What Does Jesus Think? (Part 6)

Many years ago there was a speaker speaking to a group of men and he was talking about missed opportunities in life and at the end of the talk.

A man came up to the speaker and he said to him, he said I'm sorry. When puzzlement got a feeling of offense was written on the face of the speaker about the man continued. He said the truth is you have reminded me of fresh all missing God's best in my life.

And then he continued, he said many years ago I felt a deep conviction in a deep call of God commissions but then I said, I'm going to earn enough money so I can support myself and I began to earn money and started making money on the market making money and he said I got so busy making money now is that I have all the money I need for two lifetime, but emptiness for my companions. Well I think of that speaker was on his feet, or can think fast enough. Should've said to the man that you can do with the blessings of God has given you more than what you would've would've accomplished by yourself because it's never too late. With God's economy. But back then I was young and green because I can tell you as I travel the globe and talk to so many people. This man is not alone.

There are so many individuals who live in regret about what they could've accomplished what could have happened had they been obedient had they done this or have they done that and so those who miss out on the opportunities of God gives them will be open doors that God open for the very continued to live their lives in regret. Whether they did not go through that door Take that opportunity because of fear or timidity, or lack of faith or because of apathy or whatever it might be, there is always the feeling of regret. But I'm here to declare to you today that in the economy of God. It is never too late. I will repeat that in the economy of God that is never too late to see God is in the redeeming business. God is in the restoration business.

God is in the forgiveness business. God is not in the regretting business.

God is not in the moping on soaking business. God is not and it is too late for me. Business. No, it is never what whatever opportunities you feel that you might have missed whatever open doors that you feel that you did not go through you heard the senator got to tell you to walk through whatever situation that beckoned you in the past and you did not respond. It is never not to be sure, of course not the same opportunity in the same time in the same place they might never repeat themselves. But in the economy of God you can be just as effective today you currently just as useful for the kingdom of God today. If you ready to pick up the pieces and move all sitting down in regret sitting down soaking in moping about what could've been, is not the purpose of God for your life but it is the purpose of God for your life to say Lord Jesus. It is never today were going to look at the message of the resurrected Jesus Christ to the believers in the city of Philadelphia. What a delightful message of this is probably the most delightful message of all the seven at least for me was a delight to prepare some messages absolutely weigh me down so I haven't. And especially when there is a rebuke about a sin and I begin to examine my own life in order to cleanse myself before I can stand before you and I read this message to the city of Philadelphia but by the way that's not those of you watching from Philadelphia is not for you as a church in Asia minor because he read this message of Jesus. There is no center rebuke.

There is no compromise to pointing to. There is no false teacher to warn them about that is not false teaching to God asking to purge themselves. In fact, is one church of all the seven churches in Asia minor that would be looking at from the book of Revelation that I would like to be part of a suggestion Philadelphia but then I would ruin it is like the couple who went to the pastor as a pastor. We are moving because we found the perfect church and the pastor said please don't join it to ruin it now to tell you something. There is no such thing as a perfect church.

As long as the church is made up of people. There is no such thing as a perfect church there is such a thing as a faithful church, a church that is faithful to the Scripture faithful to the truth faithful to the gospel and there is an faithful church. That's the only difference that you can find there is no such thing as a perfect church. I want to please turn to Revelation 3, beginning at verse seven.

It is Revelation chapter 3, beginning at verse seven to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write. These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens, no, one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.

I know that you have little strength, and yet you have kept my word, and you have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but liars will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is coming upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I'm coming soon.

Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will I leave it I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down from heaven from my God and I will also write on him my new name. He who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Father what a privilege and honor for us to hear your words directly. Lord Jesus, spoken to us. What a privilege and what an honor to know that we are about your father's business. Lord Jesus, I pray that what output ear hears our inner will determines to do in Jesus name, amen. Philadelphia was the crossroad of the entire world at that time. In fact, it was called the gateway to the east. It was a city of many templates. It was founded soon after 189 BC biking at the loss King Allah succeeded his older brother King MNS of Pergamum but out of deep love for his older brother. He took the city of Philadelphia and named it Philadelphia asked, meaning brotherly love and it stood as an monument to two brothers who genuinely love each other but is something of vital importance. I don't want you to miss it.

I don't want to miss it something of vital importance here because Philadelphia strategic place geographically because it was called the gateway to the east. Because of that, the Greeks saw the church as springboard for them to propagate the Greek culture to propagate the Greek philosophy to propagate the Greek language the rest of the world whom they viewed as barbarians.

