Which Church Are You?

You'll just remain standing. I'll read I'll read my text and I hope you're uh ready to learn of the word of God. Thank you for uh being here tonight. Thank you for those of you that are watching online. Revelation chapter 1. Revelation 1 verse 9. I John who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ was in the aisle that is called Patmas for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. And then he changes gears. I was in the spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet saying, I am alpha and omega, the first and the last, and what thou seeest, these are in red words.

So if you're reading along in your Bible, this is this is the Lord Jesus speaking. John describing it as the Lord would speak. What thou seeest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia, unto Ephesus, unto Smyrna, unto Pergamus, unto Thotyra, unto Sardis, unto Philadelphia, and unto Leadyia. I want to I want to teach tonight something that I've been unable to escape and it's really been a journey uh for me uh in studying the seven churches of the book of revelation each of those found in uh chapters two and chapter three. If you look at those two chapters, every word in those two two chapters is the Lord Jesus Christ speaking to John.

Actually, the book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ. When you look at the the title of the book, revel the revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ. John writing to the churches, the seven churches in Asia. So tonight, I want to maybe approach this subject from a way that you may have never approached it. I just know what I feel in the Holy Ghost. And I just want to simply ask you a question which will be my title. And it's simply this. Which church are you? Which church are you? We're going to talk about all seven churches. And uh maybe you need to if you've got a pen and paper or you want to make some notes. I know brother Atkins come with his notebook ready to go.

I'm going to give you some stuff to write down. But tonight before we leave, you're going to be able to self diagnose which church you are. Lord, thank you for this night. Thank you for your word. Thank you for what you're going to say. God, I trust you. I need your anointing. I need your power. God, help me tonight to do exactly what your will would be. In the name of Jesus, we pray. And everybody say, "Amen." You may be seated. In the in the opening chapters of the book of Revelation, Jesus as you read these chapters, you will discover that Jesus is simply walking through the seven churches and speaking directly to those said churches. And uh what he would do is speak to their spiritual condition because these were not metaphorical churches.

These were literal churches in Asia, Asia Minor, but they also represent spiritual conditions that can exist today in this church and in the church of the living God in general. And it's in any church generation. It wasn't just for that age or for that time in that season. Much like the Old Testament, we see in the word of God where uh you go back to the first five books, Genesis, 6, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and we talk about the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of the basically this is another one of those patterns that the Lord Jesus is speaking to John on the aisle of Patmas. And uh Jesus was giving his uh if I could use the word diagnosis, but it was more than just a diagnosis.

It was not a criticizing, if you will. It wasn't just merely criticizing, but he was calling the church. And I want you to catch this. He was calling the different churches, which were his people. He was calling them to repentance.

He was calling them to renewed reviving or a revival. He was commissioning and trying to stir up faithfulness and a spiritual reawakening in these churches. And so if I could say this to us as a church, as the SEC and whole, what I am teaching tonight is not about examining other people.

We're not here to uh they're that church or she's that church or he's no, no, no. It's about asking ourselves, what church am I? because uh you you're going to see as we go through these you're going to understand which church best describes me or what condition is my heart truly in or what does Jesus commend in me or what does he celebrate in me or what does he let's let's flip that same coin what does he rebuke in me you know what I've come to realize the older I get that if there's something in me. I want him to rebuke me now and stir me now so that I can correct the error of my way and not do it at the judgment seat and it'd be too late.

Uh you you know another angle of this as I as I studied and I prepared what must I change to walk pleasing to God? Because Revelation 2 and 7 said, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches." I believe there is a sound that's going to go forth across this pullpit tonight. There is a word that's being preached, not just words or a a collection of words or just a series of statements. And uh it is a it is a spiritdriven a spirit-ledd word that those of us that have ears that if we can hear what the spirit is saying there truly can be transformation in our lives. How many want to be transformed tonight?

Church number one for your reference. Somebody say the church of Ephesus.

The church of Ephesus. You you you may have heard about the church at Ephesus. The Bible says unto the angel of the church at Ephesus, write these things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. I know thy works. I know thy labor. I know thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil. And thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not, and hast found them to be liars, and hast borne, and has patience, and for my name's sake has labored, and has not fainted. Sound like a pretty good church. Sound like a church we want to be involved with. Look at this.

