February 2, 2013 … Open the Door! Give Him the Keys!

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2013 - Day 33

Passage of the Day: Revelation 3: 20 [NLT] …  
20 “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends …”.
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Contextual Study of today’s passage: Revelation, Chapter 3, Verses 14-22 [NLT] … Go to this link …
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Reference Passage #1: Matthew 7: 7-8 : [NLT] … {Just as in Rev. 3, Jesus speaking!!} …  
7 “Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. …” 

Reference Passage #2: John 15: 1-15 … Just use this link! : [NLT] … {We connect to the vine by our obedience in Christ. } … 

My Journal for Today: Revelation 3: 20, the keynote verse for my devotional entry today, is often misused and misinterpreted in theological discussions. Obviously it has to do with Jesus, in the context of His letter to His church in Laodicea, being available to those who believe in Him as Lord and Savior. However, many people think that Jesus is knocking on the door of the hearts of non-believers in this passage; and they apply the verse in terms of salvation.

However, this passage, i.e., the letter to the Laodicean church, was Jesus speaking to already saved believers, … saved Christians who had become lukewarm in their faith; and Jesus is pleading with them to let Him in their hearts to become the LORD of their lives. As Os Hillman puts it in his devotional entry for this date: ” So often many of us enter a relationship with God that brings us salvation. This is the gospel of salvation. But what God really desires for us is to experience the gospel of the Kingdom. He wants us to experience His power and presence every day of our lives and to see His hand at work in us. This only happens when we give Him the key to our life; He must be more than an honored guest.”

In other words, we’re not talking about the “gospel of salvation” here; we’re speaking of the “gospel of sanctification.” And that is what Jesus wanted believers to recognize in His Sermon on the Mount (see Matt. 7: 7-8 above) as well as what John quoted Jesus to teach in John 15: 1-15, also linked above for your study reference above.

 Once we’re saved and we’ve invited God’s Spirit to reside in our hearts, Jesus so wants us to understand that we must invite Him to be more than just a guest in our lives, i.e., in our hearts. He wants us to give Him ALL THE KEYS to every room in our hearts; and He desires for us to let Him be the LORD of the mansion … not just a guest. Yes, once He’s in, He’s in forever; and He could take over. He is God; and He is sovereign. But that’s not Jesus’ M.O.! If, once invited into our hearts, Jesus just took control, the reality of “FAITH” would have no meaning; and even after we’re saved, Jesus wants us – IN FAITH – to give Him all the keys to our personal kingdom. That’s kingdom faith in the gospel of sanctification.

And so, the invitation of Rev. 3: 20 applies to every decision in our lives as we grow into His image. It applies to every choice we make, … and to every action in our lives. And when we open the door to His knocking, He will gladly, lovingly, and gracefully come in and dine with us as we give Him the keys to the mansion He is building for us.

Have you heard Him knocking? Have you opened the door to let Him come in? Have you given over ALL the keys to the life He is building for you? Today? He’s there, knocking. Why don’t you just let Him in; and give Him the keys?

My Prayer for Today ... LORD, come in … take it all; … it’s Yours anyway! … Amen