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Daily Devotions

Revelation

Revelation 
Day 
Day 36

"Be zealous and repent"

Text: Revelation 3:19

THE CALL TO REPENTANCE

The Church at Laodicea was in deep spiritual danger. The only recourse was to repent and to return to the Lord!

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.
Therefore be zealous and repent.
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.
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.
‘He who has an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'”
Revelation 3:19-22

1. The words of stern rebuke

a) They must be understood carefully.

b) They are words of love and not hatred.

2. Rebuke and chastening

a) The ministry of rebuke may be traced to the Old Testament days.

i) The Lord had to rebuke and chasten Israel and Judah for their sins.

ii) The prophets of old preached strongly about the need to repent.

b) The ministry of chastening

i) This often follows the word of rebuke.

ii) Chastening often means going through suffering and hardship.

3. Be zealous and repent

a) Repentance must involve heart and mind.

b) Zeal must also be seen as evidence of true repentance.

c) The word “zeal” has an element of being hot (not lukewarm).

4. Standing at the door

a) The Lord Jesus is depicted as standing outside the door.

b) He will not barge in but will knock at the door.

c) If the believer hears the knocking at the door he must decide what he would do.

d) If he decides to ignore the Lord rudely, then the Saviour remains on the outside.

e) If he opens the door then the Lord would come in and He would dine with the believer.

5. To the overcomer

a) He is reminded that the Lord Jesus Himself was an Overcomer.

b) To the overcomer, the reward is the great privilege of sitting with the Lord on His throne.

c) The Lord Himself sits on the Father’s throne because He was an Overcomer.

6. Hearing what the Holy Spirit says

a) He speaks to the Church at Laodicea.

b) He speaks also to all the other churches that have been named.

c) This word is for all churches and all individual believers.

d) The challenge is to be an overcomer of sins!