SM120624/Jesus' Words to the Last Days Beliver Pt2

Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners to receive free email daily devotions or to become harvest partners, please visit us online@harvest.org will you look at Revelation 3, but I wanted to kind of do a little preview of what is to come next week were in Revelation 4 in the whole emphasis of this great book shifts. Remember John is there and the island of Patmos is sort of catapulted into the future in God's time machine if you will be shown things that are to come in known Revelation forwarding to get a glimpse of heaven will get a look at earth from heaven's perspective by virtue going to see the Lord in glory. And this is really a description Revelation 4 of what I believe is the next event in the prophetic calendar which is the rapture of the church. I will answer questions are often as like what is the rapture when is the rapture do we receive new bodies so more in heaven. What happens to our loved ones. Love already died. Seems like people at these questions often so will address that a much more in our next message in Revelation 4, but today the title is Jesus words the last days believers.

Let's pray together. Father here are your words to us.

Here are the words of Jesus to the church and as we will see.

He again says to us, he that has ears to hear, living here what the Spirit says Lord help us to listen carefully. Help us to see clearly speak to us from your word, we would ask in Jesus name, amen.

Question one of Jesus showed up in our church today okay what I mean in the sense of course we know the Lord is here with us right now and he says when two or more are gathered together in his name is there in the midst of them, but for the sake of an illustrated I'm asking what of Christ himself showed up in bodily form and join our service. What would Jesus think of these people clap not getting any Hollywood like it. What would Jesus think of our worship.

What would Jesus think of the preaching. What would Jesus think of our children's ministry. What would Jesus think of all the things that we are doing. I don't think we would necessarily identify them quickly.

I will when he walked this earth. He was not always identifiable immediately whenever there's a movie about Christ. You can always tell when he's on the scene usually has his own theme music that swells up when he appears he is he is a striking appearance, or if it's a painting he has a halo or a lamb wrapped around his neck, shoulders, Jesus look, I don't think Jesus walked around with a lamb wrapped around is that or holiness staff or doing this all the time. I don't know when so many religions believe that what is this a Boy Scout thing. What's going on here. No, Jesus flew under the radar.

He was an ordinary man in physical appearance.

The Bible tells us he was extremely ordinary but you wonder what he would think because in Revelation, we are looking at Jesus walking to the midst of the church and giving his opinion. Let me personalize that for a moment to draw part of the church. Let's say Jesus showed up at your house after church today. You're just sitting down for dinner with your family and the Lord appears now your front door. Let's say you're one of those Dutch doors you know what I'm talking about where the bottom is shot and the top was open. I don't know why that's a Dutch door was out all about where the dots say like just leave the wooden shoes and go now I don't know but you know. At that store. Obviously you can see in the people can see you. So if Jesus was that your door completely visible to you and you completely visible to him and he says behold I stand at the door and not get it. Go hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in the will of dinner together. I think you would hear him.

And if you were to ignore him. That would be pretty awkward. Wouldn't it let me update what he's saying.

Really, it would be seen you in effect everybody in the Lord here. I'd like to come in for dinner. Are you Linda open the door or just leave me standing here you can hear me right that is the picture for us here in Revelation chapter 3 we find him at the door of the church, knocking now. Last time we looked at the church of Sardis, the church, there was practically dead to streams if you will came out of Sardis that are, in effect, the church of the last days.

They are the church of Philadelphia by the church of Laodicea and you are a member of one of these two churches.

The Philadelphia church. Remember, was the church that was going through the open door of opportunity in proclaiming the word that is organizing the church of Laodicea is a compromising half hearted church. So here's the joy set before you, right now.

