A Devotional Bible Study
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.
I wish you were either one or the other!
(Revelation 3:15)
Everyone has received them at one time or another—Warnings.
Your parents warning you not to talk to strangers or hanging out with the wrong crowd, your best friend warning you not to date someone you liked, the police officer giving you a verbal warning without a ticket, or even warning signs from your body with symptoms to let you know something is not right.
Have you had that experience where the Sunday sermon or bible study addressed a question or issue you were facing? A coincidence or perhaps it was God warning you to “lean not on your own understanding” before you did something unbecoming for a follower of Jesus Christ.
So many of the things that cause us the most difficulty and heartache in life is because we didn’t pay heed to God’s warnings.
In the book of Revelation, Jesus wrote letters to seven churches. His message in most cases were his commending them for their good work, but he also warned them about areas in which they needed to obey and return to him.
If the pandemic has shown us anything, it has shown us that the church is a building and that we who are followers of Christ are the church.
Do you ever wonder what kind of world would we have if everyone was a follower of Christ like you or me? I would be the first one to admit I have so much more becoming like Jesus needed in my life.
This devotional bible study starts with the last church mentioned of the seven churches—the church of Laodicea. Some of the harshest words in the Bible is the warning Jesus gave to the church of Laodicea about the dangers of lukewarm Christianity (Revelation 3:14-22).
Jesus felt some kind of way about the church at Laodicea because they were neither cold nor hot. He wished that they were cold or hot; instead, they were lukewarm.
The lukewarm meaning in the Bible describes someone who hasn't blatantly denied Jesus but isn't blatantly living for Him either. Lukewarm faith is faith that doesn't affect the way you live.
Jesus says:
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.
I wish you were either one or the other! So, because
you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am
about to spit you out of my mouth.
Revelation 3:15-16
Unless you know what was happening in the city of Laodicea at that time—you would think these words from Jesus are too strong.
The city of Laodicea had a poor water supply and was dependent on surrounding cities— Hierapolis and Colossae—for this vital resource.
Hierapolis had hot springs and Colossae was known for drinking water that came from cold refreshing mountain streams. By the time water was piped into Laodicea, it was lukewarm—undrinkable and useless. The lukewarm water was so distasteful that just one drop would make you sick to your stomach.
Pope Francis in a Sunday Mass warned about "lukewarm" Christians, saying there are many who are "Christians in name only." He warned that Christians run the risk of becoming "lukewarm" where we become "Christians in appearance" but we fail to conduct ourselves as Christians." The solution, Pope Frances suggested, is to ask questions of ourselves and be honest in our answers.
Though we all struggle with seasons where we are lukewarm—neither cold nor hot—God does not want his followers to be lukewarm.
Have you been having a running conversation with Jesus or are you running from a conversation with him? Take time to ask yourself some questions about your spiritual walk. Be honest with yourself.
God knows your deeds and he wishes you were either cold or hot as Jesus says in verse 15. Let your deeds make Jesus known to others and make you more beautiful for Him.
Prayer: Jesus—what areas in my life am I being a lukewarm Christian? Your Word says that anyone who has ears should listen to the Spirit’s message to the churches. Help me to listen to the Spirit’s message. Help me to be both cold and hot—spiritually refreshing and passionate with my faith—in a world that needs your kind of beautiful.
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