{"id":8529,"date":"2013-01-29T00:01:12","date_gmt":"2013-01-29T05:01:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=8529"},"modified":"2013-01-28T11:45:55","modified_gmt":"2013-01-28T16:45:55","slug":"crazy-love-chapter-4-profile-of-the-lukewarm-pgs-68-72","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2013\/01\/29\/crazy-love-chapter-4-profile-of-the-lukewarm-pgs-68-72\/","title":{"rendered":"Crazy Love \u2013 Chapter 4: Profile of the Lukewarm (pgs. 68-72)"},"content":{"rendered":"

In our study today, Frances Chan asks the question:\u00a0 Would you describe yourself as totally in love with Jesus Christ?\u00a0 Or do the words half-hearted, lukewarm, and partially committed<\/b> fit better?\u00a0 Before we get into Chan\u2019s profile of a lukewarm Christian, I\u2019d like to take a look at the Scripture that references that word \u201clukewarm.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

So, come with me to the Church at Laodicea where God had sent the Apostle John to address the Christians.\u00a0 “I know you well \u2013 you are neither hot nor cold; I wish you were one or the other!\u00a0 But since you are merely lukewarm, I will spit (spew)\u00a0you out of My<\/b> mouth!<\/em>” (Revelations 3:15, 16)<\/span><\/p>\n

Whoa—back up!\u00a0 Let me read that again!\u00a0 \u201cI wish you were one or the other!\u00a0 But since you are merely lukewarm, I will spit (spew)\u00a0you out of My<\/b>\u00a0mouth!<\/em>.<\/em><\/b>\u201d<\/em> I don\u2019t know about you, but that word \u201clukewarm\u201d<\/i> grabbed my attention.\u00a0 Why, that\u2019s the same thing I do to a mouth full of lukewarm coffee!\u00a0 It is so disgusting to me that I immediately spit it out of my mouth!\u00a0 Would God really do that to me if I were a lukewarm Christian?<\/span><\/p>\n

Questions buzzed around in my brain.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

What precisely does lukewarm mean?\u00a0 A quick Google search yielded this definition as it pertained to a person\u2019s attitude or action:\u00a0 UNENTHUSIASTIC<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

My next buzz question was:\u00a0 What caused the Church of Laodicea to become unenthusiastic that produced a lukewarm attitude in regards to their relationship with God?\u00a0 I believe we find the answer in verse 17:\u00a0 \u201cYou say<\/strong>, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing<\/b><\/em>‘.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

As I continued to research the Church of Laodicea, I learned that the city of Laodicea was affluent, rich, and prosperous.\u00a0 It was known for 3 main things:\u00a0 wealth, black-wool textile industry, and housed a world-renowned medical school which discovered a miracle eye-salve.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

From that, I assumed that there were Christians living in the richest commercial center of the ancient world which, no doubt, yielded them much personal wealth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Next buzz question:\u00a0 Is God scolding them for being wealthy?\u00a0 I don\u2019t think so. \u00a0It was then that I had my “Aha!” moment. Could it be that the Church of Laodicea had become so secure and self-reliant in their natural habitat and had no need of anything, that the same self-reliant attitude had spilled over into their spiritual life and their relationship with God?<\/span><\/p>\n

It took me back to my early years of being a Christian where I was totally dependent upon God to supply every piece of clothing I wore, food for my family, and His guidance to solve all my problems. I jumped out of bed in the early mornings hours to talk with the King of Kings before rushing off to work.\u00a0 Oh yeah, the two of us were engrossed in a very intimate relationship with one another and I relied totally upon Him for everything.<\/span><\/p>\n

Had I now developed an attitude that seemed to be apparent in the Church of Laodicea? \u201cYou are no longer hot and enthused <\/strong>in your pursuit of me; you are not excited and on fire about the faith.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou are not cold <\/strong>either, because you have not<\/span> left the faith, you still go to church, call me your Savior, but – I didn\u2019t like the sound of where this nudge might be leading, so I went quickly into my prayer closet to do some soul searching.<\/span><\/p>\n

And now, let\u2019s look on pages 68-72 in Crazy Love<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0 for the profile Mr. Chan gives us of a lukewarm Christian: <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. attend church fairly regularly—it is what is expected of them, what they believe \u201cgood Christians\u201d do, so they go<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  2. gives money to charity and to the church as long at it doesn\u2019t impinge on their standard of living<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  3. tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  4. don\u2019t want to be saved from their sin; want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  5. are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  6. rarely share their faith with their neighbors, co-workers, or friends<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  7. gauge their morality or \u201cgoodness\u201d by comparing themselves to the secular world<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  8. say they love Jesus, and that He is, indeed, a part of their lives—but only a part<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If any of Chan\u2019s profile points have described you, I have good news for you!!\u00a0\u00a0We are God\u2019s children; He really does not want to spit us out of His mouth.\u00a0 So He has provided a way out of being lukewarm. \u201cAs many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.<\/strong>\u201d (verse 19).<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Be blessed,<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Martha<\/p>\n