WHO IS AT THE DOOR?
Wednesday – July 11, 2018, Tamuz 28, 5778
Thank you for rejoining this wonderful faith building Bible Study from the faith Book itself, Hebrews. God is so good to give us His Word whereby if we listen and do we can be far from adversity and in rest. Is there anyone out there that thinks they want to be far from rest and in adversity? Are we thinking that struggling with adversity day in and day out is part of the Christian walk? Make no mistake, adversity will come, it will threaten us, but we should be able to repel it with the faith filled words of our mouth. If not, they are not faith filled words or we have a door or window open due to deceptions of the enemy that needs to be located and slammed shut. Are we thinking that God is using these undesirable things to mold us into being a better Christian? Again, let’s take a look at our primary Scripture and read it aloud, put it in our mouth, our eyes, and in our ears. Remember, this is not mindless reading just to check a religious box, this is done on purpose to change our lives to be more like His, to be excellent sons and daughters of the Father.
Hebrews 12:5-7 (KJV)
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Seven is the number of Divine completion or perfection (maturity) and the seventh verse of our text is telling us that we are to endure this chastening. Just who really enjoys hearing, “you are wrong and this is what is right?” We must train ourselves to enjoy this and receive it directly from the Lord by diligent study. In this way we avoid the embarrassment of public correction. However, when correction comes we must receive it with great joy for it will chase adversity far from us and bring us into rest. Not to receive correction is like refusing a lifeline. Some Christians have a martyr’s mentality but sweet brothers and sisters Jesus has done all the sacrificing that needs to be done so that we may walk in the abundant life (John 10:10). Let’s see what the risen Savior told the Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos concerning chastening.
Revelation 3:18-20 (KJV)
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
The Church at Laodicea was rich in earthly or worldly goods but were paupers in spiritual goods. The fine gold is referring to the purity of the things of God and the fire the purifying effect of the Holy Spirit for spiritual things like physical fire for earthly things. Spiritually they were naked just like Adam in the Garden of Eden after sin. They thought they were so good spiritually based on the things they possessed in the natural. This is not Jesus discouraging abundance, He died for our abundance, He is telling us that the devil may help us be rich in the physical as part of his deception to keep us from producing real spiritual fruit. He is telling them and us that we may be blind to our real spiritual condition. This eye salve is the correcting Word of the Living, the only Living, God.
The more light (Word of God) we have the better we can see. This is spiritual and physical law. Every spiritual law has a corresponding physical equivalent. That is one of the ways we can understand spiritual things better (Romans 1:20). We must choose to apply this eye salve, this correction to our thinking, talking, and ways. We must repent, totally change our minds from our old way of thinking, talking, and doing. Our error, darkness, not only brought shame to the Throne of God but it brought shame into our lives. It brought adversity to us, and it provided a wrong example to those watching us. This is very serious business brothers and sisters, we must be diligent, and humble before our God for all correction.
In verse nineteen (number of faith) we see the word “zealous” indicating that this is not something we approach in a laid back nonchalant way. The quality of our lives and even those around us depend on our ability to receive correction and change. We need to decide in advance that when correction comes to receive the correction and act upon it by faith. Finally, in verse twenty (Number of redemption) we find Jesus outside knocking on our door. What in the world is He doing out there? Jesus is excluded from areas of our life when we embrace false doctrine, traditions of men, and darkness. He is knocking trying to get our attention, He is speaking to us continually trying to get our attention! Why don’t we answer Him, why don’t we open the door? Jesus is the Word. The Word is what brings correction. Would answering the door upset our little fairyland world? Perhaps opening the door and receiving and acting upon correction would cause us to be shunned by our social or Church group. Let’s go ahead and let Jesus in and learn of Him.
Until our next publication, I speak this Scriptural prayer for your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
2 Peter 1:2-4 (KJV)
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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