Here are some websites and articles that give some information about the city of Philadelphia.
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A Guide to Biblical Sites in Greece and Turkey by The following articles were originally published in our local newspaper, The Phoenix.
Philadelphia
The Missionary City
The Missionary Church
Has Your Present Performance Anticipated Your Ultimate Opportunity?
Introduction
The Point of No Return
· “There is a point at which everything becomes simple and there is no question of choice, because all you have staked will be lost if you look back. Life’s point of no return.” Dag Hammarskjöld
I. Looking at the Text: Revelation 3:7-13
A. Commission – v: 7
o To the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia
B. Character – v: 7
o The Holy One; The True One
C. Commendation – v: 8
o “I know your deeds”
o Threefold promise:
§ I have set before you an open door that no one can shut
§ I will make them come and fall down at your feet
§ I will keep you from the hour of trial
D. Condemnation – v: 8
o Only criticism implied, “I know you have little strength”
o Actually, probably an encouragement
E. Correction
o None except maybe v: 11 – to “hold fast”
F. Challenge – v: 12
o Great promise in heaven
G. Call – v: 13
o Listen; Listen; Listen
II. Looking At Practical Lessons
· Ephesus: Has Your First Love Become Your Last Priority?
· Smyrna: Has Your Greatest Fear Contaminated Your Genuine Goodness?
· Pergamum: Has Your Deceptive Behavior Contradicted Your Orthodox Doctrine?
· Thyatira: Has Your Consistent Progress Eroded Your Eventual Endurance?
· Sardis: Has Your External Reputation Overtaken Your Internal Reality?
· Philadelphia: Has Your Present Performance Anticipated Your Ultimate Opportunity?
“I Have Set Before You an Open Door that No One Can Shut”
The Open Door: Though they had many adversaries, though they were few in number, though they enjoyed minimal worldly advantages, no one could shut it.
Same Idea As:
o 1 Corinthians 16:9 – Because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.
o 2 Corinthians 2:12 – Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me.
o Acts 14:27 – On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
o Colossians 4:3 – And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
Three Simple Thoughts Inferred in this Text:
1. New Limits – Our Reach –
How We Think
· I have set before you… This is God’s part. He does that.
o Let God’s Word form your future. What is God saying and doing in our lives? He opens the door to limitless possibilities.
· If the door is open, dream what God can do.
o “If you have men who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all.” David Livingston
o “Unless there is the element of extreme risk in our exploits for God, there is no need for faith.” Hudson Taylor
o “If we are going to wait until every possible hindrance has been removed before we do a work for the Lord, we will never attempt to do anything.” T.J. Bach
o We have a big God… We must have big dreams.
o “I have no plans; I have dreams.” Ashley Keinath, class of 2010
2. New Habits – Our Routines –
How We Act
· I have set before YOU… That is our part; That is personal.
o We must accept the responsibility to walk through the door.
o We must have the courage to take the first step.
o We must be willing to obey God no matter what.
· “If a window of opportunity appears, don’t pull down the shade.” Thomas J. Peters
· “The sign on the door of opportunity reads PUSH!”
o How easy it is to sent out some résumés.
o How easy to be passive – wait by the phone.
o How easy to go back home – back to the routines, back to the familiar, back to the known.
o “All great dreams and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning.” Albert Camus
o What are your dreams; likes; passions; burdens… Go deep before you go wide.
3. New Summits – Our Range –
How We Look/Dream
· I have set before you an Open Door… What is that door?
o “Let your hook be always cast in the pool where you least expect there to be fish.”
o Of course, we can’t do everything – Sometimes God says no. As Coco Chanel said, “Don’t spend time beating on a wall hoping to transform it into a door.”
o “He who refuses to embrace a unique opportunity loses the prize as surely as if he had failed.” William James
o “Life is either a daring adventure or it is nothing.” Helen Keller
o Someone said to Charles Spurgeon, “I will do as much as I can” to which he replied, “Anybody can do that.”
o “Don’t let them put your 11x17 picture in a 5x7 frame.” Alton Garrison
Conclusion
Has Your Present Performance Anticipated Your Ultimate Opportunity?
· Square Watermelons – I have attached this “Think About It” article which may be of interest to you.
· Oh, the power of an open door
o Anticipation
o Limitation
o Inspiration
o Participation
o Perspiration
o Realization
· “Most of the time I feel grossly under-qualified and daily overwhelmed.” Doug Clay
7"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
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