This week the post is shorter, but hopefully it will still be educational and encouraging too you. Moving on, of course if you are like me when you think encouragement you think - The Book of Revelation.
Seriously, Revelation is a book that can be hard to understand, but in the end most people can get their hands around it with a bit of attention to detail, a grasp of what comes earlier in the Bible, and a understanding of John’s / all humans inability to accurately explain the things of God in earthly terms. Another thing to remember that Revelation shows us that in the end God wins and His people spend eternity with Him in Heaven.
Anyway, on to today’s post.
Revelation 3:(15-16) - 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.
Revelation 3:16 is my favorite scripture, I know that is a odd selection, but too me it means so much because it reminds me this is not a battle or life of mediocre commitment. I am either for God, or I am against Him, no in between. Compromise is not the solution when it comes to right and wrong. God is right, everything that opposes Him and His wills and ways is wrong. If I reject Him He will disown me and will destroy me. God does not do this because He hates me, but because He can not tolerate the rebellion and the sin in my life that I continue to return too. The great news is that If I turn to / trust in Him, at any time, He will forgive my sins, my rebellion and welcome me as His child with open arms. The even greater news is that even when I sin after I accept Him He will continue to forgive my sins and restore my relationship with Him over and over. The key is to remember that His call, and His forgiveness, is not for a season or for a time, but is for a lifetime.
You may all ready know this, but just in case I will go over it quickly. The thing about water in Laodicea was that it either came from a cool spring in the mountains and warmed to air temperature in the aqueducts coming to the city or it began at a warm sulphur spring and cooled to air temperature in the aqueducts coming to the city. Thus the reference to lukewarm temperature above. Their water, regardless of the source was always lukewarm. Like the other verses that refer to Laodicea’s eye care profession / medicine, and their linen production, God is talking to this city and making reference to the things they understood. They knew about lukewarm water, and how unsatisfying it was.
What they also understood was that they were well regarded by other cities and nations, but their earthly success (eye care and linen) which had allowed them to fend for themselves when they came upon hard times, was not sufficient to defend them against God. Their earthly success, money, honor, and praise was not sufficient to warrant entry into heaven.
Though Laodicea was a city, that same situation exist in the lives of many today. Their earthly success, praise, rewards, etc is what they lean on when tough times come, yet those things will not be sufficient when it comes time to face God.
Honestly, there are many times God's prompts to me in the same way as he prompted the city of Laodicea. He does not reference things that I do not understand when He teaches me. He teaches me via the things I know and understand. God meets me not where I should be, but where I am. He then shows me the choices that are before me in my world and the consciences of them.
I know the idea of being spit out of God's mouth is far from uplifting and encouraging, but it is something that is real. I am afraid that for too long society and the world has mistaken God's patience for forgetfulness. As it says in Rev 3:15 - He knows our deeds...WWWOHHHH!!! Hello world, you have a problem here. Does not compute....error in the system....server unavailable....core dump....etc....
We must be mindful as people about our cavalier attitude toward sin. This is even more serious for Christians as their personal decisions / actions may just be leading the lost to believe that their rebellion is ok, when in reality it leads to their utter destruction in the end. Basically. Christians have to start living like sin is important enough to end it, instead of living where we can tolerate it. God does not tolerate it, and in the end He rejects those that do.
If you still can after reading this....have a good day. We also pray that God is encouraging and blessing you today via His guidance and power. He is leading you to the right things, and away from destruction.
