Podcasts about Laodicea

Today Pastor Rich Wilkerson concludes our collection of talks, Seven: Revelations of Jesus for His Church.   In this message, “When God Knocks,” we study the final of the seven churches in Laodicea. Although externally they were prosperous, internally they were spiritually bankrupt. Jesus corrects them in love, and invites them back to relationship with him. In the same way, God is knocking on the door of our hearts. The question is, will we open?   Don't miss NEXT Sunday, Vision Sunday, as we look ahead to where we believe God is leading us, with a special vision presentation from Pastors Rich & DawnCheré. Now, let's lean into the message together.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ is meant to motivate and equip us to be mature disciples of Jesus. It also gives us a glorious portrait of Jesus that is meant to encourage us. Last week, we learned about the church in Philadelphia. This week, we continue our study of the proclamations to the seven churches with Laodicea. Here, we find a shocking contrast between this week's passage and last week's passage: The One just described as having the power to open and shut (3:7-8) now stands outside the door of one of His churches, knocking and waiting to be let in. In Laodicea, we find a comfortable church whose complacency has rendered them as useless as lukewarm water. Even so, the risen Jesus reminds them of His love for them and calls them to be zealous, repent, and open the door. Might we find our own reflection in the Laodicean church? He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Old Testament: Jeremiah 49 Jeremiah 49 (Listen) Judgment on Ammon 49 Concerning the Ammonites. Thus says the LORD:   “Has Israel no sons?    Has he no heir?  Why then has Milcom1 dispossessed Gad,    and his people settled in its cities?2   Therefore, behold, the days are coming,    declares the LORD,  when I will cause the battle cry to be heard    against Rabbah of the Ammonites;  it shall become a desolate mound,    and its villages shall be burned with fire;  then Israel shall dispossess those who dispossessed him,    says the LORD. 3   “Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste!    Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah!  Put on sackcloth,    lament, and run to and fro among the hedges!  For Milcom shall go into exile,    with his priests and his officials.4   Why do you boast of your valleys,2    O faithless daughter,  who trusted in her treasures, saying,    ‘Who will come against me?'5   Behold, I will bring terror upon you,    declares the Lord GOD of hosts,    from all who are around you,  and you shall be driven out, every man straight before him,    with none to gather the fugitives. 6 “But afterward I will restore the fortunes of the Ammonites, declares the LORD.” Judgment on Edom 7 Concerning Edom. Thus says the LORD of hosts:   “Is wisdom no more in Teman?    Has counsel perished from the prudent?    Has their wisdom vanished?8   Flee, turn back, dwell in the depths,    O inhabitants of Dedan!  For I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him,    the time when I punish him.9   If grape gatherers came to you,    would they not leave gleanings?  If thieves came by night,    would they not destroy only enough for themselves?10   But I have stripped Esau bare;    I have uncovered his hiding places,    and he is not able to conceal himself.  His children are destroyed, and his brothers,    and his neighbors; and he is no more.11   Leave your fatherless children; I will keep them alive;    and let your widows trust in me.” 12 For thus says the LORD: “If those who did not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, will you go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, but you must drink. 13 For I have sworn by myself, declares the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a horror, a taunt, a waste, and a curse, and all her cities shall be perpetual wastes.” 14   I have heard a message from the LORD,    and an envoy has been sent among the nations:  “Gather yourselves together and come against her,    and rise up for battle!15   For behold, I will make you small among the nations,    despised among mankind.16   The horror you inspire has deceived you,    and the pride of your heart,  you who live in the clefts of the rock,3    who hold the height of the hill.  Though you make your nest as high as the eagle's,    I will bring you down from there,      declares the LORD. 17 “Edom shall become a horror. Everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss because of all its disasters. 18 As when Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring cities were overthrown, says the LORD, no man shall dwell there, no man shall sojourn in her. 19 Behold, like a lion coming up from the jungle of the Jordan against a perennial pasture, I will suddenly make him4 run away from her. And I will appoint over her whomever I choose. For who is like me? Who will summon me? What shepherd can stand before me? 20 Therefore hear the plan that the LORD has made against Edom and the purposes that he has formed against the inhabitants of Teman: Even the little ones of the flock shall be dragged away. Surely their fold shall be appalled at their fate. 21 At the sound of their fall the earth shall tremble; the sound of their cry shall be heard at the Red Sea. 22 Behold, one shall mount up and fly swiftly like an eagle and spread his wings against Bozrah, and the heart of the warriors of Edom shall be in that day like the heart of a woman in her birth pains.” Judgment on Damascus 23 Concerning Damascus:   “Hamath and Arpad are confounded,    for they have heard bad news;  they melt in fear,    they are troubled like the sea that cannot be quiet.24   Damascus has become feeble, she turned to flee,    and panic seized her;  anguish and sorrows have taken hold of her,    as of a woman in labor.25   How is the famous city not forsaken,    the city of my joy?26   Therefore her young men shall fall in her squares,    and all her soldiers shall be destroyed in that day,      declares the LORD of hosts.27   And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus,    and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad.” Judgment on Kedar and Hazor 28 Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck down.   Thus says the LORD:  “Rise up, advance against Kedar!    Destroy the people of the east!29   Their tents and their flocks shall be taken,    their curtains and all their goods;  their camels shall be led away from them,    and men shall cry to them: ‘Terror on every side!'30   Flee, wander far away, dwell in the depths,    O inhabitants of Hazor!      declares the LORD.  For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon    has made a plan against you    and formed a purpose against you. 31   “Rise up, advance against a nation at ease,    that dwells securely,      declares the LORD,  that has no gates or bars,    that dwells alone.32   Their camels shall become plunder,    their herds of livestock a spoil.  I will scatter to every wind    those who cut the corners of their hair,  and I will bring their calamity    from every side of them,      declares the LORD.33   Hazor shall become a haunt of jackals,    an everlasting waste;  no man shall dwell there;    no man shall sojourn in her.” Judgment on Elam 34 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah. 35 Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the mainstay of their might. 36 And I will bring upon Elam the four winds from the four quarters of heaven. And I will scatter them to all those winds, and there shall be no nation to which those driven out of Elam shall not come. 37 I will terrify Elam before their enemies and before those who seek their life. I will bring disaster upon them, my fierce anger, declares the LORD. I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them, 38 and I will set my throne in Elam and destroy their king and officials, declares the LORD. 39 “But in the latter days I will restore the fortunes of Elam, declares the LORD.” Footnotes [1] 49:1 Or their king; also verse 3 [2] 49:4 Hebrew boast of your valleys, your valley flows [3] 49:16 Or of Sela [4] 49:19 Septuagint, Syriac them (ESV) New Testament: Revelation 3:14–22 Revelation 3:14–22 (Listen) To the Church in Laodicea 14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. 15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so 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 eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered 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.'” (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 119:25–32 Psalm 119:25–32 (Listen) Daleth 25   My soul clings to the dust;    give me life according to your word!26   When I told of my ways, you answered me;    teach me your statutes!27   Make me understand the way of your precepts,    and I will meditate on your wondrous works.28   My soul melts away for sorrow;    strengthen me according to your word!29   Put false ways far from me    and graciously teach me your law!30   I have chosen the way of faithfulness;    I set your rules before me.31   I cling to your testimonies, O LORD;    let me not be put to shame!32   I will run in the way of your commandments    when you enlarge my heart!1 Footnotes [1] 119:32 Or for you set my heart free (ESV) Proverb: Proverbs 27:15–16 Proverbs 27:15–16 (Listen) 15   A continual dripping on a rainy day    and a quarrelsome wife are alike;16   to restrain her is to restrain the wind    or to grasp1 oil in one's right hand. Footnotes [1] 27:16 Hebrew to meet with (ESV)

We cannot grow lazy and become spiritual coach potatoes for Christ. God rebukes the spiritually lukewarm. Today's devotional looks at Jesus' message in Revelation to the church in Laodicea, a church that had become lukewarm for Christ.If you would like more insight into today's devotional topic, watch or listen to Dr. Michael Youssef's sermon series Letters from Jesus: WATCH NOW | LISTEN NOWAVAILABLE NOW FOR YOUR GIFT OF ANY AMOUNTDr. Michael Youssef's timely book Is the End Near?: What Jesus Told Us About the Last Days  will answer your questions about end-times issues by examining statements that Jesus Himself made about what was and is to come. You will be encouraged as you anticipate Christ's return. Purchase your copy exclusively from select retailers today by visiting IsTheEndNearBook.com!

I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. 2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.WHAT DOES IT SAY?- Paul's goal: that the church would be encouraged in heart and united in love--that's the vehicle for how we know Christ.- All wisdom is in Christ- Deception is real!WHAT'S THE BACKSTORY?- Paul is writing to a church he helped to start. Usually, these Pauline letters are a response to a conflict or question in the church.- Use your cross-references to build your own bible study. For example, in this chapter, our cross reference points us to 1 Peter, where we see there are things within the church that are deceptive: 1 Peter 5 and Ephesians 6WHAT DOES IT MEAN?- To stand firm and discern wisely, I need to be finding my wisdom in Christ by remaining in him. - John 15:4: Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ME?Stop/Start/Continue - - What do I need to stop? Start? What do I need to continue in order to be walking in the way of Jesus?WANT MORE? Check out Nicole's book Help! My Bible Is Alive: 30 Days of Learning to Love and Understand God's Word - https://www.amazon.com/Help-My-Bible-Alive-Understand/dp/1641580216FOLLOW NICOLE:Website: https://nicoleunice.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nicoleuniceInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleunice/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicole.unice/

In today's episode, we study through part 2 of the church of Laodicea. This church received more rebukes than all of the 6 other churches of Asia. They obviously believed that they were doing pretty good. We take an especially deep dive into verses 20 and 21 today, and we feel that everyone could benefit from this study.In our Q&A segment, we answer this question: How do we know that Lot's wife was truly turned into a pillar of salt?We believe you will find our answer and the main study very interesting... go on, give it a listen!

