Last Letter for these Last Days

Q: What does the Bible say about being lukewarm in faith?

The Bible warns against being lukewarm, as it is distasteful to God, revealing a lack of zeal in one's faith. In Revelation 3:15-16, the Lord rebukes the church for being lukewarm, stating, 'I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.' This metaphor emphasizes the spiritual condition of being indifferent or apathetic towards God. A lukewarm faith often reflects a heart that is primarily influenced by the world, leading to spiritual deadness. The call is for Christians to be zealous, recognizing the urgency to either fully embrace their faith or to not be complacent in their spiritual walk.

Q: How do we know Jesus is the faithful and true witness?

Jesus is the faithful and true witness because His words and actions align perfectly with God's truth, revealing His trustworthiness. Revelation 3:14 describes Jesus as 'the faithful and true witness,' which underscores His role as a reliable spokesperson for God. The phrase highlights His dependability and truthfulness, qualities that are often lacking in human witnesses. As the faithful witness, Jesus not only speaks truthfully but also embodies truth itself (John 14:6). His actions, demonstrated through His life, death, and resurrection, further affirm His integrity and fidelity to God’s purpose. This characteristic of Jesus encourages believers to trust Him completely, knowing that He provides accurate revelation of God.

Q: Why is it important not to be influenced by the world as a Christian?

It's vital for Christians to resist worldly influence to remain true to their faith and reflect Christ's light in a dark world. The preacher notes that one reason the Church has little influence in the world is its susceptibility to worldly influences. This dichotomy is crucial; as believers, we are called to be 'in the world, but not of the world' (John 17:15-16). When Christians allow the world to dictate their values, they lose their distinctiveness and power to impact society for Christ. This warning is echoed in 1 John 2:15-17, which instructs believers not to love the world or the things in it, as these lead to spiritual decay. Maintaining a separation from worldly values ensures that the Church remains a beacon of hope and truth.

Q: How can Christians overcome the dangers of materialism?

Christians can overcome materialism by focusing on eternal values and being good stewards of their resources. Materialism is a significant threat that can deaden spiritual life, as highlighted in Luke 21:34, where believers are warned to 'take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life.' To combat materialism, Christians are called to prioritize eternal treasures over temporary gains (Matthew 6:19-21). This means actively seeking God's kingdom and righteousness first, thereby shifting their focus from accumulating wealth to serving God and others. Additionally, practicing generosity and stewardship with resources reflects the heart of Christ and counters the seductive nature of materialism.

Q: What does it mean to be 'clothed in white raiment'?

Being 'clothed in white raiment' symbolizes receiving the righteousness of Christ, ensuring believers stand justified before God. In Revelation 3:18, Jesus advises the Laodiceans to buy 'white raiment' that they may be clothed, representing the righteousness that comes from faith in Him. This white raiment symbolizes purity, holiness, and the imputed righteousness believers receive through Christ's sacrifice. It is a reminder that human efforts are insufficient for justification; only through Christ's atoning work can believers be made clean and whole before a holy God. Moreover, the imagery of being clothed signifies not only justification but also the transformation and sanctification process that continues in a believer's life, preparing them for eternal fellowship with God.

Thank You Jeanette Now go back to Revelation 3 with this last letter I Entitled it the last letter of these last days this is the last letter he writes to his churches and That makes it That more urgent, doesn't it? It's the last thing he has to say. It's urgent, it's vital. Each letter ends with, to him that overcometh. Overcome with what?

The world. We're in the world, the scripture says, of his people, but we're not of it. We're not supposed to be. Do you remember the article by Brother Scott? You have that bulletin. Anybody? Thank you, John. The reason I put that, the very first article, Brother Scott Richardson. Take these words to heart, that's what he said. Please take the following words to heart.

