Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem
Revelation 3
To the Church in Philadelphia
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. 8 I 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. 9 I 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. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them 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 them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
The Church in Philadelphia is unique among the Seven Churches in Revelation in that there is no "Bad News" in the letter. Without the "Bad News" there is also no need for correction, so Jesus tells the Church to "Hold Fast To What They Have."
The word "Philadelphia" means "Brotherly Love" and was the name devout Quakers chose for their new city in Pennsylvania. Neither the city in Turkey nor the one in the USA have lived up to their noble title, and, in Turkey there has even been an attempt to change the name of the town to the Turkish equivalent to "Red Hills" because of the volcanic soil. And, although the old building assumed to be the Church of Philadelphia is now a mosque, there is still an ancient pillar in the town that everyone attributes to the pillar mentioned in this Bible Passage. Christians in the town still call it by its old name, and cherish the Biblical citation.
Whether it is assailed by earthquakes (Philadelphia is positioned directly on a fault line), Conquest, War, Centuries of Occupation by a False Religion, or other calamities, Philadelphia will always be synonymous with "The Faithful Church". What makes Philadelphia different? How do they keep the Faith in spite of all the opposition? Why have they been immortalized in Holy Scripture? The reason is right there in its name. While we abide in Faith, Hope, and Love, the Greatest of These is LOVE.
When it comes to the Seven Churches, "On the whole, I'd rather be in Philadelphia."
Come and Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.
"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)
God Bless America.
Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.
Hallelujah and Amen
ML/LTOS
