~ ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS ~
ACCORDING TO
THE WORD OF GOD
ON THE SUBJECT
MINE
~ PASTOR BILL ~
A Message To The Church
Of The Laodiceans
~ Todays Church Age ~
 REVELATION
3:14-22 " And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans
write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the
beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither
cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm,
and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou
sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;
and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind,
and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou
mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that
the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve,
that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous
therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man
hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with
him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me
in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in
his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto
the churches." |
" Lets hear His words "...for in them ye think ye have eternal life...." [ John 5:39 ]
" He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. " [ Revelation 3:22 ]
"Guilt, wrong, and sin are parts of the Laodicean message, that today the preacher must not neglect.--Ministers who are preaching present truth should not neglect the solemn message to the Laodiceans. The testimony of the True Witness is not a smooth message. The Lord does not say to them, " You are about right, you have borne chastisement and reproof that you never deserved, you have been discouraged unnecessarily by severity, you are not guilty of the wrongs and sins of which you have been reproved. "
Beware the Lord is shaking His church and even its CLIMAX will come to an end. All those who continue in the path of the Laodicean, God will deal with them rightly. Return unto Him and repent. He has promised us: " Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. " [ Matthew 11:28 ]
We have been living in the Laodicean age for quite some time now AND WILL DO SO UNTIL THE END. This is the last era of time mentioned in Revelations. The " shaking " will come to a climax soon !
" We are in the shaking time, the time when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. The Lord will not excuse those who know the truth if they do not in word and deed obey His commands. If we make no effort to win souls to Christ we shall be held responsible for the work we might have done, but did not do because of our spiritual indolence. Those who belong to the Lord's kingdom must work earnestly for the saving of souls. They must do their part to bind up the law and seal it among the disciples. "
" The mighty shaking has commenced and will go on, and all will be shaken out who are not willing to take a bold and unyielding stand for the truth, and to sacrifice for God and His cause. The angel said: " Think ye that any will be compelled to sacrifice ? No, no. It must be a freewill offering. It will take all to buy the field. " I cried to God to spare His people, some of whom were fainting and dying. Then I saw that the judgments of the Almighty were speedily coming, and I begged of the angel to speak in his language to the people. Said he, " All the thunders and lightnings of Mount Sinai would not move those who will not be moved by the plain truths of the word of God, neither would an angel's message awake them. "
The Lord is warning His church about the LUKEWARM and LUXURIOUS state that many in His church have fallen into:
"To Rid the Church of Fanaticism.--The design of the message to the Laodiceans was to rid the church of . . . . fanatical influences; but the effort of Satan has been to corrupt the message, and destroy its influence. He would be better pleased to have fanatical persons embrace the testimony, and use it in his cause, than to have them remain in a lukewarm state. I have seen that it was not the design of the message to a brother to sit in judgment over his brother, to tell him what to do, and just how far to go, but for each individual to search his own heart, and attend to his own individual work. "
"Self-inflated Religion.--Love of self excludes the love of Christ. Those who live for self are ranged under the head of the Laodicean church who are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot. The ardor of the first love has lapsed into a selfish egotism. The love of Christ in the heart is expressed in the actions. If love for Christ is dull, the love for those for whom Christ has died will degenerate. There may be a wonderful appearance for zeal and ceremonies, but this is the substance of their self-inflated religion. Christ represents them as nauseating to His taste. " [ Revelation 3:17, 18 quoted ]
"Self-love, Self-deception, and Self-justification.--Those whom Christ warns have some excellent qualifications, but they are neutralized by all who have a diseased self-love, self-deception, self-justification for gross neglect to help brethren in the service of God by encouraging words and deeds. There is a dead fly in the ointment. They are being weighed by One who never makes a mistake. He tells the result of actions which demonstrate that the love of Christ is not an abiding principle in the soul. God calls upon you all to learn from Christ His meekness. Put away your faculty for seeing the mistakes of others. Turn your attention to your own defects. Your self-righteousness is nauseating to the Lord Jesus Christ. [ Revelation 3:15-18 quoted. ] These words apply to the churches and to many of those in positions of trust in the work of God. "
Just as it was in Paul's day, so it is today:
"Labor Lost on the Church in Laodicea.-- [ Revelation. 3:15-22 quoted. ] This is the testimony borne concerning the church at Laodicea. This church had been faithfully instructed. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul wrote: " Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis. "
Much excellent labor was bestowed upon the Laodicean church. To them was given the exhortation, " Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. " But the church did not follow up the work begun by God's messengers. They heard, but they failed to appropriate the truth to themselves, and to carry out the instruction given them. The result that followed is the result always sure to follow the rejection of the Lord's warnings and entreaties.
I am commissioned now to say to our brethren, Humble yourselves, and confess your sins, else God will humble you. The message to the Laodicean church comes home to those who do not apply it to themselves. They are neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm. Saith the Lord, " I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold or hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. "
" Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. " [ 1 John 2:15-16 ]
Many who sit in our pews today, merely come to church to masquerade and fathom the quantity of wealth that they have gathered from the world. These help make-up those who are in the lukewarm state. They feel as though they have no need for Christ leading them to feel superior or higher than others. God's people must reflect God's humble, holy and righteous immutable character and carry out His Word as it is written in MATTHEW 24:14 " And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. "
But why are we not following His command ?
" Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with
goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched,
and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. " Revelation 3:17
" How plainly is pictured the position of those who think they have all the truth, who take pride in their knowledge of the Word of God, while its sanctifying power has not been felt in their lives. The fervor of the love of God is wanting in their hearts. "
" Many are Laodiceans, living in a spiritual self-deception. They clothe themselves in the garments of their own righteousness, imagining themselves to be rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing, when they need daily to learn of Jesus, His meekness and lowliness. "
" What is it that constitutes the wretchedness, the nakedness, of those who feel rich and increased with goods? It is the want of the righteousness of Christ. In their own righteousness they are represented as clothed with filthy rags, and yet in this condition they flatter themselves that they are clothed upon with Christ's righteousness. . . . .They may be crying, " The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are we, " while their hearts are filled with unholy traffic and unrighteous barter. The courts of the soul temple may be the haunt of envy, pride, passion, evil surmising, bitterness, and hollow formalism. Christ looks mournfully upon His professed people who feel rich and increased in the knowledge of the truth, and who are yet destitute of the truth in life and character. "
We are to resemble a DIFFERENT character than that
is presented in the message to the Laodicean church found in the book of
Revelations. What will happen if we do not obey ? " And unto the angel
of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the
faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know
thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or
hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will
spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased
with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched,
and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: "
[ Revelation 3:14-17 ]
" Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. " [ Matthew 5:14-16 ]
This message is really nothing new to our church's, and I hope that you, as a servant and steward of God, have known this from the beginning. The Sprit of Prophecy has given us much understanding on this matter. We are told that two groups have formed within our church. Evidently, this is very true. These two groups are the Lukewarm group indicated in the Laodicean message in Revelations 3:14-17 and of course the other group which are the true and faithful stewards of His church. BEWARE, THE LUKEWARM GROUP WILL BE SHAKEN AWAY !
"Our Condition Revealed.--The message to the Laodicean church reveals our condition as a people "
"Message for the Idlers in the Vineyard.--To the idlers in the Lord's vineyard the Laodicean message is sent.
"Application of Laodicean Message.--The message to the Laodicean church is applicable to all who have had great light and many opportunities, and yet have not appreciated them. "
"Fervor of Love Lacking.--The message to the Laodicean church is applicable to our condition. " How plainly is pictured the position of those who think they have all the truth, who take pride in their knowledge of the Word of God, while its sanctifying power has not been felt in their lives. The fervor of the love of God is wanting in their hearts, but it is this very fervor of love that makes God's people the light of the world. "
"Laodicean Message For Todays Church.--The message to the Laodicean church is highly applicable to us as a people. It has been placed before us for a long time, but has not been heeded as it should have been. When the work of repentance is earnest and deep, the individual members of the church will buy the rich goods of heaven. [ Revelation 3:18 quoted. ] " Oh, how many behold things in a perverted light, in the light in which Satan would have them see."
" You may manifest great zeal in missionary effort, and yet because it is corrupted with selfishness, and tastes strongly of self, it is nought in the sight of God; for it is a tainted, corrupted offering. Unless the door of the heart is open to Jesus, unless He occupies the soul temple, unless the heart is imbued with His divine attributes, human actions when weighed in the heavenly balances, will be pronounced " Wanting. " The love of Christ would make you rich; but many do not realize the value of His love. Many do not realize that the spirit which they cherish is destitute of the meekness and lowliness of Christ, destitute of the love that would constitute them channels of light. "
" Divisions will come in the church. Two parties will be developed. The wheat and tares grow up together for the harvest. "
II PETER 3:11 " Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, "
"Has God Made a Mistake ?--The Laodicean message is applicable to the church at this time. Do you believe this message ? Have you hearts that feel ? Or are you constantly saying, We are rich and increased in goods, and have need of nothing? Is it in vain that the declaration of eternal truth has been given to this nation to be carried to all the nations of the world ? God has chosen a people and made them the repositories of truth weighty with eternal results. To them has been given the light that must illuminate the world. Has God made a mistake ? Are we indeed His chosen instruments ? Are we the men and women who are to bear to the world the messages of Revelation fourteen, to proclaim the message of salvation to those who are standing on the brink of ruin ? Do we act as if we were ? "
" My brethren and sisters, humble your hearts before the Lord. Seek him earnestly. I have an intense desire to see you walking in the light as Christ is in the light. I pray most earnestly for you. But I can not fail to see that the light which God has given me is not favorable to our ministers or our churches. You have left your first love. Self-righteousness is not the wedding-garment. A failure to follow the clear light of truth is our fearful danger. The message to the Laodicean church reveals our condition as a people."