They were stuck up on themselves and they thought they the ones have high culture and great language in the rest of the world were all called barbarians by the Greeks. We saw in the last message and all the other messages that in every message that Jesus speaks to the church. Whatever the church might be whatever city therein, he would take one of the characteristics of that city and he either applies it to the believers or he warns the believers from living within that culture and molding their lives on that culture and not standing up against subculture depending on what the characteristic is someone negative some appositive it happened to be a positive characteristic here in the church of Philadelphia and saw the Lord Jesus Christ and the sense is saying to them this. You, the believers in the city of Philadelphia you live in a city that is known for being the springboard to propagate Greek culture and Greek philosophy and Greek language you live in the city that is the gateway for preaching of Greek philosophical thought. You live in the city that is known for being a missionary sending city of Greek thought to the rest of the world. Now I have for you a greater vision than the Greek language in the Greek culture and the Greek philosopher now I have for you a far more serious message than that. The spread abroad. Now I have far greater, more tangible mission for you. Took complex than that of a Greek culture now. I am placing before you a message of life and death, eternal life, eternal death for you today. The rest of the world that this is the message of the resurrected Christ to the believers in Philadelphia. What is it Christ open door of opportunity is the very key of this entire message that Jesus is giving to the church that if there is one foundational verse in those few verses from verse 7 to 13 of Revelation 3. It is verse eight. Behold, as auras and some translation says you see I have before you an open door offset before you an open door knob love and I want to tell you some God always provides opportunities for all of us to share our faith with others. God always open doors that no one can shut God always provides us with people who have open hearts and open minds to hear the good news. But here's a question that's the question I wanted to ask yourself, do we have the eyes to see and do we have the spiritual sensitivity to perceive it. Do we have the courage to see the opportunity that God has given us. Are you willing to walk through the open door that God has placed before you knew you renewing me that's a question the believers in Philadelphia.

All they have so many obstacles they had so many difficulties they had so many handicaps and so many witnesses, even the Lord Jesus Christ that I know you have little strength, and if there are a group of people in the face of the earth would have every excuse to say Lord we can do that is too much. Those folks would have an excuse, but they would not miss out on God's opportunity they would not ignore God's open door. They would not trample upon them will not squander the rare opportunities Jesus is giving them to take the message of the cross to the rest of the world, but there is a fact of history that we know God's open doors don't stay open forever. They don't stay open forever and that is why Jesus is saying because of your faithfulness to me because of your loyalty to my word, and because you have not denied my name. And because you have been persevering on the pressure because of all that I'm going to give you a unique opportunity to make me to the rest of the world and do great things for God.

I just wonder there's a springtime, meditating, thinking the whole week is that I wonder how many of us honestly and truth. When you all alone with God. I wonder how many of us really understand the privilege, the of bringing someone to Christ.

The parameters and the honor of being instrument to take someone's eternal destiny from Helen Tolman to heaven and glory.

What a privilege.

But let me tell you again with certainty that these doors will not be open forever. And so the question my beloved friend. Is this the question you need to ask yourself is this, I pray to God that you and rest until you answer that question for yourself what involvement do I have in these open doors. What part of my playing to take advantage of the opportunity in the open door that Jesus has opened the second question is this why are these doors open with people. He stressed that always say I have another foggiest and I really mean this as I did a study of this particular message of Jesus and I realize that it is because of the sovereignty of God.

I cannot explain it any other way and you see it right here in Revelation 7 because Jesus has the key because Jesus has the key that opens and then when he shuts nobody can open what exactly it means that Jesus has authority over the minds and the hearts of kings and poppers alike shape means that Jesus has authority over every heart of every human being on the face of the earth.

It means that Jesus and only Jesus has the authority to open the door and then when the day comes, Jesus and only Jesus would have the authority to shut the door and nobody will be able to open it, but I don't want you to miss what Jesus said about the blessings for those who walk through that open door.

The blessings that are uniquely designed for those who take advantage of the opportunities that God places before them in verse nine factor several verse nine. I don't want to miss his saying so what's a synagogue of Satan with the Jews and the Jews. I want to own explained that the user would let me about those unfaithful Jews will come to you and the balance of fourth means this listen to me very carefully. If you obedient to the voice of God and you walk through the open door. Your enemies will respond and that were turned away from their wickedness and they will repent and become believers. That's what it means. Let me tell you something. In any law of spiritual warfare is only those who are on the offensive only offense will have the victory and I tell you something I wanted to listen to me I have with too many Christians who was sitting there saying all come under attack. Satan is attacking me. Satan is attacking my business that you're thinking my family listen to me today. I wanted to listen very carefully you'll do not send back and say Satan is attacking me know you go into Satan's territories and your say to him. Satan in the name of Jesus and by the power of his blood and in the strength of Jesus. I'm going to invade your territories. I am going to rescue the perishing.

