Camp is this month. Here we are,
just 20 days away. Just a little over 20. Would
you join me tonight in the book of Revelation chapter 3, and
I would like to continue in the letter that was sent to the church
at Philadelphia. Last week we looked at some of
the credentials that Christ shared of himself with this church.
And I am more convinced than ever that that is our privilege
and our responsibility. That's the gospel is sharing
the credentials of the Lord Jesus Christ, that he is a savior that
saves. That's high credentials. And
he is a Redeemer that redeems. That is truly high credentials.
And as we look through here, we noticed in the first verse
of this third chapter, verse 7, the Lord Jesus Christ in sharing
with this church in this letter that was sent to them. And to
today's standards, these churches were not very far apart. But
in their standards, they were quite a distance. Most of the
travel was either by walking or some beast of burden. So 20
miles was quite a distance. 30 miles is quite a distance
to travel. And they're in a very close proximity
to each other by today's standards. But in their standards, they
were some distance apart. And as the Lord Jesus, purpose
to send them these letters, these letters to the pastors of their
respected churches. He shared with them some wonderful
information about himself that's beneficial to us and also shares
with us how the Lord views churches and views people in churches
as he wrote to these seven churches of Asia. In verse seven of this
third chapter, the scriptures share with us these things. To
the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, these things saith he
that is holy. Now that's some tremendous statement
about the credentials of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is holy. He's altogether holy. In fact,
as we went to the book of Isaiah, we find that he is thrice holy.
Holy, holy, holy. And when we go over there, we
find that the letters are capitalized, just adding emphasis to to the
statement, holy, holy, holy. And then it tells us in that
same verse, he that is true, I'm the way, the truth, and the
life. No man cometh unto the father but by me. And so the
Lord is truth in every statement. And the truth got him, and I
say this with, I don't want to be mean at all,
but the truth got him in trouble. He had those religious Jews after
him all the time over the truth. And the truth will, it's a dividing
line, it really divides people, the truth does. And then it tells
us in that, he that openeth, excuse me, he that hath the key
of David, and that shares with us the reality that the Lord
Jesus Christ is a descendant of David and he will sit on David's
throne. Thus he spoke of his resurrection.
It tells us in the book of Acts. And also all of the church is
the reflection of what the temple was a picture of. The church
is certainly the result of all of the pictures of the temple
in the Old Testament. All the timber, is a picture
of Christ and in turn a picture of the church, all the beauty
of it. And so the church is truly the glory being, created being,
of the Lord of glory. The church has his glory, the
church has his worship at heart, and as it's mentioned in that
verse, and then, he that openeth and no man shutteth. And that
certainly shares with us a wonderful credential about the Lord, that
he has the ability of doing what no man can do. He is able. And he does open, and no man
can close what he has opened. And we're so thankful for that.