Either you are an awakened believer, keeping his word and going to the doors of opportunity that God gives you, or you are a Luke warming in active queue warming mug walk in order mug lump is that some of that sits on the fence and there mug is on one end and their whump is on the other and there's a lot of people like this in the church today and what started out with a small problem earlier on his become a big problem in Laodicea which started out as compromising the church of forgiveness and then became full-blown. Send them via Tyra now has gotten so bad in Laodicea that Jesus is effectively on the outside looking in. I want to do a pet store the other day. It and they had this giant cat there and this is unlike any cat I've ever seen. It's a special breed to call them the macabre, a cat, also known as the jagged cat. It's basically some highbred feline that looks more like a jungle cat, then the little kitty and and it's really bit in fact they get up to 28 pounds. That's a big cat that freak a dog.

I will admit like the whole paradigm is changed, click okay. I'm out you know people gnarly catalog and a long enough and when these cats stand up there huge and I was looking out it and I was with Levi. Let's go and I said you know that cat is Kiki big pieces. I want to tweak that right now Kiki big ill Levi likes to tweet everything uses it to tweak that tweet that the okay whatever icky big but it was insisting. I thought it he's big but it's it it gets inappropriate. It's too big for a cat, and to the point you pay $5000 for one of these things again.

What about when you take it home and it does that Thing when they disappear for a week. You know not to just leave because I don't always morale really 5000 doctors walked on the street. Some things are meant to be. To bed and little since turn into big sins and little compromises turning the big issues. An accident happened here and now we have the church of Laodicea. It's worth noting Jesus is nothing nice to say to her. She is the last of the worst of the seven churches.

There are no compliments there is no commendation. This church was halfhearted. In fact, Jesus said, they make him sick, so let's find out what he says known Revelation 3 starting in verse 14 to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write these things saith the amen the people and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.

I know your work.

You are neither cold nor hot.

I wish you were cold or hot for them because you are lukewarm, and neither cold or hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. King James says you new King James is Bob because you say I am rich and become wealthy, and have need of nothing, don't you know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich and white garments, that you may be closed so the shame of your sick nakedness may not be revealed. And you need to anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see as many as I love I rebuke and chasten.

Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and I not if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in the him and dine with him, and he with me to him that 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 that is an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the church now remember every one of these churches that were looking at. Be it Ephesus or Smyrna or Laodicea thigh attire, etc. these were actual churches and actual cities.

Though this was the church in the city of Laodicea. By the way, that was a city that had a flourishing clothing industry. There was a particular breed of black sheep that was raised around this area in the glossy black wall. What when the dispersal closed were made and sold here so this is sort of like Milan, Italy were a lot of the designers are based.

That's what Laodicea was like, but it was also known for its medical practice, especially in ice that was exported throughout all of the Greco-Roman world, and so they had the special medicinal things that they created there and Laodicea as well as this great clothing industry and then a lot of the great financial institutions were there as well.

So it's like up domination of the Bank of America. Nordstrom's and the Mayo Clinic wrapped into one. It was a very prosperous city and in the midst of this was a very prosperous church. But Jesus was unhappy with what he saw and he says you know what you lukewarm and I'm going to vomit. You out of my mouth. You know, some churches may the Lord we other churches made him angry. The Laodicean church made him and said that's pretty shocking don't you think. I mean, if someone said you you know you break my heart or someone else that you you know you you make me angry at times. It's another thing if someone says to you, you make me want to throw Wyatt's yeah I know you're taking a girl out for the first time and you want to know how you're doing. You say door home either teeth that she would say you make me want to vomit. While that's kind of insulting theirs, and it the only thing worse is that she vomits on you. Okay so little and some miss this because in the King James it says Jesus thinking I will spew you out of my mouth that's on so properties old know the word is vomit. That's probably when a British person would say if they had to throw up 09 feeling quite upset right now actually I think that I'm going to give spew straightaway to is to know more about her proper numeric would say I'm sick, not all. I'm in a bar yeah okay so I'm not trying to grow to out to be silly, maybe a little silly but some I'm trying to help you to see this is what he is actually saying. So let's not miss it.

What's the problem why does he say this will because they were neither cold nor hot. The church of Sardis was cold and dead church and Contessa church of Philadelphia is a church that is hot and alive and vital. But here is a church that is neither cold nor hot. It's merely lukewarm know this is a cultural reference that the Laodiceans would get right away because archaeologists have discovered an important fact about the city they had no local water supply. They obtain their water through an aqueduct from the hot springs of higher obelisk which is about 6 miles away. So if you checked into a hotel and Laodicea and you turn on the tap to get a cold drink of water.