Scott said, one reason why the church of Christ at this present moment has so little influence in the world is because the world has so much influence over the church. You can hardly tell the difference. Our duty as a Christian It's to stand fast in your place and stand out for God, hating even the garment spotted by the flood. Resolving like one of another time, that was Joshua, who said, let others do as they will. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. That's good, isn't it? Please take these words to heart. That's what Moses said in Deuteronomy 32. These are not vague words. These are your life. We're in the world, we're not of it. If we live in it, we're not supposed to live for it, are we?

The most spiritually dangerous and deadening thing in this life is the world and the things of the world and the people of the world. It'll draw your heart away from God. That's what our Lord said. The flesh lusts against the Spirit, just wars against Him. The God of this world, He uses this world to entice you, God's people. The Lord rebukes His people in the first letter to Ephesus.

He said, you've left your first love. And we looked at that. Why? It's always one thing. It's the world. Demas hath forsaken me, Paul said. Why? Having loved this present world. It's always the case. Always the case. In this last letter, he rebukes his people for being lukewarm, doesn't it? Lukewarm.

Moses warned, let me read to you from Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy 6. Moses said this, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul. and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart. I shall teach them diligently unto thy children. Talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, when you rise up, bind them, bind them on the tables of your heart.

It says, when the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land and you have houses full of all good things, and wells digged and vineyards and olive trees and you're eating and you're full, beware lest you forget the Lord. So that's what he says in the very beginning and our Lord in the very end warns us of death, okay? And he tells every single church, be not overcome. Him that overcometh by the world, by the world.

Luke 21, I do want you to turn there. I want you to know where this is and read it often. We need to read this often, so much more as we see the day of our Lord approaching, just like Hebrews 10. Gather yourselves together and forsake not this assembly. So much more as you see the day approaching.

Luke 21, our Lord in this chapter, like Matthew 25, tales of the end times. And Luke 21, he says, verse 34, see, take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, that's materialism and drunkenness and cares of this life. So that day, that is when Christ come, come upon you unawares for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the earth, the whole earth. Materialism. Watch ye therefore and pray always that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and stand before the Son of Man.

Well, this is serious, isn't it? Verse 14 in our text begins this way. Look at it. Revelation 3, 14. Under the angel of the church. Now this is to me. I know you need this because I need this. He said, as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. This is full of rebuke, isn't it? Correction, instruction. I need this as much as anybody, if not more.

Unto the angel of the church of light and legacy, write, these things saith, amen, faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. These things saith, Our God, our Lord. These are not the words of man to be taken lightly, to take them or leave them. These are words of life, they really are. You can't just be indifferent to this. You can't be, our Lord said, you can't be lukewarm to this. He said, it's bitter, it's nauseating to him. These things say, oh, that, like Moses said, oh, that we would set our hearts unto these words. These things saith the amen.

Don't you love that word? That's his name. What that means is, so it be. It is so. Verily, it's true. This is the way it is. When we say amen, we're agreeing with God. We're saying that's the way it is. That's the way I like it and want it. And so it is. This is his name. The Amen. Brother John Sheasley Sr. read Proverbs 3, and Proverbs 8 is very similar. Listen to this. This is what the Amen says. He says, all the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There's nothing fraud or perverse in them. There's nothing true in the words of man. But there's nothing untrue in our God's Word. It's all true.

Who are we gonna listen to? Listen to this, Proverbs 8, verse 34. He said, no, verse 18. Riches and honor with me, durable riches, righteousness, my fruit is better than gold. I lead in the way of righteousness. He said, blessed is the man that heareth me. So these things say it, the amen. What he says is so. And here's what he says about himself. He reminds us who he is. I'm the faithful and true witness. This is the faithful and true witness. God is faithful. That means true. That means dependable. That means trustworthy. He can be, he should be, he ought to be trusted, not man. Put not your trust in any man. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. He is trustworthy. He is loyal, faithful, loyal.