" Satan is seeking with all his subtlety to corrupt mind and heart. And O how successful he is in leading men and women to depart from the simplicity of the gospel of Christ! Under his influence hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong are roused into activity. Ministers and church-members are in danger of allowing self to take the throne. "
" Human wisdom, human ability, is nothingness in God's sight. He who supposes that he is superior to his fellow men in wisdom will sooner or later reveal traits of character that are a dishonor to God. In the church today there are many of this stamp,---- men and women in whom the loveliness of Christ is hidden by traits of character that unfit the possessor for membership in the Lord's family in the heavenly courts. "
"There are many who are not Bible Christians. They follow a standard of their own devising. If they would see their defective, distorted characters as they are accurately reflected in the mirror of God's Word, they would be so alarmed that they would fall upon their faces before God in contrition of soul, and tear away the rags of their self-righteousness. "
" There will be a shaking of the sieve. The chaff must in time be separated from the wheat. Because iniquity abounds, the love of many waxes cold. It is the very time when the genuine will be the strongest. "
We, as Christians, are living through this Laodicean era. This is the last era mentioned in Revelations, AMEN. We are His Remnant church or His " True Israel " within this end-time, who are to continue do His will for His sake until the end and forever, AMEN. Our church is not a failing or is it fallen church as some have proclaimed. There are even groups today who claim to be of the same faith as the Christians or claim to be devoted Christians, yet they claim the fall of the church. BEWARE, my brethren, this is false and untrue to the word and is bad information. Even as we speak, these groups are proclaiming the Christian Church as Babylon or a fallen church. Many in these groups are former devoted christians who have left the church and have great resentment against the church. God will deal with them rightly.
" Those who have published the " The Cry " have not consulted God upon this subject. They have quoted largely from their writings and put their own construction upon them. They claim to have a special message from their God to pronounce certain Cristian Church movements, Babylon, proclaim her fall, and call the people of God to come out of her, and try to make the testimonies substantiate their theory. These publications are misleading minds, and increasing the prejudice already existing, and tend to make it more difficult to get access to them to present the message God has given in warnings to the world of altogether a different character from the ideas presented in these statements.
Lets remember what God told Abram or Abraham in the beginning concerning his seed: It says:
" And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed:
and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of the
LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall
come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought
him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars,
if thou be able to number
them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. "
( Genesis 15:3-5 )
Can we count the stars at night ? Put this to the test and you will see that we cannot count all the stars ! The stars in heaven are infinitesimal, therefore Abraham's seed is infinitesimal. So as you can see, we have the assurance that we are of Abraham's seed even today. His church is infallible my good brethren. God will shake away those who are lukewarm and who refuse to repent and do God's work. We are His True Israel and will continue to be Israel as long as we continue to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior according to the promise. SO LET NO ONE COME AND TELL YOU THAT OUR CHURCH [ THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH ] HAS FAILED AND HAS BECOME BABYLON OR WILL FAIL IN THE NEAR FUTURE. Our Bibles say:
" For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. " [ Gal 3:26-29 ]
My brethren, beware.....
" For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ;
and shall deceive many. " [ Matthew 24:5 ]
" For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. " [ II Corinthians 11:13-14 ]
" Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. " [ II Timothy 4:2- 5 ]
If you have fallen into Laodiceanism which is being lukewarm and loving the materialistic things of the world, you must come to Him and repent. If not, you will find yourself in Satan's web of transgression outside God's Christian church. You will be ".....wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked " according to Revelations 3:17.
And to the strong and faithful of our church, may God be with you in your responsibility to help the lukewarm become strong in the Lord. May the Lord be with us and remember:
"Hope
for the Laodiceans.--[ Revelation 3:15-17 quoted. ] Yet the case of those who are rebuked is not a hopeless one; it is not beyond the power of the
great Mediator. He says: " I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the
fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be
clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint
thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. " Though the professed followers
of Christ are in a deplorable condition, they are not yet in so desperate
a strait as were the foolish virgins whose lamps were going out, and there
was no time in which to replenish their vessels with oil. When the bridegroom
came, those that were ready went in with him to the wedding; but when the
foolish virgins came, the door was shut, and they were too late to obtain
an entrance. " But the counsel of the true Witness does
not represent those who are lukewarm as in a hopeless case. There is yet
a chance to remedy their state, and the Laodicean message is full of encouragement; for the backslidden church may yet buy the gold of faith and love, may yet have the white robe of the righteousness of Christ, that the shame
of their nakedness need not appear. Purity of heart, purity of motive,
may yet characterize those who are halfhearted and who are striving to
serve God and mammon. They may yet wash their robes of character and make
them white in the blood of the Lamb. There is hope for our churches if they will heed the message given to the Laodiceans.
" To him that over cometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne> " [ Revelation 3:21 ]
May you be a loyal and faithful servant and help lead His church from falling into these lavish and evil ways of the Laodiceans. We have no excuse today to follow these ways of Satan. We have all the examples and mistakes of our people recorded in our Bibles and we can see how God dealt with them. I urge you to SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES FOR IN THEM YOU WILL FIND SALVATION ! Pass this message unto His flock. May God's love and peace be with you until the end.
,- - - I SURE DID ~ PASTOR BILL ~ GOD BLESS Y'ALL
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Thank You, Pastor Bill 
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