We have to ask of Him before we can receive.
Rev. {3:14} And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; {3:15} I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. {3:16} So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. {3:17} 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: {3:18} 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.
***
I know thy works
that thou art neither cold nor hot
I would thou wert cold or hot
So then because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot
I will spue thee out of my mouth
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
How can someone believe they are rich and have need of nothing yet be wretched and miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
Self delusion. Do we do that? Really? Do we claim riches and have need of nothing and yet really be in horrific condition? What kind of fool claims such a thing? A proud person?
Yes, a very proud person. A proud country?
Look at our country today and how miserable, poor, blind, and naked a condition it is in. They claimed riches for so long when in truth they had none.
People do it all the time. Claim one thing but reality is a whole other story.
We have to look at ourselves honestly with all the trappings gone and see what we really are made of, what our lives are comprised of. A long honest, hard look at ourselves.
Are we hot or cold? Are we lukewarm?
Let's read it all...
Rev.
{3:14} And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God
{3:15} I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
{3:16} So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
{3:17} 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
{3:18} 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.
We are counseled to buy gold tried in fire...if we want real riches. We are told to buy white raiment so we maybe be truly clothed, and to buy salve and put it on our eyes so that we can see.
This was said to the angel of the church of Laodiceans-- the last church.
God's church in the last days. God's people.
The church isn't a building it is a people- God's people. To God's people this message was given. To God's people. A message from God to His people. He knows His people. He know the works of His poeple. He knows that we live in a world that celebrates being neither cold nor hot and that we too would get caught up in that way of life. Getting by, not making waves, lukewarm in life, lukewarm in our religion. God doesn't want His people to be lukewarm. If we are determined to get by on a mediocre spiritual life, thinking we're giving just enough to get by, or thinking we do this and that so it's enough, if we live our spiritual lives with set parameters can it ever change? Can it grow? Can it change from lukewarm to hot? Can we ever be truly clothed in white raiment and not be naked? Can we ever hope to see spiritually if we're content to remain blinded by our lukewarm existence. If we refuse to see because we believe we are rich enough and need nothing, that we have enough spirituality, we are truly going to be spued from the Lord's mouth.
Beware of settling, for thinking we have enough. Let our eyes and hearts be opened so that we may see our need. That the comfortable existence we are in is a trap and we need to be hot...not lukewarm.
Let us buy of Jesus all that we need and let us go to Him daily for our passion, for our clothing, for our very sight into all things spiritual, into all things that matter to eternity. He wants us to go to Him, He counsels us to buy from Him, He won't force us to come to Him, He waits at the door, He knocks, we have to open...we have to buy, we have to ask of Him before we can receive.
By the grace of God, by the mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.
5/1/10
2Co 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
2Co 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
God establishes us, no one else. God establishes us in Christ. God seal us. God gives us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
The earnest of the Spirit.
ar-hrab-ohn'
Of Hebrew origin [H6162]; a pledge, that is, part of the purchase money or property given in advance as security for the rest: - earnest.
A pledge, a part of the purchase in advance as SECURITY for the rest.
The SPIRIT, part of the SPIRIT in our hearts. We need the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts if we are to live in this world surrounded by so much evil. It is only with the Spirit in us, in our hearts that we can hope to live for Christ. God seals us, God gives us the Spirit.
It is true...
1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
We receive part of the Spirit now as earnest, as a promise, a pledge, a security for the rest. We know in part now, we are seeing through a dark glass and we all know looking through dark glass isn't easy, or rather it isn't easy to see through the darkened glass to what is on the other side of the glass, it obscures our vision. We only see part of the mysteries of God, we only see dimly what life is all about. We see in part, we have part of the Spirit in us and yet we have a promise with that Spirit, a promise of more, of the Spirit fully in us. We shall one day see clearly, not darkly. One day we'll see it all face to face. We shall one day know as we are known. And we are known to ourselves- we know ourselves better than any one else. For as much as others might assume they know us, they truly only know what we allow them to know. Yes, some people wear their hearts on their sleeve so to speak and people believe they have some inner knowledge of them that the person doesn't even have of themselves but it's not true. We know ourselves and one day we will know even as we are known. We shall see others as we see ourselves. We will understand things that are mysteries to us now. We have a promise of this and the promise given to us by God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior is the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
May God through Christ seal us and give us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Please Lord this is our prayer that the promise within us is grasped hold of tightly never let go, that we cling to the Spirit in our hearts as a surety of the fulness of the Spirit upon Your return.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior now and forever.
Amen.
5/1/11