Are We Living in the Last Days?

Some people are intimated by the study into the Book of Revelation, but it is the only book in the Bible that promises to bless those that read its Word and that hear what it says. That is why we are taking our time to go through this book of 22 chapters slowly. Give us ears to hear what the Spirit would say to us.

The Book of Revelation highlights the fact that Jesus is coming again. There is a line being drawn in people's heart and when people hear that Jesus is coming soon, they get nervous. Perhaps they don't understand what it means and they know nothing about who He is. The Bible says that Jesus is coming back.

Acts 1:10-11 ~ They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said,"why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

The Bible says that Jesus is coming again. It depends on where you are with God how you respond when you hear that. Some will be excited and some are fearful.

Titus 2:13 ~ " While we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ."

Reasons for Jesus' return. Why would Jesus come back?

1. Political Reasons. God establishes the nations and powers. He established kings and removes kings. God is in every election. He gives them leaders based on what is needed. God is moving nations to a point of time when Jesus will return. Does that mean that God is overseeing the United States, no, everything is moving to an appointed time when Jesus will return. There is no Messiah on earth right now. There is no person sitting in an office of human government, that is going to solve the world's ills. Don't look to a man or woman to do that. Should we vote? Yes! God somehow uses our interaction with society and brings about change. That's like saying, "Can I eat?" Of course you can eat, but if you sit there with your hands full you will starve to death. You got to get up and go to the refrigerator or drive thru, but you got to eat. You have to do it. God is in control, no doubt about it. But regarding politics,

Matthew 24:3 ~ " As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, "Tell us,"they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

These are pertaining to end time events because the disciples understood that He was coming back even before He ever left.

Matthew 24:4-7 ~ "Jesus answered, "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors or wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. "

Politic against politic, governmental powers against governmental powers. God presides over the nations and right before He comes back, there will be an alignment of nations that God has allowed to come together. From the book of Daniel, the book of Revelation, from the Book of Zechariah, we know that there will be a unified Europe. What do we have today since 1991? A unified Europe. We now have seen them move to a single economy or a single currency. We've seen them taking down the walls, we know have the United States of Europe, which is why they so affectionately call themselves the US of E. I don't know if you are aware of that. They are trying to mimic quite frankly what God has done here in the United States of America.

The Bible tells us that from that unification of Europe, that there will be a great political leader that will arise, we know him as the antichrist. We may not know his name but we have all see the bumper stickers that read 666 with a line through it, that is the mark of the beast or the coming address of the Antichrist. The word Antichrist, doesn't mean that he is coming with horns on his head, and he keeps trying to put a hat on so you don't see it. He wears a red suit and his tail keeps sticking out. That's not what this means. He will come like a human, like a man in the place of Christ, meaning to solve the worlds' ills to solve the world's problems. The Bible says he will arise out of Europe, he will be an impostor Christ. The Bible says he will reign over the Ancient Roman Empire. Here we see Europe unifying and we see God governing over the political powers.

These are the names of some political powers that must be in existence in the last days, Libya, the Old Testament mentions a nation in North Africa named Libya, is there a Libya on the globe today? Yes! What about Ethiopia? Yes! What about Saudi Arabia? Yes! What about Iran and Iraq? Yes! Here's the best part of it all, what about Israel? One of,  if not the oldest nation is God's establishment of Israel. But under it's captivity it dissolved as a nation. Then after 200 years on May 14, 1948, in one day, the world under the leadership of the United States of America, acknowledged the existence of Israel, and declared it to be a nation in one day. Guess what, the Bible says in the last days, before the end, Israel will be established as a nation in one day! So when you put Jeremiah and Zechariah together and when you put the Old Testament passages together, there God says in the Bible, I will bring my nation together, as Ezekiel says, the graves will open up and they will come from all the nations of the world to Israel and they will be re-established. And the Bible says it will happen in one day. May 14, 1948, the first time in human history a nation was born a second time. It's name is Israel. God's country! Why do you think it's in the news all the time for? It's God's country. It's His place. He loves it!

Nations, we know from indication of political events from around the world, that the Lord's coming is near. And if His second coming is near, how much closer is the rapture of the church at any time.

2. Societal Events Globally. The social trends and ills of society throughout the world. You want to know what they have in common? I'll give you a few,

A. General Lawlessness is invading nations. Jesus said in Matthew 24, that "the love of many will grow cold." People not loving one another. People not caring. Because the love will grow cold, lawlessness will abound. Another words, the crime rates will rise, as we get near the end, because people won't care about other people. That woman up in Seattle up in the rain, swerved in the rain, her car seen by other motorists, went over the side of the freeway, and into the trees. She was found nearly a week later. Surviving still trapped in her car. Nobody stopped to see if she was okay, nobody backed up or called 911, to say "a car just went over the side." I bet this was what people were thinking, giving them the benefit of the doubt." Someone else will call 911." She was there on the side of the road. The woman you saw in Texas on the news, who hit the man walking across the street, with her car, impaled him in the windshield of her car. He only had two broken legs. She drove home, open her electric garage door, and closed the door while the man was still in the windshield of her car, with two broken legs and they had a conversation with each other. She left him there for 3 or 4 days and he was not discovered until she bragged about what happened at a party while she was drunk. He died. She was arrested and convicted for manslaughter and premeditated murder. He had two broken legs and she let him die, based on the extent of his injuries and exposure in her garage.

