The Lord has been tugging at my heart regarding lighting a fire under the lukewarm Christians of today. Do I feel qualified on paper to speak with the boldness that I have, no. Yet I feel that if I don't, the eternal salvation of many could be in jeopardy. This world is filled with thousands of people calling themselves Christians who only get the word in small doses on Sunday mornings. There are the ones that only go to church on Christmas and Easter because they're drug there by family members. There are ones that refuse to go to church altogether, forsaking the gathering of the saints, because they were offended in a church a while back. There are the ones that rely on their pastors to speak messages of grace, love and forgiveness without wanting to hear the truth that comes with that grace. How many of you can honestly say that you have read parts of the bible on your own? I know that for years and years, I couldn't. I didn't want to. I thought that if I went to church on Sunday mornings, or that if I lived my life as a good person, that my sins would be forgiven and I'd get that ticket to heaven no matter how I lived all week. I thought that the Lord gave us grace to live in the times that we live in where things like drinking every weekend, sex outside of marriage, white lies to our children about the tooth fairy and santa claus were ok. That yoga was ok, that celebrating Halloween was ok, all because everyone else did it and the Lord adapted to the times with his grace, mercy and love. I thought that the Lord understood this life we live and that he loved us all anyway. Don't get me wrong, He does love everyone, but He loves while calling out to His children for repentance and the turning away from sin before it's too late. We are a generation that has lost the fear of the Lord and the respect He deserves.
Exodus 23:20-21
“Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Be on your guard before him and obey his voice; do not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your transgression, since My name is in him.
Exodus 20:20
Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.”
Then I was saved. Truly saved. I experienced hearing from the Lord, seeing visions of Him, the fullness of His word and the gnashing of teeth in hell. He had to show me where my actions were taking me, as a warning to this lukewarm generation. I can guarantee you that if I had died prior to being baptized and saved, that I would be in hell, as a Christian who went to church on Sundays, listened to my pastor and prayed prayers asking for forgiveness. So here I am writing blog after blog, pouring out to you what He pours into me in the hopes that even one heart is changed.
1 Peter 2:9 - But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
2 Peter 1:19-21
So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
Everyone likes to pick and choose their scripture. Everyone goes through that book that's of full truth and highlights what works best for their lifestyle. They pick and choose which bible verses to tattoo on their arms or which t shirts to wear, which bumper stickers to get, all while ignoring the fact that the words in this book are conditional to a heart of repentance and a spirit that draws close to the Lord in search of the truth. If Jesus saw your heart, would he flip your table?
Matthew 21:12-13
And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And He *said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den.”
I encourage you all to come to Christ, to read the words of that Bible for yourself. To ask the Lord into your hearts and to ask for an honest view of your own heart. The scariest prayer we could pray is "Lord show me my heart and remove from me anything that is not of you". You'll find yourself losing friends, losing the desire to be in certain groups. You'll find yourself speaking different words, feeling as if your entire world has been smoke and mirrors because it has been. You'll find the truth in the word.
I liken myself to the woman at the well. We all know her story. She ran to the town of Samaria with the excitement of the savior. She knew it was Him! She knew she had to share the truth! Yet, many did not believe her until they found out for themselves.
John 4:42 They said to the woman "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world."
I implore (beg someone earnestly or desperately to do something) you to read the word, to dive into scripture for yourself. This is a generation that has fallen so far away from the church due to not feeling welcome, or comfortable there. This is a generation that doesn't want rules or regulations on a Sunday morning. This is a generation that needs to see, feel, and experience the living God through the gifts of the Holy Spirit on this earth right here and right now!!! There will be an out pouring of His spirit on this nation but it starts inside your hearts with a willingness to surrender all you have believed and to go after the entire truth. The Holy Spirit will change you when you experience it first hand.
1 Peter 1:14-19
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
I have been reading the Bob Sorge book "Secrets of the Secret Place" He brings up a very good point in one of the early chapters. It's about seeking refuge. We can't be in the wilderness and when a storm comes, cry out to the Lord and expect a shelter to miraculously be built around us. We have to seek it out. We have to seek out our relationship with the Lord. Yes we can cry out and pray for a shelter to magically appear but in all honestly, if we are out and the rain, thunder and lightening come, we seek out shelter. Seek the Lord.
There is also another part of that book where he mentions that even in a mansion made of gold, there will be a plunger. I don't know about you all but I didn't go through this life just to be a plunger to the Lord and barely skate into heaven by the skin of my teeth. Did you?
Revelation 3:14-22
14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.
15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 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. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
1 John 2:15-26
English Standard Version
Do Not Love the World
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life[a]—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Warning Concerning Antichrists
18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.
26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.
Galatians 5 and 6
Christ Has Set Us Free
5 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
Keep in Step with the Spirit
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Bear One Another's Burdens
6 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.
6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Final Warning and Benediction
11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
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