Tag: l;ukewarm

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All In

Daily Reading

Revelation 1-3

Daily Thought

Jim was a high school senior, a nice kid who decided to ask the most popular girl in the school to Prom. He wasn’t sure, however, she knew who he was. Undeterred, he picked up the phone, “Hi Shari, this is Jim.” It was silent for a moment. “I sit behind you in History.” She remembered. “Would you like to go to Senior Prom?” Silence. “With me?” he added. More silence. Then, finally, “Sure, why not.” The most popular girl said she would go.

But that wasn’t good enough, and Jim knew it. “I’m sorry Shari,” Jim insisted, “‘Sure, why not,’ won’t do. It has to be either, ‘Jim, I want nothing more than to be your date to Senior Prom,’ or ‘Jim, you’re the last person on earth I’d want to be seen with.’”

Jesus said to the church at Laodicea, “Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16). “Sure, why not,” won’t do.

It was silent again. A longer silence. And then, “Jim, I want nothing more than to be your date to Senior Prom.” They had a fabulous evening.

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” ~John 10:10

Jesus is standing at the door of our heart, knocking, and think about how we respond. In the first place, he’s not some nice kid, he is “the Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8). “Sure, why not,” won’t do. But open the door and let him in, all in, and it is time for a banquet.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” ~Revelation 3:20

Daily Prayer

Jesus, since You are all in for me, ought not I be all in for You! You are worth my everything and more. All that I have is from You and for You.

Forgive me for and protect me from my half-hearted efforts. I want You to be with me in everything in my life, and I want everything in my life to point to You and give You pleasure. You are my God, Lord, and Savior. And my friend. I want nothing more than to be with You.

Amen

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Choose Wisely

Daily Reading

Joshua 22-24

Daily Thought

We all follow someone or something, each of us must choose, and there are only two choices: God and not-God. From the words of Jesus, “Whoever is not with me is against me” (Matthew 12:30), and, “For the one who is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:40). You cannot not choose.

Did you hear the one about the Civil War soldier who couldn’t decide who to fight for, North or South? He donned a Dixie gray shirt and Yankee blue pants and stood in the middle. Both sides shot him. “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16).

Joshua gathers all the tribes of Israel for a his final words (he is about to die), “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.”

You cannot not choose, so make a choice. “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). And choose wisely.

Daily Prayer

Father in Heaven, make Your love the foundation of my life. May my love for You express itself in eagerness to serve, to do good for others. May I learn humility from Your Son, sacrifice from the Cross, wisdom from Your Word.

You are God, most wonderful. Your wisdom confounds the world. May I think like You. May I listen to Your Spirit. Give me the desires of my heart; that is, may I delight in Your desires.

Amen

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Shades of Gray

Daily Reading

Deuteronomy 28-29

Daily Thought

Davy Jones died leap year day, February 29, 2012. When I heard the news, I did what many my age did–listened again to my favorite songs from The Monkees. One of them, Shades of Gray:

When the world and I were young, just yesterday,
Life was such a simple game a child could play.
It was easy then to tell right from wrong,
Easy then to tell weak from strong,
When a man should stand and fight, or just go along.

Things were simple and clear when we were young. In Deuteronomy 28, Israel is young, a new nation, pre-teen. The first fourteen verses list the blessings “if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God.” The remaining verses, the curses “if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God.” Black and white, right and wrong, good and evil. 

But today there is no day or night, today there is no dark or light,
Today there is no black or white, only shades of gray. 

50 shades, apparently. As we get older, we begin asking “what if” and “why not.” We begin to color gray, but to God, it is still black and white, because he is forever young. 

I remember when the answers seemed so clear.
We had never lived with doubt or tasted fear.
It was easy then to tell truth from lies,
Selling out or compromise.

“Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth,” said Jesus to a gray church  (Revelation 3:15-16).

Daily Prayer

God, thank You for life itself, and for this instruction book, Your Word, which shows me how to live. Thank You, as well, that I may pray to You for wisdom and You promise to give it to me. Help me never to doubt You. I am so glad Your Holy Spirit lives in me and guides me toward Your truth. I live in a world upside down, and I need You to show me what is what.

Father, I know as I trust You more I will trust You more. I know that seems funny, but the more often I have faith, the stronger my faith gets, and the more willing I will be to walk in faith the next time. Strengthen me, God, as I train my mind by putting Your Word into practice. 

Amen