Jesus said, in the last days there will be such a low esteem for human life that men will kill other men, because lawlessness will abound. Isn't that where we are living? It's an amazing age, general lawlessness, people disobeying laws and rules and enjoying it.

B. Racial Divisions. What this mean when Jesus says in Matthew 24 where it says "for nation will rise against nation?" The word in Greek is "ethnos." So ethnos will rise against ethnos." Ethic groups will fight ethnic groups. It's going to increase. That's sad news isn't it? Have you noticed that everything is ethnicity now? Ethic based. We all bleed the same color. You want to do away with racial divisions, and that isn't going to happen until Christ comes back, but you want to know how to do away with racial divisions? Preach the gospel!!! You want to save the nation billions of dollars with all these stupid programs, preach the gospel and get man's heart changed!

Nobody is black or white or red or yellow. There is no color when Jesus sits on the throne. When the gospel is embraced and received, we don't see people with skins of a different color, because we are all one with Jesus Christ. But what do you hear every day? It's a racial issue. There should never be racial divisions in church. Racism is Satanic, it is a wedge. Jesus Christ is Jewish. How does that sit with you? My boss is a Jewish carpenter. He came to the earth as a Jew because they are the most stubborn and stiff-necked. He picked them because they couldn't save themselves!

C. An Increase in Aberrant Sexual Behavior.  Aberrant meaning strange flesh. The Bible says there will be a violation of natural laws of nature and men will lust sexually after other men. God says that anyone that practices that sexual lifestyle will not inherit the kingdom of God. Why? Because it is against the law of nature. Evolutionists? Think about this. Forget about Christianity. Forget about religion. Aberrant human sexuality on the evolutionary plane, just think of evolution alone, destroys the species. Forget God. Forget that God is. If a woman cohabitats with a woman it breeds death and no more propagation of the race. If evolution were true, than every evolutionist would be out there writing against the destruction of the race. It destroys. Everyone can figure it out. The Bible says in the last days there will be an increase in aberrant sexual behavior and if we look around at TV, movies and music, we see evidence of this everywhere, and we are just suppose to take it and think, "Well that is just the way it's supposed to be." Jesus warned that these days were coming. He said it would be just like the days of Sodom and Gomorrah.

To God sin is sin. God died on the cross for all sin. Whatever it might be. That is what the Bible teaches.

D. Refusal to Recognize Human History. Solomon said there is nothing left to learn under the sun. The more we learn history, if you want to have a smart future, learn history. When we study history we learn not to make certain mistakes. We live in a culture now that is redefining human history. If you look at the history books now, there are more chapters about Marilyn Monroe than there are about George Washington. How do you redefine history? Teach your child nothing about history and they will redefine it. They'll take words and put different meanings onto words. How many people in the world today literally believe, and in Europe it is a big problem, that there was ever a Holocaust? There are people who literally believe it never happened. That it's propaganda. It's true!

The Bible is absolutely true of Jesus' promises that He will come back again. God's Word will never fail us.   So when you look around at the things happening in the world today, you can't help but see these very signs that Jesus warned us about, things that have never happened in the history of the world today, and while we may not know the exact day or hour of His return, Jesus promised us that we would know the seasons based on the signs happening all around us. Much like looking at a tree and knowing it is going to bear fruit, so we can look at the things happening in the world today and see that we are on the verge of Him returning any day for His church. The question is, Are YOU ready if He came today?

Would You Drink Lukewarm Coffee or Even Milk?

Indifference. Apathy. Lack of Zeal. Neglect. The church was known for being indifferent about the issues of the church in lieu of the world. Do the things of God's excite you or does the world? Do you spend more time reading books of the world, movies, social media than reading your Bible and talking to God? Then you are in danger of being like the church of Laodicea. Don't neglect the things of God. Our retirement program is coming.

Why did Jesus say, I am the faithful and true witness? Because the pastor at the church wasn't. How can you say you are a Christian if you don't even read the Bible and know what it says? Read about His life, you have the gospels. Don't let a cult at your door fool you. You will be susceptible to lies if you haven't read the truth of who God is! From Genesis 1 to Revelation 22. It says Jesus is the Creator of all the Universe. He is the starter and originator of God. You have a heart problem. You don't care about anything except your own life. All you care about is yourself. People just don't care. They lost their hot hearts!

As we near the end of an age, we need to reawaken ourselves back to life.

