SPECIAL MESSAGE TO WGM TEAM PARTNERS:
February 29, 2024
Straight Testimony to the Laodiceans – Part 20
THIS SPIRITUAL DISEASE IS NOT HOPELESS (No. 2)
“So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.” Rev. 3: 16, KJV. “Spue’ is ‘spit,” in the margin. This of course is spiritual and prophetic language yet bears a more profound and somber meaning for it references Jesus and His work—not when He was on earth performing His mission as the promised “Seed” and Messiah but as having already victoriously resurrected and ascended to the right hand of the Father in the heavenly sanctuary, performing His all-powerful intercessory atonement in His penultimate office as merciful High Priest, Advocate, Intercessor, and Mediator for penitent believers.
Now, even while the Third Person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, as the appointed vicegerent of Christ on earth after His ascension “makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered because we do not often know what we ought to pray for” (Rom. 8: 26, 26) because of our finite helplessness, it is still Christ our merciful High Priest and all-powerful Intercessor who TAKES UP OUR INDIVIDUAL NAMES IN HIS HUMAN-DIVINE MOUTH when pleading our prayer petitions and requests to the Father seated in His “great white throne.”
For such prayers though already divinely “processed” here on earth by the Holy Spirit, still have to be covered with the “incense” fragrance of the merits of Christ’s perfect righteousness in order to be acceptable to the Father.
Thus, unless the remnant believer who is afflicted unawares (‘knowest thou not?’) with this seventh, end-stage Laodicean disease—so highly infectious it needs no “vectors” for transmission to others—humbly and fully accepts the divine Physician’s turn-key comprehensive diagnosis and prescribed cure, his most sincere and importunate prayers is useless regardless if he asks “in the name of Jesus.” Why?
Prayer does not replace nor negate known duty. Ponder upon the following Testimony (all emphasis mine):
“The figure [of speech] of spewing out of His mouth means that HE CANNOT OFFER UP YOUR PRAYERS OR YOUR EXPRESSIONS OF LOVE TO GOD. HE CANNOT ENDORSE YOUR TEACHING OF HIS WORD OR YOUR SPIRITUAL WORK IN ANY WISE. HE CANNOT PRESENT YOUR RELIGIOUS EXERCISES WITH THE REQUEST THAT GRACE BE GIVEN YOU.” -Vol. 6 Testimonies for the Church, p. 408. It is these eye-opening and jolting spiritual revelations such I have “unearthed” in my continuing search of “the law and testimony” (Isa. 8:20) that awakened me from my ignorance, spiritual slumber, and yes, self-deceiving lukewarmness! I thank and praise God by sharing these by “pen and voice” with all “whether they will hear or forbear,” while time allows.
Salvation is individual, never corporate or institutional for Christ is a “personal Savior” while being a “corporate” Example.
To be continued, God willing. Bless all, NMF.