Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 2-3 is about the seven times of the sprinkling of blood in front of the Ark of Covenant. It refers to the last sanctification to the seven churches of the Gentiles or the church in the last days, until they are perfect and blameless as Jesus, to welcome His second coming on the glorious clouds. Although the church of God has many excellences, but if there is a blemish, he will not reach perfection and be left on His second coming.
Revelation 3:1-6 is about the church in Sardis.
Revelation 3:2-3
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.
3:3 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.
The last sanctification to the church in Sardis is so that they experience spiritual revival and always watch.
The church in Sardis or all of us must watch in two things as follows.
ad. 1. Being watchful about the ministry.
We must watch our ministry because there are no works of the church in Sardis which are perfect. They are even ready to die (there is no more fire).
Luke 12:35-36
12:35 “Let your waist be girded and yourlamps burning;
12:36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.
There are three things to watch about the ministry.
Thus, being watchful in ministry means being watchful in the fire of God’s Word (perseverance in the Bible Study Service) so we can live in righteousness and holiness, being watchful in the fire of Holy Spirit (perseverance in the General Service) so we are faithful and fervent in spirit in the ministry, and being watchful in the fire of God’s love (perseverance in the Prayer Service) so we experience peace in Him.
Hebrews 1:7
1:7 And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.”
A holy, faithful and fervent in spirit, and peaceful servant of God is as a flame of fire.
Revelation 1:14
1:14 His head and hair werewhite like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire;
God’s eyes are like a flame of fire.
Thus, a holy, faithful and fervent in spirit, and peaceful servant of God is as the apple of His eye and will be pleaded by Him.
Daniel 7:9
7:9 “I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment waswhite as snow, And the hair of His head waslike pure wool. His throne wasa fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire;
A holy, faithful and fervent in spirit, and peaceful servant of God is also as the throne of God.
The task of the servant of God is to present the throne of God in the midst of the congregation, so they experience His help.
Psalm 11:4
11:4 The Lord isin His holy temple, The Lord’s throne isin heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.
If there is the throne of God, His eyes as the Great Shepherd test us, meaning looking at us with His mercy. He understands and cares our condition. He struggles for us.
The results are as follows.
God blesses us.
Revelation 2-3 is about the seven times of the sprinkling of blood in front of the Ark of Covenant. It refers to the last sanctification to the seven churches of the Gentiles or the church in the last days, until they are perfect and blameless as Jesus, to welcome His second coming on the glorious clouds. Although the church of God has many excellences, but if there is a blemish, he will not reach perfection and be left on His second coming.
Revelation 3:1-6 is about the church in Sardis.
Revelation 3:2-3
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.
3:3 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.
The last sanctification to the church in Sardis is so that they experience spiritual revival and always watch.
The church in Sardis or all of us must watch in two things as follows.
- About the ministry.
- About Jesus’ second coming.
ad. 1. Being watchful about the ministry.
We must watch our ministry because there are no works of the church in Sardis which are perfect. They are even ready to die (there is no more fire).
Luke 12:35-36
12:35 “Let your waist be girded and yourlamps burning;
12:36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.
There are three things to watch about the ministry.
- Keeping our waist being girded.
Ephesians 6:14
6:14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
The belt means truth.
John 17:17
17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
Truth equals to the Word of God that sanctifies, or the true teaching Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword.
Jeremiah 23:29
23:29 “Isnot My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
The teaching Word is like a fire.
Thus, keeping our waist being girded means being watchful in the true teaching Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword. It equals to being watchful in the flame of fire. If there is another teaching or false teaching, it means that the fire is quenched.
Where can we watch the true teaching Word or the flame of fire? It is through perseverance in the Bible Study Service with Holy Communion (the Table of Showbread). It equals to having fellowship with the Son of God in the true teaching Word and the sacrifice of Christ. Through Holy Communion, the true teaching Word is ingrained in our life.
Every servant of God must persevere in the Bible Study Service with Holy Communion and hold fast the true teaching Word, so they always experience sanctification by the flame of fire.
Malachi 3:1-3
3:1 “Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the Lord of hosts.
3:2 “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He islike a refiner’s fire And like launderers’ soap.
3:3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the Lord An offering in righteousness.
The results are as follows.- Our ministry pleases and satisfies God. Thus, He will also please and satisfy us.
- Our ministry is right even perfect.
Proverbs 10:20
10:20 The tongue of the righteous ischoice silver; The heart of the wicked is worthlittle.
Silver refers to the servant of God who is set free from sins until the tongue only says right or honest words. Let “yes” be “yes” and “no” be “no”.
Gold is the godly character, that is being obedient until the flesh does not sound anymore.