A look at the church of Laodicea and their kingdom complacency

Old Testament: Jeremiah 39–41 Jeremiah 39–41 (Listen) The Fall of Jerusalem 39 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city. 3 Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-sar-ezer of Samgar, Nebu-sar-sekim the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, with all the rest of the officers of the king of Babylon. 4 When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king's garden through the gate between the two walls; and they went toward the Arabah. 5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, at Riblah, in the land of Hamath; and he passed sentence on him. 6 The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah at Riblah before his eyes, and the king of Babylon slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. 7 He put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon. 8 The Chaldeans burned the king's house and the house of the people, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, carried into exile to Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city, those who had deserted to him, and the people who remained. 10 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time. The Lord Delivers Jeremiah 11 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave command concerning Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, saying, 12 “Take him, look after him well, and do him no harm, but deal with him as he tells you.” 13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon 14 sent and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard. They entrusted him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he lived among the people. 15 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the guard: 16 “Go, and say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will fulfill my words against this city for harm and not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day. 17 But I will deliver you on that day, declares the LORD, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. 18 For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your life as a prize of war, because you have put your trust in me, declares the LORD.'” Jeremiah Remains in Judah 40 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he took him bound in chains along with all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. 2 The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, “The LORD your God pronounced this disaster against this place. 3 The LORD has brought it about, and has done as he said. Because you sinned against the LORD and did not obey his voice, this thing has come upon you. 4 Now, behold, I release you today from the chains on your hands. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you well, but if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, do not come. See, the whole land is before you; go wherever you think it good and right to go. 5 If you remain,1 then return to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon appointed governor of the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people. Or go wherever you think it right to go.” So the captain of the guard gave him an allowance of food and a present, and let him go. 6 Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah, and lived with him among the people who were left in the land. 7 When all the captains of the forces in the open country and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land and had committed to him men, women, and children, those of the poorest of the land who had not been taken into exile to Babylon, 8 they went to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. 9 Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, swore to them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. 10 As for me, I will dwell at Mizpah, to represent you before the Chaldeans who will come to us. But as for you, gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and store them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken.” 11 Likewise, when all the Judeans who were in Moab and among the Ammonites and in Edom and in other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, as governor over them, 12 then all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they had been driven and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance. 13 Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14 and said to him, “Do you know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam would not believe them. 15 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah at Mizpah, “Please let me go and strike down Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life, so that all the Judeans who are gathered about you would be scattered, and the remnant of Judah would perish?” 16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “You shall not do this thing, for you are speaking falsely of Ishmael.” Gedaliah Murdered 41 In the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, one of the chief officers of the king, came with ten men to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah. As they ate bread together there at Mizpah, 2 Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the ten men with him rose up and struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, with the sword, and killed him, whom the king of Babylon had appointed governor in the land. 3 Ishmael also struck down all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldean soldiers who happened to be there. 4 On the day after the murder of Gedaliah, before anyone knew of it, 5 eighty men arrived from Shechem and Shiloh and Samaria, with their beards shaved and their clothes torn, and their bodies gashed, bringing grain offerings and incense to present at the temple of the LORD. 6 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah came out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he came. As he met them, he said to them, “Come in to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.” 7 When they came into the city, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the men with him slaughtered them and cast them into a cistern. 8 But there were ten men among them who said to Ishmael, “Do not put us to death, for we have stores of wheat, barley, oil, and honey hidden in the fields.” So he refrained and did not put them to death with their companions. 9 Now the cistern into which Ishmael had thrown all the bodies of the men whom he had struck down along with2 Gedaliah was the large cistern that King Asa had made for defense against Baasha king of Israel; Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain. 10 Then Ishmael took captive all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah, the king's daughters and all the people who were left at Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. Ishmael the son of Nethaniah took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites. 11 But when Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done, 12 they took all their men and went to fight against Ishmael the son of Nethaniah. They came upon him at the great pool that is in Gibeon. 13 And when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him, they rejoiced. 14 So all the people whom Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned around and came back, and went to Johanan the son of Kareah. 15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites. 16 Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him took from Mizpah all the rest of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, after he had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam—soldiers, women, children, and eunuchs, whom Johanan brought back from Gibeon. 17 And they went and stayed at Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem, intending to go to Egypt 18 because of the Chaldeans. For they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land. Footnotes [1] 40:5 Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain [2] 41:9 Hebrew by the hand of (ESV) New Testament: Revelation 1 Revelation 1 (Listen) Prologue 1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants1 the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. Greeting to the Seven Churches 4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail2 on account of him. Even so. Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Vision of the Son of Man 9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. Footnotes [1] 1:1 for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; likewise for servant later in this verse [2] 1:7 Or mourn (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 118 Psalm 118 (Listen) His Steadfast Love Endures Forever 118   Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;    for his steadfast love endures forever! 2   Let Israel say,    “His steadfast love endures forever.”3   Let the house of Aaron say,    “His steadfast love endures forever.”4   Let those who fear the LORD say,    “His steadfast love endures forever.” 5   Out of my distress I called on the LORD;    the LORD answered me and set me free.6   The LORD is on my side; I will not fear.    What can man do to me?7   The LORD is on my side as my helper;    I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. 8   It is better to take refuge in the LORD    than to trust in man.9   It is better to take refuge in the LORD    than to trust in princes. 10   All nations surrounded me;    in the name of the LORD I cut them off!11   They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;    in the name of the LORD I cut them off!12   They surrounded me like bees;    they went out like a fire among thorns;    in the name of the LORD I cut them off!13   I was pushed hard,1 so that I was falling,    but the LORD helped me. 14   The LORD is my strength and my song;    he has become my salvation.15   Glad songs of salvation    are in the tents of the righteous:  “The right hand of the LORD does valiantly,16     the right hand of the LORD exalts,    the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!” 17   I shall not die, but I shall live,    and recount the deeds of the LORD.18   The LORD has disciplined me severely,    but he has not given me over to death. 19   Open to me the gates of righteousness,    that I may enter through them    and give thanks to the LORD.20   This is the gate of the LORD;    the righteous shall enter through it.21   I thank you that you have answered me    and have become my salvation.22   The stone that the builders rejected    has become the cornerstone.223   This is the LORD's doing;    it is marvelous in our eyes.24   This is the day that the LORD has made;    let us rejoice and be glad in it. 25   Save us, we pray, O LORD!    O LORD, we pray, give us success! 26   Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!    We bless you from the house of the LORD.27   The LORD is God,    and he has made his light to shine upon us.  Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,    up to the horns of the altar! 28   You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;    you are my God; I will extol you.29   Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;    for his steadfast love endures forever! Footnotes [1] 118:13 Hebrew You (that is, the enemy) pushed me hard [2] 118:22 Hebrew the head of the corner (ESV) Proverb: Proverbs 27:11 Proverbs 27:11 (Listen) 11   Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,    that I may answer him who reproaches me. (ESV)

Saturday, 5 November 2022   Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. Acts 11:19   With the matter of Gentile inclusion clearly established and settled based on Peter's words to those in Jerusalem, the narrative now takes on a new and significant direction. The direction and focus of Acts will now begin to head out into the world beyond the borders of Israel and, eventually, the gospel will predominantly be seen to go forth to the Gentiles. In order to reveal this, the account will also go back to events that occurred in previous chapters so that the narrative catches up with events that occurred there, such as in Acts 7, 8, and 9.   With that understood, the words begin with, “Now those who were scattered.” This takes the reader back to Acts 8:1 –   “Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”   This was referring to the events that took place among the Jews and it occurred “after the persecution that arose over Stephen.”   This goes back even further, to Acts 7 and the account of Stephen's stoning. The persecution that is recorded in Acts 8:1 is based upon that. Also, rather than “persecution,” the Greek word here signifies “tribulation.” It is a wholly different word than that used in Acts 8:1. The persecution led to tribulation. Because of this, these Jews were not only scattered within the borders of Israel, but they continued on and “traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch.”   The first location, Phoenicia, is introduced here. The name is believed to come from the Greek word phoinix, meaning a palm tree, most especially the date palm. Albert Barnes describes the location, saying, “Phoenice, or Phoenicia, was a province of Syria, which in its largest sense comprehended a narrow strip of country lying on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean, and extending from Antioch to the borders of Egypt. But Phenice Proper extended only from the cities of Laodicea to Tyre, and included only the territories of Tyre and Sidon. This country was called sometimes simply ‘Canaan.'”   The next location, Cyprus, is also introduced here, although the name of the inhabitants was mentioned in Acts 4:36. The origin of the name is uncertain. Again, Barnes describes it, saying, “An island off the coast of Asia Minor, in the Mediterranean Sea.”   Finally, this is also the introduction of Antioch. Albert Barnes again describes the place, saying, “There were two cities of this name, one situated in Pisidia in Asia Minor (see Acts 13:14); the other, referred to here, was situated on the Orontes River, and was long, the capital of Syria. It was built by Seleucus Nicanor, and was called Antioch in honor of his father Antiochus. It was founded in 301 b.c. It is not mentioned in the Old Testament, but is several times mentioned in the Apocrypha and in the New Testament. It was long the most powerful city of the East, and was inferior only to Seleucia and Alexandria. It was famous for the fact that the right of citizenship was conferred by Seleucus on the Jews as well as the Greeks and Macedonians, so that here they had the privilege of worship in their own way without molestation. It is probable that the Christians would be regarded merely as a sect of Jews, and would be here suffered to celebrate their worship without interruption.”   With these locations noted, the verse finishes with the thought that those scattered were “preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.” Although true to some extent, this is not so much because they “had the common prejudices of the Jews, that the offers of salvation were made only to the Jews” (Barnes), but that they probably had no idea that Gentiles would even be included in God's offer of Christ Jesus.   In other words, it is true that the Jews had these prejudices, but without even knowing something is available to others, those prejudices would not even arise. Peter found out that Gentiles could be included, and he set aside any such prejudices. These Jews were as of yet uninformed as to what God was going to do for the Gentiles. Therefore, they simply went about telling their own fellow Jews that the Messiah had come.   Life application: The narrative in Acts is marvelously structured to show how events unfolded, but the events are placed in a manner that allows us to go forward with certain events and then go back to older events to see how other things occurred while those first set of recorded events were happening.   In this, we can get a marvelous sense of how the narrative is simultaneously unfolding in several directions. As you read Acts, consider such things and think about why each section is placed where it is. Like all of Scripture, God is slowly and methodically revealing to us what His plans are for the people of the world. At the same time, He is showing us why trouble has come upon Israel during this dispensation and where He would lead things during their time of exile.   Everything is carefully and meticulously placed to help us see how the great story of man's redemption through the Person and work of Jesus Christ has come about, is coming about, and will continue to come about. Luke's record of Acts is a wonderful part of this. If we pay heed to how he has laid things out, we can get a marvelous sense of the structure of this beautiful plan.   Lord God, thank You for the careful detail You have placed in Your word to help us know and understand why things are the way they are. You have set a plan for man's redemption, and it is so beautifully and methodically detailed for us to see. Give us insight into Your word so that we can more fully grasp every nuance that You have placed there for us to understand what is going on. Thank You, O God. Amen.