They're hardworking. They're patient. They're separated from evil. Not even they're they're doctrinally pure. They they they've got such a read on the spirit that they can test false prophets and tell if they're real or not.

They've got a spirit of perseverance upon them. That was a strong apostolic church in Asia Minor.

The Bible says I Let me let me just say it like this. They were strong outwardly.

They stood for truth and would not even consider tolerating compromise. But when when I went to many Bible commentaries that they note that Ephesus represented that they represented the believers at large who doct who were doctrinally sound. But here's the demise. Yet they were spiritually cold. They had the truth in their heads, but had lost the tenderness in their heart.

Oh, they were good at defending truth. They knew Acts 2:38. They knew true doctrine. But they somewhere along the line, they lost an intimacy with him. Because the Bible would say, "Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love." They still worked for God, but they no longer loved him like they once did.

So, in this church, we're trying to self- diagnose which church we are. These are some, if I could say, tell signs when you're leaving your first love. Prayer becomes mechanical. You have no passion to worship. Matter of fact, church becomes just routine. We're doing it, checking the box. We came here. Here's one that and I mentioned some of this Sunday and I'm I'm coming back again. We learn by repetition that holiness becomes an obligation instead of devotion unto God.

Matter of fact, we would rather please man versus our love for God. Service replaces relationship. Another check. Another check in the box. We We serve, but there's no relationship. We're here. Our body is here, but where's our heart? This is the church of Ephesus. The warning from the Lord God Almighty. He said, "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent." Somebody say, "Repent." Notice what the Lord said. They had fallen. How can somebody h how can a church that was so powerful? They were hardworking. They were patient. They were separated from evil. There were doctrine. They were doctrally pure. They had a discernment of the false the falsivity of prophets.

They they could understand that and they had perseverance. But the Bible says according to the word of God they had fallen anywhere. It a loss of passion is not something that we should minimize.

A loss of passion is not something just a small issue. It is a spiritual decline. when we lose our passion and our love for him. And let me just say that our love for him and love for others.

And so I ask you some very challenging and thoughtprovoking questions because we're trying to determine which church we are. Do I still love him like I once did?

Have I replaced, Here's a big one. Have I replaced intimacy with activity?

All right. Do I take time to get in his word? Do I take time to pray? Do I take time to get to hear that voice of God? When was the last time that I wept in his presence? When's the last time I broke through until I pray through?

Am I serving God? Th this is th this this study just revolutionized the way I way I've thought about these seven churches. Am I serving God without loving him? Am I serving God without loving him? But there is hope. There's hope for this church. Yeah. Let me tell you what what what where where the hope is. A good old-fashioned remembrance.

Remember where you once were spiritually. Remember, man, I used to come to prayer meeting. I used to come to midnight uh midweek Bible study. I used to be involved. I used to be excited about what God was doing. I've let my love for the things of God in the kingdom of God wayne. And I'm not I'm not who I used to be and I I I've drunk. He said remember that from whence thou art fallen. Remember who you were once spiritually and repent of spiritual coldness.

I've come to stir us up tonight again in the Holy Ghost. If you find yourself in this church and you find yourself identifying with this church, all you need to do is just repent of spiritual coldness. Repent from where you have fallen and return.

Return to prayer. You know how you return to prayer? Start praying.

You know how to return to worship? Start worshiping. return to return to engagement and return to devotion and return to the things of God. Because when you return, there is something that happens in the Holy Ghost. You rekindle your hunger for God.

Maybe it's been a long time since you won a soul. Maybe it's been a long time. Let let's go further than that. It's been a long time since you shared your testimony. It's been a long time since you invited somebody to church.

Stir that up and allow God to reawaken. This is a great church. Not a perfect church, a great church. This is a place where God's spirit dwells. And we are a people of the body of Christ and the kingdom of God. And we got we have got to rekindle our hunger for God, our excitement for God, the passion for God. That was the church at Ephesus.