Acts 3:5-6
3:5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
3:6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
The servants of God who are honest and obedient will be entrusted the name of Jesus, so we experience resurrection power to beat paralysis in ministry or marriage. We continuously experience the resurrection power so we keep standing firmly until the end line, that is until we die or until He comes a second time. - Our ministry pleases and satisfies God. Thus, He will also please and satisfy us.
- Keeping the lamp burning.
Luke 12:35
12:35 “Let your waist be girded and yourlamps burning;
We must have the oil of Holy Spirit to keep the lamp burning. It equals to being watchful in the fire of Holy Spirit.
We must watch the fire of Holy Spirit through perseverance in the General Service (Golden Candlestick) and the true fellowships. It equals to having fellowship with Holy Spirit God in His anointing and gifts.
Romans 12:11
12:11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
A burning lamp means being faithful, responsible, and fervent in spirit in doing the ministry according to God’s trust. Thus, we will be able to go through the darkness of the world in the last days that is full of difficulties and sin up to its peak.
Romans 1:26-27
1:26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
1:27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
Without the fire of Holy Spirit, the lamp will be quenched. As the consequence, one will be burned in his lust, meaning falling in the peak of sin and being swallowed by the darkness of the death.
1 Timothy 4:8-10
4:8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
4:9 This isa faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance.
4:10 For to this endwe both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is theSavior of all men, especially of those who believe.
Ministry contains double promise of God, that is for our present as well as eternal life. - The ambience of marriage or wedding feast.
Luke 12:36
12:36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.
The ambience of wedding feast is the one of God’s love. Thus, we must be watchful in the fire of His love. If there is God’s love, we will minister with Heavenly joy and happiness, with willingness and neither being forced nor forcing. Love never ends, meaning ministry with love will be eternal.
Where can we watch the fire of God’s love? It is through perseverance in the Prayer Service (Golden Altar of Incense). We experience fellowship with Father God in His love.
Matthew 17:2,4
17:2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
17:4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
Through worship prayer, we experience life renewal starting from our face or heart, which is the center of our life. Let us worship God more so that our heart is renewed as His heart.
Numbers 20:7-8
20:7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
20:8 “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.”
Moses was disobedient, but through worship prayer he could have an obedient heart.
1 Kings 19:2-4
19:2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me,and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”
19:3 And when he saw that,he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongsto Judah, and left his servant there.
19:4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I amno better than my fathers!”
Elijah had a hard heart so he was disobedient, disappointed, desperate, or even proud of something. The consequence was being weary.
Matthew 11:28-30
11:28 Come to Me, all youwho labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
11:29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
11:30 For My yoke iseasy and My burden is light.”
Through worship prayer, the hard heart is renewed to a humble and gentle one, a heart that only believes and obeys. Thus, we will experience peace and calm, and everything becomes easy and light.
Thus, being watchful in ministry means being watchful in the fire of God’s Word (perseverance in the Bible Study Service) so we can live in righteousness and holiness, being watchful in the fire of Holy Spirit (perseverance in the General Service) so we are faithful and fervent in spirit in the ministry, and being watchful in the fire of God’s love (perseverance in the Prayer Service) so we experience peace in Him.
Hebrews 1:7
1:7 And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.”
A holy, faithful and fervent in spirit, and peaceful servant of God is as a flame of fire.
Revelation 1:14
1:14 His head and hair werewhite like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire;
God’s eyes are like a flame of fire.
Thus, a holy, faithful and fervent in spirit, and peaceful servant of God is as the apple of His eye and will be pleaded by Him.
Daniel 7:9
7:9 “I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment waswhite as snow, And the hair of His head waslike pure wool. His throne wasa fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire;
A holy, faithful and fervent in spirit, and peaceful servant of God is also as the throne of God.
The task of the servant of God is to present the throne of God in the midst of the congregation, so they experience His help.
Psalm 11:4
11:4 The Lord isin His holy temple, The Lord’s throne isin heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.
If there is the throne of God, His eyes as the Great Shepherd test us, meaning looking at us with His mercy. He understands and cares our condition. He struggles for us.
The results are as follows.
- The caring power.
Mark 6:34
6:34 And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.
The merciful hands of God are able to care for our life miraculously, both physically and spiritually. - The healing power.
Mark 1:40-41
1:40 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”
1:41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out Hishand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”
Impossible physical illness can be healed. Spiritual and marriage illness can also be healed. - The resurrection power.
Luke 7:13-15
7:13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”
7:14 Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried himstood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”
7:15 So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.
The resurrection power erases all impossibilities and raises the dead. The resurrection power is also a continuous renewal power, that is being dead to the old life and raised in the new life. Renewal is started from there are no more lies. When there is lie, there will be weeping. If there are no more lies, God will say, “Do not weep.” We are renewed continuously until there are no more tears on His second coming.
God blesses us.