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An Open Door

Words of Faith Final

An Open Door

Words of Faith 12-7-2020

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2020

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

www.faithfellowshipweb.com

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Revelation 3

[7]  "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. [8]  I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

 

       When the Lord wrote to the church at Philadelphia, He was not talking about the place with great cheesesteak sandwiches and the Liberty Bell. This Philly was in Asia Minor, about 25 miles southeast of Sardis.

        Philadelphia was a strong fortress city situated on a high plateau on the main highway that ran to Smyrna. Philadelphia means “brotherly love.” The city was in a great vine-growing district that also had textile and leather industries.  We know nothing about the founding of this church except that it was likely an overflow from the Great Outpouring in Ephesus was in AD 55-56 (Acts 19).

        Of all the Revelation churches, only Philadelphia and Smyrna were not rebuked by the Lord. This doesn’t mean that they were perfect churches. But Philadelphia is commended for faithfulness and loyalty. Like Smyrna, Philadelphia experienced conflict with the local synagogue, but they didn’t experience the same level of persecution.

        So rather than a rebuke, Jesus addressed this church simply as a friend. We get an amazing description of our friend Jesus. Truly, Jesus is our most amazing friend ever. Abraham was called a “Friend of God.” In John 15 - Jesus said— “I have called you friends…” But what kind of friendship is this?

        He is a friend who is holy and true. “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one…” [7]  A holy friend is not someone who is so goody-goody that we feel bad about ourselves around him. A holy friend is simply one who is pure in motive and intent. Jesus is a friend who has no ulterior motive. He has only your very best in mind. He is the true friend who will tell you the truth, even if it hurts.

         Jesus is not our “yes man.” He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). He is the friend who is faithful to wound us only at the right time, for Faithful are the wounds of a friend…  (Proverbs 27:6). He is also a friend who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. [7b]

         Have you ever noticed how really important keys are, especially if you cannot find yours! If we get locked out, we certainly know this. We need to call a friend who has the key. Jesus has the key of David—the Messiah of God’s people. His authority over the door is absolute. This speaks of the door to heaven but also the door to your future.

         Jesus is the friend who opens the door to God’s will in your life.  “I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.” [8]

         Have you ever noticed that finding your way in life is not so much about what you know but who you know? Jesus says that He has set before you an open door. Your future is wide open in Me. No one can shut you out of the future I have planned for you.

          It reminds us of the declaration of the Lord in Jeremiah 29:11 – “I know the plans I have for you, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”  The door is open before you—but you have to go through it.

         He is a friend who has influence. [8b] … I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. You are not influential. Not powerful. I am both. o         Jesus does not need connections or worldly power to bless you. You have His Word and His Name. You have kept both.

 

           Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you are the Door. You are the Gate. And that You have set before me a door that is open to the future You have planned for me. Show me the way to that door and through that door. Give me hope and a future. In Jesus’ Name.

 

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2020

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)       

2820 Business Center Blvd.

Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.