“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:22).

Do you have an ear?  You may say you do, but do you really?  Is your heart open and willing to receive, or do make excuses and exempt yourself from the judgement you heap upon others.  Do not live as the hypocrites do, but seek the Lord earnestly that He would heal your hearing so that you hear what He has to say.  Hear in your heart and then put into action what He gives you to do.

Lord, these words are easy to hear, but they are hard to implement.  Guide me in the Gospel way so that I persevere, overcoming all obstacles by Your grace.  Lead me to become more like You every day.  Lead me to see You first so that when other things come along, I know they are mere temptations to get me off track.  Help me to always hear when You speak and to obey all that You command.

Lord Jesus, You lived humbly while walking upon the earth.  You did not seek the privilege of kings and potentates, but lived as an ordinary man.   Let me begin there so that I may overcome any ideal that tempts me to be anything other than what I am.  Lead me in the upward way of life and grant me strength to complete the journey.  Open my ears, heart, and attitude so that I may walk as You demonstrated how to walk upon this earth.  Amen.

“He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Revelation 3:21).

Sin, death, and the devil are to be overcome.  All of the temptations you encounter are to be overcome.  It is not battling the demons, but simply asking yourself, “What am I here for.”  The answer will either be, “For myself,” or, “For the Lord.”  Overcome the self and live as the Lord has designed you to live.  You are His, He made you, He bought You, and paid the price to redeem you.

Lord, I often make things so difficult.  I want to take with me things that do not matter and do not care about the things that do matter.  Help me to overcome this mixed up way of thinking so that I may think clearly and live the life You have given me to live.  Guide me Lord according to Your Word to seek You first and then know that the righteousness You give shall be added with all things that I need.

Lord Jesus, You do not ask us to do anything that You have not done.  You have paved the way.  You followed the Father’s plan and walked the journey overcoming all obstacles.  You carried Your cross for us all.  Help me to carry my cross and know that suffering comes with following You.  Guide me so that I do not stop walking the path, but overcome all that gets in the way of following You.  Amen.  

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).

 Jesus does not force Himself upon anyone.  What He has established is a relationship of love.  He wants you to journey with Him into to your inner place.  He must go there so that you may be perfected.  Do not hinder the whole work of the Lord.  Be transformed by being renewed in Him.  He will clean house and then He plans on moving in.  No half measures here.  It really is all or nothing.  This is the Christian proposition.

Lord, I only want what I want.  I do not want You moving in.  I want to do things that You would not approve of.  Help me dear Lord to move beyond where I am and to have the right attitude and heart.  You are the Savior and I must be saved.  Guide me Lord in the salvation You have prepared and help me overcome the desire to negotiate with You about these things.  Come dwell with me now and forever.

Lord Jesus, my Savior, I need saving this day.  You know what is needed.  I often do not even know what to ask for.  Lead me in the way of everlasting life and remove from me the desire to not move at all.  Help me to open the door when I am too lazy to get up and twist the knob.  Help me work through whatever it is that keeps me from the salvation You are giving me.  Amen.

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:19).

A temptation that occurs amongst those who claim to believe is an idea that repentance is not necessary.  When you say you do not need to repent, you declare that you believe you are perfect.  Do not fall for this trap of the devil.  Be quick to repent.  Receive the discipline of the Lord and walk humbly in His presence.  Know that He who redeemed you will make you perfect even as He is perfect.  But it is He who will do this.  Taking His hand is the first act of repentance.

Lord, I have fallen for this temptation thinking I am complete when there is work that needs to be done.  Help me to overcome this silly notion so that I may learn how to be honest with myself.  Guide me in the upward calling You have placed before me so that I do not stop until I meet You face to face.  You alone know all that is needed.  Help me to humbly walk in Your presence and salvation.

Lord Jesus, it takes a perfect man to repent perfectly, but then, a perfect man would not need to repent.  Yet, that is the very first public action You did: to be baptized in a baptism of repentance for us.  You have done for each one of us what we cannot do for ourselves.  Lead me in the truth so that I live knowing You must be the One who leads.  Let me not rest until You tell me to rest.  Lead me dear Savior on the path of righteousness.  Amen.

“I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see” (Revelation 3:18).

The rich and haughty of this world are like the emperor with no clothes.  They think they have all that money can buy, when what they have is nothing.  Do not store up for yourself treasures in this world, but store up treasure in the Lord which will always be yours.  Wear the righteousness of Christ and be rich in the Word of the Lord.  The Lord has come to heal and to save that you may be with Him forever.

You know where I do not see and where I am in great need of Your covering Lord.  Help me to hear You as You speak so that I too may know and see Your hand of salvation rest upon me.  The journey of this life is not yet over.  I have not yet finished the race.  You know where I need the changes in my heart that conform to You.  Before me are those steps You know I need to take.  Lead me every step of the way so that I may walk as Your disciple.

Thank You Lord Jesus for Your goodness and mercy.  Lead me this day to walk with eyes open and a heart that longs for You.  Help me to not rest upon the things of this world, but to be guided by Your word of life.  Lead me Lord now and always to walk in the way of righteousness.  Guide me according to what You know I need so that I may now and always be rich in You through Your grace.  Amen.

“Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked” (Revelation 3:17)

Everyone dies and they leave everything behind.  The rich may play for awhile, but the end is the same and levels us all.  Do not be deceived by the trappings of this world.  The true wealth which is available for all is the gift of faith which saves you.  Grow rich in the Lord and that will yours forever.  The rich of this world are no better off than the poor.  They may be comfortable, but they are as wretched as any.

Lord, grant me eyes to see the truth of what You are saying.  I struggle because I think myself exempt.  I am not.  Help me to know that only in You is there wealth worth having.  Open my eyes, clothe me, and lift me out of the fog of this age to walk humbly with You my Savior and God.  I am in great need and only You can satisfy the need I have.  Guide me always in the way of true wealth and life.

Lord Jesus, You came into this world humbly and gathered nothing for yourself while You were here.  Lead me in the way of gaining what cannot be taken.  Lead me to live into the life which is forever.  Help me to cling to You and the righteousness You give so that I may gain true wealth and not be beholden to the trinkets of this world.  Guide me with open eyes and a contrite heart now and forever.  Amen.

“So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:16).

Sometimes one who is very cold to the Lord is closer to the spirit of Christ that one who is lukewarm.  So many are just middle folk who simply go with the flow.  The Lord desires those who will love Him.  That takes action and being indifferent is meaningless.  The Lord says that such uncommitted people will not be amongst those who are with Him forever.  Pay attention and take heed.

We live in a culture where being “nice” is considered a virtue.  I may not like someone, but I’ll be “nice” to them.  This kind of behavior is anathema to the Lord.  It is a lie.  It is action with no heart.  It is political.  It is fearful action in a hostile world.  The Lord seeks those who will take a stand and hold fast to the Gospel even when it costs them to take a stand.  Do not deny the Lord by being “Nice,” but proclaim Him in thought, word, and deed.

Lord, I am conditioned by this world on what is or is not appropriate behavior.  You have told me, now help me to listen.  Guide me according to Your goodness to stand firm and hold fast to the truth You have revealed.  Even if it offends my neighbor in church on Sunday morning, let me speak truth humbly and graciously.  Lord Jesus, You did not compromise to save me.  Help me not compromise You as I walk the journey You have placed before me.  Amen.

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot” (Revelation 3:15).

Do you feel like reading this?  “Oh, I don’t know.”  How many times do you encounter others who are not one way or another?  The Lord does not want us to be wishy-washy, nor uncommitted, but willing to take a stand.  Yes, we will offend.  The Gospel is offensive.  But do not try to hold on to being conformed to this world.  It is futile, for there is no firm place to land.

Lord, only in You is there solid ground.  You told us to build upon You, the solid rock.  Help me to build upon a firm foundation and not to live according to the insanity of this world.  Lead me Lord not into opinions, but into Your word and then to stand firm upon what You say.  Help me so that my deeds affirm a solid commitment to You, doing those things which are pleasing in the Father’s sight.

Lord Jesus, help me to be hot for You and cold to the ways of the world.  Even when I am wrong, help me to remain committed to living the new life You have given me by grace.  Lord, take away from me any desire to be uncommitted, but instead live according to Your eternal principles.  Guide my deeds to be in harmony with Your leading so that I may walk the path You have laid before me.  Amen.

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this” (Revelation 3:14)

The One who makes is so, the Author and Finisher of your faith is faithful and true.  He is the standard by which all things are to be compared.  How strange it is that we will listen to others, even people we do not know, but do not listen to the One who holds all things in His hands.  Come to the One who knows and know truth.  Come and learn how to be faithful.  Come and learn how to hear Him as He speaks.

Lord, I want what I can put my hands upon.  But You are Lord and what I need is to hand myself over to You.  But I fight this.  You who were there at the beginning of the creation, know all that needs to be known.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of everlasting life and guide me in Your goodness to do what needs to be done.  Help me live into the life into which I have been invited by Your grace.

Lord Jesus, the first and last, the beginning and end, You are reveling to us what we need to know for this part of our journey.  Help me to not make of it anything other that what it is.  Take my hand and help me to learn how to follow.  In Your goodness, lead me according to the Father’s will and learn how to humbly submit to all that You know I will need for the journey.  Amen.

“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:12-13).

There are mysteries upon mysteries that are yet to be revealed.  Many act as if they already knew.  We do not.  The Lord will reveal as He reveals and there will be a new heaven and a new earth.  Christ has come to grant entrance to those who believe.  Look to the One who is able and will  join you with Himself so that You may be where He is.  Become a citizen of the New Jerusalem, the city of Zion, prepared with those who overcome through Christ.

Lord, let me not focus so much upon what I do not know, but upon what You have revealed.  Guide me in Your goodness to see what You show me and to respond as I prepare to be in eternity with You.  You will make things new.  You, who are the author and finisher of our faith, have done and will do all that is necessary to accomplish these things.  You teach us to look up and beyond ourselves.  Help me to do this.

Lord Jesus, You came to us humbly and died on the cross so that we might be given the power to become children of the Heavenly Father.  Lead me Lord so that as I look to You, I see You looking to the Father.  Lead me to know that I am in a humble and subservient position.  You are Lord.  Guide me to get this into my head and to not fall for the traps of this world’s illusions.  Lead me now and always in the way I need to go.  Amen.