They look good on the outside. They had so many things right, but there was one rebuke. You've lost your first love. Maybe maybe you see yourself there tonight. And I challenge you. I challenge you tonight to remember the formula's right there. Remember, repent. Return. If you'll do those things, something spiritual will begin to awaken in you. Then we go to the church at Smyrna. The church at Smyrna, not often talked about, but it was the suffering church. and unto the angel of the church at Smyrna. Write these things saith the first and the last which were dead and is alive. I know thy works and tribulation and poverty, but thou art rich. And I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison. Wow. That ye may be tried. Be thou faithful unto death. And a bunch of y'all done checked out. I ain't going to that church.

I'm going on down the road. I ain't going to that church in Asia. No, we ain't signing up for that church. Be thou FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH. YOU GO TO THAT CHURCH, YOU'RE GOING TO DIE. But oh he but I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches. He that overcomemeth shall not be hurt of the second death. Oh, this church don't get enough credit. Smyrna was faithful. Smyrna was a faithful church. Smyrna was faithful during persecution. They were faithful during poverty. Uh they were faithful during affliction. Really, there was no rebuke for this church. They were just faithful.

They they they understood I'm a part of this church. I'm I'm I'm going to be persecuted and I'm going to I'm going to suffer for the name of Christ, the cause of Christ. Uh but I'm going to get a reward in the end. But if I just remain faithful. Commentators often describe Smyrner as the persecuted church. Though materially poor, they were spiritually rich. I know thy works. What were they facing? What was this church facing? Some of you may have faced that they were facing persecution, slander, imprisonment, suffering, fear of death. How would you like to go to church every day, every Sunday? This could be the day they come in. This could be the day the devil cast me into prison.

Yet, they remain faithful. They refuse to compromise under pressure. And so, I ask you some thoughtprovoking questions. Am I faithful only when life is easy? Am I only serving God in the good times and not the bad times? Does hardship weakening weaken my walk with God? Oh, well, I got that man. I got that diagnosis I didn't expect. Man, I lost my job. I didn't expect my my I lost a I lost a family member. And the list could go on and on and it's just hard. I'm suffering. Would I stand for the Lord under persecution? Am I spiritually rich even if materialistically poor? That's what the Bible says. So, how how did this May maybe this is the church you feel like that you are a part of right now.

I I'm in a season of suffering. I'm in a season where it just seems like God, I'm I I'm going through things and I'm suffering, but I'm holding on with everything I've got in me. If you feel like you're in the church of Smyrna, here's how I'm going to help you tonight. You just got to develop perseverance through prayer in your season of of suffering. You've got to that endurance is going to come through prayer. You got to remain faithful under pressure. You got to trust God in your suffering. You got to understand I cannot compromise just because I'm in a season of suffering. When I don't understand it, when I when it don't add up and I I I'm still just going through the emotions of of life and I feel the suffering.

I've got to be according to Revelation 2:10, faithful unto death. And I will give thee a crown of life. We may suffer in this life. We may have persecution in this life. But I got a promise for the church at Smyrna. If you will just be faithful, even if it takes you to the death, if you'll just be faithful, it's not the end for you. It's not the end for you in this church. Uh there is a crown of life awaiting you in this church. I know IT'S I KNOW THE SUFFERING IS REAL, BUT SO THE CROWN of life is too.

I KNOW THE HARDSHIPS ARE REAL. SO IS the crown of life. We've got to get our perspective shifted tonight. If we find ourselves a part of the church of Smyrna, just look up.

Look up unto the heels from which cometh our help. Our help cometh from the Lord. He keeps those that we have committed unto him. He keeps us says we are committed unto him. Got to hurry. The church at Pergamus. The church at Pergamus. Verse 13. And I know thy works, where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seed is, and thou holdest fast my name, hast not denied my faith. Sound pretty good. Good church, even in those days wherein Antipus was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. Oh, but 14. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balum, who taught Ba to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto Adam idols, and to commit fornication.

So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the nickelutans, which thing I hate. In verse 16, repent or else I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. When you look at Pergamus, they held firm to the name of the Lord Jesus despite living in a wicked environment. The Bible says they endured where Satan's seat was. They endured. Scholars believe that Pergamus represents a church attempting to coexist with worldly influence instead of confronting it. So I I asked this great church, this church that made it to the book of Revelation in Pergamus, apostolic church who had works had they held fast to the name.