I cares what you would get you whatever water that has gone through this system and by the time it came out of your faucet. It would be tepid and loop warm so you take a sip and he had spit it out.

It would not satisfy your thirst. So this is what Jesus is saying, you know how you guys have this issue with lukewarm water was your lukewarm and you know you drink the water and you spit it out.

That's kind of how I feel about you right, you know, some things are good hot or cold, right milk is great hot pool cocoa in it chocolate very nice. It's great cold waters good hot gourmet coffee or tea.

It's great cold fish is good hot right cooked broiled. I like it cold called sushi. How many of you like sushi, rethinking how we view Jesus reading while interest were divided on this folks, okay, but Jesus is saying you're not hot you're not cold, you're merely Luke warm and it makes me sick to know I don't know about you but I think this is kinda gross, but I hate to throw up. Okay, I mean I don't know if anyone who likes it only be like none of my because everyone got there is always one okay but I find it to me. It's like the worst thing no hard feeling nauseated work for up to one of throw up. You know it and know my wife. In contrast, she doesn't get sick that often, but when she does is deals with I'm sick to my stomach to think.

In fact, it is my Catholic very feminine.

Pretty it's pretty she spews me as I go.

No time to throw you know it's a big ordeal, no matter how you look at it is something you certainly don't want to do something. We certainly don't want the Lord to do. We don't want Jesus to look at us and say you actually make me sick to my stomach. Why would we make the Lord sick to his stomach because we are lukewarm.

Let me ask you question what is your spiritual temperature today. You know you're not feeling want to go to the doctor. Don't take your temperature and so are you hot are you cold or are you lukewarm by the way, those are the only three options ureter burning hot. You're either freezing cold or your miserably lukewarm. Let's explain what each one of those things mean. First, there is cold, Jesus, as I would rather you be cold. This means frozen RIC cold. Jesus is saying I would rather you boil or freeze rather than simmering down to a tepid tastelessness.

The Bible tells us one of the signs of the last days is that people would have cold hearts.

Matthew 2412 says sin will be rampant everywhere in the love of many will grow cold to be called means that you just don't believe in only do you not believe in God, but you have no interest in knowing more about God you have no interest in spiritual things are just called here just dead. There's nothing there at all. It's interesting to me, Jesus, as I would prefer this over lukewarmness. I'll explain why in a moment. Then there's the word hot and by the way the means to be boiling hot, that the word hot that is used by our Lord here comes from the Greek word says those we get our English word zest. The Bible thing you need to be burning hot tube was zest the Bible tells us in Romans 1210 we are to be fervent or hot in spirit. Or as another translation puts it, we are to maintain that spiritual glow with that of the preacher.

Apollo's that he was fervent in spirit, or boiling hot. Would someone say that about you. Would you be described by another person is an on fire Christian would you describe your self that way doesn't. Sometimes you can be on fire and the fire can start to cool down and you need to rekindle it. This is why the Bible says. Then, in the full flame the gift that God is given to you. And sometimes we will neglect our spiritual life and will neglect that fire deep inside so we have to keep rekindling and fueling the fire. Throw another log on the fire. There was those two disciples on the Emmaus Road that were discouraged in their lost heart in their lost hope in their lost Jesus because he had been crucified, they didn't know he had risen again so the Lord joined them on the road, but they don't know it's Christ because these incognito he began to speak to them and open up to them the word of God and as he speaks their hearts. It had grown cold are starting the fire up again and at the end of their journey, they say, did not our heart burn within us while he opened was the word walking with those on the way to listen if you want a burning heart.

You need to fuel the fire. One of the ways to do that reading the word of God that you're doing it right now by hearing the message from the word of God. That's how you stay hot that's a good thing not so much. They will bring all of you talk about being Hodson and on fire. You know I don't want to be perceived as a fanatic. I'm a Christian.

