Revelation 3:18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

 

In Jesus’ letter to the church in Laodicea, He made it clear that He was not pleased with them. Actually, He had nothing good to say to them at all. They thought they had everything because they were rich with money and material goods, but Jesus called them wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

 

However, Jesus immediately followed His rebuke with the remedy and as it is with every problem or sin in our lives, He is the remedy. Although these people had plenty of money, they could not use their money to purchase Peace, Spiritual Eyesight, Blessings, or White Garments to cover their spiritual nakedness.

 

Although we cannot work for or buy our Salvation, Jesus said, I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, What did Jesus mean by these Words? How do we BUY something from Him? Let’s look at what the Scriptures say.

 

If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? (Luke 9:23-25)

 

Anytime we want to purchase something at a store, we give the merchant some money in exchange for the merchandise. We pay the price and they give us what we purchased. Other times we trade something we have with someone for something they have. This is called bartering and it is a common business practice. People do it all the time. Example: I will mow your yard if you will change the oil in my car. When both parties come to an agreement, the trade is made and both are satisfied.

 

Jesus wants us to have everything and He gave His Life on the Cross of Calvary so we can have it all. Everything comes to us by way of His Sacrifice on the Cross. Jesus came that we may have abundant life here on earth. (John 10:10) Abundant Life includes all the Blessings and Favor of God and we can have it all if we trade our own lives for it. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the Mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

 

You see, Jesus already paid for it all with His Blood. He did it 2,000 years ago. He paid in advance for us to have everything now. However, to access it all we must trade our lives. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. (Luke 9:24)

 

This is what Jesus was telling the members of the church in Laodicea when He said, I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, They didn’t have to go on being spiritually poor, blind, and naked. They could have it all BUT they had to lay down their own lives to have it.

 

Living the Abundant Life Jesus died for us to have is a trade. He gave His Life on the Cross so we can have everything. All we have to do is trade our pitiful, wasted lives. Are you willing to make the trade?

 

 

This trade will……..….turn the tide ……….in your life.

 

I made the trade a long time ago,         Doreen

 

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