But here was the demise. False doctrine and compromise had entered the church. And Jesus rebuked them. He said the doctrine of Balum. Well, you know what the doctrine of Balum is? It's spiritual compromise. It's a spirit of greed. It's a it's a deduction of believers into worldly sins for personal gain. That's basically what the doctrine of Balum, if you do the study on that, it it it's leading believers into worldly sins for personal gain. He rebuked them for idolatry and spiritual adultery and moral compromise. All of those was living in the church at purpose. If you're trying to figure out if this is where you are, this is your church and this is the one that hey, I see myself.

The signs of a Pergamus spirit is blending worldliness with holiness. a justification and tolerating of sinful lifestyles, making excuses for compromise, accepting cultural pressure over biblical truth. Those are things that the church at Pergamus were dealing with. H how do we how do we navigate through that? So I have some questions for you. Have I allowed compromise in my life? Am I tolerating what God condemns? Do I justify worldly behavior? Do I justify? Well, it's really not that bad or it could be worse. Here's a big one in the church of Pergamus. Is culture shaping me more than scripture? It's culture. Fad, come over here. Fad's over here.

Social media over here. And I hope all of you are doing well on your social media fast. I know some of you aren't, but I hope you, Brother Donald, you're doing good tonight. Brother Donald let me know he was struggling on social media. Is culture shapening me more than scripture? I I I've got a remedy for the church at Pergamus. I do. I've got a remedy that works. Because you got to remember this was the church, not the world. But the world had crept into the church. the world had slipped in and compromised and the saints begin to take place. And and I I want you to get this tonight in the Holy Ghost that these were these were letters to the churches.

These were things that Jesus saw in the church and he always come with a diagnosis and a prescription. There's nothing worse than going to a doctor and them telling you what might be wrong and what what they think it it they truly practice. We're discovering that Dr. Weaver with my wife. One says it's a nerve. Another says it's a shoulder. One said we need an MRI on a shoulder. One said we need an MRI on the neck. one. I'm like, I said today, they truly are practicing. They're physicians, not magicians. My wife says she needs a magician. I say all of that to say he is diagnosing churches, not the world. We would think this language is to a to a world to the world.

No, these were churches that had a a church name on the on the on the building who was the church of that city. Uh who were the called out ones who had been redeemed by the blood, purchased by the name, been baptized in his name. and he's calling these churches and he said, "I'm diagnosing you, but I've got a prescription for you. You've got issues, but I've got the solution." And it's simply a oneword solution. If you find yourself in this church or any of these churches and you you're saying, "This is this is me. I've got an answer. Dr. Britt's got an answer tonight." Revelation 21:16. It's a one-word answer. Y'all ready for it? Repent.

HE GAVE A ONE-WORD INSTRUCTION TO THIS CHURCH. JUST REPENT. BECAUSE GOD UNDERSTANDS THAT REPENTANCE STILL HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE SOMEBODY. REPENTANCE STILL HAS THE POWER UH TO TRANSFORM YOU. You've come too LATE TO TELL ME THAT REPENTANCE cannot change somebody.

When we say to God, I confess my sin and I'm wayward. Forgive me. Yes, I've let compromise come in. Yes, I've let worldliness COME IN. YES, I'VE LOST MY zeal and my love. I'm not who I used to be. Repentance changes everything.

A dose of daily repentance will transform your life. What does repentance does? What does it do? It removes compromise. Repentance removes compromise. Repentance rejects false teaching. Repentance separates us from sinful influences. When you come out from the world, you can't try to live as close as you can to the world. You you come out to be separate unto God.

We get sep when we repent. Separate from sinful influences. We shouldn't want to be entangled with the things that we've repented from. That's what the church had to do there at Pergamus. They had to repent. We got to they they they had to recommmit to holiness. Maybe you've fallen and maybe maybe some things you used to do you don't do anymore. Repent. Get back engaged. Come on. Get back involved. Repent and commit to holiness unto the Lord. There's power in this church. There's potential in the church at Pergamus. Pergamus was a church for that area. We need more apostolic churches, not less apostolic churches. He would rather forgive that church and restore that church than to shut the church down because he died for that church.

