Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Lukewarm

The definition of lukewarm according the the Merriam Webster dictionary is 1 : moderately warm : tepid 2 : lacking conviction : halfhearted.

Revelation 3:16 (The Message) I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You're not cold, you're not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, 'I'm rich, I've got it made, I need nothing from anyone,' oblivious that in fact you're a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.

Wow! I sometimes get to pondering what the significance of things commanded to us through Scripture.........surprise, surprise! Aren't we supposed to do that all the time?

Anyway, I was thinking about this "lukewarm" thought. Am I? What does it REALLY mean to have a lukewarm life?

Here are a few questions that might get you thinking about if you are in danger of being lukewarm:

Do cares and worries of this life dominate most of your thoughts and conversations?
Do you practice sin on a regular basis?
Do you "love" the things of this world more than God Himself?
Are you too busy for Jesus? What are your priorities?
Do you use God's name in vain? ('Oh My God, OMG)
Do you fail to pray earnestly & pray for the lost who will spend eternity in hell?
Do you fail to preach the gospel on a regular basis? OR do you hinder others?
Are you indifferent about your sin? What is your attitude?
Do you seek after worldly wealth & fame vs seeking first the Kingdom of God?
Do you fail to obey Jesus, and God's Word consistently?


Some of these are tough to answer, because I, of course, don't want to get the wrong answer. But it is good to examine my heart.

The part that got me thinking about this was the life of Jesus. Jesus lived His life the way we should be living ours. Think of the people He affected in His life: did he get a lukewarm response? I was thinking about my life.......do I invoke a lukewarm response in others? Is the WORD that I proclaim causing a lukewarm reaction? Jesus' followers either loved him enough to give up everything (even to the point of dying for Him) or they hated Him enough to want Him dead!!!

Is God's message, through me, causing a lukewarm reaction in others?

2 comments:

Lady Dorothy said...

"Jesus' followers either loved him enough to give up everything (even to the point of dying for Him) or they hated Him enough to want Him dead!!!"

Great line! We think we are good enough because we aren't the latter, but if we are not the former, it does us absolutely no good!

Josh Abdelaziz said...

That is some pretty amazing insight, Babe. Strong words but they have me thinking. Mind if I use this vein of thinking in my book? It fits with the Zombie Killer mentality! Glad you are fighting with me! Love you!