There's very little loyalty today, isn't it? wept and cried in Psalm 12, so help, Lord, the godly man ceaseth and the faithful fail from among the sons of men. There are a few faithful and true and dependable and loyal and consistent and constant people. They're always the same. Very few. But our Lord is. I want to be like that.

He's a faithful and true witness. All Christ said, he said, the words that I speak, I speak from the Father. He came from heaven. A witness is one who's seen and heard something, and a faithful and true witness tells exactly what he's seen and exactly the way, what he's heard. There's so many false witnesses. In this day, where can you find a true witness? I know where God is the faithful.

Christ is the faithful and true witness. Here's what he said, heaven and earth shall pass away. And they will very soon, but not one word of mine shall fail. He said, not one. Now, who are we going to believe? Who should we listen to? Who should we fear? He's the faithful and true witness. He said, I came to give eternal life, life more abundant. So why would we be caught up with this pitiful life of vanity? Life more abundant. He said of himself, I'm the beginning of the creation of God. The beginning.

In the beginning was the Word. The word was with God, the word was God, and the same was in the beginning with God. All things were created by him. Without him was not anything made that was made. That's the Lord Jesus Christ, the faithful creator. But here's what I believe he's saying here. In Colossians 1, it says the same thing. By him were all things created. But it says, he says he's the firstborn of every creature. The beginning of creation. And I thought about this today. And I'd love to bring a whole message on it. This is marvelous to think about.

In Proverbs 8, it says, before the heavens, I was with him. I was with his father. Before anybody or anything, before the angel. God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit dwelled together. Spirit. But in the purpose of God, God said, let's make my son a body. Right? A body. There was a time when he was given a body, the firstborn of every creature. He was created, he had a body created for him for the express purpose of coming to this earth because God purposed to make an earth and put people on it. So before he was the first image, a body, And so when God made everything, he made man, said, let us make man in what? Our own image. What's that? That's Christ. Think about this and I got to go on, but this is wonderful to think about.

He made the planet. He made everything so good and he put all the animals on it. Do you think that maybe he walked on this earth and enjoyed all those creatures? You know, he did. You know, he did. When he was tempted by Satan, he was out there with all the beasts, it said. But he was there, alright?

So who made man, who formed man out of the dust? Jesus Christ. A man. Made him. They talk about Michelangelo, you know, such a sculptor. Our Lord made man out of the mud, out of the dust, in his image. And then, breathed into him. Wonderful to think about.

Scripture says in Proverbs 8, his delights were with the sons of men, rejoicing in the habitable parts of the earth. So He's the firstborn of every creature, the beginning of the creation of God. And He came, He made a body for Himself to save us. Save us for that body to live a righteous life in honor and glory to God. God's well pleased for his righteousness. And that body was made to be broken. His blood to be shed on Calvary's tree to put away the sins of these wretched, miserable, blind, naked sinners, to clothe them in his righteousness. That's why he had a body. Isn't that something? Oh, I was going to go to Revelation 1 and Revelation 22, the beginning, the beginning, it begins with, he said, I'm the beginning and it ends with I'm the beginning. And he keeps reminding us. All right. Look at our, back in our tape.

Verse Revelation 3, verse 15. I know that works. In other words, I know what you do. or don't do. I know everything about you. That's what he's saying. I know you. Our Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. David wrote this, Lord, thou has searched me and known me. Thou knowest my down sitting, my uprising. Thou understandest my thought afar off. I'm surrounded by you. Compass my path, my lying down.

You're acquainted with Everything about me, there's not a word in my tongue. But you don't know altogether. I thought my head, a deed, anything. Now what does that, should that put within our heart? What, first thing? Fear. Fear. But also comfort. He knows us. He said, I know your frame. Didn't he? As a father pities his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. He knows our friend. He knows. He never forgets that. Never forgets that. But he says, I know you. I know thy works.

And he says in verse 15, you're neither cold nor hot. I would, thou wert cold or hot. It says you're lukewarm. You're neither cold nor hot. Now, if you're alive physically, you have feelings. You feel hot, you feel cold, don't you? Yes, you do. Same spiritually.

Now, we're not, listen carefully, we're not saved by our feelings. And our assurance is not to be had in our feelings, but rather in Christ, faith in Christ. All right? You're not saved by feelings. Don't put stock in feelings. If you want to hear a good message, listen to my father preach on Weep Not for Me, 1957. You need to hear that. You need to hear that. Well, we're not saved by feelings, Salvation involves feelings. When you're born, when you're born again, it's a violent thing. Yes, it is. That baby doesn't come out just lukewarm. Smack it on the feet. Used to smack it on the bottom, you know. Whack. What happens? Pain. Crying. Suffering. Cold. That baby needs to be warmed Feelings. Feelings. We feel guilt.

If there's no feeling of guilt, words do not touch us. No feelings of conviction. No feeling of shame. No feelings of sorrow. No feelings of joy. To hear the gospel and not rejoice. No comfort? No comfort? No thankfulness? To hear the gospel and not be thankful? To hear the gospel and not be relieved? This feeling's alright.

Oh yeah. Now a dead man heals nothing. Isn't that right? Listen to Ephesians 4. Ah, it's sad. He says, don't be like Gentiles in the world. You were, you were this way, that understanding darkened, alienated from the life of God, the ignorance in them, blindness of their heart, who being past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness. Past feeling. insensitive, desensitized. What will do that to us? The Word. The Word. We've become so used to it. And the God of this Word. God forbid that the gospel should have no effect on us. Now the Lord said, I will spew you out of my mouth.

Didn't He? That's serious, isn't it? That's severe language, isn't it? What's the reason for this? What caused this lukewarm? Look at the next verse. Because thou sayest, I'm rich and increased with goods. Too much stuff. Are you honest? Too much stuff. Very little thoughts for God. Too many thoughts for stuff. Very little time for Christ. Too much time spent on stuff. It'll deaden you. It'll just deaden you. 2 Timothy 3, go over there with me.

2 Timothy 3 describes the last days. And it doesn't speak of wars and famines and droughts and calamities. It doesn't speak of those things. But he calls the last days perilous times, dangerous times. For who? God's people. The world doesn't think it's perilous. They like it just fine. But perilous times. And right before this, he said, men are taken captive by the God of this world at his will. In verse one, he says, this know also, 2 Timothy 3, in the last days perilous times shall come. Men shall be lovers of their own selves, in love with themselves. When the gospel comes, you know what you think about yourself? You begin to loathe yourself.

Covetous, our Lord called that idolatry, meaning you spend more time and money and effort on things than God. Boasters, what in the world does anybody have to boast of? What do we have we have not received? But we're all guilty of them, pride. Blasphemers, disobedient to parent. That means unruly children that will not submit to authority. Is that not the day we live in? Unthankful to God, to people that do things. Expected, demanding, unholy, that means vile, sinful, without natural affection.

Homosexuality, perversion is the norm in the last days. Truth breakers, man's word means nothing. False accusers, it's sport to malign people, to gossip, and to bring people's, reputation down in it. It's sport. Incontinent. Cannot control their passion. Fierce. Violent. Despisers of those that are good. Traitors. No loyalty. Heady. Oh, big thoughts. Big doing. High-minded.

Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. That's the day we live in now. Isn't it? It sure is. The last days speak of perilous times. Our Lord spoke of the day as in the days of Noah, the eating and drinking and marrying and giving and marrying or Lot, Sodom.

Those are times of prosperity. You know, these are spiritually dangerous times. And he doesn't speak of war and famine and these things, economic hardships, because in those times, people are thinking about dying. When people are in dire straits, they're calling on God, aren't they? But not when there's prosperity. They're rich and increased with goods. Now the world's not hearing this, but we are.

