“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds.
See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.
I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 3:7-13
Questions for Reflection:
How does it feel to know that Jesus "knows" when you have little strength?
How does it feel knowing that Jesus does not "take them out of their embattled circumstances" but rather calls them to faithfulness and gives them full assurance of His presence and His belief in them as His church to hold fast?
Reflect on this statement: "Jesus believes we can handle far greater challenges to our faith than we think we can handle!"
Prayer of the Week:
Jesus, I love You! I worship You! I trust You! I give myself over to You today in my heart’s search for life. Restore me in You! Renew me in You and lead me in this time of prayer.
I thank and praise You for placing before me the open door of opportunity in Your kingdom. I now enter that door by faith surrendering myself completely to You – my spirit, soul and body, my heart, mind and will. I now receive all the belonging that comes with being in Your kingdom. I Belong to You, I Belong to Your Church and I Belong to Your Mission.
I ask You to give me eyes to see the open door of opportunity for Your Mission to advance, this day, through me and my church. I truly want to join You in Your mission today. I deeply desire to walk with people who are far from You on their journey closer to You. Use me Jesus. But I confess… much of the time I don’t want to or am indifferent. Jolt my indifference out of complacency so I can see and seize every opportunity you give me to be a witness for you. Lead me in the part of the I Belong Challenge to pray for, invite and bring someone to the Alpha Course this year.
I want to Jesus … and when I don’t want to… help me want to want to.
Jesus, Your Word in Revelation 3:16 convicts me of apathy and lukewarm-ness towards You, Your Church and Your mission which sometimes creeps in. I repent! Search me, know me and reveal any apathy and complacency so that I might be open to Your presence there, in me, to heal and make whole. I thank You for loving me so much that You knock on my heart’s door. I desperately need Your healing hand in every crack and crevice of my soul. Come in Jesus. I place my whole self and my whole story in Your presence for healing, wholeness, redemption and resurrection. I am a new creation in You and I surrender to Your ongoing transformation of Me!
Jesus, You are my First and Highest Love and I love You now! Fill me afresh with Your Spirit so that I might live today as Your beloved, loving my first love first!
Amen!