Revelation 3:15 ~" I know your deeds, that you are neither cold not hot. I wish you were either one or the other!"

Jesus exposes the source of their problem. It was heart trouble. They once had hearts that were on fire for God. They had lost what was hot.

Luke 24:32 ~ "They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

If we open our Bible and ask Jesus to speak to us from the Bible and think He won't answer it? He will speak. If you open the Bible, Jesus will speak and you will never have to worry about being a Laodicean. A Christian who has grown lazy is a Christian who is no longer living for God.

Acts 18:25 ~ "He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John."

James 5:16 ~ "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Pray hot. We pray because God has declared us righteous. So pray like you really mean it. It's doing things in obedience. When we are in a crisis, we pray fervently. Why don't we pray like that all the time. He wants us to grab on and not let go. 

1 Peter 4:7-8 ~ "The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."

Hot, boiling, love for one another. We need to awaken ourselves back to life. That's done by putting faith to action, where physical meets the spiritual.

Hebrews 5:14 ~ "But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."

You take it and you do it. That is how we grow. We put our faith into action. 

James 2:26 ~ "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."

Here Jesus dramatically draws their attention to a very well known problem. Your "spiritual activity" as a church is neither hot nor cold. They had a casual approach to Jesus.

Revelation 3:15 ~" I know your deeds, that you are neither cold not hot. I wish you were either one or the other!"

Laodicea was located 11 miles downstream from the city of Colossae and 6 miles downstream from the city of Hierapolis,. Colossae was well known for it's ice cold, mountain spring water, which flowed from Mount Cadmus. Many travelers would make it a point to go to the streams of Colossae to be refreshed in the cold mountain spring water. Hierapolis on the other hand, was situated above a seismic fissure where hot mineral waters flowed up and out into hot therapeutic pools for relaxing and healing. Like Colossae, travelers and vacationers would make it a point to visit these therapeutic for healing and relaxation. Laodicea was like living in two different worlds. To compromise is to live in two different worlds. A church marked by indifference, apathy, lack of zeal and neglect. They took a casual approach to their relationship with Jesus. There was nothing personal about this church. From the pastor, through the flock and out to the community there was no 'reality' to their 'confession.'

When we take a closer look at who we are, are we truly a blessing to Jesus Christ? These letters are to be read by us.

Revelation 3:16 ~ "So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth. "

Jesus' view of the way it is, is the way it is. Not what you say, but what I say. "Not a few of them." The church is completely poisoned. Every church has its number of lukewarmers. Laodicea attracked them. What do they look like? They look like me and you on the outside, but they have a knack for not being seen. They're rarely, if ever, involved in any church activity. They walk like us, stand like us, move like us, but accomplish nothing for God. But their energies are saved for what they want, and what they want, is what they want!

"Lord, Lord." Lukewarm Christians have grown comfortable in their place. They don't feel hot water, they don't feel cold water. Like Goldilocks, everything has to be just right.

When we take a closer look, are we someone that Jesus would want to be around? 

Revelation 3:16 ~ "So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth. "

From one end of the moral spectrum to the other, we need Jesus Christ. He desires to spend time with us. That is why the gospel messages is most offensive to legalists, because of who Jesus hung out with. He didn't hang out with pastors and ministers. These were the harshest words spoken by Jesus. Most Bible versions say "vomit," the Old King James Version says, "spew." In our modern culture, the word that best follows the Greek language would be "to chuck, to hurl, to barf, to puke." He was trying to provoke them to a response. It was meant to be offensive and gross.

Lukewarm water, lukewarm milk, lukewarm coffee, lukewarm cocoa, lukewarm tea.  The Laodicean Church was lukewarm living, lukewarm caring, lukewarm prayer, lukewarm loving, lukewarm worship. "Live Worship " by the Laodicean Praise Band.  What do they taste like? "They are - lukewarm" if Jesus needed a cold drink, they were too warm to be refreshing. If Jesus needed a hot drink, they were too mild to bring relief. So a lukewarm pastor breed lukewarm Christian, who together make up a lukewarm church. This made Jesus sick to His stomach. No one likes anything that is lukewarm!

Are you someone Jesus would want to hang out with or would He vomit you out of His mouth? He is warning us that our lives, our faith, our professions of faith, don't want to make Him sick. We need to be more concerned with Jesus than the world. 

The Most Dangerous Type of Church and Believer. Is This YOU?

Out of all the churches that Jesus directed letters to, the Church of Laodicea was the one you didn't want to be like. As a Christian believer, we have learned that not only are these letters written from Jesus to the seven regional churches in Asia Minor, modern day Turkey now, but also in the chronological pattern of the church age as well. The one take away for any believer in this study into the letters to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation, these letters are also relevant to us today because they point to the life we, as Christians, find ourselves at in our current walk. My hope is that you are NOT like this church.

