In Revelation 3, Jesus calls out the Laodicean church as being lukewarm. That apathetic condition and need-of-nothing attitude poisons the Church and Christians today! God will not attend lukewarm churches that operate to make us comfortable and suit our selfish human needs. Lukewarmness stops God and stops revival. We must change, shed our lukewarmness, and respond to God!
God is knocking on the door of His house, the Church, waiting for us to let Him in. Stay awake, listen for God’s voice, and welcome God’s visitation. God will bring His glory, power, and presence to revive His people!
We’re not in a battle between Republican and Democrat, Left and Right, or color or creed…this is a battle between the powers of darkness and the powers of God and which side you’re going to be on. There is no real middle of the road.
Steve Gray
Further Bible reading:
Revelation 3:14-22 (NIV)
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.
22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Questions:
In what areas of my life have I become lukewarm?
Have I ever adopted a need-of-nothing mentality? How has it impacted my relationship with Jesus?
What can I do to help my church open the door to God?
Episode Notes:
1:38It is so powerful to preach the Bible in context as opposed to immediately trying to apply it to our context or lifestyle.
6:24 That’s when deception really gets us—when we can see everything else, but we can’t see our own condition.
9:45Being lukewarm stops revival. It stops the move of God. Jesus is not going to participate if we allow it to come in and be a part of what we’re doing. It’ll make us spiritually sick.
13:10 The Master has come. We think the Master only comes one time at the very end of the age. No, we can get a visitation from Jesus all through our lifetimes, all through the generations.
17:25Jesus is the expert at revival. Wherever He went, there was revival. He revived people, brought them to life, woke them up, brought them into that special place.
20:27We’re not in a battle between Republican and Democrat, Left and Right, or color or creed…this is a battle between the powers of darkness and the powers of God and which side you’re going to be on. There is no real middle of the road.
21:30You’ve got to be victorious over this lukewarm, middle-of-the-road, gentle-as-she-goes, don’t-rock-the-boat kind of religion that has crept in. We’re so concerned about everyone but Jesus.
22:03What I want is a church that God attends. If we’re going to get God attend, we better make it suit Him.
