READ:
REVELATION 3:15-16
Following
Jesus requires going all the way. It takes a decisive and deliberate step to
serve him. God’s love is guaranteed for two categories of seekers. The first
are the Jesus seekers, that is, those who genuinely love him. The second are
the non-seekers, those who hate him with a passion. Those in betweeners have no
place in Christ. “And Elijah came to all the people, and said, ‘How long will you falter
between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow
him.’ But the people answered him not a word.” (1 Kings 18:21).
In today’s reading, God reveals his hatred for those who are neither cold nor hot – the lukewarm. If you are cold, God will work on you to make you hot. If you are hot, God will help to sustain that position and even make you hotter. But who are lukewarm the Lord threatens to spew out. May the Lord not spew you out! In Elijah’s day people claimed to love the Lord but accommodated Baal worship. Lukewarm people are those who claim to be born again but have one leg outside Christ. God hates such people, because they bring unwarranted disgrace to his Name, which they bear.
Lukewarm Christians may explain tying charms on their bodies when they go to Church as wisdom in preventing a double loss: if God cannot solve the problem, then Satan will. But Jesus says no man can serve two masters. The moment you take an alternative to God, the Lord leaves.
In Luke 9:59-62, Jesus says he is not pleased if you put your hand to the plough and then look back. Where do you stand today? Why are you raising up alternatives to God by putting your hope in your ability, in satanic powers, in human assistance? You are saying that God is less than enough for you. Why are you afraid to put all your eggs in God’s basket? Are you afraid they will break? God is more than any human being can conceive of him. He can be trusted. He does not fail those who trust in him.
In today’s reading, God reveals his hatred for those who are neither cold nor hot – the lukewarm. If you are cold, God will work on you to make you hot. If you are hot, God will help to sustain that position and even make you hotter. But who are lukewarm the Lord threatens to spew out. May the Lord not spew you out! In Elijah’s day people claimed to love the Lord but accommodated Baal worship. Lukewarm people are those who claim to be born again but have one leg outside Christ. God hates such people, because they bring unwarranted disgrace to his Name, which they bear.
Lukewarm Christians may explain tying charms on their bodies when they go to Church as wisdom in preventing a double loss: if God cannot solve the problem, then Satan will. But Jesus says no man can serve two masters. The moment you take an alternative to God, the Lord leaves.
In Luke 9:59-62, Jesus says he is not pleased if you put your hand to the plough and then look back. Where do you stand today? Why are you raising up alternatives to God by putting your hope in your ability, in satanic powers, in human assistance? You are saying that God is less than enough for you. Why are you afraid to put all your eggs in God’s basket? Are you afraid they will break? God is more than any human being can conceive of him. He can be trusted. He does not fail those who trust in him.
MEMORIZE:
1 KINGS 18:21 –And Elijah came to all the people, and said, ‘How long will you
falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, then
follow him.’ But the people answered him not a word.