The most tragic thing about this church, Jesus is on the outside, knocking on their door. He was on the outside. It is this church in particular that winds up last, because chronologically, this is our church age, the Laodicean age of the church and one we can see evidence of all around us today. May God help us to take heed to the words Jesus directs in His letter to this church and more applicably to us, as believers.

It is a compromised, watered-down church, it does not have a passion for doctrine from the Bible. It was a pathetic and dangerous church. It has many activities it sponsored but they left Jesus out of the process. It had a cross on it but other than that, it was simply just a building. It is so much like the world you can't see any manifestation of Jesus in it. It's just the like world it is in. The teaching and worship was carnal. No one was getting saved, there is no spiritual growth or holiness there. It was not alive, it was asleep and it was without Jesus in it. How can you be a church and not have Christ in it? It was spiritually void of the Holy Spirit. They neglected their walk with God. They were a recreational church. They were more concerned with what the community thought about them. It existed under a pretense. Living out a lie. Rather than being a salty church, they were a poisonous church.

The city of Laodicea was a very prosperous and affluent church.  It was very influential in the ways of the world and the Roman Empire. But Jesus when He says He wishes that they were either hot or cold, That is interesting because the heat brought therapeutic pleasure and the cold brought refreshment. Colossee was known for cold water and Heiropolis was known for its thermal or hot waters, and between those two cities was the city of Laodicea. It is where those two water streams came together and not only created tepid water but it was poisonous water. Jesus said, He was going to vomit them out of his mouth.

Revelation 3:14-22 ~ " To the angel of the church of Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold not hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, "I am rich: I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing. But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes for you to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Now for the background. We study the background, because we can understand the meaning behind Jesus' letter. In this world a Christian church will be hated for two reasons, (1) their salt, or (2) because of their poison. The church at Laodicea was poisoned. Laodicea was located 40 miles southwest of Philadelphia, about a 100 miles due east of Ephesus. It was referred to as one of the "three cities," Colossae, (the book of Colossians) Hierapolis, and nestled between the two was the city of Laodicea. Founded by Antiochus II in 253 BC, it was named after his wife, Laodice. As a Roman city, Laodicea has become a very wealthy, (everytime we come to a wealthy city, we see a church falls into apathy)  and industrialized city, with banking and textiles, the highest quality of black wool in the world (its due to the mineral content of the waters there that cause the sheep's wool to turn black. There has never been such a quality of wool to this day) and medical products (a pharmaceutical masterpiece) . Earthquake? We can handle it! Everytime they had earthquakes, they didn't need any help or assistance from any of the cities or from the Roman Empire.

It's geographical location is key to understand why Jesus said what He said. It's physical location to Colossae and Hierapolis regarding the water. The hot pools of Heirapolis (think Old Faithful and even that would pale in comparison to what this city had), and the cold springs of Colossae. Keep this very solemn thought in mind, this is the only church that Jesus didn't have anything good to say about, nothing at all. As we come to the last of the letters, it is understood in the chronology of the church age, it is the Spirit of the Church of Laodicea. that will be the prevailing witness of the church at the time of Jesus Christs' return.We are living in a liberal compromising church age even today.

So what kind of church are you, as we near the end of the age. This is the whole thing behind this last letter. We need to stop playing games with God and get serious in our Christian walk.

Revelation 3:14-15 ~ " To the angel of the church of Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold not hot. I wish you were either one or the other!"

As we near the end of the age, we need to get serious about the things of God.

Revelation 3:14 ~ " To the angel of the church of Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation."

We know as this letter unfolds that Laodicea had a pastor ( or angel of the church)  that was given to compromise. (1) He wouldn't take a stand for Christ. It was unpopular to do so. (2) He didn't give out the Word of God.(3) He led others down the path he had taken. They liked to keep things veiled so they could blend in. (4) Leaders are called leaders because they take people in a direction. The zeal was lost as a church! Because of this calling as a pastor or leader of a church, God has given an influence, it will either be used for His glory, or for the glory of others.

As we near the end of an age, we need to focus on what is reality.

Revelation 3:14 ~ " These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation."

Because the pastor had so erred, so erred the church. Jesus tries to get the man and his ministry back online. (1) The Amen, The word "Amen" means "Let it be so, It is true." (2) The Faithful , Jesus said it because the pastor and the ministry had not been faithful. To get back into the Bible and know what it says. How can you say you're a Christian if you don't know what the Bible says.  (3)  and True Witness and (4) the "starter" of the Creation of God.

Jesus is writing a letter today to the pastors and the churches they reside over. The gold standard is to be like Jesus. The church will become like it's leader. God has created the local church and will take on the personality of the pastor. We want people to mistake our words and actions like Jesus. The Christian needs to be aware of a church that does not fill a great commission. Punching in a time card. Not simply checking off time, and fulfilling our obligation. Is your Christianity boring or complacent? That is the question you need to be asking. If it is, you can't grow in a church like that.

 We will continue working on our study into the Church of Laodicea tomorrow!