I believe in Jesus but I don't make someone else uncomfortable with what I believe and actually push my beliefs on them. I don't want to come off as being too extreme or or overboard. You know what Jesus says so that honestly that makes me sick. Really, what will you don't want to speak up for me. Jesus is asking you're ashamed to be counted for me. You know want to be thought of as being burning hot for me that turns my stomach. Jesus doesn't like different and that's why he says it's actually better to be cold than lukewarm. G. Campbell Morgan, a great British expositor summed it up best that I quote there is more hope for the men outside the church and all of his coldness them for the men within the church is near enough. It's warm to appreciated and far enough from its burning heart to be useless to God and man. There is a greater chance for the nonbeliever who is not heard the gospel and from the man who is become and evangelize non-believer." That's great state and evangelize nonbeliever. Let me illustrate.

There might be a person right now sitting in a bar somewhere. I guess some bars open already and you know in his life's a mess.he's an alcoholic and is second wife has left him and he's estranged from his children and his life is a mess.

He's even contemplated suicide. This guy is called spiritually. This guy is not a believer but that guy could potentially be closer to getting right with God than a person sitting in this church right now so will I disagree with that, with the second I can be sitting in church with a very pious look on my face doing this, whatever that is. My Bibles open on my lap.

I have four ribbons coming out of it could have a really nice Bible and I know all the words of the songs, but I am completely lukewarm.

I am indifferent, I am without passion.

I'm halfhearted, uncompromising right now and I think I got it all together and in reality, and far from God victim so far from God. Jesus is knocking at the door of my life trying to get in.

Meanwhile, this cold guy down at the bar might be thinking this right now you know what my life is a mess and I need to change and I need to go down to that church to give my life to Jesus again reconciled to my wife and reconnect with my children to see how he can be potentially closer than a person in church who is become nothing more than evangelize non-believer. Listen to this. Lukewarm people are usually the last to know it will be rare for you to have someone walk up you think I I'm a lukewarm person now… Think there is spiritually committed person we give her 17 because you say I am rich and I become wealthy, and I have need of nothing, don't you know that your wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked to be lukewarm is to be blind to your own spiritual condition. This is why lukewarm. This is the most dangerous of all spiritual sickness because a person does not think there said their self deceived. Having just enough religion to inoculate them to the true because the best inoculation against the gospel is the gospel heard but not heeded the RSG, Morgan said, and evangelize non-believer you see the problem with lukewarmness is it's a self-satisfied condition in which a person thinks they have at all and they know it all and Jesus even says your blonde in the word that is used over blind is your deliberately closing your eyes to the truth and you say you have clothes on but you actually have no close off so here is that the correlation to their city. Hey you know what you don't forget all right here, the fashion capital you're all about the beautiful wall right guess what, you're not even wearing close right now and orange all about the ISAF and people come from all around the world to get it. You can even see with your own eyes. So is pointing this out in your so wealthy and such an affluent city. Actually your bankrupt spiritually and you need to get this right. Member the story that Hans Christian Anderson told the Emperor's new clothes, and the story of an Emperor who is very vain and really into the way he looked. And so he went to these tailors and said I want to have the finest garment ever made creative for me to wear among my subjects and so the circuit will have it for you soon. If he came back and they had done anything to make this garment for him. So they liked him and said all yeah the material just came in sire. Here it is in the and they pull out imaginary material and they act like they're holding it up. You see it is that you see King only those who are fit for their position can see this impacted you can see it your stupid things is all I I see it in the Kings Lord to save yeah we see it to right here it is. And so they drape it over him is nonexistent garment and they begin to cut and sew and make his beautiful robe and he so excited says I want to go out and show my whole kingdom and so he and his lords were wearing no clothes at all. Walk out and the people are gathered as the king and his lords march in their royal procession, and everyone's clapping seeing the obvious, but no one wants to say that finally some little kids. His mommy was a king naked so they were busted. That's the church of Laodicea all their self-righteous all we have the finest close.

