3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, [which is] new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and [I will write upon him] my new name. 3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 25 miles SE of Sardis on a 800 ft.rise stood Philadelphia. It was situated in the Cogamus valley and the Roman road which ran tangent to it, it opened the way from the Aegean - Mediterranean Sea to the upper plateau of Asia in the North called Phrygia,
Philadelphia was truly a "door" amid the mountains.
It was named for its founder, Atalus II, the Greek King of Pergamon. He lived in the middle of the second century B.C., and because of his loyalty to his brother, Eumenes, he recieved the title Philadeliphos which is Greek for love and brother.
It was destroyed by A.D. 17 by the earthquake, rebuilt and was the last of the seven to fall to thr Turks at the close of the 14th century, however a CHRISTIAN CHURCH resides there again.
To this city which well understood how a little strength in a narrow valley corridor could hold back a stronger army. Christ comes as the final authority on matters of opening and shutting. If he opens any avenue of opportunity no force can shut it, if he closes the door to any opposition it cannot enter.
The church has little strength, but He announces that He has opened for them a door of testimony and success thus cannot be closed by no one.
No matter the name on the building Christ comes to those who are holy and true with the "Key of David" which means authority and power.
Christ says that he will keep this church out of the temptation, temptation of what?
I believe the temptation to accept the Anti-Christ as Lord [also known as the rapture]
To admonish and hold fast fits the church that has little strength.
This typifies the Missionary church of 1730 to 1900, 1730 to 1800 was the time of the Great Awakening on both sides of the Atlantic with Whitfield and Wesley.Then a second awakening with its Spurgeon's and Moody's.
In this century the missionary movement broke out and the gospel was taken to China , India, and Africa.
We need a third great awakening where people are on fire for the gospel and use it to make a difference in peoples lives.
Have impacts on elections and go to the Word of God [which is the Bible] and get their answers.
Stand fast and don't let anyone take your morals, values or Christian rights from you.
Remember you may be small, but if Christ be for you , who can be against you? |
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