TUESDAY, JANUARY 17
Scripture: Revelation 2:20-23

Specific qualifiers for the rod of iron are identified in Thyatira. Verse 20 proclaims that passivity is a disqualifying characteristic. It says, “Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.” The problem with Thyatira is a familiar problem today. They were forfeiting the rod of iron. They deteriorated into passivity. The fruit was a refusal to restrain immorality in their own ranks. Jesus declared a ten-ton judgment. He released the rod of iron. They were allowing major defilement in the congregation. Jesus declared He would kill their disciples. The rod of iron will bring affliction or termination as needed. The rod of iron that Jesus offers the church is for serious opposition. Qualifying to use it requires serious holiness. The rod of iron will terminate the wicked in extreme cases. Jesus speaks to the church and declares plainly, “If you do not repent, I will kill this doctrine and the generation you are infecting with it.” Jesus said in verse 23, “…And I will give to each one of you according to your works.” I don’t think there is anything more serious than to command the leaders to rule with the rod of iron. Look at our tradition concerning a pastor. Look at our expectations for a pastor. By our tradition, we expect our pastors to be almost exclusively loving, accepting and gentle. They should “turn-the-other-cheek” and guide us in the direction we should go. Jesus said in the last days that any pastor worth his salt is going to rule with a rod of iron. If we do not rule with a rod of iron, then we do not qualify as a pastor. Without the rod, we are just like a weasel – going somewhere to turn the other cheek. Tradition makes us foolish and misguided! Tradition has robbed us of what it means to pastor. Consequently, we really do not have anyone pastoring the nation because nobody is swinging enough of a rod of iron to qualify. Without a rod of iron, we have counterfeit priests pastoring the nation. We have individuals who are more tares than wheat because they keep people smiling, keep people in their pews and keep people giving with compromised Christianity. That is the definition of a tare. A tare is somebody whose doctrine of compromise and passivity puts people to sleep. Seeker-sensitive pastors are tares. There is some serious soul-searching to be done. The rod of iron has to be swung in the church first. The perverse politicians have little to worry about right now because the guys in the pulpit are too passive to qualify for the rod of iron. The Jesus of Revelation is rising in behalf of the righteous. It is time to write some history. Are you in?