14 Sep The Relationship Meter
September13, 2026
The Relationship Meter
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends. Revelation 3:20NLT
Today we’re going to talk a little bit about relationships. I’ve been chewing on this subject for a few weeks: how relationships must be nurtured, cultivated, cherished, encouraged, fostered, developed, and supported, to name a few things. All of this must be done intentionally and consistently. I know life can get in the way, but for the things that are dear to us, we tend to make time and put in the work. One of my favorite quotes from the late Dr. Myles Munroe is, “The value of life is not in its duration but its donation,” and, in my opinion, so are relationships. The greatest relationship we can have is with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; this privilege is extended to all of us, as Paul says in Philippians 3:10, “That I may know him” or Moses in Exodus 33:18, “Shew me your glory.” WOW, those are powerful examples of what we can call a good intimate relationship.
Our lesson today will focus on the characteristics of the last three churches from the Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in the book of Revelation (Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea). We can use the status of these three churches to see how our relationships can fluctuate. Remember, this is Jesus speaking to these churches He commended, gave corrections, instructions on how to get back on track, and the outcomes.
The Dead Relationship
I miss my time with you. In Revelation 3:1-6 it says, “These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.
Don’t try to live on your past reputation with God; your family or friends do some reflection, repent, and invest more quality time in your walk with God. Get back into the Word, pray, and don’t just do things your usual way; take time to figure out what is missing and make corrections quickly and honestly. Get reacquainted and finish/get started on your kingdom assignment. If you are not saved, ask Jesus to come into your heart Romans 10:9-10
Connect with friends and family; get off the slippery slope with them. As my dad would say, “You used to be ___________ (you fill in the blank), now you’re just.” Don’t depend on technology to do it for you; dial the number, go by the house, and send something that costs you some time and maybe some money. Got this in prayer recently: “Put away the idols, the wicked ways, trinkets…Return to Me.”
The Faithful Relationship
A faithful person will be richly blessed. The Church of Philadelphia in Revelation 3:7-13 though small, poor, persecuted they remained true to Christ and Christ found no fault with them. Think about some of your relationships, can you label them as faithful, or do some need a little work?
Copilot online defines a faithful relationship like this: Being faithful in a relationship means showing unwavering loyalty, trust, and commitment to your partner/friends—emotionally, physically, and mentally—by prioritizing their well‑being, keeping promises, and maintaining open, honest communication. Also, Dr. Henry Cloud, a clinical psychologist and New York Times–bestselling author, emphasizes that boundaries, mutual respect, and intentional connection deeply shape relationships.
We all have personal relationships that have shifted, drifted, or ended their season with us. This can never be the case with the Lord! We must remain faithful. Notice how the Scriptures say the faithful church remained true to Christ. Thank God for Jesus, our faithful High Priest, who is always here for us, who loves us enough to tell us when we miss it and how to get back on track, and loves us through it all.
The Lukewarm Relationship
Insensitive to Spiritual Needs The word of God says in Romans 8:6-7, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
Revelation 3:14 -18 NIV “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
This church was insensitive to their spiritual needs. They lacked zeal for the things of God, had wealth, and thought they needed nothing. Without God, we are nothing and headed for destruction. We must do everything to avoid this place. Repent, walk by faith with God, be considerate of others, respect boundaries in relationships, don’t minimize people or their needs. Ask the Holy Spirit where/ which fruit of the Spirit is not in operation in our lives. Ask the Lord to open our eyes.
The Greatest Relationship
The greatest relationship we can have is with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This privilege is extended to all of us who believe in Him as Lord and Savior. Our opening scripture shows how He invites us into this relationship. “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends. Revelation 3:20NLT The Bible Hub says, “The act of sharing a meal was more than just a social activity; it was a covenantal act that established and reinforced social bonds.” No wonder one of the main ways friends connect is by having a meal together and just hanging out. The Lord loves hanging out with us too; that’s not disrespectful; it just shows one of the main attributes of friends’ connectivity.
God called one person a friend: Abraham. Others were referenced as friends, like Moses, who, in Exodus 33:11, says Lord spoke to Moses face to face as a man speaks to his friend. Then Enoch, who walked with God and did not experience death (Hebrews 11:5). Then there is David, who was a man after God’s own heart. What about us? Let’s check our relationship meter with God, not from a transactional standpoint (we can’t beat God giving any way), but from a place of commitment, love, obedience, trust, and I just want to be with you Lord, what do you need me to do for you today, Lord? Philippians 3:10 AMPC says it this way: [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope].
Finally, Remember the Greatest Commandment
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Matthew 22:3 Get your relationship with God right, and everything else will fall into place. Block that relationship(s) that are not of God; close that door now! You’ll know them by their fruit (Matthew 7:15-20). Many times, we know we just have a hard time letting go. I remember when God called me into the ministry, I was dating this guy, and God told me When you get back home, end the relationship (we are not talking about marriage; do all you can to keep that relationship working). I told the Lord he is so nice and listed a few other things; God said, end it. I said, “OK, Lord, help me do it,” and He did. Do you know, when I got home, the guy broke it off with me. Hallelujah! You see, God is all about relationships; we see it from Genesis with Adam, through Revelation, our place of study today. Let’s check our relationship meter.
Theresa Woodard
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