Padded Pews and Empty Altars (continued)

Taken from "Fire upon the Altar" Chapter One

by Gene Easley  

    Look at the church of Laodicea in Revelation chapter three. There seemed to be nothing good that Christ could say to this body of believers. Its spiritual condition had nauseated God. Why? Because material riches had blinded them into believing that obtaining material possessions was the ultimate goal of life. They felt secure in their financial status.

    But how did God look at it? It made Him sick. The church of Laodicea said, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." God's evaluation was exactly the opposite. He saw them as, "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" (Revelation 3:17). Their money bought no respect or merit with God.

    In Amos' day there was plenty of money and no prayer. It had been the same in Sodom. But how about Laodicea? It is obvious they had padded pews, but what about their prayer lives? They had need of nothing! You don't pray when you don't need anything. That was the problem. It wasn't their material wealth, but their spiritual poverty! It wasn't the padded pews but rather the empty altars that were bringing God's judgment. They were blind! The riches had blinded them until they believed that nothing else mattered as long as their pockets were full.

    Jesus' words to them were, "buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich" (Revelation 3:18). How would they purchase this missing treasure? Certainly, it would not be with anything they now possessed. They were bankrupt in God's eyes. Jesus was giving an invitation back to the altar. It was at an altar of prayer where this poverty-stricken, blind, naked, miserable and wretched group of believers could obtain the priceless gems that only God gives.

    Jesus was calling a prayer meeting in Laodicea! Maybe He is calling one in our church today. It was the only hope, lest judgment would come and they would be spued out of His mouth. Is not this our only hope?

    Jesus walked to the closed door of the church of Laodicea and started knocking. With His voice lifted, He tried to get someone's attention. Read it in verse twenty of Revelation chapter three. This verse is normally used to give an invitation to the lost. That's good. But the message of Christ was to the CHURCH! It was, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches" (Revelation 3:22). He was calling to the members of the church to open the doors of their hearts. If some would do so, His promise was to partake in the spiritual feast with them which they so desperately needed. It was a promise of a heaven-sent revival!

    Money can't bring spiritual revival, but a gathering of earnest hearts around the altar of prayer can. If we could just hear His voice and let Him in, we would experience that move of God that would save our churches from ruin!

    We should thank God for His material blessings. The answer is not found in discarding the padded pews. But it can be found in finding again that place of prayer.

    May He help us to get our minds off the things that this life affords! May we be led back to a place of consistent, fervent, intercessory prayer! And may the altars again be full. For it is at the altar where one is made truly rich!  

COPYRIGHT REPRODUCTION LIMITATIONS: This data file is the sole property of Gene Easley. It may not be altered or edited in any way. It may be reproduced only in its entirety for circulation as "freeware," without charge. All reproductions of this data file must contain the copyright notice (i.e., "Copyright (C) 2006 by Gene Easley"). This data file may not be used without the permission of Gene Easley for resale or the enhancement of any other product sold. This includes all of its content with the exception of a few brief quotations. Please give the following source credit: Copyright (C) 2006 by Gene Easley, Alamo, Texas.