What Are the Reason for Jesus Coming Back?

Some people are intimated by the study into the Book of Revelation, but it is the only book in the Bible that promises to bless those that read its Word and that hear what it says. That is why we are taking our time to go through this book of 22 chapters slowly. Give us ears to hear what the Spirit would say to us.

The Book of Revelation highlights the fact that Jesus is coming again. There is a line being drawn in people's heart and when people hear that Jesus is coming soon, they get nervous. Perhaps they don't understand what it means and they know nothing about who He is. The Bible says that Jesus is coming back.

Acts 1:10-11 ~ They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said,"why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

The Bible says that Jesus is coming again. It depends on where you are with God how you respond when you hear that. Some will be excited and some are fearful.

Titus 2:13 ~ " While we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ."

Reasons for Jesus' return. Why would Jesus come back?

1. Political Reasons. God establishes the nations and powers. He established kings and removes kings. God is in every election. He gives them leaders based on what is needed. God is moving nations to a point of time when Jesus will return. Does that mean that God is overseeing the United States, no, everything is moving to an appointed time when Jesus will return. There is no Messiah on earth right now. There is no person sitting in an office of human government, that is going to solve the world's ills. Don't look to a man or woman to do that. Should we vote? Yes! God somehow uses our interaction with society and brings about change. That's like saying, "Can I eat?" Of course you can eat, but if you sit there with your hands full you will starve to death. You got to get up and go to the refrigerator or drive thru, but you got to eat. You have to do it. God is in control, no doubt about it. But regarding politics,

Matthew 24:3 ~ " As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, "Tell us,"they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

These are pertaining to end time events because the disciples understood that He was coming back even before He ever left.

Matthew 24:4-7 ~ "Jesus answered, "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors or wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. "

Politic against politic, governmental powers against governmental powers. God presides over the nations and right before He comes back, there will be an alignment of nations that God has allowed to come together. From the book of Daniel, the book of Revelation, from the Book of Zechariah, we know that there will be a unified Europe. What do we have today since 1991? A unified Europe. We now have seen them move to a single economy or a single currency. We've seen them taking down the walls, we know have the United States of Europe, which is why they so affectionately call themselves the US of E. I don't know if you are aware of that. They are trying to mimic quite frankly what God has done here in the United States of America.

The Bible tells us that from that unification of Europe, that there will be a great political leader that will arise, we know him as the antichrist. We may not know his name but we have all see the bumper stickers that read 666 with a line through it, that is the mark of the beast or the coming address of the Antichrist. The word Antichrist, doesn't mean that he is coming with horns on his head, and he keeps trying to put a hat on so you don't see it. He wears a red suit and his tail keeps sticking out. That's not what this means. He will come like a human, like a man in the place of Christ, meaning to solve the worlds' ills to solve the world's problems. The Bible says he will arise out of Europe, he will be an impostor Christ. The Bible says he will reign over the Ancient Roman Empire. Here we see Europe unifying and we see God governing over the political powers.

These are the names of some political powers that must be in existence in the last days, Libya, the Old Testament mentions a nation in North Africa named Libya, is there a Libya on the globe today? Yes! What about Ethiopia? Yes! What about Saudi Arabia? Yes! What about Iran and Iraq? Yes! Here's the best part of it all, what about Israel? One of,  if not the oldest nation is God's establishment of Israel. But under it's captivity it dissolved as a nation. Then after 200 years on May 14, 1948, in one day, the world under the leadership of the United States of America, acknowledged the existence of Israel, and declared it to be a nation in one day. Guess what, the Bible says in the last days, before the end, Israel will be established as a nation in one day! So when you put Jeremiah and Zechariah together and when you put the Old Testament passages together, there God says in the Bible, I will bring my nation together, as Ezekiel says, the graves will open up and they will come from all the nations of the world to Israel and they will be re-established. And the Bible says it will happen in one day. May 14, 1948, the first time in human history a nation was born a second time. It's name is Israel. God's country! Why do you think it's in the news all the time for? It's God's country. It's His place. He loves it!

Nations, we know from indication of political events from around the world, that the Lord's coming is near. And if His second coming is near, how much closer is the rapture of the church at any time.

2. Societal Events Globally. The social trends and ills of society throughout the world. You want to know what they have in common? I'll give you a few,

A. General Lawlessness is invading nations. Jesus said in Matthew 24, that "the love of many will grow cold." People not loving one another. People not caring. Because the love will grow cold, lawlessness will abound. Another words, the crime rates will rise, as we get near the end, because people won't care about other people. That woman up in Seattle up in the rain, swerved in the rain, her car seen by other motorists, went over the side of the freeway, and into the trees. She was found nearly a week later. Surviving still trapped in her car. Nobody stopped to see if she was okay, nobody backed up or called 911, to say "a car just went over the side." I bet this was what people were thinking, giving them the benefit of the doubt." Someone else will call 911." She was there on the side of the road. The woman you saw in Texas on the news, who hit the man walking across the street, with her car, impaled him in the windshield of her car. He only had two broken legs. She drove home, open her electric garage door, and closed the door while the man was still in the windshield of her car, with two broken legs and they had a conversation with each other. She left him there for 3 or 4 days and he was not discovered until she bragged about what happened at a party while she was drunk. He died. She was arrested and convicted for manslaughter and premeditated murder. He had two broken legs and she let him die, based on the extent of his injuries and exposure in her garage.

