Jesus wants you - 25 March 2019

Neville Turley

“ Listen! I stand at the door and knock; if any hear my voice and open the door, I will come into their house and eat with them, and they will eat with me.”

 Revelation 3:20 (GNT)

Our verse for today is one of the most popular texts in the Bible. It has been published countless times, usually with an illustration depicting our Lord wearing a crown and holding a lantern.

Most people regard it as an invitation to those who do not know the Christian way. In the Bible however, it is an invitation to the Church congregation at Laodicea.  People who were part and parcel of the Christian fellowship. Our Lord was highly critical of that congregation.

“I know what you have done; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were either one or the other! But because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth!” (Revelation 3:15-16 )

Our Lord is a God of compassion. Having sternly rebuked the Laodiceans out of love and concern for their wellbeing, Jesus invites them to open their hearts to him. Often people fall into the same habit as the Laodiceans did. They diligently attend church each Sunday but that is as far as it goes. Our Lord wants more than that, he wants a personal relationship with us.

Jesus wants to be an intimate part of our life every day of the week.

If we open the door and let Jesus into our heart, the Holy Spirit becomes our guiding light, equipping us to meet life’s challenges and emerge victorious.  

God has even more in store for us. “To those who win the victory I will give the right to sit beside me on my throne, just as I have been victorious and now sit by my Father on his throne.” (Revelation 3:21)

How greatly blessed we are in Jesus. 

Prayer: God in Trinity draw us into your holy life through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Jesus wil jou hê - 25 Maart 2019

Neville Turley

“Kyk, Ek staan by die deur en Ek klop. As iemand my stem hoor en die deur oopmaak, sal Ek by hom ingaan en saam met hom die feesmaal hou, en hy saam met My." Openbaring 3:20

Ons vers vir vandag is een van die gewildste verse in die Bybel. Dit is al ontelbare kere gepubliseer, gewoonlik met 'n illustrasie van die Here met 'n kroon op sy kop en 'n lantern in die hand.

Die meeste mense beskou dit as 'n uitnodiging aan diegene wat nie Christene is nie. In die Bybel is dit egter 'n uitnodiging aan die gemeente van Laodisea. Mense wat volkome deel van die Christengemeenskap was. Die Here spreek ernstige kritiek uit oor hierdie gemeente.

"Ek weet alles wat julle doen. Ek weet dat julle nie koud is nie, en ook nie warm nie. As julle tog maar koud of warm was! Maar nou, omdat julle lou is, nie warm nie en ook nie koud nie, gaan Ek julle uit my mond uitspoeg." (Openbaring 3:15-16)

Ons Here is 'n God wat omgee. Nadat Hy hulle uit liefde en bekommernis oor hulle welstand, ernstig tereggewys het, nooi Jesus die Laodiseërs om hulle harte vir Hom oop te maak. Soms verval mense in dieselfde gewoontes as die Laodiseërs. Hulle het getrou elke Sondag kerk bygewoon, maar dit was al. Die Here verlang meer as dit, Hy wil 'n persoonlike verhouding met ons hê.

Jesus wil elke dag van die week 'n intieme deel van ons lewe wees.

As ons die deur oopmaak en Jesus in ons harte innooi, word die Heilige Gees ons gids, en Hy rus ons toe vir die uitdagings van die lewe en help ons om as oorwinnaars na vore te tree.

Die Here wil selfs meer vir ons gee: "Elkeen wat die oorwinning behaal, sal Ek saam met My op my troon laat sit, net soos Ek ook die oorwinning behaal het en saam met my Vader op sy troon gaan sit het." (Openbaring 3:21)

In Jesus is daar wonderlike seëninge vir ons.

Gebed: Drie-enige God, bring ons na U deur Jesus Christus, wat by U is en saam met U in eenheid met die Heilige Gees regeer, een God nou en vir ewig. Amen

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