Revelation 3:17-19 Because you say, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified by fire, so that you may be rich; and white clothing, so that you may be clothed, and so that the shame of your nakedness does not appear. And anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; therefore be zealous and repent.
Laodicea was known for its Temple dedicated to Asklepios, worshiped as the god of medicine, and associated with a renowned medical school. Most historians believe that the school developed a medicine known as Phrygian power which was used to produce eye salve.
The people of Laodicea prided themselves on their wealth, their extensive textile industry which produced black wool, and their eye salve. The Lord rebuked them exactly according to the details of their prosperity. His rebuke directed toward their wealth: “buy gold refined in the fire” so that they could be spiritually rich...toward their black wool industry: buy "white clothes” for covering their spiritual nakedness...and finally, toward their eye salve: to exchange the healing of physical eyes, for true spiritual vision. It is amazing to discover the historical details of Laodicea's condition in connection with the specificity of God's prophetic words to them.
God's love for the Laodicean church was expressed as a detailed exposure of their sins and a sincere invitation to repentance. He firmly rebuked them according to their true spiritual condition of self-sufficiency, blindness, and pride, and encouraged them in the specific ways they would understand and be able to respond. He encouraged them to return, to be refined, to be spiritually clothed, and to be anointed in a way to truly see. It's clear that He anticipated some genuine repentance, declaring His promise to every overcomer...a place with Him on His throne!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]As we’ve been speaking a word of revival across the United States, a primary purpose is to re-dig the wells for a great harvest in the midst of such darkness. While many would say “there is no revival coming”, we simply refer to Matthew 13:24-30 which describes a two-fold harvest. First, the WHEAT is ripening for harvest, while second, TARES are growing up along with it.
Returning from their ‘mission’ trip, the 72 disciples of Yeshua (Jesus) were filled with joy. “Even the devils are subject to us through your name”, they exulted. Yeshua responded that He saw Satan fall like lightening from Heaven and that He had given them authority to trample snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy.
When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt I'm sure several million people were wondering, "How am I going to be fed? How am I going to survive in this wilderness?" Imagine the logistical nightmare. An incalculable quantity of food and water were needed to survive in the desert. Where would it come from? Yet, in this seemingly impossible situation, God provided!
There was a mailman, John Hand, who rode his mail truck through Los Altos Hills of California on his 50 mile route each day. The route was plain, all brown and virtually no color. One day he began to throw wild flower seeds out of the window as he drove. Today, if you travel his route in the Los Altos Hills you’ll find beautiful patches of flowers throughout, blossoming in many colors.
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Have you ever noticed that when people are in love, they tend to forget everything else? Everything becomes secondary — cars, houses, money — nothing matters — it is all secondary to love. Then, when they fall out of love, as in a divorce, all of a sudden those things mean everything! They argue about all the little meaningless things they ever owned together. Each wants it all for himself.
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