And then the converse of that is true. He shutteth and no man
openeth. So those are the credentials
that he shared with this church. And if you go to every one of
these letters, there are certain credentials, there are certain
statements made by the Lord concerning himself that is such a blessing
to every church that reads them. And if we go into the first chapter
we find quite a list there of the things about the Lord Jesus
Christ. He has hair as wool. He has a
sharp sword proceeding out of his mouth. Those are just statements
about his glory, his graciousness, about his credentials that he
shares to us. Now, as we look at the next verse
here, verse 8, and I'd like to read down through verse 13, I
know thy works. Behold, I have set before thee
an open door and no man can shut it for thou hast a little strength
and has kept my word and has not denied my name. Behold, I
will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are
Jews and are not, but do lie. Behold, I will make them to come
and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved
thee, because thou has kept the word of my patience." Now that's
an interesting way of just sharing, saying gospel. I have kept Thou
hast kept the word of my patience. That's just another statement
with regard to what the gospel is. Word of my patience. I also
will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come
upon all the world to try them to dwell upon the earth. Behold,
I come quickly. Hold that fast which thou hast
that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make
a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more
out, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name
of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh
down out of heaven from my God, and I'll write upon him my new
name. He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Now this is one
of those letters that the Lord wrote that we find nothing that
God found against that church. He had all positive statements
to say with its regard. And I like A's. When I turned in a paper and
got them back, I like to have A on top. Sometimes I got them,
most of the time I didn't. But this is an A paper. This
is an A letter. This is an A church. And it is
because Christ is the heart and center of that church. They have
not swerved to the right hand or to the left hand. He is the
center, heart, and core of their worship. He is the center, heart,
and core of their love. He is the center and heart and
core of all their aspirations. They desire to do His will, and
that's what makes them an A church. Now others have lots of work,
but they're C's and D's because they have allowed themselves
to be swerved from the perfect work of Christ in his redemptive
work. Now I'd like to spend a little
time tonight on verses 8 and 9 as we notice the Lord shared
with them, I know thy works, and that's just a profound statement
that we find seven times. once each time with the seven
churches of Asia. I know thy works." And it just
shares with us, and it shared with them, the omniscience of
God Almighty, that He is in full knowledge of all things. Now,
the God that has purpose to do all things is omniscient. And
this omniscient God has purpose to do all things. Would you turn
with me to the book of 1 John chapter 3? Just back a couple
of pages. 1 John chapter 3, we find a wonderful
verse of scripture with regard to the omniscience of the Lord,
and Him knowing all things. He knew all about the issues
that were going on in the church at Philadelphia, and He knew
about every interest of everybody in that church. He knew every
prayer, He knew every heart, He knew everything about that
church and everything in that church, and He just sums it up
by saying those words, I know thy works. And that summed it
up. Now notice here in 1 John chapter
3 in verse 20, the Lord shares this. For if our heart condemn
us, God is greater than our heart. Now I love that part if there's
nothing else. If our heart condemn us, God
is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. Now that's
a statement about God. I know thy works. He knows all
things. He's omniscient. There is not
one aspect of anything that he does not have knowledge of. Now
that's positive and that's negative. Are sin? Yes. but everything about us
and every concern he knows. And as he shares with us there,
I know and knoweth all things. If you would turn with me back
to the book of Ephesians chapter one, verse 11. Ephesians chapter
one and verse 11, we find this verse with regard to the omniscience
of the Lord. I know all things. I know all
about what's going on there. I know all about Philadelphia.
Now there is only one pastor that is able to pastor seven
churches. And that's the pastor, the Lord. He is able to pastor all his
churches wherever they are throughout the world. Now there's nothing
worse than a man trying to pastor two churches. But we want the
pastor to pastor all his churches. We want him involved. We want him sharing information. We want him leading to the word
of God that will share with us how we might praise him the better.
And if there is a problem, how we might eradicate that problem.
So we're listening by God's grace. We're listening to the pastor
pastor us. And he's pastoring every one
of his churches wherever they are throughout the world. And
God's people just delight in having that pastor. He is the
good shepherd, which means pastor. He's taking care of all his sheep.
So if he gets involved in our church, we just thank God. My
goodness, to get a letter from the Lord with regard to how to
do what we're doing and to make it better, we're just so thankful.
He's involved with his body. He is involved with his church.
Now over here in Ephesians chapter 1, he shares some of the information
with regard to how he is involved in every one of his churches,
how his letters mean something, and how his influence upon us
means something. He is influencing his people
through Through his Holy Spirit, he is pushing them in the right
direction. He both makes us to will and
to do of his good pleasure. So he's moving us in the right
direction. I don't care for mutton. I've
had it once where it was okay, but I didn't know what it was.
