Lukewarm

So as you already know if you've read my last few post posts, I have been reading "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan and it's really been working on me a lot this week. Last night I read chapter 5 which entitled "Profile of the Lukewarm." "Here's some interesting thoughts that Francis lays out in the chapter...

" Lukewarm people are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for 'extreme' Christians, not average ones. Lukewarm people call 'radical' what Jesus expected of all his followers. (James 1:22, James 4:17, Matt 21:28-31)

Lukewarm people rarely share their faith with their neighbours, co-workers or friends. They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues like religion. (Matt 10:32-33)

Lukewarm people say they love Jesus, and He is, indeed, part of their lives. But only a part. They give Him a section of their time, their money and their thoughts, but He isn't allowed to control their lives. (Luke 9:57-62)


Lukewarm people think about life on earth much more often than eternity in heaven. Daily life is mostly focussed on today's to-do list, this week's schedule and next month's vacation. Rarely, if ever, do they consider the life to come. Regarding this, C. S. Lewis wrote, 'If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.' (Phil 3:18-20, Col 3:2)

Lukewarm people are continually concerned with playing it safe; they are slaves to the god of control. This focus on safe living keeps them from sacrificing and taking risks for God. (1 Tim 6:17-18, Matt 10:28)

Lukewarm people do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to. They don't have to trust God if something unexpected happens - they have their saving account. They don't need God to help them - they have their retirement plan in place. They don't genuinely seek out what life God would have them live - they have life figured and mapped out. They don't depend on God on a daily basis - their refrigerators are full and, for the most part, they are in good health. The truth is, their lives wouldn't look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God. (Luke 12:16-21, Amos 6:1)"

Now Chan laid out a ton of other things that lukewarm people struggle with in their lives in Chapter 5 but these really spoke to me and my life personally. I mean I haven't had to live by faith a lot in my life because i feel like God has blessed me in so many ways, for example I have been pretty tight with money over last few weeks basically having to depend on my parents for cash a lot and I have been looking for another job. So today, I get an opportunity to earn some cash doing some work that was completely unexpected. Things like that I think enables me to not live so much on faith. I'm moved by stories all the time of people doing unbelievable things for the Lord but most of the time, I don't act for many reasons and it was really shown to me through reading "Profile of the Lukewarm" that I need to change all of these Lukewarm tendencies that are in my life. Let's face it, we all have times in our life where we aren't giving God everything we got in everything we do but God desires for us to recognize when that's taking place and fix your heart. Revelation 3:16 "So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth." Thald be would be terrible for God to spit my out of his mouth, therefore I'm gonna take Chan's call to examine my heart and life and change whatever is allowing me to be lukewarm towards God and Christianity. I think you should do the same so I am going to do the same so I'm going to leave you with this question the Francis raises about our lives as Christians.

Would you describe yourself as totally in love with Jesus Christ? Or do the words half-hearted, lukewarm and partially committed fit better?

Think about it and act. See you tommorrow.

Blessings
Joe
Revelation 3:16