He died for those people. He died for that community. And the last thing he wants that church to become is blended in that area where it confuses everybody around. That's why it's so important here at the sanctuary. We are who we say we are. We're part of the church of the living God. We're pursuing him and we're hungry for him and and we want to be more like him and we wanna we want to be what he's called us to become. Well, only on church 4. I'm hurrying. The church at Thotyra, the Lord praised them. I know thy works. I know thy charity. I know thy service. I know thy faith. I know thy patience. I know thy works, and the last to be more than the first, not withstanding, I have a few things against thee.

Again, he's talking to a church. They had the love, they had the service, they had the faith, they had the patience, they had the spiritual activity. In fact, their last works exceeded their first works. But what they were lacking, they tolerated corruption within the church. Thotyra is often described as a church filled with good works, but lacking discernment and discipline. Jesus rebuked them for allow allowing the spirit of Jezebel to seduce believers into immorality and into idolatry. This was all in that church working. Thotara, tolerating sin for the sake of peace, ignoring spiritual corruption, lack of accountability, accepting seductive false teaching, start looking at this and you start, man, come on thyra.

Then I said, is that my church? Am I tolerating hitting sin? Have I become spiritually desensitized? Do I avoid confronting my flesh? Is my discernment weak? How does how does the church at Datara? How do they correct their ways? You restore discernment. Once again, I'm going to give you a to repent. Repentance was the answer to the church once again. Repent. And when you repent, discernment's coming back. You'll reject spiritual seduction. You'll pursue purity. You will confront sin lovingly but firmly. And Jesus told that church, "All the churches shall know." Revelation 2:23, all the churches shall know that I am he which searchth the reigns and the hearts.

In other words, I see beyond appearances. I see the matter of the heart. We skip to the church at Sardis. The church at Sardis was the dead church. Sardis had a reputation of being alive and the saints actually believed they were thriving spiritually. Now, this this one right here, this church, it's one thing to know you're dead, but it's another thing to you've got a name that thou livest, but you're dead. Sardis as a church. They were full of appearance but empty on spiritual power. They had a reputation without the reality. They had a form of godliness but no power. They had activity but they had no anointing. You see the church see what we fight for when we come in every service.

We can't have a a sign out there. We can't promote or say we're something and then we're not. We can't just have church attendance without transformation. I don't care if every seat in this house is full. If we've got 410 seats filled, but there is no transformation. We just had a good time together and we got a lot of people in the building.

God help us that we're not satisfied that the church cannot be satisfied with just numbers. We got to have transformation.

We We got good singing, but oh, we can't have worship without passion. We can't have worship We got to have passion. We can't have religion. What What's religion without repentance?

What's having a move of God like we had Sunday? And what we're I know I'm plowing tonight. And I know I'm teaching, but we can't have spiritual routines without conviction. Every once in a while, I got to drop the plow and we got to handle some things. And we got to plow through and dig up some fow ground. And conviction set in because I'm fighting behind this pull pit in the spirit trying to fight off the spirits that you've been that's been attacking you and attacking your home, attacking your families. And so we cannot get so in a spiritual routine that there is no no conviction. Well, I came to church today, but what happened to you at church?

I heard the singing and but but did you get anything through it? And I I was at church and I heard you preach, pastor, but what did the word do? What kind of ground did the word fall on? Because what good is the seed if the ground's not prepared? What good is the seed if the soil is not ready? And so I ask you, am I spiritually alive or just merely religious? I've got a mask for every service. Got a mask for every season. Am I spiritually alive or just merely religious? Have I lost my spiritual sensitivity? You got to remember the church, they had a reputation for being alive, but they were dead. And then I the question that I pose because we're still trying to figure out what church are we.

Do I look alive outwardly, but I'm actually empty inwardly? Is there genuine spiritual fruit in my life? He gives corrective action. He tells them what to do. Revelation 3 and two, he said, "Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain. He said, "Wake up spiritually. Wake up, church. Get back to praying. Seek my face. Seek reviving. Put spiritual disciplines back in your life." Revelation 3:4 said, "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis in the middle of that church who looked alive but was dead." Listen to this. I saw this and I'm like, there hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy.

