Alan Fong
3 min read
Alan Fong
3 min read
Alan Fong
3 min read
Back to Life
Today’s Verse:
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. ~Revelation 3:2
I like to tell my wife that she is the orchid queen. Not only does she know how to care for orchids, she is able to take a dying orchid plant and bring it back to life. I’ve seen her help people with dying orchid plants to bring them back to become healthy and flourishing plants. Jesus tells the church at Sardis that it was a dead church that needed to come back to life.
We see the diagnosis.
“I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.” This was a church that had a glorious past but a grievous present. When it started, it was a church that was on fire about preaching, praying, and propagation. Over time, it started to neglect its duties. Attendance at all events dwindled. The members of the church became disinterested. Once-thriving ministries were discontinued. Jesus told them that they had a good name in the past, but now, they were dead. When something is dead, there is no activity and no life. Are there things you once were fervent about that have died? Is your spiritual life lacking the vitality it once had?
We see the disappointment.
“...For I have not found thy works perfect before God.” Jesus was very disappointed in the progressive decline of this church. When He confronted them, He told them that the remaining works that they had were dying as well. When we give less than our best, our works are not perfect before God. When we pull back or let things fall apart, our works are not perfect before God. When we are not diligently praying for our ministries, our works are not perfect before God. When we are on maintenance mode instead of marching forward, our works are not perfect before God. Jesus was greatly disappointed in how the people in the church at Sardis had let things slide.
We see the directive.
“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die.” Jesus told them that they needed to awaken out of their sleep and carefully examine the dying ministries of the church. These ministries needed to be revived. First, we to get back to fervent prayer over our ministries. Second, we need to make soulwinning and reaching people the main thing. Third, we must remember the charter we were given when a ministry was birthed and entrusted to us. This means we must exercise great diligence and care for the ministries. Fourth, we must repent from being slothful and negligent.
We see the discipline.
“If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” Jesus warns us that He will make a surprise visit on us. I believe He is referring to the imminency of the Rapture. If we do not strengthen a dying ministry, the Lord’s coming will be like a thief in the night. We will have regrets at the judgment seat of Christ. Our regret will be that we were not diligent about reviving that which was dying. I believe that it also implies He will remove us from a place of leadership and authority. If we are not faithful where God has placed us, He has every right to replace us. Are there things that are spiritually dying that you should strengthen? It’s time to bring it back to life. Keep a watchful eye on what the Lord has entrusted to you and work at making it stronger and stronger.
Have a strengthened God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Ezra 8-10
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