Today’s Reading:
Revelation 3: 1-6 (NKJV)
“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things say He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Rev. 3:1-6, NKJV)
The dictionary defines watchfulness as vigilant or alert; closely observant. As believers, we need to be sober and vigilant in order to be perfect before God because the devil is always out to cause us to lose focus and then stray. (1 Peter 5: 8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Our bible passage describes the state of Sardis, but it was not how they started. Sardis was a wealthy city, but the inhabitants were spiritless, living in pleasure and lazy. (1 Timothy 5:6 But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.). They had experienced two defeats in battles and one great earthquake. The Church had also lost its vitality and became a corpse instead of a living Church. God told them to watch out or else they will be totally dead (1Corinthians 16: 13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.). When one loses focus on God, life drains out and that was the situation with the church in Sardis. They even thought they were alive when God saw them as dead. Watchfulness should be the constant attitude of a Christian because eternal watchfulness is the price of salvation. (Ephesians 2: 8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.). Jesus said (Mark 13: 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”). As a church you are not in charge but the Head the church is in charge, and He has His measures. 1 Thessalonians 5: 6, says ‘Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.’ When you are careful, you are most unlikely to dabble into things that will destroy you. Sin is a destroyer. Romans 6: 13 says And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. You must be on the watch so that you can end up as an overcomer and have your name written in the Book of life. Philippians 2: 12 says,’ Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Be careful because, God sees. He is all knowing, and He knows when you are deviating from His path.’ (Revelation 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.) You cannot postpone when your works will be perfect before Him, because He alone knows how you are standing before Him, and He is coming as a thief in the night. You don’t know when He will come. Therefore, brethren, be careful how you live your life (Matthew 26: 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.) Despite the pleasures and carelessness in Sardis, there were a few Christians, who remained totally loyal to God. In the Church, in any situation, there will always be the faithful few. As bad as Sodom and Gomorrah was there were a few lights. (Ecclesiastes 9: 8 Let your garments always be white, and let your head lack no oil.) That’s why Abraham said to God in Genesis 18: 25 that,’ Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do, right?”. Matthew 13: 43, says,’ Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! Be sober, be vigilant, the Lord is watching, you cannot be living carelessly and expect to enjoy eternity with the Lord. Why? - Revelation 21: 27: But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. May God grant you and I the grace to be one of them so that you and I too can walk with God in white with your name and mine permanently in the Book of life.
IRETI SOLOLA
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for being a merciful God. Thank you for my salvation that has been paid for from the foundation of the world. Thank you because You do not want the death of sinners but that they turn from wickedness and be saved, in Jesus’ name.
Father, please forgive my sins and cleanse from all my unrighteousness, in Jesus’ name.
Father help me to live a life that is perfect before you, in Jesus’ name.
Father, please don’t let me miss eternity with you, in Jesus’ name.
Father, You are the Head of the church, please let the church unite and stay focused on You, in Jesus’ name.
Father, please show mercy on Nigeria and deliver the nation from the powerful grip of destroyers, in Jesus’ name.
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