So this is to us, to warn us. And 1 Timothy, Paul said, if riches in Crete, listen to that, let me read it to you. Just a page back there, if you want to turn to 1 Timothy 6, it says in verse 17, charge them, young Timothy, preacher. Here's the last thing he said in his first letter to Timothy. Charge them, verse 17, that are rich in this world.

That's all of that. Yes, we are. Yes, we are. The poorest person in here is richer than the richest person in Mexico, in the Pueblo, right? Right, Ron? Charge them, they'd be not high-minded. We didn't attain this thing. We were given this thing as good stewards. And nor trust in uncertain riches. This is not our security. It's coming down. Our society's coming down. Oh yeah, always has.

But in the living God, trust in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. Using this world, but not abusing it. Using this world, but not living for it. Enjoying this world, but not more than God. Making money and having houses and all that, but not forsaking the worship in order to have these things. Listen, charge them that they do good, be rich in good work, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. One thing needful. You need this. I need this. He says this to the church. Last thing he says, you're rich, increased with goods, and no need. That's a bad place to be, isn't it? The gospel's for the poor and needed.

Most people don't need God. Don't need Christ, don't need saving. You know why people don't come in here and hear this? They don't want saving. They don't want saving. I like this world just fine, I don't want to leave it. I don't give up anything. The rich don't need anything, that's for sure. The righteous don't need anything. The righteous don't need this gospel, they don't need a righteousness, they got one. They don't know, they're wretched. The rich don't, the righteous don't need forgiveness, oh sinners do. Blessed are the poor and needy. Most will say this though, I just, if I could only have, I just need a little more money. Isn't that right? That's the problem. That's the problem.

Isn't that what our Lord said? So, but our blessed Lord says, blessed are the poor in need, blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousness. So the Lord reminds us what we are. Look at it. He said, you know not, or you've forgotten, that thou art wretched. Wretched. You know, the gospel is for poor, wretched sinners. John and I sing that song all the time, don't we, John? It's poor, wretched sinners, no God, no hope. That's the way we work. Hold on. Thou art wretched, he said. Still are.

Do you not know yourself? If we lose sight of that, the Lord will let us know it. He'll leave us alone long enough for us to see. I'm no better and I'm worse than I used to be. wretched to where you cry and in the gospel will really mean something to you. You'll cry with Paul, Oh, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? And then the gospel will come with great feeling of relief and comfort. I thank God through the Lord Jesus Christ. There's no condemnation in the name of Christ.

That only means something to wretched sinners, you know that? Miserable. Miserable. We've got so much, we're just miserable. The righteousness of the Lord. Thank you, Lord, for the rain. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. We don't deserve a drop of that. Miserable. Mercy is for the miserable. Righteousness for the wretched. Mercy is for the miserable, not the comfortable. If you're feeling good about yourself and everything's fine in your life and life is good and nothing to worry about, mercy won't mean a thing to you.

You know that? Won't mean a thing. Poor. You don't know that you're poor. You've lost sight of the fact that you're poor. He said to the church at Smyrna, you remember this? He said, I know your works, your tribulation, and your poverty. They all must have been literally poor, but they felt themselves to be poor spiritually. He said, but you're rich. It's rich to be poor. You understand that? It's poor to be rich. Psalm 106. Psalm 106, it says, people lusted exceedingly, and the Lord gave them what they wanted. And what happened? Leanness of soul. They were full, but lean of soul. Which would you rather be?

You don't know it, you're poor. How much faith do you have after all these years? Does anything bother you now after all these years, after all you've heard, after all the promises the Lord has made to us, after all the mercies He's shown you, after all the provisions He's given you, after all the care and the upkeep and the hedging you about, how much faith do you have after all these years? Does anything bother you now?

We're poor. And why is that? Where's faith come from? Here in the world, here in the world. I just read Daniel today, Daniel's prayer, Daniel nine. He said, we, he said, confusion of faces belong to us. We're just so confused. He said, we haven't listened to your prophets. Daniel included himself in that. He was the finest man on earth. But he said, we're just not listening to what God said. But we're listening to man. And it makes us poor in faith. And so we're all tore up.