But I do admire sheep herders, how they keep track of their
flock. I admire that. And the Lord takes care, and
I like what he had to say. He says, my sheep know my voice
and they follow me. Now, people, natural man will
follow any voice but the Lord's until regeneration. They'll be
pulled aside by any shepherd. But when the Lord makes them,
him, their shepherd, then all of the other voices are tuned
out, or at least tuned down. And if we think, oh, we're going
to go over here, the voice of the Lord will always bring his
people back. The word of God will always bring
them back. They will be able to say, I'm
not hearing his word over here. always being brought back. Now
notice Ephesians chapter 1 verse 11, in whom also we have obtained
an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him
who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.
Now he has absolute perfect knowledge of all things, he's omniscient.
He has the understanding of everything because he has purposed everything
that's going on. He's not reactionary. I've made
some mistakes along the way, and some of them have been in
my past life of saying that the Lord is overseeing history. No,
no, no. It goes much deeper than that.
He is purposing history. He's directing it from eternity
past. So, and we see the results of
his activity. Now he says, I know all things. He has purposed all things. And
there's one other verse I'd like to look at and that's found over
in the 139th Psalm. Psalm 139, as we find out about
the Lord and his great credentials for the church, there's, if I
could ever get to a place where God isn't, then that's not the
God of heaven. If I could ever get to a place
where God isn't, then I'm not under the God of heaven, because
there is no place I can go that he isn't. Now notice here in
Psalm 139, verse two, the scripture says, thou knowest my down sitting
and my uprising. Thou understandest my thoughts
afar off. Thou compassest my past. and
my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is
not a word in my tongue, but lo, Lord, O Lord, thou knowest
it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and
before and laid thy hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful
for me. It is too high. I cannot attain
unto it. I just can't understand it. And
when it comes to God, that's a good thing to say. I just can't
understand it. It's a big tree and I can't get
my arms all the way around it. Now I believe everything about
it, but I can't get my arms all around it. So anything about
God, when we are able to say, it's just knowledge too great
for me, that's a positive thing. It's a glorious thing when we're
able to say by the Holy Spirit, it's just too big for me. We're
talking about the God of heaven then. when it's too big. We're
just, we're satisfied under the shade of his giant oak tree.
It's just too big. I like it that way. Now, as we
look over here, we find that the Lord Jesus shared with that
church at Philadelphia, I know thy works. I know all about it.
I've purposed it. It's been drawn out from the
Council Halls of Eternity. The people that are in there,
every one of them that are saved have their names written down
in the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundation of the world.
And everyone you visited, I purpose to cross your paths with that
are ever going to be saved. God has directed the paths of
all his sheep, lost sheep, so that they will make sure that
they cross the path of someone who knows something about the
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. That wayward Ethiopian headed
back for Ethiopia where all they had was idols worship down there. He stopped and reading the book
of Isaiah and God purposed in the council halls of eternity
that there would be a man stopped by by the name of Philip. Now
Philip didn't know it that morning, but he found out about it. And
he's purposed to go down there and the Holy Spirit says, gather
yourself to this chariot. Now everyone that God ever is
going to save has purpose that there would be a crossing of
paths by someone who knew something about the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ. And that Ethiopian left after
that session. On his way, he went rejoicing
because he'd heard the glorious gospel of salvation in Christ
Jesus and none other, and a salvation that is so complete that it will
carry him through for eternity. That's how much God knows. So
thank God he's got the lines drawn. so that his people will
meet someone who knows something about the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ, the gospel of peace, or the word of patience, however
we want to term it. Now we notice there, he said
in chapter three and verse eight, I have set before thee, now I
like that. God speaking, I have set before
thee an open door. God said, I have set before thee
an open door. Now, every time that someone
asks a question about the gospel is a door that has been opened
by the Lord Jesus Christ. No one will ask a question about
the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, unless first of all, God
has opened their door. We're shut up to the gospel.
We're shut away from the gospel by nature. Adam made sure of
that. Not only did he close the door,
but he nailed the door and he put a whole board across it so
we'd never turn in that direction. God said, I looked down from
heaven to see if there were any that did seek after me and I
found none. So in order for anybody to ever
have an interest in what the gospel of peace, the gospel of
the Lord Jesus, it is God that has moved and opened a door. Now we read about Lydia, whose
heart the Lord opened. Whose heart the Lord opened.