A Christian congregation drifted into spiritual complacency. God sent it a key wakeup call. Is He sending one to you?

This Sunday, we will be wrapping up our series on Jesus' words to the 7 churches in Revelation. Pastor Rich shares on the words Jesus speaks to the church in Laodicea. We will learn how self-reliance is not a mark of the kingdom of God, and of the gracious invitation Jesus offers us daily.

The post Rev 13- Laodicea appeared first on Vertical Life Church.

In today's episode, we study the last of the 7 churches, the church of Laodicea. There is more rebuke given to this church than all of the others. They obviously believed they were doing pretty good. They felt that they were rich, increased with goods, and that they had no need of anything. Jesus exposed their sinfulness, and He offered them counsel. Despite all of the bad things about this church, there are a few things that Jesus commanded them for as well. In what ways are you like this church?In our Q&A segment, we were asked: What does it mean in Matt. 16:28 when Jesus said there are some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom?Go ahead, listen in and see what you think!

What Will Jesus Do For His Churches? Revelation 1:9-11, 20 9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. 1. Jesus will commend a church's faithfulness. 2. Jesus will confront a church's disobedience. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. ---Revelation 2:3 (ESV) 3. Jesus will command a church's obedience. 4. Jesus promises reward for a church's endurance. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. ---Revelation 2:7 (ESV) 5. Jesus sends His church's pastors. To the angel of the church in Ephesus write… - Revelation 2:1 (ESV) 6. Jesus determines seasons of effectiveness for a church based on her faithfulness. 7. Jesus cares about His church and His churches. Application Questions for Jesus' Church: - Are we interested in Jesus' evaluation of us as His church? - Will we repent where He confronts us? - Will we persevere where He warns us of coming difficulties? - Will we rejoice where He commends us? - Will we realign ourselves where He guides us?

Pastor Luke talks about the message to the church of Laodicea and the trouble with apathy. Scripture reading: Revelation 3:14-22.

Patrick Crawford, Worship Pastor Pastor at Rock City Church, teaches about the church in Laodicea in the series, The Seven Churches of Revelation, on October 30, 2022. // 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 or cold I will spit you out of My mouth. Revelation 3:15-16//Rock City Church has multiple locations throughout Columbus, Ohio. Whether you're spiritually restless, new at discovering who God is or you are a veteran of the faith, you are welcome here! // WEBSITE: https://rockcitychurch.tv FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/rockcitychurch INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/rockcitychurch TWITTER: https://twitter.com/rockcitychurch

Second Baptist Church - Houston, TX | In Revelation 2-3, Jesus gives a word to 7 different churches, and he saves perhaps his severest, most sobering message last - one that would be particularly for the church of Laodicea. Jesus indicts them for their spiritual lukewarmness, a message all churches can heed today. 

Pastor Zack Flipse gives a Sunday School lesson from Revelation 3:14-22, “The Church in Laodicea.” —————————— More from Oostburg CRC Sermons: https://www.firstcrcoostburg.org/sermons Bible Study Resources: https://www.firstcrcoostburg.org/resources Original Music: https://open.spotify.com/album/4P7JbJlHzabPNW8GpdxKcB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJSouYxM1rwWZ4cYAvTIqVA

