This is the 5th letter to one of the churches in Asia Minor. Church historians believe that the Sardis church represents the church age of the Reformation. The most prominent figures of that time are Martin Luther and John Calvin. However, during this period of church history, smaller groups, mostly rejected and persecuted, were the real Biblical churches walking in fundamental Christianity.
When Jesus said to Sardis that they have a reputation that they are alive, BUT HE SAYS THEY ARE DEAD, He simply states that they have the right creed, the perfect statement of faith, BUT NO HOLY SPIRIT that gives life.
The Holy Spirit is not in charge of the political system of any state or government. He is in charge of the church of Jesus Christ, made up of born again Believers, blood washed sinners who opened the door to their hearts and invited Jesus Christ to be their savior.
Notice in Revelation 3:3b: AND I WILL NOT BLOT OUT HIS NAME FROM THE BOOK OF LIFE; but I will ….
This is not a threat coming from Jesus own lips, but to the contrary, a PROMISE that those who have life, whose names are written in the book of life, are safe and sound. Because they sit in the midst of non believers in the visible church, their names are not removed from the book of life.
Jewell, Iowa
COMMITTED to train men and women
to have minds for the Lord Jesus,
hearts for the truth, and
hands that are skilled to the task.
to have minds for the Lord Jesus,
hearts for the truth, and
hands that are skilled to the task.
"Wisdom" Tagged Sermons
The sovereignty of God. But what does that mean. It means that God has a very specific plan and purpose for all of us. It is always perfect in it’s wisdom and perfect in it’s timing.
HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE RULED BY SOMEONE WHO KEEPS ALL THE BLESSINGS FOR HIMSELF AND TREATS HIS SUBJECTS WITH CONTENT?
Joseph said to Pharaoh, listen, I am not the one who has the wisdom and knowledge to interpret dreams. Such wisdom belongs to God. He is the one who will give Pharaoh the answer, not me. He probably will use me to do it, but it does not come from me. Apart from Him, I am nothing. Joseph did not receive such honor to absorb it for his own good and to bake in the Egyptian sun of power and prestige. God wanted Joseph to be an outlet of His blessings. He now had all the power to provide and protect for all the people under his care.
What is it that these disciples did not understand, yet the child Jesus brought into their midst did understand? How could this be that the Disciples who where chosen by the Lord Himself to become the Apostles, the movers and shakers of the 1st century, could not understand what this little child understood? Scientific studies and tests show that a child’s creativity – which includes imagination and wonder – diminished by 90 % between ages 5 and 7. When adults get to be 40, they have about 2 % of the creativity they had when they were 5 years old.
The more we know about God, the more overwhelmed we are with wonder.
Moses was changed because he was amazed by something God did in his life.