Dead or Alive!

Rev 3:1-3 "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is
about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.
3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent.
But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at
what time I will come to you.”

 

James 2:26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.


Oh my, as I read this passage I am reminded of a message I heard recently where the speaker was talking about churches who have great reputations because of high numbers of
attendance, but it’s all just a façade. Many people attend church, pray to some extent, take communion and do all the “right stuff”, but that’s it. They don’t have a deep intimate relationship with the Lord. James reminds us that faith without actions is dead. If we neglect or downright refuse to love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable, study the Word, pray, really pray, and
become as close to God as possible we are in danger. Jesus said, “He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.” (Rev 3:5) We must overcome the tendency to be self-centered and self-absorbed and actually do the things
He did. We must obey His Word and we must walk as He walked. Now and then we
hear of folks who forgive unforgivable things and express love for hateful
people because it is the right thing to do, like a woman in this morning’s
news, She along with her children recently watched her husband shot to death.
She said that though she missed him terribly he had lived solely to reach
others for Jesus and that far greater than her wonderful life with him is the
life God has now given her to live as he lived. What an example to you and me
of obedience to God and His Word. We can do the same if we study, pray,
meditate, allow God to be our all in all and walk the walk.

Scripture NIV

 


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  • Thank you, that was very helpful.
  • Jesus said in Matt 11:28-30 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
    (from New International Version)
    He will take any burden we have heavy as it may be even deliberate sin and give us rest and peace and a life of joy if we will let Him do so and then pursue Him with our whole heart and soul.
    He told the woman who had been caught in the act of adultery "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." (John 8:1from New International Version)
    So just confess your sin to Him and turn away from it and He will forgive. Please do this for the time is short.
    Jesus loves you and He will keep His word.
  • Wow, that's an amazing verse and made me think. I haven't been to church in over two years, and part of the reason is because I can't go to church just because "it's the thing to do." If I go to church, I want to go because it's in my heart to go. I just can't imagine anyone going to church because it's the thing to do!

    Maybe it's my age, maybe it's because of things I've been experiencing as of late, but I just can't stop thinking about how much time I might have left on this earth, or how much time any of us has. I'm not sure where I stand with God, and to be honest I've blatantly rejected him. Does there ever come a time where God will reject us in return and not accept us back? I think the term is "reprobate." Because it seems like no matter how much I try to understand God's word, I just keep going back to things I know are ungodly, consciously, while knowing they are wrong the whole time. Can God forgive this? How do I get to the point of always staying on the "straight and narrow" path? Maybe my fear of death is a good thing in a sense, because really, any one of us could go at any time, and I don't want to die twice - I want to go to Heaven.
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