Man-child Born of the Philadelphia Bride (Audio) David Eells - 10/26/22 Christine Beadsworth had this dream: I dreamt that a woman I knew was going to have a baby by caesarian section. When I rushed to her side to support her, she had already had a natural birth after a labor of only two hours. I held the baby boy for a long time and gazed at his face. He was very mature and could already speak and I discovered he had eight fingers on his right hand. The eighth finger branched off the sixth finger. David Eells' interpretation: A baby by caesarian section implies a birth by the works of man, which will not happen to this first-born fruit of Christ in these days called the Man-child. Like this dream shows we all start out in the Works of man but through our faith God brings us through this stage. The right hand is the hand that blesses the first-born, which Jacob put upon Ephraim, meaning in Hebrew the "fullness of nations". Ephraim was a type of the Church of all nations. He was the second-born son of Joseph, as a type of Jesus, which received a double portion of the first-born son's (Israel's) blessing. When Jesus came this happened and His anointing, which in large part was rejected by Israel, fell upon the born-again Church. The first group to fully manifest the Church, meaning "called out ones” is the Bride, who John said were the first fruits disciples of Jesus the Man-child. We must come out from the sins of the 6 Churches by faith to be in the Philadelphia Bride. Ephraim represents the Church in the process of coming out of all nations. The sixth finger is the sixth Church spoken of in Revelation, the Philadelphia, or brotherly love, Church. Out of this will come the Man-child whose number is eight which represents new beginnings and that the flesh of their old man is cut off on the eighth day. The gematria for "Jesus" is 888. The man-child is the first-fruits to be born in His image. The seven fingers also represent the seven spiritual shepherds that are sent by the Man-child to minister to the seven Churches, which is mentioned in Hidden Manna For the End Times. First Jesus is coming to be manifested in the Man-child ministry. (Mic.5:2) But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting. Obviously this is Jesus. (3) Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she who travaileth hath brought forth: then the residue of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. Jesus left because of rebellion and will return in the Man-child reformers who are born of the travailing woman in Revelation 12. Through them the remnant shall return to Israel, a type of the Church. As Jesus fed the former rain woman in a body of flesh, so He will feed the latter rain woman in a corporate body of flesh. (Mic.5:4) And He shall stand, and shall feed [His flock] in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God: and they shall abide; for now shall He be great unto the ends of the earth. The Jesus of the former rain was revered by the disciples and feared by His enemies but because of apostasy this has not been true for many centuries since. The man-child and the disciples who follow in His steps will restore this and He shall be "great unto the ends of the earth". The man-child's teaching will bring peace to the seven churches that are at war with the beast. (5) And this [man] shall be [our] peace, When the Assyrian shall come into our land, and shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds and eight principle (Hebrew: "princes among") men. The corporate body of the man-child is "this man" who brings peace to the corporate woman with his teachings that enable her to resist the beast invasion. He brings peace because the "Prince of peace" is in his heart. Spiritually speaking we are the "land" and the "palaces" that the corporate beast is trying to invade. (1 Cor.3:9) For we are God's fellow-workers: ye are God's husbandry (Greek: "tilled land"), God's building ("palaces"). As we shall see, the beast is a corporate spirit from the abyss (Rev.17:8) that inhabits the body of the wicked (3) and seeks to inhabit the righteous and mark them. Notice that the "Assyrians" are called "him" which shows that they are seen as the corporate body of the beast. Since the Assyrian beast kingdom passed away over 600 years before Christ they could not have been connected with Jesus or the man-child. Therefore God, as usual, was using the beast of that day to represent a particular aspect of the end time beast. As the Assyrian beast did not conquer Jerusalem, so the end time beast will not conquer those spiritually abiding in the New Jerusalem, the Bride. (Mic.5:5)...[T]hen shall we raise against him seven shepherds and eight principle (Hebrew: "princes among") men. The Man-child Jesus raised up twelve apostolic shepherds primarily to restore those of the "twelve-tribes of Israel who would listen (Mt.10:5; Acts 26:7; Jas.1:1; 1Pet.1:1). In exact parallel, the corporate man-child will raise up "seven" corporate apostolic "shepherds" primarily to restore the "seven churches". The man-child's primary job is to feed the unleavened bread of the Word to disciples in order to manifest Christ in them. These will be the new leadership for the seven churches in the last 3 1/2 years. These "seven shepherds" are not sectarian religious leaders but one man in Christ and are inhabited by one "prince of peace", Jesus, hence "eight princes among men”.  We will see that even after the Man-child Jesus' 3 1/2 year ministry, He promised to be with the shepherds in spirit "unto the consummation of the age", (Greek: Mt.28:20) hence "eight princes among men". These princes are sons of the King and have authority over His realm of the seven churches. The seven churches of Revelation are a type of seven different types of Christians in the Church. (Isa.4:1) And seven women (the Church) shall take hold of one man in that day. The "one man" here is Jesus manifested in the man-child. Then He will be manifested in the seven shepherds and then in the true Church. One of God's solutions to the apostasy in the Church is new leadership. (Isa.1:26) [A]nd I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counselors as at the beginning. The same type counselors in the former rain will be given in the latter rain. Here is another confirmation of the man-child giving His revelation to seven shepherds, who passed it on to the seven churches. When the Man-child Jesus sent His shepherds out, He called them "apostles", meaning "one sent forth”. In other words, the shepherds were the man-child's messengers to the churches. As a type of the man-child, John on the Isle of Patmos was "a partaker with you in the tribulation" (Rev.1:9) when he was caught up to the throne of God and given a revelation of the coming tribulation to give to the seven churches. (4:1) After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, [a voice] as of a trumpet speaking with me, one saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter. (2) Straightway I was in the Spirit: and behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting upon the throne. Like Jesus, he was given a revelation of the apostasy in the Church and told to send it to the seven churches by the hand of seven angels. (1:11)... What thou seest, write in a book and send [it] to the seven churches.... (2:1,8,12,18; 3:1,7,14) To the angel of the church in Ephesus (and so with; Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardi, Philadelphia, Laodicea) write.... "Angel" in these cases is the Greek word angelos meaning "messengers" and is also used of ministers in the New Testament (Example: Luk.4:24,27; 9:52). The equivalent Hebrew word in the Old Testament is translated "messenger" when speaking of priests (Mal.2:7), John the Baptist, and Jesus (Luk.3:1). Since it doesn't make sense that John sent the revelation by angels, he must have sent it by seven minister messengers to the seven churches.  This is exactly what Jesus did as man-child. He shared His revelation with minister messengers, who shared it with the seven churches.   The Church Called Brotherly Love Mark Fritts (12-26-04)(David's notes in red) I woke up and this question came to my mind. What church is the church I am visiting today, for the second time, in relation to Revelation two? I don't know why I asked this but the Lord immediately said, "number three," which I discovered to be the Church of Pergamos. (They were rebuked for the Nicolaitan error of being lords over God's flock and the Balaam error of following idols (like a false Jesus) and feeding God's people greasy grace doctrines.) I asked the Lord to show me if I should tell the pastor of this church and He led me to Acts 18: 9, "Be not afraid but speak and hold not thy peace”. So I left the pastor a letter explaining what I thought the Lord was saying to this "Word of Faith" church. (Many of these lack the crucified life) Why do things like this continually happen to me? My wife is tired of me having tough words for churches. She wants us to settle down in a church and find a good youth group for our kids. I asked the Lord to show me what I should say to this church if they don't repent and I believe he said, "Ezekiel fourteen". (In this chapter strong delusion came upon those who set up idols in their heart.) Then I asked the Lord what church Unleavened Bread Bible Study represented and I heard, "number six". I did not know Philadelphia was the sixth church. (Philadelphia is the only church that was not rebuked but was promised, "I also will keep thee from the hour of trial". Philadelphia means "love of the brethren," Philo = love; adolphos = a brother. It is interesting that "adelphus" means "first from the womb," A = alpha - first; delphus = the womb. The man-child ministry will be the first-born from the womb of the church. {Rev.3:7} And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth (Authority to bind and loose): {8} I know thy works (behold, I have set before thee a door opened, which none can shut) (The wicked try but fail), that thou hast a little power, and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name. {9} Behold, I give of the synagogue of Satan (Because they worship satan but they think he is God), of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but do lie (Not circumcised in heart); behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. {10} Because thou didst keep the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, that [hour] which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Jas 1:3  knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. 4  And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. The kind of faith seen in this Galatians text causes us to "dwell in heavenly places in Christ". (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. (Our text in Revelation 3:7-13 shows that the Philadelphia Church will escape the hour of trial that would "try them that dwell upon the earth", rather than dwelling "in Heavenly places in Christ". This Church represents the Bride who, like the Shulammite in Song of Solomon, the Bride in Esther and the Bride in Psalm 45, will escape in the King's house on earth. This is no pre-trib rapture, for the Bride will raise up the virgins, as in these cases.) I believe the Words to the Churches in Revelations represents the condition of the seven churches. Some have not died to self at all and need a crucifixion. And some had died a little but still have a long way to go. The tribulation will perfect those who are willing to go to their cross for their crucifiction. (Mat.16:24) Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (25) For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. Back to {Rev 3:11} I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown. {12} He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God , and he shall go out thence no more (Meaning to Abide continually in Jesus, the Word): and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem (The Bride), which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and mine own new name. {13} He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.   Love Tested- to Be in the Ark of Escape Greg Mozer - 05/21/2016 (David's notes in red) I dreamed I was with a group of people. We had just gone through some very challenging circumstances in which I felt we had escaped with our lives. (We escaped the faction dismemberment that took the spiritual and sometimes physical lives of those not accounted worthy to be in the Bride.) I was unable to remember the details of what took place, but I knew that it was cataclysmic in nature and that we had survived and made it through. (We had overcome in the faction test of brotherly love. {Rev.3:7} And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia [The city of brotherly love, the Bride, one of seven daughters like Moses' wife.] write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth [They have been given the key of David to bind and loose, open and shut.]: {8} I know thy works (behold, I have set before thee a door opened, which none can shut), that thou hast a little power, and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name. {9} Behold, I give of the synagogue of Satan, of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but do lie [they claim to be Christian but obey satan]; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. {10} Because thou didst keep the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, ("God is Love” and “Love is patient” Jas 1:2  Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations; 3  knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. 4  And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.)   Back to (10b) that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (This is for the Bema Seat meaning the "footprint tribunal” meaning did you walk as He walked. The wicked will be without excuse for all their evil is recorded.) {11} I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown. {12} He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more (Abiding in Christ): and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name (meaning the nature, character and authority) of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem [Bride], which cometh down out of heaven [born from above through obedience to the Word] from my God, and mine own new name. We ended up on a ship that seemed to be a "safe haven" for survivors. (This ship is the ark of safety and preservation is a refuge for those who pass the faction test of brotherly love. The Lord showed us this refuge through many dreams, visions, prophecies and Scriptures.) All on board were grateful to be there. (Amen!) Myself, as well as a woman (whom I do not know), were there tending to a group of children (getting them settled in) on the ship. (Both the spiritual and physical children of the obedient righteous are favored of the Lord. {Pro.20:7} A righteous man that walketh in his integrity, Blessed are his children after him. {Psa 112:2} His seed shall be mighty upon earth: The generation of the upright shall be blessed. {Gen.6:18} But I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. {7:1}And Jehovah said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. {19:12} And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whomsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of the place. {1Co.7:14} For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. The whole Bible is full of these verses.) As we were doing this, we were talking about all the things we had just gone through. (Learning how to escape being devoured by the faction dragon through faith and obedience to the Word.) The woman was concerned about the threat of some aspect of what we had just survived. I said, "I don't think we need to be as concerned about that as much as them". (The factious are rejected from the ark of Jesus and threatened by coming judgment, not like those who are permitted to remain in the ark.) As I said this, I was looking either out a window or maybe off the deck of the ship. I saw a large crowd of people standing there, wanting to get on board but they could not. They were all visibly sick and desperate to get on board. (The faction want to escape the coming judgments but cannot without repentance.) Either the ship had not yet left the dock or we were still really close to land. There were security measures that had to be met before anyone could step foot onto the ship. (They must pass the test of brotherly love. Faction cannot abide in the ark for thy are one.) It was then that we realized that there had been an outbreak of a disease or virus and that all those people were sick and contagious. They looked very sick and unhealthy. (Just like the  faction people who are also spiritually sick and contagious to those who live in sin or do not love. {Gal.5:9} A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.) It was at this time that the woman was tending to some children when a young black girl walked up to her and just started acting very crazy and threatening. (The ship is spiritual and this black girl is spiritual. She represents one who walks in darkness and not in light. {1Jn.1:7} but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin.) She was very obviously sick with the virus. She became aggressive toward the woman. (The aggression they feel is that of the demons that infest them.) So the woman pulled out a can of mace or pepper spray or something and sprayed her in the face. The black girl ran off. We realized that she was sick and had somehow gotten through security and gotten on the ship. (This has happened as a test for those on the ship but it will be less and less as the infected leave the ship, as they have been doing, leaving behind a sanctified Bride.) Then the scene changed and I was back at my home in Nebraska where I grew up (in his Father's house). There was a black kitten that got into the house. (This represents that rebellion against the Word and darkness that got into Father's house and must be thrown out.) It was really playful and seemed harmless. I was thinking of the viral outbreak in the earlier part of the dream and had a thought that possibly the kitten had been exposed to it and could possibly be contagious. {Gal.5:9} A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. My thought was to get it out of the house before anyone got bitten or scratched. I tried to grab it but it ran. (When the demons are exposed, they always get offended and run. The tares are being bundled together to be burn as the Lord said.) Eventually, I cornered it and decided to just grab it and get it out of there. I found myself thinking that I would rather take the risk of getting bitten myself than for someone else to get bitten. I grabbed the kitten and, sure enough, it scratched and bit me in the process. (As long as a person obeys the commands of God by faith in Him they are immune. Demons must have legal rights which is permission from God as in Job or disobedience to the Word. {Tit.3:10} A factious man after a first and second admonition refuse; {11} knowing that such a one is perverted, and sinneth, being self-condemned. {Rom.16:17} Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them. {18} For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent. {2Joh.8} Look to yourselves, that ye lose not the things which we have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward. {9} Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. {10} If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house, and give him no greeting: {11} for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works. {Jas.3:16} For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed.) Then I woke up.   The Ark of God Is the Saints Claire Pienaar - 9/19/22 (David's notes in red) I dreamed that there was a large wooden ship on very rough seas during a storm. (Representing the Ark of the saints that is above the curses of this world, as we will see.) Then I saw how this ship was made. It came together beam by beam from light that I knew to be the light of the saints. (Representing the righteous acts of the saints which is the “lampros” garment, meaning not just white, but glowing as in Rev. 19.) Then from that ship, David Eells appeared and also a male lamb. (David represents  the David Man-child reformers who have befriended and taken advantage of the example and sacrifice of Jesus, the male lamb. These are the first fruits which God uses to sanctify the saints in the Tribulation.) End of dream. (In the Tribulation, the saints first conquer their flesh so that their personal Promised Land is healed. Our physical life which came from the dirt is where the seed of Christ is sown to bring forth Christ in you. This process is to bring forth the fruit which is the spiritual man. These, as those who go in the ark, are God's heavenly land of rest, for “Noah” in Hebrew means “rest.” As Noah went through the seven days in type, so the righteous will conquer themselves in their own tribulation. After the Tribulation at the last trump, the world itself becomes their physical Promised Land. (Rev.11:15) And the seventh angel sounded; and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said, The kingdom of the world is become [the kingdom] of our Lord, and of his Christ…. (Mat.5:5) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. When this world also becomes the saint's kingdom then they can conquer the enemies in the earthly Promised Land. The wicked will be under their feet in judgment just as it was with Noah. (Mal.4:3) And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make, saith the Lord of hosts.) I asked the Lord for a verse by faith at random and received Psalm 44:7-8: “But You have saved us from our enemies, And You have put them to shame and humiliated those who hate us. In God we have boasted all the day long, And we will praise and give thanks to Your name forever. Selah.” (Riaan: The ark of God is dwelling in the secret place of the most High. The secret place is the mystery of Christ in you, the hope of glory, and living that life now by faith in Christ. It is through this life Christ in the Man-child David reformers is manifested. (These are the spiritual fathers through whom Jesus will bring forth much fruit.) 1Jn 1:7 but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin.)   Select Language Afrikaans Albanian Amharic Arabic Armenian Assamese Aymara Azerbaijani Bambara Basque Belarusian Bengali Bhojpuri Bosnian Bulgarian Catalan Cebuano Chichewa Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Traditional) Corsican Croatian Czech Danish Dhivehi Dogri Dutch Esperanto Estonian Ewe Filipino Finnish French Frisian Galician Georgian German Greek Guarani Gujarati Haitian Creole Hausa Hawaiian Hebrew Hindi Hmong Hungarian Icelandic Igbo Ilocano Indonesian Irish Italian Japanese Javanese Kannada Kazakh Khmer Kinyarwanda Konkani Korean Krio Kurdish (Kurmanji) Kurdish (Sorani) Kyrgyz Lao Latin Latvian Lingala Lithuanian Luganda Luxembourgish Macedonian Maithili Malagasy Malay Malayalam Maltese Maori Marathi Meiteilon (Manipuri) Mizo Mongolian Myanmar (Burmese) Nepali Norwegian Odia (Oriya) Oromo Pashto Persian Polish Portuguese Punjabi Quechua Romanian Russian Samoan Sanskrit Scots Gaelic Sepedi Serbian Sesotho Shona Sindhi Sinhala Slovak Slovenian Somali Spanish Sundanese Swahili Swedish Tajik Tamil Tatar Telugu Thai Tigrinya Tsonga Turkish Turkmen Twi Ukrainian Urdu Uyghur Uzbek Vietnamese Welsh Xhosa Yiddish Yoruba Zulu Powered by Translate Printer-friendly version  

