Saturday 010425
Don’t let me or my writings influence or scare you in any way, instead, allow me to be used as a vessel to open the Word, just a little bit, and hopefully, together we are going to read and study His Word, and let God teach us what He wants us to hear.
We have two ground rules in this study:
1 – we are ONLY going to read and follow what is found (that pertains to us), in the Holy Bible.
2 – we are ONLY going to learn from a study, what effort we put into that study.
Continuing and ending our study tonight, we must observe mankind’s history. History can be difficult to accept but we’re given the opportunity not to make any mistakes.
So, let’s begin tonight’s lesson.
Jesus as we continue our study tonight, we need Your leadership and guidance to help us hear the message that You want us to hear. Open our ears tonight Jesus and allow us to hear what you have for us. We love You Jesus. Amen.
So tonight, here are the verses we are going to study:
1 Corinthians 1:11-13; Revelation 3:18, 19-22; Jeremiah 17:9-10.
So, I am right now posting my study on ten (10) different sites on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings:
Facebook – whosoeverinhim Bible study
WordPress – lrabbe.wordpress.com
Weebly – whosoeverinhim.weebly.com
Wix – lrabbe2024.wixsite.com/my-site-2
Wix – lrabbe2024.wixsite.com/whosoeverinhim
Blogger – whosoeverinhim.blogspot.com
cw.center – whosoeverinhim.cw.center
Tumblr – www.tumblr.com/whosoeversblog
Webador – inhim.webador.com
Webador – free-4140862.webador.com
In my attempt to spread the MESSAGE of Jesus to the people in the 21st century, instead of releasing ten (10) different papers a week, I’m going to try to release one (1) paper on ten (10) different sites.
As we continue with the countless distractions all around us, that are just waiting for us to trip and fall.
There is the Distraction of Political Opinion.
No matter where we stand politically, it is IMPORTANT for us to remember that being American and being a Christian are two very different things.
No matter where you align yourself politically, don’t let politics become a distraction to you or your church.
And as I stated earlier, a church is more than a building with four walls, a floor, a roof and a steeple with a bell. A church is a religious body, a body that is united as a group of believers, believers of ALL ages.
That’s us. We are a religious body, a group of believers. We are a church.
As soon as our political convictions become more important than the humanity of the person that we’re speaking with, we are no longer able to interact in a way that reflects Christ, and Christ should take precedence over any topic that comes out of our mouths.
There is the distraction of personalities.
We are given an example found in the Word.
1 Corinthians 1
vs11 ‘…For I have been informed concerning you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you…’
vs12 ‘…Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, I am with Paul, or I am with Apollos, or I am with Cephas, or I am with Christ…’
vs13 ‘…Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
It is our obligation that no one will love us more than the love they have for their Savior. A person should not identify with us any more than they do with Jesus.
This is a major distraction for us. I must admit, this is a blessing by communicating, by means of social media.
And then finally, there is the distraction of tradition.
The past is not our enemy, but it can be if we let it.
It’s important to recognize and build on the past, but we cannot live in it.
As time goes by, we will always be confronted with doing things the way we used to in the past.
Tradition can be a beautiful aspect of church life, but a church distracted by the past can keep a ‘new’ church from being formed and connecting with others in a much better and greater way.
So, in this way we should always be on the lookout for a new and better focus.
Our focus should always be to build a better and a stronger relationship with Jesus. We need to always keep in our memory the church in Laodicea, it had grown lukewarm and distracted from its once clear and burning desire to serve God.
Jesus invited them to renew their focus.
Revelation 3:18 ‘…I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to apply to your eyes so that you may see…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
Jesus offered the church, ‘eye salve’ so that they may see, in essence, He is offering us that eye salve so that WE may see. Buy from me ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.
Laodicea was famous for ‘Phrygian powder’, an ingredient used in a healing eye ointment. Jesus again makes a personalized reference to drive his point home. Only he could give them true vision. Only in Christ can we as Christians find our true purpose in life. The church in Laodicea had grown lukewarm and useless. Their selfish focus on wealth and culture kept them from living on purpose in this life. But Jesus offered them a second chance. He wanted a relationship with them again, and that relationship would put the church back on mission.
Today Jesus is voicing to us how we have lost our way. We have become blind. If we continue to ask Him to open our eyes so that we will be able to see, maybe we will still have the time to find our way home.
Revelation 3
vs19 ‘…Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore, be zealous and repent…’
vs20 ‘…Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me…’
vs21 ‘…The one who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne…’
vs22 ‘…The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
What about you? Can you relate to these distractions in your own life? It’s not too late to let Jesus in again. He wanted to spit the lukewarm Laodicean Christians out of his mouth. But for those flowing with purpose, he promises to use them.
Open our ears Jesus so that we will be able to hear the Words You have for us to hear.
In my attempt to prepare for this study, I came upon a list of 10 lies that us parents teach our children today and we don’t even give it a second of thought on how much we are damaging, one of the more precious gifts we’ve been given in this life. Allow me to share with you what I found.
10 lies we tell our children:
Now there are items on this list that the words never come out of my mouth. But then, look at the ones that come from your mouth.
1-Santa Claus exists.
This is so simple how can it even be on a list. But just think about the impact that we have on our child’s life.
2-Follow your heart.
Jeremiah 17
vs9 ‘…The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick, who can understand it…’
vs10 ‘…I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, to give to each person according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
3-If it feels good, it is good.
How many times has something felt good and you knew it was bad for you?
4-Live it up now.
Are we teaching them how to enjoy themselves or are we teaching them about enjoyment?
5-Habits don’t stick.
Maybe this is why the younger generation is so aptly wanting to destroy all of mankind’s history, maybe this way they won’t be able to acknowledge a habit.
6-Nobody loves me.
7-Life is pointless.
8-If you love me, you’ll agree with me.
9-There is no God.
Who would even think of such a thing to say to a younger person.
10-I can follow God tomorrow.
We are trying too hard to be our children’s friends rather than being their parents.
Here’s a question for you: do you think we are hurting them or are we hurting ourselves more?
The message that Jesus had for the church in Laodicea is as relevant today to the church in the 21st century, as it was 2000 years ago.
The city of Laodicea was a well-defended city on a hill, famous for banking, finance, fashion, and pharmaceuticals. There was one major issue, and that was the lack of water, but being a wealthy city, aqueducts had been constructed to alleviate the situation.
To us here in America today, we have been given so much. We are so ‘wealthy’ that we are in reality, very poor. Jesus is going to return one day and we’re going to be asleep at the wheel if we don’t wake ourselves up and begin paying attention to what He has already given us.
This church in Laodicea had grown ‘lukewarm’ in their faith and zeal towards Jesus. This definition is us today in the 21st century, we have lost our zeal towards Jesus.
What was wrong with Laodicea?
What is wrong with us in the 21st century?
Keep your focus on the Word and keep yourself in it every day. Install Bible apps on your cell phones and computers and read His Word throughout your day.
I love every one of you and I hope you all realize that Jesus loves each one of us even more than our human minds can comprehend what the word LOVE really means.
As we close this morning ending this study, Jesus please keep us safe and open our mouths so we can repeat the knowledge You’ve allowed for us to see. Let others Jesus, have the opportunity to find out about You and give them the chance to see what it is You have given us.
Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen
InHIM. ><)))o>