Jesus said, in the last days there will be such a low esteem for human life that men will kill other men, because lawlessness will abound. Isn't that where we are living? It's an amazing age, general lawlessness, people disobeying laws and rules and enjoying it.

B. Racial Divisions. What this mean when Jesus says in Matthew 24 where it says "for nation will rise against nation?" The word in Greek is "ethnos." So ethnos will rise against ethnos." Ethic groups will fight ethnic groups. It's going to increase. That's sad news isn't it? Have you noticed that everything is ethnicity now? Ethic based. We all bleed the same color. You want to do away with racial divisions, and that isn't going to happen until Christ comes back, but you want to know how to do away with racial divisions? Preach the gospel!!! You want to save the nation billions of dollars with all these stupid programs, preach the gospel and get man's heart changed!

Nobody is black or white or red or yellow. There is no color when Jesus sits on the throne. When the gospel is embraced and received, we don't see people with skins of a different color, because we are all one with Jesus Christ. But what do you hear every day? It's a racial issue. There should never be racial divisions in church. Racism is Satanic, it is a wedge. Jesus Christ is Jewish. How does that sit with you? My boss is a Jewish carpenter. He came to the earth as a Jew because they are the most stubborn and stiff-necked. He picked them because they couldn't save themselves!

C. An Increase in Aberrant Sexual Behavior.  Aberrant meaning strange flesh. The Bible says there will be a violation of natural laws of nature and men will lust sexually after other men. God says that anyone that practices that sexual lifestyle will not inherit the kingdom of God. Why? Because it is against the law of nature. Evolutionists? Think about this. Forget about Christianity. Forget about religion. Aberrant human sexuality on the evolutionary plane, just think of evolution alone, destroys the species. Forget God. Forget that God is. If a woman cohabitats with a woman it breeds death and no more propagation of the race. If evolution were true, than every evolutionist would be out there writing against the destruction of the race. It destroys. Everyone can figure it out. The Bible says in the last days there will be an increase in aberrant sexual behavior and if we look around at TV, movies and music, we see evidence of this everywhere, and we are just suppose to take it and think, "Well that is just the way it's supposed to be." Jesus warned that these days were coming. He said it would be just like the days of Sodom and Gomorrah.

To God sin is sin. God died on the cross for all sin. Whatever it might be. That is what the Bible teaches.

D. Refusal to Recognize Human History. Solomon said there is nothing left to learn under the sun. The more we learn history, if you want to have a smart future, learn history. When we study history we learn not to make certain mistakes. We live in a culture now that is redefining human history. If you look at the history books now, there are more chapters about Marilyn Monroe than there are about George Washington. How do you redefine history? Teach your child nothing about history and they will redefine it. They'll take words and put different meanings onto words. How many people in the world today literally believe, and in Europe it is a big problem, that there was ever a Holocaust? There are people who literally believe it never happened. That it's propaganda. It's true!

The Bible is absolutely true of Jesus' promises that He will come back again. God's Word will never fail us.   So when you look around at the things happening in the world today, you can't help but see these very signs that Jesus warned us about, things that have never happened in the history of the world today, and while we may not know the exact day or hour of His return, Jesus promised us that we would know the seasons based on the signs happening all around us. Much like looking at a tree and knowing it is going to bear fruit, so we can look at the things happening in the world today and see that we are on the verge of Him returning any day for His church. The question is, Are YOU ready if He came today?

Do You Like Lukewarm Coffee or Milk?

Indifference. Apathy. Lack of Zeal. Neglect. The church was known for being indifferent about the issues of the church in lieu of the world. Do the things of God's excite you or does the world? Do you spend more time reading books of the world, movies, social media than reading your Bible and talking to God? Then you are in danger of being like the church of Laodicea. Don't neglect the things of God. Our retirement program is coming.

Why did Jesus say, I am the faithful and true witness? Because the pastor at the church wasn't. How can you say you are a Christian if you don't even read the Bible and know what it says? Read about His life, you have the gospels. Don't let a cult at your door fool you. You will be susceptible to lies if you haven't read the truth of who God is! From Genesis 1 to Revelation 22. It says Jesus is the Creator of all the Universe. He is the starter and originator of God. You have a heart problem. You don't care about anything except your own life. All you care about is yourself. People just don't care. They lost their hot hearts!

As we near the end of an age, we need to reawaken ourselves back to life.

