Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Forsaken Holy Spirit

Revelation 3:15-21

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.

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.

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.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.

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 him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.


Faithful and Accurate Witness,
From Your throne in heaven on high You view every move we make. Cutting right through our hard hearts, You tell it like it is: “You’re as bland as tepid tap water.” Stale and stagnant, we’re so disgusting and repugnant that we make You want to vomit.

Flaunting our wealth, our extravagance has exceeded our worth. Possessions are more valuable to us than the Possessor. Affluence, luxury, and ease have made us confident, content, and complacent. Self-absorbed, self-satisfied, and self-sufficient we’ve reduced Your church to an elite, independent social club. Yet, You see through our fake façade. From Your holy perspective, we are blind as bats and broke as beggars. Lord, have mercy on us! We have forsaken Your Holy Spirit for a false sense of security.

Instead of letting us stuck in this revolting place, You speak up with wise and wonderful counsel. If we want real riches, You advise us to buy precious gold that’s been through the flames of Your refinery. Rather than wasting cash on fancy fashions, You recommend we invest in heavenly garments that will actually cover all of our flaws. Finally, You prescribe sacred ointment for our sore eyes so that we can truly see.

Thank You for caring enough to nudge, correct and guide us to live at our best for Your glory. We need to seriously accept and urgently apply Your advice. You are firmly knocking on our door. It would be an atrocity if we were too busy partying to open it. It would be a critical mistake to miss the Divine Guest bearing a divine gift.

For those who aren’t preoccupied with the entertainment, those who open the door and welcome You in, You promise to sit at the head of their table and eat with them. O Lord, by Your grace, I will hear with my ear and be at that sacred supper because of Jesus. Blessed assurance! Amen.


Have you taken your spiritual temperature lately? What is it? Hot? Cold? Lukewarm?

If you have an ear on the side of your head bend it toward your heart and listen to Jesus. Jesus clearly says He wishes you’d be either hot or cold, but not lukewarm. And, truth be told, He wishes that none would perish; therefore, He really desires we’d all be hot.

What do you need to do to stoke the fire, and rekindle the flame? Possessions will fade, but the Possessor will not.

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