Doesn't take much to tear us up, does it? So how much faith do you have after all these years? How much peace? Why do we lose sleep at night? except for age or pains and all that, but does anything keep you awake at night? Oh, how much peace do we have?

Our Lord kept saying, peace, peace. He said, peace, I leave with you. My peace I give unto you. Peace by the blood of his cross. Peace, peace. The Lord kept saying, peace. Every time he appeared to him, John, after he arose, he said, peace is the first thing, peace. Oh, but look at war, war, war.

On that boat, you remember, they thought it was all over. They thought they were all going to die. Wouldn't that have been wonderful? We worry about dying? Why? It's the best thing that could happen to us. The Lord spares one of us. He's had mercy on those that love us. But it would have been mercy to us if He'd have taken us.

We need to change, my pastor wrote an article on that. Do you remember it? It was in a bulletin. He said we need to change the way we think about dying. Because it's better than birth. Entrance into glory. No more pain, no more suffering, no more sin. Why are we avoiding that? Why don't we look forward to that?

Paul said, now here's a man rich in faith. Here's a man rich in peace. Here's a man rich in the word of God. He says, I have a desire to depart and be with the Lord, which is far better. He said, I've lost all things, but it's done for the exceeding riches of Christ Jesus, my Lord. That's rich. I want those riches, don't you? Come what may. Say it's so. We're poor. How much joy? The joy of the Lord's our strength. How much comfort do we have after all these years? The Lord keeps comforting us. How much comfort? How much courage? Anybody feeling any shame here? I would, you were hot or cold. You see, we all feel cold at times spiritually. That's good. Because a dead man doesn't feel that way. A dead man doesn't feel anything.

There's time we're zealous and hot. The word of God burns within us. I like those times. I don't like cold. The older I get, I really don't like cold. But I want to be on fire. I want the word to burn in my heart, but it doesn't always do that. I feel cold and dead and lifeless, and I know the problem. It's every time, the same problem. I got my mind everywhere else, but on where it ought to be. I'm not calling on the Lord like I ought to be, because without him, I can do nothing. But cold is better than lukewarm. It's better than lukewarm. If you're cold, you want to be warm. Lord, I'm cold. And he sends the gospel to warm you. He said, you don't know that you're blind. Verse 17, blind. You know, I once was blind, but now I see. But I'm still blind often. How about you?

The God of this world blinds people's minds, like he did to Eve. to the word of God, the truth of God. He blinds with the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, pride of life. He blinds people with things, bribes, enticements, his wows, his traps, his pits. He covers his traps and his pits.

He says, this looks good. He puts a little bit of sugar in it. Like Brother Scott said, what a wise man he was. He said, rat poisoning is 99% good food. The rats wouldn't eat it. And that's religion. It's the 1% that'll kill you. And I have to say, what is it that is deadly in modern religion? They say blood, they say mercy, they say God, they say Jesus. Free will. That's what killed man in the garden, right there. And that's what religion's full of, seed of Satan.

Blinded by the God of this world, God Almighty blinds people, sends strong delusion. Oh yeah, God sends strong delusion. Oh, how we are blinded by all we see and hear. We're blinded by these things, blind, all the snares and the traps, blinded to the God of this world, often blind to ourselves. We can see the faults in others, but blind to ourselves. Jeremiah said, you're bent to backsliding. Look at the next thing. Naked. Don't know that you're naked.

Do you know of any other scriptures that speak of that? I just told you, Hebrews 10, well, Hebrews 4 says this, that the word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing, piercing, I hope it's doing that tonight, dividing us under the soul and spirit, the joints and the marrow, a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, There's neither any creature that's not manifest in his sight. All things are naked, exposed to God. Exposed. Completely exposed to God.

