Tag: Lukewarm

37.s. “I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

 

Malachi 1:6 “A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’

Revelations 3:15-16: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

We can come up with all kinds of reasons why we are consumed by the busyness of life and have little to no time for God and things of God. Young families find themselves going from work to baseball, soccer, volleyball, football, track, tennis, matches, practice, out-of-town events, and other school activities. They get stuck in being busy and end up having no time for God or things of God. They are consumed by life. Their quiet time for God is listening to a gospel song on the way to work, or when time permits a trip to church.  Prayer is reserved for those awful times in life where trials and troubles overwhelm them. Such is life when God and things of God are put “Second” on the priority list.

It is very easy to discern.  

  1. Neglecting God’s Word.
  2. Complacency
  3. Things of God are not given any thought
  4. There is no thought of having everything you say, think, and do for the honor and glory of Jesus 
  5. There is no meditation on His Word
  6. Joy, love, peace, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, generosity, self-control, and patience are missing
  7. Fear, confusion, anger, division, and worry find places in your mind
  8. There is no fruit for the kingdom of God
  9. Giving of time or money is weak at best
  10. More time is spent on social media than on God’s Word
  11. More time is spent watching TV than in God’s Word
  12. More thought is given to sports and watching and attending them
  13. World and local news is more important than God’s Word
  14. Life seems to be more of a burden than a joy to experience
  15. You no longer hear the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit
  16. You are no longer aware of sin and the need for repentance
  17. You are tolerant of things that are not godly
  18. Worldly wisdom seems to make sense
  19. You are never satisfied or content
  20. There is a void in your heart and mind but you can’t put your finger on what is missing
  21. God’s coming wrath and judgment and the return of Jesus Christ is given no thought
  22. The great price Jesus paid for your sin is given no thought
  23. There is no discernment between Godly and worldly

There should be no room for neglect or complacency toward Jesus Christ and the things of God in our lives. We should be very growing in our understanding and knowledge of God and His love, grace, and mercy.  We should be ever growing in our desire to, more and more each day, learn to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in how we think, what we speak, and what we do. 

When we allow ourselves room to be neglectful and complacent it does not end well. Nor will we find satisfaction and purpose for our souls.

6.k. ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot.”

Revelation 3:15    “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

Matthew 24:12    And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

Deuteronomy 5:29    Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!

Psalms 81:11-13     “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.  So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.  Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

1 Kings 18:21   And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.

Do you ever stop to wonder what the Christians in Laodicea were like and how we compare to them?  What were their daily lives like?  How did they speak, think, and act?  What was their worship like?  Where did they place God in their lives?  What influence did culture have on how they reverenced God?  The big question that comes to my mind is how close are we to acting, living, thinking, and speaking like the Christians in Laodicea.  Notice how it says they prospered which led them to think they needed nothing.  They are called wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.  They sought comfort, ease, and became content with their lives apart from God.  How many times do prosperity and ease lead people down paths apart from God?  For this very reason, you need to make every effort to live in fear, reverence, and thankfulness of the redeeming salvation through Jesus Christ.  We are to live as though we are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father.  Sons and daughters who live to honor, glorify, worship, follow, trust and obey their Father.  Sons and Daughters who never forget from that which they were saved.  Sons and daughters who remember and love Jesus Christ because they remember that which they have been forgiven.  Sons and daughters who live each day with Jesus Christ being first in their life.  Sons and daughters who deny self and live no longer being self-centered and self-reliant.

How do you compare to the Christians of Laodicea?  Are you living lukewarm?  Repent and intentionally choose to live each moment of every day honoring Jesus Christ.  What are you tolerating in your life that you shouldn’t?  What are you doing that you know you shouldn’t but you do because other Christians are doing it?  REPENT!!!!!!

159. Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

1 Kings 18:20   So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.

Matthew 6:24     “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

Romans 6:16-22    But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

1 Corinthians 10:21-22    You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.  Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

2 Corinthians 6:14-16   Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

Revelation 3:15-16    “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Psalms 100:3    Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Matthew 22:1  And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Tabletalk Magazine; God is not interested in halfhearted commitment. He will either have our hearts in their entirety, or He will have nothing to do with us at all. Ultimately, God only demands one thing—our full commitment to Him. We were made for our Creator, and He will not share us with another. He will not have us as His if we try to divide our ultimate allegiance between Him and anything else. In Elijah’s day, many in Israel tried to serve God and someone else on the side. We are ever tempted to do the same. Let us remember the One for whom we were made that we might realize that we can be satisfied in Him alone.

No one can serve two masters.  Satan disguises it very well in our culture to the point we don’t even know we are doing it. It soon gets to a point where we cling to our sin and try to cling to Jesus too.  We can not have it both ways.  1John 2:15–17: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

The truth is that we can not buy into both realms because we will certainly be devoted to one over the other.  That is the problem, isn’t it?  We want both and want to have the Lord’s blessings to do it.  That is not going to happen.  Why does scripture tell us to keep our eyes on Jesus, heaven, eternity and not on things of this world that pull us down paths away from God?  Don’t try to keep one foot in the world and one in Christian faith.  We deceive ourselves into thinking we can have both.  We end up lukewarm, inefficient, blind, deaf, stiff-necked, fruitless, faithless, and forsaking the sacrifice/torture Jesus gave to us on the cross so that we can live abundant and fruitful lives in and through Him.

