The Church in Laodicea..

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We have pointed out that the Lord’s exhortations to the Church in Philadelphia apply to many of us today. The same can be said of the Church in Laodicea. A conspicuous feature of those addressed in Philadelphia is the accent on "brotherly love," which turns out far too often to be phony. One would be safer in the middle of a pride of lions at dinner time than to be in the midst of today’s preachers of love.

The Church in Laodicea (opinion of the people) reflects the same emphasis on the rights and welfare of human beings. The occupation with the happiness of people may pose as the attitude of God, but this assuredly is not the case.

We may have made a god of the philosophy of democracy, but the true God is far more interested in His own welfare and Kingdom, and that of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, than He is in the happiness and fun of human beings living in their own self-centeredness and self-love.

(4/19/2009) "Laodicea"—the opinions and decrees of people. These ideas seem so American, so Christian, so desirable, so democratic. We think of the expression "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" and suppose that these bedrock principles of democracy were proclaimed from Mount Sinai.

They were not. They were formulated by men who were seeking to escape the various tyrannies of Europe, of monarchies. But because these concepts proceeded from human beings seeking to improve their own welfare, and did not come from the Lord Jesus, they result in an escape from one bondage and an entrance into another, which may be even worse.

It is God’s will that people be governed by a strong king who judges righteous judgment in the fear of God. Notice what God said to King David of Israel:

The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: "When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth." (II Samuel 23:3,4)

It always is God’s will that a government enforce the moral principles found in the Bible. When it does not, it shall be replaced.

Democracy will never bring righteousness, peace, and joy to people. Consider the present distress in America, as elected people vie for power. The political leaders do not work for our welfare, although they say they do, but for their own self-interests. At least that is the way it looks to me.

God’s Kingdom is a rule from the top down, and sometimes arbitrary, from our point of view. It in no way is a rule by the people. It is not a democracy by any means.

Maybe this is why American people are ready to receive Christ as their Savior, but not as Lord of their lives. They are not accustomed to being told by a king what they can do and what they cannot do. They suppose they are "free moral agents" when they actually are bound in worldliness, lust, and self-seeking.

There are numerous problems in America that a God-fearing, righteous king could solve. But it may be true that we will not have such a monarch until the Lord Jesus returns. "Come quickly, Lord Jesus! We are in a mess!"

The Lord Jesus is the only true "Amen." Today the accent is on "relative truth." There is no such thing as relative truth. Truth is truth. In fact, the only truth there is, is a Person. It is the Lord Jesus. He is the Consuming Fire of Israel, and that Fire, that exposes all that is false, is the only actual truth in existence.

Christ is the only "faithful and true Witness." All of us are liars when compared with the Lord Jesus. He alone declares the truth about God’s Person, God’s will, God’s ways, and God’s eternal purpose in Jesus Christ. We Christians overcome the accuser when we bear this faithful and true witness. But how many of us compromise because we wish to please people rather than God.

Christ is the "Ruler of God’s creation." If this is so, why has He permitted the world to be in the condition that it is?

Christ always is in control. The world is like it is because such temptations, pressures, moral filth, lies, and all the rest of the world’s characteristics are the crucible in which the brothers of Christ are being formed. Our immersion in such a cesspool is the only means by which Gods eternal purpose can be accomplished. God must see that the future coheirs with Christ are going to obey God and stand for righteousness in the presence of their enemies.

God knows what He is doing. Do not fret yourself about the current abominations when you cannot change them. They are working for good for those who are called to God’s eternal purpose in Christ.

Christ knows our deeds. There is an abominable doctrine preached today that teaches God does not see our sinful behavior but observes only the righteousness of Christ in us. This unscriptural concept has resulted in the prevailing moral mess in the churches of our day, and is going to bring down Divine judgment until America is a third-class nation—if it survives at all.

Make no mistake—Christ is very aware of all of our actions, both righteous and unrighteous; holy and filthy; obedient and rebellious.

It may be true that the American believers as a whole, with notable exceptions, are lukewarm. Because of false doctrine they are not, as Paul, leaving everything that they may attain to the first resurrection from the dead. Their leaders are telling them they are fine and any moment God is going to carry them to Heaven so they won’t suffer. What a lie this is!

Christ wants us hot for Him and cold for Satan, or hot for Satan and cold for Him.

I don’t think most believers in America would want to be hot for Satan. But because they are not hot for Jesus, this is what we would call in computer terminology "their default position." Because they are not hot for Jesus, He wants nothing to do with them.

We American believers may say we have acquired wealth and do not need a thing. We are proud. We are haughty. The teachers in our church have found that many American Christians are too proud to receive the Gospel of the Kingdom, whereas the poorer people of other countries receive it gladly.

We may have forgotten that it is God’s way to make the poor wealthy in faith.

We American believers are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked, and think that any moment we are going to be caught up to a mansion in Paradise. If we were, it would be the worse thing that could happen to us, because our behavior is not according to the ways of Heaven. We would be thrown out immediately.

We are to buy gold refined in the fire that we may be rich. Have you been through suffering yet? Has Christ taken you out into the desert and left you there? Have you had to find comfort in the Book of Job? Has God confronted you as yet?

If He has, you know what I mean. If He has not, when He does, do not be surprised at your fiery trial. Stand true and constant. You will come forth as gold, to your amazement.

Are you washing your robe each day in the blood of the Lamb? Are you walking the Calvary road in the confession of your sins as the Holy Spirit points them out to you? "Are our garments spotless, are they white as snow?" as we used to sing. Or are we content to be spiritually naked?

Please realize that in the Day of Resurrection you are going to be clothed in the robe of your own behavior. the robe fashioned while you were living on the earth.

Have you put salve on your eyes so you can see? So much of today’s preaching comes from the minds of well-intentioned people. We need to pray for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, because only then can we understand what is written in the Bible.

If the Lord loves you He will rebuke you. Don’t faint. Humble yourself and accept the correction. Believe me, He will not spare for your crying. Profit from these corrections. Ask the Lord to search you to see if there are any wicked ways in you; and, after your wicked ways have been corrected, lead you in the everlasting way.

Jesus Christ is knocking at the door to our personalities. This may be more true today than at any time in past history. We have a lot of religious activities going, perhaps, but Christ wants to enter you and me until He is doing His own works, building His own Church.

I think there is a specific word of truth for each generation of Christians. The word for our day is the entrance of Christ into us. He wants to dine with us on our obedience and worship. We are to dine with Him on His body and blood.

All that has happened in time past is to bring us to this hour. By "us" I mean those of us living on the earth today, and also the remainder of the Body of Christ who have died and are in the spirit world.

It is God’s intention to place His Throne in the hearts of His elect. The Lord Jesus Christ overcame all the obstacles placed before Him, and now He is the eternal Throne of God. He is sitting with God on the Throne of His own Personality.

Now the challenge has been placed before each of us. We must overcome if we would attain to our foreordained destiny. If we do overcome, then the Father and the Son will sit down with us on the throne of our own personality. This is where all our trials are leading us.

It is my resolve, along with the Apostle Paul, to press through to this supreme destiny. Do you feel the same way? I certainly hope so.

You can hear the morning sermon at morning.http://www.wor.org/audio/audio.htm

You can hear the evening sermon at evening.http://www.wor.org/audio/audio.htm

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