"I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name." Revelation 3:8
Once again I have found great comfort in the message from Jesus to the Philadelphia church. In Revelation 3:7-13 we are told the church of Philadelphia was a lesser city than the others addressed. I suppose many of us relate to being lesser than others. It is so hard to see and believe when our eyes are on us. He begins the letter describing Himself to them and getting their eyes on Him.
"He who is holy, Who is true, Who has the key of David, Who opens and no one will shut, and Who shuts and no one opens says this:"
Then begins verse 8. He is holy. He has the key of David. He has the keys to death and life. He is God and in complete control; and when He opens a door, no one can shut it, and when He closes a door, no one can open it against His will.
Next He addresses the little Philadelphia church. He informs them He sees and knows their deeds. No one else may not, but He does. He is telling them He is putting before them an open door no one will be able to shut. He also reveals to them why. He knows they have little power or strength, but with what they do have they have kept His Word, and have not denied His name. Let us examine our lives and pray for the same to be said of us who have little strength and power. We may not be significant to the world or family, or even to other Christians, but He knows, and sees us. He knows our deeds that no one sees but Him. A lot of us do not live in the limelight, and are not acknowledged in what we do. We have little strength and power within ourselves, but we allow Him to be our strength as we continue to perform the mundane deeds in this world we do not get paid for.
As I was recently reflecting over my life I realized most of the work I have done in life I have not been paid for. I worked from the time I was old enough to get a work permit and was paid until I married and became a mother. However when
I was 25 years old I walked away from my career in dentistry, and a home I had recently built to become a wife, mother, and homemaker, and eventually homeschooled my children. My ministry radically changed from that time on. I often cared for elderly neighbors and neighborhood children. I taught Bible studies in and out of my home for the last 47 years beginning with Missionettes in an Assembly of God church in Asheboro, NC.
My ministry had been done mostly out of my home til in 2010 when my life changed radically again. At this stage in life referred to as retirement years are not a reality for me. There are no financial benefits to fall back on as I enter the so called golden years. I have none of the securities the world has to offer, but I have eternal benefits that I continue to cling to till l am allowed to go home where I belong. I have no stored up treasures down here, and I am not hesitant in any way to leave this life. I live with open hands that God can empty, or He can fill. I have lived with both, and always found Him faithful in all areas of my life. However, I must remain intentional about where I seek validation and rewards. It cannot come from man or I will truly despair as I have many times in the past. But when I pray along with the Psalmist in Psalm 42:11:
" Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance my God."
When He is our God we must live for His approval as this church is commended for doing, and we see how He plans to reward them in the following verses:
"Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie — I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you."
I can think of no validation any man or woman can give me that would compare with what God promises to those who persevere in His name. He will validate us before the ones who have persecuted His own in His name. These people have lied about being His chosen people in His name. But He will reveal His love for His own before the whole world. Blessed brothers and sisters hold on, and persevere, for it will be worth it all when we see Jesus!
He continues to encourage the lesser than with these words in verses 10-13:
"Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. I Am coming quickly; hold fast that which you have, so no one will take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. "
How my soul and spirit rejoices as I read these promises I believe with all my heart. Don’t allow anyone to deter you from persevering to the end. Let no one take your crown. The hour of testing we will be kept from if we have allowed Him to test us throughout our lives. He knows where we stand; He knows our deeds. More importantly He knows our hearts. He will be our final Judge. Once we are with Him in His kingdom we never will leave it. We will always remain where we belong with Him! We will forever carry His name. We will see the new Jerusalem that will come down out of heaven.
Then He closes with these sobering words as He does with all the churches addressed in Revelation:
"He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Do you have ears to hear this morning what the Spirit is saying to you personally through this devotional as He has spoken to me? He has no partiality. You may have all of Him you desire. Jesus opened that door that cannot be shut at the cross. He died for all mankind. You can’t be good enough and you can’t be bad enough to obliviate the love of God for His creation. His Son is the only way to the promises we have looked at this morning. You must choose to return the love He first loved you with. That is how we find the lives He intended for each one of us. He created each of us with a plan for our life. Surrender your will for His. I am not telling you it will be an easy life on this earth, actually quite the opposite according to scripture and my personal experience. But there is no life worth living apart from His love. I know that to be true, but each one must choose to know that for themselves. I don’t mind being a lesser than on this earth knowing He will reveal His love for me in the future to the whole world, and that can be true for you also!
In His love.
Teresa Roberts
Masterpiece Fitness
276-237-6680
Photos from a relaxing hike this week at Stone Mountain located in Traphill, NC. Relishing in the life and gifts that can only come from Him!
