Today’s 333 Devotional: “Strengthen What Remains”

God calls us to wake up and smell the coffee, instead of remaining in a state of death.

To the church in Sardis Jesus said, “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent.” (Revelation 3:1b-3a)

It would seem that the church in Sardis was a church in name only. They began well but started to drift spiritually. But now God was giving them a chance to repent, to turn back and start doing and holding fast to what they knew was right.

We need to remember that we are the church. Where two or three are gathered in Jesus’s name that is where Jesus is, and He is the head of the church (Matthew 18:20; Ephesians 5:23).

Just because we call ourselves Christians, are we Christians in name only? Do we have a name that we’re alive, but are indeed dead? What I believe the Lord is saying is that it’s time we wake up to this very real possibility and start doing what we’ve been called to do, what we’ve received from the Lord, and to hold fast to the truth of His word and repent.

We also need to strengthen those things that we’ve begun, but now they’re waning and are about to die. What is God is speaking to you? What have you started for the Lord, and is it now about ready to die? What area or ministry has God called you to, but now there is little if any fruit? How’s your time in God’s word and in prayer?

The Apostle James tells us to be doers of what God says and not just be hearers only, because if we don’t then the only person we’re deceiving is ourselves (James 1:22).