Phew!

That's how I felt after the seven letters to the churches of  Asia minor. Phew! I was glad I finally reached Laodicea and I planned as soon as possible to go on to something more interesting; like how Jesus describes himself in the book of Revelation. But no...

The Holy Spirit reminded me of a book I bought in the late 90th. It is called "How to survive Laodicea" and it is written by a Swedish priest called Bengt Pleijel. He is now a retired priest I believe, but I'm sure he never retires as a Christian. As far as I know the book only exists in Swedish and I just found out that the publisher called "Vetekornet"has ceased to exist.

Anyway; I think the Holy Spirit told me to stay in Laodicea for a while and also stay in the book  because he wanted me to see some more details about the church as well as my own life.

The book of Revelation is a book of serious business. No games played here and no walking about the bush; all is said straight forward and without any "religious wrapping" around it either. One church or the other, could in some ways remind me of a certain time in  life when Jesus word of warning would have applied to me also. No way to get around that either.

I was saved when I was 10 years old and after that you would think it was no worries for me. But back in those days I unfortunately  attended church meetings where the preachers often were more interested in talking about hell than heaven and there was always a risk that you had done something bad and so you were doomed to hell. As a child obviously every day included a risk to do something wrong and so I was a potential candidate for hell every time I came within hearing distance of a preacher. Repent! ... was the ongoing message. And I repented and repented and repented ... and it never seemed enough.  
I like to think that those "fire and brimstone" preachers just meant well and didn't know better; but they sure created a lot of uncertainty in me; was I saved or not?; was I destined for hell or could I just get inside heavens gate "by a whisker". God's burning eyes over my life continued for 40 years before I finally found "the smiling Jesus". Can you imagine that? What a waste of time ... when I had a loving Father in heaven,  waiting for his child to really understand that it wasn't up to me but to HIM. He had done it all once and for all and when I accepted his gift of salvation hell wasn't even an option for me any more.
So now when I read the book of Revelation today  I keep in mind that no matter what happens in this wretched world 

The blood of Jesus is enough

My life in Jesus is enough

My trust in Jesus is enough

My future in Jesus is safe

My death and new life with the resurrected Jesus is secured. 

So come along with me on a tour through Laodicea; it's a thriller with a happy ending as you will see. 
Sincerely yours, Ida 

//The video included is for Swedish speaking friends. It is Bengt Pleijel, talking about his new book "To love Sweden back to God" I'm sorry all English speaking friends that you cannot understand this. It is really funny. He has  great humor and that is also displayed in his books.//