Revelation 3:15 ~" I know your deeds, that you are neither cold not hot. I wish you were either one or the other!"

Jesus exposes the source of their problem. It was heart trouble. They once had hearts that were on fire for God. They had lost what was hot.

Luke 24:32 ~ "They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

If we open our Bible and ask Jesus to speak to us from the Bible and think He won't answer it? He will speak. If you open the Bible, Jesus will speak and you will never have to worry about being a Laodicean. A Christian who has grown lazy is a Christian who is no longer living for God.

Acts 18:25 ~ "He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John."

James 5:16 ~ "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Pray hot. We pray because God has declared us righteous. So pray like you really mean it. It's doing things in obedience. When we are in a crisis, we pray fervently. Why don't we pray like that all the time. He wants us to grab on and not let go. 

1 Peter 4:7-8 ~ "The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."

Hot, boiling, love for one another. We need to awaken ourselves back to life. That's done by putting faith to action, where physical meets the spiritual.

Hebrews 5:14 ~ "But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."

You take it and you do it. That is how we grow. We put our faith into action. 

James 2:26 ~ "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."

Here Jesus dramatically draws their attention to a very well known problem. Your "spiritual activity" as a church is neither hot nor cold. They had a casual approach to Jesus.

Revelation 3:15 ~" I know your deeds, that you are neither cold not hot. I wish you were either one or the other!"

Laodicea was located 11 miles downstream from the city of Colossae and 6 miles downstream from the city of Hierapolis,. Colossae was well known for it's ice cold, mountain spring water, which flowed from Mount Cadmus. Many travelers would make it a point to go to the streams of Colossae to be refreshed in the cold mountain spring water. Hierapolis on the other hand, was situated above a seismic fissure where hot mineral waters flowed up and out into hot therapeutic pools for relaxing and healing. Like Colossae, travelers and vacationers would make it a point to visit these therapeutic for healing and relaxation. Laodicea was like living in two different worlds. To compromise is to live in two different worlds. A church marked by indifference, apathy, lack of zeal and neglect. They took a casual approach to their relationship with Jesus. There was nothing personal about this church. From the pastor, through the flock and out to the community there was no 'reality' to their 'confession.'

When we take a closer look at who we are, are we truly a blessing to Jesus Christ? These letters are to be read by us.

Revelation 3:16 ~ "So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth. "

Jesus' view of the way it is, is the way it is. Not what you say, but what I say. "Not a few of them." The church is completely poisoned. Every church has its number of lukewarmers. Laodicea attracted them. What do they look like? They look like me and you on the outside, but they have a knack for not being seen. They're rarely, if ever, involved in any church activity. They walk like us, stand like us, move like us, but accomplish nothing for God. But their energies are saved for what they want, and what they want, is what they want!

"Lord, Lord." Lukewarm Christians have grown comfortable in their place. They don't feel hot water, they don't feel cold water. Like Goldilocks, everything has to be just right.

When we take a closer look, are we someone that Jesus would want to be around? 

Revelation 3:16 ~ "So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth. "

From one end of the moral spectrum to the other, we need Jesus Christ. He desires to spend time with us. That is why the gospel messages is most offensive to legalists, because of who Jesus hung out with. He didn't hang out with pastors and ministers. These were the harshest words spoken by Jesus. Most Bible versions say "vomit," the Old King James Version says, "spew." In our modern culture, the word that best follows the Greek language would be "to chuck, to hurl, to barf, to puke." He was trying to provoke them to a response. It was meant to be offensive and gross.

Lukewarm water, lukewarm milk, lukewarm coffee, lukewarm cocoa, lukewarm tea.  The Laodicean Church was lukewarm living, lukewarm caring, lukewarm prayer, lukewarm loving, lukewarm worship. "Live Worship " by the Laodicean Praise Band.  What do they taste like? "They are - lukewarm" if Jesus needed a cold drink, they were too warm to be refreshing. If Jesus needed a hot drink, they were too mild to bring relief. So a lukewarm pastor breed lukewarm Christian, who together make up a lukewarm church. This made Jesus sick to His stomach. No one likes anything that is lukewarm!

Are you someone Jesus would want to hang out with or would He vomit you out of His mouth? He is warning us that our lives, our faith, our professions of faith, don't want to make Him sick. We need to be more concerned with Jesus than the world. 

Are You A Lukewarm Christian or Attending a Lukewarm Church?

Out of all the churches that Jesus directed letters to, the Church of Laodicea was the one you didn't want to be like. As a Christian believer, we have learned that not only are these letters written from Jesus to the seven regional churches in Asia Minor, modern day Turkey now, but also in the chronological pattern of the church age as well. The one take away for any believer in this study into the letters to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation, these letters are also relevant to us today because they point to the life we, as Christians, find ourselves at in our current walk. My hope is that you are NOT like this church.

