Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.
--Revelation 3:2-3
Would you describe your faith as supernatural… or superficial? This is a question every child of God needs to ask themselves from time to time.
And today, if you’d admit that your faith is more superficial than supernatural, I want to tell you what Jesus told the church in Sardis in Revelation 3:2-3.
First of all, Jesus says to wake up. Come face to face with your sin problem. Admit the diagnosis of the Spirit of God upon your life… and wake up!
Second, Jesus says to “strengthen what remains” of your faith. This means to start reading your Bible again. Start praying again. Start meeting together with other believers again. Strengthen what remains of your faith.
Then, Jesus says to look back. Remember that moment you met Christ… how excited you were about your faith! And then remember again what the Lord Jesus did for you… how He cleansed you from your sin and saved your soul from hell. Remember the grace of God in your life! Look back.
But not only do you need to look back and remember, you need to hold on. In other words, keep on keeping on! Obey God’s Word! Keep His commandments! Consistently strive to apply the Scripture to your daily life.
Finally, Jesus says to repent. That means to let go of the past, to do an about face, to turn around, and come back to Him. If you realize that your faith is more fluff than substance, just admit it to God! Agree with Him that you’ve been a hypocrite… that you’ve been a phony.
If you’re like most people, there are few things that irk you more than someone who’s a hypocrite. And you know what? Jesus feels the same way! Which is why I pray you will come clean today if you realize your faith is in fact… more superficial than supernatural.
If you realize that your faith is more fluff than substance, just admit it!
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.”
Luke 20:45–47
One of the clearest pictures of the lengths to which people will go in order to gain approval from others—and the consequences—is found in the history of the early church. The book of Acts records the story of the wonderful generosity of Barnabas, who sold his land and gave the money to the apostles to meet the needs of the poor of the church. His example of compassion and giving rightly earned him great appreciation. A man named Ananias along with his wife Sapphira decided that they too wanted the praise Barnabas got, but they were not willing to match his generosity.
When they sold their property, Ananias brought part of the money, but presented it to Peter as if they were giving everything to God. They wanted the credit for great sacrifice without actually making the full sacrifice. Peter was alerted to the scheme and confronted Ananias. He did not condemn the failure to give everything, but rather the deception. He said, “Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God” (Acts 5:4).
Both Ananias and Sapphira perished because they were more interested in gaining the praise of men than they were seeking the approval of God. Whenever our great desire is to be thought well of by others, we are on the path to trouble. Seeking praise leads us to cut corners and lower our standards, and frequently lures us into sin.
Today’s Growth Principle:
Only God’s approval is lasting and meaningful and worthy of our pursuit.
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