Jesus says your miserable, your poor, your blind and your naked okay so now what you're just done for no he has a solution you want to change this. They need to make a spiritual investment.

Verse 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich and white garments, too many clothes so the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed, and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see Jesus is using business language. If you will. You guys are all about buying and selling on the usual language for a moment and be like saying to someone you know what you have all these things all these possessions you need to make a spiritual investment using verb exhibit understand Jesus is saying you need to make a spiritual purchase now understand salvation is not for sale. We don't buy with good words, we don't buy it with religiosity. It's purchase for us by the blood of Christ at the cross. It's a gift what Jesus is using this language to say you need to put God first in your life why does the Lord correct this one were wrong. Why does the Lord confront us when were in sin answer because he loves us. Look at verse 19 as many as I love I rebuke and chasten or better translation would be as many as I dearly tenderly love listen when God disciplines you know it when you cross a line is a Christian and do something you should not do and you feel the pangs of conviction or guilt. After you've done a wrong thing or you get caught in what you're doing and often face the consequences. I want you to know, that happens not because God is against you, but because God is for you, not because God hates you, but actually because God loves you he's disciplining his kit story told over and Hebrews 12 628 the Lord disciplines those he loves. He punishes those he accepts as his children as you endure this divine discipline, remember God is treating you as its own children. If God doesn't discipline you, it means you're not his children. It means you're a legitimate and are not his child after all.

Never seen someone's kid acting out the parents do nothing about it. There in a restaurant to get screening, throwing things, you know, the parents are oblivious just letting it go on it's not your position to go in discipline that child you may like to, but you better not see, but it is your responsibility to discipline your child if he or she is acting up. That is your role. In fact, if you don't do that.

You're an irresponsible parent. So in the same way we discipline our children, we don't discipline someone else's children, so the way this works out is if I'm facing this discipline. It's a reminder, I am a child of God. The most dangerous place to be is getting away from with your sin getting away with tears. If you can go out and do something the Bible says you should not do and not feel any conviction or any guilt that concerns me if you can go out and have sex with your boyfriend girlfriend have that affair somehow in your mind rationalizes it well you know God's okay with it if you can divorce your spouse without any biblical grounds whatsoever. If you can go out on the weekend or anytime for that matter I get drunk and wake up from your hangover and all yeah.

But isn't it great to be a Christian and you don't feel any guilt, any remorse, something is seriously wrong with you right now that should freak you out a little bit.

But if you find that the moment you start to cross the line you just go a little bit over offenders which do that or even there's repercussions is it what's going on and that's an indication your cots kit. What David say about discipline says well you know the Lord is my shepherd, shepherd is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters.

Even though I go through the valley of the shadow of death of Col. Weibel why because his rod and his staff. They what comfort, comfort Arad comforts you, you know it is done with Arad back when a sheep goes astray as a last resort. Shepherd will use Arad initially use the staff to pull the sheet back in but it if the sheep is hell-bent on its own destruction and then thus the destruction of the other sheep that stupidly follow one another. The shepherd may take drastic actions to get the sheep in line better to have a broken arm than to become leg of lamb, so the Lord may use the staff in your life and use it and use it. You keep going astray. So he may use that rod.

But you know sometimes the shepherd would walk along and touch the sheep with this rod and the sheep liked it because it was a way of having contact with the shepherd saying the shepherd was there so it wasn't just used, to discipline, and not only that, whatever Frederick came like a wolf or a lion, that shepherd would use the rod to throw at the animal partner within the sheet so it was also an instrument of protection so that's how you need to see these things in your life. Jesus loves us so much is going to tell us the truth and try to help us to change.

That's what he's doing with them. That's what he does with us. Then he says you need to repent.

