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"Here I Am" by Shawna Songer Gaines
Revelation 3:14 “To the angel of the Messianic Community in Laodicea, write: ‘Here is the message from the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the Ruler of God’s creation: 15 “I know what you are doing: you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth! 17 For you keep saying, ‘I am rich, I have gotten rich,[Revelation 3:17 Hosea 12:9(8)] I don’t need a thing!’ You don’t know that you are the one who is wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked! 18 My advice to you is to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich; and white clothing, so that you may be dressed and not have to be ashamed of your nakedness; and eyesalve to rub on your eyes, so that you may see. 19 As for me, I rebuke and discipline everyone I love; so exert yourselves, and turn from your sins! 20 Here, I’m standing at the door, knocking. If someone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eat with me. 21 I will let him who wins the victory sit with me on my throne, just as I myself also won the victory and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Those who have ears, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the Messianic communities.”’”
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Imagine someone standing on your door step, pounding and shouting, “Here I am!” Inside the house you go about your business. You do not send him away, nor do you invite him in. Instead you reply to your email, put away the laundry, get dinner on the table. You quietly chew each bite without even noticing the humiliating display taking place right outside your door.
We ignore the pounding at our hearts because we would rather preserve the appearance of being dignified Christians than stand before the rebuke Christ’s love. We do not want to hear that we are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked when the mirror tells us we are respectable, strong, rich, keen and able to acquire all we need. So we go about the business of the church, attending worship, and holding meetings. All the while the shouting continues, “Here I am!”
Listen for love’s rebuke. We do not posses all we need in the safety of our home and church. The love of Christ calls to us from outside the door of our self-sufficiency. Listen! That is the sound of the eternal I AM proclaiming, “Here I am”. Everything we have ever needed is waiting just outside the door.
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Hymn for Today: "Don't Turn Him Away" by Haldor Lillenas copyright 1925, renewed 1953 by Lillenas Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
1. Patiently, tenderly pleading,
Jesus is standing today.
At your heart's door He knocks as before;
O turn Him no longer away.
Refrain: Don't turn Him away
Don't turn Him away
He has come back
To your heart again
Altho' you've gone astray
Oh how you'll need Him
To plead your cause
On that eternal day
Don't turn the Savior away
From your heart
Don't turn Him away
2. Gracious, compassionate mercy,
Bro't Him from mansions above-
Cause Him to wait just outside your gate.
O yield to His wonderful love.
Refrain: Don't turn Him away
Don't turn Him away
He has come back
To your heart again
Altho' you've gone astray
Oh how you'll need Him
To plead your cause
On that eternal day
Don't turn the Savior away
From your heart
Don't turn Him away
3. Can you not hear Him calling?
Do not ill-treat such a friend.
Give up your sin; O let Him come in!
Lo! He will be true to the end.
Refrain: Don't turn Him away
Don't turn Him away
He has come back
To your heart again
Altho' you've gone astray
Oh how you'll need Him
To plead your cause
On that eternal day
Don't turn the Savior away
From your heart
Don't turn Him away
4. Now is the time to receive Him;
Grant Him admission today.
Grieve Him no more, but open the door,
And turn Him no longer away.
Refrain: Don't turn Him away
Don't turn Him away
He has come back
To your heart again
Altho' you've gone astray
Oh how you'll need Him
To plead your cause
On that eternal day
Don't turn the Savior away
From your heart
Don't turn Him away
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Thought of the Day: Revelations 3:22 Those who have ears, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the Messianic communities.”’”
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Please Pray: That many people in Zimbabwe will come to know Yeshua the Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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Please Pray: That many people in Zimbabwe will come to know Yeshua the Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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