Now as he says here, I've set before thee an open door. Now,
when that church, when any church hears that, It is confirmation
that they have a reason for being where they are. Someone is going to hear something. And that's the reason you're
here. Someone's going to hear something. Now we assemble together
and it is our delight to hear the gospel of Christ. It's my
delight to hear the gospel of Christ. I delight in hearing
the gospel of Christ. But when he says, I've set an
open door before you, then it legitimatize the reason we're
here. Someone, there's some lost sheep
that God's going to open their door of, and the gospel is going
to be brought to them. Now, turn with me, if you would,
over to the book of Acts chapter 14. Acts chapter 14, this door
I've set before thee, an open door, no man can shut it. I'm
so glad that the family can't shut it. I'm so glad that the
politicians can't shut it. I'm so glad that religion can't
shut it. I'm so glad that I couldn't shut it. No, if it was left up
to us, we'd kept it shut. We'd put a foot against the door.
We'd have held it shut. But God has the ability, because
He is God, of taking that door and opening it against our will,
if you please. Because we'd hold it shut. And
He opens that door, and no man can shut it. The religious leaders
can't shut it. We can't shut it. Politicians
can't shut it. It can't be, the law can't be
passed to shut it. It's going to be open when God
opens it. And that's how God gets to our
heart. He opens a door that no man can
shut. Now, notice here in the book
of Acts chapter 14. Acts chapter 14 and verse 27. And when they were come, and had gathered the church together,
they rehearsed all that God had done with them and how he had
opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles." My goodness. We got a God that
has the handle on the door. And he opened the door of faith.
Paul comes back and shares with them the glories of preaching
the gospel. Now, it's glorious to preach
the gospel. It's glorious to preach the gospel
all the time. It's a wonder. It's a pleasant
thing to preach the gospel. It's wonderful to share the gospel.
But when God opened the door of the Gentiles and that gospel
began to go out and strike hearts, and hearts trusted Christ, Oh,
that just makes everything. That's the topping on the cake. If he should see fit not to save
one more person, well, we'd be in glory now. But if he was self-fit,
it would be great to share the gospel. But oh, when he touches
a heart, when he opens a door of the Gentiles, when he touches
someone's child, someone's dad or mom, someone's grandparents,
someone's aunt or uncle, when he opens their door, oh my, there's
rejoicing in the church. When he opened the door of Saul
of Tarsus' heart, for a season, there was some questions going
on, but after he came in and he began to talk to them about
the Lord Jesus, they were tickled to death. that he opened his
door. Now, along the same lines, turn
with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 16. It's a glorious thing. The gospel had been going out
of the church at Philadelphia. It was a gospel of patience.
It was the word of patience. It was the word of Christ. It
was declaring the greatness of God and the greatness of his
salvation. He is high and lifted up. And
that was the glorious gospel proclaimed by the church at Philadelphia. And God said, I'm opening doors. I've got a door open that no
man can shut. You're going to have the word
of God go out and the lost sheep of the house of Israel, Jew and
Gentile are going to be found by it. And you're going to be
open to declaring the gospel to them and God's going to save
them. Now this church knew who saved
people. Oh, how valuable it is to know who saves people. It's not us. It's not our pressure. It's not our psychology. It's
not our closing hymns. It's not our prayers. It's God
that saves people. Jonah said salvation is of the
Lord. It wasn't because of some prescribed
manner or some education. God working a miracle. saves his people from their sins. And they rejoiced in that. And
I noticed this first Corinthians chapter 16 and verse nine for
a great door and effectual is open unto me. What's he talking
about? He's got the gospel. He's been
sent out with the gospel. Holy Spirit told the church,
separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work we're into I have
called them. I've got some people out there
that I have a door to open and I need the gospel out there.