Verse 19 be zealous and repent or better translation with faith. Let them repent at once in their revocably, then let them continue always to be fired with zeal and repeat that let them repent at once in their revocably, then let them continue always to be fired with zeal why the emphasis on doing this at once because a lukewarm person is pretty far down the road and if they can hear what the Lord is saying he saying in effect, you better act on this before it's too late you're going to far away repented months now do it don't do it in a week don't do it in an hour. Don't do it in 10 minutes. Right now, repent and get back in fire your life up again spiritually and other warnings in Scripture to believers about getting a hardened heart. Hebrews 212 says, but where brother B and any of you an evil heart of unbelief departing from the living God. But exhort one another while it is called today lest you be hardened that the deceitfulness of sin. We have become partakers of Christ. If we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end Jesus is saying act on this now. And finally, he says enter into relationship with me enter into relationship with me not ritual, not rules relationship.

Verse 20 behold, I stand at the door knock anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with me. Now, this verse is often quoted to a nonbeliever.

In fact, I've quoted it many times myself and I think that's entirely appropriate to say that someone is not yet a Christian. Jesus answered the door of your life if you hear his voice and open the door you will commit because becoming a Christian is having Christ come and take residence in you. The Bible says, for as many as received him give given them the power to become sons of God. John 112, when was it just because a person is in church does not mean Christ is in them. This was given to the church which you can be and evangelize non-believer, you can be a lukewarm person you can be a person who attends church with dozen of the Lord living in them.

Jesus is a let's have relationship together were that he uses is interesting. I wanted dine with you. Have dinner with you dine is from the Greek word indicating the evening meal, which was the last and most significant meal of the day. Now a statement like that is lost in our fast food culture because lunch, especially me. It's all about doing quickly your lunch break along 30 minutes maybe an hour probably not for you hop in your car drive down there again in line. You don't have time to sit down in a restaurant hang around in order and get dessert and coffee and all that. Then you gotta get that meal.

You gotta get back. Did you have the clock in.

Sometimes it's even a working lunch. You know your reading your sandwich or your still working in a meeting or whatever on the worksite.

Whatever it it seems when I go to the drive-through take-out. I always get behind the person ordering for their entire office.

So, for starters, it takes forever for them to order and I said there is bag after bag after bag and spouse into their vehicle and no and so you're in a rush, fast food, let's eat. Let's get this over with. That's not the way it was in the first century. Dinner was the main event. That's what you look forward to all day. Most people were doing manual labor and men.

They couldn't wait to go and relax and change her clothes sit around with friends and family have a long leisurely meal. It was time to reconnect time to reflect on the day time to care for one another.

Talk to one another. You did not do that with a stranger, you did it with your family and friends. I don't like to go to dinner with strangers of people so they can articulate dinner sometime.

Greg and there been a few times is it okay and then I realize straightaway. It is a sales pitch well monetary little bit about this product were developing country and so they take forever to order you kind of stuck with them. Then the then they want dessert.

Then they want coffee. She's want to get out of there see that to me is not the way I want to spend my meal I want to be with someone I like to be around this person is giving me indigestion. St. took your businessperson. I'm not going to dinner with you every trying to sell me some art about a dating service. It's called just coffee the ideas instead of going out on a dinner date with someone you meet a stranger, but it's just coffee.

So if you don't like them, you can just okay well I'm done dumb of my coffee while I was, as you know, I'm outta here. That's all. Some people would Jesus pay Jesus.

Let's do coffee. Jesus is saying I don't do coffee to have dinner, then some breakfast and let's have lunch and have dinner again, let's spend time together. Let's have long conversations together. You open your heart to me. I'll open my heart to you will spend a lot of time. I meal some of the most profound things Christ ever said were set over meals to his disciples.

That's why John would lean up against his chest so he wouldn't miss a word that's what he is saying I want relationship with you.

I want friendship with you.

I want you to spend time with me. It's something that we did what we get together and by the way you know when when men and women go on any let me just say something about man I can speak from them, but I think I can speak for many. We don't really like to share our food to don't ask us okay.

I mean, here's two girls in a restaurant like to two couples got there, the girls on. You want to split something. She says of the other girls… What would he want to split.

