Lukewarm | Kristi's Morning Devotional

We’ve all done it I’m sure – at one point or another we have picked up our cup of what was something hot and now it’s lukewarm. We’ve ended up spitting it out. It’s disgusting!

Did you know that the Bible has something to say about people that are lukewarm?

“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! ¹⁶But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! ¹⁷You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. ¹⁸So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. ¹⁹I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. ²⁰“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 together as friends.” Revelation 3:15-20 NLT

It’s not ok to be a lukewarm Christian. Jesus is saying that He would rather we be cold over being lukewarm. He prefers that we be red-hot, on fire, Christians serving Him but if not, don’t do it half way. Don’t fake it – that gives Christianity a bad name. Live a life that is distinguished – live different, set apart so that people will know that our life counts for God.

I was teaching on these very verses once in Phoenix and I had a woman come up to me at the end of the service. She was upset with me. She had been trying to get her husband to live a more “Christian” life. He was there and heard me say that God would rather us be cold than lukewarm. She thought I was giving him permission to continue living the way he was without making any changes.

These verses tell us that the Lord wants us to make an honest evaluation of the way we are living. We “think” we’re fine but it’s really the opposite. Without Christ directing our lives, we are in a miserable condition. Through the work of the Holy Spirit we can be all that our Father intends for us.

“I thank God for you whenever I think of you. ⁴I always have joy as I pray for all of you. ⁵It is because you have told others the Good News from the first day you heard it until now. ⁶I am sure that God Who began the good work in you will keep on working in you until the day Jesus Christ comes again.” Philippians 1:3-6 NLV

Since it’s God who is doing the work in us we don’t need to “try” and live the life that God’s wants us too; we just need to yield to Him and let Him continue to do the work He has started. When our confidence placed in Him and not in ourselves we won’t become lukewarm. I’ve been a cold Christian, a lukewarm one and one that is fired up. I like fired up the best.

Jesus is waiting for us to give Him access to our lives. He won’t push His way in. He is standing at the door waiting to fellowship with us. He wants us to open the door and welcome Him into our home, into our life. He desires to develop a friendship and companionship with us. So many times this verse is used as a verse on salvation but it is written to us as Christians. It conveys the depth of relationship that God wants to have with us.

Don’t be lukewarm. Don’t leave a bad taste. Be confident in God. Get fired up!

Have you noticed how text messages and twitter have reduced our conversations to brief snippets and how our cell phone conversations are disjointed and distracted? Does it bother you that we don’t just sit and talk?

So often phone conversations are one sided; I have to hurry and tell you all about me and when you start to talk about you, I get distracted by doing dishes or folding laundry, etc. and I barely listen.

Important stuff like news stories have been reduced to snippets because the viewing public have shortened their attention spans and if they don’t catch my interest immediately I’m off to another channel. So everything appears to be a crisis or a breaking story.

Very few take time to develop sincere interest. The sad thing is I find that happens more often than I like to admit in my relationship with the Lord. The saying “quality not quantity” leaves us making excuses for our actions. But what’s wrong with quality and quantity. Spending time, our only unrenewable resource, with those we love especially our Heavenly Father is essential to a solid relationship.

Write a letter, leave a card, put a note in a lunch bag, sit down and focus when carrying on a phone conversation, turn the TV and other electronic devices off during meals and following, just visit. Let people know they are important.

There’s a true expression of love in being listened too. Listen without interrupting. This gives the person you’re listening to importance and value. It means that what they have to say is important to me and I’m not just waiting to jump in with “my” important words. There is a difference, a big difference, between hearing and listening. Hearing is the comprehension of sound but listening is the comprehension of the heart.

The Father always listens – He waits for each word and His desire is that we take time to listen to Him as well. Jesus relates this instruction to John in the book of Revelation about Christians and a lukewarm relationship. He wants us to spend time together with Him.

“Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together.” Revelation 3:20 CEV

Jesus is waiting to sit down and visit with us today. Will we make the time?

Tag: Lukewarm

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