So he pushed on Barnabas and Saul to take the gospel to them.
Now, what's the report? First Corinthians chapter 16
and verse 9, it says, for a great door and effectual is opened
to me and there are many adversaries. God's opened the door and it's
an effectual opening. I couldn't open it, they couldn't
open it, but it's been opened. And it's been opened in such
a way, it can't be closed. I'm just taking the gospel right
through that door. Oh, how God legitimizes a church,
a preaching, because the door's open. People are saying, I want
to hear that. I want to hear that. Oh, how
gracious God's people are when people, one person says, I want
to hear that. I want to hear about the gospel of the Lord
Jesus. Now in second Corinthians chapter two, second Corinthians
chapter, this door, this door that God opens, no man can shut.
We can't shut it. My, when God gets his foot in
the door, he doesn't give up. And it's a stony door, heavy. rusted shut. Time has kept it
shut. Adam, he didn't pour any oil
on the hinges, he poured water on the hinges. On there, oh,
heavy rusty door. And God comes along, and by the
work of his power, begins to break that door down and open
it. Notice here, 2 Corinthians chapter
2, Verse 12, furthermore, when I came to Troy as to preach Christ
gospel, he goes on to say, and a door was opened unto me of
the Lord. Preach Christ gospel. Now it
just doesn't open over anything. It opens over Christ gospel.
And then Colossians chapter four, Colossians chapter four. Would
you read there with me? Colossians chapter four and verse
three. We read these words. Oh, God is so gracious, you know,
and it comes at such surprising moments, surprising moments. When you don't think that there's
going to be anything done, anything said, God opens a door and somebody
that we didn't think would ever ask a question says, what do
you mean about grace? What do you mean about sovereignty? What do you mean that God saves?
What do you mean it's not up to me? My, that's a door. And when they ask the question,
I love going through it. Now notice here, Colossians chapter
4 and verse 3, with all praying also for us,
that God would open unto us a door of utterance. Isn't that interesting? He's got some words and he wants
to say them. And if the door isn't open, they're
stuck right here behind his teeth. But a door of utterance. Oh,
to have a door of utterance. He says there, to speak the mystery
of Christ for which I am also in bonds. I want to speak the
mystery of Christ. Just give me a door of utterance. And we find that the Apostle
Paul, while he was in Rome, there were a few of the household of
Caesar heard about this man. Now, whether it was his fame
or whatever, they came and says, would you talk to us? Would you
speak to us? Oh, man, that's like saying sikkim
to a coonhound. Of course, of course. He's taken before the magistrates
and they said, would you share a little bit? Well, of course,
of course. Had a door of utterance. Now
the Lord Jesus shared with the pastor of the church at Philadelphia
and says, I've opened a door and no man can shut. What better
words could a church ever hear? then there's a door of utterance,
a door of the gospel going through, a door to preach in, and God
is so gracious to give doors to his people to share the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, there are times, and it's
no doubt happened to all of us, we just are dying to say something. Just say something, because I
feel I feel bad about imposing on people. Now that may be wrong,
but that's just the way it is. But oh, when they say a word,
it's worth it all to be able to share about the Lord. I'll
never forget a three hour trip from here to Klamath Falls, three
hours of us talking about the gospel of the Lord Jesus. And
at the conclusion, the person said, The old values I had, the
old gospel I had, and what I have now is the difference between
daylight and dark. Now that person heard something.
Not that I said it, but he heard something. It's the difference
between daylight and dark. There's life in this gospel. There's only death in the world's
gospel. All the works that go into shaking
doors when nobody's home or interested, but when God opens the door and
no man shuts it, how glorious it is to take the gospel. Preach
the gospel, gospel of peace, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Now,
going back over there to the book of Revelation, it does say
there in chapter 1 or chapter 3 in verse 8, I know thy works.
Behold, I have set before thee an open door. And no man can
shut it. There's been a lot of opposition
in Philadelphia. There's been a lot of characters.