Even in the church at Sardis, everybody wasn't spiritually dead. Even Sardis had a remnant that remained pure. What's that say to me? God always honors those who stay faithful. And you know, everybody in this church is not going to live for God like you do. Everybody's not going to look like you do. But don't look to the left and don't look to the right and don't get discouraged and don't get, you know, all out of out of sorts by looking at everybody else. You just got to remain faithful and remain alive in the church of the You got to remain alive and thriving and vibrant in the church. Hallelujah. Number six. Y'all might want to check on the kids ministry.

The church of Philadelphia, church of Philadelphia was the faithful church. They were doing some things right. Philadelphia was faithful. They were obedient. They were steadfast. I I'll save some reading. Jesus set before a faithful church an open door that no man could shut. The this this church was was known or viewed as the model revival church. Oh God, let us have the church of Philadelphia. They were faithful in weakness. They were tired, but that didn't stop this church. They were obedient to the word of God. They were loyal to the name of God. They were missionminded. Matter of fact, Jesus gave this church no rebuke.

Do you know what their secret You know what their secret sauce was? You know what their secret power was? faithfulness. They just were faithful. Good times, faithful. Bad times, faithful times of suffering, faithful. Times of bewilderment, faithful times of frustration, faithful. Matter of fact, the Bible says in Revelation 3:8, "For thou hast a little strength and has kept my word." So, you can't tell me that the Philadelphiaian church didn't have some issues. They didn't have some struggles. They did have some, matter of fact, their strength was almost gone. But Revelation 3 and 11 says, "Hold that fast which thou hast." In other words, I know you're weary.

I know your strength is is weighing. I know you you're struggling right now, but you hold on to what you've got left. Stay faithful. Continue enduring. Uh guard your walk with God. Keep your spiritual crown. That's what the Bible says when you when you when you read it. If they would just hold on, keep what they have. And no man is going to take your crown. I've got a promise for somebody in this room. If you'll remain faithful, strengthen what remains. Hold fast what you got. Don't give up now. Don't leave the church. Don't walk out on God. Hold fast what you got. There's a crown waiting on you. Not a human, not a man, not a Nobody can take it from you.

Nobody can take it from you. It's the crown reserved for the faithful.

It's the crown reserved for the faithful. Coming to a quick close, the church at Leodysia. Probably have heard more about this church through your history in the church than any of the other churches. And this is the danger of which I'll close on. Lead to see simply believe they needed nothing. They were wealthy. They were increased with goods. They were self-sufficient and the Lord gave them the strongest rebuke of any church. They got they got daddy pastored. I believe the Lord took his belt off if he had one and said, "I'm I'm I love you, but I'm going to discipline you right here." He gave the strongest rebuke. He said to this church, now he didn't say this about any other church, but he gave this church because thou art lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.

And when I looked at the comment when the commentaries say this, this this is some of the a lot smarter brains and dissecting. They identified Leody Leadyia as this picture a selfsufficient Christianity self-sufficient. I can do it. I can fix it. I am become basically my own god. I'm comfortable. I'm materialistic and I'm spiritually indifferent. If you want to know if Leadyia is is the church that you find, which church you're a part of, you're spiritually complacent. You don't have a prayer life. You depend on yourself and what you can do instead of what God can do through you. Zero burden for a soul. casual worship. Like casual worship. Everybody up here doing this.

Everybody up here. Come on. Come on. Come on. We just we we we just going through the We're just casually coming in. No spiritual urgency. None. And the reality of they thought they were rich, but Jesus said, listen at these words. These are red words. You're wretched. You're miserable. You're poor. You're blind. You're naked. Go read it. You You It's there. What you think you are, you're not in his eyes. What you think you can do, you can't. Everything you think you are, he's saying, "I see beyond that. Have we become spiritually lukewarm? Have I become so dependent on what my flesh can do? instead of what God can do. All day long I say, "Lord, I can't preach this.

