Because you have a little power and keep My word

Revelation 3:7-22 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:

⁸ ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. ⁹ Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. ¹⁰ Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. ¹¹ I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. ¹² He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. ¹³ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

¹⁴ “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:

¹⁵ ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷ 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, ¹⁸ 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. ¹⁹ Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. ²⁰ 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. ²¹ 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. ²² He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Hebrews 4:12-13 says:  The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.   Because it is living and active, when the text says:  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches, we should listen. The living word is speaking today, to we who are in the church, just as it did to those who were addressed in the message.  There is not much we can do about how or if the churches at that time responded, but because we are not hidden from His sight, we should heed the messages.  

Today’s text begins:  To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:  ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.  I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.    As I read this what seemed important to me is that the Lord says:  I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.   Much of the church today is seeking to walk in the power of God, to do as Jesus said we would, the works He did and greater works. Many are seeking to walk in the fullness of the power of the kingdom of heaven, bringing miracles, signs and wonders; healing and transformation to the earthly realm. It is not that we should not do that, but what the Lord says to the church is that He has put an open door to the church which has a little power and has kept His word and has not denied His name. Perhaps the path to the fullness of the power of the kingdom is in knowing and keeping God’s word and not denying His name. In John 14:13-15 Jesus says:  “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”  Look at Matthew 16:13-19:   When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”  And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”   The fullness of the power and the keys to the kingdom of heaven are ours based on the revelation and the declaration that Jesus is the Christ. The Lord says:  I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.   To attain the fullness of the power of the kingdom of heaven, we must first hold fast to what we have. We must seek more of the revelation of Christ to attain more of His power.

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:  ‘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. 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 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. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.   The church which is satisfied with its power and position, which thinks it needs nothing is rebuked, while the previous church which had a little power and kept His word, was praised. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul writes:  Lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.   It is not that we really should be glad for the storms of life, but it is better to walk through a storm with Christ than to walk alone on a sunny day. In Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus says:  “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and ^[b]foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”   In Matthew 24:12 Jesus says:  “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.”   The reason it is more dangerous to be lukewarm than either hot or cold is because there is a comfort in being lukewarm. The problem is, without some external input, things which are lukewarm will become cold. If there is no repentance, no turning back to fully loving God, being lukewarm to God will lead to lawlessness and cold love.  First and foremost, all that we do is based on and in that we love the Lord God with all our heart, soul and mind. The Lord says:  Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.

Thank You heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit for the continuing revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, in Your word and by Your Spirit. May I walk in the fullness of the revelation of Christ, in the strength of Your grace.   Amen.