Reputation
Revelation 3:1
You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
Sardis was known as a city of strength and luxury. The church reflected that same comfort and stability. On the outside, everything appeared alive. They had influence, resources, and reputation. Yet when Jesus looked beyond the surface, He saw something deeper, a spiritual lifelessness that no one else could detect. It is possible to have motion without mission, image without intimacy, and activity without anointing. Sardis had settled for the appearance of life while slowly drifting into death.
This is the danger of a comfortable faith. We can build a name for ourselves but lose the intimacy that once made us passionate. We can master the mechanics of serving God and forget the wonder of knowing Him. Jesus was not impressed with Sardis’ name or image. He wanted their hearts. What He desired then is what He desires now, a church that is truly alive, not one that simply looks alive.
What matters most to Jesus is not what others say about you, but what He sees within you. When reputation replaces relationship, revival begins to die. But when we return to Him with honest hearts and humble surrender, He can breathe life into what we thought was gone.
Prayer:
Lord, help me not to live for what others see but for what You know. Wake up what has grown tired within me. Restore my love for Your presence and make my heart truly alive again. Amen.
You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
Sardis was known as a city of strength and luxury. The church reflected that same comfort and stability. On the outside, everything appeared alive. They had influence, resources, and reputation. Yet when Jesus looked beyond the surface, He saw something deeper, a spiritual lifelessness that no one else could detect. It is possible to have motion without mission, image without intimacy, and activity without anointing. Sardis had settled for the appearance of life while slowly drifting into death.
This is the danger of a comfortable faith. We can build a name for ourselves but lose the intimacy that once made us passionate. We can master the mechanics of serving God and forget the wonder of knowing Him. Jesus was not impressed with Sardis’ name or image. He wanted their hearts. What He desired then is what He desires now, a church that is truly alive, not one that simply looks alive.
What matters most to Jesus is not what others say about you, but what He sees within you. When reputation replaces relationship, revival begins to die. But when we return to Him with honest hearts and humble surrender, He can breathe life into what we thought was gone.
Prayer:
Lord, help me not to live for what others see but for what You know. Wake up what has grown tired within me. Restore my love for Your presence and make my heart truly alive again. Amen.
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