. . . and you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. (Rev 3:17)



Wretched - Greek: talaiporos (Strong's-G5005) adj
1) Enduring toils and troubles
2)afflicted, wretched

English definition - very unfortunate in condition or circumstances.
                             - characterized by misery and sorrow.
                             - despicable, contemptible, or mean.
                             - poor, worthless, sorry, pitiful.

Wretched refers to a condition of extreme affliction or distress that is outwardly apparent. 

Miserable - Greek: eleeinos (Strong's -G1652) adj
1) Miserable, to be pitied

English definition - wretchedly unhappy, or uncomfortable.
                             - wretchedly poor; needy
                             - of wretched character or quality; contemptible
                             - sordid or squalid.


Poor - Greek: ptochos (Strong's - G4434) adj
1) reduced to beggary, begging, asking alms
2)destitute of wealth, influence, position, or honor.
    a) lowly, afflicted, lacking Christian virtues and eternal riches.
    b)helpless, powerless to accomplish an end.
    c)poor, needy
3)lacking in anything
    
This word is also translated as beggar, poor man, and beggarly.

English definition - Little or no money, goods, or means of support.
                             - Dependent upon charity or public support. 
                             - Characterized by poverty.
                             - Deficient in something specific.

Blind - Greek: typhlos (Strong's G5185) adj
1) blind
2) mentally blind

English  definition - unable to see 
                              - unable or unwilling to understand or to discern
                              - not based on evidence or reason
                              - acting with out preparation or control
                              - done without being able to see
                              - lacking awareness or consciousness 

Naked - Greek: gymnos (Strong's G1131) adj

1) literally
     a) naked, with out clothing
     b) with out adequate clothing
     c) wearing only under garments (putting aside the outer garment)
     d) of the soul with out a body
2) Metaphorically 
     a) naked, open, lay bare
     b) only, mere, bare

It was considered shameful for a Jewish person to be naked.
Clothing was a sign of identity and economic status. 

English  definition - Having the body completely unclothed
                              - Having no covering
                              - With out protection or defense
                              - Stripped or destitute
                              - Without concealment 

I am posting this with out personal observations or reflections in the hope that we each will share what God is showing us by posting comments.

You say that you are rich and have become wealthy and have need of nothing . . . (Rev 3:17)

    The word translated as rich is the Greek  plousios 
(strongs - G4145). It can mean literally having lots of money or possessions, or metaphorically having an abundance or something intangible.

     The word translated as wealthy is another form of the same word. It is also translated as , be rich, become rich, increase in goods.

    The word translated as need is chreia (Strongs-G5532). It means need or necessity and sometimes duty or business. It is usually translated as need but is sometimes translated as necessity,use, needful, necessary, business, task, lack, or wants. 

This verse comes to mind as I reflect on being rich and needing nothing:

Luke 1:53 He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed.

The word rich here is the same one used in the revelations passage.The word hungry comes from Peinao (Strongs-G3983) which means to be physically hungry, to suffer want, or to be needy. It is also used metaphorically to mean to crave ardently or to seek with eager desire.

I don't want to be sent away empty handed. I want to be filled with good things from God. Once again I am faced with the fact that we may already be so filled with things that are not from God that we do not perceive our neediness; we are not hungry; we are not ardently craving or eagerly seeking all that God has for us.

Lord Jesus, We submit to whatever it takes for us to become hungry for you. With out you we have nothing of real value at all. You are eternal goodness, eternal and true life and love. Nothing we desire can compare with You. We need you desperately. Help us to feel our need.

Be like a Child to Mature

Mt 18 Starts off with the disciples asking Jesus "who is the greatest?" Of course we know the rest of the story, Jesus called a child then said "unless you humble yourself and become as a child..."

That childlikeness, not childishness, is that willingness to trust, to be dependant, to be submitted, willing to be helped. I have read recently a note by a pastor who says he does not teach self control anymore, he teaches submission ( willingness to be helped, to be under, and I will add to abide) because self control or a sound mind is a fruit of the Spirit, if we submit (or abide) we will bear fruit.

My own cliche (well more than that) is : without submission, its just selfish ambition

To be great, we must be submitted, not my will, but His....and dare I say, the will of His appointed authorities here on Earth. (Of course as they are submitted to Him, but even as Saul tried to unrighteously kill David, he still honored God's annointed, even though he had to run for his life)

Are We Satisfied with too Little?

Are we satisfied with too little?

Are we satisfied with less than God's perfect will for our lives?  Is good enough OK with us? Is there nothing more we want? 

Lord Jesus, stir up in all of us a holy dissatisfaction with the status quo. Please open our eyes to see our own neediness, blindness, and nakedness. Help us to feel the hungriness that corresponds to the reality of our need for you. Help us to realize our poverty, and wretched pitiable condition. Lord we think we are fine because we have no idea how much more there is . . . We have never experienced all that you are . . . We don't know how to want it. Help us please. Amen.

	Rev 3:15	"'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!
	Rev 3:16	So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
	Rev 3:17	For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
	Rev 3:18	I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
	Rev 3:19	Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
	Rev 3:20	Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
	Rev 3:21	The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
	Rev 3:22	He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"                  Click on this link to study further.                         (http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfmb=Rev&c=3&t=ESV#17) We have all experienced being told as children, "Don't eat that. It will spoil you supper." We all know exactly what that means. If we eat "junk food" that has no nutritional value, we will be filled. When the healthy meal is served, we will not be hungry; we will not eat the food that will nourish us and keep us healthy. We know that salty sugary snacks can cause us to be scornful of our veggies and to crave more junk, so that even if we are hungry we have no appetite for healthy food. Our desires become corrupted. We are satisfied only with that which not only does not produce health, but which actually  produces sickness. Many people become over weight and suffer from malnutrition at the same time because of the quantity of empty calories that they consume. I believe we are spiritually eating things which are spoiling our appetite for God. We are filled with things that are empty of spiritual nutrition at best, and are probably  damaging to our spiritual health. Some of us maybe dying from malnutrition, but we do not even notice because we do not feel hungry. What are we consuming that is giving us a false sense of satisfaction? Is it television, or some other form of entertainment? Could it be an unhealthy relationship, shopping, food, stamp collecting? Anything that could be fine as a snack or dessert can be harmful as the main course, and obviously, some things are harmful to some people in any amount. When we have corrupted our physical  appetites, are sick, toxic, and over weight, a fast will clean our bodies and renew our hunger for wholesome food. Fasting can do the same thing for us spiritually. Let's ask God to show us those things in our lives that make us believe that we "are rich and have need of nothing". Let's fast from those things and see if our spiritual appetite and then our spiritual health will improve. Lets see if we will begin to hunger and thirst for righteousness.