Revelation 3:15-17 NLT
“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You 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.
Where do we start with this verse?
How do we know if we are “lukewarm” as described by Jesus Christ about the church of Laodicea?
I listened to a message about these verses the other day that I thought was very interesting and realized that if we find ourselves in the position of being “lukewarm” Christians, we are of no use in the Kingdom of God.
It is by God’s grace that we receive the faith to put our hearts in the care of Jesus Christ, and He accepts us just as we are, but from that point forward, we are bound to the great commandment.
Matthew 28:19-20 NLT
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
My Pastor often reminds us that “He accepts us just as we are, but He loves us too much to leave us there.” How does God do this?
He orchestrates the comings and goings in our lives that always push us into leaning on ourselves and our understanding or leaning on Him. He does this through the people and circumstances we have in our lives.
For the Christian, we can be better prepared to face these challenges if we consistently study God’s Word.
Joshua 1:8-9 NLT
Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Not only does this help prepare our hearts for the trials we will face in our lives on this earth, but it is commanded of us, and it holds a promise for those who do it: “Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” Pay very close attention to the words, “only then.”
Now back to the original question, how do we know if we are “lukewarm?”
We can check our temperature based on how we respond to the people we come in contact with day by day.
Here is what we measure our thinking against:
Galatians 5:19-21 NLT
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
“Anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”
If we find ourselves living in any of these areas with consistency, we need to question whether we are indeed Christian or not. I shudder to think about this, and I pray this not be the case with anyone reading this.
But let’s consider a couple of these that we may allow creeping in, such as hostility, quarreling, jealousy, an outburst of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, or drunkenness. These can come into our lives from time to time, and they should be used to take our temperature.
The real test is how we respond to the challenges that we face with the people around us.
Colossians 3:12-15 NLT
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Ephesians 4:2-3 NLT
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.
We don’t respond like this based on how others treat us; we get to do this because of what Jesus Christ has done for us.
Here is the measure of our hearts fully submitted to God’s Spirit:
Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your grace and mercy. You sent Jesus Christ to pay for our sins, a price that we could not pay for ourselves.
I pray that You continue to work in my heart, giving me a spirit of compassion and empathy for those around me.
I thank You for the people that You put in my life, and I pray that I see them the way You do and that I humble myself before You in service to them.
I pray that the words of my mouth, and the attitude of my heart are pleasing to You and glorify You in every way.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen!! 🙏❤️
