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. Revelation 3:18.
The message to the Laodicean church is applicable to all who have had great light and many opportunities, and yet have not appreciated them.
There are a large number of professing Christians who do not really follow Jesus. They do not bear the cross by proper self-denial and self-sacrifice. Although making a great profession of being earnest Christians, they weave into the fabric of their character so many of the threads of their own imperfections that the beautiful pattern is spoiled. Of them Christ says: “You boast of being rich and increased with supposed spiritual attainments. In reality you are neither cold nor hot, but are filled with vain conceit. Unless converted, you cannot be saved; for you would mar heaven with your unsanctified wisdom. I cannot endorse your spirit and your work. You do not act according to the divine Example. You are following a pattern merely of your own invention. Because you are lukewarm, I must spue you out of My mouth.”
The True Witness has said, “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.”
Jesus is going from door to door, standing in front of every soul temple, proclaiming, “I stand at the door, and knock.” As a heavenly merchantman, He opens His treasures…. “Open your doors,” says the great Merchantman, the possessor of spiritual riches, “and transact your business with Me. It is I, your Redeemer, who counsels you to buy of Me.”
The counsel of the True Witness is full of encouragement and comfort. The churches may yet obtain the gold of truth, faith, and love, and be rich in heavenly treasure.
The Faith I Live By p. 306
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for my grandson DJ. He has been diagnosed with RSV again. Shirley
—-My dear 85 year old mother has a new infection in her eyes and it is supposed to be worse than the MRSA which she got cured of by prayer and a miracle of God several months ago. So please pray for her healing! Connie
—-Me and my wife both have the flu. Please pray for us that we can receive healing soon. Ernest
—-Please keep my mom in your prayers. She was having shooting pain from her left shoulder to her finger tips. Satrena
—-Please pray that Satan will be rebuked and that my daughter’s twins will choose to spend time with their Mom and again want to go to church. Their Dad doesn’t go to church anymore and their stepmom is Catholic. Their Dad has been doing things with them and making things “fun” for them and telling them he was sending child support but he wasn’t sending what he was supposed to send. My daughter cannot afford much on her income so she can’t do all the things their Dad can afford especially when he didn’t send child support money. Kathy
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Dear Friends,
The love of God—it is beyond comprehension! To think that we are loved so much by the Great King of the Universe, that He was willing to send His only Begotten Son to die for us, should be the theme of our thoughts. Our Loving Saviour left the splendor of Heaven, the adoration of all of His creation to come to this sinful world and laid down His life that we might have eternal life.
One night, a Pharisee slipped out of his house, walking in the shadows until he was finally out of the town. Then he climbed the hill to the place where he knew that Jesus often spent the night. A little way ahead, he could see the sleeping forms of the disciples and the praying form of their Leader. Jesus, knowing that Nicodemas was near, breathed a prayer for him. Then, rising, waited for the man to arrive. The Pharisee looked into the Master’s face and was struck with the look of peace and love he saw written thereon.
Nicodemas began his interview, ” Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Jesus answered and said unto him, …. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:2-18 That night, the Pharisee went home a changed man.
We, too, can be changed as was Nicodemas. Paul says, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Cor 3:18 When we read of our Dear Saviour in God’s Holy Word, we are filled with love for Him. When we meditate upon His great love and sacrifice, we desire to serve Him with our whole being. We want to be like Him: we long to please Him. We view the world through His eyes. We love because He loved.
Isaac Watts gave us a beautiful song that illustrates this principle. “When I survey that wondrous cross On which the Prince of Glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride.
See, from His head, His hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down; Did e’er such love and sorrow meet? Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Since I, who was un-done and lost, Have pardon through His name and word; Forbid it, then, that I should boast, Save in the cross of Christ my Lord.
Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a tribute far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my life, my soul, my all.
May we continually meditate upon the great love and grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ. May we, because of His great love for us, do all that is pleasing in His sight. May we declare as did David, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways” is my prayer. Ps 119:1-3
Rose
Riches for the Laodiceans