about being satisfied with salvation, “It is enough… if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, It is enough to be saved; Romans 10:9, nothing else is REQUIRED. 

For whatever reason, there is ice in the veins of those who know salvation but refuse intimacy with their Savior.  On the other hand, those that are HOT pursue ALL OF JESUS. They want to be just like Him and with Him all the time. They want to KNOW God!

As I said, I’m not judging. ONLY God knows the heart and so ONLY God knows what/and if the heart truly believes.

He does not wish for any to perish so I do not believe he was encouraging un-belief in this message to the churches.

However, the message is about loosing the rewards of overcoming the flesh bent toward sin and following the world as it wages war against God. 

Reality Bites! The people who do not repent and will not be reproved and disciplined by God and His love, are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked and DO NOT KNOW IT!

Come to Jesus now! He says to you, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.” Revelation 3:19 

Take Jesus’ Word for it…  He will turn you around! “I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Revelation 3:18

Our perception will always be skewed this side of eternity because our world is skewed. It is given that the time will come (Hello! The time is NOW!) when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 

Our perception insists that it is we who produce “holy ground” (it even insists we make our own little g – gods). Our perception insists, it is we who determine what is right(eous) especially when in agreement with the popular vote of the church that teaches the same. Our perception insists it is we who decide the level of ENOUGH “religious stuff”!

NOT!

It is God… Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2

Reality Bites! Before you are consumed (before you are you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked), seek Jesus!

He’s knocking… Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:20)

Now THIS is my kind of OVERCOMER”S Dinner Party!

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. Revelation 3:21

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.