Pastor John Bingham - The Time is at Hand - Revelations 3:14-22

Jesus in the Revelation Revelation 1:9-20 9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. Jesus in the Revelation 1. Jesus honors our pursuit with His holy presence (1:9-11) I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day… ---Revelation 1:9-10 (ESV) But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works. ---Psalm 73:28 (ESV) You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. ---Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV) Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. - ---James 4:8 (ESV) Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ---Hebrews 10:22 (ESV) 2. Jesus grants guidance through His powerful voice (1:11, 17-20). 17…Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. ---Revelation 1:17-18 (ESV) - He has a calming voice (fear not). - He has a confident voice (I am…). - He has a conquering voice (I died, and behold I am alive forever more). - He has a controlling voice (I have the keys to death and hades). 3. Jesus instills awe with His mighty authority (1:12-17). 4. Jesus extends comfort through His gentle touch (1:20).

Morning: Exodus 24:8; Leviticus 17:11; Ezekiel 36:25; Mark 14:24; John 19:34; Colossians 1:20; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 10:4; Hebrews 10:22; 1 Peter 1:18–20 One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you.”—“The life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls.”—It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.—And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.”—He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.—Peace by the blood of his cross.—Knowing that you were ransomed… not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He… was made manifest in the last times for your sake.—I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean,… from all your idols I will cleanse you.—Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience. Exodus 24:8 (Listen) 8 And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” (ESV) Leviticus 17:11 (Listen) 11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. (ESV) Ezekiel 36:25 (Listen) 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. (ESV) Mark 14:24 (Listen) 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the1 covenant, which is poured out for many. Footnotes [1] 14:24 Some manuscripts insert new (ESV) John 19:34 (Listen) 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. (ESV) Colossians 1:20 (Listen) 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (ESV) Hebrews 9:12 (Listen) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. (ESV) Hebrews 10:4 (Listen) 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. (ESV) Hebrews 10:22 (Listen) 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (ESV) 1 Peter 1:18–20 (Listen) 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you (ESV) Evening: 1 Kings 1:36; Psalm 72:18–19; Isaiah 65:16; Matthew 6:13; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Hebrews 6:13; Hebrews 6:16–18; Revelation 3:14 Amen. “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so.”—He who blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of truth, and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth. When God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself…. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.—“The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness.”—For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.—Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name forever;… Amen and Amen! 1 Kings 1:36 (Listen) 36 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, say so. (ESV) Psalm 72:18–19 (Listen) 18   Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,    who alone does wondrous things.19   Blessed be his glorious name forever;    may the whole earth be filled with his glory!      Amen and Amen! (ESV) Isaiah 65:16 (Listen) 16   so that he who blesses himself in the land    shall bless himself by the God of truth,  and he who takes an oath in the land    shall swear by the God of truth;  because the former troubles are forgotten    and are hidden from my eyes. (ESV) Matthew 6:13 (Listen) 13   And lead us not into temptation,    but deliver us from evil.1 Footnotes [1] 6:13 Or the evil one; some manuscripts add For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen (ESV) 2 Corinthians 1:20 (Listen) 20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. (ESV) Hebrews 6:13 (Listen) The Certainty of God's Promise 13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, (ESV) Hebrews 6:16–18 (Listen) 16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. (ESV) Revelation 3:14 (Listen) To the Church in Laodicea 14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. (ESV)

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Serie la Iglesia Vigilante,  Domingo 16 de Octubre 

Josh Monday Christian and Conspiracy Podcast Episode 93 Please follow me on Instagram @Joshmonday_Podcast To all of our current and future subscribers thank you for your time, we appreciate you. Please do us a favor subscribe, hit that bell, share, like and comment below. Please leave us a 5-Star review on Apple and Spotify. This week we have the pleasure of discussing The Book of Revelation with my favorite conspiracy and biblical teachers. Gary Wayne, Ryan Pitterson and Scott Mitchell join us to discuss an amazing end times timeline. We get into the next biblical event we are going to see happen. We get into the 7 churches and what that is referring too. We get into the Church of Laodicea and the age that fits into. We get into the Rapture and where these gentlemen place the Rapture in the tribulation timeline. We get into Daniel 9:27. Then we have an in-depth discussion on the 7 seals, 7 trumpets and the 7 Bowls (Plagues). We get into the Gog and Magog wars and the battle of Armageddon. We get into the Two Witnesses and who we think they are. We get into the Anti-Christ and Apollyon. We get into the 1000 years Millenium Reign of Christ. Who will be here, what is going to be happening. We get into when Satan is released after the 1000 years. Then we get into the difference between the Great White throne Judgement and the Bema Seat of Christ. In the end we talk about The New Heaven and New Earth. This is such a powerful and important episode please share. Ryan Pittersons Website: https://judgmentofthenephilim.com/ Scott Mitchell Podcast Bible Mysteries You tube link: https://youtu.be/4FlistSkpsk Gary Waynes website: https://genesis6conspiracy.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/josh-monday/support