Do not be double-minded and unstable

Psalms 119:81   My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word.  My eyes long for your promise; I ask, “When will you comfort me?”  For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes.  How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me?  The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to your law.  All your commandments are sure; they persecute me with falsehood; help me! They have almost made an end of me on earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts.  In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.

Psalms 119:20     My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times.

Psalms 119:40     Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!

Psalms 42:1-2    As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

Psalms 84:2    My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.

Psalms 119:42     then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word.

Psalms 119:74    Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word.

Psalms 119:77     Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.

Revelation 3:15-16     “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Revelation 3:1    “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

Matthew 24:12   And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

Psalms 81:11-13     “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.  So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.  Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

Joshua 24:15-24    And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve,

Matthew 6:24     “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

James 1:8     he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

There are many things that can lead us down a path of being “lukewarm or double-minded”.  Probably the most influential would be being complacent with and neglecting God’s word.

His word is a lamp unto my feet, food to my soul, strength to my heart, encouragement to my mind.  In and through His word is the “Good News” of the gospel of Jesus Christ, our savior.

Determine in and through His word what it means to humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow and obey Him.  Learn of His holiness, grace, mercy, and love.  Learn of His promises.  Learn to hear His quiet whispers of leading.  Learn to trust in, rely on, and cling to Him.

Unless the Lord builds

“He is wise in heart and mighty in strength —who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?”

“Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it?”

Malachi 1:2  “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the LORD of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the LORD is angry forever.’” Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the LORD beyond the border of Israel!”

Isaiah 9:9  and all the people will know, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, who say in pride and in arrogance of heart:  “The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.”

James 4:13  Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—  yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.  Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”  As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

Job 12:14    If he tears down, none can rebuild; if he shuts a man in, none can open.

Job 34:29   When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man?—

Psalms 127:1  

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.

Proverbs 21:30  No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.

Matthew 12:30   Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

Revelation 3:15  “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Joshua 24:15  And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Pride, arrogance, strength and riches have been the fall of many.  They stand out and are easy to see.  They boast in what they have and what they have accomplished.  What is hard to see are those who are luke warm in humbly serving, complacent in giving their whole heart, mind and soul, , and negligent in following and obeying.  These are people who we see everyday and they pass through life on false hope, no joy, and little substance of faith.  Their mouth speaks of believing but their actions and maturity in God’s word reveal no depth, understanding, wisdom or discernment.  Those who boast with pride and arrogance absolutely know they have chosen live without God and reject Him in their life.  Those who are lukewarm deceive themselves into thinking their life is secure.  Satan has deceived them into thinking they can go through life with lukewarm commitment, being good or at least better than others, and spending no time in God’s word seeking understanding, wisdom, and discernment.  They actually feel safer living apart from full commitment to God.  This lie brings these who fall into it’s trap thinking they can pretend everything is ok or perform works that will make them right before God.  Commitment to God wether seen by others or not is most definitely seen and known by God.  Though others may be fooled He is not. Commit fully to Humbly serve, honor, follow and obey.  Spend time in His word and seek His guidance, leading and perfect plan for your life.

His Promise(s)

“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent”

Joshua 23:10
One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the Lord your God who fights for you, just as he promised you. Be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God. For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the Lord your God has given you.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

Revelation 3:18
“‘I know your works:you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

 

How BIG are your problems?  “One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the Lord your God who fights for you, just as he promised you”. Has God ever failed you?  No.  Have we ever failed God? Yes.  Does God love us unconditionally? Yes.  Is God bigger, stronger, mightier, and able to handle any problem you are facing? Yes.  Praise God.  He is able to more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.  Amen?  I have no clue what you are facing but I do know the promises of God are there for each one of us to cling to, trust in, and rely on.  Whatever burden it is your are facing give it to Him.

Lukewarm Commitment

So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

What is a life like that is lukewarm?  I have to think partial commitment to listening to God is part of it.  Do we look to His word everyday or just once per week when the pastor speaks?  Living for God and knowing what He would have us do requires more than a glance at the gift he has given us in scripture.  Each time we open His word there is a feeding to our soul.  A new light for our life.  God has purposed for us to live to honor and glorify Him.   Knowing God is not a lukewarm commitment.  How can God use us if we are not fully committed and willing to be used by Him?   Choose to seek and know Him more.  Choose a life that has purpose to honor and glorify Him over self.

Matther 21:23
“By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him? ’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things

John 3:27
John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven

1 Corinthians 4:7
What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it.

James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

1 Peter 4:10
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ

Revelation 3:15
“‘I know your works:you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked