An Open Door
Revelation 3:7-13

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Revelation 1:11 says: Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

Sometimes we hear something repeated so long that we believe it is true.  Sometimes we hear that a passage in the Bible means something had hear that thing repeated so much that we be3lieve what we are told instead of what is actually written.  But God wants us to believe what He actually wrote.  This verse uses the word are which is a verb of ongoing existence for multiple entities.  This verb does not say 'write to the church that exists now and to the church which will exist in 100 years, and to the one that will exist in 300 years and to the one that will exist in 2,000 years'.  It says to write to seven churches which all existed at the same time.

This claim that these seven churches represent seven church ages is an application of this section of Revelation and not the interpretation.  I'm not going to argue if the application is right or wrong but I will say that a claim that an application is more important than what God actually wrote is wrong.  In addition, people have tried to use this application before and have been proven wrong.  For example, at one time England sent out missionaries and God expanded their empire until it was truthfully said that the sun never set on the Empire of England because it literally spanned the world.  Then they stopped sending out missionaries and lost their empire.  In the late 1800s preachers in England were preaching that it was the Laodicean Age and that the 'Rapture' was imminent.  They insisted that Hitler was 'the antichrist of Revelation'.  However, they were proven wrong.

While churches in England turned lukewarm and matched what Jesus Christ said to the church of Laodicea in Revelation, the churches in America matched what was written to the church of Philadelphia.  Now that churches in America are turning lukewarm and matched what Jesus Christ said to the church of Laodicea in Revelation, the churches in the Philippines can match what was written to the church of Philadelphia.  God has given an open door to the churches in the Philippines and no man nor any devil can close it.  However, Satan is trying to convince the Filipinos to not send anyone through the open door.

Preachers in the Philippines have been convinced to preach that it is the Laodicean Age and that the 'Rapture' was imminent.  This type of preaching encourages people to stay where they are at and wait for the 'Rapture'.  People might be encouraged to do a little at home, but they are not encouraged to take the gospel around the world.  What's more, people are encouraged to believe the reports from preachers instead of looking at what is true around them.

I've visited a lot of churches in America during the last few years.  Without saying what is wrong with those churches, I will say that the churches in the Philippines, and in other parts of the world, are totally different.  Americans have convinced many people that the entire world has become lukewarm but the reality is that that claim is false for many places in the world.  Many Americans claim that what is true for them must be true for all of the world.  However, the world is a lot bigger than America and what is true for most of America is not true for many places in the world.  Therefore, instead of believing reports out of America that the whole world is the Laodicean Age, Filipinos need to look at what is true right now for churches in the Philippines and in many other places within the world.

1. Judge true judgment: Most Filipino churches are not lukewarm
   These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: (Revelation 3:17-18).  The Bible teaches that we can know someone's works by the results that they produce.  The Bible also says that God judges our works and people with different works should expect different blessings from God.  If your church produces different works then expect to receive different blessings from God.
1. Lukewarm churches claim to serve God while they are really concerned with their own physical comfort.  The people attending services are mainly retired people or people working on their own future retirement.  Most of their young people have left the church because they say that the members are hypocrites who claim to love God while serving their own fleshly desires.  Are most of your members old worn out people or do you have a lot of young and energetic people?
2. Lukewarm churches are reducing the amount spent on missions while they increase spending on their home facilities.  They often decide to redecorate their church buildings even though there are empty seats in almost every service and often fill less than 30% of their seats.  If we examined you budget for the last year, is your church's mission budget getting more of the money available or less? What would God say is the motivation for any spending done on the home church facilities?
3. Lukewarm churches are full of people who brag about the number of missionaries that they support but have no idea who the missionaries are, have no idea where they are or what they are doing.  The members have no idea how much support is sent to each missionary and they do not pray for their missionaries.  What percentage of your members are enough aware of the mission program to know more than just how many the church claims to support?
4. Lukewarm churches have eliminated their visitation and soul winning ministries or have very few members participating.  Often, they have staff members who rarely participate.  Is this true for your church?
5. Lukewarm churches have few baptisms and can report only a few professions, if any, each week.  How would God judge your efforts to reach the lost and to cause the saved to grow.
6. Lukewarm churches have poor attendance to Sunday School if they have not eliminated it all together.
7. Lukewarm churches have members who rarely visit other churches while they are traveling and most members refuse to even consider going on a mission trip or personally going to help a mission work even if the mission work is close by.
8. I believe that most Filipino pastors would have to say that their church does not match the description of a lukewarm church in most instances.  Any points where their church does match the description the pastor probably should pray about fixing.  However, we should agree that this description does not match most Filipino churches.  Therefore, Filipinos should not expect to receive the same judgment from God as Lukewarm churches will receive.
2. Most Filipino churches have works that match the Church in Philadelphia
1. The Church in Philadelphia existed at the same time as the church of the Laodiceans.  Therefore, if the churches in America match the church of the Laodiceans, there is nothing to prevent Filipino churches matching Church in Philadelphia at the same time.
2. If Filipino churches match the works of Church in Philadelphia then they can expect to receive the judgment and blessings given to Church in Philadelphia.
3. Revelation 3:8 says: thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
• Many Filipino churches have little money and little opportunity for their members to earn a lot of money.  In today's world, that translates to little strength in the physical world.
• Many Filipino churches have faith in God.  That translates to a little strength in the spiritual world.  James 2:5 says: Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? Our receiving God's promises is not based upon our physical strength but based upon our having faith in His ability.
• Matthew 13:31-32 says: Another parable put he (Jesus) forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. The Filipino people might have faith that is as small as a grain of mustard seed but if they will let God plant them in a mission field and grow their faith then they can have a ministry that becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.  That is: lost people will seek the ministry to be protected from the storms of this life and then the Filipino people can lead them to their own relationship with the Son of God.
• Our reference also says and hast kept my word.  Based upon my personal experience, I can say that every church in America that left the KJV-1611 has turned to doctrine of devils and become lukewarm or cold.  Every church that I found which was still trying to serve God stuck to the KJV-1611.  The KJV-1611 is 'the word that belongs to God' (the word of God).  All of the other so-called translations are man-written bibles, which are 'the word that belongs to men'.  You can know this by the copyright found inside of them.  If Filipinos change from the KJV-1611 in English, or to any version in another language which disagrees with the KJV-1611, they can expect to be cut off from the blessings from God.  However, the preachers and churches represented should all fit this description.
• Our description continues with and hast not denied my name.  In the ten commandments we are told Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. (Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11).  Proverbs 30:9 tells us that claiming to be a Christian while not living like one is take the name of my God in vain.  Therefore, our last phrase is actually saying that the people of this church lived like Christ because they hast not denied my name by living for the world and the flesh.
3. Filipino churches need to claim the promises made to the Church in Philadelphia
1. behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it (Revelation 3:8).
• One of the main exports from the Philippines is people.  They can go almost anywhere and take the Gospel, even where it is illegal to give out the Gospel.  So long as they don't force the government to pay attention to them, they can preach the Gospel even in places like China, Vietnam and Brunei.  Yes, they have to use wisdom when they do it, but they can do it.  Americans in the same place are watched constantly and can not do the same thing as Filipinos.  Race and nationality are not are not a barrier for many Filipinos and neither man nor devil can make them to be a barrier.
• Filipinos are regarded as the low-class servants of the world.  Unless they draw attention to themselves, they are ignored by most government people.  Since they are regarded as servants, they are considered to not be worth hassling.  Since they are considered to be low-class, their bosses are considered to be not worth hassling.  For the most part they are ignored.  Riches and economic level are not are not a barrier for many Filipinos and neither man nor devil can make them to be a barrier.  Even in more expensive countries they have to be paid enough to live there.  Since Filipinos are used to living poor, they can only get a matching or better standard of living.
• Most Filipinos are raised speaking at least three languages.  Learning a new language is easier for them than it is for most other types of People.  For example, Tata was leading people to salvation in the Thai language within 6 months and passed his test for a missionary visa in less than 2 years where it takes most people at least 10 years.  Language requirements are not a barrier for many Filipinos and neither man nor devil can make language to be a barrier.
• Filipinos tend to be humble and friendly people.  As such, they tend to make friends in other countries and cultures and not be as offensive as some people such as Americans.  Yes, they can get homesick for familiar custom, and familiar foods, and familiar language and people who treat them with respect.  But those things are not impossible to deal with and God promises greater eternal rewards for greater sacrifice.  Therefore, Filipinos can deal with these things and if they focus on serving God and the promises of rewards, they can also deal with these sacrifices.
2. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. (Revelation 3:9).
• The Philippines are full of cults including the Catholic Church.  They claim to be Christian but are not.  Many saved have lost loved ones who are caught in these cults and their lies.  However, this promise is that they will worship the true God as a result of the testimony of true Christians who go through the open door.  (That is what is meant by I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.) It may take a life-time but those who truly go to the mission field can claim this promise where people who refuse to go can not claim it.
3. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Revelation 3:10).
• Filipinos who are truly trusting God in faith (hast kept the word of my patience) can expect God to keep them from a sinful and lustful lifestyle that is controlling much of the world.  By avoiding that lifestyle they can avoid many of the problems that other people end up with.  Filipinos who seek to become part of the people that they go to get caught in the same sins and problems as those people have.  I have seen this in America and heard of the same in other places.  Filipinos who concentrate on being missionaries can claim this promise.
4. Revelation 3:12 promises a special reward in the 1,000 years reign of Christ to all Filipinos who do this service and become one of these missionaries.
4. How Filipinos can participate.
1. Send people to Bible School to be trained and sent out as pastors and pastor's wives.
2. Train Filipinos to be non-preacher missionaries.  God has opened this door and you can't close it.  Throughout all history and everywhere around to world young people have left the farm and towns to o to a city and to other countries to get a better job and what they see as a better life.  You can't stop this.  You can prepare your young people to work for the Lord as they scatter or you can refuse to prepare them.  The results are up to you.
3. Acts 11:19-21 ' The non-preachers were scattered by God.  They won the lost and started Bible Studies in places like Antioch and did this before they received a preacher to be their pastor.  Several other New Testament churches were also started by non-preachers leading Bible Studies such as the church at Rome.
4. Ephesians 4:12 says that a pastor's main job is to cause the saved to grow up spiritually.  If someone leaves your church for a job elsewhere, and you had the chance to train them but don't, you will answer to God for your failure.  If you train them to be a soul winner and to be able to lead a Bible Study, then you have done your job as a pastor.
5. In Paul's epistles we read how the churches which were started as mission works helped the Jerusalem Church financially.  If you teach your people Biblical financial principals, and they see you training young people to be missionaries even while they work a job, eventually the young people that you send out should help support your work.  If you don't teach them the financial principals or you are not training people to be missionaries then you can forget about God having them help you financially.
6. Your young people are not going to start a Bible Study while they are away from home unless you give them training, experience and access to teaching material.  We have a card here with the web addresses of sites which provide them with doctrinally sound teaching material.  However, unless you have them teach a class while they are in your church they will not have the experience and will not feel confident enough to start a Bible Study away from home.
7. On ljc1611kjv.com is a series of lessons on Godly Financial Principals.  Some Filipinos have a lot of money but most are poor.  Most Filipinos stay poor because they are taught to do things which keep them poor.  For example, credit looks good but it is the way of the world to take money from the poor and middle class.  If you want your people to eventually help support your ministry then you need to teach them Godly Biblical principles on handling money.

The bottom line is that God has given some people, including Filipinos, an open door.  Filipino churches can get God's blessings by participating in this an open door.  The churches can do so by preparing all church members to do he 'Great Commission' no matter where God lets them go in this world.  The churches need to lead their people by example.  That example is to obey God's commandment and expect God to provide by whatever means God wants to use.  That example includes stopping looking to America and accepting God's command for the Filipino churches to send missionaries to the regions beyond  (2Corinthians 10:16).

Home

Contact:  Webmaster@LJC1611KJV.com.  Member of Tower Road Baptist Church, Abq., NM, U.S.A., 87121.  Copyright 2009 Lord Jesus Christ in the 1611KJV.  All rights reserved. Revised: 11/29/23.