There's been a lot of people that have wanted to shut down
the gospel of the Lord Jesus. They tried to shut it down with
the Lord by taking him out. They raised up stone several
times, tried to throw him over a brow hill. What are they doing?
They're trying to shut up the gospel. They're trying to shut
it up. They don't want to hear it. There's
some in there that hear it and the Lord works the work of grace.
He says he, he, uh, that no man can shut for thou hast a little
strength. Now I was visiting with that
fellow that's down there at central point. And he says, Norm, I feel
so inadequate. And I says, you're on the right
track, man. When you feel adequate,
I have concerns. When you feel inadequate, thank
God. Thank God. Now, you have a little
strength. My goodness, when we find out
where our strength comes from, and even if it's little, we're
thankful for it. Would you turn with me over to
the book of 2 Corinthians chapter 12? 2 Corinthians chapter 12,
the Apostle Paul again is used to add some clarification to
this, thou hast a little strength. And it's not our strength, it's
his strength. And if we have any, it's because
of Christ. And the Apostle Paul, sharing
here in the book of 2 Corinthians, had this to say about his strength.
When he felt strong, then he's weak. It's a paradox. When I feel strong, I'm weak. When I feel weak, then I'm strong. Now that's a paradox, but that's
scripture. And that's the way it must be.
In 2 Corinthians chapter 12, 2 Corinthians chapter 12, the
Apostle Paul was used of the Holy Spirit to leave us these
words, 2 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 8. For this thing
I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And
he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength
is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will
I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may
rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in
infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions,
in distresses for Christ's sake, for when I am weak, then am I
strong. Now that church at Philadelphia,
what greater compliment could they be paid than to have the
Lord say, you have a little strength. Because they had learned that
if they have their own strength and go in their own strength
and go in their own power there They're not gonna get anywhere
but when we feel inadequate When we feel without strength when
we feel that we just oh my Then he is our strength he will
not he will not He will not share His glory with anyone. It's not
our glory. It's His glory in us. He's not
going to share His glory with anyone. He's not going to say,
well, you pitch in 2% and I'll do the 98%. He's going to do
100% or not at all. And so thou hast a little strength. And as Paul said, I will glory
in my infirmities, that in my weakness, where I am weak, then
am I strong. And the compliment that the Holy
Spirit paid to this church, you have a little strength. It spoke
volumes about their dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ and
upon his word in their ministry in their life, in what they were
doing there, and why they were there. You have trusted Christ. That's commendable. You have
trusted Christ in your weakness. Now you have a little strength.
Now, and it also says there, well, turn with me to the book
of Philippians, chapter 4, before I leave this. Philippians, chapter
4. The Apostle Paul again shares
with us that we can do all things through Christ. Philippians chapter
4 and there in verse 13. Philippians chapter 4 and verse
13, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me."
