The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. Acts 9:10.

“…perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1.

In our chapter, Revelation 3, are the remaining letters specifically to the angels of the churches. Imagine! Paul wrote letters to the churches. James, Peter, Jude wrote letters. Here Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit, is writing these letters. “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. So remember what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, say this: ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie – I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

These words of God written to the churches are a wake-up call for each one of us. They were written to bring awakening in us of our need for God. Who can read these letters and understand without closeness with God that brings hope and clarity? We are the product of a fallen world that permeates everything – even the churches! So let the Presence of God illuminate what IS. God brings illumination so we can see and be blind no longer. It is so important to remember that God is love and He is holy – and we are not! He began all of creation which includes all of us for a purpose. What He began is possible only with Him with us. Can we see the confusions and the hurt in our world today and not understand our deepest need is for our Creator? Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline…therefore be zealous and repent…I stand at the door and knock…if anyone hears My voice and opens the door…I will come in to him and will dine with Him, and he with Me. Do we have an ear to hear what the Spirit says to the churches – and to our own hearts?