Then they think about that for a while forget out guys don't split generally in a widow like that we get our food and you get your little split meal and in your reading away and I really good time and then like my wife will say can I have a bite of what you're reading and she is my wife and I love so I deny myself and I say go ahead and then the little fork comes over and first of all, it takes forever because she takes a little bite of this and mixes in the little then grabs a little of that and comforting. I'm just sitting alike waiting teeth I can't eat why she's doing that. I just like hurry, hurry. You know and tendency takes it needs. You know that I get paid back. When dessert, because dessert comes in I will split that because I want you to hold dessert so there it sits in my wife will dig one by delete it and take another bite and its owner fork that she's talking to someone next to her and what she's talking I need all the dessert) so she can fit or gel. Sorry I'll get you another one with the point of all that was but you know you eat with friends and family know what to do with strangers. Jesus is in, let's let's have these meals together. Let's spend time together. Let's get to know one another.

You know, Paul the apostle USENET eases an interesting statement over and Ephesians 317.

He says to the believers errant absences. My prayer for you is that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Now why would you pray that Christ would dwell in the heart of a believer. Doesn't Christ already dwell in the heart of the Christian that we establish that yes he does. So what is it me while I think we understand the original language will make more sense it's a compound word which basically means to live in a house when a prefix meaning down is added to the word, it means something different effectively policy my prayer is that Christ may settle down and be at home in your heart. I am praying that Jesus will feel at home in your heart settle down as a family member that how he feels right now in your life. July 10 want to keep him at the door. I sent of the door not give us a good place you are going to just and right there you can stay in the porch. I will buy limit okay. Come on in Lord send here the front room, you know, we never really use it but here it is. That will call this the Jesus room. This is your room, you can go anywhere you want in this room but were going back arrow.

Jesus is actually wanted room where you going, what was on the kitchen I want to go on the kitchen okay and now I want to go in your family room and I want to go hang out with you guys.

In fact, you know, honestly, I will live here and not only that I would run the place with a whole will know when we would run the place. It will yeah because I'm in the change is come to be so much better, but I'm in Anita master key would he mean the master key committee key to every lock I what I want access to every closet. We have skeletons in the closet. I'll get about that, I'll clean it up.

I'll clean your life up but you are to give me access.

I won't force my way and I don't say I sent of the door not get it, you hear my voice here. You don't open it all kicked the door now design God not how I roll. Know Jesus is a gentleman and I will personally and you want me and I will commit. I sent of the door.

Not if you hear my voice, and open the door, I will commit. I am waiting for an invitation from you and when you do that the Lord will come in and I hope he is settling down and feeling at home in your heart right now heard a story about a pastor who went to visit someone from his church one day he knocked on the door of their house was no answer. What he did here some noise inside the tent there just ignoring me, so he knocked again, still no answer. So he thought it would be very clever to take out his business card and write down Revelation 320 behold, I stand at the doorknob vitamin hear my voice, and open the door, I will commit four days later, he gets a note in the mail was from the person he went to visit and they wrote down to verse two they wrote down.

Genesis 310 which says I heard the sound of the in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself so you better open the door a couple of years ago was with my friend James McDonald. We all know James Wright great preacher is kind of a crazy man privately. That's why like and I'm kind of a crazy man to we have fun together.

James and James into anything.

I will let me qualify that I don't mean bad things would still do funny things like run a restaurant and there's some another table nexus. He says how much you give me a fight, get that table full of people. If I get someone to give me a bite of their meal is a James unknown to give you a bite of their no you give me a symbol of buy you dinner okay so I think he'll never get away with sowing for service in their lives in a house of God front looks good when you meeting their own were revving. Whatever it was. I remember now truly delicious. Can I have a bite he says it, I'm looking at my wife.

I can't believe he's doing this and they give him a by unbelievable so worming couples retreat down to Newport Beach and walk and run a Balboa Island and will want to learn James as I go to the restroom. Is that what we need to go back to the main street there.

There's a restroom in a Starbucks. I think it's a not just go and use the restroom. One of these home said hi unity that exists.