So there's nothing that couldn't be done in Philadelphia because
Christ is their strength. Now, what happens? What happens when
a church decides that, you know, there's just not quite enough
getting done? There's not quite enough people
attending. And we start mixing in things
that help God become successful. Now what happens? Well, there's
warnings in the Bible about that. Woe to those who go down to Egypt
for their strength. Would you turn with me over to
the book of Psalms, Psalm 33? Oh, to have a little strength
beats having any strength of human flesh. Way back in the
1830s, there was a convocation of Christians in America that
got together. Now they'd had a little trouble
up to this point and they decided to get together and see if they
couldn't wrangle it out. And as a result of that, there
was a whole group of people left. And they were a group of people
that says, we can help God get his work done. And there was
a group that was left that says, we're not going to add any thing,
any modern thing trying to make God successful. Now, those are
the people that were descendants from Joshua. Abraham, David, Jonah, Paul, Peter, James,
John, they made themselves used of the Lord, but they were not
going to add anything to the doctrines of grace. They're gonna
leave it alone. Preach the gospel and step back
and see God do some things. One of the most exciting verses
I've run onto is in the book of Acts. A whole bunch of people
are saved and the preachers are all thrown in jail the night
before. I just love it. They don't get to brag about
a thing. They're just praising God. There's
no mission letters written home because they had a great bunch
of conversions because they were working to the people. They're
in jail. And the Holy Spirit saved those
people after the gospel had been preached. Now that's just the
way it should be. All the preachers should be thrown
in jail after they preach the gospel so they can't brag about
what happens. Because when we start, oh my
goodness, we're taking credit for what God has done. And a
church can't do that. We just have to say as Jonah
did, salvation's of the Lord. He worked a work of grace. Now
over here in the book of Psalms, Psalm 33, there's warning against
this. of getting means and measures
in. God is sufficient. His gospel
is sufficient. He will work all things after
the counsel of His own will. He'll do according to His will
and purpose. Gospel being preached, God will
work in the hearts of believers. God will work in the hearts of
the lost. God will do it, and we can just sit back and enjoy
it. Now notice here, Psalm 33, verse
17, the scripture says, a horse is a vain thing for safety. Neither
shall he deliver any by his great strengths. That's just a verse
of scripture that's shared with us. Don't depend on means to
get things done. Don't help God be successful.
Now you just go down the list. We could open the yellow pages
right here in the Dallas and find all sorts of groups that
are trying to help God get successful. Almost every para-church organization
that's ever been created has tried to help God be successful. He's not doing enough. He's not
working hard enough and we can help him. Now, it's been with
us all the time. Oh God, help us not to succumb
to tactics. Why in the world did churches
succumb to having emotional songs at the end of a service called
invitations when Christ is the invitation? Why is it an emotional
thing? Raise hands. When did that enter
into the scene? Raise your hand. Every eye closed,
every head bowed. If you want Jesus to do something
with you, raise your hand. God bless you. I see that. When
did that enter in? That's not Paul's tactics. Paul says, I came not to you
with words of man's wisdom. He didn't ask for anybody to
raise their hand. He said, trust Christ. That's what he said. These means, these things, my
goodness, thou hast a little strength. Thank God for it. But
there's no room whatsoever for all these inventions that men
have created with the hopes of making God successful. Organizations are started. All
kinds of societies are started to help the church and to help
God become successful. And oh my goodness, how pitiful,
how pitiful. Now, turn with me, if you would,
to Isaiah 31. Isaiah 31, verse 1. Woe to them that go down to Egypt
for help. Isaiah 31, verse 1. Woe to them
that go down. Now, Israel had had that problem.
I don't know how many times it's recorded. In fact, real soon
in the book of 2 Kings, there's going to be a king of Syria come
along and say, you're so stupid for going down to Egypt. Now,
I put it in today's vernacular. You're so stupid for going down
to Egypt. It's not going to help you a
bit. And God had told him, it's not going to help you a bit.
Don't put your trust in the arm of the flesh. Don't put your
trust in Egypt. Woe to them that go down to Egypt
for help and stay on horses and trust in chariots because they
are many. Now, that's so easily applied
to today. trusting things to make God successful,
trying to get God successful. We're going to go to this. We're
going to go to that. My goodness, there's no room
for it in the kingdom of God. God is going to be successful. He was successful on the cross.
He was successful in the tomb and he was be successful with
every one of his lost sheep. And he has promised he will not
lose one. So it's just simple preaching
the gospel. Don't get away from the simplicity
of the gospel, we're warned. Now it goes on to tell us there,
because they are many, and in horsemen, because they are very
strong, but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither
seek the Lord. Now isn't that an indictment
against Israel? And that's an indictment against
the church at Laodicea. It's an indictment. You've trusted
everything, but you have not trusted the Holy One of Israel,
neither sought the Lord. So what an encouragement it is.
Just trust the Lord. Trust the Lord. Trust the Lord. He'll take care of it. Trust
the Lord. Preach the gospel and trust the Lord. And then if you
would, Jeremiah chapter 17, verse 5, we have another verse of scripture
that comes along and just shares with us Oh, there's some things
that just need to be left out. Simply make it simple, just make
it simple. Jeremiah chapter 17, verse 5,
Thus saith the Lord, Cursed be the man that trusteth in man,
and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the
Lord. So don't trust in the flesh. The flesh profiteth nothing.
It's not going to get any movement. Oh, here are the tactics. Put
plants in the church and get people moving. My, it didn't
happen in the new Testament church. Didn't happen in the church of
Jerusalem. Who moved on those people? The Holy spirit. When
we have to submit to that kind of tactics, what are we saying
about the power of the spirit? He's not quite effectual. We're
going to have to work. My, he is all powerful. And he moves in mysterious ways
his wonders to perform. And when it's all said and done,
those who are the recipients and those who are the observers
both get to say, it was the mighty hand of God. It wasn't our hand. We weren't expecting it. Oh,
God is so gracious to save whom He will, where He will, how He
will, and He doesn't need any help. Our only responsibility is to
declare the word of patience, the gospel of the Lord Jesus. He said to them, you've kept
my word. Going back over there to the
book of Revelation chapter three, you've kept my word. You've not
folded at the attack, not changed the message to please the people. And you've not denied my name. My goodness. Revelation 3, in verse 8, I know
thy works. Behold, I have set before thee
an open door. No man can shut it, for thou
hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied
my name. Oh, the letter. Can you imagine
the feeling of those people when they got this letter? Oh, thank
God. That's a kind letter that head
pastor sent. You've kept my word. and has
not denied my name. What does that mean? Well, they've
shown not to declare the whole counsel of God. They preached
all the word of God. They haven't given up on certain
areas. I've been reading and the guys
that gave Charles Spurgeon the most trouble, that wasn't the
weirdo guys. They were the four pointers.
They had given up on limited atonement and they fought Charles
Spurgeon tooth and toenail. You can't give up on limited
atonement. You give up on that, you give
up on everything. My goodness, he held to his last breath that
Jesus Christ laid down his life a ransom for many. And there's
a whole stack of preachers are saying, well, Jesus died for
everybody and then kept the rest of the four. How can you do that?
Oh, that's compromise. And Jesus told this church, you've
kept my word. For a day in the life of this
church at least, Jesus came and patted them on the back and complimented
them for what it was to just stick with the word and not compromise
it, not give up, not carry it away, not skip some of it, not
put some of it aside. So they carried on. They're in
the city of Philadelphia. You've not denied my word. You've
abided faithful, even though sometimes we believe not. He
abides faithful. He keeps it going, and that's
gracious. And our time is up, but I just
have to read that next verse, verse nine, and we'll touch on
this. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which
say they are Jews and are not, But do lie. Behold, I will make
them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have
loved thee. As we get to this portion of
scripture, we find those who pretend to be religious men and
worshipers of God and are not. They say they are Jews and are
not. And we have a lot in the scriptures
with regard to what is a Jew. Assemblies that worship God in
spirit and in truth are the Israel of God. Assemblies that either
worship false gods or the true God in a false manner are the
synagogues of Satan. One preacher told me one time,
he says, you cannot fire the God's cannon with the devil's
gunpowder. Won't happen. It won't get the
job done. You can't fire God's cannon with
the devil's gunpowder with that kind of means. And so he's going
to strike out. God is going to strike out against
those in that church. Now that is scriptural. You and
I never have the right to go out and dig up what we think
to be the terrors. But he does. He has every right
to do that. But we don't. We don't. We can
say, I don't know about that person. I don't know whether
they're saved or not. You better keep your mouth shut. That's
up to God. That's up to God. Because you
know what? Sometimes I don't know where
I am. My goodness. We do enough sin
in 25 seconds.