Nobody likes lukewarm coffee. Hot coffee? Yum. Cold coffee? Yes, please! Nobody likes lukewarm anything, really. The new series at church deals with this very topic, and it’s one that is very close to my heart, so I’m going to write about it on here, too. After all, not everyone who reads this goes to my church (www.lifechurch.tv, by the way…and if you don’t live here, they have internet church, too, so no excuses!).
There was a poll (Gallup, I believe) that came out earlier this year that stated that something like 95% of the population believes in God. Most of them even call themselves Christians. But if you dig a little deeper, just a little, how many of them are actually followers of Christ? Very few. Most people profess to be Christians, but ask them what the last thing was they did to deepen their relationship with Christ. Watch them stutter and stammer while they try to come up with something. Ask them when the last time was they opened their Bible OUTSIDE of church. Ask them when the last time was they shared their faith with someone else.
Most people get so caught up with everyday obligations that they either forget or neglect to nurture their relationship with Christ. But really, what else in this life matters? Absolutely nothing. I heard a quote some time ago that has really stuck with me. Martin Luther once stated, “I have so much to do that I shall have to spend the first three hours in prayer.” He knew the importance of spending time with the Father. He knew that everything else wasn’t as important, and that if he started his day correctly, that everything else would fall into place.
I have noticed on the days that I get up and before I do anything, sit and read my Bible and spend some time with the Lord, my whole day is better. Even when things go wrong, they don’t get to me like they do on other days. I have a more positive attitude. I have a brighter outlook. Yet, despite that knowledge, there are still days that I end up placing higher priority on less important things. I guess that is part of growing in God–still messing up, but recognizing it and trying to do better the next time. NOT giving up and saying “well, if I can’t do it right all the time, I’m not going to bother…”
Revelation 3:16 clearly shows us God’s opinion of lukewarm believers: “So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” We learned at church last week that the Greek word for spit also means to vomit. So He would rather vomit us out of His mouth than to have us be lukewarm. Powerful words. So take a look at your life. Are you lukewarm? What are you going to do about it?