I can't teach this. I need your anointing. I I Oh, I've got to have you tonight. Every tomorrow and Friday and Saturday, I I'VE GOT TO HAVE YOU, GOD. [panting] Is your prayer life weak? Do you pray? I know this is tough, but I'm trying to pastor us tonight. Have I lost my spiritual urgency? Do I get excited when I see a prodal come home? Do I get excited when a sinner, you know, there's very few of those now? Everybody's saved.

Do I get excited when someone says, "Take me to the water to be baptized. Take me to the altar. Will you pray? Will you linger with me a little while? Have I lost the spiritual urgency of the church? But he loves us so much. He loved all seven churches. He said Revelation 3:19, "As many as I love, I rebuke." Every once in a while, you got to get rebuked. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasen. And he said, "Be zealous. Be zealous and repent." Even the lukewarm church could repent and get back on fire. Even the lukewarm even that church that GOD WANTED TO SPEW out of his mouth, he said, "No, I love you too much to just do that. I'm going to give you a chance.

I'm going to give you a chance if you'll sincerely repent. If you'll turn your heart, let me LET YOU REKINDLE THAT spiritual fire. Pursue intimacy with me again. Put me back at the center of your life.

Oh, and then to that church, he said, "Behold, I love you so much, I stand at the door and knock. Even the lukewarm church got a visit from the Lord and he called them back. What that tells me, whichever church you are, if you're the Ephesus church, you've lost your first busy, you've lost your first love. I understand. Smyrna, faithful but suffering. Pergamus, you're wrestling with compromising with the world. Thotyra, you you've tolerated corruption, but you you you still the church. You're still part of that Asia Minor called out group. Sardis, you you look alive, but you're dead. Oh, Philadelphia, you're faithful and obedient. Lead to you're lukewarm and self-sufficient.

He was speaking to on the aisle of Patmas. He was basically doing an inventory and he was walking among those churches, not just the churches, his churches. saying, "Oh, if I can ever woo their heart back to me, if I can get their motives and I can get their worship realigned and get them called back to holiness and get a grip, a fresh grip on faithfulness and passion and purity, let them remember, oh God, where they came from." I close with this 12 minutes over. The greatest danger, hear me, the greatest danger is not what others think about us. is what he sees in us. What's he seeing in me? You may fool everybody in this building, but you ain't going to fool him.

You may fool everybody you work with, but you ain't going to fool him. You may have a sign that says you're alive, but you're dead. What do I need to do, pastor? What do I need to do? Repent. Repent where needed. Rekindle spiritual passion. Re-evaluate priorities. Reject compromise. Pursue holiness. Remain faithful. And if you're not faith, get back to being faithful. Let there be a spiritually woke up. Woke up. Get w get awakened. Where's that oldfashioned zeal? I feel zeal starting to burn aresh in hearts all across this all across this church. What I don't want you to do tonight in my last I I truly go stand to your feet. I have not taught what I've taught for you to just be able to identify which church that you most.

It may be more than one church. Did you I could see a little bit of me here and a little bit of me here. Tonight's message was not just to merely identify which church you identify with or your church's condition, who you are. But tonight's message is more than identify. It's to change. My greatest, let me just say one of my greatest fears is that we hear teaching like this, we acknowledge what church we are, but we still do nothing to change. That's the saddest outcome of a message or a lesson like this. Hear the message, but then be the message. Be the change you want to see in the church. You want to see holiness in the church, be holy. You want righteousness to be in the church, be righteous.

You want passion, be passionate. But why is it we want something that we're not? It's easy to want some we're not become the change you want to see. Hear the spirit tonight. Repent. You will overcome. Remain faithful. The Bible says, "He that overcomemeth. He that overcometh shall sit down with my father in his throne. You want to you want to sit with him and be with him. You got to get an overcoming spirit inside of you. You got to get an overcoming spirit. No matter what comes, what goes. Would you lift your voices right now all over this house? Lord, in the name of Jesus, God, I pray that what has been said will be felt in every heart. God, these are not these are not just words, God, that that that that are just spoken to just to stir a heart, but God, that there would be something said, something done, something that would be transformed in our hearts that God, we can walk through and we can walk through the through the corridors of our heart and realize, oh, there is so much.