With family: 1 Kings 17; Colossians 4 1 Kings 17 (Listen) Elijah Predicts a Drought 17 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe1 in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” 2 And the word of the LORD came to him: 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 4 You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of the LORD. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. 7 And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. The Widow of Zarephath 8 Then the word of the LORD came to him, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12 And she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'” 15 And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah. Elijah Raises the Widow's Son 17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” 19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. 20 And he cried to the LORD, “O LORD my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the LORD, “O LORD my God, let this child's life2 come into him again.” 22 And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” 24 And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.” Footnotes [1] 17:1 Septuagint; Hebrew of the settlers [2] 17:21 Or soul; also verse 22 (ESV) Colossians 4 (Listen) 4 Masters, treat your bondservants1 justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. Further Instructions 2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Final Greetings 7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant2 in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers3 at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.” 18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Footnotes [1] 4:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; likewise for servant in verse 12 [2] 4:7 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word sundoulos, see Preface [3] 4:15 Or brothers and sisters (ESV) In private: Psalm 103; Ezekiel 47 Psalm 103 (Listen) Bless the Lord, O My Soul Of David. 103   Bless the LORD, O my soul,    and all that is within me,    bless his holy name!2   Bless the LORD, O my soul,    and forget not all his benefits,3   who forgives all your iniquity,    who heals all your diseases,4   who redeems your life from the pit,    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,5   who satisfies you with good    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 6   The LORD works righteousness    and justice for all who are oppressed.7   He made known his ways to Moses,    his acts to the people of Israel.8   The LORD is merciful and gracious,    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.9   He will not always chide,    nor will he keep his anger forever.10   He does not deal with us according to our sins,    nor repay us according to our iniquities.11   For as high as the heavens are above the earth,    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;12   as far as the east is from the west,    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.13   As a father shows compassion to his children,    so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.14   For he knows our frame;1    he remembers that we are dust. 15   As for man, his days are like grass;    he flourishes like a flower of the field;16   for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,    and its place knows it no more.17   But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,    and his righteousness to children's children,18   to those who keep his covenant    and remember to do his commandments.19   The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,    and his kingdom rules over all. 20   Bless the LORD, O you his angels,    you mighty ones who do his word,    obeying the voice of his word!21   Bless the LORD, all his hosts,    his ministers, who do his will!22   Bless the LORD, all his works,    in all places of his dominion.  Bless the LORD, O my soul! Footnotes [1] 103:14 Or knows how we are formed (ESV) Ezekiel 47 (Listen) Water Flowing from the Temple 47 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. 2 Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side. 3 Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits,1 and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. 4 Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. 5 Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. 6 And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8 And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea;2 when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh.3 9 And wherever the river goes,4 every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea5 may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. 10 Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.6 11 But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. 12 And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.” Division of the Land 13 Thus says the Lord GOD: “This is the boundary7 by which you shall divide the land for inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions. 14 And you shall divide equally what I swore to give to your fathers. This land shall fall to you as your inheritance. 15 “This shall be the boundary of the land: On the north side, from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, and on to Zedad,8 16 Berothah, Sibraim (which lies on the border between Damascus and Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 So the boundary shall run from the sea to Hazar-enan, which is on the northern border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north.9 This shall be the north side.10 18 “On the east side, the boundary shall run between Hauran and Damascus; along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel; to the eastern sea and as far as Tamar.11 This shall be the east side. 19 “On the south side, it shall run from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribah-kadesh, from there along the Brook of Egypt12 to the Great Sea. This shall be the south side. 20 “On the west side, the Great Sea shall be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This shall be the west side. 21 “So you shall divide this land among you according to the tribes of Israel. 22 You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the sojourners who reside among you and have had children among you. They shall be to you as native-born children of Israel. With you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 23 In whatever tribe the sojourner resides, there you shall assign him his inheritance, declares the Lord GOD. Footnotes [1] 47:3 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters [2] 47:8 That is, the Dead Sea [3] 47:8 Hebrew will be healed; also verses 9, 11 [4] 47:9 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate, Targum; Hebrew the two rivers go [5] 47:9 Hebrew lacks the waters of the sea [6] 47:10 That is, the Mediterranean Sea; also verses 15, 19, 20 [7] 47:13 Probable reading; Hebrew The valley of the boundary [8] 47:15 Septuagint; Hebrew the entrance of Zedad, Hamath [9] 47:17 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain [10] 47:17 Probable reading; Hebrew and as for the north side [11] 47:18 Compare Syriac; Hebrew to the eastern sea you shall measure [12] 47:19 Hebrew lacks of Egypt (ESV)

With family: 1 Kings 15; Colossians 2 1 Kings 15 (Listen) Abijam Reigns in Judah 15 Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah. 2 He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 3 And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father. 4 Nevertheless, for David's sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him, and establishing Jerusalem, 5 because David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 6 Now there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 7 The rest of the acts of Abijam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 8 And Abijam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa his son reigned in his place. Asa Reigns in Judah 9 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah, 10 and he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 11 And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as David his father had done. 12 He put away the male cult prostitutes out of the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 13 He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother because she had made an abominable image for Asherah. And Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron. 14 But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true to the LORD all his days. 15 And he brought into the house of the LORD the sacred gifts of his father and his own sacred gifts, silver, and gold, and vessels. 16 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 17 Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might permit no one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king's house and gave them into the hands of his servants. And King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who lived in Damascus, saying, 19 “Let there be a covenant1 between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I am sending to you a present of silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me.” 20 And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel and conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. 21 And when Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and he lived in Tirzah. 22 Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah, none was exempt, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber, with which Baasha had been building, and with them King Asa built Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah. 23 Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, all his might, and all that he did, and the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? But in his old age he was diseased in his feet. 24 And Asa slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place. Nadab Reigns in Israel 25 Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin which he made Israel to sin. 27 Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him. And Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon. 28 So Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place. 29 And as soon as he was king, he killed all the house of Jeroboam. He left to the house of Jeroboam not one that breathed, until he had destroyed it, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 30 It was for the sins of Jeroboam that he sinned and that he made Israel to sin, and because of the anger to which he provoked the LORD, the God of Israel. 31 Now the rest of the acts of Nadab and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. Baasha Reigns in Israel 33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel at Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years. 34 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel to sin. Footnotes [1] 15:19 Or treaty; twice in this verse (ESV) Colossians 2 (Listen) 2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Alive in Christ 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits1 of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities2 and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.3 Let No One Disqualify You 16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions,4 puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. 20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. Footnotes [1] 2:8 Or elementary principles; also verse 20 [2] 2:15 Probably demonic rulers and authorities [3] 2:15 Or in it (that is, the cross) [4] 2:18 Or about the things he has seen (ESV) In private: Psalms 99–101; Ezekiel 45 Psalms 99–101 (Listen) The Lord Our God Is Holy 99   The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble!    He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!2   The LORD is great in Zion;    he is exalted over all the peoples.3   Let them praise your great and awesome name!    Holy is he!4   The King in his might loves justice.1    You have established equity;  you have executed justice    and righteousness in Jacob.5   Exalt the LORD our God;    worship at his footstool!    Holy is he! 6   Moses and Aaron were among his priests,    Samuel also was among those who called upon his name.    They called to the LORD, and he answered them.7   In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them;    they kept his testimonies    and the statute that he gave them. 8   O LORD our God, you answered them;    you were a forgiving God to them,    but an avenger of their wrongdoings.9   Exalt the LORD our God,    and worship at his holy mountain;    for the LORD our God is holy! His Steadfast Love Endures Forever A Psalm for giving thanks. 100   Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!2     Serve the LORD with gladness!    Come into his presence with singing! 3   Know that the LORD, he is God!    It is he who made us, and we are his;2    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4   Enter his gates with thanksgiving,    and his courts with praise!    Give thanks to him; bless his name! 5   For the LORD is good;    his steadfast love endures forever,    and his faithfulness to all generations. I Will Walk with Integrity A Psalm of David. 101   I will sing of steadfast love and justice;    to you, O LORD, I will make music.2   I will ponder the way that is blameless.    Oh when will you come to me?  I will walk with integrity of heart    within my house;3   I will not set before my eyes    anything that is worthless.  I hate the work of those who fall away;    it shall not cling to me.4   A perverse heart shall be far from me;    I will know nothing of evil. 5   Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly    I will destroy.  Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart    I will not endure. 6   I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,    that they may dwell with me;  he who walks in the way that is blameless    shall minister to me. 7   No one who practices deceit    shall dwell in my house;  no one who utters lies    shall continue before my eyes. 8   Morning by morning I will destroy    all the wicked in the land,  cutting off all the evildoers    from the city of the LORD. Footnotes [1] 99:4 Or The might of the King loves justice [2] 100:3 Or and not we ourselves (ESV) Ezekiel 45 (Listen) The Holy District 45 “When you allot the land as an inheritance, you shall set apart for the LORD a portion of the land as a holy district, 25,000 cubits1 long and 20,0002 cubits broad. It shall be holy throughout its whole extent. 2 Of this a square plot of 500 by 500 cubits shall be for the sanctuary, with fifty cubits for an open space around it. 3 And from this measured district you shall measure off a section 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 broad, in which shall be the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. 4 It shall be the holy portion of the land. It shall be for the priests, who minister in the sanctuary and approach the LORD to minister to him, and it shall be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary. 5 Another section, 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits broad, shall be for the Levites who minister at the temple, as their possession for cities to live in.3 6 “Alongside the portion set apart as the holy district you shall assign for the property of the city an area 5,000 cubits broad and 25,000 cubits long. It shall belong to the whole house of Israel. The Portion for the Prince 7 “And to the prince shall belong the land on both sides of the holy district and the property of the city, alongside the holy district and the property of the city, on the west and on the east, corresponding in length to one of the tribal portions, and extending from the western to the eastern boundary 8 of the land. It is to be his property in Israel. And my princes shall no more oppress my people, but they shall let the house of Israel have the land according to their tribes. 9 “Thus says the Lord GOD: Enough, O princes of Israel! Put away violence and oppression, and execute justice and righteousness. Cease your evictions of my people, declares the Lord GOD. 10 “You shall have just balances, a just ephah, and a just bath.4 11 The ephah and the bath shall be of the same measure, the bath containing one tenth of a homer,5 and the ephah one tenth of a homer; the homer shall be the standard measure. 12 The shekel shall be twenty gerahs;6 twenty shekels plus twenty-five shekels plus fifteen shekels shall be your mina.7 13 “This is the offering that you shall make: one sixth of an ephah from each homer of wheat, and one sixth of an ephah from each homer of barley, 14 and as the fixed portion of oil, measured in baths, one tenth of a bath from each cor8 (the cor, like the homer, contains ten baths).9 15 And one sheep from every flock of two hundred, from the watering places of Israel for grain offering, burnt offering, and peace offerings, to make atonement for them, declares the Lord GOD. 16 All the people of the land shall be obliged to give this offering to the prince in Israel. 17 It shall be the prince's duty to furnish the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings, at the feasts, the new moons, and the Sabbaths, all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel: he shall provide the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings, to make atonement on behalf of the house of Israel. 18 “Thus says the Lord GOD: In the first month, on the first day of the month, you shall take a bull from the herd without blemish, and purify the sanctuary. 19 The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the temple, the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and the posts of the gate of the inner court. 20 You shall do the same on the seventh day of the month for anyone who has sinned through error or ignorance; so you shall make atonement for the temple. 21 “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall celebrate the Feast of the Passover, and for seven days unleavened bread shall be eaten. 22 On that day the prince shall provide for himself and all the people of the land a young bull for a sin offering. 23 And on the seven days of the festival he shall provide as a burnt offering to the LORD seven young bulls and seven rams without blemish, on each of the seven days; and a male goat daily for a sin offering. 24 And he shall provide as a grain offering an ephah for each bull, an ephah for each ram, and a hin10 of oil to each ephah. 25 In the seventh month, on the fifteenth day of the month and for the seven days of the feast, he shall make the same provision for sin offerings, burnt offerings, and grain offerings, and for the oil. Footnotes [1] 45:1 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters [2] 45:1 Septuagint; Hebrew 10,000 [3] 45:5 Septuagint; Hebrew as their possession, twenty chambers [4] 45:10 An ephah was about 3/5 of a bushel or 22 liters; a bath was about 6 gallons or 22 liters [5] 45:11 A homer was about 6 bushels or 220 liters [6] 45:12 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams; a gerah was about 1/50 ounce or 0.6 gram [7] 45:12 A mina was about 1 1/4 pounds or 0.6 kilogram [8] 45:14 A cor was about 6 bushels or 220 liters [9] 45:14 See Vulgate; Hebrew (ten baths are a homer, for ten baths are a homer) [10] 45:24 A hin was about 4 quarts or 3.5 liters (ESV)

How do you see yourself? The problem with self-perception is that we're often blind to our actual problems. Like the church at Laodicea, we can be a blind bride. So, Jesus lovingly calls us to gain a new perception by seeing ourselves the way He sees us. Are you willing to hear what God is trying to tell you? If so, then are you also willing to change?

