Lukewarm Christianity -- Are you Hot or Cold for Jesus Christ?

One of the bad trends that seems to exist in our churches today are lukewarm Christians.  These are believers that claim Christ, but have very little action to show for it.  They may talk a good game on the surface, but inwardly their heart is far from Christ.  The passion that may once have existed for God in their heart, has grown 'indifferent' to His glory and His greatness.  Jesus openly talks about these types of believers in Revelation 3..which we will look at today.  Are you one of these?

Jesus openly rebukes a 'lukewarm' believer in Revelation 3:15,16  (see full passage below) when he says:  "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth".  Wow, what an open rebuke we have from our Lord.

This statement not only shows us what Jesus is *not* looking for in believers, He also is clearly showing us what He desires from all believers -- he desires them to be 'on fire' for the Lord.  There is no middle ground with God.  Either you're with Him or your against Him.  And if you're with Him...He wants 100% of you, not just 50% or 25%.  God desires a *total* commitment from you as a believer. 

And is that such a hard thing?  To dedicate your life, your thoughts, your passion in this world to the One who gave you breath...who borne you into this world and knew you before you were even made?  Not at all, may we always look to glorify God in our lives. God deserves our dedication to Him, not because of how great we are, but because of how great He is.   He desires us to grow deeper in our faith and our relationship with Him.

Think about it for a second.  You have relationships with people.  How do you build up those relationships?  By spending time, dedicating yourself to those people.  In the same way (but much greater)...should we not spend our time in the Lord? 

Examine your own life.  Where does your thought life live?  How many times do you think about God during the day?  Do you give Him your thoughts?  Do you praise Him in everything that's going on in your life?  Do you desire to read His word and know Him more and more each day?   Do you even spend time with Him?  I pray that your passion for God and His word will *NEVER* run out.  May it never be said of us that we are 'lukewarm' Christians...let us go out in this world and boldly proclaim Christ!

But to proclaim Christ, we must first build up our relationship and knowledge of Him.  How can you talk about someone you don't know?  Read His Word...remain in His Word and let the Word mature your faith more and more to give you the boldness to stand up in Godly truth in this world. 

The Bible says that the eyes of the Lord "roam to and fro" to seek those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.  Are you *fully* committed to Him?  Or are you a lukewarm Christian? 

If you are lukewarm towards God...I encourage you to get near to the Lord in His Word and come to love Him more and more.  Don't let Christ return and find you living in sin, or living with an 'indifferent' heart towards Him. 

To God be the glory always!

Revelation 3:14-22

 “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.

 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.

I wish you were either one or the other!

So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—

I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

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.

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire,

so 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.

   Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.

So be earnest, and repent. Here I am!

I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,

I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

   To him who overcomes,

 I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,

just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Why Does God Allow Suffering?

With the recent events in the news, you may start to see a lot of questions from people.  Questions like "Why is there suffering", or  "If God is a God of love, how can He allow bad things to happen?" While it's very tempting to desire to question God and doubt the good nature of God in times of hardship and difficulty, our Bible provides not only provides clear answers to those types of questions, but also gives us great hope that can sustain us through hardship and difficulties.

First of all, the Bible is so great that is never promises us an easy life in this age.  Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 16:33 when He says "...In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."  Not only in this passage, but with the very first chapters of Genesis, we read about a 'broken world', a 'fallen world'.  This broken world, is the world we live in still today.  Why is this world broken? It's not because of God, but because of mankind and mankind's choice to 'disobey' God.

Unlike most books which may try to 'sugar coat' the truth, God through His Word tells us clearly what has happened in our world (starting in the book of Genesis):

• God created 2 literal people called Adam & Eve.
• Adam & Eve sinned against God (disobeyed His commands).
• Sin entered the world, and through sin, came death, disease & suffering.
• Man, woman, and the world was cursed because of sin.
• We are born into sin and exhibit a sin nature in our own lives.  No one is exempt from sin.
• This curse of sin exists today.  (We see people die, have disease and suffer).
• As beautiful as our world is, it is a broken world, a fallen world.
• We as Christians are reminded of this each day as we see tragedies.

Given these facts, we can see that it is only through the hope in Christ, who came to break the curse of sin.   He came to free all people who would believe in Him, by breaking the bondage of sin, and giving us the promise of eternal life.  While we don't see this eternal life now, one day, Christ will return and make a new heavens and a new earth.  This future earth will be free from sin, death, disease and suffering.   This is why Jesus is our Savior!  He promises to save us from our sins, and has promised us that in the future (not quite yet), things will be made right again!  Glory be to Him and thanks be to God!

This future place will be a place as described in Revelation 21:1-5 (full passage below) as a place where there will be "no more death, or mourning or crying or pain"...wow!

It may be hard right now to understand that one day there will be an 'age' where people won't die, people won't suffer, or people won't cry or mourn, but that's exactly what God has promised.  However He promises it only to those who will believe on His Son Jesus now. That is why each day we have is so important to come to Him if we haven't and to take shelter in the hands of His Son Jesus who has saved us from sin and promises us a great hope in the age to come!

Pray for those people going through hardship, not only them, but all people, that they may come to know the hope in Jesus Christ!  The Bible says about Jesus Christ... "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Come to Jesus while there is time..there is no other hope but Him.

Revelation 21: 1-15

 1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”

for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,

and there was no longer any sea.

 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,

prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

 “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people,

and he will dwell with them. They will be his people,

 and God himself will be with them and be their God.

 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.

There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain,

 for the old order of things has passed away.” 

5 He who was seated on the throne said,

 “I am making everything new!”

Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”