So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:16
Almost everyone knows this statement by Jesus. Fewer know it was said to a Church in Laodicea. But it’s the principle I am pondering as I watch the current happenings in this country and around the globe. As the evil spreads even further and deeper — even many who were asleep are beginning to recognize the evil for what it is. The middle is shrinking quickly. The middle ground in life, politics, and values is diminishing with great speed. Even so the middle class economically is also shrinking rapidly as inflation and taxes are eating up so much of what could be saved for emergencies and future investment. Everywhere I turn I see that everyone is being forced to choose a ‘side’. Centrally governed socialistic power, where the few elites run absolutely everything and are anti-God and pro-death for everyone or the Truth, Jesus, freedom, Biblical moral values, independence and valuing life. The choice? Either be a happy slave or a free human with choices.
My choice? Since I already ‘lost’ my life and was given a death sentence — I surrendered my life and chose Him (Jesus) to set my days for as long as He willed. My life is no longer mine but His. My home and country is set in another kingdom — His. His values have become my values. I am seeing more and more people make this same choice lately. This is a good thing. That’s what pressure does —it turns up the ‘heat’ to wake people up. Refinement does the same thing. Turns up the heat to purify the material in the pot. We are the beginning stages of refinement in this country. Certainly the institutional Church is going through a refinement process — that much of the leadership doesn’t like – as it is cutting into their precious money.
The window of opportunity for the Church was the same as what the German Church had at the beginning of WW2. That tiny window of time is already gone in my opinion. The only thing they can do now — is to speak up KNOWING that certain persecution WILL come for speaking the Truth and exposing and calling out the evil. (Bonhoeffer) How many pastors are ready to go to jail and die for the faith? Our Chinese brothers and sisters know how this will go — as they are much more in tune with evil Government dictates that won’t hesitate to throw pastors into prison. IN fact — Chinese Christians don’t trust any pastor who hasn’t been in prison. Prison IS their seminary. Are you ready to go to prison for your faith in Jesus?
Jesus promised persecution for those that followed Him. Are you ready for your faith to be tested? How severely? America’s values are in total free fall. Why? Because the Church was too concerned with money and retaining their ‘high ground’. In my opinion — it was just like the Pharisees during Jesus’s ministry, and just like many of the Churches as Hitler rose to power. The American institutional Church has done a bad job in the area of discipleship. It is supposed to be about relationship — rather that building a HUGE machine that gobbles up money faster than the Government. We need MATURE elders teaching and loving the next generations one on one — not an idolized ‘good speaker’ in Pharisee robes teaching from a ‘platform’ ABOVE the people. Slowly that understanding in the Church / ekklesia is growing — and that the idea of relational daily discipleship is the best way. (DUH – it’s what Jesus modeled)
Those trying to sit on the fence or stand on the middle ground are becoming nauseatingly ‘lukewarm’, and just come off as liars and hypocrites. Did Jesus compromise? The Pharisees thought He did. The Pharisees were SO wrapped up in the ‘law’ and trying so hard to look righteous — they stepped on the people to make themselves ‘look’ better. Jesus humbled Himself. Jesus preached the Truth — the HARD uncompromised Truth. Sitting in the ‘middle ground’ and trying hard to maintain a ‘normal’ status and just keep doing what they always have done — is what so many Churches are doing .. to the detriment of the people, community, and country. Some “Churches” have become literal bastions of crazy — going full into the latest cultural unBiblical / sinful lifestyle. I’m not concerned with those — I’m writing about those churches and people trying to stay in the ‘middle ground’. Basically those who are still currently ‘lukewarm’.
Choose a side. Speak the Truth. Be BOLD about what you believe. Learn to hear the Holy Spirit for yourself – and speak His Words!