Others knocked on the door of the lesbian user restroom is that that's not going to happen. How would she give me, if I get someone open the door and let the user restroom buy you dinner okay so your team is a big guy to so he walked right up to the store and were standing way back to you.

This is this is insane but it's highly entertaining. He knocked on the door with you the door open shuthe walks away, looking dejected.

What happened was, she said no but would you say hi and isn't on dangerous to know is like no wonder you're a stranger.

She doesn't know you and so that's pretty much a picture we have here, not of James McDonald locking as you probably let him in, but here we have Jesus and we have a choice to either open the door and we invite him in a we slam the door in this phase, there are no other choices.

Jesus says your forming or against well just leave them there.

I will answer the door. Later yeah you can say that lists the my concern is not so much of the Lord will give up on you, but that you'll give up on I'm not saying so much a Jesus will not forgive you but you can get to a point where you would not want to be forgiven. The problem with hearing his voice and not responding appropriately.

As you can end up with an ear rep terribly hardened heart. That's why Jesus says do this quickly, maybe go to spoken your heart today and you realize you know what I don't know if is living in me, but maybe been in the church her whole life that's with the Laodiceans were all about the worst spiritual outwardly but inwardly they were devoid of God, and maybe you've done the right things and said the right things when you realize I have no relationship with Jesus.

I am halfhearted.

I have no passion for God, I am relying on things I've done for God instead of what God is done for me. I need Jesus.

Then again, you may be a little bit more like the person I described earlier at the bar who is coming to the end of his rope who realizes how empty his life is in your same and I want my like to change. I would like Christ to come in your life. Listen here, regardless of if you're religious or nonreligious. If you're a person is going to church her whole life you've never darken the doorway of the church before. This is your first time the answer is the same it's Jesus you need Jesus and you need them now.

You need him right now and the need to respond to his call. See what how I do that you do through prayer in a moment I'm in a give you an opportunity to say Lord forgive me of my sin and come in the my life entering the my heart be at home settle down to whatever you want to do cleanup.

Whatever you want to clean.

I turn it over to you if you will do that Christ himself will come and live in you and your life will change for the better.

Not only here in this life, but for sure in the life to come, because you from that moment on all of the hope that when you die you will go to heaven. Have you asked him to come in by not saying yes, you're automatically saying no, here's an opportunity to respond. Let's all bow our heads.

Father I pray for every personnel.

Hearing this.

Watching this if they do not know Jesus yet. If they don't have you living in their life Lord, would you help them to come to their senses and respond to this opportunity to invite you into their life. Noah has about your eyes are closed and were praying together. How many of you would say today I want Jesus to forgive me. I want them to come in the my line. I want to know that when I die I'll go to heaven. I want my sin forgiven. Pray for me. I'm ready to say yes to Jesus right now that that your desire. Wherever you are.

I want you to stand your feet stand up in the middle the Juno prayer you want Christ to come in your life you want him to forgive you of your sin, you want to go to heaven when you die. Stand your feet nominally Juno prayer.

Are you there watching the video screen here at harvest Riverside their harvest orange county wherever you are. Harvest orange crest stand your feet right nominally join this prayer of commitment to Jesus stand up, publish, stand up is more of you that need to stand up.

Bless you guys. That's right, stand up and I want to have your prayer prayer out loud outside during the amphitheater.

You stand up in the court building. You stand harvest orange press harvest orange county stand up right now I'm the lead you this prayer a prayer of asking Jesus to come in your life. Anybody else in the spinal moment to give the stand stand now. Bless you that are stand.

Bless you.

Anybody else then now one final moment publish you and you will bless you anybody else bless you. Anybody else publish all right all of you in understanding them and lead you in a simple prayer I would ask that you would pray this prayer out loud after me again as I pray pray this after me now out loud, Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner but I believe you died on the cross for me.

I know you're standing at the door and knocking so come in the my life be my Savior be my friend be my God, be my Lord I give you the master key to my life. I choose to follow you from this moment forward in Jesus name I pray, amen