Lukewarm vs. Wholehearted
Revelation 3:16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth! 17 You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. 18 So I advise you to buy gold from Me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from Me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.
Warm is a temperature most people find comfortable. It is the perfect balance between hot and cold. For many, the idea of a good life is a “warm” life. The Mr. Miyagi way of life…”balance in all things, Danielson.“ The American experience, while amazing in its liberty, has come with a price: menu fatigue. There is so much available to us in life. Even for the poorest among us, our country offers so many choices for food, clothing, entertainment…so many places to direct our ambition, or rest our minds. With all of the options available, in a human’s own reasoning, balance makes the most sense. It is completely logical. But, God says the most interesting thing:
1 Corinthians 1:27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And He chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.
What makes sense to a person is not always wisdom. The Bible says wisdom is judged by her children. Our choices for what we chase are demonstrated to be wise, or unwise, by what is produced in our life as a result. The perfection of balance is a lukewarm desire for all good things. Not too much work, not too much fun, not too much ambition, not too much rest, not too much church, not too much of the world…
Jesus’ requirement for being His was one of anti-balance. Despite the vast majority of current evidence to the contrary, Jesus called His followers to completely unbalanced lives. Jesus told His followers that if they wanted to save their lives, they had to die to themselves. Jesus taught that following Him required wholeheartedness. He said the most important commandment was to "love God with all of your heart, soul, and strength"…with every conscious part of your being, love God before anything else.
Wholeheartedness for God doesn’t come naturally to anyone I have ever met, although I always confused my sincere love for God with being wholehearted. Wholeheartedness only comes intentionally. The Bible says that it is a huge part of the Kingdom of God, it is more valuable than gold. It is gold which can only be “bought” from one person: Jesus. We buy it from Jesus just by asking for it…by choosing to focus our desire on obtaining hunger for more of God in our lives.
Mark 10:15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."
Matthew 7:7 "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
Warm is a temperature most people find comfortable. It is the perfect balance between hot and cold. For many, the idea of a good life is a “warm” life. The Mr. Miyagi way of life…”balance in all things, Danielson.“ The American experience, while amazing in its liberty, has come with a price: menu fatigue. There is so much available to us in life. Even for the poorest among us, our country offers so many choices for food, clothing, entertainment…so many places to direct our ambition, or rest our minds. With all of the options available, in a human’s own reasoning, balance makes the most sense. It is completely logical. But, God says the most interesting thing:
1 Corinthians 1:27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And He chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.
What makes sense to a person is not always wisdom. The Bible says wisdom is judged by her children. Our choices for what we chase are demonstrated to be wise, or unwise, by what is produced in our life as a result. The perfection of balance is a lukewarm desire for all good things. Not too much work, not too much fun, not too much ambition, not too much rest, not too much church, not too much of the world…
Jesus’ requirement for being His was one of anti-balance. Despite the vast majority of current evidence to the contrary, Jesus called His followers to completely unbalanced lives. Jesus told His followers that if they wanted to save their lives, they had to die to themselves. Jesus taught that following Him required wholeheartedness. He said the most important commandment was to "love God with all of your heart, soul, and strength"…with every conscious part of your being, love God before anything else.
Wholeheartedness for God doesn’t come naturally to anyone I have ever met, although I always confused my sincere love for God with being wholehearted. Wholeheartedness only comes intentionally. The Bible says that it is a huge part of the Kingdom of God, it is more valuable than gold. It is gold which can only be “bought” from one person: Jesus. We buy it from Jesus just by asking for it…by choosing to focus our desire on obtaining hunger for more of God in our lives.
Mark 10:15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."
Matthew 7:7 "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
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