Today, we continued our weekly theme: "Homecoming Week", and we discussed coming back home to church. COVID obviously changed churches such as attendance, closures, live streams, etc. What is it going to take to bring people back home to church? Should we do away with live streams now? Have you headed back home to a church? We also had a brief bible study from the book of Revelation, and we discussed the Churches of Sardis and Laodicea. Our guests were Lina Abujarma (web doctor, author, broadcaster, and speaker) and Scott Ziegler (lead pastor of The Bridge Church). You can hear the highlights of today's program on the Karl and Crew Showcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Morning: Isaiah 48–49 Isaiah 48–49 (Listen) Israel Refined for God's Glory 48   Hear this, O house of Jacob,    who are called by the name of Israel,    and who came from the waters of Judah,  who swear by the name of the LORD    and confess the God of Israel,    but not in truth or right.2   For they call themselves after the holy city,    and stay themselves on the God of Israel;    the LORD of hosts is his name. 3   “The former things I declared of old;    they went out from my mouth, and I announced them;    then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.4   Because I know that you are obstinate,    and your neck is an iron sinew    and your forehead brass,5   I declared them to you from of old,    before they came to pass I announced them to you,  lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,    my carved image and my metal image commanded them.' 6   “You have heard; now see all this;    and will you not declare it?  From this time forth I announce to you new things,    hidden things that you have not known.7   They are created now, not long ago;    before today you have never heard of them,    lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.'8   You have never heard, you have never known,    from of old your ear has not been opened.  For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously,    and that from before birth you were called a rebel. 9   “For my name's sake I defer my anger;    for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,    that I may not cut you off.10   Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;    I have tried1 you in the furnace of affliction.11   For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,    for how should my name2 be profaned?    My glory I will not give to another. The Lord's Call to Israel 12   “Listen to me, O Jacob,    and Israel, whom I called!  I am he; I am the first,    and I am the last.13   My hand laid the foundation of the earth,    and my right hand spread out the heavens;  when I call to them,    they stand forth together. 14   “Assemble, all of you, and listen!    Who among them has declared these things?  The LORD loves him;    he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,    and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.15   I, even I, have spoken and called him;    I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.16   Draw near to me, hear this:    from the beginning I have not spoken in secret,    from the time it came to be I have been there.”  And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit. 17   Thus says the LORD,    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  “I am the LORD your God,    who teaches you to profit,    who leads you in the way you should go.18   Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!    Then your peace would have been like a river,    and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;19   your offspring would have been like the sand,    and your descendants like its grains;  their name would never be cut off    or destroyed from before me.” 20   Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,    declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,  send it out to the end of the earth;    say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”21   They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;    he made water flow for them from the rock;    he split the rock and the water gushed out. 22   “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.” The Servant of the Lord 49   Listen to me, O coastlands,    and give attention, you peoples from afar.  The LORD called me from the womb,    from the body of my mother he named my name.2   He made my mouth like a sharp sword;    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;  he made me a polished arrow;    in his quiver he hid me away.3   And he said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”34   But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;  yet surely my right is with the LORD,    and my recompense with my God.” 5   And now the LORD says,    he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,  to bring Jacob back to him;    and that Israel might be gathered to him—  for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,    and my God has become my strength—6   he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant    to raise up the tribes of Jacob    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7   Thus says the LORD,    the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,  to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,    the servant of rulers:  “Kings shall see and arise;    princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;  because of the LORD, who is faithful,    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” The Restoration of Israel 8   Thus says the LORD:  “In a time of favor I have answered you;    in a day of salvation I have helped you;  I will keep you and give you    as a covenant to the people,  to establish the land,    to apportion the desolate heritages,9   saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,'    to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.'  They shall feed along the ways;    on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10   they shall not hunger or thirst,    neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,  for he who has pity on them will lead them,    and by springs of water will guide them.11   And I will make all my mountains a road,    and my highways shall be raised up.12   Behold, these shall come from afar,    and behold, these from the north and from the west,4    and these from the land of Syene.”5 13   Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;    break forth, O mountains, into singing!  For the LORD has comforted his people    and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14   But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;    my Lord has forgotten me.” 15   “Can a woman forget her nursing child,    that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget,    yet I will not forget you.16   Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;    your walls are continually before me.17   Your builders make haste;6    your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.18   Lift up your eyes around and see;    they all gather, they come to you.  As I live, declares the LORD,    you shall put them all on as an ornament;    you shall bind them on as a bride does. 19   “Surely your waste and your desolate places    and your devastated land—  surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,    and those who swallowed you up will be far away.20   The children of your bereavement    will yet say in your ears:  ‘The place is too narrow for me;    make room for me to dwell in.'21   Then you will say in your heart:    ‘Who has borne me these?  I was bereaved and barren,    exiled and put away,    but who has brought up these?  Behold, I was left alone;    from where have these come?'” 22   Thus says the Lord GOD:  “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,    and raise my signal to the peoples;  and they shall bring your sons in their arms,7    and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.23   Kings shall be your foster fathers,    and their queens your nursing mothers.  With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,    and lick the dust of your feet.  Then you will know that I am the LORD;    those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” 24   Can the prey be taken from the mighty,    or the captives of a tyrant8 be rescued?25   For thus says the LORD:  “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,    and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,  for I will contend with those who contend with you,    and I will save your children.26   I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,    and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.  Then all flesh shall know    that I am the LORD your Savior,    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Footnotes [1] 48:10 Or I have chosen [2] 48:11 Hebrew lacks my name [3] 49:3 Or I will display my beauty [4] 49:12 Hebrew from the sea [5] 49:12 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Sinim [6] 49:17 Dead Sea Scroll; Masoretic Text Your children make haste [7] 49:22 Hebrew in their bosom [8] 49:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac, Vulgate (see also verse 25); Masoretic Text of a righteous man (ESV) Evening: Colossians 4 Colossians 4 (Listen) 4 Masters, treat your bondservants1 justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. Further Instructions 2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Final Greetings 7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant2 in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers3 at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.” 18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Footnotes [1] 4:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; likewise for servant in verse 12 [2] 4:7 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word sundoulos, see Preface [3] 4:15 Or brothers and sisters (ESV)

