Lukewarm
Good Morning Friends,
God reaching down and choosing us and putting heaven in our hands to pass on to others is more exciting than anything on the evening news. To not get overjoyed about this and moved by the Spirit in its reality is just crazy. Of course this revelation of light really demands we renounce our pagan ways but it is worth it. So today we ask God to help all the hypocrites that call themselves Christians. Today we desire to heat up the love of the promise realizing it must never be Lukewarm.
Scripture: For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Ephesians 4:1 (NIV)
51Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2and live in love, as Christ loved us* and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
2 Corinthians 1:22 (NIV)
3But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. 4Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. 5Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be associated with them. 8For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—
Ephesians 5:1-8 (NRSV)
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Revelation 3:16 (KJV)
Message: There is life threatening danger in a lukewarm heart for God. But it has been the way of religion for a long time, so many need a reality check along the lines of Jeff Foxworthy’s look in the mirror for Rednecks. So let’s take a top ten look at this and no it is not funny. Still you may be a Lukewarm Christian if:
10. You are always concerned about how comfortable you are going to be now and not in the future and especially in light of the eternal life we have been promised.
9. You give out of your leftovers rather than making giving to God a priority.
8. You only seek God when you are in trouble.
7. You say you believe in God, but live as though God doesn’t exist.
6. You crave acceptance from people more than acceptance from God.
5. You rarely (or never) share your faith.
4. You say you believe in God, but you don’t strive to know Him.
3. You base your morality on comparing yourself with others, rather than being guided by the light of the Spirit and the Word in a community of love.
2. Your life is really no different than others in the world.
1. You want to know Christ just enough to save you from hell, but not enough have to change your lifestyle.
Friends, God has placed the light of heaven in our hands. Let us stop avoiding it in preference of a life spent in the shadows or worse in one that sparkles with hypocrisy. God choose us but also gives a lifestyle and identity that is anything but lukewarm. The Spirit we received at our baptism and the Holy Spirit has sealed in our hearts allows us to walk with God and is a down payment on the promise of Jesus for a life everlasting. This is the most exciting story ever. Ok sure we are going to fall from time to time but let’s not dull down the story.
Pray Jesus prepares our hearts so that we never be lukewarm about the work of His church. Pray
we are baptized in water but sealed in the Spirit. Pray we receive the gift of the Spirit. Pray we share an identity with the promise of an inheritance in heaven. Pray we reflect the true conduct of a Christian in the fruits of the Spirit…in love. Pray we are never lukewarm for God.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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