Today, Thursday March 10
God’s Attention Getter Revelation 3:17-18 “Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-- I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.”
The Church of Laodicea had become lukewarm. It had lost its vigor and was no longer fervently serving the Lord. It had lost its value and didn’t even know it! Because of pride it was claiming to be rich and wealthy and didn’t think it needed anything. So the Lord had a word of counsel for them to deal with this wretched state it was in. This counsel is not only good for the church, but also for the individuals that wakes up to the reality of their true condition.
The Lord counseled them to purchase from God gold that was refined in the fire. What could this mean? I believe that it means they needed some persecution or trials that first would get their attention. The first verses that come to my mind about this are in 1 Peter 1:6-7, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,” The fiery trials of persecution and afflictions have a way of purifying our faith and actually revealing what kind of faith we really have.
The Psalmist said it this way in Psalm 119:67, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word.” And in Psalm 119:71, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.” Wow! Most of us would never pray for or ask for afflictions, or pain and trials. Matter of fact we will do everything we can to avoid them. But when they do come and they knock us off our high horse of pride and we then realize how much we have hurt the Lord and His cause, we might join the Psalmist in saying, “It is good that I lost my job, I lost my friends, I lost my house, I lost some special possession that had become an idol and taken the place of the Lord in my life, because now I have something for more precious. I have a new revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ and now I want to live for Him to bring Him praise, honor and glory!
James started his letter with these words, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-4) Also remember Peter thinking he was the best and strongest disciple. He told the Lord that even though all the other disciples would forsake the Lord he never would! He loudly proclaimed that he would die first! But when the test came a few hours later Peter denied the Lord and found out that he was a miserable failure and he went out and wept bitterly!
What is it going to take to get your attention? Hopefully it will be the Holy Spirit right now taking the words on this page and in my chat today to bring you to a place of humility, and you will simply repent and ask the Lord to forgive you! It might be that we need a special chastening from our heavenly Father! Please read in Hebrews 12:5-11 about how the Lord always chastens us as His children because of His great love for us. “He does it for our profit that we might partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:10-11)
May the Lord help each of us to receive His message today!
God bless!