Focus

Let your soul take a moment of rest as you hear God’s word. Put your busy schedule, wandering mind, stressful thoughts, and burdened heart at the feet of the cross and open up to God’s voice as the Giver of Life tends your soul.

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Read

Revelation 3:7-13 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of the holy one, the true one,
who has the key of David,
who opens and no one will shut,
who shuts and no one opens:

“I know your works. Look, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.  I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but are lying—I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.  Because you have kept my word of patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.  I am coming soon; hold fast to what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.  If you conquer, I will make you a pillar in the temple of my God; you will never go out of it. I will write on you the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem that comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.  Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

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Reflect

I want to focus on verse 7 and 8. The Key-Holder takes us back to the Old Testament. There was a priest named Eliakim who held the office of Key-Holder in King David’s palace. The office of Key-Holder gives him full authority to act on behalf of the King. If he unlocked to palace door, it remained unlocked. If he locked the palace door, it would remain locked. Just like Eliakim, Jesus is the ultimate Key-Holder. Jesus is the Key-Holder who opens and closes doors of opportunity for all of us to go in or out. Seek and you shall find knock and it will be open to you.

Jesus is the one who opens and closes doors. We are dependent upon him. We cannot evangelize or expect God to send revival without Jesus. Satan could not stop revival in the church in Philadelphia, Jesus told them ‘I know that you have little strength.’ Yet, all they needed was the Holy Spirit to be behind them and God plus one faithful Church member is a majority.

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Pray

Lord Jesus I give you thanks and praise for you are the Key-Holder one who opens and closes doors of opportunity to share the word of God. Thank you for opening doors when you want us to go out into our community and share the only hope for our world, Jesus Christ. Thank you for our missionaries who walked through the door of opportunity to serve you throughout the world. Help me to become a home missionary to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ through words and deeds, within my family, church and community. I know that when I am weak you are strong and with the Holy Spirit I can become a majority of one. Amen.

Go with God!