Complimentary Story
Today in our Bible study, we are finishing up a study on the Seven Churches. It has been very interesting and a cause of much repentance on my part. So often I focus on what I DO (works) and lose sight if WHO God has called me to BE (obey Him). Our works, even when well intended, can cause us to walk in disobedience. Yes! I have had it happen. Guessing you have too! This was the problem with five churches in this study. Lots of works, but with wrong motives.
Today, I focused on “the hour of temptation” spoken of in Revelation 3:10. Obviously, there is an “hour of temptation” coming upon the whole world, or the Lord wouldn’t promise to keep His saints from it. Please do not apply the rapture to this Scripture. That is not what He is saying. JESUS contrasts false converts with those who “kept The Word of My patience.”
We are tempted and tried much through the day. Each decision we make is either in obedience to The Word, or to the world. There is NO middle ground. Compromise or tolerance has no place in judging obedience to God. You are either a false convert as described by the Lord in vs. 9, or one who has “KEPT” His Word in patient endurance. This is between you and The Lord, but the consequences and rewards are very clear.
Some may say, “but this is a hard saying.” It is! But, agape love IS hard. The Agape love of God nailed our sins of disobedience to the Cross. Obedience is and has always been a struggle, but we are without excuse. You can’t truly say you love someone and then withhold the Truth from them. You can’t say you truly love someone and then watch them die in their unrepentant sins without speaking to them Truth for fear of hurting their feelings or being thrown in jail for a “hate” crime.
There is an “hour of temptation” that shall come upon the WHOLE WORLD to TRY them that dwell upon the earth. Saints are being tempted, still. Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, but He always “kept the Word” before Him.
To “keep” something means to not let go of it, to retain it. Jesus warns us to not let anyone take our crown. I dare say no one can steal our crown, but it is taken with our permission. Much in the same way, we accept (or reject) the free gift of Salvation. It requires a decision our part and we’ve no one to blame should we not keep His Word.
There is a false doctrine prevalent today that says we have no choice in Salvation. It’s false and has spread. Scripture is filled with instances of choices we must make to be FOUND righteous. Philippians 3:9, “And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”
It is time to ask ourselves a very important question: Am I following a false religion devised of man? (read Revelation 3:9). Am I wearing a false robe of righteousness before men which cannot be concealed before the Bridegroom and King (Matthew 22:11-13)? Am I calling myself a Christian, yet my heart is far from Him and I long for the things of this world? Only you can answer this, truthfully. GOD ALREADY KNOWS THE ANSWER.
It is a hard realization that we all can be careless with the Word. We are without excuse and are able to choose rewards for obedience — or consequences for lying about who we really are. Now is not the time to “play church.” The real Church didn’t close down during COVID and governmental mandates intended to stop the Gospel message. Buildings don’t preach! People do! Sadly, many quit preaching because they couldn’t GO to church. Satan did it, God allowed it. It is indeed a time of temptation for the church. Obey man? Obey God? You see....no one can shut down the TRUE Church of God. He tells us what the end times will be like. Read 2 Timothy 3 just for a refresher. We are there!
But, He also defines His true Bride throughout Scripture, until the very last pages. Be assured, Christ’s bride will not wear “ivory” to the Wedding Feast. Compromise and tolerance will not be found to be a valid excuse for your crown being taken from you. The LOVE of the Truth will be IN the hearts and on the lips of all those present because they KNEW Him and FOLLOWED His voice, not that of another. Regardless of what WE do, His Word is sovereign and does not change. HE IS KING.
This message is Truth spoken in love because my heart is heavy for the world and for the Body of Christ. I am preaching to myself as well. The hour is late! Darkness is eclipsing and pervading even the spaces where Light was once present. People are hiding the Light in fear to please men, fearing rejection and persecution. We are commanded to love our neighbor. It isn’t a word spoken as a passing comment, but of an action taken.
The real Church of God is vibrant, alive and preaching the Gospel, led of the Spirit of God, regardless of the attempts of Satan and his demon spirits to cause a cease and desist of the Message of Love. Christ’s Bride isn’t rebellious in spirit or disrespectful to those whom God has placed over us. We need to be in prayer for our leaders and for what they have done to God’s Truth! Their souls matter too. The judgment that awaits them is no different than the one who says he loves God and is engaged in unrepentant sin, thinking no one knows. God knows! The True Church and Bride is busier now than ever before and not one person on earth can make her cease! She is watching, praying, fasting and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not another message.
Spend time in prayer asking God to reveal sin and dark places in your heart where sin resides. Don’t wait! Pray for patience, endurance, and long-suffering as the trials come (and they will). Pray that your faith will not fail you. I am praying for you too!
