LAODICEA

Job 31:4-6 KJV
[4] Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? [5] If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; [6] Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.

Proverbs 11:1 KJV
[1] A false balance is abomination to the Lord : but a just weight is his delight.

Genesis 1:1-5 KJV
[1] In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. [2] And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. [3] And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. [4] And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. [5] And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

KEY VERSE

Revelation 3:14-22 NKJV
[14] “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: [15] “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. [16] So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. [17] Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’-and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked- [18] I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. [19] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. [20] Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. [21] To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. [22] “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Is there a modern day Church of LAODICEA?

LUKEWARM

1. A spiritual condition where you find yourself comfortable.
2. You can get along with the church because you have a form of godliness.
3. You can get along with the world because your light doesn’t shine so bright that it convicts them.

WHEN GOD VOMITS

1. What makes God sick enough to PUKE?
2. I’ve encountered this spirit. I’ve literally told Paula, in some situations, “I feel sick to my stomach”.

BECAUSE YOU SAY

1. [17] Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’-and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-
2. LAODICEA was apparently a successful church in their day.

YOU DO NOT KNOW

1. Would you like to know what you don’t know?
2. Counsel
   • “I wish I knew then what I know now”…
3. A false balance…it’s telling you a lie.
4. 2 Corinthians 10:12 KJV
   [12] For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
5. Something told you you were rich but you are naked.
6. LAODICEA thought they were ok. The sin they had learned to tolerate was justifiable in their eyes. They weren’t seeing themselves as they really were.
7. JESUS THE STANDARD
   • The Pharisees threw Him out because they were looking through an illusion.
   • Do you remember the Jesus that appeared to you at the altar of repentance?
   • Do you remember when sin brought a bad taste to your mouth?
   • Do you remember when you loved everybody?
   • Do you remember when your eyes were opened to your sin.
   • There is NO GOSPEL WITHOUT REPENTANCE

BUY GOLD FROM ME

Isaiah 55:1-2 KJV
[1] Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. [2] Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

When God established our ministry to the local church in 1995 Pastor Rob Yanok was praying for the first meeting. He walked in the room that night with tears in his eyes and this scripture was burning in his heart. As he read it that night there wasn’t a dry eye in that little living room filled with 35 souls.

1. I counsel you…God knows now what you will know then.
2. Get in a relationship where you can buy true riches without money.
3. Come to a Kingdom where the things that measure you aren’t numbers and statistics.
4. Stop comparing yourselves among yourselves.

THE BEGINNING OF GOD’S CREATION

Genesis 1:1-5 KJV
[1] In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. [2] And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. [3] And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. [4] And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. [5] And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Matthew 5:14 KJV
[14] Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

John 12:32-36 NKJV
[32] And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” [33] This He said, signifying by what death He would die. [34] The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” [35] Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. [36] While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

1. I will draw them…1995
2. He that walks in darkness does not know where he is going
   • The spirit of the modern church will try to come to you.
   • The business model of church started with executive boards trying to run the church and now the marketing schemes of the world has become the buzz. Through branding and advertising they draw millions every Sunday morning in America and they claim to tell them about the cross.
   • They paint a Christianity that sells. Saul / Ananias…
   • A salvation with no commitment.
   • True repentance isn’t witnessed.
   • No one has a vision of where this leads us in twenty or thirty years. We are just having a lot of fun posting numbers and collecting money- to build crowds to build buildings to collect more money to build crowds to post numbers to build buildings …
3. The occasional true conversion becomes the justification of a watered down Gospel while millions are walking in darkness.
4. They call good evil and evil good.
5. It is a spirit of LAODICEA
6. You say you’re rich but he sees naked!
   Proverbs 11:1 KJV
   [1] A false balance is abomination to the Lord : but a just weight is his delight.

Are our meetings punctuated by WEEPING FOR SOULS?

When is the last time you cried yourself to sleep because a soul was lost?

When you heard 17 souls went into eternity, no doubt some were prepared and some most likely face untimely judgement and damnation. Do you weep or do you jump on Facebook to argue your point on how this can happen in a free society with a church on every corner.

Where are you spending your time?

Where are you spending your money?

This will only get worse until the Church starts having more prayer than entertainment.

When the Church has more people equipped to make disciples than to make dinners…