Have a fever?

 “‘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 3:15-16 ESV)

Have you ever been outside on a scorching day and taken a drink of water expecting cold, and it was lukewarm? Have you ever made coffee or tea in the morning only to be distracted, and upon taking a sip, you found your hot drink was now lukewarm, and you spit it out? No one likes anything lukewarm, not a drink, food, or fervor. In the context of faith, being 'lukewarm' means having a tepid or indifferent attitude towards your spiritual life, lacking the fervor and passion that should accompany a deep relationship with God.

While speaking to John, Christ told him this fact about faith and works: No one does anything halfway with anything important to them. The last thing anyone wants is to be spit out by Christ. John Piper said to worship God truly and treasure Him duly. I love that rhyme. Worship God with a fire in your heart, mind, and soul; treasure God because He is infinitely valuable.

God wants you to be all in. You cannot walk with one foot in the world and one foot in heaven; it does not work that way. You are either putting on the armor of God every morning, which means starting your day with prayer, reading the Bible, and committing to live according to His teachings, or maybe He does not know you as he should. Many people have been offended when I tell them of this idea. I have been accused of having a skewed sense of importance. How can God be more important to you than your children, wife, and family?

Jesus said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26). Jesus is not saying we are to hate our family. He uses hate as an extreme word that implies the importance of Him over everything and the depth of what he expects from His disciples. Christ is saying that He, our Savior, must be above all things, and if it comes to a choice in anything, it must be Him.

You do not have to be the smartest, richest, or most beautiful person to make a lasting difference in this world. On the contrary, you only have to know a few desperately important things, Christ being at the top of that list, and be willing to die for your beliefs. This is not just about being on fire for God, it's about making a lasting difference in the world, not being lukewarm. It's about a deep, unwavering commitment to Christ.

Those who shun God, reject His Son, rebel against His word, and blaspheme His existence are living a cold life. The lukewarm ones go to church on Sunday, pray for others when asked, walk through every day without truly speaking to the Lord, without serving him unless they must, and whisper yes if they are asked if they know Christ. You have three choices in this short life. What choice will you make: on fire, lukewarm, or cold? The urgency of this decision cannot be overstated.

Which are you?

Grace and Peace!