May 16, 2017

A daily devotional through the recorded words Jesus spoke while He walked alongside us. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com.

1. Thanks for joining me today for "A Little Walk with God." I'm your host Richard Agee.
2. It’s true that every journey starts with the first step, but if that’s the only step you take, you never get to your destination. The journey will never be complete.
3. Scripture
   1. Revelation 3:1-6
   2. The One: Write down My words, and send them to the messenger of the church in Sardis. “These are the words of the One who has the seven Spirits of God, the Perfect Spirit, and the One who holds the seven stars:

“I know the things you do—you’ve claimed a reputation of life, but you are actually dead. Wake up from your death-sleep, and strengthen what remains of the life you have been given that is in danger of death. I have judged your deeds as far from complete in the sight of My God. Therefore, remember what you have received and heard; it’s time to keep these instructions and turn back from your ways. If you do not wake up from this sleep, I will come in judgment. I will creep up on you like a thief—you will have no way of knowing when I will come. But there are a few in Sardis who don’t have the stain of evil works on their clothes. They will walk alongside Me in white, spotless garments because they have been proven worthy.

“The one who conquers through faithfulness even unto death will be clothed in white garments, and I will certainly not erase that person’s name from the book of life. I will acknowledge this person’s name before My Father and before His heavenly messengers.

“Let the person who is able to hear, listen to and follow what the Spirit proclaims to all the churches.”

4. Devotional
   1. For a few years I served as the senior medical observer/controller at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana.
      1. Fancy title. Responsible for helping train medical units prepare to do provide their medical support in regions of conflict
      2. Need to be able to perform their medical mission to care for sick and wounded soldiers
      3. Also needed to defend themselves against an enemy that didn’t care about the Geneva Conventions
      4. Discovered it’s difficult to do either one and extremely difficult to do both at the same time
   2. Many units concentrated on one or the other
      1. Got overwhelmed with patients and forgot about their vulnerability against an armed force
      2. Protected against an enemy but forgot they needed to treat patients at the same time
      3. Most often defense is what went by the wayside as they executed their primary mission of patient care
   3. Put up what might look like a defense to some
      1. Razor wire around the facility, but not enough
      2. Guards at various points, but not looking at the right places
      3. Checks of vehicles coming in, but not checking well when chaos broke loose with several patients coming in at once
      4. Their work started but wasn’t complete
      5. It didn’t make the grade
   4. That’s what happened in Sardis
      1. They started
      2. They were excited at the beginning
      3. They set to work and looked good
      4. It got hard and they stopped before the work was done
      5. They let their defenses down
      6. The enemy broke in and stole their momentum, their enthusiasm, their life
   5. Jesus says, stay faithful, walk beside Him, He’ll acknowledge you before the Father and clothe you in spotless garments of white
5. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."