The Curse of Laodicea

Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.

Rev 3:17  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:

In the book of Revelation we have Jesus speaking to John the Apostle. His instruction to John in the first three chapters tells us that the sin of self-righteouness is destroying the Body of Christ and defaming itself before God. We the Church in America are so caught up in ourselves that we can't see how Satan is destroying what God has built.

Jesus told the Church of Laodicea that He would spew them out of His mouth. The church was so caught up in itself that they were blinded from the truth. They were caught up in building programs, youth programs, Sunday school meetings and all kinds of extra "church" activities that were not bad in themselves, but took their eyes off of God. The church at Laodicea, like the church in America today, was blinded to the very fact that instead of following God, they were following programs. There's more concern over programs and "stuff" than Jesus in the Body of Christ today. Don't believe me? Just go to a local bookstore and see just how many self-help and program-oriented books are on the shelves. There are more books on how we can bless ourselves than on how we can learn to live in complete obedience to God.

We have been instructed by Jesus to love the sinner but hate the sin. We the "church" in America are so pre-occupied with being the best or being right or being the one that condemned someone else that is caught in sin that we can't see that our righteouness is filthy rags. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convict people of sin. Our job is to pray for the restoration of the sinner to God. We have not been called to condemn anyone. We have not been appointed to be the overseer of anyone else. Paul said to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. If we are doing that (working out our own) then how can we have any time to attack anyone else?

My righteouness is as bad (if not worse) than anyone else's. I am as guilty as you are, but I beg you to reach down deep into the recesses of your soul to return to your first love! Jesus Christ is coming for a spotless, wrinkle-free church, not a Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Presbyterian, Assemblies of God, Lutheran, Pentecostal, mainline or non-denominational church, or any other denominational church. He is coming for a bride, not a church that has played the harlot before God. Whenever we sacrifice our morals or beliefs we play the harlot before Him. When we look the other way or we judge someone else we are playing the harlot. The spirit of Jezebel is the driving force that Satan uses to entice you and me to play the harlot before God.

I hear a lot of people complaining about the music in today's church. It's too loud or too fast or it's not what my momma listened to in church. How can we be so narrow minded that we can only listen to certain music and be holy? Who do we think we are? How can we expect God to move if we constantly cram Him into a box and not allow Him to reach out to others? The music of the hymnal is wonderful music but it will not draw a teenager's heart to God. They won't listen to it. But if you change the approach or the method they will be attracted to God. Let's face it we are going to stand before God one day and have to tell Him that He can't change the method just because we don't like it. Get real that's a very wrong assumption were making, and very dangerous. I certainly don't want to hear God tell me that someone went to hell just because I didn't like the music.

A.W. Tozer said "The universal voice of God was by the ancient Hebrews often called wisdom, and was said to be everywhere sounding and searching throughout the earth, seeking some response from the sons of men." I often wonder where is the wisdom which we are using today. At one time Gods word was considered to be wisdom now it's whatever we think is good is what we call wisdom. Whatever we read in the local paper is far more important to us than what Gods word says. For us to use wisdom then we first need to have a personal relationship with the one who created wisdom. How can you or I say that we are true Disciples of Christ when we won't take the time to read and study His word? And how can we grow in His grace if we won't pray and seek His wisdom? Wisdom is searching for Him. It's our call and duty to seek after the Holy one, not try to be holier than thou.

We (the body of Christ) must be willing to "be all things to all men so that we may save a few." How can it be any simpler? How can it be any simpler than to be able to reach all men? And how do we do that? By humbling ourselves before man and God we can fulfill the great commission. Brothers and sisters I implore you take a look at your life. Are you humble? Are you sold out to Christ? Are you willing to allow God to change you that you might win another? We can in no way ever assume that God can be put in a box of any size or shape. We must (and this is horribly important) see that Christ is returning for a Church without spot or wrinkle, are you spotted? Are you wrinkled? Then now's the time to come to Jesus, now's the time to surrender who we are and begin to pick up our cross and carry it. Now's the time to begin to live what we are preaching, and allow the wisdom of God to direct our very lives.

 Pray about it

Pastor Phil

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