Morning: Isaiah 43–44 Isaiah 43–44 (Listen) Israel's Only Savior 43   But now thus says the LORD,  he who created you, O Jacob,    he who formed you, O Israel:  “Fear not, for I have redeemed you;    I have called you by name, you are mine.2   When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;  when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,    and the flame shall not consume you.3   For I am the LORD your God,    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.  I give Egypt as your ransom,    Cush and Seba in exchange for you.4   Because you are precious in my eyes,    and honored, and I love you,  I give men in return for you,    peoples in exchange for your life.5   Fear not, for I am with you;    I will bring your offspring from the east,    and from the west I will gather you.6   I will say to the north, Give up,    and to the south, Do not withhold;  bring my sons from afar    and my daughters from the end of the earth,7   everyone who is called by my name,    whom I created for my glory,    whom I formed and made.” 8   Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes,    who are deaf, yet have ears!9   All the nations gather together,    and the peoples assemble.  Who among them can declare this,    and show us the former things?  Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right,    and let them hear and say, It is true.10   “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD,    “and my servant whom I have chosen,  that you may know and believe me    and understand that I am he.  Before me no god was formed,    nor shall there be any after me.11   I, I am the LORD,    and besides me there is no savior.12   I declared and saved and proclaimed,    when there was no strange god among you;    and you are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and I am God.13   Also henceforth I am he;    there is none who can deliver from my hand;    I work, and who can turn it back?” 14   Thus says the LORD,    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  “For your sake I send to Babylon    and bring them all down as fugitives,    even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.15   I am the LORD, your Holy One,    the Creator of Israel, your King.” 16   Thus says the LORD,    who makes a way in the sea,    a path in the mighty waters,17   who brings forth chariot and horse,    army and warrior;  they lie down, they cannot rise,    they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:18   “Remember not the former things,    nor consider the things of old.19   Behold, I am doing a new thing;    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?  I will make a way in the wilderness    and rivers in the desert.20   The wild beasts will honor me,    the jackals and the ostriches,  for I give water in the wilderness,    rivers in the desert,  to give drink to my chosen people,21     the people whom I formed for myself  that they might declare my praise. 22   “Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob;    but you have been weary of me, O Israel!23   You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings,    or honored me with your sacrifices.  I have not burdened you with offerings,    or wearied you with frankincense.24   You have not bought me sweet cane with money,    or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices.  But you have burdened me with your sins;    you have wearied me with your iniquities. 25   “I, I am he    who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,    and I will not remember your sins.26   Put me in remembrance; let us argue together;    set forth your case, that you may be proved right.27   Your first father sinned,    and your mediators transgressed against me.28   Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary,    and deliver Jacob to utter destruction    and Israel to reviling. Israel the Lord's Chosen 44   “But now hear, O Jacob my servant,    Israel whom I have chosen!2   Thus says the LORD who made you,    who formed you from the womb and will help you:  Fear not, O Jacob my servant,    Jeshurun whom I have chosen.3   For I will pour water on the thirsty land,    and streams on the dry ground;  I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring,    and my blessing on your descendants.4   They shall spring up among the grass    like willows by flowing streams.5   This one will say, ‘I am the LORD's,'    another will call on the name of Jacob,  and another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD's,'    and name himself by the name of Israel.” Besides Me There Is No God 6   Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel    and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:  “I am the first and I am the last;    besides me there is no god.7   Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.1    Let him declare and set it before me,  since I appointed an ancient people.    Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.8   Fear not, nor be afraid;    have I not told you from of old and declared it?    And you are my witnesses!  Is there a God besides me?    There is no Rock; I know not any.” The Folly of Idolatry 9 All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. 10 Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? 11 Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together. 12 The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. 13 The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil.2 He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. 14 He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. 15 Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. 16 Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, “Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!” 17 And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!” 18 They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. 19 No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” 20 He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” The Lord Redeems Israel 21   Remember these things, O Jacob,    and Israel, for you are my servant;  I formed you; you are my servant;    O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.22   I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud    and your sins like mist;  return to me, for I have redeemed you. 23   Sing, O heavens, for the LORD has done it;    shout, O depths of the earth;  break forth into singing, O mountains,    O forest, and every tree in it!  For the LORD has redeemed Jacob,    and will be glorified3 in Israel. 24   Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer,    who formed you from the womb:  “I am the LORD, who made all things,    who alone stretched out the heavens,    who spread out the earth by myself,25   who frustrates the signs of liars    and makes fools of diviners,  who turns wise men back    and makes their knowledge foolish,26   who confirms the word of his servant    and fulfills the counsel of his messengers,  who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,'    and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built,    and I will raise up their ruins';27   who says to the deep, ‘Be dry;    I will dry up your rivers';28   who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,    and he shall fulfill all my purpose';  saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,'    and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.'” Footnotes [1] 44:7 Or Who like me can proclaim it? [2] 44:13 Hebrew stylus [3] 44:23 Or will display his beauty (ESV) Evening: Colossians 2 Colossians 2 (Listen) 2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Alive in Christ 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits1 of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities2 and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.3 Let No One Disqualify You 16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions,4 puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. 20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. Footnotes [1] 2:8 Or elementary principles; also verse 20 [2] 2:15 Probably demonic rulers and authorities [3] 2:15 Or in it (that is, the cross) [4] 2:18 Or about the things he has seen (ESV)

Octubre 10, 2022 - Cuando la mayoria de las personas piensan en el Apocalipsis, nuestros pensamientos nos llevan inmediatamente a los misterios de los ultimos tiempos. Sin embargo, en medio de estas profecias tambien encontramos exhortaciones directas y necesarias. Hoy en Vision Para Vivir, el pastor Carlos A. Zazueta nos llevara al capitulo 3, versiculo 15 en donde estudiaremos la carta escrita a la congregacion de Laodicea. Si, aquella iglesia que recibio el fuerte reproche: "Ojala fueses frio o caliente!"

Nature takes the path of least resistance, and that path is always toward destruction. If you leave a piece of fruit on the counter too long, it becomes rotten. The longer a house stands, the more dilapidated it becomes. When left to their own devices, things don't get better, they slowly decay. Human beings are no different. Today Pastor Ken shows us this pattern is evident in the church as well. When the church goes without guidance and influence from God, it will decay and spiral into destruction.

Beloved, we are beginning a new Study entitled “The Stage Is Being Set!” in which we will be reviewing the many prophetic precursors that are unfolding with dramatic “Pay Attention” urgency, and giving heed to the people of God to be even more alert to the Holy Spirit's leading in this very critical time in the earth.By definition, to “set the stage” means “to prepare the conditions for the occurrence or beginning of something.” And without a doubt, the stage is being set for the appearance of the Antichrist, which means that our being “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air is closer now than it has ever been.Perhaps the most telling end-time precursor is the disheartening reality that the majority of what is generally known as the Church of Jesus Christ no longer believes or even cares about the Prophetic Word of God, or the need to witness to the lost. And that is because – but for His Holy and preserved Remnant – the Church has reached its full-blown Laodicea condition and is so saturated with the world, and wrapped up in its own self-centered wants and ambitions, that it is undistinguishable from the very darkness Lord Jesus paid so dearly to ransom it out of. Because of this, many who are part of this complacent company of self-named Christians, do not even realize the desperateness of the hour, nor do they test the spirits to be sure they are of God. And as a result, they are oblivious to the danger that is lurking behind every current day event corner.However, for those who have ears to hear, and spiritual eyes to see behind the veil of the enemy's lies and deceptions, it is becoming more and more obvious that we are living in the last moments on God's Prophetic Calendar, and that time is running out for the people of earth to make the eternal decision which will determine if they will spend forever with the God of Love in Heaven's Glory, or in Hell with Satan, the great deceiver and enemy of their soul.Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/

Today we look at the last Church, the Lukewarm Church of Laodicea. 

In this session we will be looking at the Church at Laodicea to see what Jesus' words to this church can teach us in today's church world. +++++++ You can find more information on my website: https://pastorjohndunning.com/ You can hear my personal testimony on this website: https://www.ifyouonlyknew.life/

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast, Hank answers the question of whether or not it is silly to believe in Noah's flood. Since Christians believe in a supernatural explanation for the creation of the universe, Hank argues that it is perfectly plausible to believe in the great flood. Since reason forces us to look beyond the natural world to a supernatural Creator who made everything, Christians thereby demonstrate that they are truly open-minded.Hank also answers the following questions:What is your take on the Lordship Salvation debate? When the Lord threatens to spew the church of Laodicea out of His mouth; is He speaking of eternal destruction?Will someone be able to sin in heaven? If we have free will, it would seem we would be able to.Do you think God uses people that are so in love with Him by giving them diseases like cancer to bring about the salvation of lost loved ones?Is the analogy of an egg a good way to explain the Trinity?Are all of these near-death experiences we hear about biblical?

When you're planning a road trip, you often have a few choices on how to get to your destination. Do you choose the shortest time, the shortest distance, or the route without tolls? Or do you pick the scenic route? Ultimately, it doesn't really matter, you will still arrive at the same destination. But as Pastor Ken teaches today, you can't have the same approach to eternal life. Spiritually speaking, the route you take to get to eternity will determine your destination. Only one route leads to life: Jesus.

Things often seem backward in the kingdom of God. Jesus said that the last would be first and the first would be last. Those who lose their lives are the ones who live. He also made it clear that those who were ahead financially were not necessarily ahead spiritually. The church at Laodicea didn't understand this concept. They were a rich congregation, able to afford whatever they wanted. They thought wealth meant that they were blessed by God, but as Pastor Ken points out today, that was not the case.

You don't have to be a college graduate to be used by God. You don't have to earn a certain amount or have a minimum number of Instagram followers. You don't have to look trendy or come from a background of religious influence. The world might look to those things to measure your success, but God looks at the heart. In some cases, like the church in Laodicea, those worldly advantages might actually make it harder to follow Jesus. As Pastor Ken shows us today, God is looking for someone with the right heart.

Talking the talk doesn't mean much without walking the walk. You can claim to be whatever you want, but if your actions don't back it up, it's meaningless. This is especially dangerous when it comes to Christianity. It's not just your reputation with others that you need to be aware of, it's your reputation with Jesus himself. As Pastor Ken shows us today, if you only talk the talk, Jesus will spit you out of his mouth. He will say that he never knew you, just like the seventh church in Revelation, the church at Laodicea.

This week we are looking at Jesus' final message to the seventh church in Laodicea. Jesus tells the church He is the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of creation of God. There is great power in these names and we will unpack it together. Jesus has looked into the heart of the church and He doesn't like what He sees. The message to the lukewarm is challenging for us and we need to pay attention to what Jesus is calling this church to do. Join us as we tackle this difficult letter together.

Have you ever done something good, but you did it with the wrong intentions? Maybe you helped a widow, but it was really just to get a pat on the back. Or have you ever been nice to someone because you had something to gain from them? With Jesus, it's not enough to just do good things. He will also judge you based on why you did those things. As Pastor Ken teaches us today, it's not enough to put on a good show. All the achievements you can gain won't mean anything if they weren't done for Jesus.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (09/30/22), Hank answers the question of whether or not it is silly to believe in Noah's flood. Since Christians believe in a supernatural explanation for the creation of the universe, Hank argues that it is perfectly plausible to believe in the great flood. Since reason forces us to look beyond the natural world to a supernatural Creator who made everything, Christians thereby demonstrate that they are truly open-minded.Hank also answers the following questions:What is your take on the Lordship Salvation debate? When the Lord threatens to spew the church of Laodicea out of His mouth; is He speaking of eternal destruction?Will someone be able to sin in heaven? If we have free will, it would seem we would be able to.What do you think about Jack Van Impe?Is there any legitimacy to Seventh Day Adventism? Are we in error by worshipping on Sunday?

The church at Laodicea is like a lot of people today. They forgot who God truly was. Today Pastor Ken shares in his message today, God is who He says He is in His word. You can't pick and choose what characteristics listed in the Bible are true. True Christianity isn't describing your ideal situations and only accepting those truths as you believe.