In Revelation 3 John address messages to the seven churches – of these the one to Laodicea rings most true of where I see the Church in NZ. The time is now to become wholehearted in our reverence and desire to be God’s people to step away from our independent spirit, to recognise that the she’ll be right, I can fix it myself attitude to a wholehearted acknowledgment that we are not rich
You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you
Are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked so I advise you to buy gold from me
Are we prepared to be purified to acknowledge our sinfulness, to repent of our materialistic spirit?
Revelation 3 vs. 15-22 – Message to the Church in Laodicea/NZ
“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the
Other, but since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!
Have you not seen, have you not heard, there is no searching of God’s understanding, don’t you see?
He neither tires or gets weary, he knows all you do or don’t do he sees all from north to south
From East to West nothing is hidden from him, he is all-seeing, all-knowing, he will forever be
This is not a time for fence sitting, there will be a winnowing, a sifting, of the couth from the uncouth
The wheat from the chaff, is your faith in God such that you will withstand this and with God be
For you were born for such a time as this, be hot or cold, or else God will spit you from his mouth
You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you
Are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked so I advise you to buy gold from me
Money can’t buy you love, money can’t buy its way into the Kingdom, keep this firmly in view
Are you prepared to put God first, to seek first his kingdom and its righteousness, to in God be?
For it as you are prepared to seek him with all your heart that he can of his plans for you
Begin to reveal for he needs us to hear him when he says I advise you to buy gold from me
Gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me
So you will not be shamed by your nakedness and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.
The things God wants us to see are the things that we have to change and with his eyes see
The plans and purposes he has for us, which are for good and not of evil which will come to be
He alone can give us a future and a hope that will not be destroyed, even greater than we can see
God desires that we are pure, untainted by the world, will you let him in and change what you can be?
I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in,
For in order for there to be change in your life, first you need to give God precedence
To not only say come in but open yourselves to his Spirit and step away from your sin
You need to accept the change, it might be painful at first but God will see your diligence
And if you pray about everything you will know his peace, open your life door, he will come in
And we will share a meal together as friends. Those who are victorious will sit with me
On my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.
For behold what manner of love my Father has bestowed on you so you can sit with me
For through my death and resurrection you can be called Children, God’s own
I will lift you up to my banqueting table, my banner over you is love, come sit with me
Hear my voice caIling to you, I stand and knock, listen do not me disown
“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit
And understand what he is saying to the churches.”
Be still like Elijah listen to the still small voice, wait and sit
Listen to what he says and then do what he urges
Will you trust and Obey? You can’t do what you thinks suits
But you must do according to God’s word and what it urges
Mark Maffey, October 2008
(NLT)