A Special Thermometer

In Revelation 3:13-19 we read the account of a letter from Christ to the church at Laodicea. In this letter Jesus reveals three different temperature readings in relation to the vitality of His people's walk with Him. 1. There are the cold. Those who have no relationship with God, and know that they have no relationship with Him. They're not deceived about their salvation, they are simply lost, and need a Savior. 2. Then there are the lukewarm. Verse 17 describes them as people who see themselves as "hot" in their relationship with God. They most likely even look good to most of the other people in the church. But in the eyes of God they have lost their fire for Him, and because of that He is getting ready to spit them out of His mouth. There will now be a chasm between them and Him. They are about to be separated from Him. 3. Then you have those that are hot. This word "hot" is where it gets really interesting for me. In the Greek it means boiling, fervent, ardent. What we need to see here is that to be "hot" spiritually in God's eyes means that I'm on fire; it's intense heat. The reason this is important is because it tells us that there are not degrees of hotness. Cold is very specific, lukewarm is very specific, and hot is very specific. There's no "pretty hot," or just above lukewarm. What this tells me is that so many in the church of our day are most likely in the lukewarm camp, and don't even realize it. Here's some traits of the lukewarm: 1. They attend church pretty regularly, most likely just on Sunday morning. 2. They probably tithe with some regularity, or at least give consistently. 3. They do little to nothing ministry wise. 4. They love God with SOME of their heart, soul, mind and strength. 5. They have mechanical prayer lives. 6. Their worship is either mechanical, more than like a person who is lovesick for God, and is expressing that love to Him with great passion. 7. They show little effort in helping lead others to Christ, or helping the hurting be healed. 8. They're moved by stories of people doing radical things for God, but don't attempt radical things for God themselves. 9. They gauge how well they're doing spiritually by comparing themselves to other people instead of to the Word of God. 10. They know more about God than they live. 11. They don't want their spiritual comfort to be challenged, and it they're challenged to move from where they are, they will say "amen," but not move. 12. They are a form that exhibits little to no power. 13. Struggle with the lordship of Christ. On the other hand, someone who is "hot" in their relationship with God .... 1. Honor's God by living a holy life. 2. Love the truth of Scripture, and want to know the truth even if it destroys what they believe, and even if it means making a drastic change in their lives. 3. Their worship is love inspired, and demonstrative of just how much they love the Lord. 4. They're spiritual warriors actively engaged in spiritual warfare. 5. They're full of faith, and are living to see mountains moved. 6. They have a passion to STUDY, not just read, the Word of God. 7. They want to dwell in the holy of holies instead of the outer court, and the holy place. 8. They won't rest until the whole world is knows Jesus. 9. They come to church prayed up, and expecting God to reveal Himself in a new and fresh way. 10. They are open to anything that God wants to drop down from heaven, even if it's new, or even if it's out of their comfort zone. If we want to see revival, then every pastor, and every church leader, and every lay person in every church needs to get honest before God, and see if their lukewarm, or hot. And if we're lukewarm then we must repent. And once that happens then revival will have ignited, and God will move in amazing, supernatural ways. Are you hot, or lukewarm?

Two Extremes

Some years ago I came across a prophecy that was spoken back in 1906 at the Azusa Street Revival. The prophecy declared that "In the last days three things will happen in the Pentecostal Movement: 1. There will be an over-emphasis on power, rather than righteousness (holiness). 2. There will be an over-emphasis on praise, over prayer. 3. There will be an over-emphasis on the gifts of the Spirit, rather than on the Lordship of Christ. In my limited knowledge I would say that this prophecy has come to pass in many, but not all churches that focus on Pentecost. There is a strong focus on the supernatural power of God, worship, and the gifts of the Spirit. But another thing has happened as well, and that is most other Evangelical churches have over-emphasized holiness, prayer, and the lordship of Christ over power, worship, and the gifts of the Spirit. We tend to have two extremes in the church world today. All six of these traits are essential to be the NT church that God has called us to be. Lets break from our traditions, and our tendencies, and embrace everything God has called us to do, and all that He's created us to be as His church; His bride without spot or wrinkle.

The Cry

If you hunger for more of God, and you realize that we live in a day and time where much of the church has become apathetic, then you may enjoy this blog that I feel the Lord would have me start. If you desire to see the lost come to Christ, and those with emotional wounds find healing; if you are desperate to see the supernatural power of God be on display so that people will put their faith in God, I would humbly ask you to consider being a follower of this blog. I'm a sojourner trying to find his way through a world, and a church, that seems to have lost its way. I have more questions than answers, and feel so inadequate in so many ways, but I'm learning to trust Father God, and to believe that His Spirit in any of us, does away with our inadequacies. So if you would like to walk this journey together I invite you to be a follower of my blog, and please feel free to interact with me with anything the Lord lays on your heart.