When David was blinded by his own lusts, blinded for a year what he was doing, what he had done, when the prophet came and preached the word to him and convicted him of his sin, he wrote Psalm 51. Aren't you glad that Psalm 51? And here's what he said, against thee and thee only have I done this evil in thy sight, in plain sight. Hmm, I'd say that.

Expose, expose. God ought to expose this shit. He ought to expose it, and he's going to, everybody. I mean, everybody that's not found in Christ. So what's the answer? Look at the next verse. I counsel thee. Now here's good counsel. Here's wise counsel. I counsel thee. You need to take your counsel from the great, wonderful counselor, not man. Don't go to man for any counsel. I'm telling you people, don't go to anybody for any kind of counsel. Are you hearing me? Don't send your children there. Don't do it. Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? Listen, here's what our Lord says. I'm not mad at you, I'm just being very honest with you. God's the counselor. Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help and stay on horses and trust in chariots. That's the army of the United States of America. There are many, there are many. They're very strong. They don't look to the Holy One of Israel. He's wise. He'll not call back His words.

He says they go to, They go to Egypt and take counsel, but not of me, and cover with a covering, but not of my spirit." They're adding sin to sin. They go down to Egypt and have not asked at my mouth. There's one wise counselor, and it's our Lord. Listen to this. The Egyptians are just men. Their help is vain. to no purpose, so I've cried concerning this. Their strength is to sit still. Where?

In the church house where the gospel is. To come and sit at Christ's feet and hear his wise counsel. That's their strength. Strength of faith, strength of peace, strength of joy, and comfort, and courage, and all that. Thus saith the Lord, the God, the Holy One of Israel, in returning and rest shall you be saved. In quietness and confidence shall be your strength. When do you have more quietness than when you sit and hear the gospel? When do you have more confidence than when you hear of Christ reigning and ruling on the throne? When do you have less confidence You're out there listening to all the voices. Isn't that right?

I counsel thee, he said, by of me, gold tried by fire. Gold tried in the fire. John, you read it and I read it in Proverbs 8. His word is better than fine gold. And it's tried by fire. Has it not been? Peter said, precious faith is gonna be tried by fire. Faith in what? The word of God, the Christ of God. It's gonna be tried by fire. It's gonna be found under praise, honor, and glory, and strength, and peace, and comfort, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Don't you want that kind of faith? Well, they give you a choice. The king gives you a choice.

We're gonna throw you in the furnace and burn you up and your life is over. Or if you'll just renounce this gospel, we'll let you go and you can live your life in peace. What'll it be, Shadrach? Put us in the furnace, all three of them. Throw us in there. He said, our God's able to bring us out, but if he doesn't, you remember, Kelly? If he doesn't bring us out, we're done with you. And we're done with this place. And we're going straight to glory. Throw us in the furnace.

That's faith. I want that kind of faith, don't you? Comes one way. I hear anywhere. You wouldn't have heard this if you hadn't been here tonight. And it ain't the same listening to it and recording. Is it? No, it's not. Doesn't take any effort. Seeking takes effort. Calling, knocking. I counseled them. Gold tried in the fire, look at the next thing.

Oh my, is this wonderful or what? Thou mayest be rich, white raiment, that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear. Lord, clothe me. Please clothe me in this white raiment. You know what that is, don't you? The blessed righteousness of Christ. White raiment, it's the wedding garment. Oh, blessed are they that are called to the married supper of the Lamb. I want to be in that wedding, don't you? I want to be in that wedding. I want to be married to the Lamb, don't you?

Oh, blessed are those that are called, chosen, and faithful. It says they're clothed in raiment white, they're arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. The fine linen is righteousness of saints. Blessed are they that are called in marriage. Oh Lord, clothe me in thy righteous white raiment, covers our shame, covers our nakedness, cleanses us. You know what the white raiment of Christ does? It's so miraculous, it's so powerful, it turns a harlot into a virgin. Just by wearing those clothes. Blameless, holy, unblamable, unreprovable in God's sight. Just by the clothes you're wearing.

Isn't that something? Quiet, Raymond. I'm so tired of shame, I want it to be over. Don't you? And anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see. Eye salve. The Lord one time, well, he healed several, many blind people, and one time it says he spit. Remember that? And he touched the blind man's dumb man tongue, but also the blind man made clay with the spittle in his mouth and anointed his eyes. What opens our blind eyes? What opens our eyes? What comes from the mouth of the Lord. This is the eye salve. It's nothing new. You know what the eye salve is. You know what opens blind eyes, what opens deaf ears, what raises the dead, what makes your heart burn instead of look warm? It's the Word. Oh, let the Word of God dwell in you richly and be here to hear it. Be here to hear it. I pray, I hope it's doing that right now. Oh Lord, my eyes, open my eyes. I must see clearly.

Now verse 19, he says, as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. There's not, there's not been too much comfort. There's been some. But he says, as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Hmm. I need it badly. Be zealous, therefore, and repent, turn. Behold, verse 20, and boy, this is an abused verse. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him. and will sup with him, and he with me. Does he say, I stand at your heart's door? Does he say that? No, he doesn't. And that's not what he's saying. Is he talking to every single human being on earth? Is he?

Look at the last verse. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. What's he talking about then? The church, the door of the church. This is where Christ is. It's where he promised to be. He is the door. Yes. But here he says, I stand at the door and knock every time the gospel is prayed. It's like Noah's hammer. Yep. A hammer sounds like a knocking. Somebody at the door. Yes. Yeah, he is, wherever the church is. That's where he is. He promised to be. And he's not saying, if you open your heart's door, I'll save you. That is not what he's saying. What'd he say?

I'll sup with you. And you with me. We'll have fellowship together around what? The gospel of Christ. What do we sup on, John? What do we eat? What do we drink? The body and the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm at the door, I'm at the church, I'm here. And when the gospel is preached, Christ is there. Ask Him, Lord, would you sup with me and me with you? Give me your body and your blood to eat and to drink. Let it be precious to me. Let me hear the gospel. It's amazing that God ever blesses us with as little as we put into this, isn't it?

Anybody guilty of that? We're all guilty of that. Oh, so he says, I'll sup with you. And to him that overcometh. So here it is ends this way with all the churches and the last letters is to him that overcometh. We can't overcome anything, can we? But who is he that overcometh that he that believeth?

If he believed everything our Lord has said, have you taken it to heart? That's what Noah said, oh, we'll take these words to heart. Has this reproved you and rebuked you and corrected you? Has it chastened you? God does more chastening with His Word than anything. He's so good. take things away from us and give us a severe beating, but his word comes and, oh, I'm sorry. Aren't you glad? The hymn that overcometh, we overcome by looking to him, by calling on him, doing what he says, doing what he said.

Will I grant to sit with me in my throne as I've overcome and sat down with my father in his throne? I can't, I can't imagine. I can't hardly quote, uh, comment on that. To sit with Christ in glory. That's where I want to be. Is that where you want to be? Clothed in white raiment. Now he that hath an ear, let him hear. What the Spirit saith unto the churches, and our Lord has said many things to us, hadn't He, in these letters? O Lord, give us ears to hear, heart to receive. Give us this precious faith, tried by fire. Stand with me.

Last Letter for these Last Days

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about being lukewarm in faith?

How do we know Jesus is the faithful and true witness?

Why is it important not to be influenced by the world as a Christian?

How can Christians overcome the dangers of materialism?

What does it mean to be 'clothed in white raiment'?

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Last Letter for these Last Days

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about being lukewarm in faith?

How do we know Jesus is the faithful and true witness?

Why is it important not to be influenced by the world as a Christian?

How can Christians overcome the dangers of materialism?

What does it mean to be 'clothed in white raiment'?

Sermon Transcript

About Paul Mahan

Comments

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