The most tragic thing about this church, Jesus is on the outside, knocking on their door. He was on the outside. It is this church in particular that winds up last, because chronologically, this is our church age, the Laodicean age of the church and one we can see evidence of all around us today. May God help us to take heed to the words Jesus directs in His letter to this church and more applicably to us, as believers.

It is a compromised, watered-down church, it does not have a passion for doctrine from the Bible. It was a pathetic and dangerous church. It has many activities it sponsored but they left Jesus out of the process. It had a cross on it but other than that, it was simply just a building. It is so much like the world you can't see any manifestation of Jesus in it. It's just the like world it is in. The teaching and worship was carnal. No one was getting saved, there is no spiritual growth or holiness there. It was not alive, it was asleep and it was without Jesus in it. How can you be a church and not have Christ in it? It was spiritually void of the Holy Spirit. They neglected their walk with God. They were a recreational church. They were more concerned with what the community thought about them. It existed under a pretense. Living out a lie. Rather than being a salty church, they were a poisonous church.

The city of Laodicea was a very prosperous and affluent church.  It was very influential in the ways of the world and the Roman Empire. But Jesus when He says He wishes that they were either hot or cold, That is interesting because the heat brought therapeutic pleasure and the cold brought refreshment. Colossee was known for cold water and Heiropolis was known for its thermal or hot waters, and between those two cities was the city of Laodicea. It is where those two water streams came together and not only created tepid water but it was poisonous water. Jesus said, He was going to vomit them out of his mouth.

Revelation 3:14-22 ~ " To the angel of the church of Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold not hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, "I am rich: I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing. But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes for you to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Now for the background. We study the background, because we can understand the meaning behind Jesus' letter. In this world a Christian church will be hated for two reasons, (1) their salt, or (2) because of their poison. The church at Laodicea was poisoned. Laodicea was located 40 miles southwest of Philadelphia, about a 100 miles due east of Ephesus. It was referred to as one of the "three cities," Colossae, (the book of Colossians) Hierapolis, and nestled between the two was the city of Laodicea. Founded by Antiochus II in 253 BC, it was named after his wife, Laodice. As a Roman city, Laodicea has become a very wealthy, (everytime we come to a wealthy city, we see a church falls into apathy)  and industrialized city, with banking and textiles, the highest quality of black wool in the world (its due to the mineral content of the waters there that cause the sheep's wool to turn black. There has never been such a quality of wool to this day) and medical products (a pharmaceutical masterpiece) . Earthquake? We can handle it! Everytime they had earthquakes, they didn't need any help or assistance from any of the cities or from the Roman Empire.

It's geographical location is key to understand why Jesus said what He said. It's physical location to Colossae and Hierapolis regarding the water. The hot pools of Heirapolis (think Old Faithful and even that would pale in comparison to what this city had), and the cold springs of Colossae. Keep this very solemn thought in mind, this is the only church that Jesus didn't have anything good to say about, nothing at all. As we come to the last of the letters, it is understood in the chronology of the church age, it is the Spirit of the Church of Laodicea. that will be the prevailing witness of the church at the time of Jesus Christs' return.We are living in a liberal compromising church age even today.

So what kind of church are you, as we near the end of the age. This is the whole thing behind this last letter. We need to stop playing games with God and get serious in our Christian walk.

Revelation 3:14-15 ~ " To the angel of the church of Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold not hot. I wish you were either one or the other!"

As we near the end of the age, we need to get serious about the things of God.

Revelation 3:14 ~ " To the angel of the church of Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation."

We know as this letter unfolds that Laodicea had a pastor ( or angel of the church)  that was given to compromise. (1) He wouldn't take a stand for Christ. It was unpopular to do so. (2) He didn't give out the Word of God.(3) He led others down the path he had taken. They liked to keep things veiled so they could blend in. (4) Leaders are called leaders because they take people in a direction. The zeal was lost as a church! Because of this calling as a pastor or leader of a church, God has given an influence, it will either be used for His glory, or for the glory of others.

As we near the end of an age, we need to focus on what is reality.

Revelation 3:14 ~ " These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation."

Because the pastor had so erred, so erred the church. Jesus tries to get the man and his ministry back online. (1) The Amen, The word "Amen" means "Let it be so, It is true." (2) The Faithful , Jesus said it because the pastor and the ministry had not been faithful. To get back into the Bible and know what it says. How can you say you're a Christian if you don't know what the Bible says.  (3)  and True Witness and (4) the "starter" of the Creation of God.

Jesus is writing a letter today to the pastors and the churches they reside over. The gold standard is to be like Jesus. The church will become like it's leader. God has created the local church and will take on the personality of the pastor. We want people to mistake our words and actions like Jesus. The Christian needs to be aware of a church that does not fill a great commission. Punching in a time card. Not simply checking off time, and fulfilling our obligation. Is your Christianity boring or complacent? That is the question you need to be asking. If it is, you can't grow in a church like that.

 We will continue working on our study into the Church of Laodicea tomorrow!