I'm going to heal the wounded.

I'm going to bind the brokenhearted, set the captives free. In Jesus name I consider one thing, as long as God gives me breath, life uncommitted, Clay to sharing the gospel of the love of Christ with the enemies of the cross, wherever they may be, and we have seen with our own eyes have seen it too many times to doubt. It was seen former terrorists with seen former people haters with seeing the angry young man, and all become gentle, caring and loving followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

How because they heard the gospel message, and I responded to it and change the lives and they turn from enemies to being lovers of the Lord Jesus Christ and his followers. I've seen it too many times to doubt it. You see so many of us have been sitting on the gospel preaching and teaching for so long that we have become lukewarm and become dried-up and we no longer moved by the power of the gospel.

This changing lives in the city and around the world.

Those of you who have walked through the open doors of Jesus set before you, you might not see it in your lifetime, but I can promise you in the name of Jesus and the authority of God's word that when you walk the streets of gold.

When you walking the streets of heaven. There are people going to come up to you and the governor. Thank you.

They will say thank you for your obedience.

Thank you for walking through the open door that God has placed before you.

Thank you for sharing Christ with me because of you who I am here in heaven today. Then the second promise that Jesus gives those who walk through the open door. The second promise that is uniquely given to those who will see is the opportunities that God placed before them is protection is protection. I don't wanted to misunderstand me here. Many of us been praying for the protection of this great country and we not only should, but we will continue any parents or grandparents who prays for the protection of their children and grandchildren. You must keep on doing that. Don't stop if you pray for your own protection.

Keep praying. Don't stop but I'm going to speak to you today. Not my words, beloved, but on the authority of the words of Jesus that if you walk through the open door. If you take the opportunities he's given you the Bible said.

Jesus said that I will protect you. You don't have to ask for it, but it's okay to ask for it. He will provided for you.

He will give it you look at verse 10 of chapter 3 of the book of Revelation because you have kept my word, I will keep you because you proclaim and protected my word from watering it down from compromising it from ignoring it from walking all over you will be protected from the enemy might that may be that you will be protected because that is a conditional promise only for those who have lived in obedience to the open door and the door opener but finally the resurrected Christ is always promises several things to those who did not squander the opportunities those who did not trample upon the opportunities of sharing the gospel with those who desperately needed first.

He said that become pillars in the temple of my God was at the decedent that the concept of a pillar is a concept that denotes permanence. It's a concept that denotes stability and remove ability. The concept of a pillar. Also expresses purpose and honor in the pagan temples, which the believers in Philadelphia were surrounded by them you see they carved their pillars in the Temple's in honor of a particular deity and Jesus is saying to the faithful believers who obediently walk through the doors of opportunity that he will placed before them. For those who will not squander those opportunities he is saying to them I am going to give you the place of eternal honor walk but that's not all. Secondly, he said that person will have the name of Jesus written all over them, which symbolizes a very special relationship with him.

Not just another in accordance but a very special relationship with them. Suddenly he said that person will live in safety, security, and glory in the heavenly Jerusalem. Ultimately, Christ said that he will give that person a new name that is the representation of the fullness of who Jesus is going to share this true story with you and I'm gonna conclude there was a dear lady who dream for very long time of taking a train ride through the English countryside and when she got on the train she took forever arranging and rearranging her baggage is on the shelves above and then she got so busy trying to get the shades just right and she just couldn't get it together too much. This wire too much the other way and then she got an argument with one of the passenger and by the time she's had back to enjoy the ride the station to station was called out that she had to get up and leave my beloved.

There are so many of us listen to me. I love you to put you on the guilt. I'm here to challenge you because I wanted to be blessed in the blessings of God are almost conditional. And it's here this is the we get so preoccupied with life superficialities. We get so preoccupied with the fleeting and the temporal.

We get so preoccupied with the unimportant and even gets bogged down in silly arguments. We get preoccupied with self-centered causes until we finally train comes to the station and then look back and you keep living in regret. I am saying to you today.

As I said earlier in this message. Do not waste another minute in regret. Do not waste another minute and wishful thinking to not waste another moment on saying what could have been no known now arise God, dear father ask him to forgive you for missed opportunities of the past.

Ask him to show you new opportunities for the future. Ask him to equip you for the task asking to equip you for the battle and ultimately asking to give you the right to invade Satan's territory because victory does not belong to apathy but the courage and obedience. Thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael use that recently featured on leading the way. If you'd like to know more about us, please visit LTW.org that LTW.Ward